Tag Archives: microchip

Introducing a pet into the family

Introducing a new pet into the family is a lot of fun and also a big responsibility. We’ve produced a ‘to – do’ list, it includes all the pet care essentials you need to consider before you bring your new family member home. The list includes vaccinations – Has your new pet already been vaccinated? Or perhaps they need start a vaccination course? A visit to a new vet can seem a little daunting but don’t worry we have puppy and kitten packages available to protect your new pet from some potentially deadly diseases, ask our friendly team today.

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has Sprung, its time to start getting out and about and back in your garden but are you aware of the pet hazards that could be lurking outdoors? Our Spring Pet Blog discusses the outdoor dangers that could result in a trip to the vets. Understand more about what to watch out for in your garden, read about it here.


Pet obesity – is your pet suffering?

Sadly, pet obesity is becoming more and more common, our Spring Pet Blog explains the extra demands that are placed on your pet when they are carrying more weigh than they should be. Also included, how to access your pets weight from home without the need for scales.

The good news is all of our surgeries offer FREE weight checks for your pet. Phone our friendly teams today and we can give you a suitable time to pop in, weigh your pet and if you need a little extra support, we can refer your to one of our nurses for diet and exercise advice tailored to your pets individual needs.

We hope you enjoy reading our latest Pet Blog, if you have a query regarding any of the articles mentioned please do not hesitate to contact us for more advice.

Don’t forget – Our Pet Healthcare Club is open and still welcoming new members. Our Healthcare Clubs allow you to spread the cost of your vet care essentials across affordable payments on a date that suits you! All plans include monthly parasite protection, annual booster vaccinations and health checks, nail clips, anal gland expression plus a 10 % discount off all other products and services we provide. Sign up today and pay no joining fee.

Autumn Newsletter.

Blocked Bladders – Is It A Pet Emergency?

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Blocked Bladders – Is It A Pet Emergency?

 

Blocked Bladders – Is It A Pet Emergency?

 

Cats can frequently suffer from cystitis, especially when they are stressed. Understand the signs of stress in your cat here. If your male cat is struggling to urinate or cannot go at all this is a Pet Emergency, do not delay, contact our experienced team for advice and treatment. Knowing when your pet needs to be seen as an emergency is an important decision for many owners. Generally, cats are good at keeping themselves out of trouble but occasionally serious problems do occur – Our blog below gives you a few things to watch out for. 

 

 

Blocked Bladder - Is It A Pet Emergency?

Chipping away!

 

Having your pets microchipped is absolutely vital! It’s not just cats and dogs that we recommend microchipping, rabbits, tortoises and ferrets can sneak away when your not watching! Our Autumn News explains the microchip procedure (don’t worry its really quick and simple!) and how microchips can link you and your pet together should the worst happen!

 

 

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Arthritis – is your pet affected?

 

Anyone with arthritis knows that chills can get in your joints, and the same is true for our pets. Our Autumn News discusses the signs of arthritis to watch out for in your pet, although it cannot be cured, there is a wide range of treatment options available to help reduce the soreness and pain. If your older pet has slowed down recently, perhaps they are not going up and down the stairs quite as quick as they used too? A health check with one of our experienced team members will be beneficial for your golden oldie.

 

 

Pet Behaviours - How To Overcome Dog Separation Anxiety

 

 

We hope our Autumn News has explained some of the challenges that come with the cooler season. If you have any questions on the articles mentioned don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team for more help and advice.

 

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What to do if your cat or dog gets lost.

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What to do if your cat or dog gets lost.

 

Did you know it is a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks to be micro chipped. All of our surgeries recommend micro chipping your cats too, as it is the most reliable form of identification and your pet will not be able to lose a micro chip unlike an identity tag or collar. Should your dog disappear out of your garden or your cat missed his usual breakfast appointment, don’t panic. Our vets have put together this blog with some useful hints and tips on what to do if the worst should happen. Hopefully you and your pet will never become separated but its good to know what to do, should the worst happen.

 

Missing cats and kittens :

Firstly thoroughly search your home, cats are masters of hide and seek and can squeeze into the oddest spaces. If you are sure your feline is not at home, we recommend contacting all of your neighbours, knocking on doors and posting flyers through letterboxes. Curious kittens often get shut in sheds and garages by accident so ask around as your cat could be closer than you think!

 

 

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Lost dogs and puppies :

Has your dog escaped out of the garden, or slipped out of its collar at your local park? Start by walking an extra lap of the park, squeak their favorite toy and shout their name in a happy cheerful tone, this will hopefully invite them out if they are hiding. Call home, if you have a family member there or a neighbour close by ask them to check around your house – dogs have been known to take themselves home!

 

Remember do NOT panic. Contact all local vets, animal charities and dog wardens in the area. They may ask you a few questions so try and provide as much information as you can :

A description of your pet – colour, sex, breed, age.

Their microchip number.

What area are they missing from.

Your contact information.

Pet Insurance – 

Your insurance company may be able to provide you with additional help and support with the search of your pet. The small print of your policy may also require that they are notified of lost pets in -case it results in a claim.

 

Call your pets microchip company –

inform them of the situation and ensure that they have all of your contact information correct and up to date. You may even want to do this TODAY so should you and your pet ever be separated this should help ensure a speedy reunion if your details are up to date.

 

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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram –

Like it or hate it – social media is a fantastic tool for helping spread the word quickly that your pet is missing. The more people helping with your search the better!

 

Some top tips from our vets :

If your dog or puppy has not quite mastered recall – work with a dog trainer to improve this. If you have to let your dog off leash do it in an enclosed space and attach a long line to their harness to make catching them easier.

 

When training your dog to come back as soon as you call them – no matter how long they take, do not punish them. Give them a big fuss and a treat when they come back – if you tell them off they will take even longer to come back next time!

 

Microchip your pet and ensure that your details are up to date.

 

If you have a new cat or you are moving house, ensure you keep them inside for at least two weeks. This gives them a chance to settle in and feel ‘at home’. When the time comes for going outside, start off letting them out before you feed them – they are less likely to stray if they are hungry and know where their food bowl is.

 

Take loads of pictures of your pet – should the worst happen you will have up to date pictures to use on posters and social media.

 

Neutering your pet – We may rave on about neutering a lot but there are SO many benefits.  Male cats are less likely to fight or stray too far from home. Castrating your male dog reduces testosterone levels which means they will not feel the need to go off in search of a mate. Female dogs can be spooked by other dogs getting ‘over friendly’ with them whilst in season.

 

Our 2018 Spring Newsletter has arrived!

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Our 2018 Spring newsletter has arrived!

It’s packed with information on how to keep your pets happy and healthy in 2018. Read it here.

 

 

Included in our newsletter :

 

Thyroid problems – Is your pet affected?

 

Most people have heard of the thyroid gland, but did you know that thyroid problems are surprising in pets? Understand the difference between Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism and the signs to watch out for in your pets.

 

Thyroid-Gland-in-Cats

 

Lumps and bumps on your pet.

 

If your pet develops a lump or bump, it is important to visit us so we can check it for you and your pet. Lumps and bumps come in all shapes and sizes, understand more about the causes of these here. Regular grooming is a great way of bonding with your pet and keeping an eye out for anything unusual.

 

Learn the facts about Kennel Cough!

 

Kennel cough is highly contagious and can be picked up from virtually anywhere your dog can go – out on walks, training classes, shows and of course boarding kennels. Understand more about this contagious disease and the signs to watch out for in your dog. All four of our surgeries offer the Kennel Cough vaccine, please contact us for further information.

 

Microchips matter!

 

Is your pet microchipped? Did you know it is a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks old to be microchipped. In the event that your dog is not, you could be liable for a £500 fine. Sadly it’s all too easy for pets to go missing and if this happens it could mean weeks of worry. However microchips are a reliable record of identifying your pet and its address, read our newsletter to find out more about microchips.

 

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As the weather warms up, we’ve put together some top tips to help you keep your pets happy and health, read our newsletter here.

 

Microchipping – law changes

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  • From April 6th 2016 all dogs must be microchipped and registered on a commercial database, by 8 weeks of age. Further if a dog’s ownership is transferrred, the owner has a further duty to register the microchip with the new owner.

 

  • Although there is no requirement in law at the present time, we also recommend microchipping all cats.

 

  • A microchip is roughly the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin between the shoulder blades. The procedure  is very quick (only taking a few seconds) . The microchip contains a 15 digit unique number that will be registered on a national database, together with the owner’s details. It is not a GPS tracker device. It does however ensure permanent identification for your pet, and the number is easily read  in seconds  by passing a reader device over the skin .

 

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How a microchip works in your pet.

 

  • This will provide many benefits especially in re-uniting injured pets and strays with their owners. Approximately 126000 stray dogs were handled by UK authorities in 2010-2011 and 52% were unable to be returned to their owners as they were unidentifiable.

Microchipping your cat

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Microchipping  your cat

reading a microchip

Microchipping is one of the most effective forms of pet identification, but too few cat owners have their pets microchipped. The 2011 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report has revealed that 54% of cats in the UK are not microchipped. That’s around 6.4 million cats without microchips.

If cats are microchipped, they are more likely to be reunited with their owners because microchipping is a permanent form of pet identification, unlike collars which can become lost. A cat’s microchip can be read in seconds by a handheld scanner at most veterinary practices or animal shelters.

Cats are naturally inquisitive creatures. Some inspect delivery vehicles and are inadvertently locked inside. There are stories of cats that have turned up hundreds of miles from home and are returned to their owners thanks to their microchips.

We offer cat microchipping at our surgeries in West London. The procedure is quick and often painless – your cat won’t even need to be anaesthetised. Using a syringe, the microchip will quickly be inserted under the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades. It takes no longer than giving a normal injection.

Some cats regularly lose their collars, so microchipping could be a cheaper option in the long run. A microchip will stay with your cat for its entire lifetime. Collars are also a potential hazard to cats as they can easily become snagged on things. Dextrous cats can even get their paws caught underneath a collar, which can lead to painful wounds.

If a cat is believed to be a stray and it is brought into our practice, we will immediately scan it to find out if it has a microchip. If the cat can’t be identified, then it could be rehomed, while its real owner is left forever wondering what happened to their beloved pet.

Call Young Veterinary Partnership today or drop into our practice to enquire about microchipping your cat.

Pet passports- and important travel tips

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 Pet Passports and important travel tips

 

    • A Pet Passport can be used to travel with your pet to countries within the European Union, and to some countries outside the European union. The requirements for dogs, cats and ferrets travelling within EU and listed non-EU countries are:

 

 

    • 1- Microchip
      2- Vaccination against rabies at least 21 days before travel.
      3- Pet passport issued by official veterinarian  (Mr A Young or Mr M Wilson are both able to do this at Young Veterinary Partnership)
      4- Before RETURN ONLY  to the UK dogs must be treated for tapeworm by a vet, 1-5 days before getting on the ferry or plane. ( there is no requirement for cats).

 

 

      • However you may not be aware that there are a number of diseases that can be caught when your pet travels abroad that we do not have in the United Kingdom. The commonest ones are spread by ticks, mosquitoes or sand flies. It is important to use preventative measures to avoid your pet picking up one of these serious diseases whilst travelling.

 

Tick borne diseases:

 

 

      • Babesiosis is transmitted by ticks to dogs and is present in central and southern europe.  It causes fever , anaemia, red or brown urine and can cause jaundice amongst other signs.

 

 

      • Ehrlichiosis– a tick borne disease encountered in Southern Europe and many other countries worldwide. It causes swollen glands, fever and bleeding amongst other signs.

 

 

      • Hepatozoonosis is another tick borne disease affecting dogs mainly but occasionally cats in countries bordering the Mediterranean. Diagnosis and treatment is difficult.

 

 

 

      • Tick control– avoid wooded areas , and areas with livestock, use tick spot on treatments such as Advantix, or a collar such as Scallibor. Also take a tick removal instrument (o’Tom tick twister) and remove any ticks as soon as possible. Remember to start tick preventative treatment BEFORE you travel.

 

Sandfly and mosquito borne diseases:

 

      • Leishmania– transmitted by sandflies in Spain, France, Italy and other Mediterranean countries, affecting dogs and cats. It causes skin inflammation and ulceration. Prevention is by using sandfly repellants ( started 3 weeks BEFORE travelling), keeping pets indoors from 1 hour before dusk to 1 hour after dawn, and using fly repellants in the house. There is also a vaccine available for dogs, but it needs to be given before travelling.

 

 

      • Heartworm– affects mostly dogs, but occasionally cats, and is transmitted by mosquitoes. Most southern European countries ( and any with mosquitoes) are affected. It can take many months before symptoms appear and causes weakness, coughing  and heart failure.  Monthly Advocate spot on treatment is recommended.

 

 

 

 

      • The British Veterinary Asociation has produced a very useful leaflet outlining the common diseases.The link to the leaflet is

http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/leaflets/