A day in the life of a Cat Castrate.

Hi, my name is Sooty and I’m a 6 month old, black, domestic short haired kitten and I want to tell you about my day at the vets. I’ve not had any breakfast this morning and my mum says it’s because I’m going to the vets to be neutered today. She says this is being done so I can’t make any kittens, so I don’t wander and so I don’t spray in the house.

When we arrive at the vets the nurse takes us into a room and asks mum lots of questions about me. Mum asks for a microchip to help if I get lost. Mum says it’s getting done while I’m asleep so I won’t feel a thing. Mum also asks for a blood sample and a special diet for when I go home. The blood sample is to make sure my health is good so my anaesthetic goes as smoothly as possible and the special diet is designed to be light on my tummy.

My mum leaves and the nurse takes me out of my basket and weighs me. She says this is to make sure the amount of medication I’m given is right. I am then put back into my basket and taken through to the vet. The vet checks me all over and shaves a patch of fur from my neck. The clippers frighten me a little but the nurse is there to cuddle and reassure me. Some cream is put on my neck and the nurse says it’s to numb my skin. A blood sample is taken from my neck and I am put into a kennel with a nice fluffy bed and a litter tray.

A short time later the nurse comes back and she gives me an injection. It stings a little but she rubs me and comforts me until I feel better. After this injection I start to feel tired and I slowly drift off to sleep.

When I wake up I’m back in bed and I’m nice and warm on a heat pad. Once I’m awake enough to sit up the nurse takes my heat pad away and gives me a drink of water so I’m not thirsty. I sleep a little more and then the nurse comes and puts m back in my basket and takes me to a room where my mum is waiting. I’m so excited to see my mum that I start purring. Once mum has paid she takes me home and gives me some of the special diet. I’m still very tired so I curl up and go to sleep in my nice warm bed. It’s been a hard day!!!!

Top Tips for Fireworks

Fireworks can be a scary time for pets but you can help by following some of these tips and guidelines.

1. Provide a den or hiding place where your pet can feel safe
2. Increase your pet’s feeling of security by plugging in an Adaptil or Feliway diffuser as close to the den or hiding place as possible, start using the diffuser at least a few days before fireworks are expected.
3. Ignore fearful behaviour, such a panting, shaking and whining. Dogs may pick up on their owner’s anxiety which could make the problem worse

Further advice:

• In the run up to Bonfire Night walk your dog when it is still light outside. This reduces the possibility of fireworks being set off and your dog becoming worried.
• Make sure all windows, doors and cat flaps are securely closed during fireworks night. This will reduce the chances of your pets escaping.
• Provide extra litter trays for cats in case they are not used to being confined to the house.
• Provide distractions, for example new toys or chews, while fireworks are happening. Draw curtains and switch on the TV to mask the noise from the fireworks.
• Try not to leave your pets alone while fireworks are going off, pets will be more relaxed when they have a familiar person with them during this time.
• DO NOT punish your pet! This will only make your pet more distressed.

Content courtesy of ADAPTIL + FELIWAY.

We understand that some pets may require medication to help them through this stressful time. Please contact the surgery now as your pet should start preparing for fireworks 4 weeks prior to the event. 

Guinea Pig Food: Feeding Your Guinea Pig – Three Simple Tips

Feeding Your Guinea Pig – Three Simple Tips

Posted by Burgess PetCare

Guinea pigs are friendly pets that make great companions for those who not mind taking on the extra responsibility of ensuring that the pet is properly cared for. Similar to rabbits, these pets require fibre to help aid the digestion that is so important to the wellbeing of the animal.  If a guinea pet is your companion of choice, the following information will be helpful for you. Listed below are a few important tips for feeding your guinea pig.  

Focus on fibre

How much fibre your guinea pig consumes on a daily basis is important.  Focus on fibre by feeding your guinea an unlimited amount of fresh hay.  Timothy hay is recommended over alfalfa because it is lower in calories.  If you are concerned about the weight of your pet, choose timothy hay over other higher calorie grasses. 

A variety of food is crucial

Most pet owners feel that if they feed guinea pigs a serving of pellets once daily, they’ve done their job. This couldn’t be further from the truth.  Guinea pigs, like other small furry animals, need a variety of foods. This includes hay, fresh fruits and vegetables, water, snacks, etc.  How does the variety in your guinea pig’s diet measure up?  Keep in mind, however, that guinea pigs will almost always choose sweeter food over more nutritious options.  Avoid feeding too many fruits.  Giving fruit once or twice a week is more than enough. 

Avoid feeding your guinea pig human treats

What tastes good to you may taste good to your guinea, too, but that doesn’t mean  it will be healthy for your pet.  Avoid giving your guinea pig human snacks such as chocolate, yogurt bites, cookies, pasta, etc. While you might not see immediate health problems develop in your pet, consuming these types of snack will promote a toxic growth of unhealthy bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Your guinea pig’s feeding plan will make all the difference in how healthy your animal is. To ensure that you have a healthy, happy guinea pig, use the feeding tips listed above and follow a feeding plan such as Burgess' Excel Feeding Plan for guinea pigs. Following these guidelines will help your guinea get adequate nutrition and fibre.  It will also help your pet to maintain a healthy weight.  Focus on fibre, add in a variety of foods, and avoid feeding your pet human treats to help maintain health.  What will you feed your guinea pig? 

Lung Worm

What about Lung Worm?

Once only seen in a few selected areas of England, 'Lung Worm' is a condition that is becoming increasingly common in Scotland.
There are 2 separate types of lung worm seen in the UK.

• The first is Oslerus osleri.  This is a lung worm that is picked up from other dogs faeces or can be transfered in saliva.  It is easily transferred from a bitch to her pups in this manner.  It is most commonly seen in dogs under 2 years old.
• The second type of lungworm is Angiostrongylus vasorum, or 'French heartworm' as it is also known.  This lungworm is potentially much more serious, especially if left untreated.  This worm can be picked up almost anywhere, and by any age of dog. It spends part of it's life cycle in slugs and snails, and juvenile worms are excreted in the slime trails and froth balls left behind by them in the garden. This means that picking up toys that have been left in the garden, playing with sticks, eating grass and even drinking out of puddles could potentially infect your dog.

A. vasorum poses the most significant risk to dogs in this country.  Foxes are their natural host, but dogs can easily pick up the infection.  After the eggs are ingested by a slug or snail, they mature into a juvenile form.  These juvenile worms released by the snails and then ingested by the dog.  The worms go through a variety of different phases in the dog/fox, and eventually the adult worms lodge in one of the blood vessels of the heart.  They release eggs which move to the lungs and mature in small nodules that form in the dogs airway.  Eventually these nodules burst releasing the first young stages of the worm.

The irritation of the nodules rupturing and the tiny young larvae stimulate the dog to cough.  When they are coughed up, the dog swallows them and they pass out of the gastrointestinal tract in the faeces. 

From here they can be taken up by a slug or snail and the whole cycle can begin again, so now there is another reason to always pick up after your dog!

For most animals with this condition, all that happens is that they develop a dry hacking cough.  However in severe cases, this condition can be more life threatening, causing bleeding and blood clotting problems, breathlessness and sometimes (in extreme cases) collapse and heart failure.

The good news is that there are a wide variety of prescription wormers available that can prevent this condition, and ways in which early cases can be easily treated.

If your dog has a habit of chewing sticks, drinking from puddles and eating grass etc, it is often recommended to treat then with an approved wormer once monthly to prevent them being affected.  This is only usually required over the slug/snail season from March to October, although sometimes a longer course is required if the winter is particularly mild.  

If a dog is confirmed or suspected of having lung worm, then a weeks course of treatment with a special liquid wormer can be all that is required to get them back to being fighting fit again.  

If you are concerned that your pet has developed a cough, or want any more information on the products available for treating and controlling lung worm, please contact the clinic for more information

The Danger of self medicating your pets

When a pet is ill you want to do your best by them. It’s understandable to see why then, that we want to give them medication to make them feel better.  If a cat or dog is sick why can’t we give them the same medication we would take in a similar scenario?

Take paracetamol for instance. We all have it stowed away in our cupboards and take it without second thought for a fever or sore head. However, when given to a cat, even in the tiniest dose it’s fatal. Cats lack an enzyme which helps break down the drug, so instead of the desired effect, the cat will die of problems associated with their red blood cells. Dogs are less sensitive but high enough doses can cause liver and kidney damage. Ibuprofen has similar effects in cats and dogs.  Both require low doses before gastric ulceration can be seen. In more severe cases potentially fatal liver and kidney damage can occur. The more potent the drug the higher the risks of side effects, diclofenac for instance is highly toxic.

The moral of this story – please don’t medicate your pet without veterinary advice.

The danger of throwing sticks

It's Not All Fun And Games!
It's been an unusually warm and sunny start to the year and most of us dog owners have been enjoying more time out doors with our furry companions. That's probably why I've seen my first stick injury of the year already. A lovely wee Jack Russell was out playing fetch with his owner when the stick became lodged between his teeth, across the roof of his mouth. Understandably the poor wee dog was frantic trying to get it out but it was too far back and stuck to be removed by him or his owner, try as he might. By the time he arrived at the clinic, the dog and owner were both very upset. We had to sedate the wee dog immediately before anymore damage could be done and the stick you see in the picture was successfully removed without any lasting damage.
It caused me to reflect on all the stick injuries I've seen over the years and saddened me to say that not all were as lucky.
It's natural for dogs to want to play fetch and we as owners beam with pride when our dog returns an object to us. I have a Beagle, so nothing gets returned but others have told me it's a nice feeling! But when we throw sticks, we run the very real risk of injuring our pets. The sticks themselves can cause traumatic damage to any structure they hit but they also splinter leaving fragments of dirty wood travelling through the dog. I have seen two cases where the stick has torn through the oesophagus ( the tube that carries food to the stomach) and sadly both times these dogs did not survive. I have seen a stick penetrate the eye and result in the loss of the eye. But mainly its the annoying splinters that cause the most problems. They do not show up on x-ray so can be very difficult to find but even a tiny splinter can carry bacteria on its surface and cause untold damage. We often battle for months, even years to find and remove splinters that cause abscesses to develop far from the site of initial injury. These are the cases I hate the most. The dogs suffer pain and infection, repeated anaesthetics and a forever uncertain outcome. My heart sinks when owners ask me if there beloved pet is going to be fine, when the answer is, we just don't know. And for the owners themselves I am sure the guilt of causing the initial injury must be hard to bear. I often ask myself why people still throw sticks for their dogs when the results can be so devastating but I suppose the answer is, most of us don't realise the danger. So I am writing this in that hope that after reading this you will maybe think twice before throwing a stick and consider carrying balls and toys to fetch from now on. I found this fun toy and website some of you might enjoy www.safestix.co.uk which has some good links on stick injuries.

Ruff Dawg sticks + twigs

Safestix

Try not to worry about your pet's anaesthetic

There comes a time in every animal's life where they have an illness or ailment that the vet needs to investigate. Then the vet says "I need to give your pet an anaesthetic!". Owners always fear these words and some even ask if they could "just be sedated" as they perceive this as being less 'risky'. I hope this blog will help to put your mind at rest and also provide more information for you to better understand the procedure of sedating or anaesthetising your animal.
All anaesthetics pose a small risk and unfortunately there is occasion when an animal will take a reaction to an anaesthetic or succumb to the deleterious effects of an anaesthetic drug. There are many ways that we can minimise this risk.
The differences between general anaesthesia and sedation are that with sedation the animal gets given a drug and is then monitored throughout the procedure whilst breathing room air and can then be reversed. With general anaesthesia the animal is given premedication but then the induction and gaseous drugs are tapered to the individual animal and procedure and they have a tube placed in their trachea (windpipe) to provide oxygen.

• At Glenbrae Veterinary Clinic, each animal is given a full, head to toe, clinical examination by an experienced, qualified veterinary surgeon. This can flag up issues such as dehydration, heart murmurs, infection and pain. It also allows us to determine the animal's temperament as very quiet, subdued animals will often require less anaesthetic than aggressive or highly excitable animals. It thus allows the vet to establish the level of premedication that the animal requires for a full general anaesthetic or determine whether the procedure is something that the dog will cope with under sedation alone.
• We offer every animal a pre-anaesthetic blood test. In young, healthy animals undergoing elective procedures such as spaying and castrating, this is an entirely optional procedure. However, there are certain work-ups or situations when this is required for us to give the best care to the animal and thus the vet will make the decision that this is mandatory for the particular case. The pre-anaesthetic blood sample allows the vet to look at the levels of the red and white blood cells and do a complete blood count. This rules out dehydration, infection, anaemia etc. The vet also looks at the full biochemistry which looks at the health of organs such as the liver and kidneys. Glucose levels are checked to ensure there is no underlying diabetes mellitus. We can determine whether there is any issues that suggest inflammation of specific organs or generally within the systems. Sometimes certain cancers cause blood changes and this would alert us earlier in the disease and potentially improve the outcome.
• Every animal undergoing a general anaesthesia and certain 'at risk' animals for sedation also have an intravenous catheter placed. This is a small tube attached to an injection port that allows venous access to remain patent. We use this for inducing anaesthesia and other intravenous injections but in an emergency situation this enables us to give medications sooner and thus aim to get a better outcome on the very rare occasion that we need to perform resuscitative techniques.
• Every animal anaesthetised is monitored throughout by a fully qualified and registered veterinary nurse. All of our nurses are very experienced and monitor anaesthetics on a daily basis. They are all familiar with the regular anaesthetic drugs used and thus are aware of exactly what they expect to happen. a deviation away from the expected means they, together with the vet, react rapidly and because of this the likelihood of severe complications or deleterious effects are minimised.
• When an animal is anaesthetised they are given a calculated dose of premedication which has pain relief and sedative effects. The animal is then induced to fall asleep and intubated (a tube placed in the trachea) to keep the airway patent and provide oxygen and anaesthetic gases. The anaesthetic gas used in Glenbrae Veterinary Clinic is sevoflurane and this is a newer inhalational anaesthetic that the body manages to adapt to rapidly and thus when we change the anaesthetic dial the animal is very rapidly at this new level. Older anaesthetics were not as easy to manipulate and so on occasion the problem took longer to resolve.
• Certain cases, and in any circumstance where we feel it is indicated we have the ability to check the animal's blood pressure. We can detect changes and manipulate the situation using reduced anaesthetic depth or fluid therapy to normalise the blood pressure and thus reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.
• All animals are monitored closely throughout recovery which is one of the riskiest periods and if there are any problems then these can be rectified. We then allow them to go home at the earliest time so that you can provide the TLC that you have been desperate to provide your animal.

I hope that the above gives you a slightly better insight into what is involved with an anaesthetic and helps to put your mind at ease as we do everything in our power to make this procedure as safe as possible.

Kennel Cough

Around this time of year, the vets in the clinic start to see a lot of coughing dogs. 

One of the most common causes of coughing in dogs is kennel cough.  Kennel cough is a condition that causes a severe dry hacking cough.  Sometimes owners even report that their dogs cough so much they make them selves sick!

Kennel cough itself is a condition that is caused by the bacteria Bordetella brontiseptica. The bacteria can be picked in almost any environment by a dog, and is not limited to being picked up in the kennels as the name suggests. 

The bacteria generate a lot of irritation and inflammation to the dog’s windpipe, and can also cause bronchitis.  The more the dogs cough, the more irritated their airways become, and so it turns into a vicious cycle.  If left untreated the infection can progress to cause asthma and pneumonia.  In very severe cases, these can lead to death. 

Happily however, this is not a common occurrence due to advances in medicine.  A number of very effective vaccines are available, which give dogs a good level of protection to these bacteria.  Most reputable kennels, dog clubs and dog walkers all now insist on dogs being vaccinated against kennel cough before using their services which has reduced the spread of the illness hugely.  It is still important to remember though, that the vaccine can only reduce the chance and severity of infection, and doesn’t prevent a dog from picking up mild cases of the condition.

As well as the vaccines, if a dog is unlucky enough to catch kennel cough, the good news is that there are a wide number of antibiotics that can be used to treat it.  Once a dog has been diagnosed by the vet a short course of antibiotic tablets along with some rest and relaxation is usually all that is needed to get them back to full health.

Even small dogs make a huge difference!!!

Imagine going through life not being able to hear and how difficult that could make even the simplest of tasks. Imagine then how valued a hearing dog would be.

        I am writing this blog with some first hand experience. My Aunt is profoundly deaf and has been for all of her life. Around 10 years ago my aunt was given the opportunity to get a hearing dog for the deaf. She took up this opportunity and was given a lovely Pomeranian called George. George is highly trained and will let my aunt know when the phone rings; the door bell goes and even wakes her up when the alarm goes off in the morning. The pair goes everywhere together and he alerts her to any danger. On one occasion he let my Aunt know that the kitchen tap was running and flooding the kitchen. The difference that George has made in my Aunt’s life is incredible, he is an absolute star!

        Unfortunately due to health problems George has recently retired from work but my Aunt has him now as a pet. Hopefully another dog for the deaf isn’t long away either.

      Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a charity that do spectacular work in training young dogs to do life changing things. The work they do and the dogs they provide make such a difference to people’s lives. If you wish more information or to make a donation the website is http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk

Below is a picture of George in his winter jumper.

can you spot feline pain?

If you can remember leg warmers and big hair, you may remember a time when people seriously believed cats could not feel pain. To all us cat lovers this may seem a crazy notion but as recently as 1989 veterinarians in the USA were taught simply to ignore animal pain. In the 80's, Bernard Rollin of Colorado State University wrote two papers about recognising pain in animals but even then, many still believed only dogs could feel pain, not cats. In fact I can still remember seeing practice where cats were never given any form of pain relief, even for operations, and I qualified in 1999!
So how could this misconception have come about?
Cats are solitary in the wild, unlike dogs who live in packs. Because of this they have no need to convey pain, in fact it may alert predators that they are weak. This is also the reason that cats do not vocalise or cry in pain. So cats get on with it because they have to, they have no pack to rely on for back up. Cats actually have poorly developed facial muscles compared to humans because they have no need for facial expression in the wild. That is probably why many can not read a cats expression of pain but many cat lovers can spot the subtle changes of facial expression that are present. In acute pain cats often draw they ears back slightly which pulls their eyes into slits. If a cat is happy, their ears are up or forward and eyes are round. Cats in acute pain are often withdrawn and hang their head low, with a hunched up posture.

Most of us know our cats well enough to recognise acute pain but chronic pain can be much more difficult to spot. We often attribute many of the signs of chronic pain in cats to old age. Many chronically sore cats will appear to sleep more and lie about because they are reluctant to move. Sometimes you notice that they can no longer jump onto the bed or window sill. One of the commonest signs we see as vets is a matted coat, especially over the spine and hips, and an unkempt appearance. This is simply due to the cats being too stiff and sore to groom properly. Cats often appear more grumpy and less interactive and which again is often put down to age. www.spotcatpain.co.uk is a great website teaching owners how to spot pain in their cats. If you have any concerns or think your cat may be in pain please bring them in for a check up. There are now a wide range of pain relief agents specifically designed for cats, so no cat needs to suffer in silence anymore. 

how to apply a foot bandage

In this weeks blog we show you how to apply a foot bandage to your pet. 

With the better weather approaching cats will be venturing and dogs will be going on some fun adventures, but we all know this can bring its troubles.

would you know what to do if you pet cut its foot and you cant stop the bleeding?, or you need to reapply a dressing that has fallen off?

If you do not have any materials with you, you could use a piece of cloth to apply pressure

most importantly most cuts require antibiotics and sometime suturing, the sooner you seek veterinary advice the better it is for a quick recovery. 

Welcome to our new blog!!!

Welcome to Glenbrae vet clinics Bearsden and Dumbarton's new venture in internet blogging Whiskers and waggy 'tales'.

Bearsden surgery

Dumbarton surgery

For anyone who have not met us, we are a conventional and holistic vet service based in bearsden glasgow north not for from the west end with a well established branch surgery in Dumbarton.

In our weekly blog we hope to:

• give you an insight into our daily routine
• discuss interesting cases that we come across
• what to do in emergencies 
• looking out for common illnesses/ conditions
• give advice on general care and maintenance or your pets

We hope that you enjoy our animal tales over the following weeks If there is any topics you would like us to discuss or if you want your pets story published on our blog feel free to contact us at the surgery or sent us a message via:
www.facebook.com/glenbrae

www.glenbrae-vet.co.uk