Picture the scene…you’re in your garden, the sun is shining, maybe you have friends and family round to visit, and the charcoals are just about ready for you to start cooking al fresco. The last thing you want is an emergency vet visit with your beloved pet.
If you’re planning a barbecue this weekend, here are some things to consider to keep your pet safe.
It can be a challenge keeping the kids occupied during the summer holidays, especially if you are opting for a staycation this year, so here are five ideas that may help you out!
With restrictions on holidays abroad, and ongoing updates to the quarantine list, many people are opting for a ‘staycation’ in the UK this year. If your summer plans involve a trip to one of our beautiful beaches and your dog is lucky enough to be joining you, here are some things to be mindful of.
The daily walk forms an important part of our dog’s routine; a chance for them to stretch their legs (and ours!). As it’s something we do every day, we may not always be aware of some of the rules and restrictions in place when we wander through the park or woodland.
We can now offer a full range of services for our patients, while still adhering to COVID-19 social distancing rules.
As a Practice, we have been preparing for how we will work in the ‘new normal’. We will be providing the same high-quality services, with the same friendly, caring people, just delivered in a slightly different way.
Wow, time is really flying by. Pete and Rimante have had “Spikey” a few weeks now. Here is how the first 10 days went and why this time is so important!
Grass seeds are a common problem during the spring and summer months. While your pet explores the outdoors, grass seed can easily brush off the tops of long grass stems onto their bodies. The seeds have pointed ends and are exceptionally sharp, so they become trapped in your pet’s fur and due to their shape they can only travel in one direction. This means they can often penetrate skin or move into ears.
Summer brings longer days, warmer climates, new adventures and outdoor socialising, which with pets in tow, can be made even more enjoyable! However, when the temperatures rise, the dangers to our pets increase too. To keep pets safe, you should be aware of potential hazards, as well as some top tips to help prevent your pet from endangering themselves throughout the summer months.
If recent months meant you put your new pet plans on hold, you may now be starting to put the wheels in motion to extend your family and welcome a new member. Many people Google reputable breeders or consider designer dogs based on celebrity social media profiles, however, considering adopting a rescue animal can be hugely rewarding.
As we transition from lockdown, more of us are exploring the outdoors with our pets in the summer weather. With increased time outside, the chances of coming across injured or sick wildlife also multiply. If you encounter a wild animal in need, it can be hard to know what to do. Wild animals can be very unpredictable if approached by humans, especially when they are frightened or injured.
Keeping our pets safe is important to all of us as pet owners. They trust us with their care and protection and, as well as feeding, exercising and cuddling them, that includes identifying them so that we can be reunited if we are parted.
Many of us are spending more time at home than we normally would, and you may be wondering if and how this may affect your feline friends. Below we have put together some useful hints and tips to help you create the perfect home environment, with some child-friendly activities included to keep both your children and cats occupied, all year round, but particularly during the summer months.
It’s hard not to smile when you see a dog with its head out of the window in a travelling car. They look so happy and carefree! But travelling with an unrestrained dog could be a real risk – to them, to you, and to other drivers.
If you’re going to be out and about on the road with your dog this summer, here are some things to consider to keep everyone safe.
As we prepare to say goodbye to Louise and Andrew Ketteridge, it’s our pleasure to introduce the newest member of the Oak Barn Vet team – our new clinical director Pete van Dongen.
Know the facts, reduce the risk
Spotting the signs of diabetes in your pets is crucial as just like us, our pets can suffer from the complex disease, but it isn’t always easily identifiable. During Diabetes Week, we wanted to raise awareness and share some advice about how you can help your pet by understanding what diabetes is, the causes and how to recognise the symptoms.
Having been in lockdown, and with schools closed for almost ten weeks, there has been a surge in parents getting rabbits for their children.
How do you feel about the relaxation of the lockdown restrictions? Relieved? Anxious? If we could ask our pets the same question, we’re fairly certain their answers would put them in one of two camps; those who are looking forward to the peace and quiet and those dreading not being with us 24/7.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week here in the UK, so we wanted to explore the connection between pet ownership and mental health.
We have some big news here at Oak Barn. Vets Louise and Andrew Ketteridge will be retiring in June.
It has been their privilege and honour to look after the pets of Shalford and the surrounding areas, but the time has come to take a step back. As many of you know, 2019 threw a few health challenges at the Ketteridges and 2020 hasn’t been very forgiving either.
Bunny Behaviour
Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal in the UK. In 2019 the PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing Report documented that 900,000 rabbits live in homes throughout the United Kingdom. So, do rabbits use body language to communicate their feelings like our dog and cat family members do? The simple answer is yes.
Rabbits, Rabbits everywhere….
It is always lovely to see wild rabbits hopping around the fields. Sadly though, it is around this time of year, we start to see these beautiful animals with Myxomatosis.
On this VE Day, it will be 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe. The 75th anniversary will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of people from all walks of life. It is equally important to consider the role animals played and how they were touched by war.
We love dogs; they’re amazing companions – fun, loving, and they bring us lots of joy. But for some people their dog is more than just a pet – they’re a lifeline. Most of us are familiar with Guide Dogs, who are bred and trained to help people with visual impairments navigate their way around outdoors. But did you know that Hearing Dogs also exist, to support people with hearing loss?
As we head into the summer months and temperatures start rising, it’s important to remember that your pets are most vulnerable at this time to many injuries and illnesses which are brought on by hot weather, including sunburn, foot pad burns, dehydration and the most dangerous of all, heatstroke. While heat stress is more common during the summer months, it can occur at any time throughout the year.
If there is one thing that many dogs look forward to each day, it is getting out of the house for a walk. Whereas this used to be plentiful, the arrival of COVID-19 and the resulting Government measures that followed, has caused changes to the routines of both pets and owners alike.
So, to make sure you (and your pet!) can get the most out of ‘walkies’ we have put together five handy tips
May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month. This campaign, led by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), aims to raise awareness of the importance of the role of the veterinary nursing profession to the public.
Can massage benefit my pet?
The simple answer to this is yes!
Massage and stretching will help to free your pet of tension and knots. This means that they are comfortable, happy and will have increased overall strength and endurance, which is great if they are competing!
What are the benefits?
Looking after our Feline friends
As we mentioned in our first post, the current Coronavirus outbreak has brought many changes to our everyday lives, this also applies to our pets. We have already briefly discussed the basics of dog language and looked at some enrichment ideas to keep our canine companions happier and calmer. So, what about our feline family members?
The Oak Barn veterinary team is here for your beloved pets, all year round, and despite the current circumstances remain committed to quality and excellence in everything we do – which is why we wanted to ‘paws’ this World Veterinary Day to say thank you.
By adapting our ways of working we’ve continued to provide the best level of care in these challenging circumstances, while keeping the health and wellbeing of patients, clients and teams our number one priority.
Are you wondering how to safely socialise your new puppy during the coronavirus lockdown? We’ve put together a few tips for all new puppy parents.
As we all do our best to stay safe and comply with the government’s lockdown restrictions, puppies are likely to have their primary vaccination course later than usual. This delay means they’ll need to wait a bit longer before they can safely go out and explore the world. The good news is there are many ways you can help your puppy get used to new experiences without even leaving your house!
Want to know the facts and how to avoid ticks this season? As we approach the warmer months, when ticks like to make an appearance, we wanted to give our pet owners a head start in preparing to tackle ticks!
The majority of the nation gets excited to be eating Easter eggs or chocolate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner or perhaps all three! But we need to careful and ensure our pets don’t get a hold of any, as chocolate could be dangerous for our animals, especially dogs!
What should you look out for this Easter?
COVID-19 is much in the news, and some reports are based on fact, others speculation. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have some advice for you as a pet owner – or someone who spends a lot of time around pets – here’s what you should know:
With the Easter Bank holiday weekend drawing nearer. We wanted to let you know our opening hours over the Bank holidays and weekend.
The current Coronavirus outbreak has brought many changes to our everyday lives, this also applies to our pets. Our Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and all of our other animal companions we share our homes with, normally follow a regular routine, so changes to their daily patterns, spending more time with their human families and having less space may create feelings of frustration, anxiety or over excitement.
As you’re probably aware, we continue to monitor the situation and respond quickly to government advice and the professional guidance from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and British Veterinary Association. As a result, we are focusing our efforts on the pets in urgent need of our care and are only physically open for urgent and emergency cases.
However, you can always call us on 01483 455355 for any assistance and we will advise you on how your pets can still receive the care they need.
With Easter fast approaching and lots of Children at home! We have decided to run an Easter Drawing competition.
A little insight to life as a veterinary rehabilitation specialist, from Kerrie who is heading up the Wellness Centre.
I absolutely love my job as a veterinary physiotherapist and hydro-therapist! I love what I do and not only is it very rewarding, It’s a challenge mentally as well as physically.
In light of the current COVID-19 situation, we have pulled together a list of the frequently asked questions – which provide further information about the precautions all veterinary practices are taking to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
The ongoing uncertainty surrounding the recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will no doubt cause disruption to our usual routine and reduce the amount of social contact we have – preventing us from doing some of the things we enjoy which helps protect and maintain our mental wellbeing.
With today, March 20, being International Day of Happiness, we thought we’d highlight the importance that our furry friends play in our lives as well as share some tips on how to keep them happy and stimulated during these uncertain times.
At Oak Barn Vets, the health, safety and wellbeing of our patients, our staff and our community is our number-one priority.
We remain committed to delivering exceptional care to your pet, while doing our part to reduce the spread of respiratory illness (in particular, COVID-19 coronavirus), including careful monitoring of the health and wellbeing of our staff.
Over the past few weeks, we have taken a series of precautionary steps at our practices in response to this outbreak, including increased cleaning, disinfection and access to hand sanitiser for our staff and clients.
With the current changes in place around Covid-19, we have been looking at how we can minimise contact on a day to day basis between clients and staff, whilst still running a fully functional service here at the barn. We remain committed to delivering exceptional care to your pet, while doing our part to reduce the spread of respiratory illness (in particular, COVID-19 coronavirus), including careful monitoring of the health and wellbeing of our staff.
As of today, Wednesday 18th March. We would kindly ask our clients to help us by taking these simple steps:
Over the weekend there have been a few posts on social media regarding Alabama Rot. Sadly there have been three confirmed cases over the past week, this brings the total number of confirmed cases to 219 since 2012, with 15 in 2020.
With the help of Andersen Moores Veterinary Specialists we would like to provide our clients with the up to date information regarding Alabama Rot or CRGV as it is also known.
Vetcompass and the RVC have undertaken disease surveillance examining the epidemiology of elbow pathology in the dog.
The results are rather interesting!
Your pets dental hygiene is just as important as your own. With out healthy teeth and gums, you pet can’t or won’t be able to chew their food and unlike humans, they can’t tell us that there is a problem. There are so many ways to promote health dental hygiene and if you work on their oral care regularly, they’ll be less likely to have issues.
We aren’t just talking about clean teeth here. Your pets oral care should include their teeth, gums and breath.
We keep giving you sneak peaks and hints to our up and coming new Wellness Centre, so we thought it was about time to start sharing some of our physio cases on our blog.
Case one, is something Kerrie was very excited about and is thrilled at how Zin Zan is responding to treatment!
With the Wellness Centre in its second and final phase of development, we are hoping to have news of an opening date very soon!
We have welcomed Rimante back to the Barn.
Some of our clients might recognise our newest member of the Veterinary team. Rimante did a short Locum period with us back in 2018. After completing her internship at Fitzpatrick Referrals,
we are thrilled to welcome her back as a permanent member of the team!
So it’s Friday 13th! Unlucky for some… Here is our December blog “Christmas Hazards.” We have been seeing a fair few cases of pets eating things they shouldn’t, so have written a piece to highlight some potential Festive hazards in the home.
