A survey of over 2000 people carried out during Rabbit Awareness Week revealed some startling and worrying statistics.

• 50% of respondents believed that the average rabbit lives for only three to four years
• 71% did not know that fibre; hay and grass, was the most important component of the rabbits diet
• 50% believed that vegetables, fruit and carrots were the most important foodstuffs for rabbits.
• 90% were unaware that a rabbit could cost over £3,000 over its life time

It is essential that owners understand their rabbits welfare needs, including their need to be fed a suitable diet, to have a large hutch and exercise run, to have company and to receive appropriate health care including vaccinations against deadly diseases.

If you feel that you need any further advice on your rabbits needs please contact the practice for a free nurse consultation.

Pico the 2yo black lab arriving at TVVC in style. He enjoys the fresh air of side car travel but has no plans to sit his bike test just yet.

See “equine newsletters” for full article

Testing a urine sample is a quick and cost effective way to check for many of the symptoms of disease in your pet. Even in an animal which appears healthy checking a urine sample can show signs of the early stages of diseases which may not yet be causing a change in your pets behaviour. Conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease can be picked up early where treatment can be most effective.

CAT

In the first instance try putting down a perfectly clean empty litter tray, if your cat is in the habit of using a tray sometimes this is enough to catch a clean sample.

If you find your cat is upset by the lack of litter in the tray you can purchase a simple non absorbent litter kit. This contains plastic litter which allows your cat to display its normal behaviours around the litter tray and encourage it to produce a sample. The kit also contains a pipette which allows you to lift the sample hygienically and a urine sample pot to transport the sample to the surgery. Please ring or e-mail the surgery using the prescription request button and we will leave a kit for you at reception.

If your cat usually toilets outside or he/she finds even plastic litter distressing to use, the vet can take a sample of urine using a thin needle passed through the wall of the abdomen and bladder, this process is known as cystocentesis which is well tolerated in pet cats.

DOG

Take your dog out on a short lead, using a clean reasonably flat container, slide this under the dog or bitch as they begin to urinate.

The uripet sample collector can be purchased from the surgery, this is an easy way to collect a sample as it has a collection device and a sample container attached.

Hints and Tips

• Always use a perfectly clean and dry container for both collection and transporting urine samples to the surgery. Certain disinfectants, soaps or food contamination can alter the results from the sample.
• Wear rubber gloves when collecting samples from both dogs and cats, urine can cause infection and skin irritiation.
• Take the sample when you know that you can bring it to the surgery within an hour or two of collection, crystals can form in urine quite quickly once it has cooled and these can affect the results from the sample.
• Results can be obtained from a relatively small sample, don’t worry if the sample is only a few millilitres we can still get perfectly good results.

Last Friday 75 clients and friends attended a talk on “Care of the Elderly Horse” by John Keen and sponsored by Vetplus. John covered many aspects of the management of older animals, including the importance of regular dental examinations, colic, cushings disease and lameness.

John nominated Gambia Horse and Donkey trust as the benificiary of a retiring collection which raised £114.

I can currently buy a can of Pedigree Chunks in Gravy for 52 pence per can from the supermarket. The recommended amount to feed for a 25kg adult dog is 3 cans per day, this would cost £1.56 per day or £569.40 per year.

If I buy a bag of Proplan Adult Large Breed Robust for £42.03 per 15 kg bag from Tay Valley Vets, I feed my dog 285 grams of food for 80 pence per day or £292 per year! A saving of £277.40 per year!

Why choose a Super Premium Dog Food?

• It contains only top quality ingredients
• More of the diet is digested by the dog which means much less Poo to pick up when you are out for a walk
• A ‘fixed formula’ diet means that your dog is less likely to have digestive problems and tummy upsets.

All animals are different and different breeds of dogs often have very different feeding requirements. Bring your dog in for a weight and condition check and get feeding recommendations from our nurses free of charge!

Tay Valley Vets operate a loyalty scheme, once you have bought 5 bags of food the 6th is free!

All prices were correct at 25.11.2009

I can currently buy a pouch of Whiskas Cat Food from the Supermarket for 26 pence. If my average 4kg cat eats the recommended 3 pouches per day this costs 78 pence per day to feed my cat, a total cost of £284.70 per year.

If I buy a bag of Proplan Adult Cat Food for £14.00 per 3kg bag from Tay Valley Vets I feed my cat 55 grams of food costing 25 pence per day or £91.25 per year. A saving of £193.45 per year!

Why Choose a Super Premium Cat Food?

• It contains only top quality ingredients
• A high quality diet means more of the food is digested by the cat, producing much less poo to clean up from the litter tray!
• Proplan in a fixed formula food, this means the formula does not vary from bag to bag, food changes can often be responsible for upset tummies and diarrhoea.

Tay Valley Vets operate a loyalty scheme, once you have bought 5 bags of food the 6th bag is Free! This reduces the cost of feeding your cat even further.

All animals are different and need different amounts and types of food to keep them fit and healthy. Bring your cat in for a weight and condition check and get feeding recommendations from our Nurses free of charge!

Prices for Whiskas Cat food correct at 25.11.2009

Dental disease is the most common infectious disease of our pets. Over 80% of cats and dogs over the age of 3 require dental treatment now. This means that they are walking around with infection and inflammation in their mouths. Not only is there infection in the mouth - but it can spread to affect the whole body. The GOOD news is that the majority of dental problems are TREATABLE and nearly all are PREVENTABLE.

During the month of September our nurses, Gillian, Fiona and Kirsten will be holding dental clinics in order to check your dogs and cats teeth for free. In this free consultation we can discuss all aspects of dental care and ongoing management of your pets oral hygiene. Owners will also go away with a free goody bag for their pet. If you would like to take advantage of this service please contact the surgery to book your free appointment.

We know that one of the scariest things that we can tell you is that your pet needs to come in to the surgery for tests or procedures, so we have decided to hold an open day to let you come and see what goes on behind the scenes!

As part of Vet Nurse Week 2009 we will be highlighting the work that our qualified and trainee nurses do to ensure that your pet stays happy and healthy when they are in the surgery.

Did you know that Vet Nurses -

• Monitor Anaesthesia
• Take and process tests including, bloods and urine
• Medicate and monitor hospitalised animals
• Assist in surgery
• Complete diagnostic procedures such as radiography.
• Run a range of client information clinics such as obesity, dentistry and behaviour.

Come along to our Open Day on 18 July to chat to our staff and various exhibitors who will help you provide excellent care for your pets.

Andrew attended a 2 day training course in equine rescue in Hampshire last week. The training means that Tay Valley Vets are now listed on a national register of vets who are able to assist their local fire brigades with equine rescues. The training was very practical and participants had to demonstrate strong leadership skills in stressful situations with simulated rescues of horses from rivers, ditches, bogs and from overturned trailers. Much of the training focussed on road accidentsd involving horses being transported. The training was administered by the British Equine Veterinary Association, of which both Andrew and Jamie are members, and the Lyndhurst Fire and rescue service. Two equine vets and two firefighters who specialise in animal rescue led the course of fifteen vets from across the UK. Andrew said the whole experience was very helpful as well as extremely sobering!