Health-St Mary's Veterinary Clinic-Preventative care for cats, dogs and rabbits

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This section provides information on a number of subjects. It should be realised that it is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.

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How do I brush my pet’s teeth?

If you can successfully brush your pet’s teeth it will make a huge difference to their health and to the effect their breath has on people! When first starting realize that you will be doing this the whole of their lives so it is counter productive to rush into it and put them off co-operating. Introduce it gradually in a calm and patient way.
Day1 Gently stroke the outside of the cheeks with your finger. Hold up the lips and peer at the teeth. Don't try and do anything inside today and give them plenty of encouragement if they are calm. If they struggle, stop and try again latter. Do not turn it into a fight!
Day 2 Repeat as above but this time put a little toothpaste (not human paste!) on the end of your finger and let them smell and lick it
Day 3 As day 2 but continue by running your finger inside their mouth, over their teeth for 30-40 seconds. Reward and praise good behaviour.
Day 4 Repeat again but this time extend the period spent on the teeth by about 15 seconds. Always praise the behaviour you want and ignore inappropriate behaviour.
Day 5 If all is going well then start as before with your finger but then introduce the toothbrush with a little toothpaste on it and run it lightly over the teeth for 30 seconds. Don't attempt to brush.
Day 6 Repeat as day 5 but start to apply gentle pressure and start to brush. Day 7
By this stage you should be able to brush the outside of the teeth and can gradually extend the time spent on this. If this is as far as you get then that's fine. If your pet is really co-operative then try opening the jaw and doing the outside of the back, bottom teeth that are covered by the top teeth when the mouth is closed. If you eventually progress to doing the inside of the teeth we consider you a quite superior pet owner! Remember to take a few days to progress to more extensive cleaning
To make life easy we supply special toothbrushes for cats and dogs plus toothpaste designed for your pet. Remember not to use human toothpaste as this is not designed for animals and not to be ingested. Also consider the use of dental chews and specialised dental health diets which we can also ad
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Obesity

The dangers of obesity

Obesity in pets is a common and growing problem. Obesity can cause or compound

Arthritis
High blood pressure
Liver disease
Diabetes
Shortened lifespan
Breathing difficulties
Poor exercise ability
Heart disease
Heat stroke
Reduced quality of life

What causes obesity?

The definition of obesity is if your pet is 15% over its recommended weight. It is not an easy task to reduce an animal’s weight so prevention is the best idea. So what causes obesity?

Too much food.

Too little exercise.

It's as simple as that.

Feeding your pet

Most diets suggest an amount to be fed. This is a guideline. The requirements of individuals can vary greatly. If you notice an increase in weight cut back on the food before they become overweight. If your pet becomes less active it will need to have its food reduced. If your pet is overweight consider the following

Reduce the diet by at least 20%.
Use a low calorie diet (make sure the new diet really is providing less calories otherwise they won't lose weight).
Cut out snacks and treats.
If you must feed snacks use a portion of their main meal or perhaps use carrots or apples.
Measure by each meal volume or weight. It's so easy to add just a little extra because it doesn't look enough!
Split the food into several meals.
Do not leave food down between meals!
Harden yourself against the "doe eyed" look and provide love and distraction rather than food.

Remember very few animals can use a tin opener.

Exercising your pet

Exercise has an important part in weight loss. Obesity is caused by too much food and too little exercise. Apart from helping weight loss it has other benefits too (see exercise section). Some exercise tips.

Dogs

Exercise several times a day rather than one longer walk.
Play fetch games.
Play tug of war.
Start with short exercise periods and increase length slowly.
if joint disease is present use low impact exercise such as walking and swimming.
Very obese animals should be exercised cautiously.
Avoid exercising during the hot period of summer days, especially very obese animals.

Cats

Play hunting games using mouse or bird toys.
Put their food inside a special cat treat ball (part of their ration!).
Feed them at the top of the stairs.
Throw dried ration around to incorporate exercise into feeding times.

Monitoring your pets weight

Please feel free to come in and use our scales to monitor your animal's weight. If you feel you need help and support to reduce your pets weight please contact Gemma for a free one to one weight clinic appointment. Obesity requires a lifestyle change, not a crash diet

Comparing calorie contents of new and old diets
Equivalent amount of new diet (grams)= (Amount of old diet fed in grams) X (calorie content old diet per 100g) / (calorie content new diet per 100g)
To reduce weight you would now need to feed 80% of this amount.Return to diet section

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Vaccination

Why vaccinate your pet?

Most of the diseases we vaccinate against have no specific treatment and can cause severe suffering and often death. Vaccination primes the immune system to fight off these diseases before they can establish. Vaccination against one disease only protects against that disease.

Core Vaccines

These are vaccinations against those diseases that it is considered all animals should be protected against. Core vaccines are required should you wish to put your pet into kennels or cattery. These are:

Dogs

Distemper. This virus attacks the gut, lungs and brain and is often fatal.
Infectious canine hepatitis. This virus attacks the liver, kidneys, eyes and lungs and can be fatal within 1-2 days.
Canine parvovirus. This virus is very resistant to being destroyed in the environment. It affects the gut causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is often fatal.
Leptospirosis. We vaccinate against 2 forms of Leptospirosis. One is carried by rats and can be picked up from contaminated watercourses. It attacks the liver and kidneys and is often fatal. It can also be transmitted to people. The second form is transmitted between dogs and causes long term kidney disease and failure.

Cats

Feline panleucopenia. This virus causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is frequently fatal. The virus survives a long time in the environment.
Cat flu. 2 different viruses cause this, calicivirus and herpesvirus. These are widespread viruses with many cats carrying the virus without outward signs. Although often not fatal if adequate treatment is given it can result in long term, distressing, breathing difficulties.

Rabbits

Myxomatosis. This is a viral infection causing swelling of eyelids, ears, nose, genitalia and death through pneumonia. It is transmitted by biting insects such as fleas and mosquitoes. Even house rabbits are at risk.

Non-core vaccines

These are given to protect against diseases if an animal is considered to be at risk.

Dogs

Bordetella. This causes ‘kennel cough’, a persistent, exhausting cough. This is often a self limiting disease only occasionally needing treatment. Vaccination is generally restricted to high risk periods such as kenneling or dog shows.
Rabies. This fatal disease transmissible to people is not present in the UK. Vaccination is only required if your pet is traveling abroad.

Cats

Feline leukaemia virus. This affects the immune system resulting in increased infections and also cancers. Once infected cats may appear normal for several months to years and hence can further spread the disease. Direct cat to cat contact is required so cats that do not go out are not at risk.
Chlamydia. This is considered a common cause of conjunctivitis but is treatable. As yet we do not recommend vaccination against this.
Bordetella. This is an uncommon cause of respiratory signs such as coughing. Vaccination is restricted to multicat households which may be at risk.
Rabies. This fatal disease transmissible to people is not present in the UK. Vaccination is only required if your pet is traveling abroad.

Why vaccinate every year?

Vaccination has not been shown to provide lifelong immunity. Some vaccine components have been demonstrated to last at least 3 years in dogs so the vaccine your dog requires varies from year to year. All cat vaccine components are currently recommended yearly.

Why vaccinate against diseases seen infrequently?

The reason they are seen infrequently is because we vaccinate against them! If we reduce the number of animals vaccinated in the population then we would expect to see disease outbreaks just the same as has happened recently in children.

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Feeding your pet

Rabbits and Guinea pigs

Water
Fresh water should always be available. If using sipper bottles check they are working OK as they can easily become blocked. If your pet is housed outside check for icing of the water in winter.
Hay and grass
Good quality hay is very important. It should smell sweet, not musty, have few weeds and not be dusty. Allow your pet to engage in normal grazing behaviour as long as no lawn treatments have been used recently. Do not use grass mowings as the bruised grass blades can start to ferment very rapidly and cause digestive upsets.
Greens
A wide range of green vegetables and herbs can be given. This is especially important in guinea pigs as they provide an essential source of vitamin C. Suitable foods include: broccoli, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower leaves, sprout leaves, curly kale ,carrot tops, beetroot leaves, dandelion, groundsel, chickweed, basil, parsley and other herbs. Apples can be used as treats.
Commercial dried foods
These are at best not necessary and at worst the cause of much suffering. Mixed dried diets allow selective feeding which can result in dental disease, eye disease, diarrhoea and flystrike. High fibre is essential in both species and many dried foods provide inadequate levels. Poorly stored guinea pig food may be lacking in vitamin C. Fresh green vegetables, grass, hay and water are to be preferred.

Cats and dogs

A cat is not a small dog
Cats require a different diet to dogs. Cats' diets should be based on high levels of protein which mimics there natural diet of small rodents and birds. Dogs are able to cope with a lower protein diet and which contains more carbohydrate. Cats require certain amino acids (protein building blocks) which dogs do not need.
A balanced diet
A diet of fresh chicken or prawns is no more balanced for your pet than it is for you! A balanced diet has protein, carbohydrate(dogs), fats, plus many different minerals and vitamins. It is possible to prepare your own diet but the cost of any mistakes will be borne by your pet. This is especially important in growing animals.
Choosing a Commercial diet
There are a wide range of commercial diets available both dried and tinned. Many are suitable and it would be impossible to give a review of all the makes. We recommend Hills science plan as a good diet which is available for various breed sizes and life stages. We would advise caution in the use of unfamiliar brands as the quality may not be as good as you think. This is especially so if it appears cheap. Quality ingredients and production have a price.
How much should be fed
The amount to be fed depends on the size of your pet, its activity, its lifestage and whether it is currently under- or overweight. Most diets provide a feeding guide. Please bear in mind they are only a guide and that a very active young dog may need 3 times or more the amount a sedentary senior pet might need. Food should be meal fed and not left down all day. The latter encourages snacking and weight gain. Puppies and kittens have smaller stomachs but big needs for growth so 3 or 4 meals daily may be needed. Older cats are generally fed twice daily whereas dogs are often fed only once daily.
Life stages/styles
Different stages of a pets life and different lifestyles have different dietary needs. Young animals need higher energy and protein containing foods for growth coupled with their relatively small stomachs. This also applies to late pregnancy and lactation. Very active adult dogs need plenty of concentrated calories where as a couch potato will need a low calorie diet. Older animals may also benefit from a lower calorie diet as their activity becomes reduced. They may also benefit from a diet that is more easily digested or contains supplements to aid joint function.
Supplements
If you are feeding your pet a good quality commercial pet food then no supplements are needed. In fact they can cause problems. The use of vitamin A containing supplements in cats can lead to severe joint and spinal problems. Giving a growing large breed dog calcium supplements for its 'bones' can result in an increased risk of bone disease.

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Trimming nails

The first thing to ask yourself is do my pets nails need trimming? Nails are sensitive and trying to clip nails that do not need cutting can result in bleeding, pain and an animal that will no longer allow you to examine its feet. With dogs have your pet stand on a flat surface and look to see if the nails touch the ground. If they do not or only just touch then they probably don't need trimming. Cats claws generally do not require trimming unless you have an older cat and you may notice that they are catching in the carpets. Dogs dew claws (thumb) can grow around in a circle and penetrate the foot as can any claw in older cats.

There are 3 types of nail trimmers: guillotine, those where the blades meet each other and those where the blades cross over. Generally I find the cross nail cutters over ones the most effective and least likely to cause discomfort. Ensure the size is appropriate too. Small clippers used on a large dog don't allow enough leverage to cut cleanly and easily. Large clippers used on a small dog or cat can catch pads and result in accidental injuries.

Get your pet used to having it's feet handled and nails touched with rewards and praise. If possible delay actually cutting of the nails until they are nail cutting co-operative. When cutting only cut the very tip off at first. It is better to cut a little off every week than to try to take a lot off once a month. The reason is that the nail has a nerve and blood vessel running in the middle at the base. The closer to this you cut the more it squeezes the nerve and the more uncomfortable it is. This discomfort will make your pet foot-shy and make future attempts more difficult. If you cut too short you also run the risk of cutting through this blood vessel and nerve resulting in pain and bleeding that is difficult to stem. If your pet's nails are white then you should be able to see the pink of the vessel. Cut at least 5mm distant to the end of this.

In general with home trimming you should be aiming with dogs for the nails to be just touching the ground and with cats to avoid ingrown claws and catching on carpets and cloth. Don't forget the dew claw and if in doubt arrange for us to have a look!

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Neutering

Spaying your dog

If you have no intention of breeding your bitch we advise spaying at 6 months of age. There are several reasons for this.

Spaying before the first season almost eliminates the risk of mammary (breast) cancer in bitches. If not spayed the risk increases dramatically over the first 3 seasons.
Pregnancy is an ever present risk with potential for complications and the problems of homing puppies.
Older bitches are prone to the life threatening condition of pyometra if not spayed. This requires emergency surgery in an ill patient with an increase in risks and complications compared to a routine spay.
Older bitches may develop ovarian or uterine tumours. If your bitch can pick an inconvenient time to be in season, it will!

Surgery is performed in the morning with your pet coming home the same day. Most bitches are almost back to normal within a day or so. Exercise needs to be restricted for about a fortnight to give time for the wound to heal. Apart from ensuring your bitch does not interfere with its wound (collars are available) little special care is required post operatively.

Spaying your cat

The main reason for spaying your cat is to prevent unwanted pregnancies. If your cat is over 6 months of age then it WILL get pregnant unless it is confined indoors permanently. There is no shortage of kittens and you will responsible for the care of your cat's offspring until and IF you can find homes for them!

We recommend spaying at 6 months of age. Surgery is performed in the morning with your pet coming home the same day. Please keep your cat in as long as possible, preferably until the sutures are removed. Most cats are almost back to normal within a day or so. Apart from ensuring your cat does not interfere with its wound (collars are available) little special care is required post operatively.

Spaying your rabbit

Spaying your female rabbit has several advantages.

Prevents uterine cancer which is thought to be very common in older animals.
Reduces aggression.
Reduces urine spraying.
Prevents unwanted pregnancy. Rabbits are well known for their fertility!

Castrating your dog

Unlike bitches castrating dogs does not have major health advantages. Most dogs are castrated because of behavioural problems. These relate to the male hormone testosterone which can cause

wandering
excessive attention to bitches
aggression to male dogs
inappropriate sexual behaviour

Castration may be required in the treatment of

prostatic disease
perianal adenomas
and perineal hernias.

Castration does not help with bad behaviour, excess energy and many types of aggression

We recommend castration in animals with male hormone associated problems. Surgery is performed in the morning with your pet coming home the same day. Most dogs are almost back to normal within a day or so. Exercise needs to be restricted for a few days. Apart from ensuring your dog does not interfere with its wound (collars are available) little special care is required post operatively.

Castrating your cat

Unless you own a purebred stud you will need to castrate your tom. Entire male cats are prone to

fighting resulting in abscesses and other injuries
contracting fatal FIV and FeLV viral infections
wandering with increased risk of road traffic accidents
marking their territory (your home!) with very pungent urine
and generally smelling pretty awful (except to female cats?)

We recommend castrating your cat at 6 months of age. Surgery is performed in the morning with your pet coming home the same day. Most cats are back to normal within a day or so. Apart from ensuring your cat stays in for a least 24 hours little special care is required post operatively.

Castrating your rabbit

Castrating your male rabbit has 3 main advantages.

Reduces aggression. Both to you and other rabbits.
Reduces urine spraying. Both the cage and you!
Prevents unwanted pregnancy. Rabbits are well known for their fertility!

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Exercise

The benefits of exercise are many.

Mental and physical stimulation
Reduced boredom and depression
Helps weight control
Improves circulation
May help slow mental aging/senility
Slows decline in muscle and joint function
Helps reduce constipation
Reduces risk of urinary tract disease in cats
Helps reduce risk of diabetes especially in cats
Improves quality of life
Helps keep arthritic dogs mobile

Exercise for cats

Cats are often very sedentary spending a large portion of their lives asleep! They are designed by nature as hunters so exercise needs to be directed at this. They are also adapted to short bouts of activity followed by rest. Dogs are marathon runners and cats are sprinters.

Feed your cat upstairs so it has to climb the stairs.
Throw its dried food ration so it has to chase it.
Try a feeding ball.
Shine a torch on the floor and watch your pet try to catch the light.
Drag a toy mouse around to chase or use cotton wool balls.
Use a toy or feathers on a 'fishing pole'.

Exercise for dogs

Dogs are generally easier to encourage to exercise but take care not to take it to the point of collapse. Avoid exercising in the heat of a summer day as you risk heat stroke. If your pet is overweight or old take things slow. If you have any worries about your pet's health get him/her checked before starting an exercise regime. Pets with arthritis or other joint problems benefit from steady walking or swimming and the avoidance of chasing games as these put extra stress on the joints.

Walking on or off the lead is excellent exercise especially for overweight dogs.
Chasing balls or frisbees (not sticks!) is great if you are not too fit yourself.
Swimming for those who like it is excellent for increasing muscle strength without putting too much stress on the joints.
Agility is great for young fit dogs.
Hunting for titbits is great for 'nosey' breeds.
Go for steady daily exercise not all out once a week.
Beware of overdoing it on holiday!

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