VetPro

Posted by: **jenvetnurse** on Fri Apr 27, 2012 7:34 am

NEW LOST PET ALERT

Are you aware there is a new lost pet alert from Petlog and my dog uk? The lost pet alert is available through the my dog uk phone app. The app is designed for dog owners and is linked to Petlog to help improve the chances of reuniting dogs with their owners. Petlog is confident that veterinary surgeons will soon see the benefits too.

The lost pet alert works by allowing the user to upload their Petlog information into the my dog uk app. Then, if their dog goes missing, they can send an alert through the app which will instantly report the pet missing to Petlog. If they are a Petlog Premium customer, Petlog will then instantly send a message to dog wardens, welfare organisations and veterinary clinics that have signed up to the alert within a 30 mile radius. The owner has all the information they need stored in their phone, so they can alert Petlog without having to worry about going home and finding their microchip information. Instead the owner just needs to send the alert from their phone and can carry on looking for their dog where it went missing.

Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: “By increasing the chances of finding a lost dog, the number of pets coming in to veterinary surgeries as strays should start to decline. The lost pet alert is a great tool to give pet owners, as it allows them to quickly alert the relevant bodies that their pet is missing and can then concentrate on finding the pet. When alerted, local authorities can keep an eye out for a pet coming into them and know to scan them, resulting in quicker and easier reunifications.”

To find out more, please visit www.mydoguk.com or www.petlog.co.uk, or to download the app, go to the AppStore or Android Market and search for ‘my dog uk’.

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:09 am

Help us put an end to wild animals performing in circuses in England.

You may have already seen in our previous newsletter that we've launched The Big Stop campaign, calling for a ban on wild animals performing in circuses in England. If you've already taken action, thank you! If not, please read on.

We need to show the Minister for Animal Welfare, Jim Fitzpatrick MP, that the public is opposed to wild animals performing in circuses – something that the RSPCA believes is totally unacceptable in these modern times. Exhibiting wild animals in a big top – simply can't be right, can it?

The UK government promised three years ago that wild animals in travelling circuses would be banned – yet lions, tigers, elephants and other animals still tour the UK.

We dont believe that wild animals should be subjected to the confinement, constant transportation and abnormal social groups associated with circus life. Asking these majestic animals to behave in unnatural ways in the name of entertainment is a disgrace – a disgrace which is already banned in several other European countries.

What can I do?
We want to see the urgent introduction of regulations under the Animal Welfare Act and ask the government to commit to seeing this through before the general election takes place.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW FILL IN THE PETITION ON THIS LINK

http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=143&ea.campaign.id=4461

Thank you!

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:56 am

Here are some useful tips for VNS: Please discuss in the forums if you have any others.
1. Incontinence pads are great – they are under used in practice I have noticed. They are far better to line a cage with than traditional newspapers. Which leave black ink on white animals and have staples and are possibly carrying fleas and dirt from where they were stored before they come to the practice. Inco. Pads are great for animals with diarrhoea and save on washing if put on top of vet beds.
2. It’s wise from time to time to spray Nuvan Staykill around the kennel areas when there are no in-patients boarding. Fleas are around daily and they could be breeding in the beds/newspapers etc.
3. Let clients see where their animals wil be stating when practical to do so. You should have nothing to be ashamed of and it puts owners minds at rest. Some have good imaginations and want re-assurance their pets will be comfortable.
4. Separate cat and dog wards work best to avoid stressed cats and rabbits etc. Also a Feliway diffuser and Dog Appeasing Pheremone diffuser are a good idea.
5. Infusion pumps are great – if you have them. Also giving sets with 60 drops a minute are easier to monitor small animals receiving i-v fluids than the traditional 20 drops a ml sets usually used.
6. Cats love chicken slices, tuna etc to tempt inappetant cats. Warm and hand-feed in small pieces.
7. Grooming cats who have stopped grooming themselves will be appreciated. The cat feels better and a happy cat recovers quicker than a miserable one.
8. Cats are best pre-meded on admission rather than putting in a kennel – leaving them to get wound up and frightened. This seems obvious but it is often done a while after admitting.
9. When the owners visit ask them to feed their animals with the diet you provide – the animals usually trust their owners more than us.
10. Leave a radio on quietly to reduce frightening noises.

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:29 am

Taken from Dogs Trust website - interesting reading.

Public urged to take action to tackle stray dog problem
Dogs Trust urges owners to take action to reduce stray dog numbers, as survey finds 100,000 dogs stray last year.

Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, says dog owners must take more responsibility if the stray dog problem is to be tackled, and dogs are to be saved from unnecessary death.

A report conducted by GfK NOP on behalf of Dogs Trust, released today, shows that 101,586 stray dogs were found in the UK last year, and 7,743 dogs were destroyed for want of a home*. At the current rate of decline, it will take 350 years until the stray dog problem is a thing of the past.

While this represents a small reduction from the previous year, Dogs Trust says dog owners must help tackle the problem by having their dog neutered to stop litters of unwanted puppies.

Dogs Trust Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, says:

“100,000 dogs found stray is a shocking number and should be a wake-up call to dog owners. For a nation of so-called animal lovers, it is unacceptable that we are prepared to treat animals as throwaway commodities, and dog owners must take responsibility for their pets.

At Dogs Trust we are working hard to put an end to all unnecessary destructions, and are working closely with local authorities to achieve this, but unless dog owners think about the commitment needed to look after a dog, dogs will continue to be put to sleep.

The message is clear. Get your dog neutered to prevent unwanted litters. Make sure your dog has a microchip and ID tag to ensure that if he does get lost he can more easily be reunited with you.”

Dogs Trust believes that the most effective and humane way of reducing stray dog numbers in the long-term is best achieved through neutering. The charity also promotes microchipping as a way of reuniting owners with their dogs should they go missing. Last year microchips helped reunite 24% of stray dogs with their owners.

The charity has an extensive campaigns programme to promote neutering and microchipping, and in the last year alone, has invested over £3m in neutering and microchipping in the worst affected areas in the UK. Since the scheme began in 1999, 187,500 dogs have been neutered and 206,814 have been microchipped through Dogs Trust, and as a result the numbers of stray dogs and the number of destructions have fallen dramatically.

Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, and cares for over 13,500 dogs every year through a network of 17 Rehoming Centres. Dogs Trust never destroys a healthy dog in its care.

Posted by: **jenvetnurse** on Sat Nov 20, 2004 2:44 am

jenvetnurse writes: This is such a big topic. There are so many different behavioural problems in dogs – most clients cannot afford to see behavioural specialists. What can we advise in practice to help with some of the common complaints? There is a common saying ‘There is no such thing as a bad dog – just bad owners’
I think this is unfair – sometimes it is true of course – with limited knowledge and confusing/contradicting training – but some dogs especially rescues the problems can be due to emotional instability. Also behavioural problems can be genetic – affecting one breed or a blood-line of dogs.
Owners with ‘problem dogs’ should be advised to get educated! Recommend good books/training classes/web sites etc. David Appleby has a god range of books with basic advice for owners. The better the understanding of a dog’s mind/behaviour the easier they will find curing the dog of its problems and the happier owner and dog will become.
Bad/undesirable behaviour is often rewarded the first time it happens – unwittingly. For example laughing at a puppy that reaches sexual maturity and mounts a visitor’s leg. Laughter and attention = reward. When it happens all the time it’s not so funny. This example is learnt behaviour.
Castration – the simple solution. Training by rewarding positive behaviour and ignoring negative behaviour will work also.
Dominant dogs are another common problem. This may be genetic but also learnt behaviour. The dog needs to re-learn its place in the family pecking order. Simple tricks such as standing in the dog’s bed, feeding him last, walking in front of him, do not allow him to be at a higher position i.e. on the bed/settee at any time. Little everyday steps will re-train the dog. If there is a trigger factor – i.e. a favourite toy that the dog will not give back – simply remove it until the dogs behaviour is acceptable.
Separation Anxiety – this can be very serious where the dog becomes destructive during the owners absence. This is emotional distress. Filming the dog when you leave is useful. Using a DAP diffuser. Leaving a radio on. Allowing the dog to wait by the door you leave and return through. Leaving toys, food filled Kongs to distract the dog can all help. Gradually building up the time you are away from will be a key step. One minute, then reward for good behaviour, build up the time steadily. Walk outside and wait 5 minutes, then 10 etc so the dog learns you will always return and feel secure about you leaving.
Unwanted Barking – this can be a real nuisance. The owner must understand what the dog is trying to communicate. Aboistop collars can help as a training aid – they release Citronella which dogs find offensive each time they bark. The dog may be barking due to boredom, loneliness or he simply wants something i.e. exercise/food.
Owners should be encouraged to spend more time with their dogs if barking is an issue. More exercise, more stimulus, more play, more attention. Hopefully this will help.

This book is invaluable for tips BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioral Medicine.
This is just a basic article on dog training – there will be more articles on specific subjects to follow. Please as always add your input, comments, suggestions on this interesting subject into the forums.