Dog owners in Swindon are being asked to check their pet's vaccinations are up to date after an outbreak of a potentially life-threatening virus. Five dogs in the Penhill area have been diagnosed with canine parvovirus with three having to be put down so far. It is believed another two animals have already died from the virus.

Flo arrived at the practice in April 2010 after a member of the public brought her in as they were concerned about her health. She had very sore and inflamed gums and horrible teeth which was making eating difficult. After providing her with extensive dental work and removing most of her teeth, we found she had an underlying virus. The virus is called Calicivirus and it may cause her to have ongoing problems with her mouth and gums throughout her life. The virus may also start to affect her in other ways such as joint problems.

A List of common potentially poisonous household and garden substances -as supplied by the VPIS (Veterinary Poisons Information Service). The Dogs Trust leaflet can be downloaded here.

Cats are usually very sensible creatures when it comes to eating things which are not good for them. So why do vets have to deal with cats which have ingested something harmful? A LARGE PART of the answer lies in the fact that cats like to keep themselves scrupulously clean and will groom off anything on their coats or paws which shouldn't be there. Hence they can swallow things like antifreeze or decorating products, which they have walked through or brushed against. Cats also like to nibble at grass outside. If they do not have access to this because they are indoor cats or simply because they are young and inquisitive, they may chew indoor plants or cut flowers such as lilies. Here are some of the more dangerous poisons which cat owners should be aware of:

The way we vaccinate cats has changed. A decade ago vets would vaccinate against all the important diseases every year regardless of the cats lifestyle, age or risk of infection. This has no doubt saved many a cats life but this blanket vaccination policy also resulted in many cats having vaccinations that may not be needed. In July 2009 a panel of specialists in feline medicine and vaccination published a series of recommendations for vaccination in cats.

UK animal welfare, behaviour, training and veterinary organisations are warning of the possible dangers of using techniques for training dogs that can cause pain and fear, such as some of those seen used by Cesar Millan, who has announced a UK tour. The article links to further information which is a well written explanation.

Cats are now Britain's favourite pet: there are 7.7 million cats as opposed to 6.6 million dogs. For thousands of years cats have lived with people, the ancient Egyptians even worshipped them as gods! Changes in our lifestyles have helped the cat increase in popularity, the cat's independent nature has proved advantageous as more and more of us live in homes where one or both owners work. We also...