VetmedsPlus-Veterinary & Pet Medicines Supplies

According to a recent survey by a leading insurance company, it was found that a dog owner can expect to pay up to £22,500 during the dog’s lifetime and the RSPCA says about £9000 for a cat. Both the physical and mental benefits of owning a pet are well documented but especially in the current economic climate, how can we save money on pet care? Here are some ideas:

1. Consider adopting rather than buying a new pet. Many shelters only ask for a donation and some will help with the cost of vaccinations and neutering if necessary. The National Pet Register www.nationalpetregister.org.uk  has a list of animal shelters which is a good place to start your search.
2. Prevention is better than a cure. Don’t overfeed your pet and make sure it has enough exercise to keep bones and joints healthy. Obesity in pets can cause many chronic diseases that require lifelong medication so take advice on the correct quantity of food required for your pets breed and age.
3. Shop around for animal medication. You don’t need to buy your prescription medicine from the vet and in most cases, exactly the same product can be found online for a fraction of the price. This also applies for worm and flea treatments  – beware of any sites that don’t ask for a copy of a valid prescription though, UK law states that every online sale of animal medicine must be accompanied with a prescription. www.vetmedsplus.co.uk is an excellent site with competitive prices and good customer service.
4. Get some pet insurance – basic pet insurance policies are quite inexpensive but can provide some financial peace of mind should any unexpected emergencies arise. Premiums depend on the age and breed of your pet and do read the small print, as most policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions.
5. DIY! Basic dog grooming, even nail clipping is quite easy with a bit of practice. And with dog sitters charging upwards of £15 a day, start a dog sitting circle with friends and neighbours.

 Most responsible dog owners know that they should be worming their dog but there are many myths regarding why to worm, how often to worm and what to worm with. Here are the facts:

 Why to worm?

 Worms are masters of multiplication and survival so there are plenty of worms out there waiting to infect your dog. Dogs can acquire worm infections when they come across tiny worm eggs from sources such as:

• Animal faeces
• Contaminated soil
• Fleas
• Scavenging and hunting
• Mother’s milk

 There are many different types of worms in the UK including roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms and others!It can be difficult to know if your dog is infected with one of these common intestinal worms. Your dog can appear totally healthy and may not pass worms in their faeces as is often thought. Symptoms of worm infection can include scooting their bottom on the ground, vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss and a distended abdomen. However, it is better to treat your dog for worms before they start to damage their health. In addition to this a dog with worms poses a health risk to other animals and humans.

How often to worm?

 It is recommended that you worm your dog at least every 3 months to kill any worms present and prevent them developing to a stage where they can damage your dog’s health. In certain situations more frequent worming may be needed. An example is in puppies where worming should be carried out every fortnight until the age of 12 weeks. You should consult your vet if you are concerned about the correct worming regime for your dog.

 What to worm with?

It is important to use an effective wormer at the correct dose in order to ensure your dog is not infected with worms. Drontal Plus and Cestem are worming products recommended by vets that are available without a prescription. They both contain the same ingredients (pyrantel, praziquantel and febantel) and are effective against all important roundworm and tapeworm species. They are flavoured making them easier to give.

 It is also important to control fleas on your dog or they will re-infect your dog with worms and you will be fighting a losing battle!

Cartilage is the major component of the joint that allows for normal joint function. Glucosamine is one of its primary building blocks that allows for cartilage to become elastic or sponge-like in its properties as well as the smooth lubricated surfaces that slide together during motion. There are a variety of conditions that can affect the cartilage and thus interfere with normal joint function such as osteoarthritis, synovitis and capsulitis.

Treatment of Equine Joint Disease

There are a variety of treatments for equine joint disease including NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), corticosteroids, sodium hyaluronate, polysulphated glycosaminoglycans and glucosamine hydrochloride

There are two main ways in which Glucosamine can help equine joint disease:

• To minimize the inflammation found within an injured joint.
• To help maintenance of the cartilage and aid in repair and some degree of regeneration.

Glucosamine supplements are of use therefore both in a convalescing horse as well as the performing horse and the aging athlete or retiree. Common injuries or conditions that may be responsive to glucosamine are arthritis or degenerative joint disease, osteochondrosis, and soft tissue injuries such as tendon or ligament strains. Glucosamine is also a relevant therapy in any post-operative therapy after surgeries involving the joint such as arthroscopy for OCD lesions or bone chips.

Glucosamine can come in a variety of ways. The necessary criteria to select the relevant product are to verify the purity of the product, evaluate the amount of glucosamine the horse will be getting on a daily basis and finally to see which form best meets the individual horse’s needs. There is evidence that a minimum of 10g per day is required for the average horse and that the glucosamine hydrochloride is absorbed better than the glucosamine sulphate.. Newmarket Joint Supplement contains 99% pure glucosamine hydrochloride which is highest concentrate available with high bio-availability.
 

Cushing’s syndrome is a chronic illness that is much more common in dogs than in humans. It’s caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland – this is a gland the governs growth and adrenaline production and produces a hormone called cortisol which stimulates growth and the adrenal glands.

In the normal growth period for a dog, a healthy pituitary gland will create growth hormones and then stop once the dog is fully grown.

If the pituitary gland malfunctions, it can cause excessive growth and send the wrong messages to the adrenal glands causing excessive production of adrenaline. The over production of adrenaline is what causes Cushing’s syndrome.  Although not curable, Cushing’s syndrome is a condition that’s entirely treatable and if suspected, must be investigated immediately as a delay in treatment can severely affect quality of life for you dog and lead to a range of more severe health problems.

The most common symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome are:

• Increased thirst and actual water intake
• Increased urination, both in frequency and quantity
• Increased appetite
• A bloated abdomen
• Excessive panting
• Weight gain
• Calcified lumps on the skin

There are certain breeds of dogs as well that are more susceptible to Cushing’s syndrome

• · Poodle
• · Yorkshire Terrier
• · Boxer
• · Dachshund
• · German Shepherd
• · Labrador
• · Boston Terrier
• · Golden Retriever
• · Beagle

If your vet suspects Cushing’s, he/she will need to perform a set of blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. Because the concentration of Cortisol fluctuates throughout the day (in both healthy dogs and those with Cushing’s) a diagnosis can’t be confirmed through one test alone so you may need to leave your dog with the vet for a few hours. The two tests that are used to confirm a diagnosis of Cushing’s are called the ACTH stimulation test and the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test and sometimes both tests will need to be performed.

Although Cushing’s syndrome can’t be cured but it can be successfully managed and controlled through medication. In the UK Vetoryl is the only licensed treatment for Cushing’s. Vetoryl contains trilostane, a substance that blocks the production of cortisol.

Only a couple of days to go  – the tree’s up, the cake’s baked and the mince pies are coming out at every opportunity. Without wanting to sound like the voice of doom, us pet owners need to be extra vigilant as lots things that we bring into the house over the festive season can be extremely poisonous for dogs and cats, resulting in a range of symptoms ranging from upset tummies to renal failure.

Here are a few of the most common offenders:

Christmas cake, Stollen and Mince Pies

Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas can all be toxic for dogs – some exhibit no symptoms at all but others can develop kidney failure after just a few items.

Chocolate

Chocolate is poisonous in relations to the amount of theobromine (this is the toxic element of chocolate that can increase blood pressure and cause nausea and vomiting). There is much more in dark chocolate compared with milk or white and 20mgs or more of dark chocolate can be toxic for a dog of 20Kgs or less. Signs to look for include vomiting, diarrhoea and hyperactivity.

Plants

As with humans, ingestion of holly and ivy can cause retching and vomiting –  poinsettias are very toxic for cats, as are the pollen, plants and leaves of lilies and may result in kidney failure a few days after eating.

If your pet does suffer from an upset tummy Protexin-Prokolin is an excellent product  – its key benefits are:
Soothes the gut lining during gastric sensitivity
Contains kaolin – a natural binding agent
Includes beneficial micro-organisms to rapidly populate the gastrointestinal tract
Prebiotics to enhance the growth of beneficial micro-organisms
Improves consistency of stools

Happy Christmas to you all!

 We’ve had lots of people searching for and buying Eqipalazone recently – it’s the time of year with the colder weather that makes arthritis more debilitating and hard ground can cause more soft tissue injuries.

 Equipalazone contains the active ingredient phenylbutazone and is commonly referred to as ‘bute’.  It belongs to the family of drugs known as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is used for the management of musculoskeletal disorders in horses and ponies where the anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relieving) properties of phenylbutazone can offer relief.

 Equipalazone may be used to treat conditions such as:

• Osteoarthritis
• Laminitis
• Bursitis – inflammation of the bursae (sacs of synovial fluid) where muscles and tendons slide across bone
• Carpitis – inflammation of the joint capsule of the carpus (knee) in horses
• Soft tissue injury

 Equipalazone is on oral medication available either as a powder, which can be added to feed, or as a paste, which can be syringed directly into the horse’s mouth. The dose will depend on the weight of the horse or pony and on the individual’s response to the medication. It is important to ensure free access to drinking water during treatment.

 There’s also a similar drug called Danilon which is also a NSAID and has very similar results as equipalazone – some people feel it’s more palatable than Equipalazone being sugar coated granules rather than a paste and the manufacturers claim that Danilon is less likely to cause gastric ulcers due to different metabolisation. However both preparations have their diehard fans and it usually comes down to the initial preference of the vet and the cost of the respective drugs.

Fleas are one of the most common parasites caught by cats and dogs. As well as being an inconvenience, flea saliva is considered as one of the most allergenic substances on earth and can be the cause of some pretty nasty skin diseases – flea also ingest blood with every bite, so a severe infestation can cause anaemia or even death in small animals.

So far so grim. And it gets worse! The biggest problem when trying to control fleas is that they breed in huge numbers. Once on the pet, the adult fleas take a bite and mate and within 24-48 hours, the female starts laying her eggs, typically 200 over a period of 5 days!! These eggs then fall off the animal wherever it goes in the house, which is why experts agree that an integrated approach to flea control is the best where one type of insecticide is used to kill the eggs and another to kill fleas on the animal. More of that later.

After 4-12 days, the flea eggs hatch into larvae which move downwards and away from the light. Popular areas are deep in the carpet pile and areas where the animal rests but they are able to crawl up to 20 feet while in this stage of their lifecycle! Another few days later and the lovely little larvae spin protective cocoons around themselves and develop into adults.  Aside from a blowtorch, at this stage in the lifecycle there is nothing that will get to the fleas inside the cocoons thus rendering pupae impervious to insecticides.

Once the fleas hatch, they can jump onto a pet and begin feeding within 7 seconds! And once they’ve landed, they’ll stay there until  they’re removed by grooming or die and adult fleas only account for about 5% of a typical flea infestation at any one stage (the rest being eggs, larvae and pupae.)

Most experts agree that the most effective flea control uses two different approaches (and therefore insecticides) one to kill actual live fleas on your pet and one to stop any reproduction i.e. eggs being layed around the house. Have a look here for various popular brands of flea treatments and household sprays and let us know what you’ve used!

According to the RSPCA, between 22-45% of all dogs are overweight or obese, with the similar figures for cats. Just like us, if your pet eats food that has more calories than they use up, the excess gets stored as fat. Obesity can cause serious health and welfare problems and can drastically reduce both the quality and length of an animal’ s life. A few example of medical conditions associated with obesity are: Diabetes, heart disease, cancers, high blood pressure and orthopeadic diseases. Research has also shown that it’s likely that being obese may affect an animal’s ability to carry out a range of natural behaviours  – for example, a dog that’s a healthy weight would naturally choose to exercise, however an obese dog may not be able to this without respiratory discomfort.

There are some criteria that can make an animal more predisposed to obesity, such as age and breed but the RSPCA have listed a few easy checks that can be carried out regularly to prevent your pet from becoming obese:

-          You should be able to see and feel the outline of your pet’s ribs without a covering of excess fat.

-          When viewed from above, you should be able to clearly see your pet’s waist

-          Your pet’s belly should be tucked in when viewed from the side

Your vet will be able to give you advice on diet and exercise plans to help your pet lose or maintain a healthy weight and many practices hold weight management clinics to offer obesity advice.

There are also lots of excellent food products on the market that can help control weight in animals and ranges that target particular conditions, from skin disorders to diabetes, heart problems to dental health, (always best to consult the vet!)

There’s been a lot of coverage in the press lately about longer life expectancy in the cats and the subsequent rise in age related medical conditions.

Hyperthyroidism is a common endocrine condition most usually found in middle aged to older cats. It occurs when the thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (also known as T4) and triiodothyronine (also known as T3).

The thyroid gland consists of two lobes and is positioned in the neck. The thyroid hormones produced by the gland control the body’s metabolic rate. In hyperthyroid cats one or both thyroid lobes enlarge resulting in the excessive production of these hormones. The enlargement is most commonly due to benign (non-cancerous) change. A small percentage of cases (approx 2%) are caused by malignant (cancerous) change and this can result in more difficulty treating the condition.

The excessive production of thyroid hormones results in an increase in metabolic rate, which leads to the typical clinical signs of hyperthyroidism. These may include:

 • Weight loss despite a ravenous appetite

• Increased thirst and urination

• Change in temperament – increased aggression, restlessness

 • Rapid heart rate

 • Poor coat condition

 • Diarrhoea

• Vomiting

Treatment of hyperthyroidism is recommended in order to improve the affected cat’s quality of life and limit the deleterious effects the condition can have on various organs in the body.

There are 3 treatment options:

 1. Medical treatment – daily tablet administration to reduce the thyroid hormone levels.

2. Surgical treatment – an operation to remove the overactive thyroid tissue.

3. Radioactive iodine therapy – radioactive treatment to destroy overactive thyroid tissue carried out at a specialist centre.

Medical stabilisation is recommended initially, normally for a period of 3 weeks, in order to assess the cat’s response to therapy and enable a decision to be made for long-term management of the condition.

Vidalta is an oral medication containing the active ingredient carbimazole, which is licensed to treat feline hyperthyroidism. Once daily administration of Vidalta can control the disease by reducing the amount of thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. The small tablets should be administered whole and ideally at the same time every day.

Cat’s receiving Vidalta should be monitored regularly with your veterinary surgeon in order to achieve the correct dose, check for side effects of the medication and monitor for additional complicating conditions. Blood samples will normally be carried out at regular intervals until the cat is stabilised, after which 3 monthly checks are suggested to monitor progress. Medical treatment does not cure the condition, so lifelong therapy is required.

We all love the sound and spectacle of a fireworks display but keeping your pet stress free from the loud noises on bonfire night can be quite a challenge. You can normally spot the signs of stress in dogs quite easily and can include anything from trembling, hiding behind furniture and excessive barking. Cats on the other hand, are masters of disguise and the signs are less easy to spot but look out for then hiding behind or on top of furniture, refusing to eat or trying to run away.

With a bit of forward planning, there’s plenty that can be done to help your pets cope with the stress of bonfire night. There’s a natural supplement called Zylkene(made from a protein found in milk) which produces a calming effect similar in some ways to prescription drugs such as diazepam but without any of the associated side effects. It can be used as a short treatment to cover an upcoming stressful event or for longer periods. In association with independent animal behavourists, Zylkene has also produced a sound desensitization programme on CD which can help your pet cope with sudden loud noises. It’s also a good idea, especially for dogs, to prepare a den for them to hide in whilst the fireworks are going off. This should be done a few weeks in advance so your dog can get used to it – if you find a place where the dog feels safe and would normally go and perhaps put some favourite toys and healthy treats in it, this will encourage your dog to use it as a place of reassurance.

Stress relieving sprays are also very effective – There’s a group of products from Adaptil (formerly known as DAP) which contain a synthetic copy of the natural canine appeasing pheromone which is proven to help support dogs in stressful situations. They can be purchased as a spray, a diffuser or a collar for the dog to wear and there is a similar version for cats called Feliway.

Alternatively, has anyone thought about developing doggy earmuffs!!