Cat Friendly Vet Trip Tips

How to train your cat to love its cat cage

Cats often hate travelling to the vet.  Lets face it, cats hate anything which interrupts them spending the day lying around, eating and generally living the good life.

This Video from the Catalyst Council has some tips to make trips to the vet less stressful.

Cairns Vet does recommend all cats come to the vet in a cat carrier/cage.  A cat that is carried into a vet clinic can panic when it sees, hears or smells other animals, wheras they feel safe and protected in a cat cage. 

This is made clear when we finish seeing a cat at a consult: clients always comment that the cat hides when they see the cage at home, but then they happily jump straight back into the cage when its time to go home: they know the cage is the "taxi" to get back to kitty heaven.

Read more Cairns Pet News and Cairns Vet Cat Tips
 

 

Blood and Bone Fertiliser is toxic to dogs

Cairns Vet Clinic treated three dogs last week which had been eating blood and bone fertiliser which is toxic to dogs.  As the weather warms up its time to get into the garden and fertilise your plants, but make sure you keep garden chemicals and fertilisers out of reach of your pets!

Doggy Delicacy: Blood and Bone

Blood and Bone: Great for Gardens, not for dogs!

One surprisingly popular delicacy (not sure if you can call it that if they eat it by the kilo though?) is Blood and Bone garden fertiliser.  Some dogs develop quite a taste for this and will eat all they can get their grubby little paws on.  I guess this kind of makes sense, given it is made of meat and bone scraps.  The processing converts this from being food into something totally undigestable though, and dogs can get very sick from eating it.

Don’t let a little chicken poo put you off:

Some dogs don’t stop at blood and bone: Dynamic Lifter and similar natural fertilisers are mostly composed of chicken manure, often with added blood and bone.  These are also eaten by dogs with toxic results.  Keep all fertilisers away from your pets.  This is a common cause of toxicity and dogs (and less commonly cats): the RSPCA advises pet owners to keep toxic fertilisers away from pets

RSPCA Australia recommends that owners take active steps to ensure that their dogs and other pets do not ingest any type of fertilizer material. If an owner suspects their dog or other pet has ingested fertilizer they should contact their local vet immediately for further advice. For information relating to specific fertilizer products or any other questions regarding fertilizer ingestion by dogs or other pets we suggest you contact your local vet.

Other types of fertilizer such as bone meal and blood meal may be eaten in large quantities by dogs which can cause significant gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, constipation) and possibly pancreatitis. Certain fertilizers may also contain bacterial or fungal toxins which can have serious side effects if ingested.

Fertilizers can also be caustic, which irritates the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases ingestion may lead to gastrointestinal ulceration. Impaction (gastrointestinal blockage) with fertilizer material may also occur in some cases.

Symptoms may be more severe however, if a large amount of fertilizer is ingested or if additives such as insecticides and iron are part of the fertilizer mix. Some fertilizers contain a significant amount of iron which can result in iron toxicity. Though heavy metals such as iron are generally not readily absorbed into the animal’s system, they can pose a hazard when dogs ingest large amounts. A few fertilizers also contain insecticides such as disulfoton, a highly toxic organophosphate which when ingested can cause a sudden onset of seizures and pancreatitis.

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Seeing Eye dog for the blind (dog) - amazing pet news

Here is a remarkable story of a blind dog who has her own seeing eye dog:
Actually many blind dogs do very well without their sight, aided by their exceptional smell and hearing... as long as you don't change the furniture too often.

Great story though.
Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

http://www.news.com.au/world/blind-great-dane-and-her-guide-dog-mate-need-a-home/story-e6frfkyi-1226175852946

Lily and her best friend, Maddison, are inseparable and the animal shelter where they live wants them to be kept together. Picture: AP Source: AP

AN ANIMAL shelter has been inundated with offers of help after it requested a home for a pair of Great Danes - one of which is blind, and totally dependent on the other.

Louise Campbell, the manager of Dogs Trust Shrewsbury, in the UK, said more than 200 people have responded to the call for help and possibly a new home since the shelter - near the Welsh town of Newport - went public about the dogs' plight a few days ago.

"It's been phenomenal," she said, adding that it is still too early to say if a suitable home can be found.

Ms Campbell said six-year-old Lily became reliant on Maddison, seven, after a rare medical problem called entropion caused her eyelashes to grow into her eyeballs, leaving them so severely damaged that they had to be removed.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/blind-great-dane-and-her-guide-dog-mate-need-a-home/story-e6frfkyi-1226175852946#ixzz1bmQ75Xbq

Cairns Pets Paralysis Tick Reminder

Paralysis Ticks Are Still A Problem for Cairns Pets

Cairns Pets are at greatest risk of tick paralysis from June to December, with August being a peak paralysis tick season.  However, the last couple of years have been atypical due to unusual weather patterns.   2010 was overall too wet for ticks, and 2011 has really been a bit too dry.

Paralysis ticks seem to thrive best and poison more pets when the weather is warm, and not too wet: partly this may reflect wildlife like bandicoots coming into the same habitat as pets and vice versa: eg in dry weather bandicoots often come into people's yards to dig for food in gardens and lawns.  Cairns Pet Tick paralysis cases often surge in the week after rainfall: perhaps some rain triggers the ticks to hatch or mature.

Tick Paralysis occurs several days after a tick has attached to a pet, and can cause difficulty breathing, weakness, wobbliness, coughing, vomiting and death.

 

All this means that the next week or so could be a high risk time for tick paralysis: check your pet regularly and use a preventative product as recommended by your vet.

Search Your Pet Daily for Paralysis Ticks: no Preventative works 100% of the time.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has done a Press Release to warn owners of the risk of tick paralysis to their pets: this is geared at a south-east Australian audience but still has valid points for Tick Paralysis in Cairns Pets.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

 

Excerpt Below: from Australian Eye: Read the full article http://www.theaustralianeye.com/news/deadly-tick-season-threatens-pets-aoi3587871.html

“Ticks release a toxin when they feed, which leads to a condition known as tick paralysis. Common signs of tick paralysis include gurgling and choking. Dogs will often be unable to bark properly due to paralysis of the throat,” said Dr Wilson.

“Other animals may start to cough when eating or drinking, or may cough up water or food. Some animals may also have trouble breathing. It’s vital to take action immediately if you notice any of these symptoms,” she said.

Ideally pet owners should check dogs and cats daily if they live in tick-prone areas. This is most usefully done by running your hands over the animal to feel for anything unusual. In cats ticks often latch on around the back of the neck where they cannot groom, so it’s important to pay special attention to this area.

“Even if you find and remove a tick it’s important to keep an eye on your pet as they can be affected by the toxin for up to 24 hours after removal,” said Dr Wilson.

Your local vet can give further advice on effective trick prevention products and ways to remove ticks. If you have any concerns about a pet you should contact your local vet for advice.

For further information and requests for interviews contact:
Jacob O’Shaughnessy, Media Relations Manager
Ph: 02 9431 5062 or 0439 628 898

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is the national professional association of veterinary surgeons in Australia. Founded in 1921, the AVA today represents 5000 members working in all areas of animal science, health and welfare.

Read the whole article at

http://www.theaustralianeye.com/news/deadly-tick-season-threatens-pets-aoi3587871.html

 

What price fashion? Animals skinned alive to produce Fashion footwear sold in Australian stores

Animals skinned alive to produce fur lined boots sold in Australian stores

Fur from raccoon dogs, a carnivore farmed in China, is being used in ugg-style boots sold in Australian stores. The boots, which are made of sheepskin (and thus have wool inside) are lined with the soft fur.
The price of fashion? Fur farm animals in china are treated very poorly through their life but their deaths are truly dreadful: they are “stunned” by a blow to the head which seems pretty ineffective: the animals are kicking and wriggling as they are hung up and skinned, and are clearly alive and able to lift their heads and struggle AFTER they have been skinned and thrown onto the ground. Horrible.

Caution: Video may offend – I couldn’t watch it all.

Horrific cruelty in Chinese fur farms: Raccoon dogs skinned alive

Read more at about the cruel fur trade of raccoon dogs at news.com.au  (excerpt below)
http://www.news.com.au/features/environment/australian-fur-trade-using-cruel-raccoon-dog-from-china-in-clothes-and-ugg-boots/story-e6frflp0-1226157064496#ixzz1ZlhU9l6o

 

Many clothing manufacturers are turning to the raccoon dog as a source of cheap fur after the Australian Government banned the import of dog and cat fur from China. Picture: Courtesy of Flickr

Some Australian ugg boots contain raccoon fur according to the Humane Society International. Picture: supplied

SOME Australian ugg boot makers are using pelts from animals skinned alive in China for the footwear and labelling it as wool and other materials, according to an animal rights group.

Investigators from The Humane Society International have today revealed the results of tests on a range of clothing including a brand of the iconic Aussie ugg boot and claim many samples contain the fur of raccoon dogs.

Raccoon dog fur is mainly farmed in China where the animals are kept in unbelievably cruel conditions before being beaten and then skinned alive.

The raccoon dog is indigenous to east Asia and is closely related to carnivorous and omnivorous mammals which includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/features/environment/australian-fur-trade-using-cruel-raccoon-dog-from-china-in-clothes-and-ugg-boots/story-e6frflp0-1226157064496#ixzz1ZlhU9l6o

Dallas McMillan

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Pet insurance: free trial for cairns pets under 12 months old at Cairns Vet Clinic

Pet insurance trial for for Cairns pets

Cairns Vet Clinic is offering free pet insurance trial for dogs and cats under 1 year of age: 

Cairns Vet Clinic has long recomended pet insurance to our clients: now we are pleased to offer a free trial of 1 month pet insurance for all pets under 12 months of age when they are vaccinated or desexed. 

We strongly encourage you to continue the policy: hopefully you never need it, but if you do need pet insurance you’ll be very glad to have it.  We’ve had plenty of our clients tell us what a blessing pet insurance has been to their family when their pet is unwell.  When you are facing serious injury or illness in your family dog or cat the last thing you want to be worrying about is the cost.

There are a wide range of options for pet insurance: make sure you choose one which covers the big things like tick paralysis, broken legs and long term medical problems.  There are some cheaper options which exclude common diseases, especially things like tick paralysis or ruptured cruciate ligaments, or only pay a small amount or have a low cap.

We don’t sell pet insurance or get a commission if you buy it, but we DO want you to get it.  It means if your pet breaks its leg or needs chemotherapy, you won’t have to put it down because you can’t afford to spend $2,000-$7,000 to treat it.  We are happy to answer any questions you have about pet insurance for your pets at any time.  Even if your pet is over 12 months of age, you should still look at pet insurance unless you are confident you can cover major unexpected medical expenses for your pet.

The pet insurance plan we recommend, Pet Plan has been operating in Australia for a long time and offer the most comprehensive cover that we have found of the different policies we have compared.  We actually don’t mind which quality insurance you choose, as long as you consider it so you can look after your pet if they do get sick or hurt.  The monthly cost with Pet Plan is around $22-$28 for cats and $36-$46 for dogs.  There are many cheaper policies but they usually limit total costs, have high excess or exlude common, expensive problems.

There are a wide range of pet insurers out there: Pet plan was one of 6 insurers recommended in a comparison done by choice magazine: You can read the pet insurance review here: http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/money/insurance/personal/pet-insurance-policies-review-and-compare/page/case-studies-and-contacts.aspx 

Pet Supplies from Cairns Vet Clinic

Cairns Vet Clinics Manoora, Aeroglen and Gordonvale Branches all carry a great range of Pet Supplies for dogs, cats, birds & other pets (and even wildlife). Anything we don’t stock we can order in, including bulk products and unusual pet supplies. Did you know we even supply fish farms and breeders with some products they just can’t source elsewhere?

Pet supplies for dogs and cats from Cairns Vet Clinics

Of course, we stock all the common pet supplies you’d expect to find at a quality vet or pet shop such as pet food, flea treatment, tick products, heartworm preventatives and worm tablets. We also do Annual Heartworm Injections which are a great way to make sure you remember to protect your pet against heartworm.

Cairns Pet Supplies: Aeroglen Vet Clinic