Fleas: Everything pet owners need to know

Fleas are tiny wingless insects which feed on the bloods of animals, including pets and wildlife. They reproduce very quickly producing hundreds of tiny eggs which quickly cause an infestation in the house. Anyone who has had this problem knows how difficult this can be to clear!

They can be very difficult to spot on your pet as they are extremely small and move very quickly. Often you will be more likely to find ‘flea dirt’ (poo) which are tiny, grainy dark flecks in your pet’s coat. Sometimes fleas can cause extreme itching and overgrooming, especially in cats. Then you may not find any fleas or dirts as they are being removed by the pet during grooming.

The best way to prevent an infestation is to use a regular effective flea product which kills fleas. It is much more difficult to clear an infestation once the fleas are in your home. This can take weeks.

A multitude of products are available for the treatment or prevention of fleas. Some products are more effective than others. Not all products available over the counter will be effective in killing fleas. Please ask one of our team for advice on this.

If you have an infestation, you will need to treat all the animals in the household with an effective product. Also, the house will need to be treated as this is where all those nasty eggs will be lurking (95% of the infestation is in the carpets etc). At one point in the flea life cycle the baby fleas turn into a pupal stage which is covered by a hard cocoon. These pupae are really difficult to kill. This is why it takes so long to clear an infestation. You need to wait until these pupal stages hatch so they can be killed by an insecticide.

Clearing an infestation

turn up the heating – the fleas will hatch out quicker if it’s warm
vacuum regularly – this will remove some of the fleas/pupae but also the vibration will also encourage them to hatch
wash any pet bedding on a hot wash (don’t forget your own bedding if pets have slept there)
treat furniture and carpets with effective flea spray (follow instructions/use test areas)
don’t forget to treat the carpets in the car

Flea Allergic Dermatitis (FAD)

This is where the pet becomes allergic to flea saliva. Every time a flea bites it causes intense irritation. This leads to intense scratching and scabs especially around the head and neck and at the base of the tail. Often the pet, especially cats, will pull out a lot of fur with resulting bald areas.

Tapeworm

Parasites are clever beasts! Fleas and tapeworms have a combined life cycle where fleas themselves are infested with tapeworm. Any pet which has a flea infestation should also be treated for tapeworm. Again, ask a member of staff for best treatments for this.

Anaemia

Severe flea infestations can cause life threatening anaemia in extreme cases, especially in puppies or kittens. This is due to the sheer amount of blood they are sucking from the pet.

It’s much easier to avoid a flea infestation by the regular use of effective insecticides. Please ask one of our team about joining our 365 Care Plan which spreads the cost of your regular preventative health care and gives great savings!

Kennel Cough

Kennel Cough is a respiratory disease that’s highly contagious. You may also hear this disease be referred to as canine infectious tracheobronchitis.

The name ‘kennel’ cough can be misleading – in fact your dog doesn’t have to go in kennels to catch the disease.

Dogs can spread the disease through contaminated surfaces, shared food/water bowls, water droplets in the air, coughing and sneezing and direct contact with another dog.

Some owners choose to vaccinate their dogs against Kennel Cough even if they don’t go into kennels, as all dogs are at risk of contracting the disease.

What is kennel cough?

Kennel cough is caused by several infectious agents, which irritate the trachea (windpipe) and cause a nasty cough. Kennel cough is very contagious as is spread in the air, from infected dogs or the environment (where the kennel cough germs can be contained within water droplets). Spread is more likely when multiple dogs gather in the same air space, such as kennels or shows.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms develop in 3-14 days and include:

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A forceful cough that has a honking sound to it.
Loss of appetite.
Runny nose.
Sneezing/snorting
Retching/gagging
Fever – although this is rare.
Lethargy (seeming tired)

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In most cases the dog will only have a cough and recover within a few weeks. However, in very young, old or immuno-compromised animals it can be more serious, and in rare cases can cause secondary pneumonia.

Infection can be spread for up to 2-4 weeks after the symptoms have resolved so we advise to keep them separated from other dogs during this time.

What is the treatment?

Non steroidal anti-inflammatories can be prescribed to reduce fever and inflammation
Antibiotics are only needed in occasional severe cases.
Other treatments are sometimes used, such as medicines to reduce the mucus production, or even honey licked off a spoon to soothe the cough.

How can you prevent kennel cough?

Kennel cough vaccinations are available as an intranasal (into the nose) or oral (into the mouth) vaccination. The nasal vaccination can be given at the same time as your dogs yearly booster. The oral vaccine needs to be given on its own 2-4 weeks before your dog can attend.

Most reputable kennels or day care centres will request the kennel cough vaccination. The oral vaccine needs to be given on its own.

No vaccine is 100% although a vaccinated dog is less likely to catch kennel cough, and if they do are likely to have milder symptoms and a quicker recovery than an unvaccinated dog. As a live vaccine, the Kennel Cough vaccine can cause a mild cough for a few days after vaccination.

BBQ safety: top tips for pet owners

There’s nothing better than enjoying a barbecue with loved ones during the great British summer. But there are a lot of potential dangers for our much-loved pets that we need to be mindful of.

Every summer we see a rise in injuries and poisonings, particularly when the weather is warm and sunny. Swallowing kebab skewers, eating cooked bones, developing food poisoning, or sustaining burn injuries from stealing piping hot food from the BBQ are the most common. Pets can also sustain traumatic injuries such as getting their tails stuck in patio doors and breaking their legs.

Follow these simple tips to make sure your barbecue is fun for everyone – including our furry friends!

1. Remember party food is not for pets

Is your dog a master of puppy dog eyes? Don’t give in, and make sure your guests know the rules too! Be aware which human foods are dangerous to your pets: alcohol, corn on the cob and bones are particularly dangerous BBQ hazards.

Food scraps can upset your pet’s stomach and undercooked or fatty foods can cause inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) which can be very serious, and sometimes even fatal. Try giving them a healthy chew to chomp on or a fun toy to play with instead. It will keep them occupied while you enjoy your food in peace.

2. Bin it…securely!

We all know how skilled our pets, particularly dogs, can be when it comes to sniffing out tasty leftovers. If you don’t keep a close eye on them, pets can easily get hold of something they shouldn’t. A big problem at barbecues is pets eating things like kebab skewers or the core from a corn on the cob. These can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems, such as gut blockages and injuries for dogs and cats.

Make sure any leftovers and rubbish are thrown away in a lidded bin that your pet can’t raid. All those food smells will be super tempting for pets, so your bin needs to be secure!

3. Keep temptation out of reach

There’s likely to be several poisonous temptations at your barbecue; lighter fluid, alcoholic drinks, sugar-free treats and chocolate desserts to name a few. Remember how inquisitive pets can be and don’t underestimate how far they can reach when they want something! Keep anything harmful well out of harm’s way.

4. Too hot to handle!

Keep pets a safe distance away from the barbecue by establishing boundaries. Sizzling sausages can be hard for a dog to resist, but a stolen sausage off the BBQ grill is way too hot to handle. Plus, when swallowed whole they can cause stomach ulcers and dehydration.

Hot food, hot coals and ashes can all cause serious burns. Always make sure the BBQ is cooled down quickly once you’ve finished cooking and never leave pets on their own around it while it’s still hot.

5. Beware of smoke

Fumes can be very irritating for pets, especially as many of them have sensitive airways. Make sure your pets are far away from the BBQ and not downwind of any smoke. This is especially important for small pets and birds; you might need to move their enclosure or the BBQ so they are away from the smoke.

6. Keep them cool and hydrated

Barbecues are hot work – the open flame, the smoky and sizzling food, not to mention the heat of the summer’s day – and our furry friends can quickly overheat! Make sure they can head into the shade or indoors whenever they need to cool down. And if you hear there’s a heatwave coming, think about having your barbecue later in the evening so your pet won’t get too much excitement at the hottest part of the day.

In all the excitement, we often forget to keep ourselves hydrated and the same goes for our pets, who often can’t tell us they’re thirsty and in all their excitement, may not even realise it themselves. Always make sure that your pet has access to fresh, clean water, in a shaded area and encourage them to drink it at regular intervals.

7. Slap on the sun cream

Sun safety is just as important for our pets as it is for us. If you’re feeling the need to slather on the sun cream, it’s likely your pet will need some too especially if they have thin fur, white fur, or pink skin exposed such as the tips of the ears or on the end of the nose. Make sure you use a pet-safe sun cream – your vet will be able to recommend one for you if you’re not sure what to look for.

8. Set up a safe space

Get-togethers can be a busy time with visiting family and friends, so ahead of party time it’s worth making sure your garden is secure and pet safe. With all the distractions, you might not be able to watch your pet as closely, especially while you’re cooking food, entertaining guests or enjoying a well-earned feast. Check the fences and plants ahead of time so you can relax and know your pet is safe and having as much fun as you.

If you’re planning to spruce up your garden, make sure you know which plants are poisonous to your pet. For example, laburnum is poisonous to dogs, lilies are particularly poisonous to cats, and daffodils, rhododendron and yew are poisonous to both dogs and cats.

9. Give them room to take a break

Having a house full of strangers might be a bit stressful for your pet, so it may be worth making sure there’s an unoccupied room for them to relax in. But be careful they don’t get shut into a conservatory or greenhouse, as these can heat up very easily in summer and cause heat stroke which is often life-threatening.

Dogs are usually eager to please and might not want to take a rest even if they’re getting worked up or too hot. Look for warning signs that they’re getting over excited or finding the situation stressful and give them some time to themselves.

Pets who live in the garden, like some rabbits and guinea pigs, might be frightened by the noise of a big group of people. Try to home, cover part of their cage so they can hide away or move their enclosure into a quieter part of the garden.

10. Treat them too

It’s all well and good us saying, ‘Keep your pet away from this, that and the other,’ but this is easier said than done, right? The best way of distracting your pets is by using objects and treats that they’re familiar with. Why not scatter some treats around the garden to keep their minds and taste buds occupied?

This could be a thirst-quenching pet-safe snack, or a puzzle feeder filled with kibble. If you’re having lots of dogs at the barbecue, why not make a batch of dog-safe cakes to share in a few different sizes to suit all your pet’s furry friends?

Ask the vet: dentistry special

I have a 25-year-old gelding who struggles to eat hay in the winter, what can I do?

It is very important that our older horses and ponies have regular dental examinations, usually every 6 months. Older horses teeth can change very quickly and this can result in difficulty eating. Occasionally horses have loose teeth which can be removed and the horse then manages to eat hay again, however, many older horses have gaps between their teeth which need regular management by your vet/dentist. Additionally, dietary alterations can help for example maximising turnout where possible or feeding hay replacers instead of long hay.

My dentist has noticed that my horse has a lot of tooth decay, what can I do to help?

Some horses are more prone to tooth decay than others but it is certainly a condition we want to manage to prevent problems further down the line. One thing that can help reduce the decay is feeding less sugar. This includes apples and any treats that contain molasses or large amounts of sugar additives. If you are looking for a treat alternative, fibre cubes work very well! You can also help your horses decay but rinsing out their mouth of any sugary feed every day. Using a dental syringe works well but if you don’t have one of these, a hosepipe will do the job!

I have recently bought an 8-year-old horse and he has wolf teeth, what should I do?

Wolf teeth are very common, especially in geldings and rarely cause a problem! As long as the wolf teeth are in the correct location and are erupted from the gum they shouldn’t cause trouble. If your horse begins to show resentment to the bit it would be worth arranging an examination with us and we can discuss treatment options.

Stem cell treatment – what’s new?

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are an undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism which are capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type. They are used in musculoskeletal injuries of the horse to improve the quality of repair tissue in injured tissue.

Types of stem cells

Traditionally we obtained cells via a large bore needle placed into the sternum of the horse and extracted bone marrow. Stem cells from the bone marrow were cultured in a laboratory over 30 days and were re-implanted into the injured region of the horse. These cells then differentiated into the environment they were placed in, for example tendon tissue in the case of a tendon injury.

Now, we have the option of commercially available stem cells, thereby avoiding having to harvest the cells from the horse, we can simply buy them in small vials…..amazing!!! There are two types available, one derived from donor horse’s blood, which is treated to make the cells transform into a cartilage type of cell, this is useful in cases of osteoarthritis, whereby the cartilage layer of the joint is damaged.

The other type is humanely and ethically harvested from umbilical cord blood, which is wonderful as these cells can transform into any cell type! They can be implanted into joints, tendons and ligaments and will transform according to the environment in which they are implanted which is particularly helpful!

The clinical use of stem cells

Stem cell treatment is not a magical cure for these musculoskeletal injuries, but they do improve the quality of healing and prevent the likelihood of reinjury most importantly. We used the cartilage cells in a lovely horse called Rosie a while back who had a severe cartilage injury in her fetlock joint diagnosed on MRI and she is now back as a sound ridden horse! We have also recently implanted the umbilical cord type cell into a soft tissue injury of an event horse, who is still undergoing intensive rehabilitation, we will keep you posted!

Sycamore poisoning in horses

Many of you may have noticed the characteristic helicopter seeds present on sycamore trees as of late so we thought it would be a good idea to remind you about sycamore poisoning. But what exactly do we mean by the term sycamore poisoning? Keep reading to find out more!

Sycamore poisoning, also known as atypical myopathy, is a devastating, highly fatal muscle disorder that occurs following the ingestion of hypoglycin A toxin. The toxin is found in a number of plant species, the most common in the UK being the leaves, seeds and seedlings of sycamore trees hence the term sycamore poisoning.

There is sadly a 75% fatality rate with most non-survivors succumbing within 72 hours of the development of clinical signs.

Cause

The disease occurs following the ingestion of sycamore seeds or leaves in Autumn or seedlings in Spring that contain the hypoglycin A toxin. It should be noted that the toxin is not present in all sycamores. There is also speculation that toxin levels may differ at different times of year and under different climatic conditions. Cases often follow an adverse change in weather conditions such as frost or rain.

Clinical Signs

Affected horses show clinical signs of weakness, stiffness, muscle tremors, a fast (sometimes irregular) heartbeat, difficulties in breathing and dark red/brown coloured urine. Other clinical signs include depression and signs of colic. Severely affected horses become recumbent and others may be found already deceased.

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Diagnosis

Diagnosis of atypical myopathy is based on the presence of compatible clinical signs, a history of grazing pasture containing sycamore trees and physical examination and blood work findings.

Supportive blood work includes evidence of dehydration and an exponential increase in muscle enzyme values with or without increased kidney enzyme values. We are capable of running this blood work in-house with a rapid turn-around time on results.

For the definitive diagnosis, blood, with or without a urine sample, are submitted to the Royal Veterinary College for analysis. Results take a number of days to return and therefore, if a diagnosis of atypical myopathy is suspected, then the affected patient should be treated as such. Time is of the essence and rapid initiation of treatment is essential to improve prognosis.

Treatment

Suspected cases are generally hospitalised to facilitate intensive medical management. Treatment is predominantly based on supportive care including administration of large volumes of intravenous fluid therapy. As affected patients are generally quite painful, the provision of adequate pain relief is vitally important. One study has also shown the administration of vitamins to be advantageous.

Prevention

Prevention is based on preventing exposure to sycamore seedlings in Spring and seeds and leaves in Autumn. The area surrounding sycamore trees should be fenced off and the seeds and leaves collected. It is important to remember that the helicopter seeds may travel up to 200 yards. Therefore, pasture beyond the sycamore tree should be searched for seeds.

Remember not all sycamores contain the hypoglycin A toxin but prevention is better than cure.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) offer testing to identify plants containing the toxin. You may submit seeds, leaves and seedling directly to the RVC Comparative Neuromuscular Laboratory to determine if plants on your property contain the toxin. Test results are generally available within 2-3 weeks but can be available within 72 hours for an additional fee. If interested, please consult your veterinary surgeon for further information.

Some may ask if their horse has grazed for many years on pasture containing sycamore trees without any issues, if their horse is at risk? The answer is yes. Risk is reduced by following the steps outlined above in addition to considering laboratory analysis of the sycamores for the presence of the hypoglycin A toxin.

Garden plants poisonous to livestock

Livestock may eat toxic plant species when they are dried in forages such as hay. So even if you think your livestock can’t access garden plants it’s still important to be aware of which ones are poisonous. Here are a few of the most common toxic garden plants.

Yew

Yew is commonly found in church yards and even small amounts are fatal. It contains highly toxic alkaloids which affect the heart, causing an irregular heartbeat and rapid death. Yew clippings must be disposed of appropriately and good fencing should prevent cattle from entering church yards and gardens.

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons contain a poison (Grayanotoxin) that slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Affected livestock are weak, often recumbent, bloated and may vomit, which is unusual for ruminants. Goats in particular my exhibit dramatic projectile vomiting with rhododendron poisoning. Animals show signs of abdominal pain such as groaning and teeth-grinding. Death may be rapid. As a prevention, ensure stock have access to adequate silage or hay at these times to reduce the likelihood of livestock browsing. Pastures bordering woodland should be inspected for rhododendron and fenced accordingly. Ensure clippings are disposed of appropriately.

Pieris

Ornamental garden shrub. Most commonly nibbled over a garden fence or ingested when hungry animals break into a garden. This plant contains the same toxin as the Rhododendron (Grayanotoxin) and produces similar gastro-intestinal signs and is often fatal.

Laurel

Laurel contains cyanide, one of the most rapidly acting toxins affecting cattle. Cyanide prevents haemoglobin in red blood cells from releasing oxygen, effectively starving the tissues of oxygen. Affected animals initially show excitement, increased breathing and heart rate, and increased salivation. The mucous membranes are bright red, eventually turning blue. Muscle spasm, coma and death follow. Laurel should not be planted where animals can reach.

Grass Sickness in horses

Grass Sickness is a disease of horses, ponies and donkeys in which there is damage to parts of the nervous system which control involuntary functions, producing the main symptom of gut paralysis.

Also known as Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) the cause is unknown but the nature of the damage to the nervous system suggests that a type of toxin is involved – potentially botulism neurotoxin acquired from soil.

The toxin may also affect nerves supplying other body systems resulting in other signs of EGS such as droopy eyelids, inability to swallow & muscle tremors to name but a few.

Three forms of the disease have been reported: the acute, subacute and chronic forms. The form a patient succumbs to depends on the extent of nerve damage.

Horses affected by the acute form of the disease present showing signs of colic often indistinguishable from other forms of colic meaning that it may be suspected that the patient has a twisted gut or other form of surgical colic.

As a result, such patients often undergo colic surgery and the diagnosis of EGS is often made presumptively on the surgery table. This form of the disease is 100% fatal.

In horses with subacute or chronic EGS, the time course of the disease is more gradual and these patients may present with a high heart rate, mild episodes of colic, a tucked up appearance, an inability to swallow, drooling saliva, droopy eyelids, muscle tremors and patchy sweating. This form of the disease is also fatal.

Horses with the chronic EGS may survive but require intensive management to maintain hydration and nutritional requirements. The likelihood of survival depends on the extent of nerve damage.

The only way to definitively diagnose EGS is to examine an intestinal biopsy. Surgery is required to obtain a biopsy. Therefore, horses are frequently diagnosed based on the presence of compatible clinical signs.

Vets often perform an eye drop test known as a phenylephrine test. When these drops are applied to one of the patient’s eyes the droopy eyelid appearance improves. Other conditions may also cause droopy eyelids so this test is by no means perfect.

Horses at risk of succumbing to EGS include any horse at grass but the condition is most commonly seen in young animals aged between 2 & 7 years.

Cases have been reported throughout the year but occur most frequently in late spring/early summer. Overweight horses are also at increased risk. Other reported risk factors include recent soil disturbances, overuse of ivermectin based wormers, a recent change in pasture & being at grass 24/7.

Prevention is based on avoiding changes in management, especially in youngstock, at the ‘at risk’ time of year. Soil disturbances should also be kept to a minimum. Ideally, horses should be stabled for at least part of the day and offered hay or haylage. Furthermore, overuse of ivermectin based wormers should be avoided and ideally, a wormer containing an alternative drug should be used prior to turn out. Co-grazing with sheep or cattle may also be protective.

When a case has been diagnosed at a property,it is of paramount importance to stay calm and to avoid any sudden changes in management. In our opinion, in-contact horses should not be moved field as moving pasture is itself a risk factor for

EGS. Furthermore, fields within a 10km radius are theoretically ‘at risk.’ Co-grazing with a patient that has succumbed to EGS may itself be protective suggesting an acquired immunity. We would; however, recommend that young horses are kept off an affected field during future grazing seasons.

A vaccine trial is currently underway which, if licensed, will hopefully provide us with an effective means of preventing EGS in the future.

Immunity in foals

At birth, foals are immuno-naive meaning that they are born without any protective antibodies (immunoglobulins/IgG) against common ‘bugs’ in their environment.

In order to gain protection, foals need to ingest a sufficient quantity of good quality colostrum (first milk containing high levels of antibodies) within the first 12 hours of life.

It is during this time that foals have maximal absorption of ingested IgG. After this time, absorption rapidly decreases.

Adequate IgG levels are crucial to protect foals from developing infections (namely sepsis). Inadequate levels result from failure to ingest sufficient quantities of colostrum or poor quality colostrum (e.g. when the mare runs milk before birth and loses IgG).

To determine that foals have adequate IgG levels, we recommend measuring IgG using a simple blood test, generally 18-24 hours following birth.

If levels are inadequate then a hyperimmune plasma transfusion is recommended to provide the foal with IgG and in turn protect the foal from developing life threatening infections.

Image source: foalpatrol.com

Tooth decay in horses

Similar to humans, horses’ teeth suffer from decay, referred to as ‘caries’.

Horses’ upper cheek teeth have infundibulae, cup-shaped invaginations in their grinding surface that are normally filled with a hard material called cementum. Sometimes these infundibulae are incompletely filled during development, leaving a cavity for food to settle in and decay. Over time the decay weakens the structure of the tooth, predisposing it to fracture and, if the decay advances beyond the margins of the infundibulum and into the sensitive pulp system, an apical (root) infection may arise. Both of these situations require extraction of the tooth.

Caries of the infundibulae

How can we prevent this?

Infundibular caries cannot be detected by feel, therefore is it imperative that every horse’s mouth is visually assessed using a headtorch during routine dental examinations to detect these before advanced disease develops.

It is possible to perform cleaning and filling of the cavity with filling material. This is termed an ‘infundibular restoration’. We now have the equipment to perform this at our clinic.

To discuss any of our Advanced Dentistry services, please call Sam Baker at the surgery: 01772 861300