With December starting this weekend and the Christmas lights going up, it’s a good time to drop in an early reminder about keeping Christmas chocolate out of pets‘ reach. Avoid leaving chocolate gifts wrapped under the tree, keep chocolate advent calendars on a shelf and avoid sending chocolate through the post for letterbox delivery to households with pets. This is poor Milo who managed to locate some chocolate and helped himself! Quick action meant we could make him sick to eject the toxins before fully digested.
Chocolate contains theobromine which is poisonous to dogs and can cause many unpleasant reactions including diarrhoea, vomiting, excessive panting and urination, a racing heart and in serious cases, muscle tremors and seizures. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.
There are lots of other festive human treats that are dangerous for our pets including any form of grape or raisin, so keep mince pies and Christmas cake above nose level! Sweetcorn kernels and bones from cooked joints can cause blockages, so dispose of in a lidded bin.
If in doubt as to whether something your pet has eaten poses a danger to them, check out the poisons guide on our Advice 24/7 page. All our registered clients also have access to our VidiVet service for free veterinary support around the clock. Check communications from the practice for how to access.
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 wanted to make you aware of a current scam to which one of our clients has unfortunately fallen victim. False microchip companies are contacting owners to advise them their pet‘s microchips are about to expire and that owners need to pay a fee to reactivate. Do not pay. If in any doubt about your pet’s microchip status please contact the company your pet’s microchip is registered with directly. We are happy to scan your pet and confirm who holds their microchip registration details if you are unsure.
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.
Directors Hamish and Rachel, and our vet Emma and RVN Paige are making their way to the big smoke this afternoon to attend the Investors in People (IiP) Awards tonight. As one of the top 20 platinum businesses in IiP’s ‘We Invest in People’ accreditation scheme this year, we were invited to enter their UK Employer of the Year award for businesses with 2-49 employees. Exciting! We were extra delighted to discover we are one of the shortlisted finalists tonight! You can read our finalist case studyhere.
The award ceremony at Old Billingsgate promises to be a glamorous red carpet event. Compered by Anna Richardson, comedian Russell Kane will be providing entertainment and there’s also a live band. Awards will be presented after a three course dinner. And throughout the night, there will be a DJ to get the 800 attendees up and shaking their moves on the dance floor!
We promise to send photos when we are all glammed up! We are keeping our fingers crossed!
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 existing holders of Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons General Practice Accreditation, this year we decided to apply for two additional RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) Awards. These awards offer practices the opportunity to demonstrate that they excel in one or more specialist area. After much evidence upload onto an RCVS assessment platform and an assessor site visit, we are delighted to share with you that we have been deemed ‘Outstanding’ in RCVS’s ‘Client Service’ and ‘Team & Professional Responsibility’ Awards.
For additional PSS Awards, assessors score practices in their chosen award against a framework of evidence requirements, with each evidence statement carrying a weighting of marks. For ‘Client Service’, assessment reviews a practice’s investment in all elements of the pet owner experience. The ‘Team and Professional Responsibility’ award covers assessment across a wider topic remit which includes clinical governance, infection control, medicine management, health and safety, team wellbeing, sustainability, professional development opportunity and training outcomes.
To achieve ‘Good,’ a practice must gain over 60% of available additional award marks in all modules of a specific award. This rises to 80% to achieve ‘Outstanding.’ Click here for more information about RCVS PSS Awards.
The RCVS’s Practice Standards Scheme is a voluntary initiative designed to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care. Accredited practices give pet owners the reassurance that they meet RCVS’s stringent standards. And if a practice has additional RCVS PSS awards, you now know in these areas they truly excel.
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:
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.
