AUGUST
Ticks, ticks and more ticks
This year has seen more ticks than I can remember. We have highlighted in the past the importance of using spot on treatments to try to prevent ticks from attaching to you dogs and using tick hooks to remove those that have still managed to latch on. We now have a new treatment, licensed for use in dogs that will prevent ticks from attaching to your pet for up 5 months. To find out more have a look at scalibor collar or contact the practice.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
From time to time we see dogs who have tummy upsets or bouts of diarrhoea which are very similar to irritable bowel syndrome in people. Whilst it is important to rule out any underlying conditions we have found that a new treatment can prove beneficial. Contact the practice to find out more.
Joint supplements
We now have Nutravet joint supplements for dogs and cats available in the practice. These are completely natural nutraceuticals. Competitively priced initial treatment for an average sized collie would be 54p a day for the first six weeks, reducing thereafter to 27p a day. Any dog over 8 years of age would benefit from nutritional supplements. Incorporating natraceuticals can reduce the need for non-steroidal medication. Find out more at the Nutravet website or contact the practice.
Vet Essentials Food
We have been able to extend the current offer on Vet Essentials dog food. Just purchase a 1.5kg or 2kg bag, keep your receipt and claim your money back from Hills meaning your dog or cat can try this food for FREE. Find out more about Vet Essentials at Vet Essentials
Caring for the older pet
Cats and dogs over 8 years of age can benefit from an MOT where blood and urine tests are carried out to check that everything is working as well as it should be. Picking up early signs of liver of kidney disease can allow us to make changes which can minimise further damage. FREE Nurse clinics are available to check weight and discuss diet, athritis, dental disease and preventative health care. A discount of 10% on blood pressure monitoring, in house blood tests and urine tests is available to clients who have booked an older pet nurse appointment. Please get in touch to find out more.
JULY
Xylitol poisoning in dogs
Xylitol is a sweetener used in many commercial products and is toxic to dogs. Although found in small quantities in some dental treatments, in higher doses it can make dogs and other animals ill. Further information can be found on the BVA website link. BVA
K9 steps
We are pleased to be sponsoring K9 steps dog walking service in Perth. Have a look at k9steps for more information.
First aid course
Last week saw the first aid course in Bridge of Earn - great fun had by all.We've already had some enquiries about another day; if you would like to come along please let us know and we will add you to the mailing list.
New treatments
New treatments are now available for car sickness and arthritis in dogs. If your dog is one of the many who doesn't travel well, we now have a new medication which relieve the misery of motion sickness without making them go to sleep. Contact the practice for more information.
Many dogs develop arthritis as they get older and may need long term medication. The latest treatment only needs to be given once a month and has seen a good response from dogs and their owners. If you would like to find out more please contact the practice.
Parasite control
We are still seeing lots of cats and dogs affected by fleas and ticks. If you would like to find out more about these parasites have a look at the video produced by Bayer Animal Health at Parasites on YouTube
Whilst we're talking about parasites, you can also find out more about roundworms and tapeworms at the following website. If, like me, you sometimes forget when to worm your cat or dog, you can also sign up for reminders. Find out more about worms
Rabbits and flystrike
At this time of year we start to see rabbits affected by flystrike. Please remember to check your rabbit regularly and use a preventative treament such as Rearguard. Contact the practice for more information.
FIRST AID COURSE
Do you know how to deal with an emergency with your pet?
The practice will be running a first aid course for pet owners on 27th June in Bridge of Earn.
Find out how to:
· Deal with emergencies
· Handle an injured animal
· Control bleeding
· Manage different types of wounds
· Apply different types of bandages
The course will be made up of a theoretical taught part and
a practical, hands on part. All attendees will receive course
notes and a certificate of completion.
The course tutor is vet, Mary Fraser, who taught veterinary nursing
at college and university level for 7 years. She is a Fellow of the
Higher Education Academy and a course tutor for the
City & Guilds Certificate of Veterinary Nursing in Emergency and
Critical Care.
You can download a booking from here
OPEN DAY
Thank you to everyone who came along to the open day on Sunday. It was great to meet you all. I hope you enjoyed meeting the worm patrol - I really wanted to keep the car but I wasn't allowed! Congratulations to the prizewinners of the raffle and quiz, who have all been contacted. We raised a total of £105.44 for our chosen charities. And finally a huge thank you to Springer Rescue Scotland, Perth Cat Protection, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Kairyn's Canine Capers.
MAY UPDATE
OPEN DAY 30TH MAY 12.30 - 3.30PM.
We will be celebrating our first birthday at the end of the month, so would like to invite you to come along to our open day. Weather permitting we hope to have a variety of activities on offer - practice tours, dog agility display, various stalls and competitions, including a raffle to win a microchip cat flap worth £80. Watch this space for more information.
VETESSENTIALS
We are delighted to be one of the first vet practices in Scotland to be able to offer our clients the VetEssentials range of cat and dog food from Hills. This is a range of nutritionally advanced food designed to maintain weight, promote healthy skin and support digestion. The first 25 customers to purchase a bag can also get their money back. Find out more at Vet Essentials
CHICKENS
We had a fun day this week filming with the BBC for Landward about chickens. Needless to say the chickens did not behave themselves! The programme is due to air in the next couple of weeks.
NATIONAL MICROCHIPPING MONTH
June is national microchipping month, when we will be able to offer reduced price microchipping. For the month of June ID chips will cost £17.50 (a reduction of over 20%). And, we will be starting the offer early at the open day on 30th May. Find out more at National Microchipping Month
RABBIT AWARENESS WEEK
FREE rabbit health checks with the vet from Monday 26th April - Sunday 2nd May for Rabbit Awareness Week. Contact the office for an appointment.
APRIL
With the Easter holidays, upon us, you may also be thinking about summer holidays. If your pet is staying at home make sure that their vaccinations are up to date and remember that most kennels will ask for kennel cough vaccination as well. If you would like to take your pet on holiday with you to Europe under the Pet Travel Scheme then please get in touch. Pets need to be identichiped, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested and receive treatment against tapeworms and ticks. More information can be found at Pet Travel Scheme
TICK PREVENTION WEEK 12TH - 18TH APRIL
Despite one of the hardest winters on record, ticks seem to have survived. We have already seen some cats and dogs with ticks. If you have never seen one these little creatures before have look at Tick life cycle . Not only do they attach to the skin and feed off cats, dogs and humans, they can transmit various diseases including Lyme disease which can affect both humans and our pets. Pets should be treated with a specific spot on to deter and kill ticks. If ticks do manage to latch onto your pet then they should be removed using a special tick hook (O'tom tick hooks ) which are available from the practice. Ticks should never be pulled from the skin as this can leave the head in place resulting in the formation of an abscess or granuloma. For more information have a look at the work by BADA
REFERRALS
We are delighted that Romain Pizzi will be visiting the practice offering keyhole surgery for our clients and as referrals for clients of other practices throughout Scotland. This service is in addition to the referral service already offered for dermatology and exotics. For more information please have a look at Dermatology service and veterinary laparoscopy
BE LUNGWORM AWARE
Lungworm caused by Angiostrongylus vasorum is a condition you may not have heard of, but is a potentially fatal condition of dogs. The parasite is caught by dogs ingesting slugs or snails. Although a serious condition it can be treated and prevented by the use of specific spot on medication. Find out more about lungworm at Be lungworm aware
NATIONAL PET MONTH
National Pet Month runs from 3rd April to 3rd May. The aim of this is to improve animal welfare. Find out more at National Pet Month
RABBIT AWARENESS WEEK
Rabbit awareness week runs from 26th April - 2nd May. For more information have a look at
MARCH
Referrals @ Girling & Fraser
Many owners may not be aware that as well as first opinion cases the practice also offers a referral service. Vets offering a referral service have further qualifications and can offer more in depth investigations and treatment for clients of other practices. In order to be referred you need to speak to your own vet and ask to be referred here. We will work with your own vet, working through a case and then refer you back to your own practice. Owners may come from far afield to attend the practice.
We are very excited to announce that we have now added to the referral services available at the practice. In addition to dermatology/ears and exotics, veterinary Specialist Romain Pizzi will be visiting the practice to carry out laparoscopic (otherwise known as keyhole) surgery. For more information please visit Vet Laparoscopy
Focus on ear disease
Many owners think that long term ear problems are just one of those things that some dogs or cats live with. Whilst there are occassional cases where this may be true, there are many situations where improvement can be made. A full work up involves more than just a clincal examination of the ear. Further investigation using cytology, endoscopy, radiography or biopsy will give more information about the extent of ear disease and allow a treatment plan to be developed.
ORAL CARE MONTH March is Oral Care Month. During this time FREE dental checks are available with the vet or vet nurse. There are free Dentastix and money off vouchers for everyone who takes part. For more information check out oral care month
NEW SPOT ON WORMER FOR CATS
A new way of worming cats is now possible. For those cats who will not take tablets, or who always find the hidden wormer, a spot on treatment is available which will treat both roundworm and tapeworm. Please contact the practice for more information.
SPECIAL OFFERS
Buy 3 wormers get 1 free (terms and conditions apply, please contact practice for more information).
Special offer on Frontline spray.
FEBRUARY
POLISH CAT
You may remember that we appealed for the owners of a lost cat before Christmas, ID chip records showed that the cat was Polish but we were unable to find the owners in the UK. Well good news! The cat has now been reunited with the owners. Thank you to everyone who helped with the search.
OUT OF DOORS
Thank you to Mark Stephen of BBC Scotland Out of Doors who visited us last week. It was great to meet someone that we have listened to on the radio! We talked about running the smallholding and the vet practice and how vets can help people look after poultry and farmyard pets. As you can see Caspar the cat wanted to take part as well!
The new year sees the practice moving forward with some new services available for our clients.
TORTOISE FOOD
If your pet tortoise is getting a bit fed up with the same old veg at the time of year, why not try them giving them some Pretty Pets pellets - they smell great and my own tortoise loves them. Excellent as part of a varied diet. Please contact the practice to order.
CALLING ALL SMALLHOLDERS
You may already know that when not at work Mary spends her time trying to be self sufficient working on her smallholding. A large part of this are the animals kept there. Mary is very enthusiastic about the veterinary care of animals kept on smallholdings including chickens and sheep. Many smallholders feel that they do not get the service they want from vets in practice as they are not commerical farmers. One aim of the practice is to meet that demand and offer sensible and practical advice to people who may be new to smallholding, or who just can't find a vet who is interested in backyard poultry, sheep or goats. The practice can give advice on both health matters and the practicalities of starting up a smallholding.
More information can be found about smallholding and the services the practice can offer at The Veterinary Smallholder
There is a specific reduced consultation fee for chickens. If you would like to find out more please get in touch on 01738 635633.
FELINE ADVISORY BUREAU
Following on from Mary, the practice is now a member of the Feline Advisory Bureaue / European Society of Feline Medicine. This shows the commitment of the practice to advancing the veterinary care given to cats. If you are new to cat ownership then the practice has a variety of resources available to you including information on nutrition, grooming and common diseases.
PLEASE REMEMBER RABBITS IN THE COLD WEATHER
As the cold weather continues the Rabbit Welfare Association has provided a some tips and suggestions for ways in which rabbits owners can keep their pets warm and happy. For more information have a look at Rabbit Welfare
FOOD ORDERING SERVICE
The practice can now offer a food ordering service for our clients. Please get in touch to find our more.
APPEAL FOR OWNER OF POLISH CAT
A black & white female cat with a Polish microchip has been brought into the surgery. If you have lost this cat please get in touch.
DECEMBER
Well Christmas is fast approaching and I can't believe the practice has now been open for 6 months. It has been lovely meeting everyone and all of the animals.
In the run up to Christmas the practice has lots of ideas for Christmas presents for you pets. From stockings for cats and dogs to collar night lights or even squeaky and treats for hamsters we've got something for everyone.
We're starting a new food ordering service for clients of the practice. All of the main brands of food for cats, dogs and exotics including James Wellbeloved and Beta will be available. If you would like to find out more please contact us on 635633.
The new pup Amy has arrived and is delightful - pictures will be along soon.
Hope you all have a very happy Christmas and New Year
Mary.
NOVEMBER
Congratulations to the winners of Pet Smile Month art competition Louise, Joshua and Louisa.
November sees the practice concentrating on the older pet. This month is Pet Diabetes month and although this condition is not restricted to older animals it is more commonly seen in cats and dogs over 8 years of age. As part of this we are taking part in the Great Pet Pee Test - where owners can get a free test strip from the practice to find out if their pets could be diabetic. For more information contact the practice or have a look at Pet Diabetes Month Website for more information.
Older pets are also more likely to develop arthritis, thyroid problems, kidney disease and Cushing's disease. At the practice we can offer a full clinical examination and blood tests to ensure that your pet is fit and healthy. Early diagnosis means that preventative treatment can be started often preventing the progression of many conditions.
Towards the end of November is Cat Welfare Week (Cat Welfare Week ) where behavioural problems and stress in cats will be highlighted. As part of this anyone buying a feliway diffuser can claim a free travel spray. To download a voucher please visit the Cate Welfare Week website.
Although many tortoises may already have thought about hibernation we are still seeing some for pre-hibernation checks. We can check that your pet is healthy and heavy enough to go through hibernation. Faecal sample analysis can be carried out in house giving you an answer the same day. Contact the practice on 01738 635633 for more information.
OCTOBER
This month we are reminding owners that it will soon be firework season. If your pets get stressed out at this time of year, then now is the time to think about preventative medication. Newer medications are designed to make life less stressful (rather than sedate), but this means that the treatment should be started a few weeks before we reach 5th November. Talk to us now about the different treatments available.
Thank you to everyone who took part in Pet Smile month and don't forget free dental checks with the practice nurse are available all year round. There is still time to enter the art competition - get your entries in to the practice by Friday 9th October.
SEPTEMBER NEWS
The end of August saw the first puppy party at the practice - thank you to all those owners who came along. I hope you weren't as tired as I was at the end!
September is Pet Smile Month. As part of this the practice will be offering FREE dental checks with the VET throughout September. We'll also be out and about in Perthshire promoting dental health for all our pets - dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets to name a few. Contact the practice to make an appointment.
At the beginning of the month we were in the radio studios at Perth FM. A big thank you to the folks there for letting us talk about dentistry and Pet Smile Month.
Don't forget about the ART COMPETITION. We're looking for entries from children of school age that can go forward to the national final in November. The closing date for entries is 9th October. All you have to do create something on the topic of a healthy smile. Contact the surgery or check out Pet Smile Month for more information.
AUGUST NEWS
Well the beginning of the month saw us at Perth Show - thankfully the weather was kind to us and we all had a great day. It was lovely to meet so many of you there. Thank you to everyone to took part in the lucky dip - we raised a total of £50 for local cat and dog charities. The winner of the £25 pet food has been chosen and the letter is in the post.
Later this month is the Cat Protection Summer Fayre in Scone (15th August). Also that day is the Pet Factor at North Inch - let's hope for good weather again before the schools go back.
This month we are highlighting care of the senior pet. As animals get older particular conditions such as arthritis, dental disease or kidney disease can become more of a problem. Catching these conditions early is more likely to result in a successful outcome. If you have an older pet then get in touch to find out more about what can be done to help ensure that your pet has many active years to come.
JULY NEWS
All this week we have been sponsoring Perth FM's live outside broadcast from the Game Fair. Some of the practice team will be there on Saturday so please say hello. Pictures from the Game Fair are available on the Photo gallery
National Vaccination Month was a great success. Remember that it is important to keep your pet's vaccinations up to date. Vaccination also includes a health check where your pet's teeth, heart, chest and skin are checked for any problems, and gives you a chance to talk to the vet about any concerns you may have.