Pet Tips

My dog will do anything to avoid going to the vet – including trying to bite the staff! How can I change his experience and get him to relax at the vet?

My dog is squinting, blinking a lot and rubbing his eye – I think he may have eye pain. 

Have you ever had dust or an eyelash in your eye? Then you know exactly how painful it can be when something is wrong with your eye. This can happen to pets too! Eye pain can have many different causes, most of which can be successfully treated if caught early. However, some conditions can worsen quickly and may even lead to vision loss if not addressed promptly. 

I’ve noticed my senior pet has slowed down considerably. Is he sick?

As humans age, we can feel (and hear!) the telltale signs of ageing joints by their creaks and cracks; aches and pains. In pets, however, it can be much more difficult to identify joint issues. Though many pets do not show obvious signs of arthritis pain, studies have shown that 80% of dogs over the age of eight years old and 90% of cats over the age of 12 are affected by arthritis. Your pet cannot tell you when their joints are hurting but they will show signs of arthritis pain, which you’ll be able to identify at home. In this article, we share the signs of osteoarthritis to look out for in pets, and the tests and treatments involved in the management of joint pain in pets. 

It can be frustrating when you brush your pet’s teeth, but they still have bad breath and poor dental health. Is brushing really effective and worth it? Yes! At-home dental care for your pets is just as important as it is for humans. Just like toothbrushing for humans, brushing your pets’ teeth is meant to prevent dental problems, not to cure them. For toothbrushing to be effective, however, you need to start with a clean base – trying to brush away tartar build-up or gum disease is not going to work. 

You notice that your male cat has been acting strangely around the litter box. He may seem restless, repeatedly visiting his litter box and straining unproductively, only to leave the litter box without actually having done anything in it. Is he constipated? Is he struggling to urinate? Is this an emergency?

Diarrhoea in dogs and cats is a nightmare for every pet owner who experiences it – you wake up one morning to find stinky effluent dribbled and splattered across the floor. And often, just as it is being cleaned up, your pet has a repeat episode!

I’ve just realised my pet is not in my house or yard. I think they are missing – what should I do?!

Pets can go missing for many reasons: jumping out of the car when you’re making a pitstop, running after other dogs while at the dog park, escaping the yard during a thunderstorm, or even an indoor cat finding herself outside, feeling disoriented and hiding somewhere nearby. It’s a terrifying experience to realise that the dog or cat you assumed was at home… is nowhere to be found. 

Whether your pet has had emergency surgery (after a medical emergency, or injury in a fight or accident) or an elective procedure (like a spay or neuter), they will need time to return to relative normal after being under anaesthesia and for their wounds to heal. It’s imperative to support their healing process in an optimal way. The vet will monitor your pet for a short time after the operation, but the post-operative care at home is your responsibility – to manage your pet’s recovery and healing to ensure they are healthy and thriving once again.

I wish I could prevent my pets from getting sick – both for their health and for my budget. Is there a way to prevent pet illnesses?

"My dog has a runny nose and really bad diarrhoea. They seem feverish, won’t eat and are coughing and wheezing."