Category Archive:

fat-dog
Feature, Our Pets

The pet obesity epidemic

By admin On March 19, 2013 - Comments

Obesity can have a severe impact on people’s health, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and heart and liver disease. There is also a significant burden on the NHS – direct costs caused by obesity are now estimated to be £5.1 billion per year. As a nation we struggle to take obesity seriously and this spills over onto our pets as well. Research by the PDSA, the UK charity which provides pet care to those in need shows that 13.5 million overweight pets regularly receiving fatty and sugary treats such as takeaways, crisps and cakes. The PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report shows that;

  • Overweight pets are at risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, and have a lower life expectancy than healthy pets
  • 61% of pet owners think severely overweight pets should be removed from an owner who persistently ignores veterinary advice
  • 51% of pet owners think that overweight owners are more likely to have overweight pets
  • 48% of owners admit to giving their pet a treat because they think it makes their pet feel happy, while 29% of owners say it’s because it makes them happy

Do any of these statements ring true? One of the comments we always hear is that people feel sorry for their pets and cannot ignore those wanting eyes! You must resist! The second comment is ‘so am I killing him with kindness?’ The answer is clearly yes, but that is not the answer people want to hear.

A previous report from 2010, involving almost 30,000 dogs across the UK over the past four years  found a staggering 35% of pets were carrying too many kilos. In 2006 the figure was 21%, and PDSA warned that if the trend continues, almost half of all dogs could be overweight by the end of 2013. So 2013 is here, we have a pet health epidemic and the time for action is now.

The recent government call to action on obesity sets  ambitions for a downward trend in excess weight in both children and adults by 2020 and sets out how, by working together, a wide range of partners will be able to make these ambitions a reality. From this, it is clear that as pet owners you need help.

Firstly, ask yourself whether you think your pet is overwight. Not sure how to tell? Click here to view the PDSA’s page with charts that you can download to assess your dog, cat or rabbit. You can also download the full PAW report from this page too.

Secondly, don’t be afraid to phone your vet practice and request an appointment. Most practices run weight clinics with knowledgable staff with workable solutions for you.

How can Northwest Surgeons help?

 At Northwest Surgeons one of our nurses Caroline Boothroyd holds an advanced qualification in nutrition and is able to tailor-make diet regimes to suit the individual cat or dog. As well as producing a weight-reduction plan, Caroline is there to support you through the process.

With our orthopaedic clinic many of the cases our orthopaedic specialists see suffer from arthritis. In people we know that weight reduction is one of the key factors reducing pain in arthritis – and should be considered before medication. Our team of specialist-led anaesthetists run a pain management clinic for these patients so we  are perfectly equipped to offer everything you need to help your pet lose weight and improve their comfort levels.

Shocked by what you have read? Yes, this is a real welfare issue. We as owners are to blame and need to wake up to what we are really doing to our poor pets.

Put the biscuit back!

 

 

 

 

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Moving home with your cat
Our Pets

Moving home with your cat

By admin On February 5, 2013 - Comments

Moving home can be just as stressful for your feline friends as it is for you. Here are some tips to help you with this:

  • Provide the house you currently live in with two Feliway pheromone diffusers – one upstairs and one down. This should be done the month before you move. When you move to your new house continue with the Feliway adapters for at least the first 1-2 months.
  • You can obtain an oral tablet named Zylkene to help with cat behaviour in stressful situations. For more information on stress and behaviour modification techniques click here. Zylkene can be obtained from your local veterinary practice.
  • If your cats are microchipped ensure you call the database administrator to change the registered address. If you do not have your cat microchipped, this is highly recommended and is a very quick and simple procedure.
  • It is advised to keep your cats indoors for 2-4 weeks. Provide one litter tray per cat and one additional one. You may need to use soil for litter if your cats are used to going outside.
  • Ideally provide separate feeding stations to help relieve stressful situations. Cats are solitary animals and will be happier eating on their own.
  • Provide your cats with lots of comfortable beds and hideaway areas. You can purchase enclosed beds which some cats really like and feel secure in, alternatively once you unpack this will be a use for those packing boxes! Familiarise your cats with the any new bedding before you move so they have their own scents. This will help to make them feel more secure and comfortable.
  • If you do not already have scratching posts, I would provide a couple whilst they are kept indoors to save your sofas!

If you follow these simple instructions you and your cats should hopefully be very happy in your new home.

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Fireworks bursting
Feature, Our Pets

Helping your scaredy cats

By admin On October 10, 2012 - Comments

How to have a happy cat during fireworks

As winter is rapidly approaching so too are bonfire night, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, bringing celebrations, festivities and FIREWORKS!  While many enjoy the bright colours and loud noises that fireworks provide it must be remembered that they can be extremely frightening to our feline friends.

Masters of disguise 

Cats are very good at hiding how they are feeling and often develop strategies to cope with stress.  It can be very difficult for us as owners to know exactly how our cats are feeling as one cat will react differently to another.  Long term stress can increase the risks of illness and disease.

Signs of stress (unwanted behaviour)

Hiding, withdrawal from interaction or increased dependency

Over grooming

Exaggerated reactions to sudden noises and movements

Lack of appetite or over eating

Vertical scratching

Soiling in the house/urine marking

Reduced play

Defensive aggression towards people and other cats

Why do fireworks sound so loud and scary?

Your cat has exceptional hearing; its ultra-sensitive ears are able to pick up even the smallest squeak made by a mouse.  Amazingly they are able to distinguish between two sounds that are only 2 inches apart, from over 6 ft away.  Their hearing is 5 times as sensitive as a human!! The bang of a firework can be as loud as a jet engine or a rifle shot, we can only imagine how loud and therefore very frightening fireworks must sound!

Many fireworks produce low frequency sounds which are difficult for cats to pinpoint.   It is therefore very difficult to navigate a safe escape route when you are not exactly sure where the noise originated from- for this reason many cats will sit still until the threatening noise has stopped.   This behaviour is often misinterpreted as ‘the cat is not bothered’.

What can we do?

There are many things that can be done in the short term over this noisy and scary period to help your cat, but considerations must be made for a long term solution.  Noise phobias do not tend to just disappear; they more commonly get worse with time.  A fear of the loud bangs associated with fireworks can progress to stress caused by everyday sounds such as a slamming door.

Environmental considerations

It is very important to remember that cats are creatures of routine and familiarity, and any change to their lifestyle can in itself be stressful.  Keeping an outdoor cat indoors, moving food / water bowls or litter trays can all cause stress – changes should be made in advance to allow your cat to adjust.

For households with more than one cat, always remember the 1 per cat + 1 rule.  So if you have 2 cats there should be 3 of each important resource; litter trays, high resting perches,  beds, hiding areas, water bowls, feeding areas, scratching posts etc.  This is especially important during the coming months, as your cats will potentially be confined to the house more than usual, so will help minimise the risks of any inter-cat hostility occurring due to lack of amenities. 

Feliway diffuser and spray

When your cat rubs his head on items around the house such as the sofa, curtains and walls it leaves behind its own unique facial pheromone, helping to map out his territory.   These pheromones provide security and reassurance.  Feliway® is a synthetic copy of this feline facial pheromone available as a diffuser or spray and can comfort in stressful situations. Rest assured this is not something we humans can smell! 

Keep your cat indoors

To ensure your cats remain safe keep them indoors when fireworks are expected, secure the windows, doors and cat flaps.  Provide enough resources for the number of cats you have and make sure the resources are in suitable locations.

Stay in with your cat and keep calm

Stay in with your cat on those nights when you predict there will be fireworks.  It is important to keep a normal routine- try your best to stay calm as your cat will pick up on your anxiety, making the situation worse.  Avoid over fussing and comforting them because this can be seen as confirmation that there is something to be afraid of so therefore confusing.  Your cat may act out of character and display unwanted behaviours, remember that they are doing so because they are frightened; do not get cross with them.

Provide hiding areas

Cats like to run and hide when they are frightened, so provide an area for them to hide.  Ideally somewhere familiar where they would usually run too when they felt threatened.  Avoid the temptation to keep checking on them and do not remove them from this safe area.

Do not use fireworks in your own garden

Do not hold a fire work display in your own garden and if possible speak to neighbours and try and discourage their use of fireworks explaining your concerns.  Silent fireworks are available.

Ensure your cat is microchipped

This is very important. If your cats manage to leave the house during this time they will probably run and hide.  Frightened cats can become lost. If you have moved house recently check your details are up to date with the microchip register.

Provide background noise

Have the TV or the radio on to provide background noise to try and mask the sound of fireworks.  The washing machine or a bathroom fan can also be used as long as your cat is familiar with these sounds and not frightened of them.

Close your curtains

This will help to reduce some of the noise and hide the bright colours and lights that fireworks give out.

Food

A veterinary prescription diet is available from Royal Canin.  ‘Calm’ is a complete diet designed to provide support to cats at times of stress.

Sound desensitisation

This is used to teach your cat an alternative response to a scary sound.  Sounds such as fireworks and thunder are played to your cat in a controlled manner via a CD. This is done at a non-stressful time whilst they are relaxed and pre occupied with something else such a treat or toy.  It is a long term solution that should not be used over the actual firework period, but in preparation for the next. 

Visit your vet

There are a range of veterinary prescribed medications, herbal medicines and complimentary supplementations that are available if your cat really is not settling; these can be prescribed in the short term.  Your vet can also help you to come up with a long term preventative plan for the future.

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Elliott
Feature, Our Pets

Would you ever think that your pet could save a life?

By admin On September 9, 2011 - Comments

Well, thats what my cat Elliot has done……by giving blood! Many of us are blood donors ourselves and realise how important and precious that unit of blood is – but did you know that in the veterinary world we rely on blood donors too?

Just like in human medicine, when we need blood for a dog we can obtain it from a blood bank. The Pet Blood Bank is a not for profit charity and blood is provided by donor dogs. Cats however are a different story. Obviously most cats will not simply sit still to have blood collected which means there are no blood banking facilities for cats. If we need blood for a sick cat we rely on donors belonging to our staff, which is where Elliot and Fred get called in.

Cats have 2 major blood groups A and B and a smaller, less common group AB. They have preformed antibodies to the other blood types therefore they must be blood typed prior to the first transfusion. If blood typing is not carried out there is a risk of serious transfusion reaction. The blood types varies geographically and on breed. Siamese and other oriental breeds are mostly type A, whereas British Shorthairs, Persians and Maine Coons may be up to 50% type B. There is said to be only a small number of Domestic Shorthairs (moggies) to be type B in our region (which includes Fred!) Donors cats need to be healthy, fully vaccinated and weigh between 4.5-7kg. Ideally they should be kept indoors however this is rarely the case. So, prior to donation they should be tested for FIV (feline aids) and FeLV (feline leukaemia) because both of these diseases can be transmitted in blood products.

A small blood sample from Elliot was needed to perform the blood type, which was carried out at Northwest Surgeons. Elliot is blood type A and luckily enough we have Fred who is blood type B. Often we will ask owners of cats requiring a transfusion to bring their other cat in for testing. Both Elliot and Fred have given blood in the last year and saved lives. Instead of a biscuit and a cup of tea we offer our cats a free bag of their favourite food!

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Untitled-2
Feature, Our Pets

Happy cats!

By admin On June 15, 2011 - Comments

As pet owners we all worry about leaving our sick pet in hospital. Here at Northwest Surgeons we aim to treat your pet as if he or she were our own. We all want the best possible care for our pets and we are well positioned to deliver this.

To put your mind at rest, let’s follow one of our recent cases, Louis, through the hospital from the initial consultation through to his discharge home.

Louis is a 9 year old cat owned by Matt, our anaesthetist. Louis was suffering from diarrhoea, which failed to respond to the usual first line treatments. After some frustrating attempts to help Louis, Matt sought the advice of our medicine team who are used to dealing with cat gastrointestinal problems.
Every case at Northwest Surgeons receives an initial consultation with a specialist most suited to the animal’s condition. In Louis’ case this was with Dr Rebecca Littler, an RCVS specialist in internal medicine. Louis was admitted to the hospital for diagnostic tests.

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