With the mild wet weather we’ve been having, ticks are in their element! Commonly found in woodland, long grass and dense vegetation, ticks can remain active until the first frost. They feed by waiting for a host to pass, then attach themselves, look for a choice spot to settle and burrow their head into the skin to feed on the host’s blood.
It’s important to be tick-vigilant as they can transmit diseases whilst feeding. Lyme’s disease is one of the better-known tick-bourne diseases in the UK. We recommend checking your dog’s coat after walks, especially if they’ve been exercising in tick-friendly environments. The face, groin and armpits are favourite spots for ticks to lodge. Hunting cats can be at risk of picking up ticks too.
If you do find a tick, it’s important to remove it promptly. Twisting rather than pulling avoids the risk of leaving the head embedded in your pet’s skin which can then lead to infection. Tick hooks, like the one in the photo, do the job brilliantly. We have lots of hooks in stock!
There are preventative products that repel ticks or kill them shortly after attachment to help reduce the risk of disease transmission. Please speak to one of our team for advice on best parasite protection for your pet and their lifestyle.
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 hope you and your pets are having a relaxing bank holiday weekend!
387 Veterinary Centre & The West Midlands Cat Clinic will be closed this bank holiday Monday (31st August). If you have any queries about your pet at this time, don’t forget that all registered clients have complimentary access to VidiVet, a vet triaging service available 24/7. Check communications from our practice for your VidiVet access link if you’re not already set up. It’s a brilliant resource for pet peace of mind and can be a great time and money saver – ask a question at any time of day or night and you’ll receive a prompt video reply from a vet explaining what your next steps should be, whether you need an appointment and how urgent it is.
If you do have a pet emergency while we are closed, please continue to call us on 01922 411755 and follow the answer machine instructions for immediate access to our out of hours provider.
Wishing you and your pets a happy and healthy long weekend!
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.
If you’re planning a dog walk through meadows, country parks or woodland, be mindful that it’s grass seed season! We’ve seen lots of pets in practice recently with grass seed foreign bodies. High summer temperatures dry out long grasses and cause them to actively release what can be sharp, barbed seeds. These can then become lodged in your dog’s fur and work their way into and under the skin to cause painful sores and infection. Ears, paws and underbellies are most at risk. If a dog is shaking or pawing at their head at this time of year, or are incessantly licking or worrying away at a paw, the reason could well be an embedded grass seed. To minimise risk, we recommend brushing your dog on return from dog walks to dislodge any loose seeds caught in your pet’s coat, and help prevent pesky seeds causing doggy distress later down the line.
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.
A big shout out to one of our largest breed laparoscopic spays (key hole spays) to date! This is Great Dane Dottie, who is two years old, 52kg and absolutely stunning. Lap spays are a great option for big breeds as, given their considerable size, they are potentially more challenging to nurse at home. Lap spay patients tend to be back to normal routine within days of surgery, so the procedure is a great option for bouncy dogs too!
With laparoscopic spays, two small incisions are made and a scope and instruments are then inserted into the lower abdomen through ports. A camera attached to the scope allows the surgeon to direct the instruments to locate and surgically remove the ovaries. Traditional spays require a bigger wound site as the surgeon works from this to locate the uterus and ovaries, both of which are then removed. Understandably, with more surgical intervention, recovery is longer and more pain relief is often required to keep pets comfortable immediately post-op.
We’re looking forward to seeing Dottie for her post op check and to seeing how she’s been getting on!
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.
As a Bee Friendly Practice, earlier in the year, we gave away sunflower seeds for pet owners to plant at home to help feed the bees and other pollinators and wildlife this summer. You can imagine how delighted we were to receive this fabulous photo of some of our sunflower seeds all grown up! A special thank you to five year old Nina for showing us just how amazingly tall they are! If you collected seeds from us and have had sunflower success, we’d love to see a pic!
In this hot weather – and with our fifth heatwave on the horizon – insects and wildlife are struggling to stay hydrated. Putting out a shallow dish with water and protruding pebbles or rocks that insects can use as a landing station from which to drink could be just the life-saving hydration station they need. The birds will thank you too! Here’s one we made earlier …
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.
