What is the Practice Standards Scheme?

You may have seen our recent facebook status, tweet or google+ page telling that we had again received practice standard accreditation and wondered…

What is the Practice Standards Scheme?

Pets are often treated as members of the family and owners rightly want to be sure they receive excellent medical treatment.

But how can you be sure?

The regulatory function of the RCVS means that users of veterinary services can be assured that their veterinary surgeon or registered/listed veterinary nurse is properly qualified and fit to practise.

The RCVS can also offer reassurance that those practice premises which it accredits as part of the Practice Standards Scheme meet stringent standards.

It offers peace of mind to clients of accredited practices and a more informed choice to the animal-owning public.

To become accredited, practices volunteer for rigorous inspection every four years and will have met a range of minimum standards including hygiene, 24-hour emergency cover, staff training, certain types of equipment and cost estimation procedures.

RCVS accreditation is not to be confused with a practice being included in the RCVS Register of Veterinary Practice Premises. The RVPP is held by the RCVS on behalf of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and only veterinary surgeons working from registered premises can supply veterinary medicines.

Look for the logo

For peace of mind, people should look for the RCVS accredited practice logo, which indicates that the practice has passed an independent inspection.

This means high standards of care for animals and peace of mind for animal owners.

Lapel badges

We are wearing our accreditation with pride! Our enamel lapel badges are being worn by all the practice team, to help promote our RCVS-accredited practice status.

For peace of mind, we have have again undergone, and passed, an independent inspection, at all 3 of our sites. We met a range of minimum standards including hygiene, 24-hour emergency cover, staff training, certain types of equipment and cost estimation procedures.

As a practice we are also subject to spot-checks between inspections (and we received one last year!).

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) is a voluntary initiative to accredit veterinary practices in the UK. Through setting standards and carrying out regular inspections, the Scheme aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care. This means high standards of care for animals and peace of mind for animal owners.

More information can be found at http://www.rcvs.org.uk/practice-standards-scheme/

FREE “Pet Smile Check Ups”

October and November 2013 are Pet Smile Months at Broad Lane Vets and we are offering FREE “Pet Smile Check Ups” with our nurses – a complimentary check on your pet’s oral health as well as great discounts on dental treatments, if deemed necessary.

Dental disease is a welfare issue. “Bad breath” is the very least of our pets’ worries. Oral pain is a major feature, but often goes unnoticed because pets usually carry on eating despite their discomfort. As periodontal disease progresses, bacteria spreads from the mouth through the blood stream to affect other organs such as the kidneys and heart valves.

During Pet Smile Month we are offering a FREE “Pet Smile Check Up” to re-check the teeth and gums, and offer advice on what steps need to be taken for your pet in order to improve their oral hygiene.

We can demonstrate tooth brushing and discuss how to look after your pet’s teeth. This can help avoid worsening dental disease and maintain good oral care to prevent having to perform a dental procedure.
If you would like to take part in Pet Smile Month, give us a call today on 02476 464789.

Does my dog need to wear a collar?

Yes they do. This is a legal requirement. Dogs must wear a collar in public. To avoid a hefty fine, owners must also make sure that the dog displays their name and address.

By law, dogs in a public place, it must wear a collar. This collar, a tag attached to the collar, must also bear its owner’s name and address.

Be aware that owners can be fined up to £2000 if they don’t comply. (There are a few exceptions, look at this link:  http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/901/article/2/made).

Although it’s not law for the collar or tag to also display the owner’s postcode and phone number, some feel this is advisable, in order to aid a pet’s quick return if he or she is lost.

Many owners believe that if their dog is microchipped, they do not need to have a named collar or tag – this is incorrect. Visual identification is still required (and is also needed in addition to the tag a dog return company might provide). In addition to the legally required identification we recommend microchipping. It makes it easier to identify and return stolen dogs whose collars, or tags, may have been removed. Be aware microchipping is likely to become mandatory in 2016.

Healthy Eating for Pets

Different pets, and breeds, require different food types, nutritional amounts and exercise regimes: It is important to find out what is best for your friend.

Here is a rough idea of of what a 'snack' for a Dog or Cat translates to in human terms. (We do not suggest that these snacks are the correct treats for your pets, but thought it may help to put your pet’s food, versus your own food, into perspective!)

For a dog  of just 10kg, feeding them just 2 human biscuits or 3 crisps or 1oz of cheese, is the equivalent of us eating 2 whole hamburgers. For a cat, just 1 cup of milk for them, is like us eating 5 x hamburgers!!

 We run FREE nutrition and weightwatcher clinics. Give us a call on 02476 464789 to book an appointment with one of our qualified Veterinary Nurses to discuss best food and exercise for your pet.

 

Hedgehog Care

With the hedgehog population in decline we can all do our bit to help this year’s hoglets.
Mid to late August is the start of the crisis period for many autumn juvenile hedgehogs. This often goes into November and sometimes youngsters will survive beyond this time.

By putting out food for the hedgehogs under a feeding station we can ensure that any nocturnal visitors will have a plate of food and a dry spot to eat it. Encourage the youngsters into your garden and get them used to your voice etc. Put out food at the same time and in the same place each night. Hedgehogs often have a routine and one may appear at 9pm from under the shed and another at 9.34pm from behind the dustbin and another at 11pm under the gate. Often they will appear again later in the night for another supper.

Once we get to September it’s a good idea to start weighing each juvenile to check it is putting on weight. If it doesn’t increase in weight by perhaps 30-40gms a week (or better still more than that) then you may need to think about whether it has worms. If this is the case get in touch with a local hedgehog rehabilitator – the BHPS may be able to help find your nearest one.

If you are feeding the hedgehogs the general rule of thumb is that if the dish is empty in the morning, and you know it has not been eaten by cats, then put out more the next night.

If you want to find out more about hedgehogs visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s web site at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk We have a leaflet called “Autumn Juveniles” that you may find of help and interest.

If you find a hedgehog needing help or if you need more advice, call the BHPS on 01584 890801 – it is better to be safe than sorry. Hedgehogs in trouble are usually seen out in the daytime.

Our Favourite Pest - The Flea

Last year was a particularly troublesome one for fleas. A mild winter and warm wet summer resulted in an explosion of flea populations and many pet owners have struggled to keep their pets and homes free of these irritating pests.


Consequently, there has been a lot of media coverage about the issue and you may even have heard rumours of some flea products no longer working or the development of a resistant ‘super flea’.

Don’t worry we would like to reassure you, according to veterinary parasitology experts, there is no scientific evidence of a ‘super flea’ or of resistance developing to any of the established flea products currently on the market, including those used and recommended by our practice.

There are many reasons why a flea problem may appear difficult to control, especially at times of high flea challenge such as we have experienced this summer. To eradicate a home infestation can take 3 months or more, so prevention is always the best policy. If you have a problem, pop in and talk to one of our nurses. They offer ‘flea consultations’ free of charge. Our practice’s first line recommendation for flea control kills adult fleas fast and also contains an ‘insect growth regulator’ that prevents any eggs laid after treatment from hatching, thus helping protect your home from infestation.

Prevention is better than cure

The following Top Tips will help you protect your pets and home from the threat of a flea infestation:

• For prevention, apply a veterinary recommended flea treatment regularly: This can be as infrequent as every 8 weeks for dogs and 6 weeks for cats.

• Continue treatment regularly throughout the year – centrally heated homes are perfect environments for fleas to survive the winter!

• Increase applications to monthly during periods of high challenge e.g. summer to provide optimum control.

• Treat all dogs, cats, and ferrets in your household.

Having problems? Call us!

If your pet currently has fleas or you are struggling with a persistent flea problem despite treatment, please call us on 02476 464789 for advice. We don’t want to scare you but the fleas you see on your pet are just the tip of the iceberg. 95% of the problem is living in your pet’s environment as eggs, larvae and pupae just waiting to re-infest your pet again. That means not only the carpets and furnishings of your home but everywhere your pet goes e.g. cars, caravans, gardens, parks and other houses. We realise that managing fleas can be complex at times and we would be happy to help you resolve the issue as quickly and effectively as possible.

How to keep your pet safe and well this summer

What a great Summer so far!


We’re all aware of the risks associated with hot weather, with most of us taking precautions to avoid painful sunburn, annoying allergies and the dreaded heatstroke. But are we protecting our pets enough to allow them to enjoy summer too?

White cats are extremely prone to sunburn. This can quickly turn into serious skin cancer, especially on the tips of the nose and ears. We recommend you always apply non-toxic sunblock to these areas, and if you notice any skin changes, contact us immediately.


All responsible rabbit owners worry about fly-strike, a common condition that occurs during warmer weather, when damp and smelly rabbits’ bottoms attract egg-laying flies. These hatching eggs quickly produce flesh-eating maggots. This condition is extremely serious disease, with all rabbits at risk ‘especially obese or older bunnies’. If untreated it is often fatal. However, it is preventable: remember to check your rabbit’s bottom at least twice daily throughout the warmer months. Some people advise attaching an old net curtain to the front of the hutch to prevent flies getting in.

All Spaniel owners will know about the dreaded grass seed. These small, sharp arrows, easily attach themselves to your dog’s coat. We see them regularly in the soft, feathery fur between pads, or in ear canals of ‘hairy ears’. If allowed to progress further, they have been can burrow up through the skin, or even become trapped in eyelids. Head-shaking, and sudden discomfort, are tell-tale signs when returning from walks. Inspect your dog’s coat thoroughly after walks. Ideally try to prevent this painful problem from happening in the first place by clipping the fur from its feet and around its ears.

Bees and wasps can be a potential hazard at this time of year. Inquisitive puppies and kittens once beginning to explore their new gardens, often disturb stinging insects, trying to eat them! Similarly, dogs rummaging around in undergrowth, off their leads are at risk from adder bites. We saw a dog bitten by an adder at the practice last Summer! These affected areas quickly becoming swollen and painful. Contact us immediately if you suspect your pet is in trouble.

Hoglets are here.

Baby hedgehogs (hoglets) will continue to be born throughout July.  If you see the same hedgehog around then it is likely to be a female.  They often have regular routes that they follow when they are foraging, so if you see a hedgehog by the shed at 10pm then it may well be there again the next night at or around that time.

There is a great deal of worry amongst hedgehog rehabilitators that there are so few hedgehogs being admitted.  Whilst it is good not to have them needing care it also means that there are not so many around.  This is also confirmed by the lack of kills seen on our roads.  Death rates are believed to have been high during the extended winter hibernation so every hedgehog seen is even more precious and its well-being is necessary to aid the hedgehogs’ dwindling population.

Kate Bullen suggests we can all help by making our gardens safer for hedgehogs, and by providing food and water for them.  To protect the food, from both cats and the weather, make a feeding station, for example try putting a paving slab on bricks (leave a gap between 2 of the bricks as an entrance hole); or use a rabbit hutch with its door wedged partly open; or an upside down plastic dog bed.   As a final suggestion, try to get one of those deep plastic mushroom boxes, or an under the bed storage box.   Cut a 5 x 5 inch hole in one of the short sides so when the box is upside down the hole becomes an entrance.  Put water and food (meat based dog or cat food or a propriety brand of complete hedgehog food) at the far end and weigh the box down with a stone.

If you have a shed or summer house that is raised off the ground slightly food can be put under this.  However this is also a favourite place for a female to make her nursery nest so before using it as a feeding station check there is not a nest there.  The female hedgehog will not be happy about other hedgehogs coming to a food source so close to her babies.

If you want to find out more about hedgehogs visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s web site at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

If you find a hedgehog needing help or if you need more advice call the BHPS on 01584 890801 – it is better to be safe than sorry.

Hot weather advice for your pet

We all know how uncomfortable we can feel, out and about, in this wonderful weather. Sadly this warm or hot weather can cause distress, suffering or even lead to the death of our pets. It’s important that you are aware of your pets’ needs in warm and hot weather and know how to deal with these.

Many animals can’t sweat through their skin in the same way as humans.  They only cool down by sweating through sweat glands in their feet and panting. So it’s important that you help your pets to stay cool.

Here’s a few thoughts:

Never leave your pet in a car on a warm or hot day

·      This can cause distress and suffering, and lead to death. It can get unbearably hot in a car on a sunny day, even when it’s not that warm. Leaving a window part way down is not enough.

In fact, when it’s 22°C/72°F outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 47°C/117°F within 60 minutes.

Never leave your pet in direct sunlight

·      If your pet is unable to escape to a cooler, more shady environment when it’s feeling hot, it may become unwell and suffer.   

·      Animals should always be housed out of direct sunlight.   Make sure your pet can get to a cool, shady place to escape from the sun at all times of day.  This includes outdoor enclosures where small animals and birds are kept

·       Fish should also be kept out of direct sunlight, and their water kept clean, well oxygenated and algae free.

Make sure your pet has a constant supply of clean, fresh drinking water

·         To keep cool, it’s important that your pet can replace any water that is lost through sweating and panting, otherwise it could become dehydrated.  So check and fill water bowls or bottles regularly, especially for outdoor rabbits. A good tip is to fill a 2 litre plastic bottle 3/4 full with water and freeze it. During hot days take it out and put it in with your small pets. The frozen water gives them something cool to lean against, helping them deal with the heat.  

Exercise your pet at times when it is cooler

·         Animals still need exercise when it’s hot, but don’t allow pets to exercise too much in hot weather.  It is best to walk dogs early in the morning or later in the evening, when it’s cooler.

·         If at all possible, keep cats indoors in the heat of the day if the forecast is hot.

Protect your pet from sunburn

·         Animals can get sunburnt too, especially those with light coloured noses, or light coloured fur on their ears.  Ask us for advice on pet-safe sunscreens.

Be aware of the signs of heat-stroke

·         Heatstroke in pets can be fatal and you should do everything you can to prevent it.

·         Signs of heat stroke are excessive panting, heavy salivation, rapid pulse, very red gums/tongue, lethargy (tiredness), lack of co-ordination, being unable to get up after collapsing, vomiting, diarrhoea.  In extreme cases, loss of consciousness is likely. 

 If you suspect that your pet has heat-stroke, move it to a shaded, cool area and contact us immediately for advice. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Fly-strike in rabbits 

Check your rabbit for signs of illness or injury every day, and make sure this is done by someone else if you are away.  In warm weather you should check the fur and skin around your rabbit’s rear end and tail area twice a day, as urine staining or droppings that are stuck will attract flies, which can lay eggs and cause fly-strike which is often fatal.                                                                

If you are worried about your pet in this spell of glorious weather call us on 02476 464789. We are open 7 days a week. Visit us at: www.broadlanevets.co.uk for our opening hours. Remember 24 hours a day someone can help and advise you. 

Dental Disease in cats and dogs

Dogs and Cats, like us, have 2 sets of teeth in their life time. Their deciduous teeth (milk teeth) erupt between 4-6 weeks of age and are replaced by their adult/permanent dentition between 4-6 months of age. Problems with teeth can be identified by discoloured teeth, red gums, bad breath, difficulty eating, dribbling and pain. Dental issues can act as a source of infection, which can cause disease elsewhere in the body e.g. kidney and heart infections.

Dental disease in pet dogs and cats is one of the most common problems we see at the practice. In some studies, up to 85% of dogs have been reported to have dental disease. There is no reason we should treat our pet’s teeth any differently to the way we do ours. This however is not always practical.

Tooth brushing is the ideal. No amount of brushing however will replace the need for specialist dental scaling and polishing to achieve optimal dental health.

When assessing a pet’s dental health, decisions have to be made as to the benefits of dental treatment. In the vast majority of healthy pets with dental disease the benefits to overall health, of dental scaling and polishing, outweigh any risks.

There are many benefits to removing the plaque and tartar (treating inflammation and infection) and extracting severely damaged teeth, including:

1.    Removal of pain for the individual

2.    Reduction of inflammation and bacteria in the mouth, reducing risks to other organs in the body  e.g. Kidneys, Heart and gastrointestinal tract.

3.    Greater ability to self groom – a very important factor for cats in particular

4.    Sweeter smelling breath!

Our nurses offer free dental advice and are more than happy to show you how to brush your pet’s teeth. They can talk to you about other ways of looking after your pet’s dentition if you find brushing difficult. Just call us for a free appointment.

Household Poisons! What can a­ffect your pet?

Did you know that a lot of things we use or have in our households are poisonous to our pets?

Some of the more common poisons are:

Acorns, if eaten, can cause kidney failure and depression. It is wise to check overhanging oak trees in gardens and be vigilant when out on dog walks in a park or woodland.

Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol well known for its sweet taste. This makes it appealing to pets to drink. It only takes a little to poison. It causes seizures and comas.

Bread Dough left standing to rise can be stolen by your dog! Your pet’s stomach is nice and warm making it an ideal environment for the dough to rise. This can lead to a gastric obstruction.

Chocolate! As you are probably aware contains an ingredient called theobromine which is poisonous to dogs. Extra care should be taken at Christmas and Easter when we tend to have lots of chocolate in the house. You can read more about tis in our Easter blog.

Cocoa can act as a laxative, but can also a­ffect the muscles ranging from muscle weakness

to necrosis of muscle tissue.

The Common Toad causes excess salivation & distress (if licked or picked up by dogs).

Grapes & Raisins if ingested can cause an upset tummy leading to kidney failure in dogs.

As we have mentioned in our previous blogs lilies are extremely toxic (to cats) and can very quickly cause fatal kidney problems if your cat doesn’t receive veterinary attention immediately.

Treat all mushrooms as potentially dangerous to all pets. Their symptoms range from abdominal pain to complete organ failure.

Onions & Garlic  are highly poisonous to cats and dogs, taking only a small amount to cause serious problems.

Slug Bait contains metaldehyde which aff­ects the nervous system leading to seizures.

Xylitol found in some sweeteners, that we use for our tea, is toxic to our furry friends.

And this time of year we are possibly using weed killer. Its symptoms vary and are dependent on the active ingredient.

The list of poisons to our pets is too many to list. The above are the common ones but there are many more.

Household plants, some garden plants and certain weeds are poisonous. Try to be aware of the plants and weeds that you have, just in case one of your pets does decide to have a nibble on them. Most ingested poisons if left untreated can be fatal, so always consider carefully what you have in the home or garden.

The symptoms for each poison vary. Do not leave anything to chance. If you suspect your pet has eaten something and you have the packaging, take this to the Veterinary Surgery. This assists us when contacting the Veterinary Poisons Unit.

Following the recent measles outbreak could our pets face a similar problem?

The PDSA has found that 50 per cent of our pets are currently not vaccinated:

Report finds 11million pets may face early death

New figures from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) have demonstrated that 11million UK pets are vulnerable to preventable diseases.

The research suggests that while 40 per cent of owners would risk their own lives to save their pet, nearly 50 per cent of pets are not vaccinated or neutered to protect them from disease.

A spokesman said: "More than 11 million pets could die prematurely in the next decade from devastating preventable illnesses such as parvovirus, feline leukaemia and certain forms of cancer because their owners are failing to vaccinate or neuter them."

Two surveys in 2007 and 2010 by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) also found that those who do not regularly vaccinate their pet do not believe it's relevant to their situation. Those who did vaccinate regularly felt that being a responsible pet owner meant preventing disease.

"Perhaps to some extent vaccination has been a victim of its own success, with many owners not seeing the infectious diseases that vaccines prevent in their pets or the pets of their friends," said Donal Murphy, technical executive and veterinary surgeon at NOAH.

"Yet once the level of vaccination in the population drops, the disease incidence starts to rise," he added.

Visit the PDSA website for more information on the report.

Broad Lane's great Tea Party

What a great start to the week! Yesterday we definitely did not have that Monday feeling.

Today at the surgery we held an All-Day Tea Party to celebrate Veterinary Nursing Month 2013, not that they would let me, Stumpy, carry the cakes! They said with my track record I’d better stay in the office - honestly. This year is the 50^th anniversary of the profession so well worth celebrating I think. After much deliberation the ‘grown ups’ decided to have a tea party. I think it’s because we all love our cakes and a good pot of tea!

Monies were agreed to split between our chosen charity for 2013: Hounds for Heroes  www.houndsforheroes.com and The Blue Cross for Pets Paws for Tea Campaign www.bluecross.org.uk

The Blue Cross was chosen for 2 reasons 1). This month across the country they are encouraging people to hold charity tea parties 2). They are currently doing some great outreach work with teenagers encouraging them to look at the issues surrounding ‘status dogs’, and teaching them general pet welfare. So far over 30,000 teenagers have taken part in their road-shows.

The four legged brigade said all their owners have spent the weekend baking, with delicious smells coming from their kitchens, and even the odd falling treat! Lovely Dawn co-ordinated the setting up. I offered to blow up the balloons – well…you can imagine the response. I even offered to guard the cakes but yes you guessed…back to the office. Tea, coffee and cakes were served downstairs all day with lots of our great clients just popping in to say hello.

You should have seen Bracket’s mum’s cake. WOW. A masterpiece, with mini nurses and lots of the pets we treat to decorate it. Clever clogs you live with Bracket!

Lisa, my office slave, was on CWR radio with Vic Minnett to talk about our cakes – my mouth was watering.   

After my afternoon nap guess what Dawn came up with… you’ve guessed it a slice of cake all for me.

The diet starts tomorrow! 

PS We raised £100.00 for our chosen charities.

Our strange message at Broad Lane Vets

Earlier this month we all received a rather different message to our in-boxes at Broad Lane Vets. It was entitled ‘STUMPY’.

To set the scene for those of you who have yet to meet Stumpy here he is (on the left):

Yes I know cute isn’t he! Well that butter wouldn’t melt look might have you fooled, but by previous postings you will know he is a terror! If you leave it lying around he eats it. He spends a lot of his life at the practice, in the office (or ideally wandering around if he can escape!). He has devoured ink cartridges, staff member’s dinners, boxes of paper, handcream to name but a few items… so you’re getting the picture.

The thing you also need to know about Stumpy is why he is called so. He belongs to Elly and Jerome (Elly’s not always so better half – sorry Jerome). His real name is Carling, a rejected Guide Dog. Why? I hear you say. Well he has very short twisted legs – basically he’s a basset-hound, with a labrador’s body. Not tall enough to meet the criteria, and likely to have a few medical problems as he gets older.

Back to that message… Well, read for yourself:

I need your help as one of my hairy family clearly has a problem:

Jerome was left in charge of Stumpy while I was out. 

Below is listed the destruction I come home to...

- 2 x packets of Doritos disappeared from worktop in our kitchen on Saturday. The packets later being found very-neatly opened (minus Dorito contents) in the corner of the lounge, under the dog bed

- 6 (yes six!) slices of leftover pizza disappear from the delivery box (on the kitchen worktop) on Sunday morning - box still in-situ on the worktop, garlic dip container licked clean lying on the floor (with lid mysteriously unaccounted for)

- 300g of fresh-filled pasta (meant to be my dinner on Monday night!) mysteriously disappear from kitchen worktop whilst Jerome allegedly putting the bins out

Now, let’s look at the evidence...

- Stumpy's short legs - likelihood of getting all this food from the worktop?

- So that leaves Jerome...does he have a secret binge-eating/garlic-dip-licking problem, and is using Stumpy as a convenient and very believable excuse?!

Please vote and message me back - who do you think is eating the food - Jerome or Stumpy?!!

Well the practice team were divided here! Some blamed Jerome, who enjoys his food, whilst others knowing Stumpy thought him the culprit. What do you think??? 

If you spoke' Woofish' what would you say?

Ever wondered what your dog would be saying if you spoke ‘woofish’? Well here are a few ideas of what they are likely to be saying. Can you spot them in your dog. Let us know if you have any to add.

1. Continuous, rapid barking of a midrange pitch: “Call the pack! There is a potential problem! Someone is coming into our territory!”

Continuous barking, but a bit slower and pitched lower: “The danger is very close. Get ready to defend yourself!”

2. Barking in rapid strings of three or four with pauses in between, midrange pitch: “I think there may be a problem, or an intruder, near our territory. I think we need to investigate.”

3. Prolonged or incessant barking, with moderate to long intervals between each utterance: “Is there anybody there? I’m lonely and need companionship.” This is most often the response to confinement or being left alone for long periods of time.

4. One or two sharp short barks, mid-range pitch: “Hello there!” - This is a typical greeting bark.

5. Single sharp short bark, lower mid-range pitch: “Stop that!” This is often given by a mother dog when disciplining her puppies but may also indicate annoyance in any dog e.g. when disturbed from sleep or if their hair is pulled during grooming etc.

6. Single sharp short bark, higher mid-range: “What’s this?” This is a startled or surprised sound. If it is repeated two or three times its meaning changes to “Come look at this!” This same type of bark, but not quite as short and sharp, is used to mean “Come here!” Many dogs will use this kind of bark at the door to indicate that they want to go out. Lowering the pitch to a more relaxed mid-range means “Terrific!” or some other similar expletive e.g. “Oh, great!” A dog who loves to jump, will give this single bark of joy when sent over an agility run, or a dog may give this same bark when given their food dish.

7. Single yelp or very short high-pitched bark: “Ouch!” This is in response to a sudden, unexpected pain.

8. Series of yelps: “I’m hurting!”,  “I’m really scared” This is the response to severe fear or pain.

9. Stutter-bark, mid-range pitch: If a dog’s bark were spelled “ruff,” the stutter-bark would be spelled “ar-ruff.” It means “Let’s play!” and is used to initiate play.

10. Rising bark: This is a bit hard to describe, although once you’ve heard it, it is unmistakable. It is usually a series of barks, each of which starts in the middle range but rises sharply in pitch – almost a bark-yelp, though not quite that high. It is a play bark, used during rough-and-tumble games that shows excitement and possibly translates as “This is great fun!”

Yipeee – it’s Tuesday! I love Tuesdays - Richard comes in today and I get my acupuncture. Max here. The old joints are not what they used to be so today I get a helping hand. Richard Webb comes in today. He's a Veterinay Surgeon (and has been at Broad Lane hundreds of years, well... just over 39 years) and has a further qualification making him a qualified Veterinary Acupuncturist - He must be special as he has his own room, and a page on our practice website http://www.broadlanevets.co.uk/AcupunctureClinics

You can use it to treat all sorts of ailments. It works by sticking small needles in certain areas of the body. Richard is sooooooooo clever knowing just where to place these needles. I hate needles but honestly they don't hurt. I actually enjoy him coming in as I get loads of fuss, treats and then a sleep; the acupuncture makes me so relaxed! I go home feeling more comfortable - crazy to think needles can make you hurt less?

We have a video that Richard has made to see what he does. 

Why not have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRHUVONsfAE

Easter eggs and Daffodils can be toxic to your pet

We've all heard it, "Don't give your dog chocolate it will kill him". How true is it you're probably wondering. Do I have to rush him to the vets if he eats one of my Cadbury’s Cream Eggs?
The truth is chocolate contains a chemical theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities.

Nothing says Easter quite like chocolates and daffodils - yet these seemingly harmless seasonal pleasures are set to cause illness and even death among UK pets.

Many dogs, like us, enjoy the taste of chocolate and will happily eat it if they get the chance. When it comes to daffodils all parts of the plant are potentially dangerous, even the water these flowers stand in. The bulbs are highly toxic to pets and can prove fatal if consumed.

The greatest chocolate danger is from the luxury brands intended for humans, that have a higher cocoa content making it much more toxic to pets. Just a small bar of dark chocolate could fatally poison a Yorkshire Terrier!

 

With daffodils, the main risk to pets is from the bulbs, as Nick Sutton, Specialist in Poisons Information at the VPIS explains: “Most of the enquiries we receive regarding daffodils concern dogs digging up and eating freshly planted bulbs.  Animals can become very unwell after eating the bulbs. Although this is the most toxic part of the plant, eating the leaves, flowers and even drinking the water can prove harmful.”

Chocolate poisoning facts:

• Large amounts of chocolate can poison dogs and other pets due to the toxic effects of theobromine, a component of chocolate similar to caffeine.
• The effects of chocolate poisoning in dogs usually appears within 6 to 12 hours of ingestion, and can last as long as 72 hours. 
• Initial signs can include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal tenderness and restlessness.
• In severe cases there are fits, heart beat irregularities, coma or even death.

Daffodil poisoning facts:

• Daffodil bulbs are the most toxic part of this plant. They contain chemicals called alkaloids and glycosides which are hazardous to pets. These chemicals are present in all parts of the flower, but most concentrated in the bulb.
• The lethal dose can be as low as 15g of bulbs – this could be as little as just one bulb!
• Even the water the daffodils stand in is toxic and can cause stomach upsets in pets if drunk.