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Nacho’s Top Dog-Friendly Staycations in the UK

Pet Corner: Written by Goddard Veterinary Group’s Guest Social Editor, Nacho from The Four Legged Foodies

This year is all about the staycation! The humans have decided not to travel on those strange metal bird things and leave us behind. Instead, they are exploring our wonderful country and that means we can go with them! Archie has stayed in lots of hotels but from now on he must get a twin room because this summer, I’m coming too!

Here are some of our favourite dog friendly hotels where you can take that well earnt break this summer. We don’t like to miss out at mealtimes, so they all have dog friendly restaurants too!

Mama Shelter

Mama Shelter is a really cool hotel in East London who are so dog friendly we even get our own check in forms! In the rooms, four legged friends will find a bed, bowl and towel – which was handy as we arrived on one of the wettest days ever. The whole ground floor is given over to space to relax with the humans including bars and a restaurant and we pooches are welcome everywhere. The space is typically Shoreditch uber cool and provides some great photo opportunities for the gram!

Top tip: Nearby Victoria Park is great for walkies.

Mama Shelter, 437 Hackney Rd, London E2 8PP

The Hoxton

Another cool hotel with an urban vibe is The Hoxton. They have 3 locations in London and we have tried them all so can verify their dog friendliness! Again, we get a comfy bed, bowls and treats in the room and we doggies are allowed to dine in the bar and lobby areas (just not the main restaurants).

Between the 3 hotels you will be perfectly placed to explore most of London so why not book a stay in each?

The Hoxton Holborn, Southwark and Hoxton

The Gallivant

Just a 2-hour drive from London is the beautiful Camber Sands which is a huge stretch of sandy beach where doggies are permitted all year round. Opposite the beach you will find The Gallivant which is a fabulously dog friendly hotel, spa and restaurant. The rooms are all beautifully decorated with plenty of light and there are always treats on offer in the lounge/bar area. We can dine with the humans in the bar or on the covered outdoor terrace.

The hotel is perfectly placed for the beach and nearby is the quintessential English harbour town of Rye and the stunning landscape of Dungeness.

The Gallivant, Camber, East Sussex TN31 7RB

Sheraton Grand London Park Lane

Sounds posh doesn’t it? Well it is, but then so are we! Doggies up to 18 kilos are welcome to join their humans for no extra charge at the Sheraton Grand which is ideally placed for exploring some of the main sights of London and exploring the Royal Parks. While you are staying here, your nearest neighbour will be the Queen.

Top Tip: The best thing about staying here is the hotel bar Smith & Whistle where we have our very own dogtail menu!

Sheraton Grand London, Piccadilly, London W1J 7BX

South Place Hotel

This is a fabulous hotel in the heart of the City of London where we doggies get spoilt as much as the humans.

In your room at The South Place Hotel you will find a King size dog bed, toys, bowls and plenty of treats and we can join the humans in the bar area or the very Instagrammable Secret Garden Room (sorry no pooches in the Michelin starred restaurant).

Top Tip: We can confirm that the Secret Garden is also a great place for a private function!

South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, London EC2M 2AF

Tapnell Farm, Isle of Wight

Okay, so not strictly a hotel this one but if you are more of an adventurous outdoorsy dog then we can highly recommend a spot of glamping at Tapnell Farm on the Isle of Wight. Getting to the island from London is super easy. Lymington is less than a 2-hour drive and the crossing from there takes only 20 minutes

My human isn’t keen on camping but even she enjoyed our stay here as the tent had a full kitchen, bathroom and even heating. There is a great burger restaurant on site too.

If you’re thinking of visiting the Isle of Wight check out our blog with loads more tips and recommendations.

Tapnell Farm, Newport Road, Yarmouth, IOW PO41 0YJ

All this talk has got me into the holiday mood! I’m going to speak to my humans about our next dog-friendly staycation… I think I deserve one after all this hard work! Keep an eye on Goddard Veterinary Group’s Pet Corner for more from me and my humans, in the meantime, why not visit us on Instagram?

@the4leggedfoodies
@goddardvets

Nacho x

Neutering Your Female Dog (Spaying)

Why is it important?

There are many reasons to consider neutering your female dog (spaying) and studies in the USA have shown that neutered female dogs (bitches) live longer than unneutered bitches. Neutering does come with some risks and we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages below and let you know what to expect with the surgery and the recovery from the procedure. There are a lot of people and websites who will tell you that you must have your bitch spayed, or that you mustn’t. In this guide, however, we’ll look at all the pros and cons, so that you can make your own mind up. There is also no ‘one size fits all breeds’ and we recommend discussing the procedure and the timing of it for your dog with your veterinary surgeon.

What is spaying?

Spaying a bitch is a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic where the ovaries (and, usually, the uterus or womb) are surgically removed. It’s a fairly big operation though young dogs tend to recover remarkably quickly from the procedure.

So, what are the advantages – why do people do it?

Advantage 1

Ending her cycles. Most bitches will come into season roughly every six months (although it may be longer for large and giant breeds) and the season usually lasts for 3 weeks. When they’re in season, or ‘in heat’, they pass a bloody discharge from their vulva, which can be really messy. In addition, every male dog in the vicinity is likely to be queuing up at your back door trying to mate with her! Some bitches also undergo quite dramatic personality changes, and they may suffer from ‘False Pregnancies’ in the couple of months following the season and even start to produce milk. If they get ‘caught’ by a dog, it’s likely to be a real pregnancy and then you have to look after and find homes for all the puppies! Spaying completely removes her cycle (it cannot occur) and she cannot become pregnant.

This means you’re not going to be part of the overpopulation problem, with dogs stacked up waiting for rehoming in shelters and rescue centres.

Advantage 2

Reducing the risk of reproductive tumours: Spaying bitches before the first or second season, or before the age of 2.5 years, may be associated with a reduced risk of developing malignant mammary tumours later in life. This reduction in risk appears to be most marked in the bitches spayed before their first season, followed by those spayed before their second season. Vaginal tumours are almost exclusively seen in unspayed female dogs over the age of 10. Ovarian tumours and uterine tumours can also occur in unspayed female dogs and are difficult to detect before they become untreatable.

Advantage 3

Eliminates the risk of Pyometra – a serious infection of the womb which, in the majority of cases, requires emergency surgery. If untreated, it is usually fatal. Two-thirds of unneutered bitches over the age of 9 will develop endometrial hyperplasia and these dogs have a higher risk of developing pyometra.

Advantage 4

Lifespan – research in the USA that looked at the health records of over 2 million pets showed that neutering had a significant effect on the lifespan of neutered bitches, with neutered dogs living on average 7 ½ months longer than unneutered bitches.

Disadvantage 1

Urinary Incontinence occurs in approximately 0.7% of dogs and the incidence is significantly higher in neutered bitches. Some breeds are more prone to urinary incontinence and there is a greater risk of developing urinary incontinence within two years of neutering if neutered before 6 months of age. Overweight dogs are at greater risk of developing incontinence. Urinary incontinence can be managed medically but will need lifelong treatment.

Disadvantage 2

Weight gain. After neutering, dogs will be more prone to put on weight. It is important to ensure they are being fed an appropriate diet and not being overfed. Obesity can increase the risk of a number of diseases including joint problems in large breed dogs and breathing problems in flat-faced breeds.

Disadvantage 3

Hormonal coat changes. A few dogs also show a change to the quality of the coat – this is actually pretty rare and usually really minor.

Disadvantage 4

Orthopaedic disease. Some large breed dogs which are prone to joint disease may have a higher risk of joint disease if neutered. This is particularly a concern with early neutering and we recommend, if you have a large breed dog, discussing the age of neutering with your veterinary surgeon.

Disadvantage 5

Risks of the surgery – a bitch spay is a very commonly performed procedure however it does come with some risk of complications. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons surveyed practices in 2018 and 75% of procedures were complication-free, with the majority of complications being minor and either require no intervention or some additional medication. Only 1% required further surgical intervention and there was a 0.2% rate of loss of life (compared to 0.1% in male dogs).

Age at Neutering

In most dogs, particularly small and medium-sized breeds we recommend neutering from 6 months, before their first season. With some large breeds, we may recommend waiting until they have had a season or reached skeletal maturity. This is best discussed with your veterinary surgeon.

Can I have my dog spayed when she is in season?

Unfortunately, there is an increased risk of bleeding when a bitch is in season and also of her developing a phantom pregnancy. Therefore, we need to wait 10-14 weeks after the last day of her season before performing surgery.

How is it done?

Unlike neutering a dog, which is a very simple operation (his reproductive organs are easily accessible!), spaying a bitch requires entering the abdomen. In most cases, this is done as an ‘open’ surgery, where she will have a general anaesthetic, then the surgeon will open her abdomen and remove her ovaries and uterus. There is an increased risk of bleeding internally from a bitch spay, and they can require greater post-operative monitoring. However, most dogs will be home with you on the evening of the surgery.

A female dog will need to be closely confined for the first 3 days post-surgery with no leaping, jumping or climbing stairs and lead walks only for 10 days. For a more detailed description of what to expect on the day of the surgery please see our page on neutering male dogs.

Laparoscopic Spays

An alternative to an open spay is the laparoscopic bitch spay, where we use keyhole surgery just to remove her ovaries – this has a much faster recovery time and seems to provide all the advantages of traditional surgery. We do not recommend laparoscopic spays for dogs under 5kgs or bitches that have had more than five seasons as they have an increased risk of pre-existing uterine disease which would require removal of the uterus. Laparoscopic spays are performed on a referral basis at our Veterinary Hospitals and are more expensive than a regular spay.

In conclusion…

Spaying your dog is an important decision – there are hundreds of thousands of unwanted dogs in the UK, so reproductive control is really important. It also genuinely does save lives. However, there are disadvantages too, so it’s important that you make up your own mind. If you would like to discuss this further with your vet, get in touch.

Don’t forget, ProActive Pets members, receive 20% off routine neutering!

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Top tips for welcoming a new puppy into your home

Pet Corner: Written by Goddard Veterinary Group’s Guest Social Editor, Nacho from The Four Legged Foodies

Once you’ve decided to get your puppy, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget what a big impact your new arrival is about to have on your life. I moved in with my new family in April and although they already had Archie, it’s been almost 11 years since he was a puppy and my humans realised, they’d forgotten how challenging those first few weeks/months can be!

Here are my human’s top tips for welcoming a new puppy into your home:

Before Puppy Arrives

As well as the obvious long list of things you will need to purchase like a bed, toys, treats etc, there are also a few other key things to get in place before you bring your puppy home.

Register with a vet

Find your nearest Goddard Veterinary Group practice, let them know you have a pup on the way, and arrange an initial visit within his first few day’s home. The sooner your pup gets used to the vets the better and if his first visit is just meeting some friendly people and getting treats, he will always be happy to return.

Set up insurance

The minute the breeder hands over the pup to you, he is your responsibility so insurance needs to be set up in advance with that date as the policy start date. And it’s not just health issues you need to consider. Dogs are also very accident-prone and if yours has an accident like being hit by a car, you may not just have a vet’s bill but also a claim for damage/injury to the car owner. All pet insurance policies include third-party liability cover up to £2,000,000. Do your research to find the best policy for you.

Decide on house rules

Will pup be crate trained? Will you use that crate at other times or just overnight? Which room will the crate be in? Will pup be allowed upstairs/on the sofa/on your bed? What times will you feed him?

These are just a few things to consider but whatever you decide for your own home, the key thing is to have everyone in your home on the same page. There is nothing more confusing for a pup to be encouraged on the sofa by one human, only to be told off by another.

Puppy proof your home

Your pup will be immediately inquisitive about his new surroundings when he arrives home and there are certain items you will need to protect from potential destruction and others you will need to remove for your pup’s safety. If this is your first dog, check out this list of hazardous items some of which can be fatal to dogs. This includes plants, food and chemicals.

Puppies also love to chew, especially until they get their adult teeth (around 30 weeks old) so you will need to remove anything precious or potentially dangerous such as electric cables. Make sure your pup has plenty of interesting chew toys to keep him occupied and keep his eyes off your designer shoes!

Book puppy classes

We highly recommend you take your pup along to classes even if you’ve had dogs for years and are confident in your training abilities. Puppy Classes will help you with basic training but they are also a great place for your pup to socialise with other dogs, humans and children. Good puppy classes with reputable trainers get booked up quickly so you will need to get your pup signed up in advance. Puppy classes are generally for pups up to 20 weeks old.

Puppy’s First Few Weeks

Getting Out and About

Getting your pup out into the world from day one, helps them to get used to the sights and sounds of your area and helps prevent them being fearful later on. We suggest you get your pup out on walkies even before they are allowed to walk on the ground by using a carry bag or sling or maybe a stroller for larger dogs.

Once fully vaccinated, it’s great to get your puppy used to the place where you are likely to walk most but in the early days of training that place needs to be carefully chosen. For example, our closest park is Richmond Park but the vast open space and extra dangers of wild deer and a busy road running through it are probably not the best place to practice recall. We have therefore chosen a small, enclosed recreation ground nearby for Nacho’s walks and any off-lead activities.

Establishing a Routine

You will need to let your pup know what their daily life is going to be like and the sooner you introduce them to these things, the better. If your pup is going to be left alone while you go out to work or play without them, then introduce this slowly over their first months if possible. Adult dogs should not be left home alone for more than 4 hours at a time and for pups it’s even less.

Other things that will become part of their routine you may need to consider include:

Introducing them early to their professional walker/carer, groomers and vets.
Getting them used to various modes of transport.
Taking them to dog-friendly places.
Allowing them to socialise with people and other dogs.
Introduce them early to anyone who will be a regular visitor to your home.

Being Social

No, we don’t mean setting up an Instagram account! Get your pup to meet as many doggies of all ages and sizes as you feel comfortable with. If you are a bit nervous about this, get some of your doggie friends to help you and always check with other owners that their dog is OK with puppies. Playing with other dogs is an important part of your dog’s development and older dogs can help your puppy learn what is acceptable.

Your puppy should also get used to humans of all shapes and sizes, especially any that will be part of their lives. Some common issues that dogs can develop are people wearing hats/helmets or high visibility clothes, children on bikes/scooters and, of course, the postman! The earlier you can get your pup to learn there is nothing to fear from any of these, the better. If you usually walk in a park, try mixing in some street walks so your pup can encounter a variety of sights, people and sounds such as these and also things like sirens and other loud city noises.

Provide Mental Stimulation

Puppies are inquisitive and constantly looking for mischief, on top of which they are desperate to chew, especially until they lose their puppy teeth. Giving them a variety of toys and games to keep them occupied will not only save your furniture and shoes from certain destruction but will also get them using their brains.

Providing puppies with ‘doggy jobs’ which involve a repetitive action such as licking, sniffing or chewing encourages your puppy to be calm, keeps them mentally stimulated and helps them settle. There are many excellent brain toys for your pup including K9 Connectables, Kong® and Lickimat®

Give Them Time Out

All that learning, playing and discovering his new world is hard work so you will need to factor in some rest time for your pup. Give him a safe place to rest, somewhere away from your other dog, your children and general activity in your house. Your pup will always be more interested in what’s going on around him and want to be involved so you will need to help him when it’s time to rest.

Creating a quiet VIP den area (very important pup) will help give them a quiet safe space they can go to to get away from it all – you can use crates, pens, underneath tables and corners to create a VIP area – just as long as it’s tucked away and quiet.

That’s all, for now, folks, thanks for reading! Keep an eye on Goddard Veterinary Group’s Pet Corner for more from me and my humans, in the meantime, why not visit us on Instagram?

@the4leggedfoodies
@goddardvets

Nacho x

Please note that any advice given is the view of the blog author and is not necessarily the view or advice of Goddard Veterinary Group. Always seek advice directly from your own vet.

Reasons to vaccinate your cat or dog

We all want the best for our pets, but is it really important to keep your dog or cat’s vaccination up-to-date? The short answer is yes!

Reasons to vaccinate your dog

Failure to keep your dog’s vaccine up-to-date puts them at risk of contracting the following diseases:

DISTEMPER

What does it do? The virus attacks the nose, lungs, stomach, intestines, brain, eyes, skin, and nervous system; the skin symptoms are why it is sometimes called ‘hardpad’, as the pads become thickened and crusted.
How bad is it? This can be a fatal disease for dogs and is closely related to measles. Between 20%-50% of infected dogs unfortunately will not survive.

CANINE INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS

What does it do? This is a really nasty virus that breaks down the blood vessels supplying the dog’s liver and often eyes.
How bad is it? Some dogs fight it off, others may die within hours – it’s incredibly variable.

PARVOVIRUS

What does it do? The virus attacks the gut lining, causing bloody diarrhoea, severe vomiting, severe dehydration, and then shock and death. It is usually most severe in puppies but any unvaccinated dog is susceptible.
How bad is it? One in five dogs dies from this disease even if they’re immediately taken into intensive care in practice. Any delay, however, increases that risk.

LEPTOSPIROSIS

What does it do? The bacteria are spread through urine (from infected dogs and from rats and cows) and when absorbed, infect the kidneys and liver.
How bad is it? This may result in permanent kidney and liver damage and there is also a risk to human health.

Reasons to vaccinate your cat

Failure to keep your cat’s vaccine up-to-date puts them at risk of contracting the following diseases:

FELINE PANLEUKOPENIA

What does it do? This highly contagious virus attacks the gut (causing vomiting and diarrhoea) and the immune system.
How bad is it? There is no cure which is why prevention is best. Unfortunately, around 20% of cats contracting this illness will die.

CAT FLU

What does it do? Cat flu viruses (feline herpesvirus and calicivirus) causes sneezing, runny nose, sore eyes, and, rarely pneumonia.
How bad is it? Very few cats will die of cat flu – although it does cause a lot of suffering. Surviving cats are often permanently affected with chronic nasal infections.

FELINE LEUKAEMIA VIRUS

What does it do? This virus inserts itself into the cat’s DNA and replicates. This results in the collapse of their immune system, and the development of cancer.
How bad is it? This is an important, and preventable, cause of disease and death in cats with 80%-90% of infected cats dying within 3 years of infection.

These diseases are primarily spread from cat to cat, but some viruses can last for up to 6 months or longer in the environment, so when you enter your home it is possible you can bring in infected particles with you. This means that it is important to vaccinate your house cat too, as they can still be susceptible to these illnesses.

Don’t delay, if your dog or cat is due their vaccination, book an appointment with your local Goddard vet soon.

Neutering Your Male Dog (Castration)

Why is it important?

Unlike wolves, who breed according to food supply and the seasons, our domestic male dogs are quite promiscuous creatures. They will mate all year round, at any given opportunity and this can lead to increased risk of roaming, injury, certain diseases, and overpopulation. It can also lead to inappropriate or unattractive behaviours around our homes and families including mounting, humping, and territorial urine marking.

Neutering is the most common surgical procedure carried out on dogs. If you’re trying to decide whether to get your dog ‘done’, it’s worth looking at the arguments for it, against it, and then looking at the procedure.

Advantage 1

Neutering helps reduce the population of abandoned dogs and the passing on of genetic defects.

Advantage 2

It reduces behaviours pet owners often dislike, such as running off to look for bitches in heat (which increases their risk of road accidents or going missing), less sexual behaviour such as masturbation and humping, a reduction in some types of hormonal driven aggression, and territorial urine marking.

Advantage 3

Neutering will prevent your dog from developing a testicular tumour. Neutering also reduces the risk of some prostatic diseases, hernias, and certain cancers of the bottom.

Advantage 4

Studies have shown that neutered dogs have a longer life span compared to unneutered dogs. This is most significant in female dogs, but male neutered dogs have also been shown to live longer than unneutered male dogs.

Disadvantage 1

More or less by definition, a surgically castrated dog’s fertility is permanently removed, so you can’t change your mind. (HOWEVER, remember that he may still have some sperm ‘left over’ for several weeks after the operation, should he get the chance to ‘use’ them!). We do now also have the option of a hormonal implant which will induce a temporary castration for 6 to 12 months. Speak to your vet whether this option is appropriate for your pet.

Disadvantage 2

Weight gain – castrated dogs need fewer calories than entire ones, so you need to feed them less or they’ll put on weight! This weight gain may lead to certain health conditions associated with obesity, such as orthopaedic injuries or osteoarthritis.

Disadvantage 3

Risk of surgery – all surgeries and anaesthetics carry a risk of either mild or more serious complications. The procedure to castrate a male dog is a very routine and low-risk surgery, with very few incidents of serious complications.

How do I decide?

It is important to discuss this with your vet at their six-month health check and then you can make the decision on if and when to neuter your dog. The best time to neuter can depend on the breed and size of your dog. Some male dogs will have a ‘retained testicle’ when the testicle remains in the abdomen and does not descend into the scrotum. It is very important that this is identified at this age, the testicles surgically removed and that your dog is fully castrated. If this is not treated, it increases the risk of undetected testicular cancer.

So, when you’ve made up your mind to have your dog neutered, what is the procedure?

Castrating a dog is a very simple surgery because his reproductive organs are conveniently located outside his body. In the procedure, his testicles are removed (so it is not the same as a vasectomy, where the testicles remain in situ but the tubes carrying sperm from them are cut) preventing him from making either sperm or testosterone – essentially returning his hormone balance to that of a prepubescent puppy. There is no evidence that dogs miss their testicles once they’re gone, nor does castration per se have any effect on their personality or psychological development.

So, what actually happens on the day of the surgery?

We perform castrations as a day surgery, your dog will spend the day with us and will normally be discharged back to your care that evening. The night and morning before the procedure, it’s important to withhold food from midnight, but he should have access to water until he comes to the clinic.

He will be admitted by a member of our team and fully examined by a Vet before his procedure. During the admission process, we will recommend a pre-anaesthetic blood test to check his metabolic function prior to a general anaesthetic and we discuss the surgery, provide an estimate if not already provided and ask you to read and sign a surgical and anaesthetic consent form. It is important an adult is present to give consent for the procedure and that you provide a contact number on which we can contact on the day of the procedure.

Your dog will be kept in a hospital cage with soft bedding and we will give him a ‘pre-med’ injection (a combination of sedation and pain relief to help him relax and reduce any pain following the procedure). Then, when we’re ready, we will give him a general anaesthetic via an intravenous catheter, so he is completely asleep, and pass a breathing tube down his throat to help him breathe. The nurse will scrub the area around his scrotum (ball sack) while the vet scrubs up, and then they’ll begin.

It takes perhaps 15 minutes (a very quick procedure!) as a small incision is made in front of the scrotum, and one at a time the testicles are pulled out of this, clamped and cut off. The arteries and spermatic cords are then tied off with dissolvable stitches, and the skin layers closed with sutures. Remember, the scrotum is not removed – it is normal for your dog to go home with an empty pouch of skin between their back legs. Sometimes there may be some swelling in the scrotum following the surgery, but this should reduce quickly over the coming days.

How long will it take for him to recover?

As soon as he’s awake and his sedatives have worn off, he can go home with a collar on to stop him licking at the wounds until they’ve healed. Most dogs are completely back to normal in a day or so, but it is important to restrict their exercise and keep him on a lead until the wound has healed and any external sutures are removed – this is normally 7-10 days after the surgery.

We will examine him 2-3 days after the surgery to make sure he is healing as expected, and then again at 7 to 10 days post-surgery. He will be discharged with pain relief and a special diet recommendation to help him recover from the anaesthetic.

In conclusion…

Neutering of male dogs does prevent some unpleasant diseases, reduces undesirable behaviours and can increase the lifespan of your pet. It is important to modify their diet and calorie intake post castration to avoid the increased risk of obesity.

If you are still unsure if it is right for your dog, our vets will be happy to discuss with you further at a routine health visit. Unlike in female dogs, the timing of the procedure is less critical to their long-term health, and it is a procedure that can be conducted at any age, although it is best performed before undesirable behaviours become learnt behaviours, or before hormonally induced disease develops.

Don’t forget, ProActive Pets members receive 20% off routine neutering!

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ProActive Pets