Yesterday was reported as the hottest day in May on record and today doesn’t feel much cooler! It’s really important we help our pets to stay as cool and comfortable as possible at this time.
Walk dogs first thing in the morning or later in the evening when the temperature is cooler. Take water and a water bowl with you and limit exertion. If you’re dog-walking on pavements, it’s a good idea to do a temperature test before you set out – if it’s too hot for the palm of your hand, it’s too hot for your dog’s pads.
Around the house, ensure your dog has access to fresh water at all times and can always access shade and cooler rooms. If you’re visiting us in practice today, look out for our extra water bowls dotted around the site! Ice cubes in the bottom of water bowls helps water stay cooler for longer. There are some great products on the market to help pets keep cool, such as cool mats and a doggy paddling pool for the garden which is lots of fun too! Consider an indoor fan. Needless to say, conservatories are a big no-no as they can reach heat extremes incredibly quickly. Likewise, do not leave your dog in the car for any duration in warm or hot weather as cars can become oven-like in minutes.
Cats are more independent and will take themselves off to find shade. Be aware they may choose to take themselves outside, even on the hottest of days! Ensure they have plenty of shady spots and leaf coverage where they can rest. You can make shady spots easily by popping a cardboard box in a choice spot in the garden, by draping a towel or blanket over chairs to form a canopy, or even by putting an open umbrella out on the grass. Again, make sure cats have access to plenty of fresh water to rehydrate. Many cats love running water, so it may be worth investing in a cat fountain to encourage your cat to drink.
Don’t forget that pets with white or very light-coloured hair can be especially susceptible to sunburn, so apply pet-friendly sunscreen to ears and noses!
Remember rabbits too! It’s really important to consider hutch location and how the sun moves around the garden during the day so that hutches and runs aren’t in full sun glare at any point. You can freeze water bottles so that drinking water stays cooler for longer, and it’s worth putting a frozen bottle of water wrapped in a tea towel into the hutch so rabbits can choose to lie against it should they wish. Dampening the tips of their ears with a cool facecloth helps them to feel cooler too. It’s also really important that you protect rabbits’ rear ends from fly strike (an incredibly painful and potentially fatal condition where flies lay eggs in the skin and the maggots hatch and feed on the host’s flesh). Preventative products are available. You should also check your rabbit’s bottom twice daily, and if they have any sore patches of skin, check these too. If you spot fly strike, pleaser seek immediate veterinary support.
If you are concerned that your pet may be suffering from heat stroke (symptoms include excessive panting, noisy panting, drooling, bright red gums, confusion or collapse), move them into shade and seek immediate veterinary advice. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency and fast action is essential.
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.
We’re super excited to let you know that our new glass-fronted porch is being put in today and tomorrow. This will make a huge difference to the comfort of our 387 Vets reception and waiting room on chilly, windy days and adds an extra level of security for visiting pets as our front door will no longer exit directly onto our forecourt. To keep visitors safe during construction, we’re redirecting access through our emergency side door whilst the fitters are here. We can’t wait to see the finished porch!
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.
Holder of a Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care, our Registered Veterinary Nurse Lauren particularly enjoys theatre nursing and spends, on average, 75% of her working week on theatre rotation. Who better to champion the role of the theatre nurse at 387 Vets during Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month!
Theatre nurses have the really important job of looking after patient comfort and safety during procedures, as well as helping the ops list to run smoothly. This means that, in addition to ensuring theatres are fully equipped and all machines are fully functioning, theatre nurses will take and run any requested pre-op bloods to check the op is safe to proceed, prep pre-op meds and pain relief under vet supervision, clip and clean the surgical operating site for op sterility, place catheters ahead of ops for easy meds delivery in case of emergency and monitor and record patient stats to check patient safety throughout.
This is Lauren monitoring patient stats on our multi parameter machine. She’s checking blood oxygen levels, carbon dioxide exhaled, pulse rate, blood pressure and number of breaths per minute as well as listening to the patient’s heart under anaesthesia, whilst assessing other indicators and factors to ensure the patient is safely controlled. Should any readings or observations concern her, she’s ready to respond.
We’re proud to have a fabulous team of qualified and experienced nurses monitoring every operation we carry out in practice, helping to keep your fur babies safe.
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.
Whatever your plans this May Bank Holiday, we hope you and your pets have a lovely long weekend!
We are open as normal this week but the practice will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday (4th May). If you have a pet emergency at this time, please continue to call us on 01922 411755 and follow the answer machine instructions.
If you are unsure whether your pet needs to see a vet urgently or are looking for some advice, don’t forget, all our registered clients have complimentary access to VidiVet, a vet triaging service available 24 hours of the day, 365 days of the year (and 366 days in a leap year!). It’s a brilliant resource for pet peace of mind and can be a great time and money saver. Submit your query and a vet will get back to you with a comprehensive response within minutes. Check communications from our practice for your VidiVet access link if you’re not already set up.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy early May Bank Holiday!
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 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.
