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.

As spring starts springing, the number of new puppies and kittens often peaks at this time of year. Not all of these new arrivals will be welcome, which is why The Ralph Site, along with countless animal welfare organisations and charities, highly recommend that you have your pet neutered.

With so many homeless and unwanted pets in the world, and many being euthanised every day, not adding more to this seems the right thing to do. Neutering prevents unplanned, unwanted and ultimately expensive kittens and puppies. It also helps to allow domestic animals to live alongside their human family by reducing aggression, straying, spraying, calling and other anti-social behaviour. There are also some reported health benefits of neutering pets such as prevention of certain types of cancer.

Both spaying and castration are routine and straightforward procedures, and your vet will carry out hundreds of them every year. Both operations are generally done as day cases, so your beloved pet will be home with you the same day for some treats and plenty of TLC.

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that cats be neutered from four months old, and rabbits and dogs at around six months. Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no requirement to wait until your female dog has had her first season.

It is in everybody’s interests to keep the numbers of unwanted pets as low as possible. Several organisations are able to provide subsidised rates for responsible owners wishing to neuter their pets, and you can find plenty more information about such schemes, as well as a whole host of advice on the following websites:

• Cats.org
• Dogs Trust
• Blue Cross
• RSPCA

Some people do believe that neutering causes pets to gain weight. Whilst not strictly true, it does slow down the metabolism of many pets and therefore you may find that your pet is prone to weight gain after neutering. With this in mind, you may wish to consider transitioning your pet onto a food that is designed to provide the correct blend of calories and nutrients for neutered pets. There are a wide selection of brands, flavours and pack sizes available in our shop including Royal Canin and Hills Science Plan Feline.

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.

Cat lovers understand the unique and special qualities of the feline species, valuing their independence and poise. And yet whilst we certainly appreciate these attributes today, the ancient Egyptians went several steps further, revering the species and worshiping the cat goddess Bast; a powerful symbol of protection, fertility and motherhood.

Scientists believe that cats were first domesticated around 10,000 years ago in the area of the Mediterranean that now forms northern Egypt. First valued for their abilities in vermin control, and respected for their intelligence, by 1,000BC cats had become such an object of veneration that it was common for cats to be mummified after death and buried with food and belongings for their passage to the next life.

History records the discovery in 1888 of 80,000 mummified cats and kittens in tombs in the limestone cliffs at Beni Hassan. Sadly the tombs were soon plundered by locals selling relics and parts to passing travellers, before some quite impressive entrepreneurship took hold. The cats’ linen wrappings were exported to America to be made into paper, whilst the twenty tonnes of cat remains were shipped to Britain to be sold as fertiliser for £4 a tonne. Sadly, not quite the glorious afterlife that might have been imagined by the ancient Egyptians: see HERE.

As sacred beings, cats were afforded special protection under ancient Egyptian law. It was illegal to sell or trade the animals with foreigners, and killing a cat was punishable by death. However, by 390 AD the veneration of cats had declined to such a degree that the Bast religion was officially banned by the state. In modern Egypt, cats are now simply kept as pets, and any religious symbolism has long since evaporated.

And whilst our modern society may not place cats on the pedestals they no doubt feel they deserve, there’s no reason why you can’t kit your own cat out like a queen! We think that this regal red velvet bow collar, for example, would look just the part!

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.

Estimates suggest that in the UK charities and local authorities have to deal with more than 100,000 lost or stray dogs each year, with a further 30,000 or so stray cats being reported to the RSPCA and Cats Protection. Many are found without any means of identification – even if collars and tags are usually worn, they can easily come off or be deliberately removed.

Microchipping is a quick and easy way to vastly increase the chances of your pet being returned to you should the unthinkable happen and he or she goes missing. It’s also becoming law in many parts of the UK – at present it is compulsory to have dogs microchipped in Northern Ireland and Wales, however from April 2016 it will also become compulsory throughout England.

The procedure itself is simple – a tiny chip the size of a grain of rice is inserted under the skin at the back of your pet’s neck. Each chip contains a unique 15-digit reference number that is stored with your contact details in a central database, permanently linking your pet to you.

Pet Id-chips are not much bigger than a grain of rice…and getting smaller all the time!

This does of course mean that it is imperative that you keep any change of address or contact numbers up to date, so don’t forget to register new details when you move house or get a new mobile or email address!

Any lost or stray animals are scanned routinely when they are picked up by vets, charities or local authorities; with one quick phone call you will soon be re-united with your beloved.

And the cost of the procedure itself is relatively low (average prices are around £20-£40 for the initial chip insertion) – we think that this is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that microchipping brings.

You can find more information from the UK’s biggest microchipping service, PetLog.

Please note: The Ralph Site is not affiliated with any of the organisations detailed 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.