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 seasonal message that a dog is for life has become a familiar warning. Yet the consequences of a puppy or kitten for Christmas are all too common in animal shelters and re-homing centres throughout the year that follows.
Remember the TV show where a dog apparently drives and steers a moving car around the city streets to the shock and amazement of other road users? Of course, it was just a prank; yes, the dog stands in the driving seat with front paws on the steering wheel, but the real driving is done by a human concealed within the noticeably larger-than-usual driver’s seat.
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.
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.
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.
Blood smears used to be a regular veterinary laboratory practice. Despite the domination of automated haematological and cytological analysis, this basic skill still has a place in the modern vet lab. Well-made blood smear slides are quick, cheap and informative.
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.
We rely on our dogs’ wagging tails to help us diagnose their moods, needs and what they want to tell us. But are some dogs losing their ability to wag their tails? Limber Tail – also known as 'broken tail', dead tail and broken wag comes on suddenly leaving dogs’ tails apparently paralysed; dogs’ tails become stiff at the base but floppy nearer the tip, sometimes making it difficult for a dog to sit comfortably.
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories are key contributors to the quality of care given by veterinary practices and surgeries. What should you look for in choosing the vet lab to analyse your samples? Range of Services A complete diagnostic lab will offer a spectrum of diagnostic services, including haematology, biochemistry, microbiology, parasitology and post-mortem pathology.
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