Lifelong care for pets providing clinical excellence, knowledge and experience
NEWS
TICK AWARENESS by
Ruth Simmons (Small Animal Vet) After a relatively warm wet winter it seems likely there will be many more ticks in the UK this summer. Ticks latch onto dogs and cats, feed on their blood and eventually fall off a few days later. They can cause irritation to your pet, leading to skin reaction and lumps which in turn may become infected. Ticks can also carry Lyme disease. This may not show obvious symptoms, but in some pets it can cause signs ranging from lethargy and inappetance to lameness. A long course of antibiotics is needed to kill the bacteria. There is now a vaccine available to protect dogs against Lyme disease, so speak to your vet if you would like more information about this. It is important to prevent ticks from feeding on your pet in the first place. We have a number of different products available to kill ticks including spot-ons, chew tablets and long acting collars. There are a few new products on the market which have proven effective and should also make it easier for you to protect your pet. In dogs, there are two new chews which can be used against fleas and ticks; one lasts for a month, the other a full three months. Studies have shown that the majority of dogs accept it like as a tasty treat making it very easy to give. In cats we are excited about a new all-in-one spot-on treatment which treats fleas, ticks, roundworms and tapeworms infestations. This ensures your cat is protected against all parasites with just one easy application a month.
June 2014
Contact us: PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP 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
If you find a tick on your pet it is important to remove it as soon as possible. You can do this with a tick hook remover or our nurses are happy to do this for you.
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP Visit us at: www.paragonvet.com and please ‘like’ us on our FACEBOOK page www.facebook.com/ParagonVets.Pets
24 hour emergency service
DESENSITISATION OF NOISE PHOBIA by SAM HOLLIDAY (Veterinary Nurse)
Nearly half of all dogs have a noise phobia. This may be a minor issue for some, but for others it can be extreme. Not all animals will respond in the same way to loud noises. Typical noises that may provoke anxiety in a dog include thunderstorms, fireworks, vacuums, construction noises, gunshots, smoke alarms etc. Different things can trigger the phobia such as sights, smells, being in a certain environment or even how the owner is acting. Signs and symptoms include: - Uncontrolled Urinating and defecating - Hiding - Excessive panting or salivation - Chewing - Vocalisation - Trembling - Pacing - Dilated pupils - Digging - Trying to escape (jumping out of windows) - Seeking out the owner.
NEUTERING SPECIAL OFFER Throughout June and July we are offering 10% off the standard price of neutering for cats and dogs. Please ask for more information if you’d like to discuss whether neutering is right for your pet.
Behavioural aids can help but desensitisation and counter conditioning have a more permanent effect. Desensitisation involves the introduction and gradual increase of noise. The aim is to train the dog to stay calm when hearing the source of fear at a low volume. Over time the volume can be slowly increased allowing the dog to remain calm. Counter conditioning then involves teaching the dog to associate loud noises on the cd with a pleasant experience such as playing or being fed. The end stage is to get the dog to be excited and happy when the sounds are played. Sounds Scary cds have been produced by two top behaviourists and come complete with manual and reference guide as well as a variety of noises, They are available at Paragon. For more information and advice, please make an appointment to see me.
Graham Thompson is a pet behaviour counsellor, dog trainer and writer. He is giving a talk on Friday 20th June 2014 at Newbiggin Village Hall on the theme of ... ‘Why does my dog….?’ It will give an insight into what a dog is and why it does what it does. He will also look at some common behavioural issues.
WAITING ROOM CORNER In the Waiting Rooms of our practices we have a selection of pet food, toys, bedding and gifts. We often have special offers... And we also carry a range of pet calming solutions such as Feliway diffusers for cats and Adaptil for dogs. We also have the Scary Sounds cds mentioned above and Thundershirts. Ask us for more information.
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP Visit us at: www.paragonvet.com and please ‘like’ us on FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ParagonVets.Pets