25 Years of Glenbrae

With a fantastic celebration last Saturday of 25 years of Glenbrae’s existence, I thought it a good time to reflect on the last 25 years and how Glenbrae, and the service it now provides, came into being.

Just over 25 years ago I was working in a mixed practice in Northern Ireland, my second job after graduating and a short stint in Australia.  I had always wanted to run my own practice and 7 years after graduating, with a lot of experience gained, I felt the time was right.  After 2 unsuccessful attempts at purchasing practices, I secured the lease on a unit at Baljaffray.   My husband and I did most of the work in setting up and a lot of the initial furniture and equipment were second-hand, some from a local hospital that was closing down.  We painted the interior, set up the rooms and opened the doors-to very few clients.  I began by doing all my own reception work, nursing duties,  the lot.  This was in the days before most practices had veterinary nurses, however in May 1990 Tracy joined me as a trainee and as most of you know, is still nursing in the clinic to this day.

This industry relies heavily on recommendation so gaining new clients is slow at first.  However I engaged with as many animal charities, groomers and other pet people as possible to get myself known.  At first the clinic did small animal and horse work which grew steadily busier, and after 3 years I took on a part-time vet to assist.

With the birth of my son in 1995, I  then had another full time vet and we continued to grow in size. When the next door unit in Baljaffray became vacant I decided to go for expansion and I hope a lot of you will remember those exciting times.

During most of the 90’s I handled all the "out of hours" work myself which at times was truly exhausting and when the first emergency provider in Glasgow opened, I signed up and ended any horse work in the clinic;  times change!!

It slowly became obvious that even the extended premises in Baljaffray was not going to be large enough for our continued growth and several years were spent looking for a new site, which thankfully popped up locally in Stockiemuir Avenue - our current home.

It has been a roller coaster ride, at times-fighting with banks to keep financing the business, taking on new staff and making the whole thing work.  I have always been passionate about good personal service and with my interest in holistic work, the overall ethos has been one of individualised care and empathy for you and your pet.

With our most recent expansion into the adjacent unit (I am going to stop doing this soon!!!) we will now offer even more integrated care with physiotherapy and holistic support.

If I could turn the clock back, would I do it again?  Answer - a resounding 'YES' and although it has been a challenging life, it has been an exceptionally rewarding one as I have been privileged to meet so many wonderful people and their pets and I hope the legacy that is 'Glenbrae', will still be here in another 25 years.

Thanks to all who have been involved with the journey.

Raisin's story

"I'm sorry but the news is not good".  This is always the most difficult of conversations to have with any owner but worse when it is unexpected.

Raisin was an 11 year old Beagle, who up until June 2014 had been very healthy.  Unfortunately, in June Raisin had a couple of bouts of unexplained lethargy with a fever and when he again fell ill early July, an abdominal scan revealed a bulging bleeding tumour in his spleen.  Due to the risk of fatal haemorrhage, Raisin was admitted for a splenectomy (removal of his spleen), an organ he could live without.  He made an uneventful recovery but the pathology report from the tumour did not make good reading.   This was an aggressive sarcoma with a poor prognosis and a median survival time of approximately 3 months.  

Following a discussion with one of the Oncology team at Glasgow Vet School,  who felt that chemotherapy would not extend Raisin's survival time, it was the moment to discuss with Raisin's owners what options, if any, they had available.

This was where a holistic approach came in. Realistically there was no more that conventional medicine could do to aid Raisin, however having attended a number of holistic conferences in USA over the last few years, I am treating more and more terminal cancer cases with a mix of diet, supplements and my own speciality Homeopathy.

Most cancer cases benefit from a change of diet, even if it is just trying to increase the digestibility and the quality of the ingredients, but in the main to reduce the carbohydrate levels (that includes treats also) as cancer cells rely on carbohydrates as fuel to multiply .  That is one of the reasons why Cancer is the scourge of the developed world - we all eat too many carbs!

Depending on the type of cancer, I use various supplements including anti-oxidants, omega 3's and other immune stimulating herbs.  Care must be taken however with supplements as some can act against others and some may enhance the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in those patients undergoing conventional cancer treatments.   It is very important to let your oncologist know if you are taking any supplements before starting treatment, they may advise you to stop.  However there is an increasing body of evidence that supplements, used correctly, can often have anti-angiogenic properties (this is decreasing blood supply to tumour cells thus slowing their growth) and increase apoptosis (natural cell death).

The main treatment for me is the use of Homeopathy - as a registered specialist with The Faculty of Homeopathy.   I have trained for years and have now treated a number of different types of cancers.  Some of these cases were similar to Raisins case that is not suitable for conventional treatment or too highly malignant to benefit from chemotherapy.   For some,  the cost of chemotherapy was prohibitive and some owners opted for holistic treatment as the first approach.  In all the cases I have treated, I have seen an improvement in the animals quality of life and increased energy without any of the side effects (which can be severe) of conventional treatment.

I do not profess to cure cancer but with a balanced approach,  I see mean survival times in most cancers as good if not better than a solely conventional approach.

Raisin regained his old energy after his surgery and starting treatment, so much so, that 4 months after his op his owner was asked while walking in the park "what age is your pup",   Raisin continued to do well until 5 and a half months following diagnosis when he suddenly developed a hindlimb lameness which progressed within a couple of days to severe spinal pain.  On closer examination, a diagnosis of metastasis (tumour spread) to his spine was made and there was only one option available.  Raisin was allowed to go gracefully just before Christmas.  

Although his owners were devastated to lose him they were glad he had a good few months of quality time, still able to go out for walks and be a close companion to his friend Candy at home. 

This is why at Glenbrae Vet Clinic we offer an integrated holistic approach to treatment using the best available from both conventional and complementary therapies and we aim to treat your pet as an individual so that we can have the best outcomes for everyone.

A trip to Helsinki

I have just returned from a homeopathic seminar in Helsinki.This comprised of 2 days of teaching on autoimmune diseases in not only small animals but horses and cattle(and humans)too.Common autoimmune diseases I see in practice include Immune Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia (IMHA) certain inflammatory bowel conditions including colitis,thyroid disease,some respiratory problems and many of the common skin conditions to name only a few.
The group organising the seminar comprised of veterinary surgeons but also lay homeopathic practitioners who were not vets but have studied homeopathy for both humans and animals.In Finland it is legal to treat animals if you are a lay practitioner with the relevant qualifications However that is not the case in UK as only vets can treat animals regardless of what type of medicines are used
The main emphasis on Day 1 was looking at the conventional understanding of these diseases and explanations as to why the numbers of cases of autoimmune disease continues to increase every year.Theories extend to dietary factors,chemical exposure vaccination,genetics and in breeding (especially in some susceptible breeds),environmental pollutants,overuse of antibiotics and disinfectants.In this latter case it is thought that the immune system may not get enough to do early in life and therefore starts to turn on itself instead.
Day 2 looked at this group of diseases from a homeopathic perspective and how changes in diet exposure to toxins and good case taking to establish the triggers that may have pushed a susceptible individual into autoimmune disease can give insights into ways of treating that animal which didn't always require suppressive conventional medicines.In a lot of cases these same medications often ultimately cause the animal more problems and would usually be lifelong with associated long term side effects.The use of dietary manipulation,supplementation especially with omega 3's and in some cases herbal preparations can be successful in the support of autoimmune conditions
Day 3 was completely different with the emphasis being on the human-animal interface,what makes us as a species relate to animals(and animals relate to us),our roles in their development and our relationships with animals in food production,competition and day to day life
I however did manage to find a little bit of time on the last day to see some of the city of Helsinki A charming city easy to get around with Western and Eastern influences excellent food and some lovely shopping districts-who said it has to be all work!

Commonwealth Scottie Dogs

Scottie dogs at the Commonwealth Opening Ceremony

The waiting is all over and the secret is now shared,the Opening Ceremony at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games passed without a hitch.
The “secret” is out -the placard bearer for each country’s team was a lovely little Scottie dog Didn’t they behave well?It’s quite daunting for these little dogs to go into that kind of atmosphere with their owners and walk around a track at the correct speed for the athletes and not be too fazed by it all.Some of the dogs are show dogs and used to a lot of fuss and noise but others were pets that had never been involved with this type of event and neither had their owners.When some people realised they were being watched by over 1 billion people worldwide there were a few butterflies in stomachs!

How did I get involved-well it was a phone call back in May which had my receptionist Fiona guessing as the caller would leave no details except a phone number.When I phoned back I was invited to a meeting in Glasgow but no details could be given and sounded like someone from MI5 I was intrigued as the quote of the day was”it’s to do with that large event happening in Glasgow in July work it out for yourself” Thats how my association with representatives Tom and Caz from Jack Morton Worldwide(the organisers of the Games) began.When they suggested finding 40-50 Scottie dogs to act as placard bearers I have to say I laughed as Scottie dogs have become very scarce and just finding suitable dogs was the biggest challenge, Step forward Elly from Casting who did an amazing job of getting the dogs from all over Scotland and England.
I started with a day in Barrowlands Ballroom meeting the first 30 dogs at the start of June,all dogs were vetted by me to see if they were healthy and if their temperaments were suitable.Following on from there a second rehearsal was held in Bellahouston Academy where costume fittings were done for handlers and dogs alike and dog coats were taken home to get the dogs used to the design of them.
From there we had 2 short rehearsals at Celtic Park allowing the dogs to walk around the track and get used to more people and more noise A large marquee was supplied for the dogs and handlers to wait in and their every need was catered for including even their own grassy toiling area!As the weather became warmer cold water and flannels were available to help keep them all cool along with huge fans inside the tent.All coped well with the heat especially on the last day.

Finally 2 full dress rehearsals took place over the preceding weekend from the ceremony opening. It was amazing to not only watch the show come together but also watch the dogs become more and more familiar with the venue until they started to think -as terriers do-they owned the place. First out onto the track was Rory or Mr India as he is now called leading the team from India,he is a tremendous little dog and with his grey hair around his eyes looked like an elder statesmen. Any of the dogs who weren't keen on walking were just scooped up by their owners and waved to the crowds.You will have noticed some of the Scotties were not black as we had a mix of brindle and wheaten dogs.

With 71 teams some of the dogs got to go around a second time and you could see from their whole manner how much they were lapping up the attention both in and outside the stadium.With over 2000 volunteers on site many people came up to talk to the dogs including some of the police!
In fact can I say a special thanks to the Glasgow Police who helped to make the transfer of the dogs into Celtic Park on 2 coaches as smooth as possible and tried to get us all through the intense security in as short a time as possible due to the hot weather.
I would also like to say it was a pleasure working with such professional people in the organising group and I now can see how these huge ceremonies actually happen,a lot of hard work with military style precision.
Now I wonder if they need a vet for the Olympics in Rio??!!

Natural Diets

We are pleased to recommend and stock a new range of natural dog and cat food.  Natures Menu is a genuinely natural pet food company who recognises the benefits that nature has to offer when it comes to health through feeding and also health and well being through a holistic and natural understanding of your pet.   We encourage our clients to follow an     integrated approach of both conventional and more natural approaches known as complmentary or holistic veterinary medicine.   By integrating both approaches you can be assured you have received the best of all worlds and have looked into all the possibilities available to help your pet with his or her ailments. Natural approaches aim to find a way that can solve the problem at the root rather than simply providing symptomatic relief.

Diet plays a huge part in an integrated approach and we feel that natural diets can provide all the nutrients that your pet’s body needs for optimal health.   It is now widely reported that feeding or changing to a natural raw diet can assist with both healing of ailments and alleviating the symptoms of these ailments.

Types of conditions that can be helped are eczema and inflammatory skin disorders, digestive conditions such as colitis and inflammatory bowel disease,  anal gland issues,  bad breath, flatulence, appetite loss, overeating and weight gain.

Natures Menu provides both single protein plain minces and a range of complete balanced ready made raw meals for your pet.  Raw foods haven’t been cooked or heated so all of the natural vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and enzymes are readily available to give your pet a completely natural diet just as their bodies are designed to digest and benefit from.  They also make tasty natural treats which your pets will love.

Come and speak to our nurse and reception teams for more advice.

Bringing home the bacon..

As we drove to see the litter of three kittens I distinctly remember cautioning the family that we were only going to pick one kitten.  "Just one," I said.  "Oh but, Mum, they're all so gorgeous and look at their wee tiger stripes." Famous last words and all that; their liquid amber eyes and tawny paws captured our hearts. We chose two.  I thought they'd be company for one another and reasoned to myself that there would only be a few more mice and small birds to contend with (such 'gifts' surely being the worst aspect of sharing your home with felines).And, to start with, that's how it was with Kizzy and her brother Hobbes.  Although Kizzy was a bit of amagpie and liked to purloin little shiny lip gloss tins and skittle them across the wooden flooring, Hobbes merely dropped the odd mouse on the carpet now and again.  He hardly ever kills his catches, just brings them home as presents for me, then sits a few feet away and watches intently.  Then one day there was a bit of a commotion at the cat flap.  "Mum", yelled my daughter "Mum, I think you'd better come and see this."  i don't know what I was expecting, but what I saw was a dead squirrel on the grass right outside the cat flap and Hobbes inside resting on his haunches looking rather.... rather what?  Judging by his rumbling purr he was rather pleased with himself.  Hobbes had been hunting and, living up to the early potential of his stripy markings, had clearly found his inner tiger!  

Next, he brought home a pigeon and also deposited it outside the cat flap.  His prey seemed to be increasing in size.  Did he mean to bring them inside?  Yet, despite what appeared to be his best efforts, hauling larger prey through the cat flap was thankfully not his forte.  He therefore changed tactics and reverted to smaller cat flap sized prey; bringing home a (live) duckling one dusky evening.  It was too late to put the duckling back on the nearby pond so Barry the duckling stayed overnight in the bathroom.  As Barry paddled and preened his downy feathers in the sink I had a fleeting vision of becoming like Joey and Chandler from the TV series "Friends" who kept a duck in their apartment. 

 Hobbes returned to the pond the next day.  However, presumably being mindful that his duckling had been taken away from him, he brought home a frog instead. Hobbes likes frogs. Very much.  In fact, he likes frogs so much that (as fast as I returned them to the pond in a bowl) he'd simply bring another one home.  He sits in front of them and stares at them, amber eyes shining with excitement like a small boy in a toy shop, almost daring them to jump so he can leap back in stunned amazement and then slowly creep forward again to resume his watching position.  I believe that became known in the family as "frog week." Come to think of it, we've had a "frog week" every year since.

Although the squirrel was the first in a long line of rather peculiar prey for Hobbes, the one which secured his reputation as a hunter extraordinaire was the live seagull I found standing on the lounge rug one day.  The live not-very-happy-at-all seagull. I  was talking to a friend on my mobile telephone as I entered the lounge that day and literally stopped dead in my tracks when I saw it. "Er, would it be all right if I called you back later? Only I really need to go now..... Why? Oh, er, well, it's a bit odd really but there's sort of a seagull in the lounge...... Hello? Are you still there?..... Yes, a seagull..... Yes, honestly, there's a seagull standing on the rug.... Yes, it's a real one.... Hobbes? Yes, actually you're right, he's here too..... How am I going to catch it? I've no idea but that's sort of why I need to call you later."  I ended the call and looked at Hobbes, "So, buddy, any hints on exactly how I should catch this??"  But he simply looked at me in a way that implied it was totally my problem.  After all, he'd brought it in, what more did he need to do? And, indeed, catching it was interesting for it was very much alive and exceptionally angry at finding itself inside being stared at by a rather smug cat. Having finally caught it and placed it in the cat travel basket, I telephoned Glenbrae vet practice.  "Er, can you help me? Is it okay to come down to the practice now?  Hobbes just brought a seagull in and I've..... Yes, I did say a seagull.... Really, yes.  A seagull.  Can I come down with it?"  So it was that I took the seagull to the practice and - for anyone who's ever travelled with a noisy animal in a car - try having an angry seagull in a basket!  That really makes for an interesting journey.  So too for that matter does a magpie in a basket.  I found the magpie wandering round my bedroom in stunned amazement some months after the seagull.  "Hello is that Glenbrae?  Hobbes has done it again.  I'm on my way down, only this time it's a magpie."   Now when I phone the practice or walk in with an angry occupant in a basket, I'm met with a chorus of "What's he done this time??"  Bless them for all their skill and assistance.  

Hobbes has unfortunately been quite poorly in recent months with blistered weeping sores in between the pads of his feet and great big scabby patches on his face. The staff at Glenbrae have again been wonderfully kind in their care and unstinting in their efforts to resolve this painful recurring problem.  As a buster collar alone did not stop the ever flexible Hobbes from chewing his feet and making them worse, Glenbrae advised that he should also wear baby socks.  I was incredulous at first, but they worked a treat and so it was that Mr. McBucket Head (as he was temporarily affectionately known) also sported bright blue baby socks.  Glenbrae diagnosed an allergy and referred Hobbes to a specialist dermatologist; where there was much discussion of his eating and hunting habits; followed by a skin prick test under general anaesthesia to definitively diagnose his allergy.  The dermatologist told me (with a slightly wry smile) that they had a positive result, noting however that this was a rather unusual result for a cat.  "Go on," I said with my face in my hands "nothing would surprise me with Hobbes."  But, oh yes, it was a surprise.  He's allergic to horses!!  Do I own a horse?  No.  Do I live near horses or know where he goes to come across a horse?  No.  "Gosh," I exclaimed "I don't know how he's allergic to horses.  It's about the only thing he hasn't hauled through the cat flap....."  Hobbes now goes to Glenbrae once a month for an injection; which thankfully controls his allergy.

So, while his sister Kizzy skittles lip gloss tins and stray buttons across the wooden floor, Hobbes has become a legend in his own lunchtime.  The cat flap broke one day and I implored family members to help get it fixed before nightfall that same day "No, no it HAS to be fixed today.  This is Hobbes we're talking about.  Otherwise he'll bring in the largest nocturnal animal he can find and I'll probably wake up to find a badger in my bedroom..."  BUT it seems his culinary tastes are changing as recently he's altered the type of "gifts" he brings home.  A few weeks ago he raced into the kitchen, threw something on the floor and hunkered his whole body over it growling ominously all the time.  Given that all previous "presents" have been deposited on the floor and watched curiously from a distance, I approached with a due sense of fear and trepidation.  What on earth would he guard so protectively? As I neared, he swished his tail and increased the crescendo of his warning.  I hardly dared to look but then burst out laughing; my first thought being that, despite this being Hobbes, nobody was going to believe me.  It was a string of raw linked sausages!  He had literally brought home the bacon!!  Much to his bewilderment, I couldn't pick them up for laughing.  He looked hurt.  His "gifts" are normally met with a sense of awe and wonder, not raucous laughter.  As with all "gifts", the tale of their arrival into the house have been much told to incredulous friends and family.  It would seem however that Kizzy has been aware her brother has been hogging the limelight as, one week after "Sausage-gate", I noticed she didn't come when I called her.  I eventually found her under my bed, curiously patting at a gently rolling white...."Oh my goodness, it's a pigeon egg! How and where on earth do you two get these things?" I wondered as I reached under the bed to retrieve it. I got the answer to the "how" the very next day when she proudly trotted in with another intact pigeon egg cradled in her mouth. Sadly the pigeon itself also followed suit on the third day. Honestly it's like living with two tawny tigers!  Yet as they slink along the sofa towards me in the evening and slide onto my chest for a cuddle and a tummy tickle (these are not lap cats), it seems I would forgive them anything --- even sausages and seagulls!! 

A light hearted day in the life of a receptionist

I usually start my day by waking up the delivery driver who is enjoying his morning snooze in his van when i arrive. The noise of the shutter going up usually gives him a fright and this cheers me right up (sick, I know!).
I then spend my morning filling out at least 300 forms for new clients, vaccination records, 4 weeks free insurance, healthy start, health care plans etc. in between answering the phone and getting prescriptions for clients.

After morning consults I start to clean, by that I mean, searching the place to try and find where the smell of dog pee is coming from (usually the other side of the desk which clients conveniently forget to own up to!).

Afternoon is spent much the same as the morning and even more forms to be filled out because the pre filled ones from this morning are no use as the client has decided they don't actually want the package previously discussed but instead want the health care plan form filled out!

If I'm on a late shift I also have the added bonus of cashing up which means I get to count all the money (wishing it was mine), only to find there is £200 more/ less than what there should be?!
Then I go home and wonder why i didn't get any of my things done that were on my to-do list from a week ago! Ha Ha!

                                

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