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In Spring as the weather warms up, our flowers begin to bloom, and our veggies are sprouting! Along with the sunshine, snails are out in force! At this time of the year, we see an increase in snail bait ingestion, as avid gardeners use snail bait to deter snails from their plants. This unfortunately means, that our beloved pets are at risk when playing and sniffing in the garden! Snail bait is toxic to our furry friends! Snail bait toxicity is a rapid onset toxicity, and symptoms are usually seen within an hour! Symptoms of snail bait toxicity: Vomiting – Vomit can be a blue or green colour Muscle tremors and seizuring Increased Salivation (Drooling) Panting (Increased Respiratory Rate) Increased Heart Rate Rapid [...]

There are some simple things to do at bath time to make it easier for dogs and owners this Summer. Do NOT over bath your dog. Too frequent washing will dry the skin and breakdown the skin’s natural defense barriers to bad bacteria and allergens. Fortnightly or monthly wash is adequate unless Fido has rolled in something particularly bad. Listed below are some important things to remember: Surface is important. Place a rubber non slip bathmat in the bottom of any slippery tub, container or bath. This is especially important for geriatric dogs whose muscle tone is less and joints cannot withstand a gripping stance. Water temperature. Lukewarm to warm water depending on the ambient temperature. Dogs will pant and get hot and distressed [...]

The Akita is a native large breed spitz from the northern, mountainous Akita Prefecture, Japan. A courageous and devoted dog, Akita are protectors of their family. Originally, Akita were bred for deer, elk and bear hunting. They also often stayed home and watched over the children, while parents worked the rice fields. In 1931, Akita were declared a Japanese National Monument. In 1937, during a visit to Japan, Hellen Keller spoke of how she admired the breed and wished to have her own. She was gifted an Akita puppy, Kamakaze-Go, which upon returning to the United States, unfortunately died shortly thereafter from distemper. She was then sent his brother in the litter, Kenzan-Go. Akita have a long and difficult history, between being crossbred with mastiffs [...]

Bengal Cat sitting in Garden The Bengal cat has only recently become the subject of more widespread recognition, despite having a linage traceable to the early 1930's. The Bengal is a cross of the Asian Leopard Cat (Bengalensis) and domestic cats. The very first mention of this cross breeding is actually from a publication in 1889, Our Cats  and All About Them. Confirmation of the existence of the crossbreed was in 1934, with a Japanese publication in 1941 covering an article on one which was owned as a pet. Later in the 1970's crossbreeding occurred again in genetics research studies due to the supposed immunity to Feline Leukaemia in Asian Leopard Cats. Several parties began breeding these cats outside the study when the original [...]

From Josie, “As I was saying, older pets need special care and I wanted to share with you some things to assess for the happiness of your own  Furiatrics. I will dictate to Cookie my list of geriatric care tips.  Because I am a very clever Border Terrier, I have come up with this mantra to help you remember. Every Furiatric Must Have Jolly Big Cuddles Always and you won't miss a thing. " Josie shows off her glow strip at the doggie door Every is for Eyesight  We might be frightened at the top of the stairs, we might walk into the door frame, we might stumble out of the car, because we are short-sighted. Solution: Plug a child's night light in down low near our [...]

Cat flu is a highly contagious viral disease, caused by Herpes Virus or Chlamydia (not the same as human or koala Chlamydia), or by Calicivirus, (not same as “Khaleesi”, Mother of Dragons!). Cats pick up the flu by direct contact with a virus shedding cat, aerosolised virus in the air, contaminated food bowls and equipment. Very young or old cats, immunosuppressed patients and cats that have not been vaccinated are the most susceptible. When cats get the flu they feel exactly like we do. Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, weepy eyes and feverish. They feel absolutely horrible;  they have no appetite and are very flat.  Cats with Herpes virus have conjunctivitis which can lead to eye ulcers and Calicivirus causes mouth ulcers. Both are very painful [...]

You should feed according to the ideal weight for your pet and speak to your vet about safe, non toxic, low calorie treats for training. Each packet of food may have different feeding instructions, even within the same brand. Read carefully! Some cat food sachets now marketed as "soups" advise feeding one sachet per kg of bodyweight at a cost of about $6.50 per day if recommendations followed. Be careful and read thoroughly or your beloved purr cat may lose weight. Premium brand food is more expensive, due to high quality ingredients! Less food is required to meet your pets nutritional needs and less food is lost as waste after digestion. Skant faeces rule.  Premium brand pet food has been researched and formulated to maximise [...]

Try to stay calm. Always carry a mobile phone when walking your dog so that if something happens, you can summon a car quickly. If you encounter a dead snake on a path, do not let your dog investigate it or "worry" it. The fangs still contain venom in a dead snake. The venom is moved from the bite sight through the blood stream so keeping your dog as still as possible is important. Try to keep the bite site below the level of the heart and do not waste time trying to suck out venom or using ice packs to slow blood flow to the area. Ring ahead to your veterinarian to ensure they hold a stock of antivenene. Different snake venom can cause [...]

Even with a cracked tooth or periodontal disease that damages gums around the teeth, dogs will eat normally, greet you happily on your return home and do all the usual things you expect. You simply will not know when your dog has oral pain. The number one sign of periodontal disease is no sign at all. In the wild, showing pain would make the dog vulnerable to attack and this instinct is still maintained in domestic canines today.   Cats are experts at hiding dental pain. As with dogs, their instinctive behaviour stems from their wild ancestry, when any sign of weakness could mean the difference between life and death. The modern-day cat just does not let his/her owners know when their mouth is hurting. [...]

Christmas Pudding, Christmas Cakes, and Christmas Mince Pies are all jam-packed full of raisins and sultanas which, as a concentrated type of grape, can lead to serious illness. The mechanism of grape poisoning is not clear and every dog has a different threshold for illness. Because of this, it is much safer to simply avoid them. The fat and sugar in the shortcrust pastry is another forbidden delight. Foods high in fat are one of the causative agents of pancreatitis, and smoked or heavily salted meat adds to the likelihood of acute and fatal pancreatitis. The alcohol that is added in copious quantities to cakes and puddings will cause gastric irritation and vomiting. No Rum Balls for Baxter the Boxer! Most dog owners know all [...]