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.

Pet food urgently needed

We’ve had some big dogs brought in recently and most are thin and eating for England! We have also taken in a greyhound and more staffis. All lovely characters but they are always hungry. We have our regular cat and dog ‘golden oldies’ to feed and some new cats in who are getting on in years but still fit and well. We’ve just been to the vets and had another round of vaccinations done.

If anyone can help with food – cans and pouches are especially useful – we’d be very grateful.

Pleas DONATE if you can – even a small amount makes a huge difference. You can JOIN US – £12 per year and get newsletters, etc. and this helps us to keep going. We have a STANDING ORDER form to download or we can put one in the post to you – £2.00 a month (more if you can afford) will help feed one of the dogs and cats.

Starving stray cat rescue

Even though he could barely stand when he was found, this old-stager still managed to purr. Our thanks to the kind lady who brought him in to us, he couldn’t have lasted much longer out in the cold. It was easy to think of a name for him – Mr.Fussy fitted him straight away. He is the most affectionate old fella and loves to be picked up and cuddled and fussed. He’s eating well now and has had a vet health check, no problems, and has been vaccinated. Mr. Fussy is clean, friendly and well behaved. He’s a sociable cat and gets on well with other cats he’s met here. He’s in good shape and active for his age – he’d love a good home of his own and someone to sit with on the sofa. If you can help please get in touch and come and meet him.

Horse meat ‘beef’ burgers

It’s probably been going on for years and horses have always been slaughtered for food. Now the food inspectors have proved what we’ve long suspected, that horse meat goes into the food chain. We’ve campaigned for many years against the live transport of horses for slaughter but it still goes on in the EU. In this country horses are routinely shipped to Ireland and a lot of the ‘knackermen’ have farms there. What happens to them next is unknown. We can be sure that they are not being kept as pets or going into a peaceful retirement home.

Hores are sensitive creatures and are vegetarians. They stress easily and suffer terribly when they are taken to markets, sold in the ring and crammed on to lorries to suffer their fate. It’s time to stop this cruel trade. How to do it is the problem.

Is my dog infected with lungworm?

From Miss K. Has my dog got lungworm?

My dog has been under the weather and snapping a lot when she usualy wouldnt. Over the last 2 or 3 days she has also been very loose nd vomiting. Is it possable she could be suffering with lung worm? I’d be grateful for any advice.
Thank you, Miss K.

Dear Miss K. Your dog has typical symptoms of lungworm and you should take her to the vet without delay. She can be treated quite simply if she is infected and if no lasting damage has been done, will make a good recovery. Your vet will do tests and this is way to find out what is making her ill.

Dogs become infected from eating snails and slugs so it is a bit strange for her to develop these symptoms at this time of year when there are no slugs about. She may have a chronic infection though so treatimg her is imperative.

Lungworm it is a constant danger when the weather is warmer, it’s so wet now because of climate change, that slugs and snails are a real problem. They go into feeding bowls if they are left outside so it’s best to take dog dishes away as soon as your dog has eaten up and clean and disinfect them straight away.

Please let us know how she goes on.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bing and Grondhal – long term sanctuary residents, join us in sending every good wish to Pet Samaritans everywhere for a successful and Happy New year. We survived 2012 (just!) but it wasn’t the best of times for many people and especially our animal friends who are still being exploited and cruelly treated. Let’s hope that 2013 will bring more consideration, understanding, kindness and better times.

Check that cat collars aren’t too tight

A cat came in to us this week whose collar was on so tight that we had to cut it off and this was done with difficulty. The collar must have been fastened round this poor cat’s neck for months, if not years. The skin is rubbed away and sore all the way round. It’s actually a lot worse than the photo shows. What a relief she must feel now she is rid of it. The collar itself is tiny so we don’t know how long it has been on.

This is not the first time we’ve seen this. Tight collars on cats are commonplace and we’ve seen worse than this. The collar on one cat we had in was right under the skin and barely detectable. The cat didn’t eat and was very thin. It couldn’t eat and that was the problem. We had to pick the dead skin away to get at the collar and cut it free.

When the collar is removed it takes a while for the skin and tissues to recover, so the cat may not make an immediate recovery. She will feel lots better though. If you’ve put a collar on your cat please check it daily. The weight of a cat can fluctuate and cause the collar to tighten up. Better still – don’t put a collar on. It’s not a natural thing and can be dangerous unless it’s loose enough to slip over the cat’s head if she gets caught up. It’s much better to have your cat microchipped and then there’s no need for a collar.

We urgently need cat food

We have had more cats brought in over Christmas and, although we’ve found some wonderful homes for a few of our rescues, we still have many cats who are needing a place of their own. Also our list of permanent residents – our ‘golden oldie’ club, keeps growing.

This is a picture of Toby (amazing odd coloured eyes!) who we hoped to be able to re-home but he does not seem to settle well when he leaves us. Here, he’s fine, a lovable individual with an excellent appetite. Perhaps it’s the laid back lifestyle and that he is settled into a routine here with us. He gets very stressed when he goes somewhere else.Toby is one of our especial favourites here, always ready for a fuss and a pick up and cuddle.

Our main problem at the moment is cat food – or lack of it. We desperately need cans and pouches, the hedgehogs are still wuffling their share of chicken cat food away as well. Some have hibernated but others are still eating for England!

Cilla, who came in ovr six months ago, is no nearer to going on the adoption list. She has settled beautifully and has her freedom to run about and be a greeter. But try and pick her up! You would regret it. Life is on Cilla’s terms and what is wrong with that? She is a young cat who loves it here and has become very confident. Cilla came in to us because she had become very stressed in the home and had turned into an ‘attack’ cat. Now she’s fussy and friendly so long as you let her choose her terms. I like the idea of cats being free if that is what they like. All cats are different and that’s for sure. Cilla is another cat with a very good appetite.

Our senior cats live long and happy lives, Tigerlily is 22 and still active and enjoys life, especially meal times. Feeding all the cats is a daily challenge, we need pouches and cans especially. They like all kinds of meat and fish. We also still have one or two kittens.

If you can bring us cat food it would be very much appreciated. Many of the cats can’t eat biscuits, either because of health problems, their old age or because they have had dental treatment. A lot of cats who come in need treatment for their teeth. We try ‘Plaque Off’ first which is a powder you sprinkle on food and it removes tartar – eventually. It is much less stressful than anaesthetics although if the teeth are very bad then extraction or cleaning is essential.

Please leave cat food in Reception (our portacabin on the right hand side of the yard). The bell does work and rings to summon us – unless we’re feeding goats or walking dogs. By all means go right in and help yourself to a newsletter and whatever leaflets are of interest. Our kennels keyrings are free and have our direct line number on them, please take one.

If you can write your name and address down for us we’ll make sure to put you on our friend’s list and we’ll send you our next newsletter (out January) in due course.

If you’d like to take cat food down to the kennels that is fine – a lot of the cats congregate in the ‘Cat Kitchen’ which is the building attached on the left – please go in and give them a fuss – they are all polite and friendly and are sure to say ‘hello’ and ‘how nice to see you’ and ‘thank you’ in return.

Who’s a clever dog then?

Most of us think are dogs are pretty bright but which breed really is the cleverest? Number one is said to be the Border Collie, with Poodles coming in second place and those super brainy German Shepherds getting the third rosette.

We think lots of other types of dogs are super smart too with some x bred dogs topping the list.

If you’d like to find out just how bright your dog is, here are some quick tests to help you to do just that:

The Hide a Treat Test Let your dog see you hide a treat, don’t let him get to it though. Now take him outisde and go for a short walk of just have a play in the garden or another room.
When you bring him back in, tell him to find the treat. If he couldn’t care less – 1 point. If he’s a bit interested but can’t find the treat – 2 points. Hunts round and finds the treat in approx. 1 minute – 3 points. An intense sniffing session and he finds it in 15 seconds – 4 points. Instant search and find – 5 points.

The Smiler Test - Keep looking at your dog and give him a big smile. So what – he couldn’t care less. 1 point. If he stares back and goes to sit in his basket. 2 points. Looks pleased and wags his tail but doesn’t come towards you. 3 points. If he saunters across to you – 4 points. I love that smile! – He comes straight to you looking super pleased – 5 points.

The Obstacle Test – Put some small twigs across the path where you normally walk your dog. If he won’t go near them – 1 point. If he flies past them and knocks them all flying – 2 points. If he jumps across most of them – 3 points. He’s trying to clear them but misses a few – 4 points. Clear round – he hasn’t touched them – 5 points. Well done.

A high score and you have a super brainy pooch. Fewer points? You still love him don’t you?

More dog intelligence tests coming soon…..

Help for dogs with heart disease

A dog with any kind of heart disease needs a vet’s care. There are still things you can do to help your dog have a good quality of life though. Keeping her weight down is a big help, if she’s overweight, her heart has a lot more work to do. A slimmer’s diet is what’s needed and will benefit joints and bones too.

Small meals – Try feeding smaller meals, a portion of lean meat or fish is full of goodness without being too fattening. Commercial dog food usually has only a bit of meat – the rest is filler. Read the labels before you buy. We think that fresh food is best for dogs with heart problems. Well, it’s really best for all dogs if you can manage to get it.

How can you tell if your dog is overweight? If you run your hands over her sides you should be able to feel her ribs easily. Your vet will help with a weight loss plan and a weigh-in on the scales is a regular part of a vet check up. You can monitor your dog’s progress each time you visit the surgery.

It’s best to feed your dog several smaller meals than one big dinner. A huge bowl full of doggy dinner can put a strain on the heart. Two or three little meals, maybe a smaller dish will help and it will keep her hunger pangs at bay without putting a strain on her heart and digestion.

Oily fish – Fish oils are good for dogs with heart problems. Giving a dog omega-3 fatty acids can help to lower blood pressure and reduce blood clots. You could feed fresh or tinned fish – mackerel is good because it’s not an endangered species and is fairly inexpensive. Or you can get capsules from your vet or pet shops.

Check the salt – If you want to feed commercial pet food check the salt level. Dogs with heart problems need to be especially careful about the amount of salt in their diet. Check the salt in everything you feed.

Exercise – The heart is a muscle and dogs normally benefit from exercise to keep it working at peak capacity. Don’t overdo it though, build up gradually and ask your vet for advice, especially if beginning any new exercise programme. Keep to walking on the flat and watch your dog closely for sign’s she’s had enough. We let dogs with heart problems take us for a walk!

Brushing teeth – Keep teeth clean – there’s been a lot of research showing the connection between bad teeth and heart disease in dogs. It ‘s t he same in humans. Bacteria gets into the area around the gums and then enters the circulation, settling on the heart valve. It can eventually scar the area. What can you do to prevent this? Keeping the dog’s teeth is the only answer – give raw carrots to eat, hard rubber toys to chew and brush the teeth daily. Doggy tooth brushes and tooth paste in a variety of meaty flavours is available. A sprinkle of “Plaque Off”on your dog’s food is worth a try. Many people swear by it and have dogs with gleaming teeth into old age. It’s said to remove tartar and plaque in three to six weeks. We’ve tried it and it does make a significant difference.

Vitamins – Giving your dog a vitamin supplement can help. Antioxidants can help neutralize harmful molecules in the cells. Ask your vet for advice. We give our dogs cod liver oil supplements and they do very well on them. The really senior-seniors get a sprinkle of wheat germ oil too.

Does my dog have heart disease?

One of our elderly resident dogs has heart problems and this is fairly common in senior pets. Whilst dogs don’t suffer from heart attacks as much as people do, it is one of the reasons for an older pet to have regular vet check ups so that any symptoms can be investigated.

What are the indications that the heart is working as well as it should? Breathing difficulties, coughing (it’s not always kennel cough), a blue tinge to the inside of the lips which is a sign of oxygen deprivation. A swollen tummy could be another worrying indication. Any of these and your dog will need vet help and fast treatment.

You can check your dog’s pulse yourself – and this is another sign of how well, or poorly, the heart is working. To check the pulse put your hand against the dog’s chest just by her left elbow. A dog’s heart normally beats anywhere between 60 – 160 beats in a minute. It depends on the breed and the type of dog. Count how many beats there are in 15 seconds and then multiply by four. If you do a check at fairly regular intervals you will know what is normal for your pet. If it’s suddenly slow, erratic or fast, you’ll know that something is wrong and can take your dog for a vet check up.