DID YOU KNOW …….

    .that we are giving away FREE David Appleby books “How to Have A Happy Puppy” along with puppy Information Packs at our clinics? These are free to anyone bringing their puppy to the surgery for vaccination. They are packed with lots of useful tips on how to prevent bad behaviour in later life & are written by the behaviour specialist David Appleby. David is a member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors & regularly gives lectures all around the country. He is based at the Pet behaviour Centre in Worcestershire. Look him up on www.petbcent.demon.co.uk

We also hire out David’s video entitled “Paws For Thought” & recommended reading is his excellent text book “Ain’t Misbehaving” Please ask for details at the surgery if you would like to order a copy.

IT'S PARTY TIME!!

Did you know that we run regular puppy parties at Our Hanham Clinic? Any puppy receiving a vaccination at any of our clinics will automatically receive an invitation to one of our puppy parties. These are proving to be really successful with both owners & puppies having a "fun" time! All you puppies get the chance to make new friends & owners get masses of information & free samples along with a glass (or two) of wine! Jane usually gives a short introduction before handing over to Neil Short who is a qualified dog trainer & member of the ABDT (Associated Board of Dog Trainers) Neil has given us several very interesting & informative talks & shows how to train your puppy kindly & effectively as well as making it fun!                                                       There are always special offers on dog foods & other products which are not available at any other time & the nurses present at the party are happy to advise you on diet, worming etc.                                                                                                                Neil Short runs local dog training classes & private lessons where applicable for all ages of dogs & specialises in "clicker training"                                                               You can contact Neil on 9605764 or 9374483

IT’S A FACT – DOGS ARE GOOD FOR YOU!!!

 Something I’ve known all along of course, but, now it’s official –  according to the scientists dogs are beneficial for you in lots of ways, for instance…..Did you know that statistics show no matter how active & fit you are owning a dog will make you even more active?

Elderly dog owners are more likely to be able to perform routine daily tasks than non –pet owners.

Adult dog owners have more friends than non – pet owners!

 AND THAT’S JUST FOR STARTERS!!!

Most of all, us dogs will never, ever criticise, insult or deceive you – and we’re very good listeners! So, you see, dogs really are a mans’ best friend – It’s official!!

 Scientists have shown that in fact owning any pet is “good for you” -  by stroking a pet or even simply watching fish swimming in an aquarium is relaxing & helps create a feeling of happiness and….happy people are healthy people! Recent studies even suggest that pet owners are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than non- pet owners! So….whatever your lifestyle, consider getting a pet of some sort – it could be good for you!

 CHILDREN & PETS

 Growing up with animals is not only great fun for children but also teaches them to “care” about someone other than themselves. It prevents them from becoming selfish & teaches them to take responsibility. Good news is that children who are born into a pet - owning household are likely to grow up without pet related allergies, including protection against dust mites & pollen. Playing outdoors with a pet can help a child develop a better immune system, helping protect against developing allergies.              For more information you can log onto the Pet Health Council website & down load their new leaflet entitled "Pets & Allergies" www.pethealthcouncil.co.uk

Before purchasing a pet for a child please call at any of our clinics & chat with one of our trained nurses who can advise you on the best pet suitable for you & give you lots of free literature on your chosen pet.

SAD NEWS FROM “NO – NAME”

  Did you know that approximately 50,000 healthy dogs, just like me, were destroyed last year? These were all strays whose owners could not be traced or where a new owner could not be found.

The NCDL (national canine defence league) is urging all owners to help prevent strays by:

1)       Asking all dog owners to have their pet neutered if they are not planning to breed. (I had my little “operation” when I was 9 months old – I spent the day at Fernlea vets with all the lovely nurses who were so kind to me I didn’t want to go home! That night my owners fussed over me & as a special treat for being so brave they gave me chicken for tea! I went back a few days later to see Michelle who gave me a quick check to make sure everything had healed nicely & gave me a gravy bone treat on my way out, so you see guys, there’s nothing to it!)

2)       Asking all owners to get their dog microchipped so lost dogs can quickly & easily be returned to their owners.  Recently published literature suggests that compulsory dog registration is likely to be introduced within 5 years.                                                                               

  “Cat” here has asked me to make sure that I mention the fact that “felines” can be microchipped & insured too! They are just as important as us dogs!

NEW INFORMATION FOR CAT OWNERS - Identichip has launched a new web site to help cat owners learn more about microchipping -  www.identiclub.co.uk

Hey!!! It’s not just dogs that are good for you – in fact………

DID YOU KNOW…….. there are 7.7 million cats in Britain today – making them the nation’s favourite pet animal!

DIDYOU KNOW ……...that having a cat helps lower blood pressure & reduce heart rate –so, after a stressful day at work experts recommend sitting down & relaxing with a cat curled upon your lap!

There are many older cats desperately in need of loving homes – why not consider adopting a cat from one of the numerous rescue shelters all over the country & make up for the bad lives some of them have had before – you’ll certainly benefit from their companionship as much as they will from yours!

Contact The Cats Protection League – E mail cpl@cats.org.uk

PURR….FECT PETS

The Cats Protection League recently ran a survey which showed a staggering 79% of cat owners admitted they would rather chat to their cat than share their feelings with a fellow human being!

Over half the children questioned in the survey said that sharing their feelings with their cat made them feel happier.

It’s also been revealed that having a cat boosts a child’s confidence – proof that cats play a powerful role in our health & happiness!

RECOMMENDED READING (FOR CAT OWNERS) 

"WHY DOES MY CAT.....?" By Sarah Heath                                               Published by Souvenir Press Ltd.                                                                     43Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3PA

"PERFECT KITTEN" By Peter Neville                                                           Published by Hamlyn                                                                                       Michelin House                                                                                                81 Fulham Road. London SW3 6RB

NEW PRODUCTS FOR CATS

Is your cat "stressed - out?" If you have just moved house with your cat, introduced a new cat or puppy into the household or simply moved furniture around, this can cause your cat to be unhappy & stressful resulting in irritating behaviour such as spraying or scratching furniture or possibly showing aggressive behaviour towards other cats in the household. FELIWAY is based on the cats' natural facial pheromones & can be sprayed around the house or alternatively is now available as a "plug - in" electrical adaptor which lasts for approximately 4 weeks. For further information contact any of our surgeries or call & pick up a leaflet

DRONCIT SPOT ON

We all know that it's important to worm our cats regularly but, let's face it - how many cats like taking pills? We can treat our cats for roundworm & fleas easily with STRONGHOLD SPOT - ON but what about treating your cat for tapeworm (if he or she likes hunting then you can be sure sooner or later you will be faced with a tapeworm problem) Now there is a simple solution - & NO MORE PILLS EVER!! - 

Specifically designed to treat tapeworm in cats, this new product is available as a simple spot - on solution. It's easy to use & is applied to the skin on the back of the cat's neck. The active ingredient is absorbed through the skin, enters the bloodstream, & kills tapeworm within a few hours. It kills ALL TAPEWORMS found in the UK (including the flea tapeworm) & the dangerous fox tapeworm which is becoming more common in parts of Europe.

DRONCIT is gentle & safe to use even on pregnant or lactating queens

For more information on STRONGHOLD & DRONCIT SPOT - ON solutions please call any of our clinics where our staff will be happy to advise you.

.

 THE TORTOISE TRUST   has lots of information for tortoise owners including hibernation packs – www.tortoisetrust.org  

 FIDO FACTS : If you are interested in a particular breed of dog & want to know more, “Dogs Today” have in depth information on 91 different breeds of dogs. For £2 per breed they will send you all the relevant articles. Contact them on dogstoday@dial.pipex.com

(Fernlea Vets also have “puppyline” cards at all their clinics – you simply fill in the details of the breed you are looking for & within 7 days you will receive a list of breeders with puppies available in your area)

NEW RABBIT FACTS

  UPDATE ON MYXAMATOSIS………….We have known for a long time that the main carrier of myxamatosis in rabbits is the rabbit flea “spilopsyllus cuniculi”. Recent research, however, has shown that the disease can also be carried by other insects, including flies & mosquitoes. We recommend therefore, that all pet rabbits are vaccinated against this horrible disease. This includes house rabbits who have little or no access to the outside.

The veterinary profession is now seeing cases of myxamatosis throughout the winter months, but numbers usually peak between September & January.

Since the majority of cases of myxamatosis result in the death of the rabbit we strongly recommend annual vaccinations.

Please contact the surgery for further details.

  RABBIT FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!

  Owners of pet rabbits should be aware of how important it is to feed the correct diet –  Feeding the incorrect food can cause dental problems – the most common ailment in rabbits.

  Rabbits have the fastest growing teeth in the animal kingdom. They can grow between 1 & 2mm per week & in the wild a rabbit grazes for up to 8 hours a day! Sadly, rabbits can be condemned to a lifetime of misery in a hutch at the bottom of the garden without the freedom to graze as they would do in the wild. Feeding rabbits grass & hay is ,therefore, essential, not just for fibre but to manage the growth of their teeth.

  Rabbits are known as “selective feeders” which means that if fed on the usual rabbit mix food they will eat the “flake” cereal they like & leave behind the “pellets” which contain the vital vitamins, minerals & roughage essential for strong teeth. As a practice we recommend “Burgess Supa Rabbit Food” which is a pelleted food specially developed to help maintain healthy teeth. Fed alongside plenty of hay, grass & green, leafy vegetables your rabbit will be guaranteed a fully balanced, natural diet which will help him remain fit & healthy throughout his life.

If you decide to keep a rabbit as a pet please ensure that you are able to provide a roomy hutch & enclosure with sunken fencing to prevent the rabbit from burrowing out. Remember, rabbits also need company, ideally from another rabbit & regular contact with people. Rabbits can be house-trained – Contact the House rabbit association on                                    

 We strongly recommend neutering of male & female rabbits to prevent unwanted litters & uterine infections & cancers.

FOR A FREE RABBIT INFORMATION PACK & SAMPLE OF SUPA RABBIT FOOD, PLEASE CALL AT ANY OF OUR SURGERIES.

USEFUL CONTACTS:

The House Rabbit Association P.O. Box 346, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1FA

LITTLE “FURRIES” (Better known as guinea – pigs, hamsters, rats or gerbils!)

 Since there’s a section on our web page on rats we thought it only fair to add information on other “little furries” so, stand by all owners (or would – be owners) of  guinea pigs – or, to give them their correct name, “cavies”.

As any owner of a guinea pig will tell you, cavies make wonderful pets! They very rarely bite & only then if they are handled roughly or frightened. They are usually very “talkative” little animals, using lots of different squeaks & “trilling” noises to communicate.

There are many different breeds of cavy but fall into 3 main categories: smooth haired, rough haired or long haired. The long haired varieties will need regular grooming & clipping & may require bathing from time to time.

FEEDING YOUR CAVY

Guinea pigs need a daily balanced diet consisting of  a dried commercial food. We recommend “Supa Guinea” food which is available at all our surgeries ranging from 2kg packs to 15kg bags. (Please feel free to call & collect a sample pack) NEVER FEED A GUINEA PIG RABBIT FOOD as it does not contain the correct balance of nutrients suitable for a cavy. It is important that you supply your guinea pig with a fresh supply of  vegetables daily as cavies need a high level of vitamin C to keep them healthy. One of their favourite foods is grass & during the summer months they love nothing more than pretending to be little “lawn mowers” if you put them outside in a run. During the winter months when they can no longer go outside hay should be given in a plentiful supply instead. Most other vegetables can be offered, in fact, feeding guinea pigs is half the fun of keeping them! Here’s a list of some of the foods you can offer : cabbage, cauliflower (leaves & florets) broccoli, spinach, lettuce (both in moderation) dandelion leaves, chickweed, groundsel, carrots (with or without tops) beetroot(this may stain the urine red) apple (in moderation as too much can cause mouth sores) kiwi fruit, strawberries, small amounts of orange & bits of bread. Of course fresh water should always be available.

Cavies are quite hardy little animals, rarely fall ill & are able to live outdoors as long as their hutch is dry & draft free.

Finally, NO GUINEA PIG SHOULD BE KEPT ALONE – they are very social animals & it is actually cruel to have just one guinea pig on it’s own. Contrary to belief, rabbits & guinea pigs do not always get on well together & guinea pigs can suffer injuries from an “over friendly” bunny! We recommend that guinea pigs are kept together with their own kind & if you are thinking of having cavies as pets it is better to have 2 sows – boars will often live together well if they are together from a young age & are never used for breeding.

PLEASE CALL AT ANY OF OUR CLINICS FOR A FREE GUINEA PIG INFORMATION PACK

USEFUL CONTACTS: Cambridge Cavy Trust – Tel: 01480 455346

    National Cavy Club   E.B. Van Blight  Olney Park Cottage,Yardley Road,Olney,  Bucks MK46 5EJ          Tel: 01234 712023

RECOMMENDED READING:    “HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUR PET GUINEA PIG” By Mark Evans ( A Dorling Kindersley book. Ref. ISBN 0-7513-5399-X                                              

“PETS. GUINEA PIGS” By Michaela Miller. Pub Hienemann Library. Ref.ISBN 0-431-13372-2 (for the younger pet owner)

HAMSTERS - Make sure your hamsters teeth keep healthy by ensuring that they have something to gnaw. Nuts such as walnut, brazil or cob or even a wooden clothes peg attached to the cage or apple tree twigs will help to tempt them to chew & prevent their teeth from over growing.

Please call at any of our surgeries for free information.

IMPORTANT REMINDER FROM NO NAME

  Now is the time to remind your owners that if they are planning on taking their holiday abroad they can take you with them! Since March 2000 all dogs & cats are entitled to travel to European countries with their owners provided they have fulfilled the “pet travel scheme” requirements. All dogs & cats must be up to date on their annual boosters, microchipped, and vaccinated & tested against rabies. Your owners need to organise all of this AT LEAST 7 MONTHS before your holiday to guarantee that you can travel with them, so get them to call at one of our clinics for a free travel information pack so that you don’t miss the boat!!

SOCIALISATION FOR KITTENS

The Blue Cross provides breeders & new owners of kittens a wonderful information pack called “Head Start For Kittens” – the pack includes a leaflet on how to socialise kittens & an audiotape containing everyday sounds. The package has been developed by Gwen Bailey who is head of the Blue Cross animal behaviour service. She believes that many behavioural problems seen in adult cats could be prevented if kittens were properly socialised in their first few weeks of life.

For details please send an SAE to “HEADSTART FOR KITTENS PROGRAMME

                                                         THE BLUE CROSS

                                                         SHILTON ROAD

                                                         BURFORD

                                                         OXON OX18 4PF

EXCITING NEWS FOR CAT OWNERS!

NEW SPOT ON WORMER FOR CATS

The FIRST EVER SPOT – ON WORMING TREATMENT designed especially for cats is now available at all our clinics. Research has shown that owners are less likely to treat cats than dogs for worms, since most cats hate taking pills!

Regular worming is vitally important for cats but especially “hunting” cats which will pick up tapeworm from mice & other small mammals.

The new product, made by Bayer, is called DRONCIT SPOT ON & is simply applied directly onto the skin on the back of the cat’s neck. For further information or advise on worming, please contact any of our surgeries or E mail me on jane@fernleavets.co.uk

YEAR ROUND FLEA CONTROL

Due to climate change & our lifestyle of enjoying warm central heated houses, we now recommend flea control THROUGHOUT the year.

By using STRONGHOLD SPOT ON monthly, fleas will never become a problem.

This innovative product can safely be used on all dogs & cats from 6 weeks of age. STRONGHOLD not only kills adult fleas but also acts as an environmental control, preventing the fleas from breeding in your home.

STRONGHOLD also offers protection against the following parasites in dogs: FLEAS

ROUNDWORM

SARCOPTIC MANGE (fox mange)

HEARTWORM

In cats it protects against:

FLEAS

ROUNDWORM

EAR – MITES

HOOKWORM

HEARTWORM

STRONGHOLD is simply applied to the skin on the back of your pet’s neck once a month – a simple, stress free procedure & total peace of mind.

I would love to hear about you and your humans (or you and your pets if it is a human reading this). You can email me dog@fernleavets.co.uk, yes, it's the 21st Century, dogs can have an email address.

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