Superbugs in dogs and cats

By admin On July 19, 2011 - Comments

“In 1942 a 33 year old woman lay dying of streptococcal sepsis in a New Haven, Connecticut hospital and despite the best efforts of contemporary medical science, her doctors could not eradicate her bloodstream infection.  Then they managed to obtain a small amount of a newly discovered substance called penicillin, which they cautiously injected into her.  After repeated doses, her bloodstream was cleared of streptococci, she made a full recovery and went on to live to the age of 90.  In 2008, sixty six years after her startling recovery a 70 year old man lie in a hospital in San Francisco with an endocarditis cause by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE).   Despite the administration, for many days, of the best antibiotics available for combating VRE, physicians were unable to sterilise the patient’s blood and he died, still bacteraemic”.

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The ins and outs of pills & potions

By admin On July 5, 2011 - Comments

 

Every year at NWS we make thousands of prescribing decisions for a wide variety of conditions. As well as the obvious benefit of medication in making your pet’s condition better, there is an important aspect of prescribing which we, just like your doctor, take very seriously. Most medications have associated side effects which is why it is important to follow the instructions on the box, but we appreciate this raises questions. Here, we attempt to answer some of the common questions we receive every year.

My dog is lame – can he have some of my other dog’s painkiller?

You should consult your primary care vet initially. The painkiller may not be appropriate for the dog and this must be decided by a vet.

Can I give my cat paracetamol?

Never give cats paracetamol. Paracetamol kills cats because they lack the liver pathways necessary to metabolise the drug.

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