Purton Vets Newsletter

Genetic diseases and disorders website

2012-01-23T12:03:36Z

Many pets including dogs, cats and rabbits are born with genetic diseases and disorders. Owners often don't know about these diseases, so end up buying a pet that suffers through it's life. If you are thinking about buying a pet, you can find out which conditions you should be aware of at UFAW's Genetic Welfare Problems website.

While acknowledging the major contribution made by dog breeders and dog-breeding organisations in trying to improve breed standards, both breeders and scientists have long been aware that all is not well in the world of companion-animal breeding. Welfare concerns associated with modern dog breeding have been discussed in the veterinary literature and the popular press.

Most breeds have their characteristic list of inherited defects. Some of these defects occur at an unacceptably high frequency.

Other useful websites with information are:

University of Cambridge Database

University of Sydney Database

If owners choose healthy animals, breeders will breed healthy animals. By choosing a healthy pet, you can help improve the quality of life for many others. It will also save you the upset of owning a pet with a disease that could have been prevented.

Dog Blood Donation Drive - 14 Feb

2012-01-20T10:56:34Z

Are holding a Dog blood drive on the 14th February 2012 at Vets Now Referrals Swindon, SN1 2NR. 01793 603800. They are looking for Dogs to come along on the day to donate.

You need to be all of the following:

Aged between 1yr and 8yrs
Weigh more than 25kg
Have a good temperament
Never have travelled abroad
Be up to date with all vaccinations
Not be on any medication
Be fit and healthy

If your all of the above and want to help save a life on Valentine's Day then please call 01509 232222 or 01793 603800 to register.

Or simply register on line at www.petbloodbankuk.org

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Neutering - the pro's and con's

2011-12-30T16:01:21Z

There is a lot of misinformation regarding neutering, especially on the internet. I hope to set out the facts as we know them in this article. It is important to realise we do not know anything with absolute certainty, that's not how science works; we keep learning and adapting our advice to our current knowledge.

There is an overall benefit to neutering your pets

We recommend small to medium breed bitches are spayed after their first season (at 9 -12 months) and that large breed dogs are allowed to reach maturity and spayed after their 2nd season (at about 18 months).

Male dogs should be castrated at about 12 - 18 months once they have stopped growing.

Cats are a different story. They breed very efficiently and The Cat Group, a collection of professional organisations working on cat welfare, recommend neutering at 4 months of age in most cases.

So why should you neuter your pet?

The most important reason to neuter is population control, which is far more important than any health issues. Entire bitches and queens will probably fall pregnant or be caught by a male at some point in their life. Although we have injections to stop pregnancy they are expensive and have side effects. A bitch in heat is likely to be harassed by dogs in the park as well as suffer from false pregnancy which can be as distressing for the owner as it is for the bitch.

Castrating males can make them more sociable and less likely to roam.

So before we start discussing health issues it is important to realise that population control and social reasons are the most important reasons to neuter.

Pro-neutering and anti-neutering campaigners often justify their positions using health issues. If I told you that by neutering your bitch you triple her risk of developing hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) I'm sure you would be concerned. If you knew that 99.4% of dogs have normal thyroid levels and that your spayed bitch had tripled her risk to a 98.2% chance of having a normal thyroid level it puts the risk into perspective.

It is important to understand how likely a disease is to occur before you consider the risk factors.

We know that if you spay your bitch before her first season there is a significant reduction in risk of mammary cancer to almost zero. The risk of cancer increases with every oestrus cycle until 3 years of age when there is no longer a reduction in risk by spaying her. This is used to promote spaying and is a good reason to neuter as it saves lives. In Norway where almost all bitches are not spayed, they have an incidence of up to 3.5% for mammary cancer depending on the breed of dog (at least 96.5% of dogs are unaffected by mammary cancer). In the UK where most bitches are spayed we have an incidence of 0.5% mammary cancer (99.5% unaffected). So Norway has up to 3% more cases of mammary cancer than the UK (this equates to 90 000 cases of mammary cancer in the UK).

Keep in mind the relative risk of developing a problem when you look through the positive and negative affects on health that neutering may have.

The Cat

On the positive side, spaying female cats

Population control. Queens can have up to 3 litters a year.

Social reasons. Queens will call every 2 weeks from January to August attracting entire male cats the area with risk of spreading disease through fighting.

Pregnancy and birth are risky and complications can occur

Reduces to almost zero the risk of pyometra (infected womb)

Removes the very small risk of ovarian cancer

On the positive side, castrating male cats

Population control

Less fighting, more social cats. Entire male cats fight and spread disease especially Feline Aids and Feline Leukaemia which are fatal. They develop or cause others to develop disease and abscesses.

They roam over a smaller territory reducing their chance of being in a road traffic accident, one of the most common causes of death in cats.

They spray and mark their territory less.

On the negative side in both male and female cats we have no evidence of problems to date. The following have been areas of concern

Implications for the cat's behaviour? Results of research into behavioural development show no problems currently.

Implications for the cat's growth and development? Studies into growth and development show no concerns with prepuberty neutering (as early as seven weeks).

Possible decreased urethral diameter in neutered animals predisposing to bladder blockage? Uretheral diameter worries unfounded - studies show similar diameter to post-puberty neutering.

The Bitch

On the positive side, spaying female dogs

Population control. A bitch can have up to two litters a year.

Social reasons. A bitch has approx. two oestrus cycles a year and will attract male dogs for a few weeks. This is distressing for the bitch and owner, as you cannot walk the dog without getting unwanted attention.

False pregnancy is relatively common after a season. The bitch can suffer anorexia, lactation and behaviour changes that often result in the owner seeking veterinary intervention.

Pregnancy and birth can be risky, so think carefully before breeding.

If done before 2.5 years of age significantly reduces the 1% - 3% chance of developing malignant mammary cancer

Reduces to almost zero the risk of pyometra (infected womb) which would otherwise affect about 23% of bitches, of which 1% would be fatal

Reduces the risk of perianal fistulas, a rare condition causing open wounds around the anus

Removes the small risk of ovarian cancer which affects 0.5% of dogs

On the negative side, spaying female dogs

Can cause urinary incontinence, in 4% - 20% of dogs, mostly large breed dogs (80% - 96% of spayed dogs are unaffected). Many incontinent dogs can be managed effectively by hormone replacement.

If done before maturity it triples the risk of osteosarcoma, a malignant bone cancer that affects mostly heavy large breed dogs. 5% of Rottweilers and 1% of Labradors are affected, so 95% - 99% of large breed dogs are unaffected.

Doubles the risk of splenic haemagiosarcoma, a malignant tumour that affects about 2.5% of dogs. So 97.5% of dogs are unaffected and doubling the risk means at least 95% of spayed dogs are unaffected.

Triples the risk of hypothyroidism that affects 0.6% of dogs, so 99.4% of dogs are unaffected and if neutering triples the incidence then 98.2% of spayed dogs will not be affected.

Almost doubles the risk of obesity, however obesity has many factors that influence its development just as in humans.

Increased risk of a small vulva, dermatitis around the vulva and vaginitis if spayed before first oestrus. The true incidence of this is unknown.

Increased risk of urinary tract infections. Incidence is unknown.

Doubles the small risk of urinary tract tumours which occur in <1% of dogs, so >99% of dogs are unaffected and >98% of spayed dogs remain unaffected.

Increased risk of orthopaedic disorders but by how much is uncertain.

Our neutering policy is designed to minimise the potential health side effects of neutering while retaining the health benefits. By neutering larger dogs later in their development we minimise the risks. Smaller dogs can be neutered earlier.

The Dog

On the positive side, castrating dogs

Population control, there are far to many unwanted litters

Social reasons. Castrated males are often less aggressive and less likely to roam.

Eliminates the risk of dying from testicular cancer, of which >99% of male dogs are unaffected

Reduces the risk of perianal fistulas, a rare condition causing open wounds around the anus

Reduced risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders, usually a problem in most old dogs.

Reduced risk of perineal hernia, a muscle weakness around the anus

On the negative side, castrating dogs

If done before maturity it triples the risk of osteosarcoma, a malignant bone cancer that affects mostly heavy large breed dogs. 5% of Rottweilers and 1% of Labradors are affected so 95% - 99% of large breed dogs are unaffected.

Slightly increases the risk of splenic haemagiosarcoma, a malignant tumour that affects about 2.5% of dogs. So 97.5% of dogs are unaffected.

Triples the small risk of hypothyroidism that affects 0.6% of dogs, so 99.4% of entire dogs and 98.2% of castrated dogs will be unaffected.

Triples the risk of obesity, however obesity has many factors that influence its development just as in humans.

Quadruples the small risk of prostate cancer which affects <0.6% of dogs, so >99.4% of entire males are not affected. Castrated dogs will have >97.6% chance of being unaffected.

Doubles the small risk of urinary tract cancer, but >99% of dogs and >98% of castrated dogs remain unaffected.

Increased risk of orthopaedic disorders but by how much is uncertain

Our neutering policy is designed to minimise the potential health side effects of neutering while retaining the health benefits. There is no benefit to early castration so dogs should have stopped growing before we castrate them. Larger dogs mature later than smaller dogs.

Australian officials to euthanase pit bulls and other 'dangerous' breeds

2011-10-05T14:17:07Z

A law from October 2011 in Victoria, Australia, that could be the country's toughest regulation of the American pit bull terrier and four other dog breeds, based on the notion that some breeds are inherently dangerous.

The crackdown -- spurred by several recent attacks including last month's mauling death of a 4-year-old Melbourne girl -- has veterinarians in Australia and other countries objecting to the idea that certain types of dogs are more likely than others to bite. Practitioners also fear that they will be dragged into Victoria's efforts to kill pit bulls by being asked to identify and euthanize them.

Beginning Friday, authorities will knock on doors in Victoria, seizing and euthanizing any American pit bull terrier -- or dog that looks like one -- that is not registered as a restricted breed with local officials. Owners of lookalikes such as American Staffordshire terriers need a certificate from a veterinarian or pedigree papers from breed registry groups that prove their ancestry.

In addition to the American pit bull terrier, the restriction in Victoria includes the perro de presa canario, dogo Argentino (Argentinian fighting dog), Japanese tosa and fila Brasileiro (Brazilian fighting dog).

In addition to the ban, legislation recently introduced by the Victorian Coalition Government in Parliament proposes that owners with dogs of restricted breeds or are declared dangerous face up to 10 years in jail if their dogs kill someone.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) spoke out against the legislation saying that innocent family pets are becoming scapegoats for aggressive dogs. Dog bite incidents aren't limited to pit bull breeds.

"The risk is this could lull the community into a false sense of security and do little to address the overall problem of dog bites," she said. "... Dogs of any breed known to be aggressive and potentially dangerous must be properly housed and restrained. But just declaring that some breeds are dangerous and others aren't is misleading."

To spread this message, the AVA has adopted the slogan "Ban the deed, not the breed." The group's campaign focuses on educating the public about what causes dogs to bite as well as responsible ownership, which involves socializing and training family pets.

About NOWZAD

2011-09-19T15:21:58Z

The life of Afghan and Iraqi animals is not one of comfort at the best of times; most of the day is spent hunting for scraps of food or hiding from the hot desert sun during the summer or the freezing cold of a desert winter night. There is definitely no pampered pet status in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The Nowzad Dogs charity has been formed to do something positive for the cats, dogs and other animals of Afghanistan and Iraq that have no hope and nobody to care for them. We realise we cannot transport all of the stray dogs of Afghanistan and Iraq to loving homes, but we will do our best to promote animal welfare and to assist in vital animal aid work that is so desperately needed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

All money donated goes directly to helping the animals of Afghanistan and Iraq.

NOWZAD International Sponsored Dog Walk in Purton

2011-09-17T11:06:23Z

NOWZAD DOGS - Rescuing stray and abandoned animals in Afghanistan and Iraq

On Saturday, October 8th, 1st Purton and Lydiard Scout Group and Purton Veterinary Group are joining together to support a UK and International Sponsored Walk for NOWZAD Dogs. As Wootton Bassett becomes Royal in October, we thought it would be a nice idea for our village to hear about something positive that has come from the war in Afghanistan and how we can help this charity started by British marine 'Pen' Farthing. (See www.nowzad.com to hear all about this charity and you can read the books!)

The aim of the charity this year is to walk the distance from the UK to Now Zad, Afghanistan, collectively! A huge total of just over 3,631 miles! We are confident that with everyone taking part with or without a four legged friend that we can help walk this distance and the charity to reach their target! The Scout Group will be working towards their International Friendship Award and this event will coincide with learning about this Country and the Scouting that is happening there.

We will be offering a 2 mile or 5 mile walk around the lovely Purton countryside with staggered starting times from 2-3pm. We expect to be finished approx by 5pm depending on your chosen walk. You can take part with a dog or without! All dogs MUST be accompanied by an adult! (woof woof). All sponsorship money raised from our walk will contribute to the charity's work, in particular to Vet Education and a Neutering Programme, as well as animal rescue.

To organise this event we do need a registration fee of £1 per person and adults have the option of paying £10 for a special T-shirt, wristband and keyring (sorry this pack from Nowzad is only offered to adults). There is also a prize for the person collecting the most sponsor money. Purton Vets are also holding a raffle which will be drawn on the 8th.

Maps will be available on the day for routes. All participants do so at their own risk and we ask that all dogs are kept on a lead. You need to wear suitable footwear and clothing and have a supply of food and water for yourselves and doggie as required, and of course some poop scoop bags! This event will take place come rain or shine and will commence from The Angel Car Park. Please try to leave your car at home as parking will be limited. Please ensure you adhere to the Highway Code when out walking at all times.

Approximate start times will be as thus - 5 mile walkers at 2pm, 2 mile walkers at 3pm. You will be requested to register before starting off and sign back in on completion for a special certificate.

We hope you will support this event and enjoy the participation as well as supporting such a worthy charity! The stories behind the rescues are amazing, not to mention how these dogs have often sustained the morale of our troops in Afghanistan. A dog - man's best friend!

With our thanks,

Jan Fisher on behalf of Jos Lander on behalf of
1st Purton and Lydiard Scout Group Purton Veterinary Group

Keyhole Surgery Bitch Spays

2011-07-29T12:30:44Z

Laparoscopic (keyhole) bitch spays

What is laparoscopic bitch spay?
Laparoscopy is commonly known as keyhole surgery. The surgeon makes two or three tiny incisions then performs surgery from the outside watching on a screen. Normally only the ovaries are removed. Removing the womb is not necessary unless the womb is unhealthy.

What are the benefits of keyhole surgery?

Performed by experienced surgeons only.

Safer surgery as the surgeon can see far more detail.

Much less painful. Comparing dogs that have had traditional surgery vs keyhole surgery has shown that the keyhole surgery dogs are 70% more active in the 3 days after surgery because they feel less pain.

Faster recovery post operatively with less worry.

Two tiny wounds (5mm to 10mm) that heal fast.

Less internal trauma and usually no bleeding.

The ability to inspect the internal organs.

Why is the traditional open bitch spay surgery so different?

When I was first asked about keyhole surgery by clients I could not see the benefit. As an experienced surgeon I make small open incisions (wounds) anyway, sometimes only a few inches long. I thought the patient would feel the same level of pain in traditional surgery as making a few small keyhole incisions.

I was wrong. Keyhole surgery is so much safer and less painful for the patient that we have stopped performing open traditional spays because we cannot justify putting dogs through the pain of open surgery when we have a better way.

Two small keyhole incisions hurt less than one larger open incision but by far the most important point is that the ovary does not have to get pulled out through the belly button, so there is no tearing of ligaments or stretching and pulling on internal tissue. It's this stretching and tearing that causes pain, bleeding and complications. The surgeon has to close blood vessels with knots by hand and these sometimes slip causing life threatening bleeding. The surgeon cannot see the knot and check for bleeding as it springs back inside alongside the spine.

With keyhole surgery there are no knots, the blood vessels are sealed with heat and there is no tearing of tissue. This means that there is almost no bleeding at all.

X-ray video reveals how dogs drink

2011-07-21T17:01:50Z

Dogs don't have cheeks to trap liquid, so how do they manage to drink? Alfred Crompton and his team from Harvard University fed a dog some dark broth to observe the process, followed by X-ray video to reveal details of the tongue action.

A recent study showed that cats drink by drawing milk upwards as it clings to the tip of their tongue. Although dogs have a similarly-shaped mouth, it was suggested that unlike cats, they curl their tongues backwards and scoop up liquid.

Crompton's analysis proved that this isn't the case: cats and dogs use the same basic mechanism to lift liquid into their mouths. Dogs are simply messier drinkers than cats.

New Scientist website

Pet Passport - Tapeworm treatment still required

2011-07-19T13:35:10Z

The European Commission has agreed with the UK veterinary profession that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (EM).

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have warmly welcomed today's announcement that the European Commission has adopted a regulation that will permit pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to listed Member States (i.e. the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta).

In June Defra announced that the UK's derogation from European pet travel rules would end on 31 December 2011. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be harmonised with the rest of Europe.

However Echinococcus multilocularis is a major public health risk and the EU has agreed to allow the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta to require treatment of animals before entry.

The regulation will ensure that a dog must be treated by a veterinary surgeon 24 to 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering one of the listed countries.

The BVA and BSAVA made the scientific case for a treatment window of 24-48 hours, but accept that the Commission had to find a compromise that would assist pet owners travelling during national holidays.

New pet travel rules to come into force in 2012

2011-07-19T13:11:39Z

Defra has announced that new rules on pet travel will be introduced from 1st January 2012. The changes will mean that the rules on rabies vaccination for entry into the UK will be in line with the rest of Europe.

Defra has carried out a scientific risk assessment to find out how the changes will affect the level of risk of rabies entering the UK. The assessment found the risk to be very low.

Dogs, cats and pet ferrets entering the UK from an EU or 'listed' third country from 1 January 2012 must:

be microchipped
be vaccinated against rabies
have waited 21 days after vaccination before entering
have an EU Pet Passport

The current requirement to carry out a blood test followed by a six-month wait before entry into the UK will no longer be required.

From 1st January pets entering from a non-listed third country must pass a blood test 30 days after vaccination followed by a three-month wait.

Until now, the UK, Ireland and three other Member States have had derogations from EU pet travel rules to allow for additional controls to protect against rabies, ticks and tapeworms.

Vets have continued to lobby in Europe for additional controls to be maintained for tapeworms, which could introduce Echinococcus multilocularis to the UK - a significant public health concern.

Although a final decision has not yet been made the European Commission has indicated that it will support the UK case for additional tapeworm controls.

Lungworm - Don't Panic

2011-04-14T15:24:06Z

It's not as bad as you might think!

Vets across the UK have received there press promotion packs from a drug company that has a preventative treatment - its becoming an annual event every April.

Recently we have had a few requests for information from clients about lungworm after they read about it on the internet or in the press. I sense a degree of panic setting in and want to reassure you that the risk is lower than suggested. If you know for a fact that your dog eats slugs or snails then you need to speak to us as it can be a dangerous condition. If you never see your dog eating slugs and snails then its very unlikely you will have a problem.

There seems to be a concerted effort within the veterinary industry to increase worming frequencies to monthly and I think this is driven by drug companies rather than by common sense. One company in particular makes a veterinary only POM flea/wormer spot-on called Advocate. You have to use it monthly to prevent fleas which means you have to worm monthly and its a product that goes into the bloodstream. Its also the only licensed preventative treatment for lungworm. Both the drug company and vets benefit from increased sales of the product and they want to create awareness of the problem.

I don't doubt that lungworm and heartworm are seen in the UK, especially in certain areas of Southern England. Some areas see dogs suffering from the condition every week and other areas never see a case. We have not seen a confirmed case in Purton in the last 5 years. We are aware of it and look for it. Situations change and we may see more cases in future but as of April 2011 we have a low incidence at least in our area.

The worms are transmitted by eating slugs, snails and some types by direct contact with dog faeces. Infection can result in various problems ranging from coughing, bleeding and in some cases they can result in death.

The terminology can be confusing as the worm (Angiostrongylus vasorum, french heartworm) that has recently been cited as posing a serious risk to dogs is actually a heartworm, a worm that primarily lives in the blood vessels of the lung and heart. There are 3 other worms in dogs (Oslerus osleri, Filaroides hirthi and Crenosoma vulpis) which are in fact lungworms and a worm in cats (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus) that lives in the lung and heart. So there are actually 4 lungworms in the dog and 1 in the cat currently being diagnosed in the UK. We have a fact sheet on lungworms on our website for further information about their life cycle.

Lungworm has always been present in the south east and we have had effective treatments for it for years although they require multiple treatments whereas Advocate requires a single treatment.

So if Advocate is so good then why not use it all the time?

Well out of all the lungworms and heartworms above Advocate only treats the French Heartworm and there is an alternative drug that treats all of them.
It is recommended to use Advocate monthly as a flea control product which is correct as fleas are a year round problem. However that means you have to treat your dog monthly for worms as well. I am not comfortable with recommending that clients put a drug into their pets bloodstream forever, every month of their life to control worms.
The wormer we recommend for routine worming (Milbemax) is given every 3 months and reduces the infection of both French Heartworm and Crenosoma vulpis.
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association recommend that when it comes to worming there is a no-one-situation-fits-all for adult dogs, or all situations.
Treatment for worms should be considered on an individual basis and you should take care if you are aware your dog or cat eats snails or slugs, they may need additional worming.

National Pet Month Photographic Competition

2011-03-20T17:48:50Z

April is National Pet Month and Purton Vets has decided to hold a photographic competition to celebrate our clients' unique relationship with their pets. The theme this year is 'Happiness is....... time with your pet'.

National Pet Month is all about raising awareness of how pets make people's lives happier and healthier, how we can repay the pets we love by looking after them responsibly - and of course how we can spend happy times together.

Please send us your photos of you with your pet encompassing this year's theme. Write your name and pet's name on the back of the photo. These will be displayed on our board in reception and the winner will be chosen at the end of April. The prize is a Nintendo DS.

Potentially Dangerous Flea Product Recall

2011-03-17T09:56:33Z

If you get your flea products from the surgery then there is no need to worry, our products are all completely safe and we do not sell these products (and never will). There has been a mix up in the production of some dog and cat flea products sold through petshops. We would never recommend these cheap flea products as they have very poor efficacy and there are far more effective and safe products available at a reasonable price.

Please let everyone who has cats know that this product has been recalled and could be very dangerous to your cat.

From The Cats Protection:

Beaphar Cat Spot On flea productWe have received the following very important product recall information for Beaphar Cat Spot On flea product.

Please can you ensure that all staff, friends, family and any other cat owners are made aware of this issue and do not use the product on a cat if it is colour coded as indicated below.

If you have specific concerns about a cat following the use of the
recalled product on a cat, please contact your vet for advice. If
however you have any general product concerns please contact the
manufacturer directly, their details are at the bottom of this email.

Cats Protection recommends that owners seek veterinary advice on the
most appropriate products for flea control on their cats and the timing
of such treatments. Dog spot on flea products should not be used on
cats, as those containing concentrated levels of permethrin can be toxic
to cats, causing severe illness or death

With kindest regards,

Cats Protection
Veterinary Department

11-03-2011Beaphar Cat Spot on Repels Fleas
Batch 92 Recall
On Wednesday, 8th March, 2011, we received a report that a Cat Spot on
product had been found to which Dog Spot on vials (white tubes with
white caps) had been attached.
We immediately initiated our Recall Procedure, which we have often
rehearsed, but never before needed to use. To date, no other packs have
been found.
Recall posters have been distributed to all the pet shops that
purchased the product from us, for them to alert customers who may have
already purchased product, and recall notices have been published in
the National Press.
Cat owners who have recently purchased this product should check it
before use. If your Cat Spot on product contains white tubes with green
caps, everything is OK and the product is safe to use. If you discover
it contains white tubes with white tops, please call or email us as
soon as possible. DO NOT USE THE PRODUCT. We will ask that you return
it to us for replacement or a full refund.
As a conscientious medicines' manufacturer, we have taken this
situation extremely seriously and taken all reasonable steps to rectify
it as quickly as possible. We sincerely apologise for the error, and
any inconvenience caused to our customers.

Should you have any further concerns about this issue, please don't
hesitate to contact us on 01440 715700 or by email to
info@uk.beaphar.com.

Chicken Vet

2011-02-09T16:36:40Z

We have teamed up with the largest poultry vet in the UK as an associate practice to help look after flocks of backyard chickens. We regularly see bantams, chickens and ducks at the surgery but often only when they are very ill or need euthanasia. There has been an increase in small flocks of poultry being kept by the public and there are not many vets trained or experienced in their care. St Davids Poultry Ltd looks after millions of birds and finds the logistics of answering calls from all over the country and helping smallholders difficult. Their team of vets travel around the world as far afield as Russia and almost all the commercial poultry in the UK is looked after by their practice.

Nichola and Graeme recently travelled down to Exmouth to visit the practice to brush up on their poultry skills. Been an associate practice means we can supply clients with the proper medication for their flocks broken down into smaller quantities but at very reasonable cost. There is no longer a need to go online and buy black market drugs, or drugs with no proven efficacy, risking both the flocks health and your own. If you have any questions regarding your birds then please give Nichola or Graeme a call.

Update On Parvovirus Outbreak In Swindon

2010-10-08T12:59:33Z

The epidemic of parvovirus that struck Swindon weeks ago is not over yet. As far as we can determine ther have been 9 dogs that have died from the disease so far and they all came from North and East of Swindon. We have had a large number of clients visit to boost their dogs immunity because their vaccinations had lapsed.

We are currently treating a puppy with confirmed parvo. Our client lives in East Swindon. We think the pup must have become infected in the SN3 postcode area. Fortunately the puppy is recovering from the disease at present although she's not out of the woods yet and she is still hospitalised in our isolation ward. The reason she is likely to survive the disease may come as a suprise. The puppy had received her full vaccinations given to her before the current owner collected her from the breeder. Although this vaccine appears to have failed to protect her for becoming infected, it certainly prevented her from developing a fatal form of the disease.

If your dog is not vaccinated then please arrange for a booster injection and don't rely on natural exposure or unproven treatments like homoeopathic nosodes, its just not worth the risk.

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV2, colloquioally parvo) is a contagious virus mainly affecting dogs. The disease is highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces. It can be especially severe in puppies that are not protected by maternal antibodies or vaccination. It has two distinct presentations, a cardiac and intestinal form. The common signs of the intestinal form are severe vomiting and dysentery. The cardiac form causes respiratory or cardiovascular failure in young puppies. Treatment often involves veterinary hospitalization. Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated
cases.