With predictions for a foot of snow in the next 24 hours, here are some great tips from The Dogs Trust for keeping dogs safe when you’re out and about in wintery weather:
In snowy weather, to help prevent injury, keep dogs on a lead to ensure they don’t unwittingly venture onto unsafe ground or stumble into holes hidden by snowfall.
Do up any lead or harness clips before you set out as they are harder to manage with cold hands.
Some dogs get cold more readily than others. Shorter-haired breeds and puppies will benefit from wearing a dog coat to keep them warm.
Don’t let dogs walk on frozen ponds as the ice may not bear their weight. If they do fall in, do not go in after them. Encourage your dog to swim back to you if possible and call the emergency services.
Make sure you and your dog are easily visible to others in poor weather to keep you safe.
After winter walks, wipe your dog’s legs, feet and tummy as grit and dampness can cause irritation.
If it’s too nasty to go outside for any length of time, have some activities to hand to entertain your dog indoors. Long lasting chews, LickiMats® and enrichment toys are great for engagement. Check out our carefully curated range in our waiting room!
Click here for further ideas and support from The Dogs Trust on caring for your canine companion in cold weather.
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.
Every December we run a ‘Give a Pet a Christmas Dinner’ campaign to support dogs and cats in local shelters waiting for their forever homes. We collect wet and dry food and treats, but also welcome pet accessories to provide homeless pets with a little extra festive love. Accessories can include collars, leads, toys, blankets, bedding, bowls – pretty much anything you think would be useful for feline and canine wellbeing and care. We collect throughout the month and donations are then distributed to Birmingham Dogs Home (Coven branch) and various local cat charities early in the new year.
Our collection bins are all set up and ready to receive in our 387 and West Midlands Cat Clinic waiting rooms! If you’d like to donate, we’d be incredibly grateful and we know pets in shelter – and the charities themselves – will be incredibly grateful too.
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.
Looking after our wellbeing and mental health remains a hot topic in the veterinary world as the industry continues to experience significantly higher levels of suicide and depression than the general population.
This World Mental Health Day, we’d like to raise awareness around a fundraising challenge members of the 387 team are currently undertaking in support of Vetlife. The Vetlife charity works to ensure those in the veterinary community are aware of signposts to the right help if stressed, overwhelmed and struggling to cope. Vetlife fully fund their own 24/7 helpline, have a dedicated Health Support Team, and can offer financial aid, on application, to members of the veterinary community struggling to make ends meet.
11 members of the 387 team are currently participating in Vetlife’s ‘Active October’ campaign. Our target is to cover 700 miles this month through exercise, and we’d love to raise a pound for every mile. Our dogs are already loving the extra long dog walks and, as well as raising money for a worthwhile cause, it’s great for our physical and mental wellbeing too!
If you’d like to support our challenge, please click here to donate. By supporting us, you’ll be supporting the wellbeing of the wider veterinary community too.
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.
