With warmer weather on the way, this is the time of year when many pet carers become aware of the persistent problem of parasites. Because no matter how clean your home is, or how fastidiously your pet grooms, at some point fleas and worms invariably rear their bitey little heads!

Fleas

If you see your pet scratching excessively, notice small scabs and spots on their skin, or find small brown specks of flea dirt in their fur (particularly round their bottoms), then you may have a flea problem. Fleas live and feed on pets – females lay eggs on the host animal, which then drop off into your pet’s bed or favourite resting spot. Therefore it’s important to treat your home with a thorough vacuuming, followed by the application of specially formulated flea spray, in addition to treating your pet.

Fortunately, there are a number of highly effective flea treatments available, so you’re sure to find one that works for you and your pet. The safest and most effective products can be obtained from veterinary practices and pharmacies and it is very important to make sure that you only use the right products designed for your specific pet:

Every year vets treat many cats that have been inadvertently poisoned by being treated with dog products.

DO treat pets for parasites. DON’T use dog products on cats!

Worms

Rabbits do not tend to suffer with worms, whilst the most common in cats and dogs are:

Roundworms:

Looking like strings of spaghetti or elastic bands, they are picked up from the environment, as well as being passed from animal to animal, and possibly on to the two-legged members of the household! Roundworm eggs are almost invisible to the human eye, so can be difficult to spot.

Tapeworms:

You may find segments of these worms excreted in your pet’s faeces (they look like flattened grains of rice). Tapeworms are transmitted by an intermediate host, such as a passing flea, and therefore it is advisable to treat your pet against both worms and fleas.

However, no worm control will prevent re-infestation; the products only kill worms already present rather than providing protection against future problems. Therefore it is recommended that you treat your pet regularly, especially if he or she hunts or scavenges.

And don’t forget, if you need further advice on any aspect of parasite control, your vet will be only too happy to recommend solutions that suit your pet’s lifestyle.

Thanks as always,

Shailen
The Ralph Site

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with the third-party organisations in any of the links shared here, and the views, ideas and suggestions expressed in this and other blogs are simply shared with the intention of helping you, our friends, take care of the special animals in your lives.

One of the most valuable things about The Ralph Site is the sense of community that exists amongst our friends. Anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a pet will naturally empathise with those currently going through the accompanying maelstrom of emotions, and will share the nagging sense of loss felt by those slowly adjusting to life without their best friend.

The Ralph Site exists to provide support to all those who have lost, or who are preparing for the loss, of a beloved companion.

We do this in two ways:

• The main site features a huge amount of practical advice for carers at every stage of the grieving process. It also hosts a number of members-only forums for those who have registered (you can do this by visiting HERE) and provides a caring and sensitive space for memorials to be posted.
• Our Facebook page allows individual stories to be shared, as well as facilitating personal interactions with others who have lost a much-loved pet.

You might like to know that we have also created a closed Facebook support group to complement our main Facebook page. This group currently has over 400 members so by joining you’ll have access to people who can share a wide range of experiences and coping techniques. As you may be aware, Facebook groups work differently to pages – allowing people who may be struggling to create on-going supportive links with others in the group. Notifications alert members when others have posted or commented, developing a mutually beneficial support network to help with the heartache of pet loss.

Our experience is that some people may be reluctant to share how they feel about their pets on an open public page, and therefore we have created the closed group to be private.
If you would like to join the group, all you need to do is click on the link here and leave a request to join.

And if you aren’t already Facebook friends with us, why not join the 40,000 others who have ‘liked’ our page? As well as featuring a daily memorial, we also post news and items of interest to pet carers; regularly sharing inspirational quotes and heart warming pet pictures and encouraging friends to do the same.
Because after all, a problem shared is a problem halved.

Thanks as always,
Shailen
The Ralph Site

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with the third-party organisations in any of the links shared here, and the views, ideas and suggestions expressed in this and other blogs are simply shared with the intention of helping you, our friends, take care of the special animals in your lives.

Now that the clocks have gone forward, and the vernal equinox has passed, we can officially start to look forward to the summer!

With each passing week the days are getting perceptibly longer, and as the trees blossom and the weeds begin to grow again, we leave winter behind for another year. With slowly increasing temperatures and longer evenings, we’ll be spending more time outdoors, enjoying the garden with our pets. Rabbits are always happy to help keep the dandelions in check, and who doesn’t know a cat that takes great interest in a newly dug-over patch of soil?! Even those of us who are occasionally overcome by the tedium of walking the dog in the wind and rain will no doubt find a new spring in our steps in the coming months!

Walking dogs is so much better in the sunshine!

Any why not combine the health benefits and sociable side of dog walking with a spot of fundraising? More and more charities and community groups are organising sponsored dog walks to raise valuable funds and raise awareness of the great work that they do – a quick online search will no doubt reveal several options within easy reach for you.

Registration is open for The 2015 Great North Dog Walk, now in its 25th year and current holder of the Guinness World Record for the largest dog walk, with 22,742 canine participants in 2014. If you live in the South Shields area it’s sure to be a great day out.

Responsible dog walkers will always follow the Countryside Code, which sets out useful advice for enjoying the outdoors responsibly:

• Keep your dog on a lead, or keep it in sight at all times
• Ensure that your dog does not stray off the path
• The access rights that normally apply to open country and registered common land require dogs to be kept on a short lead between 1 March and 31 July, to help protect ground nesting birds, and all year round near farm animals
• At the coast, there may also be local restrictions for dogs to be kept on a short lead during the bird breeding season, and to prevent disturbance to flocks of resting and feeding birds during other times of year
• A farmer may shoot a dog that is attacking or chasing farm animals without being liable for compensation. However, if cattle or horses chase you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off the lead and let it run away
• Everyone knows how unpleasant dog mess is and it can cause infections, so always clean up after your dog responsibly –‘ bag it and bin it’. Make sure your dog is wormed regularly to protect it, other animals and people

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with the third-party organisations in any of the links shared here, and the views, ideas and suggestions expressed in this and other blogs are simply shared with the intention of helping you, our friends, take care of the special animals in your lives.

Chocolate

With Easter almost upon us, we thought it would be good to remind you of the dangers of sharing your Easter eggs and chocolates with your pets.

Many people are still unaware that chocolate is poisonous for all pets and can even cause death. It contains a stimulant called theobromine, which is similar to caffeine. Theobromine poisoning is a type of dose-dependent poisoning – this means that whether or not your pet shows signs depends on how much theobromine he/she is exposed to. Not all types of chocolate are created equally as far as the risk of causing poisoning is concerned. Cocoa powder, cooking chocolate and dark chocolate contain the highest proportions of theobromine, and therefore eating even a couple of squares is likely to make a small dog ill. Cats are even more susceptible to the effects of theobromine, but are less likely to be tempted by chocolate.

Your pet is likely to start showing signs within 24 hours of eating the chocolate but it is often much sooner than that and these signs could go on for two to three days. Common signs of chocolate poisoning to look out for include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Restlessness and hyperactivity
• Rapid breathing
• Muscle tension
• Lack of coordination
• In more severe cases, muscle tremors/twitches and even seizures (‘fitting’)

If you spot any of these symptoms in your pets and suspect that they may have got hold of any chocolate, contact your vet for advice straight away.

When you contact your vet it is important to try and give them as much information as possible. So for example how much chocolate or cake has gone missing and also what type of chocolate is it. Take the wrapper with you if you can, so that your vet can assess the likely level of theobromine exposure.

Your vet may make your dog vomit to clear the chocolate out of his/her body. There is no specific treatment and patients will receive supportive care based on how severely affected they are. This may include being admitted for a fluid drip into a vein, and for medications such as something to stop them vomiting or a sedative if they are very excitable. Your vet may also have to give your pet something to treat an abnormal heart rhythm. Finally your pet may need to be given some activated charcoal which is intended to mop up any chocolate left in the stomach or intestines. Not a pleasant process, and a potentially upsetting and expensive end to the Easter fun!

Many patients with chocolate poisoning make a full recovery as long as they can be supported for long enough. However chocolate poisoning can be very serious and regrettably is fatal in some cases.

Aside from any theobromine present, chocolates can also be harmful – potentially much more seriously – to dogs if they contain xylitol or currants/raisins. In many cases the pet will also have consumed some of the paper in which the chocolate may be wrapped; wrappers are usually of much less concern than the chocolate itself.

Chocolate is poisonous to pets and dogs are especially keen on it!

Of course, chocolate drops and chews that are formulated specially for pets are perfectly fine to treat those special dogs in your life with because they are not made from cacao beans and do not contain theobromine. You can find a selection in our online shop, including HERE and HERE. And the good news is that you don’t need to feel at all guilty when you keep your lovely chocolates to yourself!

Lilies

Lilies may be more commonly found in the home around Easter time but can be very poisonous to CATS (not dogs) causing kidney damage regardless of how much is eaten and including all parts of the plant (flowers, pollen etc.). All cats that have eaten even a little bit of lily should be seen at your practice and receive treatment.

All types of lilies can cause kidney damage in CATS regardless of dose or part of plant! Beware!

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with the third-party organisations in any of the links shared here, and the views, ideas and suggestions expressed in this and other blogs are simply shared with the intention of helping you, our friends, take care of the special animals in your lives.

The Most Painful Decision Of All

As animal lovers, we don’t like to think about the day when we will have to say goodbye to our beloved pets. We hope that when the time does come, it will be a peaceful passing at the end of a long and happy life.

Sadly, as many of us know all too well, sometimes this is not to be. Sometimes our faithful companions become ill or are injured, and we may have to face some very difficult decisions in order to prevent them suffering prolonged pain.

Euthanasia (sometimes referred to as ‘putting to sleep’) describes a deliberate intervention undertaken to end pain or suffering. Discussions with your vet will undoubtedly be emotional; your overriding desire to ‘do the right thing’ will almost certainly be clouded by feelings of guilt, sadness and frustration. If you are currently thinking about ending your pet’s suffering, or indeed when the time comes in the future, you can find some helpful questions and issues to consider HERE. These end-of-life considerations are laid out sensitively yet practically, in order to offer some small reassurance and support as you consider all the options available.

Accepting when is the ‘right’ time can often be the hardest part.

You may find it helpful to consider:

• Is your pet is still enjoying life? Does he/she seem happy?
• Is the overall quality of life still acceptable? Think about:
  • Evidence of discomfort
  • Appetite levels
  • Mobility
  • Urinary or faecal incontinence
  • Mental capacity and confusion
  • Ease of breathing – is it a real effort for your pet?
• What is the prognosis associated with any illnesses diagnosed?
• Are treatment options available? How aggressive, invasive or uncomfortable are they likely to be?

Ultimately, helping our pets to a dignified and peaceful end is the most important and noble act we can undertake for our faithful companions. However, the decision is particularly painful because in order to end a pet’s suffering, we must unselfishly and lovingly choose to accept our own.

See The Ralph Site for more information on pet loss.

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with the third-party organisations in any of the links shared here, and the views, ideas and suggestions expressed in this and other blogs are simply shared with the intention of helping you, our friends, take care of the special animals in your lives.