We are delighted to share with you that both 387 Veterinary Centre & The West Midlands Cat Clinic have each, once again, been awarded Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status, current until 2029. The Cat Friendly Clinic Scheme is a global programme run by the charity International Cat Care to help raise standards of feline care and wellbeing in veterinary practice and reduce feline anxiety on visits to the vets. Here is Rachael, our RVN Cat Friendly Clinic Advocate, with our certificate of achievement, which includes our cat-friendly pledge.
Practices taking part in the voluntary scheme are reassessed every three years across a broad range of areas. These include facility design, equipment, services available, standards of clinical care, feline-specific training and feline stress-reducing initiatives. To be a Gold Cat Friendly Clinic – the highest award – practices need to meet all top tier framework criteria. Gold standard clinics have a separate waiting area for cats, offer blankets for cat carriers, have places cat carriers can rest off the floor where cats feel safer, have a separate cat ward with larger cages, have designated cat consult rooms, a wide range of cat-specific equipment, deliver gold-standard care – and more!
As a team committed to being cat-centric and looking after cats’ emotional as well as physical wellbeing, we are very proud of our Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status. It’s a great way of showing just how passionate we are about supporting cats!
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
With Halloween and Bonfire Night just around the corner, we’re officially entering fireworks season. Whilst many of us may enjoy the thrill of the light explosions and big bangs that fireworks displays bring, this can be a particularly stressful time for our pets. Here are a few tips to help reduce pet anxiety on the day.
Do check dates and times of any local fireworks displays so that you are forewarned, and try not to leave pets alone at this time. On the day, walk dogs before dark. Keep pets indoors during displays and close the curtains to block out any flashing lights and to muffle sound. Popping the TV or radio on at a slightly increased volume can help to distract from noises outside. Remember to secure cat flaps and windows, and to provide additional litter trays for cats.
Make sure your dog has access to a ‘safe space’ or ‘den’ – a place they can retreat to – where they feel most comfortable when there are loud noises all around. This may be their own bed or behind the sofa, or may even be under your own bed. Put some of your clothes in their den to provide familiarity and to bring extra comfort. Top up water bowls as anxiety can increase canine thirst. Give cats access to lots of cosy hideaways, not just in one room but across the house.
Staying calm as a pet owner is really important as anxiety can be transmitted to your pet. Cuddle and stroke your pet if this helps them to relax. Equally, allow them to hide if they choose to do this, or to pace before finding a place to settle. Try to behave normally. Do be patient and tolerant and remember that any unusual or unwanted behaviours are in response to stress and fear.
Making sure your pets are microchipped and that microchip contact details are up to date means that should your pet run away, you’re much more likely to be reunited quickly.
Small furries like rabbits and guinea pigs need our help too. If possible, bring hutches or enclosure into a garage or shed. Covering the hutch with a thick blanket or duvet helps block out lights and muffles sound but leave space for ventilation. Give small furries extra bedding they can hide in, and treats to nibble on for distraction.
Please get in touch with our team on 01922 411755 for any further advice or support.
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
Coming to the vets can be particularly stressful for some dogs. Did you know we offer Happier Vet Visit clinics at 387 Vets to help normalise canine visits to the vets? Using positive familiarisation and reinforcement techniques, we help anxious pooches get used to routine sights, sounds and smells in practice. This includes introducing dogs to equipment commonly use in the consulting room. Your dog will receive lots of encouragement, positive interaction and treats too! Each Happier Vet Visit is tailored to the needs of the individual pet. We always take things at their pace. The aim is to remove the sense of the new and unfamiliar and to forge positive associations with coming to see us to improve pet wellbeing in practice. The clinics are also a great resource for owners looking to build their own confidence around bringing their dog to the vets.
If your dog shakes, is reticent to come into the building, vocalises, hides or seems to become more reactive on visits to the vets, Happy Vet Visits could really help. Give us a call on 01922 411755 to find out more!
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
This is our student nurse Isabel’s puppy Norman out pumpkin picking! He chose this one himself! We love your selection Norman!
Whilst Halloween is traditionally filled with fun frights and frivolity, it’s important we restrict this to us humans. Unpredictability is not as fun for our pets. Check out these great ‘Howl-oween’ tips from The Dogs Trust for making sure our four-legged friends aren’t too phased by today:
Adapt your routine to miss costumes and fireworks: head out before any festivities and take extra doggy treats with you. If you do spot trick-or-treaters when out, head away from them and reward your dog. This avoids encounters that could scare your dog.
Keep human treats and sweets away from inquisitive noses: some human treats – and especially chocolate – are toxic to dogs so avoid any temptation!
Take care when opening the front door to prevent dogs from accidentally escaping: doorbells, costumes and the extra activity can all cause anxiety. Can you keep your dog in a different room when answering the door? If not, popping your dog on a lead will keep them safe.
Keep dressing up for humans: a new, unfamiliar costume can cause pets to be uncomfortable. Be aware of anything than could cause abrasions, irritation or overheating, or that stops them from exhibiting normal behaviours.
Feed dogs their main meal before trick or treating begins so they can eat at a relaxed time.
Think twice about taking dogs out trick or treating: even dogs who aren’t fazed by all the dressing up and excitement around Halloween may not enjoy it for as long as you do. They may prefer to be at home in their safe, comfy space with their toys and an enrichment activity.
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
It’s Halloween tomorrow! This means it’s very nearly fireworks time with many official events planned for this and next weekend.
Fireworks displays can be a terrifying time for pets with unpredictable loud bangs and flashes. Here are a few tips to help our pets feel less anxious on the night:
Dogs:
Walk dogs early and time evening toilet trips carefully to avoid getting caught out. Before fireworks start, bring your dog into a room in the house which acts as a place of safety for them. Somewhere calm and nowhere too busy. Their bed should be there as a safe, familiar resting place and also provides comforting smells. Bring their toys and a chew or some treats for distraction. Make sure windows and curtains are closed to muffle sound and light and pop the tv or some music on too. Stay with your dog for reassuring company. You can offer them a toy to see if they will engage in play but don’t force them. Keep calm and avoid reacting to the fireworks as dogs can pick up on owner anxiety. It’s important to be patient if your dog exhibits unwanted behaviours such as whining or pacing. Telling them off will only add to their distress.
Cats:
Keep cats in on fireworks evening, make sure cat flaps are locked shut and that you have a couple of clean litter trays positioned by the cat flap or in their normal toileting area. Cats are very good at taking themselves off to hide when frightened so make sure they have open access to potential hiding spots like under the bed, behind the sofa or even in cupboards or under the duvet! Leave them be rather than trying to coax them out. They will come back out when they are ready.
Small furries:
If housing outdoors, can you bring your pets’ hutch into the garage or a outside shed to act as a natural barrier? Nowhere too warm though as this can be detrimental to their health when you return the hutch outside. Consider putting carpeting or blankets over the hutch, with a gap to see out, to muffle sound and light. Make sure bedding is extra deep so that your small furries can burrow down and hide. Providing distraction toys is also a great idea.
Please do give us a ring on 01922 411755 if in need of any further advice on minimising pet stress at this time.
Wishing you and your pets a safe bonfire and fireworks night
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
