Month: April 2020

Tick alert – is your pet protected?

Posted on by Rachel Allen
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The ticks are out and feeding so it is important to make sure your pet is protected. With the arrival of the warmer weather overwintered tick are looking for their next meal. Ticks are more commonly found on dogs than cats, usually attaching as the pet runs through long grass where they are waiting. Ticks will firmly attach to warm blooded animals to get a blood meal. Ticks can cause local irritation and inflammation but more of a concern is that some ticks can transmit potentially life threatening blood borne diseases including Lymes disease, and in the last year Babesia (a disease not previously seen in UK dogs).

There are numerous tick preventions available and we are happy to discuss which is most suitable for your pet. Even when using antiparasitic protection it is advisable to regularly check your pet for ticks, especially if you live in or have visited an area known to have a high tick incidence. Manual removal of ticks to minimise feeding time can help prevent transmission of tick borne disease. Simple tools like the Tom o tick remover can be used to effectively remove ticks, as shown in this short video clip, it is important to ensure that the whole tick is removed, incomplete removal (typically leaving the mouth parts behind) can result in a painful foreign body reaction.

Please look out for our next newsletter for more information and advice regarding tick borne diseases.

Useful resources for pet owners relating to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Posted on by Rachel Allen

As the weeks have gone by, during this terrible pandemic, there has been a vast amount of information, both true and false, about Covid 19. If it is not worrying enough trying to maintain appropriate social distancing, to reduce the risk of disease spread, certain published information is likely to have caused animal owners additional concern both for themselves and their pets. In addition, lifestyle changes we have all had to adjust to have meant massive changes to our daily lives and that of our pets, in some cases this may have resulted in emotional and behavioural issues.

We wanted to share with you the follow resources, which have been made available by BVA (British Veterinary Association) and RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), who are working hard to give vets and owners the most up to date guidance and advice.

As always we, at Holmer Vets, are doing all we can to provide the best of care for your pets during these difficult times. We are grateful for your patience and understanding as we work in accordance with government guidelines. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns, or just need some advice, about your pets health.

Malicious air gun attack on cat in Bromyard

Posted on by Rachel Allen
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On the weekend of April 4th 2020, a cat was presented to our surgery with severe irreparable damage to his eye. Once the cat had been stabilised he was taken to surgery to remove the damaged eye. With the cat anaesthetised it became apparent that the injuries were more extensive than first detected. Imaging was performed to more fully assess the cats condition. We were deeply alarmed to discover that the injuries that cat had suffered were the result of what could only have been an intentional air gun attack, where the pellet penetrated the eye and then became lodged in the lower jaw. It is by some miracle that the cat survived the attack, losing only his eye not his life. We are happy to report that the cat is home and recovering well. The incident has been reported to the authorities but we implore Bromyard residents to be vigilant, both monitoring their pets for unexplained injuries and reporting anyone behaving irresponsibly with an airgun in the area.

Reassurance to pet owners during the Covid 19

Posted on by Rachel Allen
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There have recently been some news reports raising concerns that pets may pose a risk of spread of Covid 19 to their owners. Whilst there is still much to learn about this new coronavirus, current scientific evidence does not suggest that animals actively transmit the virus to humans. It is true that there have been cases of both cats and dogs testing positive for Covid 19 antigen (proteins). There has been no evidence to suggest dogs can be infected by the virus, whilst it seems that cats may be susceptible to developing clinical disease. However, whilst this shows that cat owners may pass coronavirus to their pet there is currently no evidence to suggest cats can pass the virus back to humans.

Current evidence indicates that animals should be considered a potential fomite, the risk of picking up Covid 19 from them is no different from picking it up from touching an inanimate object e.g. a book, a door handle. The mainstay of reducing risk is to maintain good personal hygiene with regular handwashing. For individuals confirmed or suspected of having Covid 19 it is recommended to try and keep their cats indoors if possible and/or reduce how much they handle their pet to reduce the risk of their pet becoming 'contaminated' with the virus.

If you have any concerns about your pet during the current pandemic please do not hesitate to contact surgery for advice. Whilst as a surgery we are working at a reduced capacity we wish to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to ensure your pets welfare needs are met. We thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times.

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