Tag Archives: puppy

8 simple tips for bathing your dog at home

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8 simple tips for bathing your dog at home

 

Like humans, doggies can get smelly. Sweat, muck and all the rest – so bathing your dog is a necessity. But it’s not as easy as taking your car to the jet wash. Your four-legged dirt-machine can be a tricky, sensitive and even once they’re in the tub (and we don’t mean the snappy dressing kind). Let’s sort out the dos and don’ts of dogwash. Bring a towel. Or three.

 

1. Brush before use

Give their coat a good brush prior to getting in the bath or shower. May as well minimise the amount of fur you’ll be unclogging from your plughole later on.

 

Remember to brush before you wash!

Doggy Bath Time

 

2. Make it fun

Tempt your pup into the tub with their favourite squeaky toy, or even a treat. Standing in a giant acrylic container of water is a fairly alien concept for a hound, so you’ll need to lure them in and keep the sensation a pleasant one, where possible. Remember to stay calm (your pooch picks up on your emotions) and even try a few taster sessions of them in the tub with no water to get them truly familiar with the location. Last thing you’ll want to do is make them associate the experience with stress, so leave any anxieties at the bathroom door. We’ve even seen on social media smearing peanut butter (Xylitol free) on the side of your bath tub can help with anxious dogs – beware this could get messy!

 

3. Cool hand luke

When you’re confident of running the water, make sure it’s lukewarm. Not scalding, not freezing. Us humans like the luxury of a soaring temperature in the tub, but dogs have a higher body temperature than us. Anything approaching hot will come across like we’re trying to make dog stew. Err on the side of cooler.

 

Don’t forget to check the temperature BEFORE the water touches your dog!

 

4. Shoulders, knees and toes (not head!)

Using either the showerhead (on light spray, your dog won’t react kindly to a fire-fighter’s hose-down) or cup, gently massage the water into the fur from the shoulders all the way down. Whilst many adore a good tummy rub, some poochies are very precious and snappy around their stomachs, so be cautious. Same goes for their tail. You should hopefully have already established your boundaries, so build on that trusting relationship.

 

5. Avoid the ears

As well as being seemingly woven from the softest candyfloss in the universe, a doggy’s ears are worryingly delicate. They’re prone to infection and used for pooch’s balance, so treat the ears and head as a water exclusion zone!

 

6. Get the right shampoo

Most importantly, don’t use human shampoo. It’s not formulated for canine kind (think diesel in an unleaded, only much more valuable and furry). Use a vet-approved medicated dog shampoo that moisturises your panting pal’s coat and skin, instead of stripping away precious oils. A bad choice can either lead to or aggravate an existing skin condition. Poor pooch will be scratching like a doggy possessed if you buy the wrong product.

Natural ingredients such as oat-based products are preferable. And make sure the suds are out before the bath is over. Consult our team or your local dog groomer on which brand best suits your breed. They may recommend a coal tar-based product, which can alleviate itchy skin, but it all depends on the breed and frequency of the wash. There’s still debate about exactly what ingredients should comprise your pup-wash, so again, ask your doggy doctor for advice.

 

7. Face facts

A simple wipe down with a wet flannel will do. And whatever you do, don’t accidentally use it to wash your own face. Ew!

 

Make it fun

8 simple tips for bathing your dog at home

 

8. Drying off

A hairdryer is best avoided, given your wet-nosed pal’s higher body temperature. Grab a towel or two and give your pup a gentle rubdown. Emphasis on the word gentle.

 

So there you have it. You’ll have your four-legged chum sparkling and keen to get twice as filthy in no time. Happy sploshing!

 

If you need further help or advice contact your local Young Vets surgery and we will be able to offer you advice and / or if you are not confident in doing this alone we can provide you with the contact number of some local dog groomers to help.

 

Lost pet advice

What to do if your cat or dog goes missing.

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   What to do if your cat or dog goes missing.

 

Have a read through our 5 minute blog below. Hopefully you will never experience the panic of a missing pet but its good to know what to do in the event of a missing pet emergency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know it is a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks old to be micro-chipped. Here at Young Vets we always recommend micro-chipping your cat too, as it is the most reliable form of identification and cannot be lost unlike a collar or harness. Should your dog disappear whilst out on a walk or your cat isn’t waiting at its food bowl at dinner, don’t panic, have a read through our short blog for help and advise.

 

Lost Dogs : 

If your dog has gone missing at the park, walk an extra lap or two, ideally squeaking their favourite toy or rustling a packet to tempt them out if they are hiding. Call anyone you live with, to check if your dog has taken its self home. Your pet may be waiting on your doorstep – it happens more than you may think!

 

Lost Cats :

Firstly triple check your house, cats are fantastic at hide and seek and can squeeze into the smallest spaces and highest cupboards. If you are sure your feline friend is not home knock on  your neighbours doors and put posters around where you live. Curious cats often get shut in garages and sheds by accident so ask around where you live.

 

 

 

Remember do NOT panic. Contact all local vets, dog wardens and animal charities in the area. Make sure you have handy :

A description of your pet – Colour, sex, breed and age

Your pets microchip number

What area they are missing from

Your contact information

 

   Call your pets microchip company to inform them your pet is missing and make sure that your contact details are all up to date and correct. You may even want to do this TODAY – so should your pet ever go missing you will be reunited quicker if your contact details are all up to date.

   Pet Insurance – Your insurance company may be able to offer you help and support in reuniting you with your lost pet. The small print of your policy may also require you notify them in-case it results in you making a claim on your policy.

   

 

   Social Media – Like it or hate it – In the event of a missing pet the power of social media can be very useful. In a matter of hours hundreds of people and companies near you can be made aware of your missing pet, helping spread the word and more eyes on the look out to help you.

Our vets Top Tips :

 

   If your puppy or dog has not quite perfected their recall – work with a dog trainer to improve this but if you have to let your dog off lead for exercise, please only do this when it is safe. Make sure you are in an enclosed space and your puppy has a long lead attached making it easier for you to catch them.

   When doing recall practice no matter how long it takes when your dog comes back to you give them a treat and a pat – Do NOT tell them off, even if they have been a bit slow coming back. Their recall will not get better if you tell them off when they come back to you.

   Microchip your pet and ensure that you keep your contact information up to date.

   If you have a new cat or kitten, keep them inside for at least 2 weeks so they are relaxed and happy in their new home. When the time comes and you do let them out, do it when they are hungry – they are less likely to stray if they know where their food bowl is.

   Take regular pictures of your pet – should you need to make a missing flyer or poster the more recent the picture the better chance people have of noticing your pet.

   Neutering your pet – Female dogs can panic and bolt if they are receiving too much unwanted male attention. Castrating your male dog tends to control their testosterone levels making them less likely to wander off in search of a mate. Neutering your cat can reducing them straying and fighting with other cats in the area.

 

 

Neutering your pet

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Neutering your pet – what you need to know.

Did you ever hear that old tale – you should let your dog or cat have a litter before you neuter them? Well, did you know almost 50,000 pet dogs are being dumped in Britain every year! If you are thinking of breeding from your dog, ask yourself – Are you sure you can find forever homes for every single puppy, some bitches can have up to 12 puppies! And breeding from your cat – did you know that UK charities are reaching crisis point due to the over population of cats!

The benefits of neutering can be applied to most species.

Neutering your pet can be done from as young as 4 months of age in rabbits and ferrets. Most cats are neutered around 5 months of age. 

Dogs – we normally advise puppies wait until they are at least 6 months old. Most small and medium sized female dogs are neutered around 6 months of age ( before they have their first season). Most small and medium sized dogs are neutered between 6-9 months of age.

Large and giant breed dogs such as Dobermanns , Rottweilers, Great Danes, may be better neutered at an older age of around 12-15months between first and second seasons for females or when fully grown for male dogs.

Neutering your female will stop her coming into season or heat, this can be messy time and last for up to 3 weeks. It can also prevent unwanted male attention, phantom and actual pregnancy. It can also  dramatically reduce the risk of mammary cancer developing when they are older, and prevents ovarian cancer and pyometra’s (uterine infections) which can be fatal.

Timing of neutering.                                                                         Mammary Tumour risk

Before first season

0.50%

After first season

8.00%

After second season

26.00%

After third season or over 2.5 years age

40.00%

Neutering your pet.

Neutering your male can reduce: Urine spraying and marking, dominant behaviour, humping, testicular cancer and in cats it can reduce them straying too far from home, which results in a much lower risk of road traffic accidents.  

Owners have a responsibility to care for their animals needs, pregnant and nursing animals need extra food, care and attention. When the babies are old enough you will need to find homes for each and every one and ensure that they are wormed, flea treated and all puppies over 8 weeks old legally have to be micro-chipped. We also recommend as soon as your animal is old enough (8-9 weeks old), to protect them against potentially fatal infections. 

Neutering pets, is something we perform on a regular basis here at Young Veterinary Partnership and we always recommend neutering your pet unless you plan to breed. It is a day surgery procedure (they are dropped off in the morning for the procedure and go home in the afternoon).

  1. –  The morning of the surgery we ask that you do NOT give your kitten, puppy or ferret any food (this rule does NOT apply to rabbits). An empty stomach reduces the risk of vomiting under anaesthetic.
  3. –  Firstly we will book you a ‘Pre Op’ appointment, the morning of the surgery your pet will have a full health check with one of our experienced vets.
  5. –  Your pet will then be transferred to our kennels area and given a pre anaesthetic injection by our nursing team, to keep your pet calm and stress free.
  6. –  The surgery will usually takes less than 1 hour.
  7. –  Once fully awake and recovered your pet will be able to go home the same day.
  8. –  We ask than once home your pet it is given a ‘light’ meal as they may feel slightly nauseous -we recommend a ‘recovery pack’ this is specially formulated easily digested tinned food for pets following surgery. Alternatively you can feed boiled chicken and rice. 
  9. –  Then 7 – 10 days following surgery we ask that your pet returns for his or her stitches to be removed (please note male cats do not have stitches so do not need to return, unless you have concerns).

 

Your pet may be quiet for a day or so but  should bounce back to normal, within a few days. Contact us today if you would like to book your pets neutering surgery. 

Did You Know an un neutered female cat can produce 18 kittens per year, which can end up with 20,000 descendants in just 5 years!

Did You Know female cats can get pregnant from 4 months of age!  

Did You Know neutering your rabbit can reduce cancer and urinary tract infections.

We hope the above has helped answer any questions you may have and helped you decide to neuter your pet. 

Spring 2017

Our Spring 2017 Newsletter

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Included in our Spring 2017 Newsletter :

   Lungworm alert! Lungworm is gradually becoming more common through-out the UK and can lead to life threatening problems. Lungworm signs an be vague and variable – from a cough or tiring easily to serious bleeding and even fitting, make sure you know the signs. The good news is that prevention is straight forward with spot treatment or tablet available at all four of our surgeries.

 

Rabbits teeth – a growing issue!

Did you know that a rabbits teeth continually grow throughout their lives, that’s why their diet is vitally important to keep them happy and healthy. A good quality diet should make up most of your rabbits diet along side pelleted rabbit feed and fresh green vegetables. To learn more about overgrown teeth and spikes in your rabbits mouth read here.

 

Senior felines & golden oldies.

In their twilight years our cats can suffer from a range of conditions, but they can also be experts in hiding their pain! Read our Spring 2017 Newsletter to understand the signs to look out for in your golden oldie. Don’t forget that cats are very good at hiding pain so subtle changes in diet, weight or amount their are drinking could all be signs of an underlying problem.

 

                           Read our Spring 2017 newsletter HERE.

 

 

white cat with glasses

Puppy care- feeding, vaccinating, worming, and training

Cavalier King Charles puppies

 How to care for your puppy:

 

Make sure that you have suitable transport for your new puppy.  Puppies may be put in a collapsible cage in your car, which ensures they are safe during a journey. Be sure to have them on a lead/harness so that they can’t run away. Also before your puppy has its first vaccinations it is imperative that your puppy does not touch the floor outside (other than your garden) and is only introduced to dogs that are vaccinated.

 

  • Night Time:

     

    Your puppy may whine about being left alone for the first few nights. Soft toys can be good company. If you are planning to train them to use a crate you can cover the crate to make them feel more secure. Leaving a radio station on (eg. Classic FM) quietly in the background can also help them to feel more secure. Sometimes a ticking clock can provide some company. A covered hot water bottle may also be a very warm friend (care though- it should be hand hot only – any hotter can cause burns).

 

 

  • Training:

     

    Make sure to train and handle your puppy from an early age. Plenty of handling will make them comfortable with human contact. Reinforcing good play behaviours with treats is also recommended. When doing any training always give verbal praise first, and immediately after give a little treat. Eventually your puppy will be happy to receive the verbal praise alone. Get the puppy used to being checked over (like at the vets). Lift and handle the ears, try getting a dog toothpaste and brushing their teeth, with a finger brush. Lift and handle the paws. Be sure to expose your puppy to as many different people as possible whilst it is developing. This can include a person in uniform (eg. A postman), someone wearing a hat, someone with a beard even! Puppy classes are a great way to socialise them. Other puppies will help to teach your puppy how to behave in social situations.

 

 

For further tips on training your puppy see our other puppy and dog training blog post here

 

 

  • 1st Vaccinations: 

     

    This can be done on the first vet check between 8-10 weeks of age. The 2nd vaccination is 2-4 weeks after. Until a week after the 2nd vaccination it is imperative that you keep the puppy away from un-vaccinated dogs and do not place him/her on the floor in public spaces where viruses could be on the ground.

 

 

  • Worming and parasite control–

     

    Puppies will need to be wormed as most will have picked up worms from their mother. This can be done with either tablets, or with a spot on treatment, which will treat other parasites such as fleas and lungworm. Your vet will advise on the most appropriate treatment.

 

 

  • Exercise:

     

    Puppies do not need long walks – they only have little legs! Puppies aren’t considered fully grown until 6-18 months of age (larger breeds mature more slowly). It is then that a good exercise plan can be implemented. Larger breeds especially may be prone to bone and joint problems, and should not be over exercised, when growing.

 

 

  • Food:

     

    Little and often. A puppy’s tummy is very small and so their food intake needs to be split between 3-4 meal times. Find out what your puppy has been fed on at the breeder’s and try to maintain that regime for continuity. If your puppy has diarrhoea, give them boiled chicken and rice. Introduce any new puppy foods gradually over 3 days, as a sudden change in food will often cause a digestive upset.

 

 

  • Play: 

 

Puppies like to chew a lot especially during teething between the ages of 3 and 6 months, when they will lose all of their milk teeth.  Provide rubber Kongs or rope chews. Avoid bones as they can crack their milk teeth on these.  Play is an important way of learning for your new puppy and can be a lot of fun too!

 

 

Finally enjoy playing with your puppy – they grow up much  too fast, and send your cute pictures to our facebook page here !

 

Pet Healthcare plan dogs

How to care for your new puppy

Puppy.

White pug puppy – Nelly.

 

How to care for your puppy:

Make sure that you have suitable transport for your new puppy.  Puppies may be put in a collapsible cage in your car, which ensures they are safe during a journey. Be sure to have them on a lead/harness so that they can’t run away. Also before your puppy has its first vaccinations it is imperative that your puppy does not touch the floor outside (other than your garden) and is only introduced to dogs that are vaccinated.

  • Night Time: Your puppy may whine about being left alone for the first few nights. Soft toys can be good company. If you are planning to train them to use a crate you can cover the crate to make them feel more secure. Leaving a radio station on (eg. Classic FM) quietly in the background can also help them to feel more secure. Sometimes a ticking clock could provide some company. A covered hot water bottle may also be a very warm friend.

  • Training: Make sure you train and handle your puppy from an early age. Plenty of handling will make them comfortable with human contact. Reinforcing good play behaviours with treats is also recommended. When doing any training always give verbal praise first, and immediately after give a little treat. Eventually you  will be able to give verbal praise alone. Practice handling your new puppy all over include – lift and handle the ears, try getting a dog toothpaste and brushing their teeth, with a finger brush. Lift and handle the paws. Be sure to expose your puppy to a number of things whilst it is developing. This can include a person in uniform (eg. A postman), someone wearing a hat, someone with a beard even! Puppy classes are a great way to socialise them. Other puppies will help to teach your little oneto behave in social situations.

  • 1stVaccinations: This can be done on the first vet check between 8-10weeks of age. The 2ndvaccination is 2-4weeks after. Until a week after the 2ndvaccination it is imperative that you keep your new family member away from unvaccinated dogs and do not place him/her on the floor in public spaces where viruses could be on the ground.

  • Worming and parasite control– Puppies will need to be wormed as most will have picked up worms from their mother. This can be done with either tablets, or with a spot on treatment, which will treat other parasites such as fleas and lungworm.

  • Exercise: Puppies do not need long walks – they only have little legs! They aren’t considered fully grown until 6-18 months of age (larger breeds mature more slowly). It is then that a good exercise plan can be implemented. Larger breeds especially may be prone to bone and joint problems, and should not be over exercised, when growing.

  • Food:Little and often. A puppy’s tummy is very small and so their food intake needs to be split between 3-4 meal times. Find out what your puppy has been fed on at the breeder’s and try to maintain that regime for continuity. If your puppy has diarrhoea, give them boiled chicken and rice. Introduce any new puppy foods gradually over 3 days, as a sudden change in food will often cause a digestive upset.

  • Play: Puppies like to chew a lot especially during teething between the ages of 3 and 6 months, when they will lose all of their milk teeth.  Provide rubber Kongs or rope chews. Avoid bones as they can crack their milk teeth on these.  Play is an important way of learning for your new puppy and can be a lot of fun too!

Finally enjoy playing with your puppy – they grow up much  too fast !

 

A case of Tetanus in a puppy

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Upright ears in a case of tetanus

Upright ears in a case of tetanus

tetanus

tetanus

A case of Tetanus: This is Barney Barnard a 6mth old Border Collie puppy. When Barney was 3mths old he came to us showing some very unusual signs. He was unable to eat properly, his ears were erect, lips pulled back and he walked with very stiff front legs. After some tests and research Barney was diagnosed with Tetanus and started on intensive treatment. We are all very pleased that after a long 3mths of treatment Barney appears to have made a full recovery. The pictures  show Barney with signs of Tetanus and as he is recovering.
Tetanus is an uncommon disease in dogs. Tetanus is caused by a bacteria called Clostridium Tetani, which is found in soil. Dogs can get Tetanus if the bacteria gets into wounds or from chewing sticks. This bacteria produces a toxin which causes paralysis. Cats can also get this disease but they are more resistant to it. The signs for Tetanus start appearing 5 – 18 days after the infection.
The main clinical signs we look for are:
*Stiff legs and a short, shuffley walk,
*Elevated tail,
*Contraction of the muscles in the face so it looks like the dog is smiling.

Luckily it is a very rare condition, so we hope we don’t see another case for a long time !