Leaving a beloved pet in a kennel or cattery for the first time, whether it’s for a day or a week, can be nerve-wracking. The key to ensuring their comfort and well-being during their stay comes down to proper preparation. Read on to learn more about how to help your cat put their best paw forwards.   Start preparing early: Consider starting training in the weeks before your stay. Gradually increase their exposure to their carrier/crate by leaving it open in the house with comfortable bedding and treats inside. This helps your cat associate the carrier with positive experiences ..read more

Making decisions that may affect your dog’s health long term can be difficult. We have made this guide to help when making those decisions about castrating your dog by either surgery, or an implant.   Surgical castration  Surgical castration is the removal of both testes under a general anaesthetic. This is normally done either at around 6 months of age or after growth plate closure. This is when your dog stops growing. Larger dogs take a longer time to finish growing, up to 18 months. Smaller dogs may have finished growing by 12 months of age. Castration before this point can l ..read more

Although cats get a bad reputation as being a bit cold and aloof, they do love us is in their own special way. Many cat owners, lovers and experts will tell you this. Its important to know how to spot that your cat loves you. We’ve listed ten different ways that a cat may subtly be telling you that they love you. By recognising these signs it will help you build a bond with your pet. It may also help you realise the more subtle signs of when they may be unhappy and unwell as well.    Cat love A strong bond can increase feelings of security and reduce stress. This is beneficial to both hea ..read more

As the weather gets warmer we start to spend more time in the garden. Did you realise there are several poisonous spring plant hazards for our pets?  Our pets are curious creatures and will often sniff, chew and ingest plants which could be extremely dangerous to them.  Sometimes it’s just the flowers or pollen which are poisonous and sometimes it can be the bulbs or leaves.     Lilies These are extremely toxic to cats; all parts of the plant are poisonous and can lead to serious kidney problems.  Even the water from a vase of lilies can contain toxins. This ..read more

Storage mites are likely something you have never even heard of. We all live with them in our daily lives and homes. By domesticating our pets and bringing them indoors we have exposed them to these tiny creatures. Like humans, pets can develop allergies to anything. A storage mite allergy can be uncomfortable and frustrating to deal with. It’s useful to be aware of what these mites are and how you can limit exposure.  Storage mites are microscopic insects. They are found in dry stores such as hay, grain, flour, dry pet food and even cheese. These mites thrive in places where dry foods ar ..read more

Why is mould poisonous? Mycotoxins are produced by mould species. Mould is a type of fungus. Moulds like to grow on spoiled food or organic matter like plant material. There are over 300,000 species of mould and they can be either harmful or harmless.   Some moulds produce highly poisonous substances known as mycotoxins, and it’s these mycotoxins that can be fatal if our pets eat them. Not all moulds produce dangerous mycotoxins, but it is impossible to tell by looking at them as they do all just look like mould.  Which mycotoxins are a concern for our pets? There are many types ..read more

Rabies is one of those diseases you might have heard of at some point in your time as a pet owner. It is a preventable disease but is still endemic to large parts of the world. Worldwide annually there are more than 59,000 human cases of rabies, almost all of which are within the developing world. In the UK it is extremely rare to encounter human rabies caught in the country. The last case was reported in 1902. Most cases of human rabies in the UK are acquired abroad. This is the same for animal cases with no wild animal reservoirs of rabies in the UK.   The UK currently enjoys a lar ..read more

This guide covers outward and inward travel of pet dogs between the UK and other EU countries and export to non-EU countries.  When planning a trip abroad or emigrating to another country with your pet, the most important thing to give yourself is time. Some countries have requirements to fulfil up to 1 year before travel. Ignoring these requirements will mean that you cannot travel on the date you wanted to travel. There are no exceptions.  In all situations you should contact your vet in good time. This may need to be a year before travel for some countries. For EU countries I woul ..read more

Neutering or spaying a bitch involves the removal of the ovaries, with or without the removal of the uterus at the same time. It is mainly done to prevent the bitch having puppies, but there are also health reasons for spaying. These include prevention of pyometra (womb infection) and reducing the risk of mammary tumour development.  Timing the spay should be discussed with your veterinary practice as it does need to be planned. The spay should be performed 12 weeks after a season finishes. This is the time when the blood flow to the reproductive tract is at its lowest. This means the ris ..read more

Going on holiday or away for a few days can be a fun and enjoyable experience for us. If we are not able to take our dog with us then most of use boarding kennels as an alternative. Boarding kennels offer a secure way to ensure your dog is kept safe and looked after while you are away. However, dogs can find them stressful and challenging environments at times. Boarding kennels and pet hotels are available all over the country. Taking the time to prepare your dog and chose a suitable kennel can vastly reduce stress in kennelled dogs.   Reducing stress in kennelled dogs  Stress a ..read more