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.Anticoagulant rodenticidesdifenacoum bromadiolone brodadiolone coumatetralylIbuprofenNurofenAdvilMetaldehydeSlug bait Human oral contraceptives (very low toxicity) Chocolate / theobromine Diclofenac sodium (a similar drug to Ibuprofen) SalbutamolVentalin inhalersAlphachloralose rodenticides Paraquat Wallpaper paste (very low toxicity) Borax / Boric acid ant killer gels BonemealGlyphosate based herbicides Aspirin Cannabis BatteriesBendiocarbpowder ant killersWhite spirit / barbecue lighter fluid Antifreeze Loperamideanti-diarrhoea drugsBleach
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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.Anticoagulant rodenticidesdifenacoum bromadiolone brodadiolone coumatetralylIbuprofenNurofenAdvilMetaldehydeSlug bait Human oral contraceptives (very low toxicity) Chocolate / theobromine Diclofenac sodium (a similar drug to Ibuprofen) SalbutamolVentalin inhalersAlphachloralose rodenticides Paraquat Wallpaper paste (very low toxicity) Borax / Boric acid ant killer gels BonemealGlyphosate based herbicides Aspirin Cannabis BatteriesBendiocarbpowder ant killersWhite spirit / barbecue lighter fluid Antifreeze Loperamideanti-diarrhoea drugsBleach
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
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 have not be needed. In July 2009 a panel of specialists in feline medicine and vaccination published a series of recommendations for vaccination in cats. The European
It's all to easy at Christmas for our pets to find something to eat that they shouldn't. I can picture myself feet up on the couch, stomach fully of wine and good food, drifting into sleep with the telly on in the background. That's the oppurtinuty my Spaniel has been waiting for and almost certainly the best time to do some counter surfing in the kitchen. At Christmas remember to watch out for your pets eating food items
At Purton Veterinary Group we are proud to say our clinical standards are amongst the best available and and you can rest assured that we put your pet first. A recent study published by a team at the University of Cambridge has shown there is a significant disparity between the clinical standards clients think their vets provide and what actually happens behind the scenes. 328 owners were surveyed and their expectations compared to what 56 vet students had experienced in
Dental disease is the most common disease in our pets. Over 80% of cats and dogs over the age of 3 require dental treatment now. The Good News is that the majority of dental problems are TREATABLE and nearly all are PREVENTABLE.Our pets are very poor at letting us know that they are suffering. They may simply be quieter than normal or more withdrawn. Many of us know the pain associated with mouth ulcers, some will have had the misfortune
Dogs and cats can seizure for a number of reasons. Cats are much less likely to develop epilepsy than dogs. The term epilepsy is often used to describe seizure activity but it says little about the cause of the problem. There are many reasons for seizures and there are different types of epilepsy. I'll start with some broad definitions.Seizures are periods of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain (convulsions). status epilepticus is repeated or prolonged seizure activity. Epilepsy is a
Hyperthyroidism is a relatively common condition of older cats and something that our own practice cat, Jim, suffers from. It is caused by overproduction of thyroid hormone by the thyroid glands which are found in the neck. When Jim first came to us in 2007 we noticed that he was quite skinny yet he had a large appetite so we ran some tests and confirmed that he is hyperthyroid. A good appetite despite loosing weight in an older cat is highly
Dominance in domestic dogs has been in the headlines lately. According to a new study by researchers at Bristol Vet School, establishing the position in the pack is not the main motivator for pet dogs. Training concepts that rely on dominance reduction are likely to be useless at best or at the extreme, downright dangerous. The end result is likely to be a fearful dog that does not feel able to express natural behaviours - a welfare issue in its
If you thought the Discovery Channel dog whisperer knew what he was talking about, you are in for a shock! Buying this book and reading it with an open mind might be the best thing you every did for your dog. Highly recommended. - In this ground-breaking and sometimes controversial book, Alexandra Semyonova explodes the 100 most common myths about dogs, their nature, their behaviour and how to treat them. She explains how the old, pseudo-scientific theory of dominance
Daisy was not her normal self. A Cocker Spaniel should be full of life, have more energy and always be keen for some food. Nichola knew there was a problem that needed some investigation rather than conservative treatment. Daisy's abdomen was slightly uncomfortable but not very painful, she allowed us to feel deep inside but resented us pushing our hands towards her stomach. Her owner explained that she had vomited 2 weeks ago and had then stopped but recently started
In the last 8 months we have diagnosed 2 cases of Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats that have had chronic diarrhoea. In both cases the cats had been suffering with diarrhoea for more than a year and no treatments from their previous vets had worked to solve the problem. Both cats were seen as second opinions and we followed our routine diagnostic plan to try get to the bottom of the problem (no pun intended). We learn something new every
How often do you see dogs carrying sticks they have found on a walk? Nine times out of ten there is no harm done and the dog and it's owner have fun out on a walk. Unfortunately the fun sometimes ends when you have to visit the vet for the treatment of a stick injury. We see a few cases every year and they are all usually challenging as there can be very little to see.Cooper the Springer Spaniel was
Probably the most important part of caring for your cat or dog will be making sure they eat healthy food. You are what you eat after all! Your pet has specific nutritional requirements which need to be met. Cats cannot live on dog food for example and dogs will not remain healthy fed on a human diet. The right nutrients have an important influence on long-term health and help to prevent disease. Either protein, fat or carbohydrate can
Don't Panic about lungworm! (there are reasons why lungworm is in the press lately) 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 imagined. There seems to be a concerted effort within the industry to increase worming frequencies to monthly and I think this is driven by drug companies rather than by
We like to be on top of all the latest breakthroughs at Purton Vets, however we were bowled over by this interesting case . Bing Stockwell - a 4 year old Devon Rex - whose X-ray is shown below was truly technological. In fact we think 'embracing' new technology was maybe taken a little to far in Bing's case - Bing decided to eat the technology! Yes , its that white wiggly line in the middle of the belly that just
Owning a pet can provide hours of fun but it is important to find a pet that suits your lifestyle. It's a very rewarding time for all getting to know a new pet but the responsibility is immense and needs careful consideration. Whatever animal you are looking to offer a home to, it's important you want them for the right reasons and not an impulse buy, as many people find they can't cope and end up giving their animal
Our Practice Manager, Amber Dunham, went along to Glendora - The Ashton Keynes Canine Hydrotherapy Centre with one of our patients, Macaskin, to see what all the excitement was about. Macaskin has been visiting Glendora for a swimming session three times a week since November. Although Macaskin is a young and bouncy Spaniel x collie he had been experiencing lameness in his front leg that kept recurring despite rest and painkillers. His vet, Graeme Pack, thought he should
We are all aware of the financial squeeze currently gripping the country. The future is less clear than ever. More and more we find clients are cancelling their pet insurance or moving to cheaper policies which have problems in the fine print. It's better to have some cover than no cover however as costs of running a veterinary surgery increase so do the costs of treating your pet. You can´t stop your bundle of mischief getting into scrapes. Independent
Finding a lump on your pet can be a worrying experience. Although many lumps are harmless it is impossible to tell what a lump is simply by looking at it. If your pet has a swelling then book an appointment to get it checked. We are able to take a small sample with a thin needle and look under the microscope to give you a reasonably accurate idea of whether cancer is present or not. This can often be done the same day without having
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