Lungworm Awareness

Angiostrongylus vasorum, commonly known as 'lungworm' is a disease we are seeing more commonly in the UK causing serious illness and potentially death in our pet dogs. It is caught when dogs eat infected slugs and snails and sometimes by just eating the grass which can contain very small snails which we can't see. As a vet I always prefer to prevent disease rather than treat animals once they have become unwell so I am very glad that Bayer have started promoting this disease and their treatment for it which is a spot-on treatment called Advocate which we stock at the clinic. So if you live near Kennington, London SE11 4QE come and see me and my team to make sure we protect your dog....

Wow! 13 months at GVG Kennington

Wow, it's been thirteen months working at Goddard Vet Group in Kennington, London! The time has flown by and I am loving working at this busy and fun clinic- the staff are brilliant, the clients varied, interesting and caring, the location amazing and the support of Goddard's has been excellent. I have enrolled on a modular certificate in Small Animal Medicine and am attending my first module on November 2nd..... it should take two years to complete and I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge and providing even better care for my patients.... Here's to another 13 months of hard work and play!

The London Vet Show

I spent Friday and Saturday in London Olympia at The London Vet Show attending lectures and catching up with friends from University- one I hadn't seen since graduation so that was great! The lectures included medical conditions of rabbits, guinea pigs and other small mammals- I didn't realise hamsters were so interesting! It has given me some food for thought the next time a bald hamster comes into the clinic! It was good to hear that I am treating gut stasis in rabbits correctly although I did pick up a few extra hints on how to successfully manage that frustrating condition. Other lectures I attended included opthalmological emergencies in cats and dogs and a condition in cats called triaditis (inflammation of the liver, pancreas and small intestine). All the lectures were interesting and provided useful information which I am sure will be put straight into practice when I go back into work tomorrow.... Although I hope not to encounter any emergencies any time soon! Catching up with friends was a real treat, as was drinking plenty of cocktails this weekend! I have fully recovered to plunge back into another busy week tomorrow.....

Dog Hit By Car In Terrible Accident

I had just started afternoon consults on Wednesday when I heard a commotion in reception and a person crying that their dog had just been run over by a car.

The client was carrying his dog who was screaming in pain and bleeding all over his jacket. The dog is called Loopy and she is an 18month old Jack Russel Terrier.
Loopy had an open fracture and complete dislocation of her left ankle joint and she was bleeding from wounds in her groin. I immediately put her on a drip, gave her a sedative and painkiller and bandaged her broken leg. I took xrays of her chest and abdomen and fortunately she hadn't sustained any obvious internal injuries.

A few days on I'm glad to report that Loopy is doing well! Unfortunately she had to have her left hind limb amputated but young, small dogs cope very well on three legs.

I hear you asking- 'How did she get run over in the first place?'
Well, she was off the lead in the park but started to run after something and out into the road where a car was unable to stop in time. A terrible accident and upsetting for all involved.
One very important lesson to learn from this, is that, until you have COMPLETELY MASTERED RECALL, DON'T LET YOUR DOG OFF THE LEAD ANYWHERE NEAR ROADS. This is especially important with breeds likely to get 'tunnel vision' when on the chase.

My own Jack Russel, Dixie, spent EIGHT MONTHS on the lead until we were confident of her recall. Even now, I get her on the lead again when we are anywhere near roads because just one squirrel is enough of a distraction.

Another important lesson is to make sure you have insurance for your pet, to reduce the worry over the financial implications of emergencies if they should arise.

Lets hope I don't have any more pets involved in road traffic accidents next week.....

New Year, New Job! Back on Track.....

Well, last year was really tough- the job I had in North London was very challenging due to a personality clash with the boss! Any way, I have come through that experience stronger and more determined. Having moved house and settled into my new veterinary position, I am still waiting to get internet connection at home so that I can refocus my attention on this site!
2010 is shaping up to be much better than 2009!!! Wooohooooo!
If any of you want to visit me I am working at Goddard's Veterinary Group in Kennington, South London- please come and say hello!
Looking forward to seeing you.....
Have a great week!

Where is the time going!?

I have been in my new job for 9 weeks now and it's flown by!
There have been lots of interesting cases- a successful caesarian section on a cat ( 3 gorgeous kittens), a cat with detached retinas that have re-attached, a cat with a kidney tumour which we are going to remove, a dog with auto-immune haemolytic anaemia, a dog with an aggressive mammary cancer and more.
Unfortunately there are also lots of fleas around at the moment and I'm hugely allergic to flea bites- my ankles are covered!
Fleas are a real downside to lovely sunny weather- nevermind!
Anyway, have fun and enjoy the summer while it lasts!

New Job

I have decided to settle down and started a new permanent job in NW London last Monday.... also I'm in the process of moving house - hence the lack of entries or articles! Hopefully there will be loads of interesting cases to write articles on once I settle in....
Any way, enjoy the weekend!

The Evolution of Dogs

I gave my presentation, The Evolution of Dogs, yesterday at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society!
It went well, I had loads of questions at the end and everyone was responsive during the presentation.
Hopefully that's just the first of many presentations....
A student from the University of Bournemouth media department came and interviewed me for the news too! Have a look at the interview here!

Crufts March 5-8th 2009

Crufts starts tomorrow. I don't usually watch it, just catch the odd glimpse.
What usually irritates me is that some of the dogs are such a disaster from the veterinary perspective and yet continue to win awards. I remember a huge, ungainly, puffing Labrador Retriever winning one year and I thought to myself 'here we go, a good excuse for all the owners of overweight Labs to tell me they are normal!'
After all the negative press following the documentary 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed' (BBC1 August 2008) the Kennel Club has had to review and revise its breed standards- thank goodness!
The breed standards have been re-written to exclude anything that could encourage features detrimental to breathing, walking or seeing freely. Also the judges at Crufts have been instructed to report any dog which appears to have a trait detrimental to function.
So, I guess we'll see over the next few days if this change actually helps in creating winning dogs which are fit for function and without detrimental traits...

BBC Rogue Traders 'Puppy Farmers'

Rogue Traders on Feb 19th raised the issue of Puppy Farmers.
Nothing mentioned surprised me at all.
In fact the Whelan's were mentioned as being puppy farmers and importing dogs illegally from Ireland- I mention them in a previous blog entry last year because a client of mine had purchased a puppy from them who was docked against her knowledge.
At least the programme high-lighted a very important point- when buying a puppy you MUST see him or her with their mother.
My ebook 'Puppy Power' contains lots of information about puppy farms and how to avoid them and how to ensure you purchase a healthy puppy from a reputable source.
Remember that the power to STOP puppy farmers lies with the purchaser. So if you want a puppy, make sure you are properly informed BEFORE you buy. Rescue centers may also have puppies to adopt that have been health checked and vaccinated already.

Compulsory Microchipping of Dogs

I have just come across this petition, which I have now signed, to urge the government to make microchipping of all dogs COMPULSORY- a brilliant idea!
Check out the petition and sign up yourself!
Microchipping is quick and easy! It's a brilliant, permanent form of identification for your dog (or cat or rabbit or tortoise).
It is such a relief to find a microchip if an animal is brought into the surgery as a stray because we can quickly identify and contact the owner by reading the microchip.
The only potential problem that I've faced, is having out-of-date details registered for an owner with the microchip details SO remember to keep your details updated!

Saying Goodbye to a Beloved Pet

I'm at home this week, enjoying playing in the snow and being at home because I've been working away for the last two months.
In my last job I met a lovely Persian cat called Dusty who is owned by a very loving, caring lady who adores Dusty. Unfortunately Dusty has chronic kidney failure due to a condition that affects Persian cats called 'polycystic kidney disease'. I have prescribed all the medication and dietary changes possible to help improve the functioning of Dusty's kidneys.
Sadly Dusty's owner has emailed me today worrying that she will have to have Dusty euthanased (put to sleep) in the next few days and sad that I won't be there with her in those last moments.
It is very difficult to help clients come to terms with making such difficult decisions, especially when not there in person.
What I do know is that euthanasing a beloved pet is not a decision that owners make lightly.
I always advise that the pet's QUALITY of life is much more important than the quantity of their life. When animals have chronic illnesses that can't be cured, it is always best to say goodbye to them before they deteriorate too much and whilst they still have some dignity and enjoyment. Of course the vet looking after them will be able to help make the decision when the time comes.
Saying goodbye is the worst part of owning a pet. However the joys, love and fun that you share with your pet over the years, far outweigh the difficult time at the end.
I will be working from home for the rest of the week....
Enjoy yourselves, whatever the weather!

Happy New Year and vomiting cats!

Happy New Year to you all!...
It has been so busy at work since Christmas that I've been running around like a headless chicken!
Lots of dogs and cats with colds and lots of vomiting too- just like us at this time of year I suppose!
In the two weeks since Christmas I have had to remove 'foreign bodies' from the intestines of two cats. This condition is much more commonly seen in dogs because they are much more likely, compared to cats, to eat everything in sight.
The first cat is called Boris and he had swallowed some string which had been used to tie up the Christmas cards for decoration. Of course he had been playing with the string but he was silly enough to actually eat it too- cats have no sense when it comes to this! Swallowing string is a disaster because it causes the intestine to 'consitina' on itself. It took me two hours and multiple intestinal incisions to fix him! Fortunately he's all healed and back to normal now... hopefully his owners have learnt NOT to leave string about for him to play with.
The second cat is called George and he had the foot from a doll stuck in his intestine! I have never seen a cat eat part of a child's toy before but there's always a first for everything! George isn't out of the woods yet but was healing well when I left work yesterday.
Hopefully next week will be a bit calmer....
Any way have fun!
May 2009 bring success, joy and love your way......

Discover Dogs

I dropped in to Discover Dogs on 8th November for a few hours and that wasn't long enough at all! So many breeds of dog that I've never even heard of, let alone seen! It was great to speak with the breeders and realise that despite recent negative press, they are committed to the health and welfare of the breed that they love. Of course they only represent a small fraction of breeders in this country so diligence is needed when thinking of buying a pure-bred dog (you can find out loads more in my ebook Puppy Power). There are many unscrupulous breeders only interested in making money as I've written about in previous posts.
If you get a chance to go to the next Discover Dogs I would recommend it as a fun day out where you can also learn loads!

A few thoughts.

I went to Toronto at the end of last month for a 'city break' with my husband. Unfortunately I got a chest infection which I'm just recovering from, hence the lack of blog updates!

Now I'm sitting here listening to the fireworks and wondering how many animals are scared stiff. I know that lots of clients have been in recently asking how they can help their dogs. DAP diffuser is very useful for dogs to help calm them. Also you can use Rescue Remedy from the chemist which has a good sedative effect using herbs only.
It's not just the pets I worry about when there are fireworks. What about all the wild animals? It is probably terrifying for birds and very dangerous for hedgehogs hibernating in stacks of wood that will be used for bonfires.
I would like to see fireworks banned for private use and just used for public displays on Nov 5th and Dec 31st ONLY.

On another note I have been contemplating the huge effect euthanasing a pet can have on their family. This week has been miserable so far, I have euthansed four animals already and given the bad news that one of my patients probably has terminal cancer (I'm awaiting confirmation from tests).
I know the mixed bag of emotions that accompanies euthanasing a pet- grief, guilt, relief, a feeling of loss and emptiness. I also know that time IS a great healer and that slowly the sadness is replaced with wonderful memories of all the fantastic time spent with the beloved pet.
If you ever have to make that decision, let your vet guide you and remember that the quality of your pet's life is much more important then the quantity of their life. We all have to die eventually. I feel lucky to have the choice to euthanase animals to relieve their suffering and say goodbye peacefully, maintaining some dignity for them.
At least my day at work can be balanced by attending to happy, healthy animals when they come for vaccination- a great time to bond with my patients!

On Saturday I'm going to 'Discover Dogs' at London Earl's Court. I'm interested to find out what breed standards the Kennel Club will be putting in place for breeds showcased at the event, especially after all the bad press they have received recently. I'll let you know my thoughts next week.....

Update on Harvey

I spoke with the Kennel Club about Harvey ( see my blog entitled 'Harvey the Docked Puppy' written on 11th Sept 08). They said that there is nothing they could do about the fact that Harvey was docked because it is still legal in Ireland and the person buying the puppy has the obligation to search for a puppy with a full length tail if they want one. They don't actually encourage breeders to stop docking within the confines of the law which I find appaling and I will be writing to them about this in due course...
In fact Mr Whelan is not even registered with them and so they advised I speak to Trading Standards and report him for false advertising. Harvey's owners have still not received any KC registered documents for him because he ISN'T actually registered! I asked Harvey's owner if I could report Mr Whelan but she doesn't want me to, because he has all her bank details and is obviously an unscrupulous person.
So, lessons learnt-
1) search for puppies with full length tails AFTER making sure you know what a full length tail actually looks like. See 'anti-dockingalliance' for pictures and a list of breeders.
2) if buying a pure-bred puppy, get breed documents at the point of sale, don't expect to get them later in the post.
3) don't give your bank details to anyone.
4) get a puppy from a rescue centre.

DEATHROWPETS

Unfortunately the number of animals being taken to rescue centres is increasing every year.

Why are pets being abandoned or relinquished?
The reasons for this are varied and include the owner experiencing financial or personal difficulties, moving into rented accommodation not allowing pets, changes in circumstance resulting in not enough time for the pet, the pet becoming ill or having behavioural problems, new children in the household, owners developing pet allergies, a new pet not getting on with existing pets. Unfortunately, sometimes people just buy pets on a whim and then realise a few months later that they made a mistake and take the pet for re homing.
Pets being taken to rescue centres are often young and not neutered (de-sexed), usually having only been owned for 7-12months. Many of these pets are taken on from friends with unwanted animals, often they have never been to a vet and many of the dogs have never had any obedience training.
In my opinion, not training and neutering your pet is just a sign of being irresponsible.
Rescue centres obviously make a huge effort to rehome these pets in a responsible fashion.
However the sad truth is that many are just on 'death row' and end up being euthanased. Often euthanasia boils down to inadequate funds to look after the animals rather then the animals having uncorrectable behavioural or veterinary problems.
My friends at 'DeathrowPets.net' are raising awareness of the plight of many animals in rescue centres that are ultimately waiting to die in cages in a rescue centre through no fault of their own.

Please be responsible, make informed decisions before getting a pet and make looking after them for their whole lifespan a priority.

You can find out everything you need to know BEFORE you buy a PUPPY in my ebook 'Puppy Power'.

'Compassion for animals, passion for nature'

Harvey the docked puppy

Despite the recent change in legislation in England which should mean an end to docked dogs, I recently had a docked puppy presented to me at work. He is a cocker spaniel named Harvey and he is very cute! His owner had purchased him in Dunstable from Mr Whelan, a licensed registered breeder with the Kennel Club.
Harvey's owner didn't want a docked dog and didn't realise Harvey had been docked. She was also under the impression that Harvey had been born in Dunstable. Unfortunately the legislation in Ireland allows docking and in fact Harvey had been born there and then transported all the way to England for sale.
SO- there was no way that we can know the environment Harvey was born into or what age he was removed from his mum. Was he born on a puppy farm?
I have spoken to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and they say that it is impossible to do anything if the puppy was docked in Ireland, as Mr Whelan says he was, because it is still legal there.
I have spoken to Mr Whelan and he says he thinks ALL working dogs should be docked. He doesn't care if they are in fact going to be pets and docks them anyway. He actually told me 'he doesn't care what happens to them after he has sold them and got his money'.
I asked him to consider that some people actually want to buy puppies with natural length tails and could he consider NOT docking! Hopefully he will think about this.
Mr Whelan says he has many breeding bitches but is not a puppy farm. Who knows the truth?
If YOU want to buy a puppy with a full length tail, please make it your business to ask questions about your future puppy and make sure he or she is NOT docked before you buy. YOU HOLD THE POWER TO CHANGE THE MINDS OF PEOPLE LIKE Mr WHELAN.
As Mr Whelan is registered with the Kennel Club I want to ask them their opinion of what is actually happening. I am waiting to speak with someone and will let you know the outcome.....

Please see my post 'Dogs with tails!' from May 2008 and my ebook 'Puppy Power- everything you need to know BEFORE you buy a puppy' for more information.

'Compassion for animals, passion for nature'

chickens

It's odd- suddenly I'm seeing quite a few chickens at work! After 'Spirit' the cockerel I saw a little ex-battery hen called 'Esmerelda'.
I don't know how much you know about chicken and egg production so I'll just outline the basics- There are two distinct types of chickens- 1) broiler chickens which grow very rapidly and have a lot of meat on them and are slaughtered young for us to eat and 2) egg-producing chickens which are quite scrawny and are kept purely for their eggs, they are slaughtered at the end of their productive lives and go into pet food.
In western countries both of these types are generally reared intensively on massive farms in their hundreds.
It is difficult to tell what type of system broiler chickens have been raised in because even if they are organic it does not mean they have been raised in an extensive way. The RSPCA is starting to label some supermarket chickens to help the consumer identify which broiler chickens have been raised in a more welfare conscious way. See links below.
At the supermarket eggs are labelled as battery, barn or free range. Without seeing the actual facilities I am always a bit skeptical about the labelling! That's just me! Free range should be the best in respect to welfare and battery the worst- battery chickens are kept in very small cages and often are unable to even stretch out their wings. Personally I'm dubious about the welfare of chickens kept in barns.
All types of intensive farming have their problems with respect to animal welfare. Unfortunately chickens fare poorly in the welfare stakes.
Because chickens aren't mammals, it is easy to not feel as sympathetic as you might towards a cute calf or lamb.
Personally I have been reminded, by seeing Spirit and Esmerelda, just how beautiful chickens actually are.
Whenever possible I get my eggs from friends or small local farms where the chickens truly are free-range. As soon as I can, I will get some ex-battery hens myself. The RSPCA re home ex-battery hens to afford them at least a bit of quality life before they die. Unfortunately they often only live for about a year after they have been rescued from battery cages because they are often completely physically exhausted.
check out more info here-
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=chickens
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=consumerhomepage
Please make an informed decision the next time you buy chicken or eggs....

'Spirit' the Cockerel!

I was surprised yesterday to be presented with a chicken at work for an examination!
My consult list just said 'lame chicken'! The owners came in with a large carry cage and inside was a beautiful cockerel! He was indeed lame, probably after having a fight with the other cockerel over their harem of female chickens! Being well handled he didn't attempt to peck me (thankfully) but just crowed at me. He was otherwise in very good condition and clearly well cared for. 'Spirit' the chicken had a swollen and painful knee. After phoning the drug manufacturer for a dose, I was able to give him some anti-inflammatory pain medication to go home with and also prescribed a good rest.
Hopefully 'Spirit' will be fine.
There is never a dull day as a vet!
Seeing this beautiful animal reminded me how lovely chickens actually are. If you have never had the pleasure of seeing a live chicken perhaps you could visit a local 'petting zoo' or farm and take a look. They have chickens at Paradise Wildlife Park who are allowed to roam about... very funny!