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Practice News

There probably aren't many pubs around catering for rabbits. But if there were, they probably would have just have had to change all of their glassware.
You see, it has always been thought that the dropper type bottles, with a ball valve, which the rabbit licks to get water , were the best way to provide rabbits with a plentiful supply of fresh water. However recent work by a Swiss team of veterinary researchers has found that rabbits appear to drink a lot less when they are given dropper type bottles, as opposed to open bowls of water.
Even in healthy rabbits, it is important that they stay well hydrated. Rabbits naturally have a lot of calcium in their blood and therefore, in their urine. If the amount of water that they drink is small, the urine becomes more concentrated and little crystals of calcium salts can start to form in the bladder, with time, these can progress to become painful bladder stones.
So, should we all start using open water bottles for our rabbits? Well, we probably should, as long as we can make sure that the water remains fresh i.e. gets changed morning and evening. If the water is getting very contaminated, then a dropper bottle may still be the best option.
Remember, rabbits often do not appear unwell until they are very sick indeed. So, if you notice anything unusual with your rabbit, for instance; not eating, not passing faeces or weight loss, please do not hesitate to call us to arrange an appointment.

Pet passengers...Are fleas and ticks an issue?

AT LAST - The warmer weather is on the way! but beware - any flea eggs lurking in carpets and bedding, or outside in parks and gardens, will start to hatch and develop into adult fleas! Worse still, adult fees are very able hoppers and will quickly make their home in your pet's coat, where they will repeatedly feed on their blood. Fleas can cause a multitude of problems including skin itchiness, rashes, infections, hair loss and extreme cases anaemia. And if this isn't bad enough, they can bite us as well! Most troubling of all, a single adult flea can lay around 50 eggs per day! These fall off your pet and are deposited in carpets, bedding and also in outside areas. Whilst the eggs can sometimes remain dormant for many months, in warm weather they will rapidly hatch out and develop (via larval stages) into adult fleas. As a result, it is easy to see how a small number of flea eggs can lead to a flea problem of epidemic proportions in just a few weeks!
Ticks are another problem to contend with at this time of year. In contrast to fleas, ticks live in areas of long grass, woodland and heathland, waiting to attach themselves to passing pets. Once attached, ticks feed on your pet's blood, sometimes for several days.
Ticks can cause problems in two ways: firstly they can sometimes cause quite marked tissue reactions at the attachment site and secondly, while feeding, they can transmit dangerous inflections such as Lyme disease and Babesiosis. Don't let pesky parasites make your life a misery! Make sure you are up to date with flea and tick treatments - please let us advise you on the best form of flea an tick control on your pet.

Kennel cough - Is your dog protected?

DID YOU Know that wherever dogs meet they run the risk of picking up Kennel Cough? This is a highly infectious cough, rapidly causing symptoms of severe coughing and breathlessness as well as high temperatures, sore throats and loss of appetite. In the worst cases it can cause severe and prolonged disease and may even be associated with death. Even in young healthy dogs it can cause weeks of coughing. The condition is caused by a mixture of viruses and a bacterium - Bordetella Bronchiseptica. Although your pet's regular booster vaccinations should provide protection against the viral components of the cough, only intanasal vaccine drops can offer protection against Bordetella. We recommend that dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough before going into kennels or at any time when the disease is rife. Please contact us if you would like further information.

Keep a watchful eye out for lumps and bumps!

In addition to the regular health checks your pet receives when visiting us, it's a great idea to perform some form of routine check yourself. Get your pet used to you looking at their eyes, ears, teeth and giving them a general check-over. This way will hopefully pick up early signs of problems including any abnormal lumps.
If you pet does develop a lump, there are several possible underlying causes - these include abscesses, hernias and tumours. The most serious of these tumours which are either benign - which tend to be slow growing and remain in one place or malignant which invade the surrounding tissues and may also spread to there parts of the body.
If you do discover a lump on your pet, it is important that we examine it as soon as possible in order that we may establish the underlying cause and start any treatment without delay. Timing is everything and delay in appropriate treatment can be the difference between a small mass that is easily treatable by surgical removal and one that is far more difficult to treat. So if you are concerned about a lump on your pet - or any other health problem, please contact us today for a appointment.

Does you pet drink like a fish?

INCREASED thirst is commonly seen in older pets and whilst warm weather may be a factor, it is an important symptom that shouldn't be ignored, as it may be a sign of serious underlying disease. Pets may appear relatively normal or show a variety of other symptoms.
In cats it can be particularly noticeable, since most cats spend years showing no interest in water, and then suddenly you are regularly filling their water bowl. Increased drinking may point to a range of problems including: kidney or liver disease, diabetes mellitus, Cushings disease in dogs and hyperthyroiddism in cats (to name just a few!) Additionally, older unspayed female pets are predisposed to pyometra - a life threatening uterine infection that commonly has increased thirst as one of its presenting signs.
So if you think your pet is drinking more than normal, please bring them in for a check-up. As well as giving your pet a thorough clinical examination, urine and blood test are usually very helpful in making a diagnosis. Once the problem is identified, we can hopefully get treatment (tailored to the specific condition), speedily under way.
The good news is that although there is no cure for old age, we do have treatments for many of the conditions mentioned above which will hopefully ease the symptoms and prevent or slow the progression of the disease. Please call us if you are at all worried!

BE A PARASITE DETECTIVE!

Fleas: Specks of flea "dirt" (faeces) in the coat indicates the presence of fleas. You can confirm these specks are flea faeces by performing a wet paper test. If you hold a piece of moist white paper near your pet and scratch his coat, you may see fragments of flea "dirt" fly onto the paper where they dissolve yielding a characteristic reddish blotch which confirms the presence of fleas.

Animal Medical Centre Client Evening: Dental Disease, Lift the Lip.

"Our data shows a clear statistical link between gum disease and heart disease in dogs," April 9^th 2009

Larry Glickman, Professor of Epidemiology, Purdue University, Ind. USA.

The evidence is building in cats and dogs, as in their human counterparts, that dental disease can significantly increase the chance of disease in many other organs, including the heart.  Of course, this is on top of the severe pain and discomfort that can be caused by tooth diseases.  We now know better than ever how important healthy teeth and gums are.

Unfortunately, many animals hide their pain well and even animals with severe dental disease can be almost impossible to notice.  That is why, on the 2^nd February, our vets are running an evening talk, encouraging everyone to ‘lift the lip’ of their pets and will be holding a talk to give advice on teeth and gums, including what to look for, what can be done, what to do when tooth brushing is impossible and why it is all so important.

Animal Medical Centre Client Evening: Dental Disease, Lift the Lip.

Date: 2^nd February 2012

Time: 7:30pm to 9pm

Venue: Animal Medical Centre, 242 Cricklewood Lane, London NW2 2PU

There will be and opportunity to tour our dental suite. We really hope that you will be able to join us. Refreshments will be available and the event is free to attend.

Please call Animal Medical Centre on 020 8450 2228, for more information, and to book a place. Spaces are limited; attendance will be by reservation only.