Category: Animal Welfare

The Art of Veterinary Communication: Simple Words, Clear Message,

Posted on by Les Ellison
The Art of Veterinary Communication: Simple Words, Clear Message,

However advanced the laboratory technology, and however expert the veterinary practitioner, the critical step in any consultation or veterinary diagnostic test is communicating with the pet owner.

In the treatment of sick and injured animals, the animal’s owner is the veterinary practitioner’s greatest ally. To get the best outcome, for a companion animal or a commercial herd, the owner needs to fully understand what the vet is saying and what they, as continuing carer, are required to do.

48% of those surveyed didn’t feel that annual vaccination was necessary

A recent survey of 2000 cat owners showed that 60% of cat owners understood little or nothing of their cat’s health needs. The impact of this lack of knowledge is revealed in the fact that 48% of those surveyed didn’t feel that annual vaccination was necessary, while 28% didn’t vaccinate their cats all.

Questioned further on why they didn’t understand what their vets told them, the top reasons stated were: too much information given, too many big words used, the vet was too rushed, the vet was distracted by the animal, and no ‘take-away’ message given.

Understanding the vet’s message

Vets have come to rely on accurate, easy-to-read, clear-cut results from the analyses and diagnostic tests carried out in their veterinary laboratories. Veterinary test developers have invested in simple to interpret colour change tests such as the MegaCor FASTest range of diagnostic kits.

Pet owners and keepers are no different to vets in their need to quickly appreciate and trust the outcome of a diagnosis. Most pet owners might not have the specialist veterinary vocabulary.  But this doesn’t mean that owners are unwilling or unable to understand the vet’s message when it’s given in the right words and the right language.

Communicating with the pet owner is clearly the key

Like the colour change diagnostic, keeping the message clear and simple is the key. Something visible to look at is also a good way to focus the attention – of the vet as well as the keeper, on the information to be shared.  If it’s practical and safe, the keeper could be shown the diagnostic, allowed to handle the X-ray photograph or talked through the printout.

It might be appropriate to talk to the owner in the absence of the pet or other distraction to either party. Perhaps most important is for the vet to pose the question: ‘So what?’ on behalf of the pet owner.  Asking: ‘So what does the diagnosis mean for the animal?’  ‘What does it mean for the owner?’ And most importantly: ‘What I, the owner, need to do now?’

The unreadable character of medical doctors’ handwriting has been a standing joke for many years, but not for anyone who’s ever received the wrong prescription. For the vet trying to translate the clear-cut results of a veterinary diagnostic test into clear improvements in an animal’s health and welfare, communicating with the pet owner is clearly the key.

To find out more about our large range of veterinary products visit our website: www.vetlabsupplies.co.uk or Telephone: 01798 874567

Slugs and Snails and Puppy-dog’s Ailments – The Rise in Canine Lungworm

Posted on by Les Ellison
Slugs and Snails and Puppy-dog’s Ailments – The Rise in Canine Lungworm

As its alternative name suggests, the lungworm parasite was not always a disease common among cats and dogs in the UK. The first case of ‘French Heartworm’ appeared in 1975.  In the 40 years since, the parasite has established hotspots in the UK’s more southerly counties, with cases reported as far north as Paisley in Scotland.

UK veterinary laboratories reported more than 80 cases of lungworm, including 6 fatalities in the first half of 2017. Infection with the nematode worm species, Angiostrongylus vasorum, has many symptoms including coughing and shortness of breath, an aversion to exercise, weight loss, vomiting, abdominal and back pain, nervous disorders, unusual bleeding, heart failure, and sudden death.

The life cycle of A.vasorum makes it difficult to eradicate. The adult parasite lives in the small arteries of the lungs and in the right-side heart chambers producing eggs that hatch into larvae.  Larvae penetrate into the lungs and make their way into the back of the throat where they are swallowed to enter the animal’s digestive system.  Finally, the lungworm larvae are passed out with animal’s faeces.

Slugs, snails and even frogs are the usual suspects

Slugs, snails and even frogs are the usual suspects in the spread of lungworm, though exactly how is not altogether clear. The established theory is that the larger slug species, which will eat dog and fox faeces, become intermediate hosts for the maturing lungworm larvae. When domestic cats and dogs eat infected molluscs, anything else that ate them, or lick infected slug and snail slime off their paws, the cycle of infection is complete.

Research estimates the presence of lungworm in UK foxes has risen from about 7% in 2008 to just over 18% today. The highest incidence is in the south-east where up to 50% of foxes are thought to be infected.  This might not be entirely the foxes’ fault.  A high urban fox population – feeding on readily available discarded food, would also be in much closer contact with fouling from domestic animals.

Links to climate change

The increase in infection rates might be linked to climate change with milder, wetter winters boosting the population of larvae-carrying slugs and snails.

Lungworm is not infectious to people, although other diseases that can infect your pet also pose a risk to human health.  Perhaps the most significant of these is the tick-borne Lymes Disease.  Like lungworm, the spread of Lymes in the UK might be linked to changes in the climate and the growth in travel to and from countries where such diseases are endemic.

Keeping your pet safe from lungworm and other parasites 

Whatever the reason for the increase in infection rates, prevention is better than cure, and early diagnosis with veterinary diagnostic tests is vital to effective treatment.  A word with your vet is the best way to find out all you need to keep your pet safe from lungworm and other parasites including fleas, ticks, heartworm, roundworm and tapeworms.

To find out more about our large range of veterinary diagnostic test kits visit our website: www.vetlabsupplies.co.uk or Telephone: 01798 874567

FIV-FeLV Diagnostics More Vital Than Ever as Vaccination Rates Fall

Posted on by Les Ellison
FIV-FeLV Diagnostics More Vital Than Ever as Vaccination Rates Fall

Alarmingly low vaccination rates among UK cats mean that early detection and screening, with a separate or combination FIV and FeLV diagnostic test kit, is more important than ever.

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are two of the most serious cat diseases and among the most infectious. Although there is an effective and economical vaccine against FeLV, a recent survey shows that almost half of UK cat owners skip their cat’s annual vaccination.

A survey by Merial Animal Health of 2000 UK cat owners found that 48% of don’t take their cats for their annual vaccination, while almost a third don’t have their cats vaccinated at all.

Female cat owners between 18 and 35 were least well informed

The survey uncovered that 60% of cat owners were unaware of or knew very little about the diseases that pose a life-threatening risk to their cats. Further questioning showed that female cat owners between 18 and 35 were least well informed.  35% of the women polled said they didn’t believe vaccination necessary, with 25% of men holding the same opinion.

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) undermines the immune system of infected cats leaving them open to secondary infections.  Some cats, testing FeLV positive, stay healthy but may infect other cats through their saliva.

At present, there is no proven effective treatment or vaccine against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Because FIV infected cats might live normally but still transmit the infection to other cats, it’s important to test for the virus.

FIV and FeLV diagnosis is vital to the health and wellbeing of the wider cat population

Veterinary testing for FIV and FeLV diagnosis is vital to the health and wellbeing of the wider cat population. With the fall-off in protection rates generally, it’s also important to quickly diagnose individual cats showing the diverse symptoms that might indicate FeLV-FIV weakened immunity.

Saving time for both the veterinary laboratory and worried cat owners, FASTest FeLV-FIV is a combination FeLV and FIV diagnostic test.  Simple, convenient and clear-cut, the test kit’s long shelf life and room temperature storage make it a practical lab-based or field test for individual cats or screening commercial catteries, cat breeders and animal charities on-site.

Sadly, it’s not just cat owners who are skipping their pet’s annual vaccination. A survey by pet charity PDSA found that the proportion of UK dogs not protected from dog diseases such as parvovirus fell from 82% in 2011 to only 75% today.

Reassuringly, 50% of women and 36% of men said they’d welcome more information about their cat’s health. Although 53% named social media and online as their main source of FIV-FeLV and other pet health information, 75% still sought out their local vet as the first point of call for advice on their cat’s health.

To find out more about our large range of veterinary diagnostic test kits visit our website: www.vetlabsupplies.co.uk or Telephone: 01798 874567

Planning for a Happy Event – TARGET Canine Ovulation Test Kit

Posted on by Les Ellison
Planning for a Happy Event – TARGET Canine Ovulation Test Kit

Successful dog breeding requires perfect timing. Bitches come to their breeding peak only about twice a year. So knowing when your bitch is ‘in season’ or ‘on heat’ is essential whether you’re mating her with a specially chosen dog, or artificially inseminating with semen.

For as long as the breeding of dogs has been deliberately managed, breeders have wanted to know the days when a bitch is most likely to conceive. Breeders have watched their bitches for physical signs including bleeding and discharge from the vulva (the reproductive opening) or just when the animal became receptive to the approaches of male dogs.

Microscopic examination of samples from the bitch’s vulva also gave important clues to a bitch’s reproductive state. Cells that line the birth canal change their shape and appearance as the time of ovulation draws near. At ovulation, eggs are released from the bitch’s ovaries to be fertilised by sperm in the semen of a male dog. This needs to happen two to three days after ovulation or the opportunity could be lost for another 6 months.

Monitoring the changes in hormone levels

The time of ovulation is governed and controlled by a balance of hormones secreted into the bloodstream. While these other predictors of ovulation are useful guides, a more direct and precise method would be to monitor the changes in hormone levels.

One of the key hormones in canine ovulation is the hormone `progesterone`. This is made in the ovaries and detected in blood samples. Progesterone levels in bitches 2 to 4 days before the ovaries release their eggs.

Rising progesterone levels and imminent ovulation

The TARGET Canine Ovulation Kit is a simple all-in-one box method for predicting canine ovulation from a bitch’s blood progesterone level. Pre-ovulation, the kit returns a bright blue result. A pale blue colour means quickly rising progesterone levels and imminent ovulation. A clear white result, normally 2 days after ovulation, indicates the ideal time for successful mating or insemination.

High progesterone levels are maintained by the placenta if fertilisation occurs but fall back to their low pre-ovulation state if the eggs are not fertilised and no pregnancy follows. High progesterone levels during pregnancy maintain the blood supply to the placentae feeding the growing pups and preventing premature contractions of the uterus (womb).

About 58 to 60 days into a bitch’s pregnancy, the progesterone levels begin to allow for contractions and birth. If there have been complications, and a C-section birth seems likely, then tracking the falling levels with The TARGET Canine Ovulation Kit will help determine the optimal time for a C-section delivery.

Why Cats Go Viral And How To Make Sure That Yours Doesn’t

Posted on by Les Ellison
Why Cats Go Viral And How To Make Sure That Yours Doesn’t

With more than 2 million uploads and almost 25 billion views, cat videos are by far and away the most popular and most shared subjects online. Yet around 3% of those cats may well test positive for Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV), and a similar number the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

Exactly why cat videos go viral is obvious to those who love cats and a complete mystery those who don’t. What can’t be denied is that more and more people want to show off their cats, and even more want to watch other people’s cats showing off.

If you want to see dogs doing what cats do on the internet, all you have to do is walk anywhere dogs are let off the leash. Set free, dogs perform the same feats of acrobatics and athleticism. Away from the camera, even healthy cats are mostly either sleeping or patiently stalking something.

Viral, in any context other than social media, is invariably bad news

The key word for both dogs and cats is ‘healthy’. Video clips and real-life views of sick animals offer no attraction to anyone who hasn’t an interest in veterinary diagnostics. Yet the word ‘viral’, in any context other than social media, is invariably bad news.

For cats and cat owners, the word ‘virus’ is most feared in relation to Feline Leukaemia Virus FeLV and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus FIV.

Though it may have the more serious immediate impact on your cat’s health, there is a vaccine for FeLV. A third of affected cats develop tumours while two-thirds succumb to infections related to the loss of disease resistance.

No vaccine and no cure for FIV

The FIV virus reduces your cat’s ability to fight infection. There is no vaccine and no cure for FIV. However, most FIV positive cats still enjoy a normal life-span without any apparent health problems attributable to the virus.

Early diagnosis in cats exposed to infected animals, such as feral populations, is essential to effective treatment. Veterinary diagnostic kits such as Vetlab Supplies’ FASTest FeLV-FIV testing for Cats reliably checks for both viruses in a single test.

FeLV and FIV testing recommend

If you have new cat or kitten in the house, or a cat that likes to roam, or if you breed cats or manage a cattery, your veterinary laboratory will recommend FeLV and FIV testing.

Many of the most viewed cat videos show cats coming unstuck. Maybe that’s because we’re somehow in awe of the intelligence and agility of cats. We know that, if they could just get themselves organised, cats could take over the world.

But for now, and for their most important needs – a healthy diet, veterinary treatment and preventative vaccinations, cats are entirely dependent on us, their devoted owners and keepers, otherwise known as… their servants.

PDSA Animal Charity Responds to PAWS with PETS

Posted on by Les Ellison
PDSA Animal Charity Responds to PAWS with PETS

Produced annually since 2011, the PDSA’s 2016 Pet Animal Welfare (PAW) report offers a sobering view of public awareness of pet animal health, welfare and wellbeing issues in Great Britain.

Working with pollsters YouGov, the UK animal charity questioned 4,252 dog, cat and rabbit owners and 701 veterinary professionals on their awareness and application of the Five Animal Welfare Needs as laid out in the 2006 Animal Welfare Act.

The survey showed that only 35% of pet owners were familiar with the Act’s requirement that every pet should be given: a suitable environment, a suitable diet, the freedom to show normal behaviour, enjoy appropriate companionship and live protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease.

26% of pet owners were unaware of their responsibilities under the Act

Worryingly for veterinary practitioners, the 2016 PAW report showed that 26% of pet owners were unaware of their responsibilities under the Act. Further questioning revealed that 98% of owners underestimated the cost of pet ownership. 28% said they would consider buying their pet through an online advert and the same proportion said they would even import their pet from outside the UK.

Almost a quarter of owners had done no research before choosing their pet with only 1 in 20 saying they had sought any advice from a vet. Questioned about their chosen pet, 12% of dog owners had not trained their dog in any way, and only just over half knew their pet’s actual weight.

Responding to the report’s findings, the PDSA launched a campaign to support owners in taking better care of their pet’s welfare. The charity’s 4-point PETS initiative focuses owners on the Place, Exercise, Time and Spend that companion animals need to stay healthy and happy.

Vet professionals were ready to take the lead in raising pet owners’ awareness of their pets’ needs

The survey also reported that vet professionals were ready to take the lead in raising pet owners’ awareness of their pets’ needs. With their regular owner-practitioner contact for routine vaccinations, diagnostic tests and parasite examinations, 95% of vets recognised themselves as the primary educators of owners on their pets’ 5 basic needs.

Just over 8 out of 10 vets pointed to the importance of the media as playing a potentially critical role in pet welfare education. Maybe that’s why the profession’s Veterinary Record magazine proposed – perhaps just a little tongue in cheek – the airing of new animal welfare prime-time TV shows such as ‘Strictly Come Dog Training’ and ‘The Great British Bark Off’.

Winter Visitors Put UK Poultry Farmers In a Flap

Posted on by Les Ellison
Winter Visitors Put UK Poultry Farmers In a Flap

The annual winter migration season brings huge flocks of wild birds from Europe and Asia to British shores; carrying with them a heightened risk of an avian flu epidemic.

For the second time this winter, the UK government has imposed a Prevention Zone order to protect UK captive and commercial bird stocks from the potentially devastating avian flu virus, H5N8.

First imposed on 6 December 2016, the Chief Veterinary Officer’s safety measure, requiring poultry keepers to either keep their birds indoors or isolate them from contact with wild birds, has been extended to 28 February 2017.

Prevention Zones

The Prevention Zone means even those who keep chickens, ducks and geese as pets must take action to separate their birds from wild populations, and take measures such as disinfecting footwear, equipment and clothing before and after contact with their birds.

Detected in Europe late in 2016, the H5N8 bird flu first appeared in the UK at a turkey farm in Lincolnshire in mid-December, triggering the first Protection Zone order. A second case was found in Carmarthenshire in early January and a further Protection Zone imposed.

APHA continues to monitor wild bird populations

Although avian flu H5N8 has been detected in wild birds in Wales, England and Scotland, there is debate among the scientific community as to whether the spread of bird flu is attributable to birds migrating from Europe and beyond, or not. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) continue to monitor wild bird populations and test for avian flu in dead birds found on reserves or by the public. In the meantime, current restrictions have been renewed as a precautionary measure.

The threat to human health remains very low

Despite its description as a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the advice from Public Health England (PHE) is that the threat to human health remains very low.

Prevention Zone restrictions are expected to end as the migration season ends and the risk from wild birds diminishes with Eurasian birds returning to their more easterly and northerly breeding grounds. Even so, a high level of ongoing vigilance, involving the veterinary laboratory supported with diagnostic tests such as FASTest AIV Ag, will be vital for the continued protection of UK commercial flocks, as well individual pet birds.

First Aid For Pets – Could You Save Your Pet’s Life?

Posted on by Les Ellison
First Aid For Pets – Could You Save Your Pet’s Life?

Stories of animals saving the lives of their owners and even strangers are almost daily news. For some animals, in the military and civilian rescue services, saving lives is just a part of their daily routine.

Yet most pet owners wouldn’t know what to do if they found their pet in a life-threatening situation with only their owner to rely on for life-saving first aid. Attempting to redress the balance, many UK pet and animal charities are running veterinary led animal-emergency first aid courses.

Primarily aimed at professionals with close day-to-day responsibilities – such as breeders, trainers, re-homers and kennel-keepers, the courses also offer advice and practical training for the domestic dog, cat and other pet owners.

Courses and training are tailored to suit owners and their pets

Courses and training are tailored to suit owners and their pets, including dogs, cats and horses. Life-threatening situations cover a range of emergencies from choking on food, through various traumas and injuries to poisoning and heart failure.

Many of the first aid techniques and treatment principles are exactly the same as those employed in human emergency relief, but tailored to the usually smaller and more delicate anatomy and physiology of most pets. Techniques of particular interest to pet owners include canine and feline cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Specialist suppliers now support animal first aid with emergency response kits containing bandages, adhesive tapes, eye-wash, tweezers, scissors, wipes and even hypothermia foil blankets.

Web-based courses – ideal for pet owners

Web-based courses mean the vast majority of pet owners can get at least an introduction in how to spot the signs that their pet could be dangerously unwell, and what to do about it. Online ‘how-to’ videos instruct pet owners in recognising symptoms and responding with the appropriate treatment.

Central to pet welfare whether in cases of emergency, injury, longer-term illness and in good health, is the veterinary surgeon. Even after successful first aid intervention, it’s important to get the recovered animal to professional assessment and care as soon as possible.

The veterinary practice is the best starting place for training in animal first aid – whether that’s just for looking after your own pet, or providing a service to a commercial animal facility. Your vet can also help to minimise the risk of an emergency situation arising in the first place, with expert advice on diet, exercise, parasite or disease prevention, and diagnostic and treatment options to keep your pet safe and sound.

Compulsory Chipping: Is It Cool for Cats?

Posted on by Les Ellison
Compulsory Chipping: Is It Cool for Cats?

Cats are uniquely exempt from most of the ownership laws relating to dogs and other domestic animals. But when it comes to micro-chipping, should they be subject the same laws as dogs?

Under the 1968 Theft Act, cats are treated like any other item of owned property. So if you adopt a ‘stray’ that wanders into your kitchen or even buy an expensive pedigree that turns out to be stolen, then no matter how much you paid in cash or compassion, it’s still the property of the original owner.

150,000 footloose felines going through rescue centres every year

That’s why, with up to 150,000 footloose felines going through rescue and re-homing centres every year, it’s vital to know whether a cat is truly abandoned and unwanted, or merely absent without leave from a devoted owner.

Microchipping for dogs in England, Scotland and Wales became compulsory in April 2016. Puppies more than 8 weeks old must be microchipped and registered with an approved microchip database before going on to their new homes. Rescue dogs too must be microchipped then registered to their new owners.

Microchipping database managed by the Kennel Club

Prior to compulsory microchipping for dogs, Petlog, a microchipping database managed by the Kennel Club, ran a 10-year project to test its effectiveness. Petlog reported that of more than 60,000 missing dogs and over 100,000 cats, 75% of dogs and 45% of cats have reunited with their owners all thanks to their microchip.

The microchip itself is a little smaller than a grain of rice. Implanting the chip under the skin between the shoulder blades, using a specialised hypodermic, is no more discomforting than a routine injection.

Every microchip is programmed with a unique reference number. When a hand-held scanner is passed over the chip, it signals its unique number back to the scanner. Cross-referencing the number to the database identifies the pet and their owner.

Talk to your vet about microchipping

So if you want your perambulating puss to find the way home, talk to your vet about microchipping on your next visit for treatment, vaccination, routine check-up and the essential FeLV-FIV diagnostic test.

With more than 90% of dogs now chipped, says the PDSA, the knock-on effect has been an increase in microchipping for cats of up to 62%. Compulsory or cool, more and more cat owners are recognising the benefits of microchipping for themselves, for cat breeders, cat re-homing charities and, of course, for their cats too.

Why Are Britain’s Dogs Getting Fatter?

Posted on by Les Ellison
Why Are Britain’s Dogs Getting Fatter?

The problem of pet obesity is one of the fastest growing pet welfare issues in Britain today. Pet nutritionists estimate that almost 60% of UK dogs are overweight.

Obesity in dogs is classed as a disease in its own right, but also has a significant effect on increasing the risk of other diseases including joint disorders, skin conditions as well as impairing heart and respiratory function.

Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels take first, second and third in the list of breeds at highest risk of obesity, followed by Dachshund, Dalmatian, Rottweiler and Shetland Sheepdog.

Vets at the 2016 Companion Animal Nutrition Conference at Moulton College heard that although a genetic link predisposed some breeds to obesity, misinterpretation of an animal’s needs probably has the larger influence.

Dog owners felt that restricting their pet’s food intake made their animal companion unhappy

Surveys found that many dog owners felt that restricting their pet’s food intake made their animal companion unhappy. Owners often misinterpreted their pet’s behaviour as demanding food, when all their dog wanted was petting and reassurance from their human companion.

Many dog owners were likely to disagree with a vet’s assessment of an animal as overweight, and insist on feeding fattening treats even after discussing the need to reduce their dog’s calorie intake.

Don’t underestimate the energy content of the biscuit-based feed

Pet keepers who feed their dogs dried food often worried that the recommended serving was too little to satisfy their dog, and greatly underestimated the energy content of the biscuit-based feed.

The growing trend of feeding dogs raw or home prepared food risks further overfeeding as there are no recommendations for how much a dog needs to eat to stay healthy and satisfied.

The big difference between well-fed pet dogs and their wild ancestors is the easy availability of energy-rich food that they don’t have to hunt, chase down and laboriously tear up and eat.

Exercise is essential

Pet owners can help their dogs stay healthy by gradually improving mealtime interest and interaction – maybe feeding less but more often, and following a meal with a little attention and light activity. Exercise is essential, but suddenly moving a relatively inactive dog to a regime of physical exertion might bring on other muscle, joint and skeletal problems.

Owners rarely consult their vet solely in relation to an animal’s weight. This means that vets have to be ready to offer compelling advice on animal weight management when pet owners attend for anything from routine vaccination, to diagnostic testing to parasite assessment, treatment and prevention.

For the veterinary practitioner, understanding the relationship between a particular pet owner and their pet is the key to persuading an owner to act on expert advice and maintain their pet at its ideal weight.