News

At the end of November we were very fortunate to have Dr. Anne McBride, animal behaviourist, come and see us to give an enjoyable and insightful talk on ‘Dog Ownership and the Law’.

Jade the puppy presented to the clinic as an emergency because she appeared to have suddenly gone blind. She was also circling, staring into space, generally unresponsive and pressing her head against the corners of the room. She was also quite thin and had various other signs such as diarrhoea over the weeks before she came to the clinic.

Mast cell tumours are a relatively common type of cancer found in dogs and occasionally in cats. They are often quick growing and found on or just under the skin, they can look like just about any other mass so ideally all new masses should be examined and tested. Several breeds are pre-disposed to developing these including Boxers and Golden Retrievers.

Fireworks are used to celebrate all kinds of occasions and around this time of year we have two major events, Bonfire Night and New Year's Eve. Although we may find fireworks entertaining many of our pets are frightened by them. One piece of research carried out by a pharmaceutical company discovered that at least 80% of animals are scared by fireworks. This means for many people and animals it is not a time of fun but a time of stress.

As standards of veterinary care and diet improve, our cats are living longer. Their dietary and body changes and requirements are understood well, but what about their emotional and behavioural needs?

Ellie the cocker spaniel was brought to Vet4life, for a second opinion. She had been given a hopeless prognosis, one that was not even worth treating...

You love and care for your cat, he or she is an adored member of your family, so when you go on holiday you feel worried at the thought of leaving your pet in someone else's hands. Some people may feel quite unable to go away, even for the weekend. There are solutions though!

Have you just got a new puppy? Why not enroll him or her on one of our puppy training courses?

In the last few weeks I have seen an increase in the number of cases of lymphoma at our clinic. Lymphoma is a type of cancer of the white blood cells that commonly affects the lymph nodes anywhere in the body. The early signs are variable but often we find a pet may have inappetence, weight loss and lethargy. If your pet is showing any of these signs for more than a couple of days it would be advised that you take him to see your vet.