This is Bernie, our pet star for March. Bernie was brought into the surgery after he arrived home and collapsed, his owner noticed that he was bleeding and very painful around his back end.

On examination Bernie was very pale and in shock but due to the extent of pain he would not allow the vet to look at his back leg, Bernie’s heart could also not be heard on right side of his chest and also sounded crackly, the vet was worried about him bleeding into his chest. Bernie was then hospitalised overnight, Pain relief was given and fluid therapy was started to help with the shock.

The next morning his condition was stabilised and Bernie was given a general anaesthetic to xray his back and legs to find out the cause of the pain, xrays showed no broken bones but when we clipped his back legs to clean out a wound we found marks that were consistent with an attack by a dog he also had several puncture wounds on his chest and his back leg he had a wound that had punctured the skin right down to the muscle and had caused a bad infection of his leg and muscles. We clipped all the hair away flushed the wound with an antiseptic wash to clean all the debris away, Bernie was then started on a course of strong antibiotics and fluid therapy was continued as he still was not eating. The xrays also confirmed that Bernie was bleeding into his chest so the nursing staff positioned him correctly and kept turning him every few hours to prevent pooling of blood on the lungs as he wasn’t able to stand and walk around.

Bernie was hospitalised with is for a few days and each day we were seeing him get stronger, he was beginning to walk around the kennel and use a litter tray, however, he still wasn’t eating so the nurses were having to syringe feed him a few times a day.

As soon as Bernie was walking round and no longer needed intra venous antibiotics he was discharged to see if he would eat at home, his owner was shown all the aftercare for his wounds and when he came back in for a re check he was eating well. The skin around the wound on his back leg had began to die off so this was removed and revealed healthy skin underneath that was granulating and starting to heal.

Bernie has been coming back in for rechecks on a regular basis and he has made really good progress, he is back to normal and the wounds are healthy slowly!!

Below is some information on pet insurance and the different types available.

Which policy is right for me and my pet?

There are many different insurance companies and each one will offer slightly different policies, however, there are usually 2 main types:

• 12 month policies:

These policies will only cover one condition e.g. diabetes, for 12 months. After this your pet will be insured for new conditions only for 12 months.

• Covered for life policies:

These policies will cover treatment for life, up to the maximum amount per year, after this you will be required to pay the excess each new policy year and as long as the premiums are kept up your pet will be insured for as long as the condition is present.

When your pet reaches a certain age (usually 8 ) as well as paying an excess a percentage of the total claim may be payable also.

What if I need to make a claim?

If you need to claim you will need to complete and sign a claim form which you can get from your insurance company, we will then fill out the veterinary parts and send it off, for a few of the larger companies it may be possible for us to claim direct, in these cases you will only need to pay us the excess and any other costs or percentages. Please ask at reception to find out if we can do this for you. 

Can I change insurance companies?

Once your pet is insured it is advisable to not change companies, however, if no health problems are present and you have not claimed for anything in the past it is possible for you to change companies.

If you have made a claim or there are pre existing conditions and you change insurance companies, these conditions and other treatment to do with these will be excluded from the policy and you will then be responsible for all costs relating to these. The new insurance company will only cover new conditions.

Things to remember when taking out an insurance policy:

• Make sure to read the fine print and check that the policy fills all your requirements before taking it out.
• Covered for life policies are advisable as they will cover costs from ongoing conditions as long as they are present and the premiums are renewed.
• If your pet has any pre existing conditions make the insurance company aware as if you claim a full history is sent along with the relevant paperwork.
• Insurance cover for illness will usually start 14 days after the date you took the policy out, for injury cover starts immediately. These dates may vary slightly between the companies so it’s best to check with them.

If you require any more information on pet insurance or how it works, you can speak to the companies direct or you can speak to the staff at the practice who will be happy to assist.

Maisy came into the surgery after being quiet and not wanting to do anything, on examination her gums were very pale instead of being nice and pink, the vet took some blood and the results showed low red blood cells, usually associated with blood loss. We then performed an ultrasound which revealed a mass in her mid abdomen. The vets along with the owners made the decision to go ahead and remove the mass. Once under the anaesthetic the vet found a large haemorrhagic mass attached to Maisy’s kidney; it was also attached to her large intestine and part of the stomach called the omentum.

The surgery was very involved and Maisy lost a lot of blood during the procedure, this needed to be replaced so we started her on a plasma replacement and had a blood donor dog on standby just in case they were needed. After a lengthy procedure Maisy was placed in recovery by the same evening she was still recovering but was sitting up in the kennel and watching everyone move about doing their work.

The following day Maisy was up and about and going into the garden to the toilet but she was still receiving fluid therapy to support her body whilst in recovery, after spending the weekend with us Maisy went home and is doing really well, she has been in for post op checks and is always happy to have a fuss!!

Our second pet star is Tilly, a 10 year old cross breed who had her spleen removed.

Tilly first came to the practice for a nurse geriatric clinic, whilst doing this the nurse took a blood pressure reading and notified the vet as it was high. The vet then prescribed medication and Tilly had regular re checks to ensure it was working and her blood pressure starting to come down. At one of the re check appointments her owner noted that Tilly had been a bit under the weather, she had lost a lot of weight and her breathing had become faster, on examination the vet felt she had an enlarged liver, Tilly was then booked in for blood tests and an ultrasound examination. The blood results showed that she had low red blood cells but her liver enzymes were normal, we then went ahead and performed an ultrasound which revealed that the enlarged organ was her spleen and that there was a lot of fluid in her abdomen.

After speaking to the owners of Tilly she was booked in to have surgery to remove her spleen, however, when the vet began to make the incision a lot of blood was present in her abdomen indicating that her spleen had ruptured; this meant that Tilly was losing blood and this needed to be replaced. The vet removed Tilly’s spleen and checked the rest of her organs to ensure they were all normal, once this was done and the vet had finished operating Tilly was placed in recovery, she was kept on fluid therapy and more bloods were taken to monitor the amount of blood loss.

The following day Tilly had recovered well and was ready to go home, she was sent home with medication and has been back in for her re checks, the surgical wound has healed well and we continue to monitor her blood pressure.

Bess happy to see us!

Our pet star for December is Bess; she is a 6 year old Cocker Spaniel who presented at the surgery after she had been very unwell. She had been vomiting up all her food and water for a few days and was very lethargic; she didn’t even want to hold her own head up!! On examination the vet found that Bess had a very sore abdomen and that her gums had tiny haemorrhage’s all over them, called petichial haemorrhages, these are caused when the blood vessels become leaky. The vet admitted Bess for fluid therapy and tests to help diagnose what the problem was, throughout the afternoon blood tests showed that Bess’s kidneys were not functioning properly and that there were very high levels of Phosphorus as well. As her condition was deteriorating we made the decision to send Bess to the out of hours vets over night so that they could monitor her and give any treatment if needed. 

The following morning Bess returned to Oakville after a comfortable night and was much brighter. She was walking around happily and was also eating and drinking again, the petichial haemorrhages had reduced and fluids were carried on with throughout the day to help Bess’s kidneys.   

Over the next few days Bess continued to improve and blood tests showed that her kidneys were starting to function normally again. The condition we diagnosed her with was Pancreatitis, caused in this case, by so much fat in her diet, so Bess was started on a prescription diet to help with her condition. After 3 days Bess was discharged with her new diet and medication and has made really great progress!!! Her owners were pleased to have her home and back to her normal self again, she continues to come in to be weighed and checked and is always happy to see us!!

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that originated in china; it uses small needles inserted into various acupuncture points to help relieve certain conditions.

Acupuncture was first recognized in the western world in 1972 when the American president Nixon went to china and was given acupuncture, since then it’s become well known all over the world and its benefits in animals have been recognized with many vets learning how to do acupuncture.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture uses very small needles to target specific points on an animal, these are called acupuncture points. These trigger the body’s natural defense systems and help suppress chronic pain in 2 ways:

1. The nerves that are involved in the transmission of this pain are blocked; this stops the nerves being able to pass on the impulse and therefore stops or reduces the sensation of pain.
2. Natural pain killers and muscle relaxants are produced.

If an animal has a specific area of pain, the needles can also be used to target the surrounding muscles.

A dog having Acupuncture

Is acupuncture painful?

The needles used for acupuncture are much smaller than a normal hypodermic needle, generally only 0.25mm wide.  Most animals do not even notice the needles and some fall asleep! However, it is impossible to put a needle through the skin without some form of sensation.

People who have acupuncture comment that they feel a mild sensation of warmth, tingling or numbness when needles are put in.  Some points may be more sensitive than others but an experienced veterinary acupuncturist will know which points to avoid! However, over 95% of animals will tolerate acupuncture well.

Which conditions can acupuncture help?

• Back Pain
• Arthritis
• Hip Dysplasia
• Muscle and Ligament sprains/strain
• Paralysis/paresis
• Urinary and faecal incontinence
• Constipation
• Immune Dysfunction

What does treatment involve?

When we start animals on an acupuncture course, the frequency of treatment will depend on the animal’s individual condition and how well they respond, but initially most animals will have weekly sessions for 4-6weeks. Further treatments and length between these will then be tailored to the animal’s requirements.

Your pets first acupuncture consultation will usually take between 30 and 45 minutes, this gives the vet plenty of time to take a full history, assess and treat your pet and then discuss the treatment plan. Further treatments generally take 20-30 minutes.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

• Relieves Pain
• Effective for a wide range of problems including chronic diseases
• An alternative option when harmful side effects from a drug are a concern
• Can be used when surgery is not an option
• Usually produces a response within the first 2-4 sessions and often immediately

Acupuncture- The law and insurance companies.

By law only vets can perform acupuncture, they are properly trained and Zoe is a member of the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncture.

Most insurance companies now recognize acupuncture as an effective treatment and will cover your pet’s treatment; however, it’s advisable to check with your insurance company before going ahead with treatment.

If you would like to find out more about acupuncture please call the practice on 01952 506360

Ivington with his buster collar and a big smile

 Ivington is a 7 year old Labrador who is a regular at Oakville!! He first came in last year to have some lumps removed from his sternum and leg, however, he recently developed a lump on his lip. The vets removed this lump and sent it off to the lab to be tested, when the results came back it showed that the lump was malignant but the margins that were originally taken, even though these were wide, still included some of the mass. Together, the vets and Ivington’s owner decided to do more surgery to remove the scar tissue and take even wider margins from his lip to prevent the mass from coming back and spreading even further.

Ivington with his brother Bircher

Due to wide margins being taken the first time around, a lot of skin had to be removed from Ivington’s lip and so he had to have a large buster collar to prevent him from scratching the wound. He has been back for his post op check and the wound is healing really well, Ivington will be back to have his stitches removed shortly and lots of fuss and attention!

 Every time Ivington comes in to see us (which is quite often!!) he always has a smile on his face and waggy tail and will let the vets and nurses treat him with no problems, so long as he gets attention and a biscuit!!

Lily is a miniature schnauzer that came into the practice as a stray from Hilbrae for a general health check. Once the vet had checked her over we found she had a small wound on her leg that was healing and that she also needed a dental, lily was also having problems urinating as she seemed to squat a lot.  

When lily was in for her dental the vet checked her bladder and found that it was very hard, x-rays showed a very large stone taking up most of the space in Lily’s bladder and was the reason why she was going to the toilet often. After speaking to staff at Hilbrae the vet proceeded to surgically remove the stone from Lily’s bladder, once this had been successfully removed her bladder was flushed using a saline solution to remove any small debris or crystals and also to prevent infection

This is the stone that was removed from Lily's Bladder!!

Because the surgery involved the bladder and was very delicate, we needed to make sure that no urine leaked afterwards, and also because Lily had a dental the anaesthetic was long but she recovered really well.

Lily was hospitalised overnight to make sure that she was able to urinate properly, whilst with us she was very loving and affectionate, always ready for a cuddle from the nurses involved in her treatment!! The following day she was bright and happy and so was discharged!

Lily has now found a loving new home, when she came in for her post op check everything was healing well and Lily was very bright and happy to see everybody.

• Free health check.
• 1^st and 2^nd vaccinations.
• Microchip.
• Spot on flea treatment that not only covers fleas but also includes: earmites, roundworms, biting lice and sarcoptic mange.
• Milbemax wormer.
• 4 weeks free insurance with Pet Plan.

The 1^st injection and free health check will be done by the vet and provided your pet is big enough, the microchip can be given at this time also. You will then be supplied with the free insurance, flea and worm treatments.

After this first appointment you will be required to make an appointment for 2-3 weeks time for the 2^nd vaccination, if your pet wasn’t micro chipped at the 1^st vaccination this will be done at the second appointment.

Costs for these packages are:

£50 for puppies

£60 for Kittens

(The full cost is payable at the first appointment.)

If you would like to book your puppy or kitten in or would just like some more information, please call the practice on 01952 506360 where staff will be happy to help.

Short term management:

These handy hints can be used this winter to help you and your pet through the fireworks.

• Make a den or hideaway for your pet so that they have somewhere they feel safe to go and hide. When they use this area do not give them any praise or scold them.
• Muffle the sounds of the fireworks by shutting the curtains and windows, put the television or radio on in the room your pet is likely to go and hide.
• Walk your dog before dark and keep your cat indoors with the windows and cat flap closed to prevent them from escaping.
• Give new toys and chews to provide a distraction.
• Ignore any fearful behaviour such as panting, shaking and whining. Dogs can often pick up on their owners anxiety so trying to stay relaxed and calm will help.
• If possible try to stay at home with your pets whilst the fireworks are going off, a familiar face will help calm them.
• Do not punish your pet as this may make them more fearful. Also do not give your pet any praise as this is rewarding the behaviour.
• Pharmaceuticals such as Adaptil, Feliway or zylkene. These are all natural products that can be used throughout the firework season to ease anxiety for your pet; these products need to be used in the run up to the period of anxiety as well as throughout.

Long term management:

Although fears and phobias may be managed on a short term basis, once the fireworks season is over its important to treat the problem so it’s less severe in the future.  This is done in the following ways:

• Behavioural correction: a sound desensitisation programme is used to get your pet used to fireworks.
• Pheromones such as Adaptil and Feliway can be used alongside the above to lower your pet’s general anxiety and make them much more likely to respond to the behavioural therapy.

If you have a pet that is fearful of fireworks or would just like some advice then please don’t hesitate to contact the practice where staff will be happy to help with your queries or to help you select the appropriate product for your pet. 

Shadow is a 1 year old border collie that was presented at the practice after being unwell and vomiting up stones, Shadow had also chewed one of his toys. After discussions with the owner, we decided that a blood sample should be taken and tested to check for any underlying problems that could be present before an anaesthetic and x-ray’s to see if any of the toy was causing an obstruction.

X-rays showed a lot of gas in his abdomen so the vets and owners decided that it would be best to do an exploratory laparotomy to see what was causing the problems. Once we had opened Shadow up the vet found pieces of the toy which he had chewed causing an obstruction, this was all removed and Shadow’s abdomen was flushed to prevent infection.

Shadow was hospitalised with us so that the vets and nurses could monitor his condition and give him intravenous fluids along with other medication to keep him comfortable. The following day Shadow was very bright and so was started on food, he ate this ravenously and was therefore allowed to return home with a special diet!!

Throughout his stay with us Shadow was very talkative (!) but loved the fuss and attention he received from the nursing staff every time he required care, toileting or medication.  Shadow is still receiving treatment for the foreign body and will be in to see us soon for more fuss!!