News

Pet Health Club members will still receive amazing benefits 

Here at Eastcott, we take great pride in offering your pets the very best care, which is why our Pet Health Club includes so many great benefits.

Read our Winter Newsletter and keep up to date with our news and pet alerts, information and important updates that may affect you and your pets.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us to support Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre. It is such a special charity that takes care of our local wildlife. They take care of the particularly vulnerable British hedgehog who are at great risk of extinction. The work that they do included veterinary treatment, rehabilitation and release. Their running costs are very high and it is vitally important that this valuable resource is financially supported . During 2019, we managed to raise a total of £1,682.17 which was presented to them in January 2020. As with all of our previous charities, we will continue to follow their progress and offer support where possible.

The Eastcott Vets team share the Edison Park hospital with a specialist led team of vets - Eastcott Referrals. This team takes on challenging, specialist cases from all over the country. This is the story of Bella who was treated by the specialist led dentistry and oral surgery team. Her owners wanted to share to highlight the dangers of some coastal walks.

Alabama Rot

Dog owners are advised to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of Albama Rot, whilst relatively rare and we advise dog owners are advised to act quickly and get their dogs checked should they feel that their dogs are displaying any symptoms.

What is BOAS and how can it be treated?

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) is the term given to breed-related respiratory disease that is caused by “obstructive” soft tissues. The most commonly affected breeds include the English Bulldog, French  Bulldog, Pug and Boston Terrier although other breeds e.g. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shih-Tzu, etc. can occasionally be affected. Affected dogs are typically noisy breathers and struggle to keep up with other, non-affected dogs. Sadly, many owners do not realise that their dogs have BOAS as many of the classical symptoms can be regarded as “normal” for the breed. More advanced symptoms include poor exercise ability, heat intolerance and collapse.

In this edition topics include:

Could your cat be a blood donor? 

Blood transfusions are commonly performed in our veterinary hospital. Both dogs and cats can become critically ill for a variety of reasons, either as a result of an internal disease process or a traumatic event. In many of these situations a blood transfusion can be a life-saving. In the UK there is a ‘Pet Blood Bank’ for dogs that is well supported by dog owners. Unfortunately, there is no ‘Blood Bank’ for cats. When blood transfusions are required in cats, we are often in the position of urgently seeking a local donor. These cases often arise quite quickly and without much warning – a patient can be stable one day and require a life saving transfusion the next. In order to provide prompt transfusions, when required, we are looking to establish a group of Feline Blood Donors who can be contacted in these times of need.

Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that cats must eat meat, it is an absolute biological necessity in order to cathrive. Plant-based proteins found in vegetables and grains are not an adequate substitute. Taurine is a specific amino acid which is found in meat. Cats are unable to synthesise taurine by themselves and it is therefore an essential component of all cat's diets. Insufficient levels of taurine in the diet can result in heart disease, problems with vision and other health issues.

Beware of cats and hairballs hairbands!

It is relatively well known that cats can be partial to eating their owner's used ear plugs (maybe something to do with the taste of ear wax). However, binge eating hairbands is a new one to us.