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News We are continuing helping with vaccinations of rescue
dogs in the East Lindsey area. This has been kindly supported by a donation from Intervet, our supplier
of vaccines.
Our February 10% discount on neutering dogs and cats has been reasonably successful
and we are getting more and more involved with the local Cats Protection League neutering scheme.
In March 2008
we are participating in 'National Vaccination Month', an amnesty programme designed to get more pets vaccinated so
reducing pools or reservoirs of disease. Dogs and cats will be eligible to have the complete starter course (2 vaccinations
2-3 weeks apart) for the price of a booster vaccination if they have not been vaccinated for 18 months or longer. Rabbits
will qualify for 2 myxomatosis vaccines 6 months apart if they have not been vaccinated for 9 months or longer. Owners will
need to get a voucher for each pet from:
www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk
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Missing pets We get numerous phone calls from people searching for
missing pets. We take the details and occasionally we can match pet back to owner. We do get occasional strays brought in.
Unfortunately if the pet has not been chipped, we cannot trace the owner. We let the rescue centres, Cats Protection, RSPCA and
local vets know but if no owners come forward, they are sent on to the RSPCA for rehoming. If your pet has not been ID chipped,
please think about doing this. You will get a discount if we do the ID chip with a consult or vaccination.
Wildlife
We have successfully treated a badger and a buzzard with fractured wing after being shot. The buzzard
is currently rehabiliating for re-release. Hope it goes well
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| Joe with ear of wheat from lungs |
Worming in dogs and cats
Worming pups and kittens should be done at least once a month until 6 months old. This is to clear roundworms they will
have caught through their mother's milk.
Adult dogs and cats usually get worms from eating infected prey or fleas.
Roundworms can cause visceral larval migrans in humans, a condition where the worm larva enters the person then burrows
into an organ such as the eye where it could cause blindness. This is a rare condition but one that can be reduced with regular
worming of pets and picking up faeces.
Some dog tapeworms can infect sheep and cattle. Dogs become infected by eating infected raw offal.
Parvo virus:
Recent evidence nationally has shown that vaccinating pups at 8 & 10 weeks is leaving a number of pups unprotected
against parvo and with a new strain around, this could be serious.
We have decided therefore to return to the vaccination interval of 10 and 12 weeks so interference from the
mother's colostrum antibodies against the vaccine is reduced to a minimum.
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Ask the Vet
Do you have a question for the team?
Email richard@blacksheepvets.co.uk
Q: Why should I vaccinate my dog or cat?
A: The core vaccines protect against highly contagious diseases so while
some diseases may now be uncommon, introduction of a new strain will result in rapid spread if most animals are no longer
vaccinated.
There is a new strain of Parvo virus in dogs. The vaccine we are using is effective against the new strain.
Rabbits
Myxomatosis in pet rabbits: There is no specific treatment as myxo is a viral disease and to be honest, not many
rabbits survive without serious long term complications such as scarred lungs and pneumonia.
Vaccination is the only prevention and if wild rabbits come near your pets, vaccinate twice a year. If you decide to
only vaccinate once a year, early summer is recommended as myxomatosis is a disease of late summer into autumn
Rat poison
We have seen a couple of dogs which have eaten either the pellets of rat poison or dead rats. Most rat poisons
cause internal bleeding 3 - 4 days later. We need to start treatment immediately and if eaten within 3 - 4 hours, remove the
poison by inducing vomiting. If you cannot get to the vet, vomiting can be induced by dosing either
a soda cystal, or a slurry of mustard or concentrated salt water.
If you leave it and the internal bleeding develops, treatment can sometimes fail as the body runs out of clotting factors.
Treat suspected poisonings as an emergency and take care if putting out rat poison to ensure the pellets are not available
to an inquisitive dog!
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Black Sheep Vets is the trading name of R F Carter Ltd
Reg No 5832221
Registered address: 27 Osborne St, Grimsby, DN31 1NU
tel:(01507) 609929
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