Halloween can be a fun-filled time of the year for all the family; however, the many unfamiliar sights and sounds can make it a stressful occasion for our pets. Therefore, we have focussed on a few points to be aware of as we approach the day itself:
The nights are getting darker and there’s a chill in the air, but your dog still needs regular walks in order to stay fit and healthy. Here are some suggestions to keep both you and your pet safe whilst exercising during the coming months.
The change of season from summer to autumn sees lots of changes in nature and our surroundings – greens turn to rust and gold, leaves fall and summer flowers give way to berries. As always there are things we need to be aware of that may affect our pets and their wellbeing. Here are some things to look out for this autumn.
We celebrate World Heart Day today on 29 September 2020. This is the world’s biggest awareness-raising platform for cardiovascular disease (CVD) which is accountable for nearly half of all non-communicable disease deaths in humans.
Did you know that heart conditions affect our pets too? Within our group of practices, we have cardiology specialists available who investigate all aspects of heart disease.
Dogs, like humans, can be prone to gaining weight. This in turn can cause health problems like diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart and respiratory problems, and could reduce your dog’s life expectancy. Here we look at some tips to help get your pet pooch in good physical shape.
Getting a new pet is an exciting experience, and naturally, you are keen to get them back home to begin life as part of the family. However, for your new pet this can be a very stressful occasion, therefore it is important to ensure that you have fully prepared for their arrival and take things nice and slow to make their integration into your home a successful one. We have put together some top tips below that we believe will help you through the process:
Training a dog to walk on a lead comfortably and safely is one of the most critical skills that you will teach your dog as a responsible pet owner.
Fireworks are used throughout the year to mark significant seasonal celebrations including Bonfire Night, Halloween, New Year’s Eve and Diwali.
Whilst they are enjoyable for humans to watch, pets can often get scared of the loud bangs and bright flashes. Preparing your pet early can make a significant difference and will help your pet cope throughout the seasonal events – start preparing now!
At Oak Barn we’re very proud of our heritage of offering the best quality care to our clients and their pets, so we’re thrilled to have recently been reaccredited by the RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons).
Let’s look at why annual visits are important for your pet.
You’re probably aware that when you get a puppy or kitten, you’re going to need to visit the vet for vaccinations, flea and tick prevention and other treatments. However, to maintain your pet’s health and wellbeing, regular trips to the vets are recommended. Annual vaccinations or boosters are important to protect your pet against preventable diseases and discomfort. Here we explore some of the common questions, and myths, around the annual visit for vaccination…
Does your dog come into regular contact with other dogs? Maybe out on walks, at the park, or when they’re staying in kennels? If so, we’d highly recommend a Kennel Cough vaccine or booster.
Whenever your pet becomes ill or injured, it is always a stressful situation for both you and your companion. That is why we wanted to provide you with some guidance on how you can act, and what you can do to help, when these incidents occur.
Even though the height of summer is over, we have been known to have some very warm days in September! We all enjoy getting out in the sunshine (when it arrives!), however the same is not always true for our pets! It is possible for any animal to overheat in hot weather, however we often forget how tough it can be on our pets that live in hutches, such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
A visit to the vet can be stressful for cats, and therefore stressful for you too!
We’ve “fetched” seven fun canine facts to share with you. You may know some of these already, and others may be new info for your trivia bank…
If you’re planning on taking your pet to an EU Country after 1 January 2021, there’s some important information you need to know.
Before your dog, cat or ferret can travel for the first time after this date, you’ll need to start taking the following steps four months before you’re planning to travel …
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.
