Feline question again- how imperative is having the annual booster jabs for cat flu/ Felv/ Fiv/ Leukemia ? If they have had these injections from kitten age- would they have built up a natural immunity ? One of my cats reacts very badly to these injections, so as a result, I decided not to have them immunised – also my mums dog developed canine leukemia as a result of the injection programme ( confirmed by vets )– so what is best- assume they have their own immunity , or risk them catching these horrible ailments ? Or make them ill by injecting them….???

Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS, Online Vet

Hi Jakkii and thank you for your interesting question about cat vaccinations. In order to answer your question I will discuss what is in the feline vaccines, what immunity is and how vaccines work.

What diseases are covered in my cat’s vaccine?

Commonly found in the vaccine your vet will offer your cat is protection against feline influenza (cat flu), feline infectious enteritis (viruses affecting the gut) and feline leukaemia (FeLV).  Other feline vaccines available but less commonly given include rabies, Bordatella bronchiseptica (airway disease) and Chlamydia.  There is currently no vaccine against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

What is immunity?

The immune system is the way in which the body detects, reacts and fights off anything it encounters. The immune system is made up of white blood cells (and the substances they produce such as antibodies) and the lymph system (nodules of various size from tonsils through to parts of the spleen).  When the body meets an antigen (something like a virus of bacteria) for the first time certain white blood cells notice the antigen and set off a reaction in the immune system which leads to the development of immunity. Certain white blood cells produce antibodies that recognise and attach to the antigen, other white blood cells come along and help destroy the recognised antigen and some white blood cells keep a memory of the antigen so next time it is met it can be fought off quickly. Once immunity has developed to an antigen the body should be able to fight it off before it can cause illness. Immunity does tend to slowly decrease over time, the longer it has been since an antigen was last met the slower the body is to react to it. This is why booster vaccines are given each year to keep the level of immunity topped up.

Vaccines and naturally being exposed to an antigen stimulate the immune system in the same way to help develop immunity, but vaccines contain antigen that has been treated so as to minimise the chance of developing the actual disease in the process.  The time intervals designed for each vaccine regime are based on research as to how long the immunity levels remain in the average cat.

Generally the antigens in cat vaccines are either a small part of the antigen, an artificially produced version (that is less able to cause disease) or a killed version of the antigen.  This is all done so as to provide immunity with the least risk of your cat actually getting ill.

Why does my cat react badly to the vaccine?

After vaccination some animals feel mildly unwell or can have a slightly raised body temperature, but this is not common. It is also possible for some cats to react badly to some vaccines and develop a full infection. The other thing that cats can react badly to is ingredients in the vaccine most commonly the adjuvant.  Animals that are unwell at the time of vaccination or have an underlying disease can also have bad reactions to vaccines.  This is a large part of why it is important for your pet to have a full health check prior to vaccination.  In the case of your mum’s dog developing leukaemia as a result of vaccinations this is very rare.

The adjuvant is a chemical added to the vaccine to help the cat’s body react more to killed and part antigen components as these would otherwise cause less stimulation of the immune system.  If as is the case with your cat there is a sever bad reaction to vaccination then this should be discussed with your vet, noted on your cats medical records and an attempt made to work out what it is that your cat is reacting to.

Should I still have my cat vaccinated if it reacts badly?

After careful consideration it might be that your cat could tolerate the vaccines if given separately or if a different form of antigen or adjuvant was in the vaccine used.  After many years of vaccination your cat will have developed a reasonable level of immunity but it is very hard to work out exactly how long this will last if annual vaccination is stopped.

In conclusion the decision as to whether or not to have your cat vaccinated every year should be made between you and your vet weighing up the chance of your cat being exposed to various diseases against the severity of its reaction.  I hope that this answer has helped you and your cat.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)

Cat Henstridge BVSc MRCVS

Thankfully, medical emergencies don’t happen very often with our pets, however, when they do occur they can be very frightening and it is easy to panic when a beloved animal is seriously ill. This article will hopefully help you by explaining some common emergency situations and what to do.

Firstly, all vets have to provide an emergency service out-of-hours, so you will always be able to contact a vet if you need one. Some practices run their out-of-hours and others will use a separate, dedicated emergency clinic. It is useful to know your vet’s arrangements before you need them but usually a quick call to the surgery will give an answer-phone message with the instructions you need (so remember to have a pen close to hand if you call!) The best place for a sick pet to be seen is the surgery and although sometimes your vet may be able to visit, it is likely you will need to take them in, so make sure you have some arrangements in place, especially if you have a large dog who you might not be able to carry if they collapsed.

Cuts and bleeding wounds are a common problem, particularly in dogs who don’t aways look before they leap! Firstly, identify where the wound is, and if it is bleeding, stem the flow with constant, even pressure using a clean towel. If the blood is oozing from the wound it is unlikely in the short term there will be significant blood loss but if it is dripping quickly or pumping out, then pressure application is vital, even if your pet resents it. Resist the temptation to check if the bleeding has stopped, just keep the pressure on and pick up the phone! If the wound isn’t bleeding badly your vet may advise you to wait until normal opening hours but to keep it covered so your pet can’t lick it and don’t apply any wound powders or gels as these can make stitching the skin more difficult.

Dogs having epileptic fits are a frequent reason for calls to the out-of-hours services (they can occur in cats but are very rare). When they happen they are usually unexpected and very frightening to watch. However, they normally only last a minute or so and usually by the time you get in touch with a vet, your pet is already coming round. During a classic fit, the dog will fall on their side, shake violently and sometimes lose control of their bowels or bladder. The best thing you can do is turn off the lights, TV or radio, stay calm and move anything your pet could hurt themselves on. You can hold them gently but be aware some dogs are very disorientated when they come out of the fit and may snap at you. Continue to keep the environment dark and quiet and then call for more advice.

Road traffic accidents are extremely scary and often cause very painful injuries. If you see it happen, make sure your pet is under control (when they are frightened and hurt, animals have a tendancy to run away if they can), keep them warm with a coat or blanket and get them to the vet as soon as possible. If you have to lift or move them do so as gently as possible, keeping the body level and avoiding any obviously damaged areas. It is a very good idea to tie something dogs noses, like a scarf, or cover cat’s heads before moving them as pets who are in pain have a tendency to lash out, even towards people they know.

A very common opener to a call to the emergency vet is ‘I’ve just realised my pet has eaten………’, and again it is usually dogs! Unfortunately there are many things around our houses and gardens which are toxic to our pets. If an animal has eaten something they shouldn’t, even if you are not sure it is poisonous, the best approach is to call the vet straight away and make sure you keep all the packaging so you can tell them exactly what it is and it’s active ingredients.

Upset tummies are a regular occurrence at any time but many pets wait until the middle of the night before vomiting or having diarrhoea all over the carpets! In many cases they can be safely left until morning but if they are passing blood (from either end), are vomiting continually, or you know they have swallowed something solid (such as a toy, stone or bones), you should call the vets immediately for advice.

Other problems which should definitely trigger a call to your vets regardless of the time of day include any animal which is collapsed, has very pale gums, a rapidly expanding stomach, especially in large breed dogs, being unable to stand on a leg and any bitch giving birth who appears to be struggling.

Hopefully an animal emergency will never happen to you but if it does remember, keep calm, take steps to ensure both your pet and yourself are as safe as possible, stem any bleeding with pressure, keep them comfortable and ring your vet as soon as possible. Even if it isn’t an obvious emergency, it is never the wrong decision to call for some advice, you won’t be charged and while you may just need your mind putting at ease, you might just be saving your pet’s life!

If you are unsure if you are dealing with a genuine emergency you can use this free interactive pet symptom checker written by UK vets.

Hi my vet says my poodle cross Pom ,may have cushings disease whot is this please

Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS, Online Vet

Hi Carol and thank you for asking about Cushing’s disease (HAC hyperadrenocorticism) which is a condition where the body makes too much of the steroid cortisol which can result in a variety of symptoms.  HAC is most common in middle aged to older dogs but does also affect cats, horses, hamsters and ferrets.

There are three different types of HAC:

Pituitary dependant HAC (PDHAC) is the most common type and this is when a tumour of  the pituitary gland in the brain is making too much of a hormone called adrenocotricotrophic hormone (ACTH)  this causes the adrenal glands to make too much cortisol.

Adrenal dependant HAC (ADHAC) is less common, this is when a tumour of the adrenal glands causes too much cortisol to be produced.

Iatrogenic HAC (IHAC) is when very high doses of steroid given as medication lead to symptoms of HAC.

What are the signs of HAC?

If your pet is showing some of the following signs then your vet may suspect HAC:

Increased drinking (PD polydypsia), increased urinating (PU polyuria), increased appetite (PP polyphagia), a large rounded low slung abdomen ( tummy), muscle weakness, hair loss on both sides (bilateral symmetrical alopecia), hard areas under the skin due to deposits of the mineral calcium (calcinosis cutis) and dark spots on the skin due to blocked keratin (hair protein) filled hair follicles  (comedones).

How do we test for HAC?

There are several blood tests, urine tests and diagnostic imaging tests than can be done to try and make a diagnosis of HAC:

Routine blood tests in cases of HAC may show up increased levels of liver enzymes, increased cholesterol, increased blood glucose (blood sugar) and also changes to the white blood cell numbers.

Routine urine tests may show an increase in glucose, white blood cells and protein.

More specific tests for HAC include:

Urine creatinine: cortisol ratio, here a urine sample collected from your pet is sent to a laboratory for analysis, abnormal results are found in cases of HAC but can also suggest diabetes, liver disease or womb infection (pyometra).

ACTH stimulation test, this is a set of blood tests in which a blood sample is taken from your pet, an injection of artificial ACTH is given into a vein (blood vessel) and 1-2 hours later another blood sample is collected. The laboratory results are abnormal in approximately 80% of dogs with HAC, this test is also often used to monitor dogs on treatment for HAC.

Plasma cortisol level, this is a blood test which directly measure the level of cortisol in the blood , the blood sample has to be treated very carefully and sent to the lab quickly so as to get an accurate result.

Ultrasound scan of the abdomen can be used to check the size of the adrenal glands (found next to the kidneys), look for a tumour and assess the other abdominal organs. IN PDHAC the adrenal glands are usually normal size or slightly enlarged with ADHAC the adrenal glands are usually different sizes, the large irregular gland being the one with the tumour.

Low and High dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST & HDDST) are blood tests where the effect of artificial steroid on the adrenal glands is measured, the results can sometimes help tell apart PDHAC form ADHAC.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and computed tomography (CT) scans can be performed at referral centres to help in the diagnosis of HAC and also tell which type it is.

How is HAC treated?

Trilostane is a tablet with blocks a step in the production of cortisol in your pet’s adrenal glands therefore decreasing the amount of cortisol in your pet’s body.

Mitotane is another tablet which works by destroying the parts of the adrenal glands that produce cortisol.

Surgery to remove the actual tumours can be performed usually at referral centres.

Trilostane and mitotane are the most commonly used treatments for HAC, they are effective on both PDHAC and ADHAC and your pet should have regular blood tests to monitor that the dose given is correct for your pet. Too much medication for HAC can lead to symptoms of Addison’s disease (Hypoadrenocorticism) where there is not enough cortisol which includes dehydration, depression, diarrhoea and lethargy (weakness).

I hope that my answer has given you some useful information about HAC, the exact test done on your pet will need to be discussed with your vet. The aim of treating your pet is to reduce the signs of HAC to improve your pet’s quality of life and is best achieved by working closely with your vet.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)

I have a American bull dog and every couple of weeks as worms I have giving 1 dose wormer tablets but is to many wormer tablets bad for her or is their another wormer I could use to treat it many Thanx

Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS, Online Vet

Hi Gillian and thank you for your question about worming your dog. I will start by discussing the common worms that affect dogs and then treatment options.

When we say a dog has worms we are usually talking about intestinal (gut) worms but we are now much more aware that worms can also affect the lungs and heart of dogs. Worms have a life cycle and this can include other species sometimes such as cats, foxes, sheep, slugs, snails and mosquitoes. The worms are a parasite, the animal it is living in is called the host, and if the worm as part of its life cycle has to pass through another animal then this animal is called an intermediate host.

Common worms affecting dogs include the round worm Toxocara canis, tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, whip worm Trichuris vulpis, hookworm Ancylostoma caninum, heart worm Dirofilaria immitis and the lung worm Angiostrongylus vasorum.

The life cycle of the round worm is as follows:

Worm eggs are eaten or licked up by the dog, these hatch in your dog’s stomach and develop into larvae.
Larvae pass into your dog’s blood, are carried to the lungs where they climb up the trachea (windpipe) and are coughed up and swallowed. These larvae then mature into adult worms. Larvae can also remain inside your pet in an encapsulated (protected stage) in different body tissues.

Adult female worms produce eggs which are then passed out in your dog’s faeces (poo). These eggs can then be eaten by your dog or other animals. Worm eggs can survive in the environment for a long time.
Round worms can be passed directly from pregnant bitches to the puppies both before and after birth.

How can you tell if your dog has worms?

Most healthy adult animals show little or no signs of having intestinal worms. Passing worms in the faeces, segments in the case of tape worms around your dog’s bottom which look like grains of rice, intermittent diarrhoea, vomit plus or minus worms, weakness and anaemia may be seen. Very young animals, those which are severely infected or with a weak immune system may show the more severe signs listed when infected with intestinal worms.
If there are no obvious signs of worms or we are trying to work out which exact type of worms your dog has then test can be carried out of faeces and blood samples from your dog.

How do we treat intestinal worms?

Most pregnant bitches are given several doses of an appropriate worm treatment throughout pregnancy and lactation (milk production). We advise regular worming of puppies from birth to 6 months of age. Puppies 6 months of age and adult dogs are advised to be routinely wormed three to four times a year.
It is safest to discuss which wormer to use with your vet to ensure it is safe for your dog, its life stage and that the correct dose is given. Worm treatments tend to kill the adult worms and larvae inside your dog, the encapsulated larvae are only killed by certain worm treatments. It is very easy for your dog to pick up worms soon after treatment from eggs in the environment, faeces and other animals.

Worm treatments:

The worm treatment drugs come in the form of tablets, pastes, granules and spot on preparations. The exact type you use should be decided after discussion with your vet especially in the case of recurrent infestations. It is always important to use the correct dose of a drug and one that is safe for your pet’s age and health status. Reasons a worm treatment may not appear to be working include: pet reacts badly to certain drugs, the worms they have are not being killed by the drug given, their immune system is weakened by other conditions or they are being exposed to a high level of worms.

Many combination drugs are available that treat different types of worms and some other parasites also. A list of drugs commonly found in worm treatments include, fenbendazole, praziquantel, milbemycin, pyrantel, moxidectin, selamectin and flubendazole.

In conclusion regular worming of your dog with a suitable drug is important for dogs of all ages, the exact drug used can be chosen after discussion with your vet based on your dogs needs. If worm infestation is recurrent then your vet may suggest performing tests to work out exactly which worms are present, helping to choose the best drug to use and an individual worming regime can be set. Worm treatment is a constant battle as re infestation occurs to easily. I hope this has helped you and that your dog’s worms are soon under control.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)

Yet if you talk to pet owners online, the question of the need to vaccinate is one that keeps cropping up. People worry that vaccines may even be causing illnesses, and sadly, they sometimes feel that they cannot trust the advice from their vet, because the vet benefits financially from the sale of the vaccine.

There is a danger here that pet owners may stop vaccinating their pets, and if they do, it’s likely that they will get away with doing so for a number of years. Vaccines have caused serious illnesses to become rare, so that there may not be an immediate threat to most pets. The problem is that if people choose not to vaccinate, there will be a growing population of unprotected animals that are vulnerable to viral disease if an epidemic does occur.

It’s useful to compare the situation with measles in humans. Before the introduction of measles vaccination in the UK in 1968, about half a million people caught measles each year of whom about 100 died. The introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1988 led to a dramatic reduction in measles, with only two human deaths from the disease in the past twenty years. False claims in the late 1990’s that MMR could cause autism led many parents to refuse to vaccinate their children. Vaccine rates dropped and there are now up to two million young people who remain unvaccinated: they are at risk of the disease.

This is not just theoretical: an outbreak of measles is currently happening in Wales, with over eight hundred confirmed cases including over eighty patients being treated in hospital. The first death happened last week, when a twenty five year old man passed away. As one official said, “Measles is a serious, horrible disease. We need to get rid of it.” The sad truth is that we know how to get rid of it: vaccinations, which have been proven to be safe and effective. Public health officials are now running large scale measles vaccine clinics to protect people who missed out on childhood vaccination, but there are still worries that the proportion of unvaccinated people may be so high that the current measles outbreak will spread to elsewhere in the UK, with further deaths.

There have been similar false claims about dangers associated with vaccinations in the pet world, and as a result, there is a risk of the gradual development of a large unvaccinated population of pets. This would create the potential for an outbreak of one of the nasty viral diseases of pets in a similar way to the human measles situation.

It is true that there is a low incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines. Like humans who feel a little under the weather after some vaccines, pets can suffer mild signs of illness as their immune system reacts to the vaccine. This is part of the same immune reaction that causes the body to produce antibodies against the virus, so it’s nothing to worry about. More serious adverse reactions, such as allergic or autoimmune diseases, do happen, but they are exceptionally rare. Overall, the reported incidence of any type of problem is less than one in five thousand; the risk of a serious reaction is much lower than this.

The aspect of dog vaccines that seems to worry owners most is the traditional model of “once yearly boosters”. People don’t understand why this is necessary, when in humans, childhood vaccines often confer lifetime immunity. Why do pets need so many vaccines?

The answer to this is complicated: when vaccine regimes were first devised, back in the 1970’s,  there was a high mortality rate from diseases like Parvovirus and Distemper. Duration of immunity after vaccines had not been clearly established, and the safest option was the once yearly booster. In recent years, more studies have been done, with many vaccines now promising immunity for three to five years for some diseases after the annual booster at fifteen months of age.

In the face of this changing information about vaccines, the challenge for vets has been to recommend a reduced vaccine schedule while still ensuring that no vulnerable animals slip through the loop. Much as pet owners may appreciate the opportunity to go to the vet less often, if even one animal died of a preventable viral disease, vets would feel that they had failed.

The veterinary profession has tackled this on a global scale, by setting up expert groups, using independent scientists to assess the evidence and to provide guidelines for the vaccination of pets. A simple set of recommendations have now been issued to vets across the world by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, and these offer the safest approach to pet owners. You can read them for yourself online by clicking here.

Vaccines are now classified as “core” and “non-core”. Core vaccines include those which all animals need to receive, which means Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus for dogs. Non-core vaccines are those that are required by only those animals whose geographical location, local environment or lifestyle places them at risk. Examples include Leptospirosis, Kennel Cough and Rabies, although the prevalence of rats in many parts of the UK  is so high that many people would regard Leptospirosis as a core vaccine in this country.

The aim of the veterinary profession is to vaccinate every animal with core vaccines and to vaccinate at-risk individuals against non-core vaccines if they are seen to be at risk.

The WSAVA guidelines also address the recommended frequency of vaccination: for the main core vaccines, after puppy shots followed by a booster at fifteen months of age, it’s now regarded as safe to repeat the vaccine every three years. If dogs need to be protected against certain other illnesses- including Leptospirosis and Kennel Cough – immunological studies have demonstrated that once yearly vaccines are still needed.

This can all become over-complicated for the average pet owner, which is why it’s still recommended that the safest answer is a once yearly health check by your vet. The vet will review your pet’s health and lifestyle, and will then only give the vaccines which are judged to be necessary. In the United Kingdom, for most dogs, the recommendation is likely to be a once yearly vaccine against Leptospirosis, with a booster against Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus every three years. Other vaccines, such as Kennel Cough and Rabies, may also need to be given, depending on the dog’s activities.

There is plenty more to discuss on this subject, including widely-disseminated but unproven claims that over-vaccination is the cause of a wide spectrum of illnesses in the dog world. Perhaps that’s a subject for another blog.

As a result, I’ve put together a list of “top tips” for saving money in the coming year.

Firstly, 5 things to do…

1) Make sure you worm smart - which doesn’t necessarily mean often! Many owners still worm religiously every 6-8 weeks; however, recent studies have shown about that 80% of the worms are in 20% of the horses. If your horse doesn’t have a high worm burden, it may be a waste of money pouring expensive wormers down him every other month. In addition, the more wormers we use, the higher the risk of worm resistance – there has been recognised round- or redworm resistance to every active ingredient available in the UK, so the less we use them, the longer they’ll be effective.

The way I like to recommend people go forward is to use Worm Egg Counts – your vet will be able to do these, or will have a lab they send them away to. The test simply takes a faeces sample and counts the worm eggs in it, giving you a good estimate of the number of worms in the horse. Remember, this test can only be done in the warmer months (the worms don’t lay eggs in the winter!), and it only tests for nematodes (round and redworms). To test for tapeworms, your vet will need to take a blood sample, but this usually only needs doing once or at most twice a year.

Depending on the test results, your vet will be able to advise you on the best worming strategy, and if you’ve got a low burden, it may not be necessary to worm at all, as long as your pasture management (poo-picking etc) is decent. I’ve seen horses wormed every month come back with such low counts that we stopped worming completely and, because they weren’t mixing with lots of other horses, they were still worm free a year later. That said, I’ve also seen horses that really do need that regular dose, so it does depend on the yard, the herd and the individual horse.

2) Consider warming up with unaffiliated competitions – and beware direct debits! Skip past this one if you’re not competing – but if you are, it may be possible to affiliate part way through the season, saving money by starting with cheaper unaffiliated events. How much you save depends on your sport, and your area (down here in Devon and Cornwall, unaffiliated events are are usually perhaps half to three quarters as much as an affiliated event), but at the very least you save the up-front cost of affiliation and membership.
That said, you can’t decide to cancel your affiliation if you’ve got a Direct Debit set up to automatcally renew it (as my brother found out this year, when he accidentally rejoined BE…!)

3) Buy medicines online. This is a fairly new area, and can be controversial. However, without any doubt you can save money on prescription drugs if you buy them from a reputable online pharmacy or dispensary. If your horse needs a prescription medicine, your vet is legally obliged to give you a written prescription if you ask for it (although they will normally charge an administration fee). In general, you can get the same medicines online for about half to two thirds the price.

However, its important to make sure you deal with a reputable company: as a rule of thumb, if they don’t ask for a prescription, or they’re not based in the UK, don’t touch them. In addition, you should check to see who is in charge of dispensing the medicines at that company – if they’re legit, they’ll be able to tell you the name and registration number of the pharmacist or vet who is responsible. Having worked in this sector, there are four companies I’ve dealt with who I would consider safe and reliable to buy from (AniMed Direct, MedicAnimal, MyVetMeds and VioVet), but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other good ones out there. Bear in mind as well that a few companies change their prices through the day, and also make sure that the price includes VAT – if in doubt, phone them up and ask!

Although it seems like a hassle, for long-term medication (like bute or Prascend) or really expensive drugs (like Gastrogard), you can make a massive saving buying online.

4) Shop around for insurance… It may be you can get a better deal from a different company! However, before you change, make sure that your level of cover won’t be affected, and remember that you are legally obliged to disclose any relevant medical history. There are a couple of very bad insurers out there, and some fantastic ones, so do your research before changing – a company with a really cheap premium but who won’t pay out when needed are a false economy.

The other option is to cancel your insurance, and then set aside some money each month in a separate acount to cover vets bills. Do your sums first, but if you’ve got several horses it can save money to do it this way, and there’s no worry about exclusions or wondering if they’re going to pay out.

5) Does your horse NEED all those vaccines? Tetanus is a genuine life-saver. However, not every horse needs every other vaccine. If they’re not competing, not mixing with other horses much and aren’t on a big yard, its worth talking to your vet about flu vaccine, and if they’re not breeding stock either, herpes vaccine probably isn’t worth it.

6) If you have any health concerns about your horse – phone your vet! Most practice do not charge for a phonecall, and your vet will be able to advise you as to whether you need a visit, and if there’s any treatment or first aid you can give. Beware of consulting “Dr Google” – its an easy way to scare yourself, because for some reason, Google always lists the most serious and rare diseases first. If you do want to check out your horse’s symptoms online before calling your vet, I’d advise you to use the VetHelpDirect Symptom Checker – but talking to your vet is likely to be even more reliable!

I once had a client call to arrange a visit for us to “sew up her mare after foaling”. We thought that she meant the mare had torn a bit, but it turned out that she thought the foal was going to come bursting out of the mare’s side like a alien parasite, and she was delighted when we were able to tell her that she didn’t need to spend the £50 for an evening visit as long as the foaling went well…

So, thats your things to do, now five things to watch out for:

1) DON’T skimp on Preventative Health. Tetanus vaccination is a genuine life-saver, and regular, routine dental care will save money in the long run. I once had to spend five hours basically repairing an 11 year old stallion’s mouth because he’d never had any teeth rasped and the hooks had overgrown so much that one day he couldn’t open his mouth enough to chew. For the previous six months the owners had been pouring expensive concentrates into this pony to try and get the weight back on, but it was due to his inability to chew properly. If they’d kept up to date with routine dental care, it would have saved them a lot of money, effort and time!

2) Be cautious with cheap paraprofessionals. There are a lot of horse dentists, chiropracters, massagers, physios and assorted back people out there. Many of them are very good, some aren’t, and a few are downright dangerous. However, it isn’t immediately obvious which is which… There are a couple of things to bear in mind when you’re calling someone out.

Firstly, it is a criminal offence for anyone who isn’t a vet to diagnose a medical problem in a horse (with limited exceptions in the case of farriers dealing with a hoof problem, and BAEDT qualified dentists dealing with dental overgrowths). This means that your insurance policy will be invalidated if they make a diagnosis and act on it; it also means that in law you have no comeback if something goes wrong. In addition, if you allow anyone except a vet to prescribe or dispense a prescription only medicine to your horse (e.g. a dentist giving sedatives), you’re both breaking the law. Remember too, even qualified physios technically need a referral from your vet before they’re permitted to work on your horse.

Secondly, it isn’t necessarily a money saving technique to call in a paraprofessional. I remember seeing one client who had spent nearly a thousand pounds on physios, back people, chiropracters and alternative therapists, all of whom had given her a different diagnosis of her poorly performing pony. When my colleague was called out, she realised immediately that the horse was lame, and dug out an abscess from her nearside hind hoof. The horse was right as rain two days later – all for the princely sum of £48 plus a packet of animalintex.

Thats not to say there isn’t a place for paraprofessionals – BAEDT dentists, farriers, qualified physios and some other practtioners can be great to work with and bring a horse right again, but it needs to be a team exercise, as we all bring our different skills and expertise to the case.

3) DON’T buy ultra-cheap feed and fodder. Cheap, poor quality hay and haylage are never a good place to save money – if you’re lucky, you’re horse will need to eat more to maintain condition, and if you’re unlucky, they’ll suffer lung and sinus problems from spores, and possibly even listeria infection from bad haylage.

4) Be cautious about chopping and changing vets - many people use one vet for vaccines and another for out-of-hours and emergencies, or stud work. Sometimes this can save you money, but it can also lead to problems – a client of mine (who also used two other local vets) nearly lost one of her broodmares to a bad reaction to penicillin. It turned out that one of the vets had noted that the horse had reacted once before, but because they didn’t know she was using the other practices, they didn’t know to tell us. Fortunately in this case the mare survived, but it just goes to highlight the necessity for good communication. If you are going to use more than one practice, make sure that everyone knows who’s involved and who’s doing what, so that we can share notes if needed. Better still, make up your mind who you want to treat your horses, so they can provide continuity of care.

Keeping horses is, by its very nature, expensive. However, with care and forethought, you can make the money stretch a bit further, even as the prices are going up.

Answer from Shanika Williams MRCVS online vet

Hi David, thank you for your question about the black disc in your GSD’s eye (German shepherd dog).

Firstly I will describe what a cataract is; I do not think that your dog has a cataract but an iris cyst.

A cataract is an area of discolouration in the lens of the eye, the lens sits in the middle of the eye and is usually colourless and clear, it sits just behind the iris (coloured part of the eye). Usually a cataract can only be seen without the use of specialist equipment if it is very large or the lens has dropped out of its correct position and has fallen into the front chamber of the eye.

So what is the black disc?

The black disc that you are describing in your GSD’s eye is most likely to be an iris cyst. Iris cysts are fluid filled black discs of varying size that bud off from another part of the eye. They vary in size (usually few millimetres in diameter) and can move around or are fixed in position; they are usually found at the front bottom half of the eye. I have personal experience of this condition as our family GSD had several mobile iris cysts.

Does my pet need any treatment?

Iris cysts rarely cause a problem to your pet; they are not painful and rarely have any impact of your pet’s vision so we tend not to treat them. It is however important to distinguish an iris cyst from an iris melanoma (benign cancerous growth). Iris melanoma is a condition where there is a slow growing area of black visible within the front chamber of your pet’s eye. Iris melanoma can lead to cataracts, glaucoma (increased pressure in your pet’s eye) and pain. If iris melanoma is suspected then it might be advised that your pet’s eye is removed. Most pets cope incredibly well after removal of an eye, it is considered to be better not to have an eye than to have one that is diseased and causing a lot of pain.

So I would advise that your dog is examined by your own vet and then if required a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye specialist), if it is an iris cyst then your pets prognosis is excellent. If however iris melanoma is suspected then after the correct treatment which may involve eye removal then again the prognosis is good. I hope that this answer has helped you and your dog.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)

My dog is 14 and is drinking a lot, and seems to be starving to the point of raiding my Shopping bag, something she has never done before. She has Arthrities and sometimes her back end seems to be wobbly.

Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS online vet

Thank you for your interesting question which has four parts, I will discuss one at a time.

Your dog is drinking a lot.

The first thing to do when you have noticed that your pet is drinking more is to work out the actual amount of water being drunk. This is most easily done by measuring out how much water you put into the water bowl, also how much is left each time you change the water. It is best to work out how much your pet is drinking over a few days as this will give an average amount per day taking into account differences on each day. We usually consider a dog to be drinking too much if water intake is more than 100ml/kg/day that would work out as around 2L for a 20kg dog (a medium sized dog). So when you discuss your pet’s water intake with your vet they will want to know the amount your pet drinks a day, its weight and if there have been any changes to your pet’s diet. Dry food diets tend to lead to pets drinking more water than wet food (tins or pouches).

Your vet will also want to know if your pet is passing urine as normal or if this has changed in amount or frequency, often it is helpful to collect a sample of urine in a clean container and take this to your vet for analysis.

Increased drinking is called polydipsia (PD) and can be an indication many conditions including kidney disease, infection, hormone imbalances and diabetes. It is really important to discuss any other symptoms your pet is showing with your vet so that the most appropriate urine and blood tests can be performed to find out the cause of your pets PD.

Your dog is raiding your shopping bags.

When a pet has an increased hunger we call this polyphagia (PP). It is normal for dogs to eat more food when their energy needs go up e.g. when the weather is cold, if they are more active than usual or during the later stages of pregnancy or lactation (milk production). So provided there is no obvious reason for your pet to be eating more this is definitely something worth discussing with your vet.

Ideally if your pet is weighed regularly and records have been kept of this any changes will help to make a diagnosis as to what is causing your pets PP. Some of the conditions mentioned for PD can also lead to PP.

Arthritis and a wobbly back end.

Arthritis is a degenerative condition of the joints which is very common in pets as they get older. There is increasing damage to the joints which can lead to difficulty standing and walking as well as pain. Your vet will diagnose arthritis based on the signs your pet is showing such as difficulty getting up and walking, wasting away of muscles, physical examination plus or minus x-rays. Often the joints feel stiff and your pet will object to their joints being moved through a normal range of movements.

The hips, elbows and back are common sites for arthritis and may well lead to the wobbly back end that you describe your dog as having. There are other causes for a wobbly back end such as spinal disease other than arthritis, general weakness and poor circulation.

After discussing the points you have raised as regards your dog I think it would be advisable for you to take your dog for a full examination by your vet, please take as much of the extra information you can to help a diagnosis to be made so that your pet can receive the best treatment possible.

A few simple blood tests and or x-rays will help your vet to work out how best to treat your pet, we do not like to just assume that changes are due to a pet ageing. Where possible we want to provide the best quality of life for all animals. I hope that this answer has been helpful to you and that your dog soon returns to a good quality of life.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)

Dogs - small dogs especially - are easily poisoned by chocolate

Easter is a celebration of the Christian faith, but in our modern secular world, it’s known more for the celebration of eating chocolate, in the form of Easter eggs.

Chocolate is a popular treat for humans, but it’s also the most common poison to affect dogs: in the UK, there are nearly 2000 cases reported every year.

A small dog can die after eating a single Easter egg. The chemical in chocolate that gives humans a pleasant buzz – theobromine – has a highly toxic effect on dogs, rapidly poisoning the heart and brain.

A small chocolate indulgence that would be an enjoyable treat for a human can kill a dog, and the toxic dose is surprisingly small. Half a small bar of dark chocolate – around 50g (2 ounces) – is enough to end the life of a little terrier weighing 5kg. Milk chocolate is less dangerous, needing twice as much for the same effect. A standard Easter egg may weigh around 200g, which means that half an egg can be enough to kill a small dog.

Small dogs are much more at risk: the toxic effect is dose-dependent, so a 50kg German Shepherd would need to eat ten times as much chocolate as a 5kg terrier to be affected.

There is a misconception about the main source of risk to dogs: while it is not advisable to give morsels of chocolates as treats, it is rare for dogs to be poisoned in this way. Far more commonly, dogs die after stealing chocolate. Dogs love eating chocolate and they don’t have an “off switch” when they are full. They just keep eating until the chocolate is finished.

Two years ago, my own dog Kiko managed to steal an unopened box of chocolates from the kitchen table when she was alone in the room. I had to give her emergency treatment to empty her stomach.

My own dog broke into this chocolate box, eating half a trayful of tasty but dangerous chocolates

I was fortunate that as a vet, I had the drugs available to cause her to vomit, but what should an owner do in a similar situation?

You need to act quickly. If the chocolate is removed from the stomach within an hour, there’s a good chance that this will be soon enough to prevent serious ill effects of poisoning.

Work out exactly how much chocolate, and what type of chocolate, your dog has eaten, in grams. Write this down.

Weigh your dog, and write this down too.

Phone your vet and explain what has happened. If it is after-hours, then call the emergency vet. It’s an urgent crisis and there is no time to waste.

The vet should be able to advise you whether or not you need to take action: this will be calculated from the quantity and type of chocolate and the size of the dog. If there is a risk, the vet may tell you how to attempt to make the dog vomit at home (this is not always possible) or may recommend that you rush the animal in to see the vet at once (the vet can give an injection that immediate induces vomiting).

The most important message is “DO NOT DELAY”. Once the chocolate has been absorbed into the

dog’s bloodstream, there’s sometimes little that can be done to help. The signs of poisoning start within six hours of the chocolate being eaten, reaching a peak at around twelve hours. Classic signs include restlessness, vomiting and diarrhoea, with tremors, convulsions and heart failure following soon after. Even with treatment, some dogs survive but many don’t. I see dogs dying of chocolate poisoning every year.

All of the crises that I’ve seen have involved dogs stealing chocolate that has been left within their reach. This weekend, by all means enjoy your Easter eggs, but whatever you do, please keep them out of the reach of your dogs.

After her chocolate theft, I had to give my own dog an injection to induce vomiting ( it was a snowy day)

Can any vet perform a liver biopsy or should Spud Theduff dog be seen by an expert?

Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS, Online Vet

Hi Anita and thank you for your question regarding liver biopsy. I am assuming that your dog has already undergone some tests e.g. blood tests, x-rays and or exploratory surgery which have pointed in the direction of liver disease.

So what is a liver biopsy?

A biopsy is when a small sample of a body tissue is taken to be analysed. The liver is a large organ that is found in your pets abdomen (belly) just behind the chest. The liver has many functions which include processing and filtering all the nutrients absorbed from the gut after digestion, production of bile which helps with fat digestion, production of vitamins and storage of iron.

Why would your vet advise a liver biopsy?

A liver biopsy is advised to determine the exact type of disease that might be going on in your dog’s liver. As mentioned earlier liver biopsy is usually discussed after the findings of blood tests, x-rays or ultrasound scan which suggest liver disease. Diseases of the liver include infections, tumours, inflammation and storage disease to mention a few.

How is a liver biopsy performed?

There are two main ways of collecting a liver biopsy either by opening up the dog’s abdomen and cutting a small sample directly from the liver, or,  using a special biopsy needle that is inserted through the skin under the direction of an ultrasound scan.

The more invasive method of opening up your pets abdomen does have the advantage of enabling your vet to examine the whole of your pets liver and the rest of the abdominal organs however there is a greater risk of infection and a longer recovery time.

The needle method for collecting a liver biopsy is quicker to perform and recover from but does not allow the entire liver to be seen and requires specialist equipment and more experience.

What are the complications of liver biopsy?

The commonest complications after liver biopsy are haemorrhage (bleeding), infection and or pain.
We minimise the chances of your pet bleeding after liver biopsy by performing blood clotting tests before we carry out the biopsy, blood clotting tests are done on a small sample of blood collected from your pet and give us an idea of whether or not your pet has enough blood clotting factors in its body and is able to stop it self bleeding. It is important to keep in mind that the liver is responsible for making blood clotting factors and so in liver disease blood clotting can be affected.

To reduce the risk of infection good clean surgical preparation and technique plus or minus the use of antibiotics can be helpful.
Pain can be reduced again by good technique and the correct use of pain relief medications.

What actually happens to the sample from my pets liver?

The sample of liver tissue is usually preserved in a solution of formalin and saline, this fixes the tissues and makes it easier for further analysis to be performed. The sample is then usually sent to a laboratory where it is prepared into very thin sections that are stained and exmained under a microscope, a report is then written and sent to your vet. The time taken for analysis of the sample can be anything from one day to one week depending on the laboratory used and how close it is to your vets.

So in conclusion it is often the case that a liver biopsy may be performed by your regular first opinion vet, if your vet thinks it necessary they may advise the procedure to be performed by a specialist vet at a veterinary referral centre. This decision should be made after careful discussion between you and your vet, taking into consideration the individual circumstances for you and your pet. I hope that this has answered your question and helped you to make an informed decision for your dog.

Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)