Lifelong care for pets providing clinical excellence, knowledge and experience
NEWS ASK THE VET by
Laura McKirdy You Are What You Eat
One owner has told me her Papillion puppy won’t eat the pet food she has bought it. My advice is to not be tempted to make the puppy an alternative meal, but to persevere and to be patient. There are many good, nutritionally complete, balanced pet foods on the market, so ask your Vet which one would be best for your pet. It is vitally important that puppies eat the food they need to keep them healthy and allow them to grow into healthy adults.
Does your pet beg for scraps when you are having meals? What do you do when they give you those ‘feed me’ looks? Some owners put their pets away when they sit down to eat but others share their food with their pets. By doing this they are teaching their pets bad habits. A canine behaviourist once told me that ‘once is a mistake, twice is a habit’, and this is especially true when it comes to food. If you allow your pet to eat from your plate or feed them ‘human’ food (i.e. not dog/cat food), they will want it again and again and again. It will become a hard habit to break and they’ll pester you every time you sit down to eat. So - don’t allow them to beg for your food - or to try a sample. If they don’t know what they’re missing, they’ll be much less likely to ask for it! If you have a pet-related question for this column, please email it to:
laura.mckirdy@paragonvet.com
See over for news of our pet owners’
SUMMER FAYRE
24 hour emergency service
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP Visit us at: www.paragonvet.com and please ‘like’ us on our FACEBOOK page www.facebook.com/ParagonVets.Pets
August 2012
Contact us:
CALDEW VETERINARY HOSPITAL Carlisle House, Townhead Road, Dalston, Carlisle CA5 7JF Tel: (01228) 710208 vets@paragonvet.com TOWNHEAD VETERINARY CENTRE Newbiggin, Stainton, Penrith, CA11 0HT Tel: (01768) 483789 townhead@paragonvet.com LONDON ROAD SURGERY 87 London Road Carlisle CA1 2LG Tel: (01228 591005)
STAFF NEWS
SPECIAL OFFER
Charlotte Smith recently joined the Paragon team
Worms, ticks and fleas can be a real problem for dogs and cats - and they can lead to serious illnesses. Regular treatment is essential to keep your pet in top condition. Buy 3 doses of Drontal wormer for your dog or cat - and get one FREE.
Emma Sturch is in her final year of the veterinary
Flea and tick treatment should be done monthly - buy 3 doses and get one FREE.
Meet two new members of staff... as a trainee nurse. She hopes to graduate following her 2 year training course. In her spare time she enjoys horse riding and seeing friends.
nursing course. In her spare time, she likes to walk Albi her jack russell, along with her parents’ dogs, Ginny and Bramble, and to socialise with friends and spend time with her family.
Ask us for details.
SUMMER FAYRE Come and join us on Friday August 17th for all the fun of the
Paragon Summer Fayre!
DALSTON