Robson and Prescott Vets Archives : Northumberland communities

Excessive drinking a warning sign

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Aug 4, 11 09:49 AM in Bloggers

Excessive drinking, or polydipsia, is an important but non-specific sign of disease.

Once your vet has established that your pet is drinking too much, they will generally need to carry out a range of tests to narrow the diagnosis down. The main issues that will concern your vet are:

Kidney abnormalities
Liver abnormalities
Endocrinological disease

Kidney issues are most commonly seen in older cats, but can affect a large range of age groups and species.

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Does your animal have a drinking problem?

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Jul 13, 11 08:30 AM in Bloggers

By Karmen Watson

Taking a history is an important part of making a diagnosis. Your vet will ask you a series of questions regarding your pet's behaviour at home to try to glean some clues as to what may be wrong. In the next few articles, I thought it might be useful to shed some light on why we ask certain questions during consultations so that you can feel more informed at your next visit.

One of the key questions in taking a history for a veterinarian is establishing how much your pet is drinking. Drinking too little is an uncommon problem unless your animal has other signs of disease that may lead to dehydration (eg vomiting/diarrhoea etc).

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How to help your pet with diarrhoea and vomiting

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Jun 15, 11 08:30 AM in Bloggers

A sick dog By Karmen Watson

There has been a lot of gastroenteritis going around in companion animals at the moment. Vomiting and diarrhoea are obviously distressing for most owners, but there are a few things you can do before you come in to see your veterinarian.

Carnivores commonly vomit and there is no need to panic at the first episode. If vomiting is persistent or your pet is very depressed, then veterinary advice is necessary.

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Look out for lungworm

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on May 25, 11 09:36 AM in Bloggers

By Karmen Watson

I have been answering a lot of phone calls recently about dogs that have eaten slugs and snails - mainly, I suspect, because of the new adverts on the radio about lungworm.

It seems that there is some confusion about this particular parasite in dogs. The parasite Angiostrongylus vasorum is confusingly known either as French heartworm or lungworm. In general, lungworm prefers warmer climates; because of this, many of the most popular worming formulations do not prevent lungworm. Recently there have been a few cases in Northumberland, but it is unclear as to whether these dogs had picked up the infection elsewhere in the country or abroad.

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How to deal effectively with worms in horses

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on May 4, 11 12:19 PM in Bloggers

Emma Pearson and Karmen Watson share their tips on how to deal with worms in horses.

The war on worms ... how can we avoid resistance and worm horses effectively?

Endoparasites, i.e. worms, come in a variety of species. All have specific lifecycles. Like with any warfare, it is important to know your enemy so that you can launch the most effective defence program.

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Advice on caring for pet rabbits in the home

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Apr 20, 11 02:05 PM in Bloggers

Pet rabbit The number of rabbits kept as pets in the UK is slowly on the rise and they are almost now as ubiquitous as cats and dogs in people's homes.

Unfortunately, there are a variety of myths surrounding rabbit upkeep, hopefully these tips will give those keeping, or about to buy a rabbit, a few pointers.

Smaller dwarf varieties of rabbit live approximately five years, whilst larger breeds can live up to nine years and sometimes longer.

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Breeding dogs needs planning for best result

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Feb 17, 11 08:30 AM in Bloggers

Emma Pearson and Karmen Watson talk about dog breeding

Spring is coming and new life is appearing in the fields around Morpeth. We've been having a spate of pregnant dogs coming into the practice recently and it seemed appropriate to say a few words about breeding.

Not many people can resist the charms of a wriggling, squeaking pup and for that reason, breeding from your dog might seem like an excellent idea. However, before you start looking for an appropriate love interest for your dog, there are a few things we'd urge you to consider:

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Why chocolate is so dangerous for dogs

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Jan 20, 11 10:20 AM in Bloggers

By Emma Pearson

The decorations have come down and you probably have made your way through all the nice chocolates in the cupboard and are facing months of trying to palm off endless boxes of them at dinner parties.

Fortunately, most of you seemed to manage not to share too many chocolates with your dogs this year as the incidence of chocolate poisoning was low. We thought this week would be a good time to discuss some of the seemingly harmless substances in the home that can be poisonous to your furry friends.

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Plan now for pets' summer holidays

Posted by Robson and Prescott Vets on Dec 16, 10 08:30 AM in Bloggers

By Emma Pearson

The Christmas period is upon us and hopefully you're curled up in front of the fire with a mince pie and some eggnog. Summer holidays are probably the last thing on your mind, but we thought it would be a good time to prepare you for taking your pets on holiday.

With the Pets Passport and Travel Scheme (PETS), it is now possible for your four-legged pal to accompany you in search of sunshine.

The PETS scheme is designed to make it easier for your pet to travel while avoiding the transfer of serious diseases between countries and a miserable six months stuck in quarantine.

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