Mastitis = inflammation in the mammary gland. Mastitis is usually caused by an infection which has entered via the teat, through a skin wound caused by a puppy, or via the bloodstream. The teat and breast tissue will be warm and may be swollen and tender. If the mastitis is more severe, there may be […]
Puppy Vaccinations: When you get your beautiful new puppy he has some immunity already, passed on through the milk from his mother. However, it is vitally important to protect him before he goes out into the big wide world. The normal sequence of events is:- @ 8 weeks, he will receive his first vaccination @ […]
Sometimes, helping the vet with diagnosing skin problems can be quite a challenge. Because there are lots of possible causes of skin infection, from trauma, to topical allergies, to food allergies, to bites, to autoimmune problems etc etc, it is a good idea to go through some questions yourself before your vet appointment so that if your vet […]
Head shaking and ear mites can affect any dog or cat. You may notice that your dog is shaking his head or perhaps scratching a lot more than usual. This could indicate several things including:- ear mites, foreign body in the ear, an allergy, an infection. Ear mites: Ear mites are common in puppies and […]
Loss of an intact tooth: On very rare occasions, say as the result of rough play, an accident, fight or even just getting caught up in something, complete loss of an intact tooth can occur – although it is fairly unusual in dogs. Should you find yourself in this position and you are able to retrieve […]
Inner Ear Infections: To a dog, his sense of hearing is the second most important of his 5 senses (second only to his sense of smell). Your dog’s ears are incredibly delicate and very important to him. Deafness, although something he can live with, will really affect the way he lives his life so if […]
There are many things that can trigger allergic reactions and hives in our animals – everything from food or medication that doesn’t agree with them, bee stings, wasp stings, nettle rash, vaccinations, flying ants, biting “critters” in the grass or undergrowth and even licking toads! This is what happens when you decide to suck a wasp!!! […]
Today’s tip tackles the steps to take if your dog has been involved in a drowning/water based emergency. Begin by using your DR.ABC assessment method:- D = Danger (Is it safe?) R = Response (Is he responding to you?) A = Airway (Open his Airway, pull his tongue forward & clear his mouth of […]
Coat contamination with whatever chemical or substance should always be taken very seriously. Any product on the coat can easily work its way onto the skin and then absorb through the layers of the dermis and into the blood stream. If this happens, there is the potential for your dog to be poisoned. This is […]
Constipation and straining can have many different causes but some of the more usual reasons for it are:- * Change of diet or normal toileting routine * Obesity or general lack of exercise * Spinal, joint or mobility problems making a squatting position painful * Impacted dry faeces * Impacted bony material * High percentage […]
When people think about canine first aid, they tend to think about things like how to do CPR and artificial respiration – the “big ones”, if you will. In actual fact, probably the most serious and potentially life threatening situation you need to be able to spot and treat is shock. In a nutshell, […]
Parvovirus is a word that strikes fear into the heart of every dog owner, but many people don’t actually know how to recognise the signs, how it is spread or what to do if you think your dog may have contracted it. So, here’s a brief overview to help make sense of what is […]
(Continued from yesterday’s blog re grass seeds and foreign bodies) today we look at Foreign Bodies – Ears During dry weather, it is always a good idea to check a dog’s body, between his toes and also in his ears for plant seeds after each walk. Visible seeds can be removed with tweezers though its important […]
Ticks come in lots of different colours and sizes; from grey, pink, red, brown and black, and right through from the size of a pin-head to a big fat juicy rice-crispy. They are carried on things like sheep and deer and drop off into the grass and undergrowth so that when an animal passes through, […]
Fits and Seizures occur when brain cells malfunction and abnormal nerve signals spread throughout part of the brain in an uncontrolled way. The most common cause of fits/seizures/convulsions in dogs: EPILEPSY This is the most common cause. The first fit normally occurs before age 3 if true epilepsy is the cause. Fits in young dogs may often […]
Eclampsia (often known as milk fever) is a serious disease caused by calcium deficiency which may occur in late pregnancy or, more usually, after the puppies are born, when the milk production is at its peak. It is more common amongst smaller bitches who are nursing large litters or bitches who are feeding big, healthy, […]
There are lots of places a dog could get a burn from, and several different types of burn too, from hot burns (caused by coming into contact with anything hot including flames, boiling water and even the sun), cold burns (usually ice or frozen metal), chemical burns (from anything that can get either onto the […]
Vet Wrap – In an ideal world, I would love for every single one of you have a well stocked first aid box. . Obviously, its not normal to carry everything but the kitchen sink around with us on our walks though, so if you only have ONE piece of first aid equipment, make it a […]
Lungworms – I was just sitting having my breakfast and saw an advert on the TV about treatment for lungworm and I wondered just how many “ordinary” pet owners actually know anything about it. So, here goes … Lungworm infestation can be acquired from slugs or snails as intermediate hosts, through sniffing or licking them, […]
Bee & Wasp Stings – In the summer and early autumn, stings from bees and wasps are an occupational hazard for a dog. Because they like to roam about investigating the undergrowth and hedgerows whenever they can, I suppose it’s inevitable that they’ll come across the odd sting or two. Maybe you might notice […]