Posts Tagged ‘health’

A simple guide to applying ear drops to your dog

Applying ear drops to your dog can be a daunting task for any pet owner. However, with the proper knowledge and technique, administering ear drops to your furry friend can be a simple and stress-free process.

In this guide, our very own vet, Victoria, will walk you through the proper way to apply ear drops to your dog. This includes how to properly clean the ear, the best way to administer the medication, and how to monitor your dog’s recovery. With the right approach and care, you can ensure that your dog receives the treatment they need to maintain its ear health. So, let’s get started!

Before application

In preparation for treating your dog, you should always aim to apply medicated drops to a clean ear. Watch our video above on how to clean your dog’s ears before applying any drops.

It’s important to consider that your dog may be in some pain or discomfort with its ear and might not respond well to you cleaning/treating the area. Even the calmest, gentle, and most passive dog may react with a struggle, bark, growl, or even bite. To avoid this, be cautious and patient with your dog. For particularly reactive or anxious dogs, you may find it useful to apply a muzzle before the procedure for added safety.

How to easily apply ear drops to your dog

  1. Wait 15 minutes after cleaning your dog’s ears before you begin applying the medicated ear drops.
  2. Check the medication label, including the dose and frequency of application. The instruction sheet supplied with the drops will give you advice on how to use that particular ear treatment.
  3. Make sure that your dog is in a comfortable position. If you have a small dog, positioning them on your lap is a good idea. Otherwise, laying them down on a flat surface or sitting them in front of you can make applying ear drops easier.
  4. Prepare the medication according to the instructions that accompany the bottle. You can roll the bottle in your hand to warm up the liquid beforehand so that it’s not as cold before applying it to the ear.
  5. Whilst holding the pointy end of the ear up, you can introduce the nozzle of the bottle/pipette to the ear canal and carefully begin to apply the number of drops stated on the label. Sometimes it can be difficult to know how much pressure to apply to form a drop, so it can be useful to practice on a piece of kitchen roll first if you are unsure.
  6. Once the drops are applied, you can gently massage around the base of the ear in a circular motion. This helps the medication reach the whole of the ear canal. If your dog is in any discomfort, they may not let you do this – be gentle and patient with them.
  7. After applying the drops, your dog will begin head shaking. Don’t worry – this is normal. Now, move on to the next ear, if it also needs treatment, and repeat!

Treating your dog’s ear infection with antibiotics

When treating your dog with antibiotic ear drops, it’s crucial to adhere to the correct dosage instructions provided to you. Avoid breaks in treatment and be sure to attend your follow-up appointments as advised. As long as you follow these guidelines, you should expect to see your furry friend back to their best in no time!

Dogs can be prone to recurrent ear infections. If your dog has had a flare-up and you have not seen a vet recently, please arrange a check-up before treating at home. Never apply old ear drops that you’ve given to your dog previously without a check-up beforehand – you need to make sure you have enough for a full course of treatment recommended by a vet.

If you are having trouble administering the treatment or you notice a head tilt
developing after using medicated drops that don’t seem to be returning to normal, please contact your local Goddard vet practice or get in touch with our Central Clinical team.

Useful tips for applying ear drops to your dog

  • Help get your dog used to ear drops by presenting them with treats and other items like toys with the treatment bottle around. Over time, your dog will begin to associate the treatment with something positive, rather than a negative outcome. You can try this several times a day to acclimate your dog to the ear drops.
  • Make an effort to message your dog’s ears as regularly as possible. This will get the dog used to you touching their ears and the areas around them, making applying treatments like ear drops more ordinary to the dog.
  • Choose a quiet environment within your home to apply the ear drops. Choosing somewhere with no distractions will help to relax your dog, especially if it can get anxious. This can make the application process much easier.

If you need further advice, book an appointment with your local Goddard vet practice, or get in touch with our Central Clinical Team at 020 8506 9944.

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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

Are wild mushrooms harmful to dogs?

Ultimately, of course, it depends on the mushroom! However, with an increasingly warm and wet autumn climate, mushroom populations are soaring. In fact, in September 2018 the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) actually issued a warning about the problem. Read on to find out if wild mushrooms are harmful to dogs and what signs to watch out for. 

If you think your dog may have eaten an unknown wild mushroom, contact us IMMEDIATELY for advice.

What is a wild mushroom?

This sounds really easy —  but do you actually know what those bulbous masses are? Fungi are a kingdom of life all of their own, as different from plants as plants are from animals. Most fungi live in the environment and form networks of fine fibres growing through the soil. The mushrooms we see are their fruiting bodies, part of their reproductive cycle, which develop spores and then distribute them into the wind to spread where they will.

These fruiting bodies are high in protein and often very nutritious, so make a nice snack for any passing critter. Most fungi accept this as one of those things that, as a non-mobile fungus, one must put up with. However, there are a number that resent their unborn offspring being gobbled up by animals, and produce a range of really quite nasty poisons to deter peckish beasts.

What do wild mushrooms do to dogs?

The majority of the 4000 or so species of UK mushrooms are harmless – they might not taste nice, but they aren’t actually dangerous. However, there are a number that produce toxins called mushroom poisons (interestingly, although very similar poisons produced by moulds are called mycotoxins, the term is not usually used for those produced by the mushroom fruiting bodies themselves). For centuries, if not millennia, the properties of these fungi have been known by healers, botanists and shamens, and used for a range of uses.

In dogs, we tend to see three groups of clinical effects:

Early onset vomiting and/or diarrhoea

These are usually the least harmful types of mushroom – as a general rule of thumb, the earlier the symptoms appear, the less dangerous the mushroom is. This is because it triggers vomiting and purging that remove any unabsorbed toxins from the dog’s system rapidly. If the dog is violently vomiting within six hours of eating the mushroom(s), then although they need to be seen by one of our vets (dehydration and salt imbalances from profuse vomiting can be dangerous in itself), the prognosis is usually fairly good.

Neurological effects

The most famous example is, of course, Psilocybe semilanceata, the “Magic Mushroom”, but there are a number of different psychoactive fungi in the UK. Unfortunately, dogs do not cope well with the effects of the active ingredients and may develop abnormal behaviour (well, of course!), self-injury, abnormal heartbeats and even seizures. In some cases, death may occur due to trauma while under the influence of the hallucinogen (for example, jumping from windows or running into solid objects), while in severe poisonings, the seizures may result in hyperthermia which may cause death from internal overheating (although fortunately this is relatively rare).

Liver and/or kidney damage

Sadly, many of the most dangerous mushrooms do not give easy tell-tail signs of poisoning until much later – possibly too late. These damage may damage the liver or kidneys, typically resulting in symptoms such as lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination (in kidney failure) and jaundice (in liver failure). Treatment requires intensive supportive therapy and often hospitalisation and the prognosis is guarded.

How do you know if a mushroom is safe or not?

The bottom line is that it’s very hard to tell – many harmless varieties have a poisonous twin that is almost indistinguishable. As a result, we strongly advise you not to let your dog eat wild mushrooms – full stop!

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Neutering Your Female Dog (Spaying)

Why is it important?

There are many reasons to consider neutering your female dog (spaying) and studies in the USA have shown that neutered female dogs (bitches) live longer than unneutered bitches.  Neutering does come with some risks and we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages below and let you know what to expect with the surgery and the recovery from the procedure.  There are a lot of people and websites who will tell you that you must have your bitch spayed, or that you mustn’t. In this guide, however, we’ll look at all the pros and cons, so that you can make your own mind up.  There is also no ‘one size fits all breeds’ and we recommend discussing the procedure and the timing of it for your dog with your veterinary surgeon.

What is 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.  

So, what are the advantages – why do people do it?

Advantage 1

Ending her cycles. Most bitches will come into season roughly every six months (although it may be longer for large and giant breeds) and the season usually lasts for 3 weeks. When they’re in season, or ‘in heat’, they pass a bloody discharge from their vulva, which can be really messy. In addition, every male dog in the vicinity is likely to be queuing up at your back door trying to mate with her! Some bitches also undergo quite dramatic personality changes, and they may suffer from ‘False Pregnancies’ in the couple of months following the season and even start to produce milk. If they get ‘caught’ by a dog, it’s likely to be a real pregnancy and then you have to look after and find homes for all the puppies! Spaying completely removes her cycle (it cannot occur) and she cannot become pregnant.

This means you’re not going to be part of the overpopulation problem, with dogs stacked up waiting for rehoming in shelters and rescue centres.

Advantage 2

Reducing the risk of reproductive tumours: Spaying bitches before the first or second season, or before the age of 2.5 years, may be associated with a reduced risk of developing malignant mammary tumours later in life. This reduction in risk appears to be most marked in the bitches spayed before their first season, followed by those spayed before their second season.  Vaginal tumours are almost exclusively seen in unspayed female dogs over the age of 10. Ovarian tumours and uterine tumours can also occur in unspayed female dogs and are difficult to detect before they become untreatable.

Advantage 3

Eliminates the risk of Pyometra – a serious infection of the womb which, in the majority of cases, requires emergency surgery. If untreated, it is usually fatal. Two-thirds of unneutered bitches over the age of 9 will develop endometrial hyperplasia and these dogs have a higher risk of developing pyometra. 

Advantage 4

Lifespan – research in the USA that looked at the health records of over 2 million pets showed that neutering had a significant effect on the lifespan of neutered bitches, with neutered dogs living on average 7 ½ months longer than unneutered bitches.

Disadvantage 1

Urinary Incontinence occurs in approximately 0.7% of dogs and the incidence is significantly higher in neutered bitches.  Some breeds are more prone to urinary incontinence and there is a greater risk of developing urinary incontinence within two years of neutering if neutered before 6 months of age. Overweight dogs are at greater risk of developing incontinence. Urinary incontinence can be managed medically but will need lifelong treatment.

Disadvantage 2

Weight gain.  After neutering, dogs will be more prone to put on weight. It is important to ensure they are being fed an appropriate diet and not being overfed. Obesity can increase the risk of a number of diseases including joint problems in large breed dogs and breathing problems in flat-faced breeds.

Disadvantage 3

Hormonal coat changes.  A few dogs also show a change to the quality of the coat – this is actually pretty rare and usually really minor.

Disadvantage 4

Orthopaedic disease. Some large breed dogs which are prone to joint disease may have a higher risk of joint disease if neutered.  This is particularly a concern with early neutering and we recommend, if you have a large breed dog, discussing the age of neutering with your veterinary surgeon. 

Disadvantage 5

Risks of the surgery – a bitch spay is a very commonly performed procedure however it does come with some risk of complications.  The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons surveyed practices in 2018 and 75% of procedures were complication-free, with the majority of complications being minor and either require no intervention or some additional medication.  Only 1% required further surgical intervention and there was a 0.2% rate of loss of life (compared to 0.1% in male dogs).

Age at Neutering

In most dogs, particularly small and medium-sized breeds we recommend neutering from 6 months, before their first season. With some large breeds, we may recommend waiting until they have had a season or reached skeletal maturity. This is best discussed with your veterinary surgeon.

Can I have my dog spayed when she is in season?

Unfortunately, there is an increased risk of bleeding when a bitch is in season and also of her developing a phantom pregnancy.  Therefore, we need to wait 10-14 weeks after the last day of her season before performing surgery. 

How is it done?

Unlike neutering a dog, which is a very simple operation (his reproductive organs are easily accessible!), spaying a bitch requires entering the abdomen. In most cases, this is done as an ‘open’ surgery, where she will have a general anaesthetic, then the surgeon will open her abdomen and remove her ovaries and uterus. There is an increased risk of bleeding internally from a bitch spay, and they can require greater post-operative monitoring. However, most dogs will be home with you on the evening of the surgery.

A female dog will need to be closely confined for the first 3 days post-surgery with no leaping, jumping or climbing stairs and lead walks only for 10 days. For a more detailed description of what to expect on the day of the surgery please see our page on neutering male dogs.

Laparoscopic Spays

An alternative to an open spay is the laparoscopic bitch spay, where we use keyhole surgery just to remove her ovaries – this has a much faster recovery time and seems to provide all the advantages of traditional surgery.  We do not recommend laparoscopic spays for dogs under 5kgs or bitches that have had more than five seasons as they have an increased risk of pre-existing uterine disease which would require removal of the uterus.  Laparoscopic spays are performed on a referral basis at our Veterinary Hospitals and are more expensive than a regular spay.

In conclusion…

Spaying your dog is an important decision – there are hundreds of thousands of unwanted dogs in the UK, so reproductive control is really important. It also genuinely does save lives. However, there are disadvantages too, so it’s important that you make up your own mind. If you would like to discuss this further with your vet, get in touch.

Don’t forget, ProActive Pets members, receive 20% off routine neutering!

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Neutering Your Male Dog (Castration)

Why is it important?

Unlike wolves, who breed according to food supply and the seasons, our domestic male dogs are quite promiscuous creatures. They will mate all year round, at any given opportunity and this can lead to increased risk of roaming, injury, certain diseases, and overpopulation.  It can also lead to inappropriate or unattractive behaviours around our homes and families including mounting, humping, and territorial urine marking.  

Neutering is the most common surgical procedure carried out on dogs. If you’re trying to decide whether to get your dog ‘done’, it’s worth looking at the arguments for it, against it, and then looking at the procedure.

Advantage 1

Neutering helps reduce the population of abandoned dogs and the passing on of genetic defects.

Advantage 2

It reduces behaviours pet owners often dislike, such as running off to look for bitches in heat (which increases their risk of road accidents or going missing), less sexual behaviour such as masturbation and humping, a reduction in some types of hormonal driven aggression, and territorial urine marking.

Advantage 3

Neutering will prevent your dog from developing a testicular tumour. Neutering also reduces the risk of some prostatic diseases, hernias, and certain cancers of the bottom.

Advantage 4

Studies have shown that neutered dogs have a longer life span compared to unneutered dogs. This is most significant in female dogs, but male neutered dogs have also been shown to live longer than unneutered male dogs.

Disadvantage 1

More or less by definition, a surgically castrated dog’s fertility is permanently removed, so you can’t change your mind. (HOWEVER, remember that he may still have some sperm ‘left over’ for several weeks after the operation, should he get the chance to ‘use’ them!). We do now also have the option of a hormonal implant which will induce a temporary castration for 6 to 12 months.  Speak to your vet whether this option is appropriate for your pet.

Disadvantage 2

Weight gain – castrated dogs need fewer calories than entire ones, so you need to feed them less or they’ll put on weight! This weight gain may lead to certain health conditions associated with obesity, such as orthopaedic injuries or osteoarthritis.

Disadvantage 3

Risk of surgery – all surgeries and anaesthetics carry a risk of either mild or more serious complications. The procedure to castrate a male dog is a very routine and low-risk surgery, with very few incidents of serious complications.

How do I decide?

It is important to discuss this with your vet at their six-month health check and then you can make the decision on if and when to neuter your dog. The best time to neuter can depend on the breed and size of your dog.    Some male dogs will have a ‘retained testicle’ when the testicle remains in the abdomen and does not descend into the scrotum. It is very important that this is identified at this age, the testicles surgically removed and that your dog is fully castrated.  If this is not treated, it increases the risk of undetected testicular cancer.

So, when you’ve made up your mind to have your dog neutered, what is the procedure?

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 – essentially returning his hormone balance to that of a prepubescent puppy. There is no evidence that dogs miss their testicles once they’re gone, nor does castration per se have any effect on their personality or psychological development.

So, what actually happens on the day of the surgery?

We perform castrations as a day surgery, your dog will spend the day with us and will normally be discharged back to your care that evening.  The night and morning before the procedure, it’s important to withhold food from midnight, but he should have access to water until he comes to the clinic.

He will be admitted by a member of our team and fully examined by a Vet before his procedure. During the admission process, we will recommend a pre-anaesthetic blood test to check his metabolic function prior to a general anaesthetic and we discuss the surgery, provide an estimate if not already provided and ask you to read and sign a surgical and anaesthetic consent form.  It is important an adult is present to give consent for the procedure and that you provide a contact number on which we can contact on the day of the procedure.

Your dog will be kept in a hospital cage with soft bedding and we will give him a ‘pre-med’ injection (a combination of sedation and pain relief to help him relax and reduce any pain following the procedure). Then, when we’re ready, we will give him a general anaesthetic via an intravenous catheter, so he is completely asleep, and pass a breathing tube down his throat to help him breathe. The nurse will scrub the area around his scrotum (ball sack) while the vet scrubs up, and then they’ll begin.

It takes perhaps 15 minutes (a very quick procedure!) as a small incision is made in front of the scrotum, and one at a time the testicles are pulled out of this, clamped and cut off. The arteries and spermatic cords are then tied off with dissolvable stitches, and the skin layers closed with sutures. Remember, the scrotum is not removed – it is normal for your dog to go home with an empty pouch of skin between their back legs. Sometimes there may be some swelling in the scrotum following the surgery, but this should reduce quickly over the coming days.

How long will it take for him to recover?

As soon as he’s awake and his sedatives have worn off, he can go home with a collar on to stop him licking at the wounds until they’ve healed. Most dogs are completely back to normal in a day or so, but it is important to restrict their exercise and keep him on a lead until the wound has healed and any external sutures are removed – this is normally 7-10 days after the surgery.

We will examine him 2-3 days after the surgery to make sure he is healing as expected, and then again at 7 to 10 days post-surgery.  He will be discharged with pain relief and a special diet recommendation to help him recover from the anaesthetic.

In conclusion…

Neutering of male dogs does prevent some unpleasant diseases, reduces undesirable behaviours and can increase the lifespan of your pet.  It is important to modify their diet and calorie intake post castration to avoid the increased risk of obesity. 

If you are still unsure if it is right for your dog, our vets will be happy to discuss with you further at a routine health visit.  Unlike in female dogs, the timing of the procedure is less critical to their long-term health, and it is a procedure that can be conducted at any age, although it is best performed before undesirable behaviours become learnt behaviours, or before hormonally induced disease develops.

Don’t forget, ProActive Pets members receive 20% off routine neutering!

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