Pet Advice Guides for Pet Owners

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Coping with problem pets can be daunting without good pet advice. If you have encountered aggressive behaviour in dogs, cats who refuse to use their litter trays, overweight pets, nervous behaviour and fear of loud noises, excitability, skin ailments and general poor health, help is at hand. Our Pet advice pages are based on years of work with all sorts of animals. Through our dog adoption services, we have seen all sorts of behavioural problems. Sadly, this usually results in owners getting rid of the problem, often due to many months (even years) of trying to cope. Our aim is to educate, rehabilitate and create harmony between owners and their pets. We provide assistance, help, maybe just a shoulder to lean on, so you can enjoy a balanced, healthy relationship with your pet.

If you have a specific pet problem and would like some advice, let us know.
All our pet advice pages are provided as a free service for you to enjoy. If you find them useful, a small donation is always appreciated.

Beautiful Cavalier x for adoption

Bella is a very beautiful Cavalier x Shih Tzu who has come in because her owners can no longer keep a dog. She is a real sweetie with a lovely temperament, Bella is alert and affectionate, she likes to play and a home where she will have lots of love will be perfect for her.

She’s a small girl who has a silky coat that needs to be brushed. We’ve trimmed her face since this photo was taken and she was fine to let us do this – we talked to her all the time and reassured her that it wouldn’t hurt1

We think Bella is around 3 to 4 years old, she loves going out a walk, she’s a gentle soul and most of all she wants to be with you and have a fuss. Bella likes dainty food and is a real little lady.

If you can find a place in your heart for Bella please come and meet her. She will make some lucky person an adorable life companion and friend. We’re open 10.0am to 3.30pm.

Baby rabbits for adoption

The first litter of baby rabbits are out of the nest and hopping around and eating well. They are mostly harlequin and are very pretty – just one is a golden colour all over – just like mum. The parents can be seen and have lovely temperaments so I would expect the babies to be the same. They are a bit skittish when they are this small but soon became tame when they are hand fed.

Rabbits need plenty of room with a spacious hutch or a shed is even better. They like to jump and always surprise me with their agility – they can really jump and love to sit on top of their hutch. It must be very frustrating for them when they are kept inside a hutch and don’t have a two storey condominium. The parents spend most of their time in their high-rise apartment.

Natural food is best for all rabbits so you have to allow yourself time to get out there foraging and picking fresh grass and dandelions – they get through large amounts and love munching on their leaves. Packets of cereal are not that good for rabbits, a small amount of corn is acceptable but their gut isn’t designed for maize and pellets – it’s good sweet hay and herbs and grass that is best for them. They love blackberries and brambles and nibbling on twigs – hawthorn and fruit tree twigs and they make short work of big thick bramble stems..

It’s a bit sad that a whole industry has grown up around the little rabbits with shelves of manufactured and factory made artificial feed. Rabbits are becoming a high cost pet when the reality is that you don’t need to spend hardly anything on keeping rabbits. They like porridge oats so if you have porridge for breakfast you can save a sprinkle for your pet. Mainly it’s crisp, sweet hay and you can make this yourself – cut long grass and nettles and docks and let them dry in the sun, keep turning until the ‘hay’ is dry and crackly. Then rake it up into rows and then a few hours or a day later (depending on the weather) stack it up into heaps. Store in a dry shed, either loose or in cardboard or hessian sacks. Plastic won’t do – it will go damp. Make sure that cats or other vermin can’t get in to spoil it. Horse hay racks are perfect, they allow lots of air to get in and you can hand them up out of the way.

Rabbits make delightful pets, they are a member of the family and respond very well to kindness and companionship. They do need a run attached to their hutch or a large compound where they can run about. If you can bury a large pipe underground, with an exit and entrance, they will be in heaven. Watership Down!

Jack Russell with skin problems

This is Jacko who came in to us a couple of weeks ago. Isn’t he a great looking little dog? He has a temperament to match and is a real sweetie and full of character. Unfortunately he has a severe skin problem and is out of condition generally. His skin is dry and tight with patches where he has lost his hair completely.

His general appearance is that of a poorly little dog, although he has a lot of spirit and still likes to go out for a walk and has a good appetite. Jacko’s skin isn’t itchy and the vet has confirmed that this is not a parasite problem, more likely hormonal or as a result of unsuitable nutrition.

Jacko is aged ten years, he looks much older though. This breed of dog usually lives to late teens and they normally stay active. Jacko came in to us when his elderly owner went in to hospital and could no longer keep him. You are what you eat and that is the same for dogs. We were told that Jacko has been complete dog food all his life. Little dogs need even more careful feeding than the larger breeds. Small meals should be packed with good nutrition and be easily digestible.

Our aim in the first instance is to get him in better condition. He’s having fresh food and natural ingredients and he loves it. We’re using Dorwest Herbs too – a sprinkle of Kelp is a good tonic, also Keepers Mix and Garlic and Fenugreek tablets make a big difference. An oily diet helps so it’s a portion of sardines and mackerel will help his skin.

Already we can see hairs sprouting through on the bald patches! It’s never too late and we hope it won’t be for this lovely little dog. We want to see him fit and well, full of beans and with a shiny, healthy coat,

Should I cut my cat’s nails

We regularly trim the nails of our dog. Our cat claws the furniture and makes a dreadful mess, can we cut his nails too?

We’re often asked this, mostly because cats like to sharpen their claws and it does a lot of damage. If your cat doesn’t attack the sofa it isn’t usually necessary to trim the nails – cats can be trained not to scratch the furniture. Give them a sisal mat or a proper scratching post – even a log by the bark door will often be liked.

It’s a good idea to examine your cat’s paws from time to time and then you can decide whether to trim the nails. At the same time check for splinters and sore places in between the toes. If you persuade your cat to lie on his side it will be the easiest way to do the examination. A light pressure on the front of the paw makes the claws protrude.

If you think they are excessively long you can trim a little bit from the tip – use a pair of nail trimmers. Be careful you don’t cut the pink ‘quick’ in the centre of the nail – this would be very painful and bleed a lot.

If your cat has access to outdoors it would be best to leave the claws as they are – nice and sharp. Cats use them to climb and also to defend themselves from predators. If their claws are blunt they might not be able to get out of reach up a tree. If a hungry fox is hot on their heels they might be prey rather than be a smug high-climber.

The cat and the snowman

Our cats take an interest in everything we do and this is Bing who was fascinated when we made a snowman. It’s still very cold here with icicles 2 feet long on the buildings. The drive and yard are clear but where there is snow it is deep and in drifts.

Bing is a character cat who has been here for the past 12 years, along with her sister Grondhal. They are beautiful cats both in looks and personality. Bing and Grondhal are gentle and affectionate and we’ve never seen them with their claws out or anything other than a sweet smile on their little calico faces.

If you were a mouse or a rat it would be a different matter, these two are fierce predators and go off down the fields every day, weather permitting, on the hunt for rodents. There used to be wild rabbits here many years ago but now there are too many foxes for them to survive.

Bing and Grondhal come back every night and like to be tucked up in bed as soon as they’ve had their supper.They’d love a Katkabin each – or if you would like to sponsor them – download the standing order form – £3.00 per month would be a great help.

They are always round and about and love to meet people especially if they bring a pouch!

Cheaper pet care tips for Budget Day

It was white over with snow again this morning, the cost of living goes up and up and for most of us, keeping going is a balancing act. We don’t want our pets to suffer or go without but what can we do to cut the cost of pet care?

Lower pet food costs -Cats – Shop around for different brands – even cats who won’t eat some low priced chunks will say ‘yummy’ to another type. We’ve found that most cats like Lidl’s own make. Morrisons own brand is also popular with our sanctuary team of tasty cat food testers.

Most felines also enjoy a bit of toasted and buttered brown bread, cut up into very small chunks and with a bit of milk and a tiny sprinkle of sugar on top. A pint of goat’s milk goes a long way, cats like it and it’s good for them too. A small portion of white fish, lightly cooked in goat’s milk (cow’s milk isn’t good for cats) and mixed with brown bread crumbs, makes a substantial meal for a hungry cat. You can make it into portions and freeze it for another day – kittykat ready meals. Fish fingers are popular when cut up very small – the cheapest brands are fine – they are fresh fish just the same but not the types we recognize.

Dogs- If you want to feed complete then Dr.John’s is one of the best low cost brands around. It’s by appointment to H.M.The Queen – the Royal Warrant so it must be good. It’s palatable, good for sensitive tummies and with New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel as an ingredient, it’s excellent for keeping joints in good condition. We’ve seen a difference in an arthritic dog within a few weeks. And the price? £14.59 for a 15 kg bag. You can’t get much better than that for a quality dog food – we always have it in stock and every bag sold helps the sanctuary animals.

Keeping pets healthy - is one of the best ways to beat the budget – vet bills are a major worry if you are not insured. A lot of people can ‘t afford insurance costs these days so it’s even more important to make sure your pet is healthy. There are many simple home remedies that work just as well as expensive ones – it’s always best to consult a vet though if you aren’t sure what is wrong with your pet.Cold tea – We use cold tea as a simple eye remedy. Use a cotton wool pad and bathe the eyes, it’s very soothing.

Foot care - we put Vaseline on dogs feet when their pads are dry, keeps them nice and soft and less likely to get sore..

Olive oil – We find that olive oil is good for dry itchy skin and encourages the hair to grow again on bald patches. We put a drop or two of olive oil on our dogs dinners, they like it and it gives them a glossy coat. It’s good to put a small amount on a dry nose too.

Turmeric – (yes, the spice you put in a curry) is a natural antiseptic, used through out the world on wounds, sores and grazes – we put it on small cuts and find they heal up quickly. It’s good for skin irritation too – we put a pinch in the dog’s food and pat it into the sore skin for internal and external use.

Tea Tree oil – we use this as a natural flea deterrent – dilute with almond oil as it’s quite strong and then sprinkle on a rag and rub over your dog – he’ll smell nice to you but the fleas will hate it. A few drops in his basket and on his bedding is good also.

Ears – we clean them out with witch hazel or olive oil. We put a few drops on a cotton pad and clean the outer area – this works with dogs and cats. Don’t poke in the ear though or you might do some damage.

Cardboard boxes for cats, cut price fleeces for dog blankets – we have lots more saving money pet tips coming soon …………….

Horse dentist checks on Japonica

All the horses in the sanctuary have regular check ups with the Equine Dentist and last week it was Japonica’s turn. She is our oldest pony and it’s difficult to keep weight on her, she can’t eat hard food or hay and has to have a special diet.

The dentist puts a special bridge on so that the horse’s mouth can be kept open while she rasps down any sharp edges on the teeth. There were several of these points on Japonica’s teeth, probably because she does not eat any hard food. Even though her teeth were rasped it was not the end of Japonica’s problems. As she has aged her jaw has altered and her teeth have become misaligned, so that is partly why she cannot chew her food as well as she ought.

Regular check ups will help, otherwise, there is nothing more that can be done unfortunately. It’s keep on with the mashes and soft diet. Japonica, at 37 years, is still fit and well and sound in her legs. If only she’d looked after her teeth!

Japonica still has all her front teeth – her gums have receded with age though. This is where the saying ‘long in the tooth’ comes from!

Japonica is a lovely, sweet natured pony – if you’d like to know more about her why not ‘adopt’ her – it costs only £12.00 per year and helps with her care. We’ll send you an adoption pack, photographs, her story and updates. Makes a great gift!

To adopt Japonica just send us your name and address (or name of recipient if for a gift). We’ll send out an Adoption Certificate, photograph ready to frame and all about this lovely pony. Pay by cheque, donation online or paypal. Many thanks.

Dog vaccinations what do they protect against?

Serious diseases in dogs used to be common. Dogs became seriously ill and often died from Distemper and Hepatitis. Now vaccinations keep our pets safe but it’s as well not to forget how important these routine injections are and what they protect against.

Distemper – is a highly infectious and a killer. Young dogs and those with a weakened immune system are most at risk. The symptoms include the dog looking obviously very poorly and having runing eyes and nose. There is some coughing and the dog may have fits.

Parvovirus – A quick killer – the dog doesn’t want to eat and becomes poorly very quickly. There will be profuse bloodstained diarrhoea. Dogs go downhill very fast with this one.

Canine viral hepatitis – Mostly seen in young dogs – there’s a high fever, vomiting, jaundice and the dog is poorly and doesn’t want to eat. If your dog suddenly wants to drink lots of water be aware that this is one of the symptoms.

Vaccination will protect your dog from all of these serious canine diseases. Check with your vet what age he recommends puppy injections – it will be done in two parts with a couple of weeks gap in between.

Booster vaccinations to maintain immunity usually follow at yearly intervals. Again, your vet will recommend this.

Next – the symptoms of Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis and Parainfluenza virus.

Our old pony wraps up warm

Japonica is our oldest pony and at 37 this year she is still in good health. She likes to go out for a saunter round every day, no matter what the weather and exercise is good for her. Keeping wrapped up warm is important though as old ponies lose body heat very quickly. This is a great rug (thanks to Cadman Animal Feeds who so kindly donated it for her) and covers just about every bit of her. Japonica is streamlined already and we have to feed her four times a day to keep her weight on. The problem is that she doesn’t have many (any!) teeth. This is what most old animals die from – when their teeth go – that’s it. Unless they have someone to feed them soft and very nutritious food as we do with this lovely old girl. Japonica has a sweet nature and is polite and gentle – she can still go a good gallop round the field when she wants to though.

Daydream’s magnificent mane

Daydream has wintered well and the cold weather has encouraged her to grow a really thick long mane. We never cut the ponies manes and like to see them flowing and helping to keep them warm. They are natural and beautiful – no show pony tricks for our little mares! Daydream does like to have her mane and tail brushed, it’s not hard to keep free of tangles. It’s fashionable when showing horses to ‘pull’ their tails and manes – this is just what it sounds like – a few hairs at a time are literally yanked out. It must be quite painful. Cutting manes and tails leaves stubby ends so leaving the hair long and naturally looks best.

It’s great to see the manes fly when the ponies are moving.