Archive for the ‘Pets’ Category

How can a vet nurse help my pet lose weight?

Is your pet a little podgy? Perhaps you’re well aware but frustrated that your efforts to slim them down are having little effect. Perhaps you don’t even know where to begin. Fear not, help is at hand! You might be surprised at the assistance our team can offer you, and not least, the invaluable support you can find in our veterinary nurses. There is surprisingly little known by the general public about the extent of a veterinary nurse’s training and capabilities.  Vet nurses have a great deal of (sometimes all too hidden) expertise, from monitoring anaesthesia and taking X-rays to laboratory work and advising pet owners on a whole host of pet care topics. Our nurses are passionate and knowledgeable individuals who love nothing more than to build a working relationship with you, to keep your pet healthy. For all the knowledge and support you need to make your pet’s health-kick a success, look no further.

Vet nurses undergo a substantial amount of theoretical schooling to gain their qualification and are therefore able to discuss the impact that obesity can have on your pet. From the associated risks of diabetes, to the exacerbation of joint disease, they will do so in an honest and fact-based manner but with empathy and from a non-critical viewpoint. By seeking advice, you’ve taken the first of many steps along the road to improving your pet’s quality of life. As such, our vet nurses are eager to take an interest and help you.

History taking

Importantly, our nurses will listen to you. They want to hear all about how your pet got to be overweight. They will consider any concurrent health conditions (referring you to our veterinary surgeons as necessary) as well as food and treat intake and their usual amount of exercise. They will listen without judgement and aim to ask such questions that will best arm them with all the information required to help you and your pet.

Safe and sustainable

It is no good crash dieting a pet and worse, it can be really very dangerous to do so. Slowly but surely is the best approach to ensure safe weight loss that stays off. Nurses know this, and they also know important, fundamental dietary requirements of a range of species. They know what can and can’t be cut out of a diet and in what proportions. They even have specific calculations to help them determine the required calorie intake for an individual as well as those that calculate a safe rate of weight loss, to ensure it is not achieved too quickly.

Intake versus output

No fad-diets will be recommended here, just a balance of good nutrients and exercise. Our nurses are equipped to understand what individual factors might be hindering progress. From the old, arthritic dog, for whom exercise intolerance and obesity can be a vicious cycle, to the indoor-only cat who looks to their owner as their main source of entertainment – you’ll be amazed at the tricks up our nurses’ sleeves. And guess what, dieting doesn’t have to mean that treats are off the menu altogether! They can advise you on these too. Our nurses will talk to you about the merits of purpose-designed commercially available foods that are designed to make your pet feel full whilst keeping calorie intake low, or help you achieve your pet’s ideal weight on whichever diet you feel most comfortable using.

Access to further expertise

Our nurses have a range of resources to refer to; from their fellow vet nurses and our vets, to veterinary nutritionists who can advise of the finer points of certain foods available to put together a workable solution for your pet.  Nurses are forever keeping current with the latest nutritional developments and nuggets of advice from the wider industry too. They have a professional requirement to complete a minimum number of learning hours every year in order to stay registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. This helps them keep their knowledge and skills at the forefront of veterinary science.

Moral support

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons to involve a vet nurse in your pet’s weight loss programme is for the unwavering support you will receive. When your dog gives you those puppy-dog eyes, we all know how hard it can be not to feed them scraps from the table! Our nurses are like-minded, pet-loving people who can empathise with you whilst maintaining the much needed momentum that you need. They will want to meet with you and your pet regularly, weighing your pet, assessing body condition and generally providing the guidance and encourage required to succeed.

Don’t struggle alone. Whether you know there’s an issue with your pet’s weight, or even if you’re just unsure, contact our team for some friendly advice.

 

Rehoming a pet – National Pet Month

The strength of the human-pet bond is so important that one charity has dedicated a month of the year to promoting the welfare and wellbeing of our companions. This year, that month is April and in fact it spills over into May, coming to an end on the 7th. So what does this mean to pet owners, and how can you get involved?

National Pet Month is a registered charity. It’s supported by influential trustees, such as the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) and the Pet Food Manufacturing Association. Additional supporters include Cats Protection, Blue Cross and many other charities, businesses and organisations who hold animal welfare central to their values. While these institutions and charities work tirelessly year-round to help animals in all sorts of ways, it is during the National Pet Month that the profile of these shared objectives is heightened.

Promoting responsible pet ownership is one of the cornerstones of their strategy, a sentiment which they aim to spread amongst the pet owning population and anyone else who would like to get involved in spreading the word.

Another popular method of getting on the National Pet Month bandwagon is to fundraise for animal charities, and the National Pet Month website can help you do so. They have a fantastic site from which you can take inspiration, and from where you can download material to help run your fundraiser, just search for their ‘tool kit’ online.  So be it a sponsored walk or a teddy bear’s picnic, pet people out there have the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and get their heads together for a good cause.

Another focus of this initiative is to better the lives of pets though the power of education. Some things as simple as providing an appropriate diet, the right levels of exercise, or improving environmental enrichment, can dramatically impact an animal’s quality of life. So the National Pet Month website have developed a portal dedicated to the sharing of such ideas and information called ‘Pet Care Aware’, where users and pet lovers can interact with another via social media. Many interesting articles can be found from pet health news to amusing and unusual stories.

There are many ways in which you can contribute to improving the lives of less fortunate animals out there, and one of the most direct methods is to promote the merits of re-homing those abandoned pets.

It has been estimated that every day in England, 100 animals are given up or discarded and with so many animals finding themselves in difficulty, National Pet Month is a great reminder to help spread word of their plight as well. Why not go one step further and consider whether or not you could provide a permanent, loving environment for one such case.

For some, the right decision is to buy a young animal from a reputable breeder when they consider inviting a pet into their family, however for others, the satisfaction of watching an abandoned pet flourish in their care is just too hard to beat.  It is worth knowing that rescue centres have many issue-free pets just waiting for a new family. Even those with medical or psychological considerations can make lovely pets with time and patience, and potentially some professional help, for example from vets and behaviourists. There is nothing quite like seeing the suppressed soul of a confused, abandoned pet gradually come to life as a result of the love and care that you provide.

Some pet-lovers can’t commit to a pet long term, yet crave the joy that they bring. For these people fostering may well be a realistic alternative. Fosterers act as an interim placement for abandoned pets, so that they can be brought back to health (if necessary), nurtured and, importantly, assessed for their likes and dislikes and of course their individual needs. This stands them in good stead for finding their perfect, forever home.

Some of the most avid pet-lovers sadly can’t even have animals living with them and in which case, volunteering at a rescue centre will provide some of the joys akin to pet ownership. So you see the opportunities are plentiful. National Pet Month is just one great opportunity to galvanise your thoughts, your friends, your colleagues, and give something back to this wonderful population of creatures who provide so much joy in our lives.

Pet Insurance

People tend to think it’s only older pets that get ill and therefore younger pets don’t need pet insurance but we know from the patients we see each day that that is not the case.

In fact, the younger your pet is when you insure them the better as it means you are less likely to have any existing conditions, which may not be covered by the policy and you can then receive more help covering the cost of any future treatment your pet needs.

It is important to note that not all pet insurance is the same. There are many different types of policy available and the level of cover provided can vary considerably.

The four main types of policy are as follows:

  • Accident : provides cover for accidents only and no cover for illness
  • Time-Limited: provides cover for a set amount of time (usually 12 months) and after this period the condition is excluded
  • Maximum Benefit : provides cover up to a maximum amount of money per condition and once this limit is reached the condition is excluded
  • Lifetime: provides a set amount of money each year which is refreshed each time you renew your policy allowing you to continue to claim for ongoing conditions

As you can see from the information above, the type of policy you choose can have implications for the veterinary care of your pet and the costs you will face so it’s important to choose the right cover. Sometimes, the cheapest insurance can cost you more in the long run.

When shopping around for a policy, we suggest that you ask the following questions to allow you to compare the overall value you are getting, not just the price:

  1. Does this policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, dental and behavioral conditions?
  2. Is there a time or monetary limit on how long this policy will cover ongoing conditions for?
  3. If I claim, will my premium increase?

Unlike other forms of insurance it is not easy to switch pet insurance in the future as any pre-existing conditions your pet has are likely to be excluded so it’s important to do your research and choose the right cover from the start.

How can veterinary nurses help with preventative health?

Veterinary nurses play a large role in helping and advising pet owners with the care and well-being of their animals. We are proud of our veterinary nursing team at Goddard Veterinary Group, and the passion they have for the health of your pets. Part of that role includes advising on preventative healthcare – keeping your pets in the best health before problems arise.

Diet

There are so many diets on the market for pets it is really difficult to know where to begin! Our nurses can advise you on the best diets for your pet’s specific breed, age and the recommended feeding amount.

If your pet is overweight and should ideally be fed a smaller amount or given a calorie reduced diet, our nurses will be happy to advise and weigh them. They can further advise on maintaining their weight, when they reach their target.

Preventing obesity in pets can help lengthen their lives and dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and joint pain, among other conditions.

Fleas and worms

Almost every pet will end up with these critters at some point in their lives. Preventing them is much better than having your pet playing host to them. If you suspect your pet has fleas for example, our nurses can take a look at their coats and search for tell-tale signs.

Worms, of course, are a lot more difficult. However, there are symptoms that can point to a worm problem. Goddard’s veterinary nurses can explain the life-cycle of these parasites, and the best ways to avoid having both your pet and your home infested with them.

When it comes to fleas and worms it really is worth preventing them – the cost of treating a skin condition caused by fleas for example, far outweighs the price of flea treatment!

Vaccinations

Although it is our vets that vaccinate your animals, our nurses can give you advice and guidance on the types of diseases that pets can be vaccinated against. No one wants to have a pet with a potentially life-threatening disease, and vaccination can prevent that from happening.

Nails

It is our senior pets that we find can have a problem with their toenails, simply because they won’t tend to wear them down as easily as younger pets. Senior pets are normally less active, often choosing softer ground to walk on, whereas a puppy that tears about on all types of ground will have a pedicure naturally! This is why preventing nails from overgrowing and making your pet uncomfortable is important. Our nurses can check your pet’s toenails and trim them if necessary.

It’s not just dogs either, cats too can have this problem especially if they have gone off using the scratch post. Our nurses will also make sure the dew claws are a comfortable length, in extreme cases these can curl around and dig into the pad, even leading to infection.

Microchipping

As of April 2016 all dogs over age of eight weeks in the UK, are required by law to have a microchip.  These tiny devices, about the size of a grain of rice, can help you and your pet to be reunited if they happen to get lost. A microchip is also a requirement for a pet passport.

No responsible owner would want to lose their pet and our nurses can help advise about microchipping, preventing this from happening. At present there is no law about cats being microchipped, but we strongly advise this is well – in fact almost any animal species could be microchipped!

One thing you may hear our nurses and vets reiterate, is keeping your contact details up to date for the microchip, especially if you move home!

Teeth

Our nurses can give all sorts of advice about preventative health when it comes to your pet’s teeth. From brushing techniques to dental products, they can help advise on keeping your pet’s teeth pearly white. Dental health is very important as poor teeth can affect other parts of the body, including major organs, through infection and toxins in the bloodstream.

Pets even at the age of 4-5 years can start to suffer with dental disease, so it’s very important to get the advice as early as possible on helping to keep their teeth sparkling!

With advice from our team of nurses (and vets) on preventative health, your pets can really benefit. Be sure to ask us if any health aspect of your pet worries you — we’ll be happy to help.

Don’t forget Goddard Veterinary Group’s healthcare plan, ProActive Pets. The scheme provides discounts on your pet’s preventative healthcare, allowing you to spread the cost throughout the year.