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Tag: RSPCA

  • Baby, it’s cold outside

    Baby, it’s cold outside

    I’ve written at length about the dangers of heat and the sometimes unforeseen risks of walking your dogs during the hazy summer days, but now the cold has well and truly crept in, it is time to consider how we keep our puppies happy and healthy this winter.

    Toxins

    With the recent snow, we’re used to feeling grit and salt crunching beneath our feet when walking outside – but have you stopped to consider the effect that has on tiny paws?

    Irritation from salt can lead to dryness, irritation and cracking of the skin on dog’s footpads, and ingestion of the salt from excessive licking of those paws can lead to toxic levels of sodium in the blood, which can lead to dehydration and even kidney damage.

    Image by Harald Matern from Pixabay

    Another hazardous toxin incredibly prevalent at this time of year is antifreeze. This product contains the chemical ethylene glycol, which can lead to potentially fatal kidney injury if ingested. Clinical signs range from excessive drinking to vomiting and even seizures. So, if you’re concerned your animal may have been exposed, don’t risk waiting – take them straight to your vet.

    Cold snap

    The cold is perhaps the most obvious danger to our beloved pets at this time of year, but it can be easy to think that their fur coats make them adapted for this kind of weather. The fact is that, aside from certain breeds like huskies, we have actually been breeding the hardiness out of our dogs for more than one hundred years.

    Many breeds – especially those imported from descendants in hotter climates – are not cut out for harsh cold. According to the RSPCA, dogs shouldn’t be kept at any lower than 10°C for long periods of time, and studies have found that walking smaller, older or younger dogs (the latter of which naturally run at a higher temperature) can also be dangerous if the thermometer starts to creep towards freezing. You wouldn’t take your granny out in -1°C in just her cardigan, so maybe don’t take your geriatric pets for a walk either.

    Of course, animals still need exercise, stimulation and the opportunity to visit nature’s toilet, but it’s important to be sensible and prioritise walks during the warmest times of the day, and to layer up if your pet will tolerate it.

    Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels.

    Festive feast

    Finally, overfeeding is something I think many of us actually aspire to in the lead up to Christmas – but while it may seem mean to leave our pets out of the festive fun (because they do have very large, cute “feed me” eyes), abstaining from feeding them human treats can actually be the kinder thing.

    This isn’t just because of the dangers of chocolate and sultanas (which I’ve gotten up on my soapbox about many a time), but because even a tiny portion of human food can sometimes double the daily calories for our pets.

    Depending on whether you have a chihuahua or an active collie, your animal’s dietary needs likely range from around 150 to 600 calories a day. If the average sausage is around 200 calories, you can see how things can quickly add up. Obesity is one of the leading causes of disease in our animals, and it’s so easily preventable.

    Spread the love

    I would love to urge everybody to spread a little extra festive love towards their furry friends this festive season and keep them healthy and safe.

    Merry Christmas!

  • Hot dogs belong on a barbecue, not in the car

    Hot dogs belong on a barbecue, not in the car

    We’ve all heard horror stories of dogs left in hot cars by their owners; it’s an issue that comes around every year like the warnings of dangers of chocolate at Easter and mistletoe in December.

    Luckily, I’ve never seen a case brought into practice or even witnessed a dog shut into a car on a hot day – until this week.

    While shopping, I noticed a small Westie lying rather forlornly in the back of a parked car. The windows were cracked and it was a cloudy day, so the owners had obviously assumed popping into the shop for however long they’d intended would do their animal no harm. Not surprisingly, I was immediately concerned.

    Getting hotter

    Despite the clouds it was a hot day and muggy – and as it was only 11 in the morning, the temperature was only going to rise. No water had been left for the dog (either out of laziness or for fear that it would be knocked over), and although I could tell he was alert, he moved from seat to seat, clearly agitated and anxious.

    I’d hope the average passer-by would intercede, but being a veterinary student with all the worst-case scenarios scarred permanently into my brain, I didn’t feel right leaving it.

    The situation didn’t seem urgent enough to warrant bashing the windows in – especially as I had no idea if the owner was just around the corner. Instead, I checked with the shop the car park belonged to, and although it didn’t have a tannoy system they thanked me, took down the registration number of the car in question and promised to watch diligently until the owner returned.

    Legislation lacking

    Since then I have been brushing up the laws in the UK regarding leaving animals in cars, and although it is not illegal to leave a dog in a car (regardless of the temperature, or the windows being rolled up or down), the owner may be prosecuted if anything happens to the animal in that car.

    Given the number of dogs that die in hot cars, or shortly after being left in one every year, I think that this legislation needs to be reviewed. If you wouldn’t leave a child in a car unattended, why leave an animal that is arguably even more vulnerable?

    What to do?

    For anyone who finds themselves in the position I was – and there’s nobody around to help, the animal seems distressed or in danger, or you simply don’t know what to do – please know you are absolutely within your rights to call 999 and contact the emergency services. The best case scenario will be that the animal is absolutely fine and no intervention is needed – the worst case scenario is far, far worse.

    Try to check how long the car has been there by looking for parking tickets. If you’re unsure whether a dog is suffering within a hot car, look for signs of heatstroke/hyperthermia such as heavy panting or drooling, lethargy, collapse or vomiting.

    More advice can be found on the RSPCA or PDSA websites, and if in doubt, the RSPCA hotline (0300 1234 999) is available for advice.

  • Don’t tar all dogs with the same brush

    Don’t tar all dogs with the same brush

    Pit bulls, mastiffs and German shepherds are some of the breeds regarded by many as being aggressive and dangerous.

    In the same way some dogs are best known for shedding on beloved white furniture or having deep, dreamy puppy dog eyes, these breeds have an established reputation as dogs to be feared and not raised as pets.

    Mirror image

    A lot of the time, the prophecy is self-fulfilling. Dogs are incredibly intelligent and receptive animals, and unbeknown to a lot of owners, are highly tuned to our actions, expressions and moods – and will often act accordingly.

    As pack animals they are programmed to respond to the emotions and vibes given off by others – meaning that if you’re feeling angry or agitated, just your tone of voice or the expression on your face could cause your dog to begin to feel the exact same way. It’s a mirror affect.

    Last resort

    Most dogs are not inherently violent; aggression is often a last resort in the face of fear, stress or anxiety.

    The head vet at the local practice where I’ve volunteered for several years told me the first thing to do when presented with a frustrated owner, and an angry or aggressive dog, is to ask about its home life, not its genetic background.

    According to the RSPCA, no evidence suggests one breed is more aggressive than another. However, it’s a much-debated topic and four dog breeds are prohibited in the UK:

    • dogo Argentino
    • fila Brasileiro
    • pit bull terrier
    • Japanese tosa

    Selected traits

    In university, at least, I’ve been taught no dog is born aggressive.

    Mankind has been domesticating the canine for somewhere between 20,000 to 40,000 years, which has involved selectively breeding for certain traits, ranging from hair colour to docility. As a result, some breeds are easier to train than others or will react differently to scenarios that are stressful or confusing.

    Of course, some breeds are better suited to households with children or to assisting the disabled, but no dog should be entirely defined or judged by its breed.

    Socialisation

    The argument of nature vs nurture is perhaps very prevalent for this debate.

    The first 4 to 14 weeks of a dog’s life will define everything it considers normal – this is known as the “socialisation window”. For example, if, within this time, a puppy has never seen a certain breed of dog, or a large truck, they will find these stimuli stressful and may even behave aggressively around them.

    The calmest and most well-behaved dogs are often down to a responsible breeder who took the time to familiarise themselves with many different people, sounds, smells and places, before passing them on to the owner. We’ve been told that, as clinicians, it will be our responsibility to encourage clients to do the same with their puppies before this invaluable time window runs out.

    So many factors contribute to the character of a dog besides its breeding. It’s the job of vets to inform all dog owners of these in the hopes these negative stereotypes are, one day, put to rest.