For the month of July we will be sharing information on the importance of pet vaccinations and how vital these are to your pets health.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT DISEASES YOUR PETS PROTECTED AGAINST?

We see dogs and cats contracting these serious illnesses in this area every year. Prior to vaccination these illnesses were commonly found and can be fatal. It is due to vaccination that they are now less common. Your pet will need yearly vaccines to be allowed into kennels/cattery and will receive a full health check during the same appointment.

Here’s some questions and answers we hear regularly which may help you with your own questions.

“ My pet is too old to vaccinate”

The illnesses we vaccinate against are the most serious/fatal to either old or young pets so we must continue to vaccinate despite their age.

“ I have read that vaccines don’t need to be done yearly”

• Your dog is not vaccinated for the same thing every year
• Viruses change (like flu) regular vaccinations keep your pet covered for all strains
• In areas with low vaccination rates these diseases are still prevalent and your dog can easily contract these viruses if un-vaccinated

“ Will my pet be poorly after vaccination?”

Vaccines are incredibly safe therefore most pets will be fine. Some can feel a little off colour for 24hrs as we often do after Flu vaccination. Occasionally a small nodule will appear at the vaccine site but will disperse over a few days. The vet will give your pet a full health check before vaccination.

“My dog doesn’t go into kennels does it need kennel cough vaccine?”

Kennel cough is airborne and can be contracted when in close contact with other dogs. Dogs that have kennel cough can spread the virus for a few weeks after they stop coughing, so it is difficult to distinguish. If your dog is going to training classes or     mixing in areas where other dogs have been they are at high risk.

“ My cat is an indoor cat, it doesn’t need vaccinations”

60-80% of cats have one or more of the “Flu” viruses in their body. They can catch it from their mother when young. In adult cats it can be spread through contact with other cats (un-vaccinated cats spread much more virus than vaccinated ones) or through sharing feeding or litter areas. We vaccinate against flue to remind the body to keep it under control rather than to prevent them from catching it. Leukaemia vaccination is optional but is highly recommended if any of your cats in the household go outdoors. For this reason, it is advisable to vaccinate indoor & outdoor cats against flu. Enteritis is a horrible disease that is important to prevent as most infected cats will die from this disease.

One of the first and most important things to consider before letting your cat outdoors is to ensure that they have some form of identification, ideally cats should be microchipped or at least be wearing a safety collar with an Id tag.

Risk of infection due to interacting with other cats is now possible, nasty conditions such as enteritis, cat flu and leukaemia can be spread so it is advisable that your cat is fully up to date with their vaccinations before allowing them to explore the outdoors. 

 Whilst your cat is still indoors it is a good time to practice recall, you can encourage this by using a tin with treats inside, shake the tin whilst shouting his/her name. Reward them with a treat when they come to you. Another useful idea is to spread some of their used cat litter around the edges of your garden, cats as we know are extremely sensitive to smells and this familiar smell may help them to feel safe and help with confidence. As well as informing neighbouring cats there’s a new cat in the area.

Cats are cautious by nature, so it’s unlikely they will bolt straight out the door. Most will take their time deciding if it’s safe or not. Do not pick them up and take into the garden be patient. 

Choose a quiet time of day preferably when the weather is dry. Do not feed your cat as they tend not to roam very far on an empty belly. 

Open your door and accompany your cat outside, leave the door open so they can retreat quickly to what they know as a safe haven if they feel the need to. Do not be alarmed if they disappear into a nearby bush this is actually a normal strategy in order for them to acclimatise to a new environment. After approximately 20 mins call your cat indoors using your tin if necessary.

As each day passes your cat will gain more confidence staying outside for longer periods at one time, learning and having fun displaying their natural behaviour.

Blog post written by RVN & Cat Advocate of Bay Vets, Jo McCartney.

SLIMPOSSIBLE WITH BAY VETS 

Your pet’s quality of life will be dramatically reduced if you allow them to become overweight

Contact us now for guidance on your pets weight management

Just like humans, animals can become overweight if they eat too much, are fed an incorrect diet or don’t exercise regularly. As well as being bad for their waistline, becoming overweight will put your pet at risk of developing serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Animals have a tendency to eat whatever they are given until it is gone. It’s extremely important that your pet eats the correct amount of food for their breed and size. You should also ensure that the diet they are being fed doesn’t contain more energy than your pet uses.

Lots of factors can contribute to your pet gaining weight. Your furry friends’ age, breed, sex and neuter status can all play a part in becoming overweight.

Making sure your pet exercises regularly has a number of benefits. Not only will it prevent them from putting on weight, but their joints will remain in good health and you will have plenty of opportunity to spend quality time with your four legged friend.

If you’re concerned about your pet’s weight, we can help. At Bay Vets our nurses and veterinary surgeons work closely together, and can create personalised diet plans for your pet; whether they need to gain or lose weight. You will also be invited along to one of our FREE Slimpossible clinics that work similarly to the human meetings.

In the meantime, if you are concerned about your pet’s weight you can monitor it in between their annual visit to the vet. You should be able to see the outline of their ribs, see and feel their waist, and when you look at them from the side, their stomach should be tucked up out of view. If these points do not apply to your furry friend, bring them to see one of our friendly professionals at Bay Vets.

If you would like more information about which diet you should be feeding your pet, or you are concerned that they are gaining or losing too much weight, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can book a free consultation with one of our nurses who will provide you will lots of great information and tips on how to manage your pet’s waistline effectively.

Have you ever thought about the animals that also fought in the First World War?

Our Head Receptionist at Lancaster Cheryl has done an amazing Blog about all the animals involved.

Click on the following link http://bayvets.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-ravc-and-animal-heroes-of-ww1.html to read it.

You will be sure to be amazed by the fact’s and look at these animals in a whole different way.

Feel free to leave any comments about this Blog below. Happy reading.