Test yourself on the signs and symptoms of rabbit arthritis
Could my rabbit have arthritis? That’s probably the last question you think about when it comes to rabbits. However, osteoarthritis is actually quite common in older rabbits, and it can affect rabbits as young as two.
How would you know? As rabbits are ‘prey animals’ they hide pain to avoid looking ‘weak’ to potential predators. Towcester Veterinary Centre’s head vet Helen Pope has come up with a fun test to help you learn about the signs & symptoms of arthritis to look out for in your rabbit.
Take our rabbit arthritis test
What is arthritis?
Osteoarthritis, or arthritis for short, is a degenerative condition that causes inflammation of the joints. If your rabbit is over the age of 6 it’s likely they will have arthritis, which can be very painful and will affect their quality of life. Giant breeds tend to become arthritic at a relatively younger age than smaller breeds.
It’s not all bad news though, with the right combination of medication and veterinary care, arthritis in rabbits can be treated and managed to reduce the symptoms. Book a rabbit health check by calling 01327 350239.
What should I look out for?
The key to spotting the signs and symptoms of arthritis is to monitor your rabbit regularly to spot any changes or anything of concern. Keep a ‘rabbit diary’ and log your findings.
- After your rabbit has been laying still for a while, are their first few steps a bit wobbly? Do they appear stiff? Are they limping? These are all symptoms of arthritis, as well as other conditions so it’s important to get your rabbit checked out by a vet.
- Caecotrophs are soft pellets which rabbits excrete and then re-digest to absorb the nutrients they need. Can your rabbit reach to eat these directly from their bottom or are they scooting and then eating them off the floor?
- Is your rabbit’s bottom getting dirty or urine soaked more often? Arthritis affects mobility and rabbits aren’t able to angle their pelvis properly to wee, which can lead to bladder sludge or stones from not emptying their bladder fully. Plus, they may struggle to reach when cleaning and grooming.
- Does the cold or damp weather affect your rabbit’s ability and willingness to move around? Arthritic rabbits generally want to stay warm and do less, and can become withdrawn around you and other people and pets.
- Has your rabbit’s appetite shrunk or have they stopped eating and you can’t figure out why?
If you’re concerned about your rabbit’s health, especially if their appetite has changed (this could be related to other health conditions and should be dealt with quickly), give us a call on 01327 350239 and book your furry pal in for a health check.
Head nurse Katy Kirkham has some dark night poison advice for pet owners
The dark nights are starting earlier, and the temperature is dropping… Winter is coming. As we move through the seasons, head nurse Katy Kirkham, wants owners to be aware of how environmental changes and their own routine can potentially be hazardous to pets.
Note down our Emergency Number just in case: 01327 350239
Pest poisons – If you’re having a pre-winter tidy-up in your garden and shed, make sure rat poisons, slug pellets, and insect/weed killers are out of your pet’s reach.
Antifreeze – With winter on the way, now is when people tend to refill their cars with antifreeze, which is highly toxic, but surprisingly tasty to pets (especially cats). Clean up spillages thoroughly and keep the container in a cupboard or behind closed doors – remember, cats can climb.
Conkers & acorns – These common autumnal seeds of horse chestnut and oak trees are toxic to dogs. Whereas severe poisoning is rare, vomiting and intestinal blockages can happen if eaten.
Blue-green algae – Just because it’s Autumn, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s too cold for blue-green algae to survive. Be careful walking your dog near rivers, streams, and lakes in the dark when you may not be able to see the algae.
Toxic fumes & smoke – When it’s darker and colder outside, we tend to keep pets indoors for warmth and safety. However, standalone electric/gas heaters, open fires, and candles can be harmful to pets due to toxic fumes and/or smoke.
Bonfires – These won’t poison pets (unless you’re accidentally burning toxic materials on them), but they won’t do them any good if they inhale the smoke or have been napping underneath – always check before striking the match.
Flea treatments – Post-summer, pre-Christmas, can be a very busy time. If you own different types of pets, make sure you give them the correct flea treatments as they’re not ‘one size fits all’ and toxic poisoning can happen.
Share our dark night advice with your pet-loving friends and help to reduce the number of poorly pets this season.
If you do have a pet health emergency, call 01327 350239 straight away.
Autumn safety advice for Northamptonshire cat owners
The nights are getting shorter and the leaves are turning yellow, are you ready for the joys of Autumn in Northamptonshire? Now is the perfect time to prepare your cat for some seasonal changes.
From microchipping to changing mealtimes, our head vet Helen, has some Autumn advice for optimal cat safety:
Stay Visible – Pre-7pm sunsets kick in around the third week of September and that’s when vets typically see an increase in the number of cats brought in following road accidents. Invest in a reflective collar, and if you’re driving, take extra care to spot cats crossing the road in the dark.
Stay Connected – Microchipping your cat is probably the most important thing you could ever do for them. This quick & harmless procedure could help reunite you if they go missing, or are involved in an accident. All too often, vets have no way of tracing owners of cats brought in. It’s just as important to keep your cat’s microchip contact details up to date.
Stay Indoors – Move your cat’s mealtimes earlier in the evening to encourage them indoors when it starts to get dark. Also, hiding some of your cat’s toys and only bringing them out at night will make staying in seem like more fun than a night on the tiles.
Stay Alert – Some cats like to harness the autumnal warmth by sleeping underneath cars, on tyres, and under the bonnet. Give your vehicle a quick check-over before heading out and send sleeping cats on their way.
Stay Safe – As the shorter days return, so do the back-garden bonfires. Check for cats and wildlife before lighting your bonfire, and keep cats indoors more during firework season.
The takeaway messages in this article are to ‘THINK CAT SAFETY’ and to stay connected to your cat, this Autumn.
Our tips for choosing a cat sitter
There are some excellent catteries in Northamptonshire, but not all cats do well away from home and their normal routine. Stay-at-home care is an increasingly popular option but it’s important to get the details right for your cat. So, Katy Kirkham our head nurse, has put together a few handy tips and a handy checklist that you may find useful.
Download our cat holiday checklist
Types of holiday care for cats
Daily visits can be carried out by a friend, neighbour or professional cat sitter. They will need to ensure your cat/s has enough food / water and take care of their basic needs.
Live-in care is a more focussed version of daily visits, ideal if you have a few pets. Your furry friends will have constant company and their routine will be maintained.
In both cases, it can also be reassuring to know that someone you trust is visiting your home each day, checking everything is secure and everyone is healthy.
Whatever option you choose, you need to check with your selected cat sitter to make sure they’ll provide the following:
- Regular visits – Your cat should be visited at least twice daily.
- Meals – The food & routine should be the same as if you were at home.
- Water – An abundant supply of fresh water must always be available.
- Litter – Trays should be cleaned twice daily, especially during warm weather.
Choosing the right cat sitter
As your pet is one of the most important parts of your life, you’ll feel better while you’re away if you know that someone trustworthy and knowledgeable is looking after your cat.
Katy Kirkham recommends checking:
- References – If it isn’t someone you know personally, are they able to provide details of a few other people they have sat for?
- Knowledge – They should be able to spot signs of ill health and be aware of any specific issues that your cat may have. Plus, if your cat needs regular medication, they should be capable of administering it.
- Quality time – The person should be willing to play with your cat or simply spend time sitting with them, for company.
- Insurance – If your cat sitter is a professional, they should be insured – so check their documents.
No matter which option you choose for your pet, be sure to download our cat holiday checklist . If you have any questions you can always drop us a line on 01327 350239 or ask us on our Facebook page if you think they may be useful to other owners.
Choosing a kennels for your dog in Towcester
Since 2018, people around Northamptonshire who run dog boarding kennels, home boarding business and even doggy daycare must follow rules that focus on meeting the welfare needs of dogs.
Get the detail of what the law requires by reading our article blow and download our ‘Ten questions’ infographic and run through it with your kennel before you book your dog in for their next stay.
Get the ten questions you should ask every kennel
Dog boarding kennels
Kennels must provide a suitable environment, ensure they monitor behaviour and keep a record of your dog’s stay. Ask to see all of these.
As a minimum your dog must have:
- Their own kennel unit and sleeping area, accessible at all times.
- Sufficient space in that area for them to sit, stand at full height, lie down fully stretch out, wag their tail, walk and turn around.
- One daily, 20 minute walk, outside, ideally more.
- If appropriate, room to share with another dog from your household.
- Access to enrichment through toys and games.
The better kennels will offer more and longer walks, additional enrichment facilities and more staff interaction.
Home boarding services
Like kennels, home boarding businesses must provide a suitable environment, ensure they monitor behaviour and keep a record of your dog’s stay. Ask to see all of these.
Your dog must be:
- Accommodated within the home.
- They should have their own room where they can get away from other dogs.
- Things that do not count as rooms include… conservatories, garages, cellars, outside building/sheds, balconies or outside structures.
- They should get exercise that’s appropriate for their age and health, with the opportunity for at least one 20 minute outdoor walk a day.
As with boarding kennels, the better the home boarding the more exercise, enrichment and interaction will be available.
Doggy daycare
For a dog daycare business to be fully licensed, your dog must be:
- Assessed before they can go to the daycare provider to make sure they are not scared, anxious or stressed around other dogs and people.
- Able to access an area where they can go to the toilet when they want to.
- Able to access an area where they can avoid seeing people or other dogs if they choose to.
- Have its behaviour monitored
Daycare providers aspiring to even higher standards will also document the interactions your dog has with people throughout the day.
Get the ten questions you should ask every kennel
Do download our ten questions PDF and use it, along with the information above, to assess your care provider. If you feel these conditions are not being met, then we’d urge you to walk away (taking your dog with you) and look for alternatives.
Holiday care for small mammals in Towcester
When it comes to finding holiday care options for smaller pets in Towcester, the variables are a little more complicated than those for Dogs & Cats. This is basically down to the specialist care, handling and attention certain species require. There are a few common requirements that apply to most small mammals. These revolve around making sure they are appropriately vaccinated and healthy before you leave for your trip.
If you’re not sure of the vaccination status of your Rabbit, Ferret, Hamster or other small furry, then why not book them in with us for a small animal health check.
Book a small animal health check
In a way that leads us onto our second piece of general advice.
If you’re leaving your small pet for the first time and are looking for holiday help, then start your preparations early, especially if you have a relatively uncommon pet. Whilst there are an increasing number of holiday care options for pets (that are not cats or dogs) small mammal care tends to be harder to find and that means you’ll need time to prepare.
When it comes down to it, you’ll have three options;
- Ask family or friends to look after your small pet in your home
- Take your small furry to someone else’s home
- Take your small mammals to a professional boarding business
If you have a pet that does not require special care, is happy to travel and easy to transport; then the best and most obvious option is to have friends of family take your pet into their house. If you choose this option, do make sure your pet travels with easy to follow care and feeding instructions along with a note of our details (if they have an emergency or just need a little advice).
If you have pets that don’t like to travel, for instance rabbits, it’s best to keep them in your house and have someone visit. Again, leave care instructions.
If you have a pet which needs a little special handling, then make sure that whoever will be looking after them gets used to dealing with them before you go. Again, a bit of preparation is required here.
If you’re leaving your pet at a professional pet boarding facility:
- Check the provider out before your book and take up a few references.
- Make sure your pet is prepared for the journey to and from their holiday digs.
- Do send them with an ample supply of their favourite food and clear instructions on handling, routine and preferences.
Finally, if you have any exotic species, your best option is to network with owners of similar pets in the area and swap holiday care. Most exotics require a fair bit of specialist knowledge and it’s not really fair just to leave them with anyone (on the animal or the pet)
Don’t forget, if you do need any advice or help, you’re always welcome to call us on 01327 350239 and we’ll do whatever we can to assist.
Ensure your rabbit gets the most from its next vet visit by following our easy tips
Rabbits are prey animals (and are not naturally good travellers) so, they can easily become stressed on occasional but vital visits to the vets. Make sure you get the most from your rabbit’s next vet visit by following our simple advice.
Prepare Properly
Write down any un-usual symptoms your pet may have shown as well as any questions you want to ask. Please call us before you travel to check what we need you need to bring.
Things to bring
The three things we’ll normally ask you to bring are;
- A recent urine or stool sample
- A familiar blanket to help keep your rabbit calm in the consulting room
- A treat to reward them at the end of their visit
Get a Great Crate
Ideally you want a rabbit specific carry case that opens at the top. Place the case in the rabbits’ environment before the trip so they can get used to it. Feed them in it, to build positive associations with the case.
Give Good Grub
On the morning of the trip give your rabbit a good breakfast and pack lunch with favourite foods and some of their usual pellets. A foodie treat may help to encourage your rabbit to start eating again if they lose their appetite.
Top Travel
The journey is probably going to stress them. So, make sure the car is clean, odour free and as quiet as it can be. Double check that the carry case is secure and level. Then, drive gently and when you get here, try to minimise the amount of time you spend in the waiting room and or keep your rabbit as far away from other pets that are waiting as you can.
Bring a Friend
If your rabbit lives with a companion, bring them both. It will be less stressful for them to be kept together.
When you get home
Ideally your rabbit will have enjoyed a treat before they finish their visit but once they get home do make sure they are eating and drinking as normal. If they are not, call us and we may ask you to syringe feed to get them going .
As ever, if you are in any doubt, following your visit, call us for further advice.
Preparing your cat or rabbit for surgery
No matter what the operation is, understanding what to expect and how you can prepare will make the whole thing a lot less stressful for you and your pet.
Read our four-point guide for a little advice and reassurance. If you’re worried or have questions we’re here to help at any point.
Before surgery
We’ll be checking your pet’s overall suitability for surgery by asking you questions about their current health & recent medical history. We’ll weigh them, check them and talk you through any risks with the operation.
We’ll talk to you about what to feed them the day before and the morning of the operation. In broad terms; cats should not be fed after midnight before the operation, but rabbits can be fed as normal. We’ll confirm any specific feeding advice for your pet’s op.
On the day
We’ll answer any last minute questions, then after you drop them off, we’ll prepare them for surgery and may give medication for any pain or anxiety. They may have some fur shaved and a drip inserted to allow us to administer medication, then, once prepared they’ll be taken to our operating theatre.
After the operation
After the procedure your pet will be moved to our recovery ward and may be given additional pain relief. As they come round, Katy and the nursing team will give them a bit of love and company and we’ll call you to let you know how it went.
When they get home
Given they have just gone through surgery you’ll want to leave them to their own devices for a day or so whilst you keep a close eye on them.
Make sure they have somewhere quiet to retreat to and keep them as calm as you can. Keep an eye on what they are eating and call us for further advice if their appetite does not return after a day or so. You can often get rabbits eating again by offering soft fruit as treats and if you heat cat’s food that can help them get their appetite back.
Your pet may need to wear a collar to keep them away from any stitches and you may need to help by distracting them. Other than that, please make sure you administer medication on time, check them daily for any unusual signs and try not to miss follow up appointments.
If you notice anything unusual or have any concerns as their recovery progresses, please don’t hesitate to call us for a little help or reassurance.
