6 minute read
Pets
Letting your best friend go…
by Lynn Broom Longmead Veterinary Practice
AS PET OWNERS we will, unfortunately, have to face losing our pet at some point. This may be taken out of our hands but we often have to decide when to make this decision.
Many pets are as important to us as the human members of our families and any final decisions are never taken lightly. As a pet owners we have the responsibility for their care and it is our job to prevent suffering.
Your vet will be able to help you decide when to make this decision, or you can use online Quality of Life scales to help you assess your pet’s overall quality of life.
Vets understand this is a difficult conversation and we will do our best to help you come to the right decision. We can usually advise you from a more practical viewpoint and can offer alternatives where feasible such as medication, surgery or re-homing when behavioural, financial or practical issues exist.
Your vet will not judge you for your choices – they want to act in the best interests of your pet. We often feel guilty for making the decision to euthanase a pet, but not taking action may cause more suffering for your pet.
In my view a decision to put your pet to sleep cannot be done too early if it is for the right reasons. If you have discussed all the options weighed up the pros and cons of treatment, and we know your pet is only going to get worse, allowing them to go while still having some enjoyment from life is often kindest.
Just because treatment is available, it doesn’t mean it must be taken.We often consider euthanasia as a last resort, but it is also a treatment option and ensures no ongoing suffering, particularly where the animal’s response to treatment may be poor.
Involve the whole family with the discussions. Teenagers and young adults
often find this decision extremely difficult, particularly with an old pet because they have grown up with them from childhood and they haven’t known life without them. Younger children should also be consulted for their opinion so their concerns can be addressed. Ensure their views are heard and try to get agreement from the whole family on the decision being made. Once the decision has been made please advise your vet if you have any specific requirements related to the procedure. The individual temperament of the pet, their health status, your previous experiences and timing constraints are all factors to Losing your pet can be a difficult experience for the whole family consider so that everything can go as smoothly as possible. Whether tour beloved pet is a Great Dane or a hamster, we all have different reasons for the attachment to our animals and the feeling of loss is real and should not be underestimated. Lots of experiences are associated with our pets over the years and this may bring back memories of difficult times. Feelings of loss are very real after losing a much-loved family member and grief can be as significant as if a human family member had died. The Blue Cross (www. bluecross.org.uk) provides a pet bereavement helpline service which can provide extra support if needed.
KOI CARP for sale 12” £40 each 07745 898265
BORDER TERRIER PUPS, KC registered and SLEM clear. Both parents wonderful temperaments, champions in both pedigrees. Ready 1st August 07788 674890
Companions at Peace Pet Cremation
Independent family run business offering a very personal, caring pet cremation service to bereaved pet owners. Collection Service Farewell Room Out of Hours Service provided Located in a rural countryside setting on the Somerset Dorset border
APRICOT CALL DUCK WITH 6
BABIES, Peking baton with 3 chicks 01300 341640 eve
KITTENS FOR SALE!
Cream, ginger, tabby and black. Girls and boys. call 07799 418522. ESS PUPPIES FOR SALE, b&w dogs. KC registered. Many FTW and FTCH in pedigree. Ready Now POA 07971 691588
CANARIES AND BENGALESE
Breeder retiring all must go 07480 411246
BEAUTIFUL TRUE PARSON
RUSSELL TERRIER Puppies for sale. £1,000 each Array different colours. We have 1 bitch and 7 boys. 1st vaccinations/microchip will be done. Ready to go on Monday 27 June. All puppies can be seen at our family home with mum. Both parents are KC Registered. Call Mark on 07774 189013 BABY BUDGIES FOR SALE. All colours. Ready now. Sherborne. 01985 841360
MOBILE SCANNING AND MICROCHIPPING and dog training. Fully insured contact Sarah on 07769 323429
LAKELAND/TERRIER PUPPIES ready for there new homes 16th June Micro chipped update worming ect comes with 4 weeks free insurance £600 dogs £650 bitches ring Phil on 07885 581455
MUCKY PUPS DOG GROOMER Friars Moor Sturminster Newton Contact Gloria 07784332682 muckypupsfrance@yahoo.com http://muckypups-bee-online.com 15 years experience in dog grooming
CUDDLY, HAPPY YORKSHIRE TERRIER puppies for sale. Ready now. Well adjusted and confident little people. 07742 453285
CAN YOU BE A FOREVER HOME?
These are just some of the cats the Blandford & Sturminster Newton branch of Cats Protection has looking for new homes.
We are still offering neutering and micro-chipping for £5 in postcode areas DT10 and DT11 SP7, SP8 and BH21. Phone 01258 268695.
Felix (13) and Patch (ten). Timid pair who need a home together.
Treelo (11). He is a delightful boy looking for a quiet retirement.
Jinx (six). Indoor home needed for this delightful boy. Stanley (one). Lovely boy looking for a home to call his own. Hattie, Simba and Nero (eight months). Trio need an understanding home together. Do you have the space, time and patience for them? Teddy and Elmo (ten). Delightful boys, friendly and confident once they get to know you.
Kittens
We have kittens available soon. If you would like to register interest, please visit our website and fill in the enquiry form – www.cats.org.uk/blandford Please do not ring as we are all volunteers and can’t always answer the phone. Thank you. For details, please call our helpline on 01258 858644 or visit our website www.cats.org.uk/ blandford
Found cats If you are regularly seeing a cat in your garden or down your street which you don’t think has an owner, please give us a call – it might be a lost cat that could be reunited with its owner.
n Black and white, Bishops Caundle,
Black & White with a black splodge on its nose. BEHAVIOUR TIPS
Tip#17 Lie down on cue
by Helen Taylor
With your dog sitting, hold a smelly treat to its nose – do not say ‘down’ yet!
Very slowly, lower your hand towards a spot between his front paws. If he stands, remove your hand until he sits again, then repeat – more slowly and closer to his chest.
Once he slides his front legs down, release the treat, then say your release word. Repeat a few times.
Next, transfer the treat to your unused hand, but continue luring with your original – but now empty – hand.
When he lies down, dispense the treat from the other hand, then release. Repeat several times.
When he will do this reliably with no treat in your luring hand, start to introduce the cue you want to use – for example, ‘down’ – just as he is about to lie down.
Finally, phase out the luring by practising sets of ten of this exercise – say cue word, luring action, reward, release.
After each set of ten, say the cue word once and wait for 60 seconds to see if he will lie down without the luring action.
Note: Slim, short-haired dogs dislike lying on hard surfaces. But for dogs which don’t mind, the slippery surface may help. Helen Taylor is a qualified, accredited behaviourist, a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, a Registered Practitioner with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council and is a member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (no 881). help@helentaylordorset.co.uk www.helentaylordorset.co.uk
MID DORSET CATS PROTECTION
Loving homes needed for cats and kittens in our care.
For more details, please call our helpline 01258 858644 or visit our website: cats.org.uk/blandford (Formerly Blandford & Sturminster)