Dogs Archives - Page 5 of 16 - Goddard Veterinary Group

Archive for the ‘Dogs’ Category

How to apply spot-on flea treatments for dogs

Spot-on treatments are frequently used to treat or prevent a range of parasitic infections that may cause irritation or illness in your cat or dog or illness in you and your family. They usually need to be applied on a regular basis and it’s important to understand how to apply them accurately and safely.

Keeping up with your dog’s worm and flea treatment is important if you want to protect them from parasites.

Always check the label before applying it to your pet to make sure it’s the right one for the pet you are treating, and you are using it at the recommended frequency.

Applying the treatment doesn’t have to be complicated. Watch our step-by-step video or follow the steps below.

Top tip: Don’t forget to remove your dog’s collar before you apply the medicine, as it could get in the way of the treatment working properly.

Guide to applying spot-on flea treatment to your dog

Here at the Goddard Vet Group, we strongly advise using a prescribed monthly spot-on treatment for your dog. You should speak to your vet about the right one for your pet, and make sure that you read the label thoroughly before applying it.

Once you are sure you have the right treatment for your dog, simply remove the tube from the packet, and then unscrew the top and use the end of the lid to open the pipette.
Part the hair and then apply the treatment directly to the skin at the back of your pet’s neck, just above their shoulders. This is so that your pet won’t be able to rub or lick it off. There’s no need to rub it in either, as the treatment will naturally disperse across their skin.
If you need to distract your dog whilst you apply the treatment, you could get some pet food paste for them to lick or ask someone to rub and scratch their ears. Making the experience a calm and positive one will make applying the treatment a lot easier for both you and your dog.
Don’t bathe your pet for 4 days after application and do not allow dogs to go swimming as this may affect insects in the water and will also reduce the efficacy of the treatment.

How do spot-on treatments work?

The natural oils on your dog’s skin work to distribute the medicine around their body. The chemical pesticides then sit on the hair follicles and release continuously even after the initial application.

As well as paralysing and killing fleas within 24 hours, the treatment will also prevent new fleas from emerging in your house.

Helpful tips when applying spot-on treatment to your dog

For large dogs, you may have to apply to spot on in 3 places along the back – please check the label directions for the product you are using.
If any of the treatment transfers onto you, wash it away with soapy water. The solvent in Spot On treatment may stain or damage certain materials including leather, fabrics, plastics, and finished surfaces. Allow the application to dry before permitting contact with such surfaces.
Make sure you make a note of when your pet’s next treatment is next due, so you can keep them protected.
For further support in applying your dog’s spot-on treatment, you can watch the video above.

How can Goddard Veterinary Group help?

Many of the most effective anti-parasite products are prescription-only medicines, which means they can only be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and will not be available in pet shops or through online subscriptions, unless under the prescription of a vet. At an annual health examination, normally at the time of vaccination, one of our vets will assess the risks of a range of parasites to your pet based on their lifestyle, and will recommend products and frequency of application, based on this risk assessment.

Additionally, if your dog has had an adverse reaction to the fleas or the treatment, and you need to see a vet, you can find your local practice here.

Helpful resources

If you would like to know more about parasites and how to reduce the risk to our dogs and family please click on the links below:

Frequently asked questions

Does it matter where you put flea treatment on a dog?

Yes, it does. You need to make sure that you apply the treatment to the skin on a part of the body your dog cannot reach. That’s why we advise the skin on the back of the neck. This is so your dog cannot lick it off and ingest it.

Can I use the same spot-on treatment for cats and dogs?

No. A dog spot-on treatment used on a cat can prove fatal for the cat. Additionally, a cat spot-on treatment for a dog will not come in a high enough dosage, as dogs are normally larger than cats. Always make sure you use the correct treatment for the correct species.

How long does it take for spot-on treatment to work?

The spot-on treatment can take up to 24 hours to completely take effect. However, it’s likely that you will start to see results within a few hours.

How often should spot-on treatment be used?

Most flea treatments will become ineffective after one month, so it’s important that you reapply it on a regular basis. Make sure you read the instructions carefully, as they hold specific information regarding the correct dosage and frequency.

Does spot-on treatment protect my dog from ticks?

Not all spot-on treatments protect against ticks. Your vet may recommend a monthly tablet to replace the monthly Spot-on, or a collar for the warmer times of the year when tick numbers are high, please ask your vet for more information on protecting your dog from ticks and the incidence in your local area, or areas you plan to travel to with your pet. To learn more about ticks, or how to remove them the PDSA has a very useful guide.

Ten tips for keeping your pet safe this summer

We know you want to do all you can to keep your pet healthy, happy and safe this summer. There are a few things to think about to keep them from harm — we’ve listed our top ten tips below!

Tip number 1: Barbecues

Burns are common in both dogs and cats. Make sure your pet can’t get near the barbeque until it has cooled down.
Skewers and chicken bones in leftovers or in the bin are a big problem for dogs if they get to them. They may not even realise they have eaten them with the meat but they can do massive internal damage. To prevent this, make sure that skewers or chicken with bones aren’t left in your dog’s reach, or are put in a container. It’s also wise to take the bin out straight away to stop them from getting to any meat and skewers left in there. We know they’ll sniff them out otherwise, given the chance!

Tip number 2: Heatstroke

Hot cars are a common cause of heatstroke in dogs, which can be fatal. Never leave a dog in a car in hot weather, even if it is shady and you only intend to be 5 minutes. It isn’t worth the risk.
Shade and water is key at this time of year to prevent heatstroke. All of your pets should have this at all times in hot weather. If you are going out with your dog consider taking an umbrella and a pop-up water bowl so that they can rest in the shade and have a drink wherever you go.

Tip number 3: Hot pavements

Hot pavements can burn dogs’ paws. Ideally only take your dog out for a walk in the morning or evening when it is cooler. Also, you can try and walk on the grass instead. If you are unsure if it is too hot, follow the 7 second rule – you will soon know if it would burn their paws! Place the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds, if it’s too hot for you – it’s too hot for them.

Tip number 4: Summer travels

It’s very important that when you are going away, your pet will be safe — if they’re coming with you or not!

If your pet is on regular medication, then make sure that you come to see us before you go away so you don’t run out.
If your pet is coming with you on holiday and you are travelling by car, then you need to schedule in lots of breaks (ideally at least once an hour) so that your pet can get out of the car, go to the toilet and just stretch their legs. Always make sure there is plenty of water for them to drink. Be prepared for travel sickness, many dogs and cats get travel sick. If they are beginning to look unwell then pull over at the next services to let them get some air and start to feel a little better. A long journey can be much more stressful than we can imagine, you can use pheromone sprays to reduce stress – get in touch with our team if you’d like more advice.

Tip number 5: Staying in the cattery or kennels

Make sure your pet is fully vaccinated, flea treated and wormed before they go in, you don’t want them to come out sick or infested! If your dog is going to stay with a sitter, or dog walker it’s advised that your dog gets the kennel cough vaccine, which is a quick and painless spray up the nose.

Tip number 6: Going abroad with your pet

If you plan to take your pet abroad then you will need to come in and see us in advance of your trip. Pets must have an Animal Health Certificate to travel and to qualify they will need a rabies vaccination and wormer in advance of the trip. Our vets will also give you advice about travelling and others risks when abroad.

Tip number 7: Flystrike

Rabbit owners, this one’s for you! Flystrike is where flies lay eggs on moist areas (often the back end), which then hatch to become maggots. This is very painful, as the maggots eat their way into the poor rabbit’s flesh. Any rabbit in the summer is at risk of flystrike, especially those with a wet or dirty back end as this attracts the flies. If you notice your rabbit has flystrike, ring us straight away. To prevent this, you need to check your rabbit’s bottom every day and clean it up. This should stop the flies from being attracted to that area and means you can catch it early if there is any flystrike.

Tip number 8: Fleas

Fleas are very common at this time of year and if you have a pet that goes outdoors then it is inevitable for them to get fleas. You can’t always see fleas on your pet when they have them, so it is always best to treat whether you can see them or not.

It is important that you treat your pet regularly (once a month normally but check the product you are using) and ideally with a prescription-strength product bought from us – that way you can be sure it is safe to use and is going to work!
If your pet already has fleas your house will also be infested. You will need to wash all bedding at a high temperature, hoover thoroughly including crevices in sofas and treating the house with insecticidal flea spray.

Tip number 9: Ticks

These little bloodsuckers carry some very nasty and potentially fatal diseases such as Lyme disease and, more recently, babesiosis. This is mostly a risk for dogs that go walking through long grass (don’t forget about those pesky grass seeds either!). To prevent diseases from ticks, you can regularly treat for ticks (you can get a combination product with the flea treatment) and check your dog over every time you come back from a walk. We can always give advice on tick removal and there are specific tick removal tools, this allows you to be sure you have removed it all and have not left the mouthparts in.

Tip number 10: Suncream

In the summer months, the UV rays from the sun can be a problem for our pets, just like us. There is a form of skin cancer that can be caused by too many UV rays, especially in our white (or pink nosed) pets. You can buy pet-friendly sun cream at most pet supermarkets and this only really needs to be applied to the nose and ears (especially important in cats).

Tips on keeping your dog safe in warm weather

With the weather warming up it’s important to understand the potential dangers heat can cause our four-legged friends. Just like humans, dogs can get heatstroke when they overheat — follow these steps to keep your dog safe.

Tips on keeping your dog safe during warm weather

How to Fit an Elizabethan Collar to Your Dog

Elizabethan collars are a common sight in any veterinary practice and play an important role in your pet’s recovery following any surgical procedure. In this guide, Goddard Veterinary Groups Sam Green will show you how to fit a traditional Elizabethan collar to your pet with the help of Shelby.

Why Do Dogs Need Elizabethan Collars?

These can also be known as a buster collar or cone and are worn by dogs after surgical procedures. The aim of pets wearing these collars is to prevent the dog from licking or biting at the stitches. This is a natural reaction for your pet but can have serious and harmful consequences should they dislodge any stitches before the area has healed.

Preparing for a Collar

It may be a good idea to prepare your home environment for your dog to be cone-wearing. It will likely take your dog a few days to adjust their spatial awareness and it is common for furniture to be knocked by the cone as your dog moves through the house.

It is a good idea to move valuables and fragile objects to protect them and to limit the distress they may cause to your pet should items become broken.

Fitting the Collar

There are a number of types of buster collars available on the market from inflatable collars to fabric, the only stipulation from the collar is that it needs to provide a clear barrier to the surgical area.

Collars also come in a variety of shapes and sizes; your Goddard Vet will ensure they provide you with the best possible fitting collar to make the transition smooth for your pet.

Traditional plastic cones are constricted into shape with the use of a stretchy bandage or fabric material. Once the cone is constructed it can be carefully slid over your pet’s head, treats can be used at this point to keep your pet calm and introduce the use of the cone with a positive experience.

Once around the neck, the collar should be secured with a bow ensuring a fit that leaves some give, our recommended fitting is that two fingers can be fit easily between the collar and your dog’s skin. This leaves ample room for a comfortable experience while it should mean the cone cannot come off. The bandaging or fabric can also be fixed to your dog’s existing collar for extra protection.

Wearing the Collar

Food and Drink

It is important to make considerations around the home for your pet while they are wearing the collar. One of the most important is their ability to access food and drink. Navigating the cone around bowls and to a place they can consume food and water may be challenging and placing their food at different heights or in different bowls/trays or plates may be required.

Positive Reinforcement

Using positivity around the cone and making sure your pet is as comfortable as possible is an important factor in their ability to settle into their time wearing it. The use of treats and positive affection is encouraged to improve the experience of your pet throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does My Pet Need a Buster Collar?

The collar should remain on your dog until the stitches have dissolved or have been taken out by your vet. During this time, it is important to keep your pet’s activity levels to a minimum to aid their recovery and limit the chance of damage to the surgical area.

Should I Take an Elizabethan Collar Off at Night?

Your dog’s collar should remain on for the duration of the time it is required, including at night. This removes the temptation of your dog becoming irritated by the area during the night and biting or licking the wound. The cone shape will not cause any discomfort to your pet’s ability to sleep.

Your puppy’s first vaccination appointment

We’re delighted to welcome you and your puppy ahead of their first vaccination appointment and health check. We thought it would be useful to give you an idea as to what to expect at your appointment so you can prepare any questions you would like to raise with your vet in advance. If you have any questions before then though, you are welcome to phone us in practice and we’d be delighted to help.

Bringing your puppy to your appointment

Until puppies are fully protected by vaccination, it is important to keep them as safe as possible and to reduce their risk of exposure to some unpleasant viruses. Please carry your puppy to the practice and keep them either on your lap or in a carrier with some comforting bedding. To keep all other pets in the practice safe, please always use a short lead and harness or collar.

What will happen at the appointment?

1. Full health assessment

After welcoming you both, your vet will first ask you some questions and make full clinical examination of your puppy. They will ask you details about your puppy’s eating and toilet habits as well as how active they are, in order to better understand how your puppy is developing and to help identify any areas of concern.

2. Vaccinating your puppy

If your puppy has not yet had its first vaccine…

- Your vet will then administer your puppy’s first vaccination. This will protect against four important diseases: Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Infectious Hepatitis and Leptospirosis.).
- Your puppy will be given two, sometimes three vaccine doses, the second of which will be two to four weeks after the first. Puppies will need to be at least 10 weeks old at the time of the second vaccine. Please ensure you book a date for this second dose before you leave the practice.
- After the second vaccination at, or after 10 weeks of age, your puppy will need to wait another week before going for walks outside of your house and garden. If your vet advises the need for a third vaccination (which is sometime needed to complete the course of protection against Leptospirosis, you should not allow your puppy near waterways, muddy areas or areas where rodents may be for a further two weeks.

If your puppy has already had its first vaccine elsewhere…

- We use Nobivac® vaccinations. Please let us know before your appointment, by emailing us a copy of the vaccination certificate if your puppy has had its first vaccination elsewhere. The brand of vaccination and the timing of that vaccination will influence when we need to see you, and what vaccinations your puppy will need.

Reasons to vaccinate your dog or cat

Other vaccines and boosters

- Your vet may also recommend an additional parvovirus vaccination at 16 weeks of age to boost immunity if we have concerns about increased risks to your puppy. There will be an additional charge for this vaccination.
- Additionally, we recommend vaccination against Kennel Cough, especially if your puppy will be either mixing with other dogs, going to day care, or boarding kennels. Your vet will advise you at what age we recommend kennel cough vaccination for your puppy.

Yearly boosters

- A yearly booster jab will be needed to ensure protection against disease is maintained. We’ll remind you via email or text when your puppy’s annual booster jab and annual health check is due.

Will it hurt?

- In the majority of cases puppies will not even notice the injection. Sometimes it may cause a sting or discomfort at the time of injection that will make your puppy wriggle or cry out. You may notice a small swelling at the site of injection and this can occasionally be hard or painful to touch for 3 days.

Defence 101 – Vaccinations

3. Healthcare Advice

At your appointment your vet or nurse will talk with you about a number of common healthcare- related considerations to help you make the best choices for your puppy. These will include:

Parasite Control

If your puppy has already had flea or worming treatment given by the breeder or yourself, please bring details of what product was used and when it was given, to your appointment.
Puppies are very susceptible to the effects of worm and flea infections and adult dogs also require regular worm and flea control to prevent serious illness, poor health and to keep your family safe.
At the appointment your vet will assess your puppy’s health, weight and lifestyle and will recommend a regular program of both treatment and prevention.
The most effective parasite treatments are often only available by veterinary prescription. We don’t recommend over-the-counter products or online products bought without a veterinary assessment and weight check.
There is a particular problem with lungworm in Greater London and this can only be prevented by regular treatments prescribed by a veterinary surgeon.

Lungworm, what are the risks?

Neutering

We advise neutering of most puppies from 5 – 6 months of age. For larger breed dogs we may advise delaying neutering until 12 – 24 months of age depending on the breed. Your vet will discuss this in more detail with you.
Neutering your female dog (spaying): Spaying a bitch is a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic where the ovaries (and, usually, the uterus or womb) are surgically removed. It’s a fairly big operation though young dogs tend to recover remarkably quickly from the procedure.
Neutering your male dog (castration): Castrating a dog is a very simple surgery because his reproductive organs are conveniently located outside his body. In the procedure, his testicles are removed (so it is not the same as a vasectomy, where the testicles remain in situ but the tubes carrying sperm from them are cut) preventing him from making either sperm or testosterone.

Spaying your dog

Castrating your dog

Microchipping

It is a legal requirement for all puppies over 8 weeks old to be microchipped. This can be done at your vaccination appointment but may have already been done if you’ve bought your puppy from a breeder. If so, please make sure you contact the microchip company to change the registered contact details to your own.

The importance of microchipping

ProActive Pets

Goddard Vet Group offers its own preventative healthcare plan which means you can save money on the cost of routine vaccinations and flea and worm treatments as well as spreading payments for them throughout the year by direct debit.
As well as saving at least 21% on the costs of vaccines and parasite control, you’ll also benefit from discounts on pet food, neutering, dental treatments and over-the-counter purchases at your practice. It also includes the cost of microchipping.
Ask us when you come into your appointment should you wish to join or to find out how much more you could save. You can sign up in practice on the day of your dog’s vaccination to take advantage of an immediate 30% discount. You may of course decide to join at any time you wish, though discounts will only apply from the date that you start of your membership.

Learn more

Insurance

We recommend that you consider pet insurance to cover unexpected sickness or injury which can be costly. (This is different to preventative healthcare which is not insurance).
If you’ve not already organised pet insurance, ask us at your appointment about setting up an initial 4 weeks of free cover once the vet has assessed your puppy to be fit and healthy and free from pre-existing conditions.
Should you wish, we can pass your details to a pet insurance provider to provide your dog with an immediate temporary four-week insurance policy.
The company can provide information about its policies which you are under no obligation to take up. Activating this free insurance can help cover the cost of unexpected veterinary treatment during this period and give you peace of mind whilst you decide which, if any, policy or insurance company is best for you.

Pet insurance

Nutrition

We advise a good quality complete puppy food such as the Royal Canin range which is stocked in our practice. If your breeder has given you food, then it is best to continue with this initially, unless any concerns are raised by your vet. Many home-cooked diets that are followed by breeders may not give adequate nutrition to a growing animal and we’ll advise on appropriate diets for the age and breed of your puppy.
If you would like to change to a different food then you should do so gradually over the course of about seven days, changing the proportions of new to old food each day. Sudden changes to diet can cause diarrhoea in puppies. Be careful with the treats that you are giving, some may not be suitable for puppies and again, can cause diarrhoea.
Do not give your puppy human food and ensure they always have access to clean and fresh drinking water.

What is lifestage feeding?

What should I feed my dog?

Dental Health

Whilst your puppy is young it is the best time to get him/ her used to being handled. It is a good time to start ear cleaning and teeth cleaning so your puppy gets used to these preventative care procedures and they may help reduce the occurrence of ear infections and dental problems in the future.
Dental problems commonly affect dogs later in life, so starting teeth cleaning early on can certainly be beneficial.

How do I look after my dog’s dental health?