Keep your pet safe and ensure Christmas is happy & merry. Is your older pet slowing down? Help is at hand with our Arthritis Clinics!

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1 issue 36 making great health care easy Is your older pet slowing down? Help is at hand with our Arthritis Clinics! Save & keep money healthy your pets &h with ou appy r spe season cial al offer s Keep your pet safe and ensure Christmas is happy & merry

2 Welcome to the latest issue of Paws - Ark House Vets quarterly magazine Hard to believe it's a year since we last wrote about the potential hazards to pets at Christmas, but here we are! Please do take a moment to remind yourself of some of the seemingly innocent foodstuffs that can cause big problems to any cats and dogs that try them out. And as the weather turns decidedly autumnal, we've got some timely advice on spotting and managing arthritis for anyone with elderly pets. At Ark House we are committed to keeping every pet in the very best of health, which means promoting routine preventative care as standard for every cat, dog and rabbit that we are privileged to care for. We work hard to keep our prices fair and bring you ways in which to save money - our Paws Club and the First Steps programme help you take the best care of your pet, whilst offering great value. If you're not already a member of our Paws Club, why not check out the many benefits on page 9? Our Paws Club makes preventable health easy and affordable. We hope to see you very soon, either in the practice or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where you can stay updated with what we are doing. With very best wishes from team pet Reggie & the Ark House Vets team Here for you, whenever you need us We continue to work hard to ensure that we are able to see your pet quickly when needed, so we offer long opening hours and a comprehensive emergency service. Our opening hours are currently: 8.00am pm Monday to Friday & 8.30am pm on Saturdays, whilst our emergency service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 2

3 Once again, there s a lot to tell you: Practice Mews We re pleased to welcome two new faces to Ark House Vets: Ella-May Ella-May, is our new student vet nurse who joins us from university for her work placement. Emily As always, our vets and nurses have been keeping up to date with all the latest veterinary knowledge and techniques, undertaking Continuing Professional Development in a wide range of subjects, including cardiac ultrasound, skin disease, stress and time management, medicine and customer service. Meet Emily, our new Kennel Nurse. Stop the shock After sustained campaigning against the use of electric shock collars for cats and dogs, animal charities have been rewarded for their persistence and passion with the recent announcement of a ban in England (regional governments in Wales & Scotland have already taken steps to prevent such collars being used) RSPCA data suggests that around 5% of dog owners use electric collars as a training device, delivering a shock of up to 6,000 volts for as long as 11 seconds. Announcing the ban, Environment secretary Michael Gove said that they cause animals unacceptable "harm and suffering" - here at Ark House Vets we wholeheartedly agree, and we welcome this ban as a positive step towards improved animal welfare. 3

4 4 At Ark House we recommend that all our clients take out insurance cover for their pets, but we do know that the subject of pet insurance can be confusing. We re often asked lots of questions by owners who want to do the best they can for their pet. Pet Insurance what can I claim for? Insurance usually covers care and treatment for illness and accidents. However, some policies are accident only so won t cover illnesses like diabetes or skin disease. Most policies won t cover dental treatment or prescription food Many do cover complementary therapies such as physiotherapy and acupuncture. Routine treatments (e.g. vaccinations, flea and worming treatments) are not usually covered by an insurance policy - instead you can use a health plan such as our popular Paws Club to get discounted prices and help with spreading the cost of these important preventative treatments. Choosing a policy So as a rough guide, here s our checklist of things to bear in mind (always check your own policy documents as policies do vary widely) When comparing policies make sure you compare apples with apples - a cheaper option that covers a condition only for 12 months may cost you more in the long run if your pet develops a long term illness. You get what you pay for certainly resonates here. Lifetime policies will usually cover your pet for a condition for life up to a certain amount, whereas cheaper policies often only cover you for a year - this means that when you come to renew your policy, the condition will be excluded from future cover. If you think you have a Lifetime policy, check that the benefits for veterinary fees actually recharge every year. Bear in mind that there s usually a delay of a couple of weeks between insuring your pet and cover beginning. Claiming Claiming should be quite simple but the speed of payment of your claim can vary considerably between insurer and is an important consideration in your choice: Settle in full with us at the time of treatment. Print out a claim form from your insurance company website (or ask them to post one) Fill in your part of the form as owner - we re not allowed to do this for you. Drop in or post your claim form to us Your claim form will be filled in, a clinical history attached and certified. We will call you to confirm your form has been processed. If we can't do it online we can post the form to you to submit or you can collect it. We are unable to post the form to the insurance company for you. Some insurance companies are set up for us to process online claims - (e.g. Vetsure, PetPlan, Kennel Club) - this speeds up the process considerably, we will advise you if this is the case with your claim. We are able to process Direct Claims only with Vetsure policy holders. If you are with Vetsure you only need to pay us your excess and any applicable co-payment, then we will claim the rest back directly. An excess (usually about 70) is payable for every condition claimed for, and this is usually payable once yearly - although with Vetsure it is only payable once. Some companies require you to claim within 30 days of treatment, whereas others are happy to backdate claims for a year - please check your policy for clarification here. Thinking of changing insurance companies? You are well within your rights to change your policy, but bear in mind that any previously identified health problem (whether you ve claimed or not) will be excluded - which means that you won t be able to claim for it in future. No insurance company will take on a customer when they know they ll have to start paying out immediately. We are required to supply a copy of the clinical notes of the pet being insured to the insurer, so our advice is please do think very carefully before changing companies! If you require any further information or advice regarding pet insurance, please speak with any of the team and we ll do our best to help.

5 At Ark House we re here to help at every stage of your pet s life, and we know that in the early days you might need a little more help and advice than usual! FREE health checks - Is your puppy, kitten or rabbit less than 8 weeks old? They might be too young for his or her vaccinations, but we d love to see them anyway! Bring your newest family member along for a FREE veterinary health check and plenty of advice our friendly team are always on hand with handy tips to help settle your new pet into the family and keep them happy and healthy! Simply call reception on to arrange a convenient time to drop by. Online advice You ll find lots of help and advice for your new pet on our website, You can download a simple check list with tips, ideas and a list of key health care needs for your new bundle of joy! Also see details of our FIRST STEPS packages on page 10, we can help you to get your furry friend on the right track, right at the beginning, and will save you money in the process! 5

6 Is your older pet slowing down? Help is at hand with our Arthritis Clinics! As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, colder weather can cause joint problems in our pets just as easily as it can for us! Carrying a few extra pounds won't help either, putting additional strain on your pet's joints and vital organs, causing or contributing to a range of serious and painful conditions such as diabetes and arthritis. What is arthritis? Quite simply, the term refers to inflammation of the joints. In older animals, joint cartilage can become damaged or worn and as bone surfaces become rougher they rub together, causing discomfort and further damage. It can't be cured, but there is plenty that can be done to maintain a good quality of life for your pet. Here at Ark House Vets we have lots of experience in helping older pets living with arthritis live comfortable and full lives. Aside from tailoring individual pain relief programmes, our vets and nurses will work with you to suggest lifestyle changes that can make a huge difference to your pet's quality of life as he / she ages. Our brilliant nursing team run regular Arthritis Clinics, where you and your pet will receive practical advice on making your home more suitable for arthritic pets, managing your pet's weight and ensuring he / she is getting the right type and amount of gentle exercise. We'll also discuss appropriate forms of pain control - both conventional and complementary. 6 If you are at all worried about your pet and would like help and advice to keep him / her happy and comfortable, or to make an appointment for the Arthritis Clinic, please give us a call on Arthritis Month November 2018

7 Keep your pet safe, and ensure Christmas is happy and merry It's the time of year again when we have to go a little bah humbug and talk about potential festive hazards. Nobody wants to be rushing to see a vet on Christmas Day with a poorly pet, so we'd like to remind you that many of the foods we enjoy at this time of year can cause cats and dogs serious problems: Chocolate is poisonous for all pets - even a tiny amount of chocolate (for example, a couple of squares of dark chocolate for a small dog) is likely to make them ill. It causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and sometimes even fatal convulsions. Keep chocolate well out of reach, but if your pet still manages to get hold of some, contact us for advice straight away. Grapes (also raisins, sultanas, currants) are incredibly toxic to some dogs and cats, causing serious kidney failure, whilst others appear to be fine. It s not worth the risk to find out. Don t forget that Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies all contain lots of raisins, currants and sultanas. Nuts can cause stomach upsets, twitching and convulsions. Onions (raw or cooked, also garlic, leeks, shallots) can cause an upset stomach and can trigger anaemia. Remember that stuffing and gravy may contain onions too. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener, which is often found in sugar free chewing gum, medicines and processed foods (including some peanut butters). It s really dangerous for dogs even in small amounts, causing fatal liver failure. Fatty foods of many kinds will give your pets an upset stomach. With a particularly excessive amount they could even get pancreatitis - a very painful inflammation of the pancreas. Bones, especially cooked poultry bones, can get stuck in the throat or intestines. This is very painful, and is likely to need an anaesthetic and operation for the bone fragments to be removed. Make sure that the bones from your turkey are disposed of safely, and that the bin is secure! Aside from food, Christmas also brings with it a change of routine around the house, and so please do remember to: Position all candles and tea lights out of reach of pets and children Pick up all the little fiddly plastic bits and tags left after unwrapping presents - these can easily get stuck in an inquisitive pet's mouth or throat Make sure that scissors and batteries are not left lying around when wrapping and unwrapping presents Human medicines should always be kept out of reach of your pets - whilst all should be avoided, Nurofen in particular is toxic to dogs and paracetamol is lethal for cats, so make sure Granny's handbag is put somewhere safe on Christmas Day! Also, some psoriasis creams can be fatal, even the small amount that can be ingested when a pet licks a hand. If your pet does accidentally eat any of the foods or items listed above, or is unwell at all over Christmas, please call us on We partner with VetsNow to run a full emergency service throughout the holiday period and more details can be found at The Ark House team would like to thank you for your continued support and friendship, and wish you all a happy, healthy Christmas and New Year! 7

8 making great health care easy Here at Ark House Vets, our aim is always to provide the best possible care for your pets, and a friendly, professional service for you. We understand that juggling work and family commitments, alongside budgeting for all the many demands on the household purse can be challenging, so we always try to make things as easy as possible when it comes to taking care of the pets in your life. Two great examples of this pledge in action are: Online booking Did you know that you can now book many appointments online through our live booking system at Here s how it works: You can book separate appointments for up to three pets at a time. First Puppy and Kitten vaccines (20 minutes) can be booked online. If you are booking an appointment for a new adult pet or are new to us we would like to see you for a longer appointment. Please either call our friendly team on or book two adjacent appointments. Prescription checks can be booked online. If your pet is due a blood test, please choose the WITH BLOOD TEST option as this will book you a longer appointment. Longer appointments (such as Seniors, Juniors, Arthritis Clinic) need to be booked by phone - please call us on If your pet needs to come in for an operation or a procedure, please call the surgery on we cannot book operations online at this time. 8 If you haven t been to us before, please do register your pet too so that we have your details - you can do this online!

9 Paws Club We all know that prevention is better than cure, although when essential treatments and vaccinations are due at once, the cost can be significant. That s why we created the Ark House Paws Club: helping keep your pets in the best of health whilst also keeping costs manageable. So it s better for your pet, and better for you. Paws Club members receive a huge range of benefits through the year: Four routine worming treatments per year A year's supply of flea treatments (dispensed every 6 months) Vaccinations and boosters o For dogs: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis o For cats: Flu, Enteritis and Leukaemia o For Rabbits: Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Annual vaccination and clinical examination with a Vet, maintaining good general health and highlighting any problems early One additional Consultation with a Vet when your pet is unwell every year OR a routine health check between booster vaccinations Preventative treatment for Fly strike (rabbits) Specialist dietary advice Convenient monthly payments by Direct Debit A fantastic 10% discount* on all other products and services at Ark House Vets Monthly membership costs just for rabbits, for small dogs, for medium dogs, for large dogs, 24 for giant dogs and for cats. Pick up an application form in the practice, or print one off our website where you will also find more details of all the advantages of Paws Club membership. the smart way to keep your pet & your purse healthy in 2018 and beyond... 9

10 FIRST STEPS for your puppy, kitten or bunny Getting a new bundle of fun is so exciting and just as you want to do what s best for your little one, so do we! Our new FIRST STEPS packages help you to get your furry friend on the right track, right at the beginning, and will save you money in the process! PUPPY FIRST STEPS includes: Vaccination course Flea treatment Worming treatment Kong toy and training treats Health check at 7 months Advice, vouchers and recommendations plus a gorgeous bandana And with all this for just 50 ( 60 with microchip), you ll enjoy savings of more than 20 too! GET THE BEST FOR YOUR NEW FAMILY MEMBER - POP IN TO SEE US KITTEN FIRST STEPS includes: Vaccination course Flea treatment Worming treatment Microchip Miaowing Heads kitten food Health check at 6 months Advice, vouchers, recommendations plus a fabulous cat toy And with all this for just 60, you ll also enjoy savings of 29! BABY BUNNY FIRST STEPS includes: Vaccination against Myxomatosis and RHD1 Vaccination against new variant RHD2 Supa Rabbit Excel 2kg Health Check at 6 months old Advice, vouchers and recommendations! And with all this for 45, you ll also be saving 10! You ll find all the special offers and unique benefits on our website as well as lots more advice and information on new puppies and kittens

11 Seasonal offers Save money and keep your pets healthy and happy At Ark House we always aim to provide the very best treatment at a fair price, and with regular dental checks and preventative oral care being so important to the health and wellbeing of your pets, this seemed like a good time to remind you of our excellent value Dental Treatment packages. There are two treatment options, depending on the amount of work required. Both are available all year round and offer comprehensive dental care at a great value, fixed price. There s even a discount for Paws Club members: Dental Treatment - routine 243 for Paws Club members ( 270 for non-members) covers all this: Free dental clinic checks Scale and polish and up to three extractions Pre-surgery blood screening, as required Digital dental x-rays, as required Antibiotics, as required Pain relief, as required All post-operative dental check ups and advice Dental Treatment - advanced For pets with advanced dental diseases, or more complex dental issues, for Paws Club members ( 395 for non-members) covers all this: Free dental clinic checks Scale and polish and more than three extractions Pre-surgery blood screening, as required Digital dental x-rays, as required Antibiotics, as required Pain relief, as required All post-operative dental check ups and advice F informator more treatme ion on dental nt an appo, or to book int please cment, all

12 Here comes Santa Paws! Once again we ll be giving out some special Christmas treats to your pets when you come to see us during December, so we hope they ve been good?! Need h chewing elp with? bit jumpin ing? And the g? rest! These behaviours are really common and part of your puppy's normal development but can be hard to cope with at home. Let us help you manage this behaviour in a positive way. Call us on We always like to welcome new faces to Ark House, so when you recommend a friend, we ll give you both a 10 voucher to spend in the practice! Once your friend registers with us, we ll give you a 10 voucher & they will also receive the same discount off their first transaction. Ask at reception for further details, or your friend can fill in their details quickly and simply online at mentioning your name on the registration form. 12 *Refers to vouchers for 10 off when you spend 40 or more on professional services. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Visit our website for full terms and conditions.

13 issue 36 Surgery hours Monday to Friday Saturday 8.00am pm 8.30am pm Out of hours emergencies 22 Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 1HJ You will be given a choice of four clinics who can help. We will connect your call to them directly. Tel: Fax: enquiries@arkhousevets.co.uk Vets Now Milton Keynes Vets Now Luton Beds Vets Barton Vets Now Hemel Hempstead All of these clinics through any notes to us at 7am each morning so we will always know what may have happened if you need to visit them. Designed and produced by Onswitch Limited In an emergency call our normal number