During these worrying economic times, people are finding it more and more difficult to budget for everything. As we all know, having a pet is a luxury and it’s easy to forget how expensive they can be. Pet insurance allows people to have peace of mind when their beloved furry friend needs veterinary care.

Not all animals are insurable though, for example hamsters and other small furries. As they are small, the consultation is reduced compared to that for a dog or a cat, but the charges can still build up if long term treatment is required.

What we have started noticing recently is that people are failing to return for follow up examinations or people are in fact taking it upon themselves to treat their own pets. This is hugely dangerous and can have disastrous consequences for the animal, which in turn may end up costing the owner more in the long run.

What people do not realise is that by treating their pets themselves, they may in fact be breaking the law. Treating animals is classed as an act of veterinary surgery and conditions must be diagnosed and treated by a Vet only. Nurses can offer advice and give basic treatment but this has to be under guidance from a Vet.

Please pick up the phone

Always call for advice as it’s the cost of a phone call and it could save you a lot of money. Nurses are available to speak to every day and can answer questions and recommend the best course of treatment by either seeing a Vet or monitoring at home for a period time. We would much prefer a pet owner calls for advice rather than leaving something or treating their pet using the internet.

Our clinic nurse spoke to an owner who had done exactly that. They had looked up how to cut their hamster’s teeth on the internet as they were long. They had done this a number of times and the last time the owner had damaged the hamster’s teeth. The hamster now has to be seen by a Vet and may need her teeth out as they may have been fractured and are unstable which is making it difficult for her to eat.   

Some people also check the internet about their pet’s medication. It’s is extremely dangerous to an animal’s health to change their medication without advice from a Veterinary surgeon. The follow up medication checks the Vets recommend are really important as they can assess any changes to the animal and whether medication doses need to be adjusted. It is difficult for pet owners to see slight differences in their pets physique as they see them everyday.

Always call for advice and any of our nurses will be happy to talk through any concerns with you. Prevention is easier than cure and also early treatment can prevent a condition worsening if left.

This will save pet owners money in the long run, so make the call for advice rather than doing an internet search. People often worry about wasting nurses’ time but that is never the case. We are available to help, whenever we can.

Heatstroke can be fatal very quickly and most people don’t realise this!

It’s so important to make sure your pets are comfortable in hot weather. They need to be able to escape the hot temperature, have access to water and shade at all times.

Never walk your dog between 10am and 7pm during hot weather. Wait until the sun goes down before taking them out. Limit the time spent playing or running around to about 5-10 minutes, as they can over heat very quickly.

Animals can’t sweat like humans to help cool themselves down. Panting does not actually cool them down. Their body temperature will increase as their whole bodies move. It’s like they are doing a huge exercise workout. The more they pant, the hotter they get.

If the environmental temperature increases quickly and animals haven’t had time to acclimatise, they will struggle to cope. It is worsened by increased humidity.

Brachycephalic breeds (short nosed animals like pugs, bulldogs, boxers, shih tzus and persian cats) will always struggle, even if the weather is mild. Their short noses make breathing through their nose difficult so they have to breath through their mouths. It would be like a human having a blocked nose, walking around in a wet suit in warm weather.

What to do

If you find your pet struggling, lethargic and panting heavily during hot weather call your vet for advice immediately. Heat stress, heat exhaustion or heat stroke may be the cause. Cover your pet with towels soaked in tepid water. Never use really cold water as this can shock them even further and cause the capillaries in the skin to constrict  and slow cooling time. The use of ice packs or bags of frozen vegetables wrapped in soaked towels can be placed under them. Try to keep them calm and limit the amount of people trying to help. The more people around, the more worried and anxious your pet may become. If you have surgical spirit, pour it on your pets skin, this evaporates and helps cooling.

Call for advice

Get your pet to your vets as soon as possible and they can administer the appropriate treatment to prevent further suffering. The longer your pet is hyperthermic, the more hidden damage there is. Always call for advice. The best way to prevent this problem is by keeping your pets safe in hot weather.

We run monthly first aid classes at our Kemptown branch which covers heatstroke as one of the most common emergencies seen. Call the practice on 01273 692257 or e-mail Mena, one of our nurses for further details on [email protected]