Wood Green

A lasting tribute to those no longer with us

A new tribute site from Wood Green, The Animals Charity gives pet lovers the opportunity to celebrate the life of a beloved friend, family member or pet by creating a space to come together, share anecdotes and keep the memories of loved ones alive. Giving a gift in someone’s memory is a wonderful way to commemorate their life, whilst also supporting Wood Green’s work to care for thousands of vulnerable pets every year.

Jensen Calleemootoo, from Wood Green’s InMemory Giving team, said: “Losing someone is never easy and we understand how painful it can be. Although nothing can replace them, we know that many people find a great deal of comfort and purpose by creating a tribute fund in their name, for a cause close to their heart. By donating or fundraising around key milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries, those loved ones stay with us forever – and help Wood Green be there for even more pets in need.”

For Len, a gift to Wood Green was the perfect way to honour his late wife, Val: “Leaving a lasting tribute to Val means her love for animals lives on through the care Wood Green gives to homeless pets. Supporting a cause which brought her so much joy and happiness gives me comfort. I have something positive to focus on, despite the pain I felt since losing her.”

To find out more about setting up a tribute fund for a loved one, please visit inmemory.woodgreen. org.uk or contact Wood Green’s In-Memory Giving team on 0300 303 9333 option 3.

Celebrate the memory of a loved one

Setting up a tribute fund is a wonderful way to commemorate a life whilst making a difference to pets in need.

Visit www.inmemory.woodgreen. org.uk or call our In-Memory Giving team on 0300 303 9333 option 3

Wood Green, The Animals Charity, Registered Charity No. 298348 009011NC0121

Arthritis in dogs and cats

Arthritis can affect the joints of dogs and cats as they get older. As advances in pet care allow more pets to reach a good old age, pet owners need to be aware of the signs of arthritis so that they can help out their furry friend.

What is arthritis? Most cases of arthritis in dogs and cats are osteoarthritis. This is also known as “wear and tear” arthritis, where the cartilage over the ends of the bones wears thin and the bones can end up rubbing against each other.

What are the symptoms of arthritis? If arthritis affects one leg more than the others, an obvious limp may be seen – either all of the time, or particularly after exercise or a long period of rest. But if all of the legs are affected equally, a specific lameness will not be seen and pets will show more subtle signs. These may include an uncharacteristic grumpiness or irritability, reluctance to exercise, or altered habits such as avoiding jumping onto furniture or being restless at night. Which pets are most at risk of arthritis? Any dog or cat can develop arthritis. However, risk increases with age and also with bodyweight. Pets that are born with poorly fitting joints (hip or elbow dysplasia) or have suffered accidents to joints in the past, are likely to develop arthritis in these joints earlier than others.

How is arthritis diagnosed? Veterinary surgeons will ask pet owners questions about their pet’s exercise and behaviour habits and consider these alongside a general physical examination with closer orthopaedic and neurological examinations. Xrays (and sometimes CT or ultrasound scans) will provide further information.

How is arthritis treated? Occasionally arthritis can be “cured” if affected joints can be replaced (for example with a hip replacement). More commonly, arthritis is managed with a combination of antiinflammatory medications, pain relief, weight and exercise management, physiotherapy and home modifications to keep pets comfortable and mobile.

Heavenly Hellebores

I fell in love with Hellebores a few years ago after an early spring visit to the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge where there are some beautiful displays. They provide a spring garden with elegant colour, and I admit to being quite excited when they appear.

They are poisonous plants so are probably best avoided if you have young children. They have a somewhat magical history. A mythological physician named Melampus was said to have observed the cathartic effect of hellebore on goats who munched on the plants. Melampus allegedly then used the milk of the same goats to cure the daughters of the King of Argos of their madness. The plant was used for its purgative properties into the Middle Ages and beyond. Personally, I would recommend growing them only for their attractiveness!

The original species originated in the northern parts of Greece and Turkey, but they grow incredibly well in British gardens. Having said that, I was disappointed when my first hellebore plants didn’t thrive initially. They seemed to succumb to disease quite easily. I subsequently learned this this was black rot. Then I heard Alan Titchmarsh’s advice to carefully cut the large fingered leaves from the plant at ground level in January, taking care not to damage the buds. This somewhat brutal treatment has worked a treat and my hellebores are now flourishing. year-on-year. The stems shoot up to 25-30cm high between late January and February and the flowers appear at the top. Colours tend to be subtle: green-tinged white, yellow, oxblood red or dull purple but they glow in the more subdued light at this time of year. They would certainly appear washed-out in the bright sun of late spring and summer. The flowers are rich in nectar so provide food for early bees.

There are many varieties of hellebore, with single or double flowers. Just note that not all of them are easy to grow. I have struggled to get the Christmas Rose Helleborus niger to survive, never mind flower, but I’ve had much more success with the Green hellebore, Helleborus viridis, the pretty pink Lenten rose Helleborus x hybridus, which self-seeds quite nicely, and also the Helleborus x hybridus Ashwood Garden hybrids, which come in a variety of colours but don’t seem to self-seed as freely, at least in my garden.

Dig in plenty of mushroom compost before planting, and mulch after you’ve cut the leaves off. Dust with a blood, bone and fishmeal mix after flowering and mulch again with wellrotted leaf mould or compost. Dig up any small self-seeded plants and use them as gifts, or to increase your own colony.