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.
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.
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.
Did you know that September is Sepsis Awareness Month? Our student nurse Isabel is particularly passionate about promoting awareness about the condition as she very sadly lost her brother to sepsis. If you’re due in for a visit this month, please help yourself to one of UK Sepsis Trust’s leaflets on display in our waiting areas. Knowing the signs of sepsis – an emergency condition – could save a life.
Sepsis is where the immune system overreacts to an infection, and whilst not preventable, it is treatable if caught quickly. Typical signs in adults include slurred speech, extreme shivering, severe breathlessness, mottled skin and passing no urine. In children, signs include fast breathing, convulsions, a mottled rash, being very lethargic and feeling abnormally cold to touch. If you or someone you know exhibit any of these symptoms, seek urgent medical attention and ask, “Could it be sepsis?” You’ll see this slogan on the side of lots of ambulances.
As well as leaflets, Isabel has brought in a limited number of promo giveaways from The UK Sepsis Trust. So, for early birds picking up a leaflet from us this month, you may be lucky enough to pick up a treat 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.
Beautiful Lyra first came to see our Lead Nurse Cody at a nutrition clinic to see if her skin problems were caused by an allergic reaction to something in her food. As part of the process, Cody also discussed Lyra’s body condition score as she was a little overweight and Lyra started on a weight management programme. Last week, Lyra reached her target weight. You can see how well she’s done in the progress chart that mum’s holding up behind her. Brilliant job Lyra. You look fabulous!
As with humans, overweight pets are more at risk of certain diseases and health conditions some of which can be life-shortening. If you are worried your pet may be carrying extra weight, do give us a call on 01922 411755 and book in for a weight check with one of our qualified nursing team. If your pet does need to go onto a weight management programme, you’ll receive 1-1 support with a weight-management trained qualified vet nurse, including a lifestyle review, progressive nutrition, treat and exercise advice, your pet’s own log book and progress chart and photos and measurements at the beginning and end of the programme so you can see the difference!
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.
