issue 30 It s Rabbit Awareness Week! Save money & keep your pets healthy & happy with our special Seasonal Offers Be positive about neutering your pet! An explanation of vaccinations
Welcome to the latest issue of Paws - Ark House Vets quarterly magazine Now that spring is on the way and the weather is finally warming up we re starting to see an increase in flea activity. We always recommend maintaining a regular regime of flea treatment with all your pets, and the good news is that once again throughout April we re offering 25% off all flea treatments. You might also like to know that members of our Paws Club receive all recommended parasite treatments free, so if your cat, dog or rabbit isn t already a member, you re missing out! Find out more at http://www.arkhousevets.co.uk/about-us/paws-club/ To highlight the tenth annual Rabbit Awareness Week, on page 9 we have some handy hints to help your rabbit stay healthy and happy. We ll also be offering FREE rabbit health checks during Rabbit Awareness Week, which this year takes place from 17th - 25th June. 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 are always looking for ways to help you save money - our Paws Club, the First Steps programme and a forthcoming vaccine amnesty ( 10 off all vaccination courses during May) are all examples of how we help you take the best care of your pet, whilst offering great value - find out more on page 4. As always, we love to hear from you with updates on our patients progress, news or photos of your own pets. You can speak with our reception team, give us a ring, or email at enquires@arkhousevets.co.uk. There are some fantastic pictures in the Gallery section of our website, but we ve always got room for more! We hope to see you very soon, either in the practice or on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/arkhousevets With very best wishes to all our friends, from Kate Semple and 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 - 8.00pm Monday to Friday & 8.30am - 3.00pm on Saturdays, whilst our emergency service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 2
Practice Mews Once again, there s a lot to tell you: We are really proud to say that Student Veterinary Nurse Emma has passed all her written exams and just has the practicals to go! We ve waved RVN Sophie off on maternity leave and wish her all the best. We re wishing the best of luck to Student Vet Nurse Becca as she begins her training this month. We ve been busy keeping up to date with new techniques and knowledge. We ve had practice based education on Diabetes and Diagnostic Imaging. Team members have also attended courses on Rabbit Medicine, Dentistry, Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics and Pain Control. Becca Vets Cassia and Jo are looking forward to attending the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress this month. Emma & Ashleigh Sophie & Scoobie Did you know that you can book many appointments directly online through our live online booking system? Go to www.arkhousevets.co.uk/ book-online EMERGENCY SERVICE Because we use dedicated emergency services to give your pet the best care when we re not open we are able to provide emergency clinics in 4 locations to suit your needs. In an emergency call our normal number 01525 373329 You will be given a choice of four clinics who can help. We will connect your call to them directly. Vets Now Milton Keynes, Vets Now Luton, Beds Vets Barton, Vets Now Hemel Hempstead All of these clinics email through any notes to us at 7am each morning so we will always know what may have happened if you need to visit them. www.arkhousevets.co.uk 3
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 01525 373329 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, www.arkhousevets.co.uk. 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 new FIRST STEPS packages on page 5, 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
LITTLE PAWS 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 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! KITTEN PUPPY FIRST STEPS includes: FIRST STEPS includes: Vaccination course Flea treatment Worming treatment Barking Heads puppy food Health check at 7 months Advice, vouchers and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s plus a gorgeous bandana Vaccination course Flea treatment Worming treatment Microchip Miaowing Heads kitten food Health check at six months Advice, vouchers, recommendations plus a fabulous cat nip mini cushion And with all this for just 50, you ll enjoy savings of more than 20 too! 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! Don t forget that you ll find lots more advice and information on new puppies and kittens on our website, arkhousevets.co.uk the smart way to keep your pet & your purse healthy in 2017 and beyond... At Ark House Vets, we know that prevention is always better than cure. And we understand that sometimes when all those essential treatments and vaccinations are due at once, the cost can be significant. What s included? That s why we created our Paws Club; helping you keep your pets in the best of health whilst also keeping costs manageable. So it s better for your pet, and better for you! A year s supply of flea treatments & wormers (dispensed quarterly or every 6 months) Vaccinations and boosters o For dogs: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza & Leptospirosis o For cats: Flu, Enteritis and Leukaemia o For Rabbits: Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 A fantastic 10% discount* on all other products and services at Ark House Vets Annual vaccination and clinical examination with a Vet, maintaining good general health and highlighting any problems early Six Month clinical examination with a vet OR a Consultation with a Vet when your pet is unwell. Preventative treatment for Fly strike (rabbits) Specialist dietary advice Convenient monthly 1 dis payments by Direct Debit monthcfount per You can find out much more online at www.arkhousevets.co.uk/about-us/paws-club 4 or ask at reception for more details. PLUS addit or ever y ion regis al pet tered
An explanation of vaccinations We re often asked why it is necessary for pets to have annual vaccinations, and the sad truth is that our cats, dogs and rabbits can all come into frequent contact with a number of diseases with fatal or life-changing consequences. Even animals that rarely or never go outdoors can be susceptible to viruses transmitted by visitors or other household pets. We recommend an initial course of two injections (usually at 8 and 12 weeks old, but your vet can advise further), followed by yearly boosters. At Ark House we also carry out a thorough examination, and your pet will be offered a Well Pets routine blood screen at the time of the annual booster vaccinations. This optional blood test allows us to check for early signs of disease, as well as establishing a baseline to compare any future tests against. The diseases we routinely vaccinate against are: Diseases affecting dogs: Parvovirus is a severe and contagious disease that s often fatal. Spread by a virus which survives for many months in the environment, it causes severe vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Leptospirosis is caused by a relatively common bacterium found in ponds, rivers, waterways and damp environments, spread through the urine of infected rats as well as dogs. It attacks both liver and kidneys and causes Weil s disease which can be fatal in humans as well as dogs. Infectious hepatitis is a severe and typically fatal disease that affects the liver. Now fairly uncommon in the UK thanks to vaccination. Distemper is a highly infectious viral disease, debilitating and often fatal. It causes diarrhoea, respiratory problems and severe neurological signs. The main threat comes from abroad where the disease remains common. Kennel cough caused by more than one infection, this is the UK s most common infectious disease of dogs, being contracted anywhere that dogs are in contact not just kennels. 6
Diseases affecting cats: Feline leukaemia causes tumours, anaemia and weakening of the immune system. It is spread from cat to cat in the saliva and other bodily fluids during grooming, feeding and fighting. Feline panleucopaenia causes severe vomiting, anorexia and fever with a high risk of death. Spread in the faeces, the virus can persist in the environment for many years and can also be contracted from dogs. Cat flu is a widespread and common disease, causing sneezing, nasal discharge and weeping eyes, as well as fever and an unwillingness to eat. It spreads easily and infection can persist for the rest of a cat s life, with many becoming carriers. Diseases affecting rabbits: Myxomatosis is almost always fatal and causes much suffering. Common throughout the UK, it spreads from the wild rabbit population. The disease is widespread and is seen year round, although the biggest risk period is late summer and autumn. Viral Haemorrhagic Disease is fatal to rabbits and is easily spread unwittingly on our clothes and shoes. For the month of May we are offering 10 OFF a vaccination course for cats, rabbits and dogs. Just call 01525 373329 to give your pet the protection he or she deserves. And don t forget that Paws Club members get all annual vaccinations FREE! 7
Be positive about neutering your pet! Neutering has a number of benefits, both for you and your pets: Preventing unplanned, unwanted and ultimately expensive kittens and puppies Removing the risk of several types of cancer and diseases for your pet Helping to reduce aggression, straying, spraying, calling and other anti-social behaviour by lowering the levels of testosterone in male pets, and oestrogen in females Neutering know-how: Both speying and castration are routine and straightforward procedures, and at Ark House we carry out hundreds of them every year. The operation is generally done as a day case, so your pet will be home with you the same day, and back to his or her normal self very quickly. Dogs, rabbits and female cats will be invited back for a post-operative check a couple of days after surgery to check the wound is healing properly (male cats tend not to need any post operative checks but we are always happy to see him if you are worried.) Our vets usually use a technique where the external sutures are buried, so there is nothing sticking out that could irritate your pet! Females are speyed the womb and the ovaries are removed Males are castrated the testicles are removed Neutering will not cause your pet to put on weight Your pet does not need to have a litter first When should my pet be neutered? For cats, we advise neutering at four and a half months old, based on advice from The Cat Group - a collection of professional organisations dedicated to feline welfare including the Feline Advisory Bureau, RSPCA, Blue Cross, PDSA, ISFM and BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association). Female dogs will usually be speyed three to four months after the end of their first season (which could be anywhere from seven to eighteen months of age depending on the breed and individual). Male dogs will normally be castrated from ten months of age, but some are better left until older before they are castrated - we can tailor specific advice to your pet at a free pre-neutering check. We recommend neutering male rabbits from four and a half months, and females from five months old. 8 It is often believed that neutering causes pets to gain weight. Whilst not strictly true, it does slow down the metabolism of many pets and therefore you may find that he / she may be prone to weight gain after neutering. Fortunately our lovely nurses are on hand to help you work out the right diet to keep him / her in great shape - please do speak with any of the team if you would like help or advice, or book an appointment for your pet online at: http://www.arkhousevets.co.uk/
It s Rabbit Awareness Week: 17th - 25th June 2017 Now in its tenth year, Rabbit Awareness Week once again brings the opportunity to focus on improving rabbit welfare. Like us humans, rabbits are naturally sociable animals and companionship is crucial to their wellbeing and happiness. However, research suggests that 57% of the UK s pet rabbits live alone, often leading to the development of behavioural problems and causing large numbers of rabbits to be given up for re-homing (an estimated 67,000 rabbits are admitted to rehoming charities across the UK every year). Keeping your bunny busy Rabbits are natural prey animals and life in a family household can potentially be quite stressful for them. In the wild, rabbits spend a large part of their time grazing, but as pets, and with high-energy food available, rabbits have a lot of unexpected free time. It is important to ensure that rabbits have ways to occupy this time otherwise there is the potential that they will redirect their energies to unwanted behaviours. Toys encourage a rabbit to practise their natural behaviours - digging, nibbling, throwing objects, skipping and jumping - all of which help to keep them fit and occupied. Here are some handy hints to keep your rabbits stimulated and happy: Toys made of strong, non-toxic plastic, cardboard, willow and wicker are great, but check regularly for any sharp edges or dangerous holes. Baby toys are tough and non-toxic and so can also be safely given to your rabbit. Feeding balls and cubes designed to keep dogs amused are also ideal for rabbits, allowing him / her to play whilst exercising and being rewarded with food. Everyday items found around the can make ideal toys - the inner cardboard tubes from kitchen rolls and toilet rolls make good objects for rabbits to nibble on, tear and throw around. Old magazines are fun for tearing and digging at, but do make sure that any staples are removed. Large cardboard boxes filled with hay or shredded paper, with food items hidden inside also provide mental and physical stimulation. Instead of allowing your rabbits access to all their toys, all the time, change them each week so they always have a different selection to play with. Our lovely nurses have plenty of ideas to help keep your bunnies healthy and happy, and as part of Rabbit Awareness Week the nursing team are running FREE rabbit clinics from 17th-25th June. We d really like to see your bunny for a health check and a cuddle, whether you are a regular visitor to us or you have never brought your pet to a vet before. Just call 01525 373329 to book your appointment or visit our website www.arkhousevets.co.uk, where you can book online. We look forward to seeing you and your rabbit soon! Find out more about Rabbit Awareness Week at www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk 9
seasonal offers Although fleas can live all year round in centrally heated homes, as the weather warms up the life cycle becomes shorter so there are more and more of the little horrors around. Fleas feed by sucking blood from dogs, cats and rabbits and also spread tapeworm. Their saliva often causes irritation and some animals can develop serious skin disease. Effective treatment will treat and continue to prevent further infestation until the next treatment is due, that s why short acting treatment like shampoos and powders rarely work. 25% off all flea treatments during APRIL Using your preferred flea treatment regularly will prevent you and your pets from being bitten, and with our voucher you ll save % on all flea treatments this APRIL 25 Vaccination amnesty during May There are a number of highly infectious (and potentially fatal) diseases that can affect your pet. Many of these diseases have no effective treatment, and in extreme cases, young animals that catch them can die. However, for many of these conditions there is a simple protection in the form of vaccination and regular annual boosters, and so now is the ideal time to restore your pet s protection against some of the most serious infectious diseases. 10 OFF a vaccination course During May Throughout May we are offering 10 off a vaccination course for cats, rabbits & dogs. To take advantage of this special offer, and to book your appointment, just call 01525 373329. With the long evenings and warm weather, chances are that your cat may now be spending even more time than usual outside. A recent study in Australia, where pet cats were fitted with GPS trackers on their collars, found that roaming a territory with a diameter of up to 3kms is not unusual for cats! Unfortunately this may put cats at increased risk of becoming lost, injured or inadvertently locked in sheds and garages in unfamiliar locations, which is where a microchip can vastly improve the chances of missing cats being reunited with their worried families. pay for peace of mindg, June? 10 is a small price tospe cial microchip offer durin ge of our so why not take advanta 10 To book your cat in for this quick and painless procedure, just call 01525 373329
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 and 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 www.arkhousevets.co.uk mentioning your name on the registration form. *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. Did you know that you can now save money with Ark House online on a wide range of foods and accessories, as well as having your purchases delivered?...perfect for those heavy bags of food! Why not visit www.arkhousevets.co.uk and take a look today? Need help with chewing? Biting? Jumping? And the 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 01525 373329 11
issue 30 Surgery hours Monday to Friday Saturday 8.00am - 8.00pm 8.30am - 3.00pm www.arkhousevets.co.uk 22 Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 1HJ Tel: 01525 373329 Fax: 01525 852354 Email: enquiries@arkhousevets.co.uk Out of hours emergencies In an emergency call our normal number 01525 373329. You will be given a choice of four clinics who can help. We will connect your call to them directly. Vets Now Milton Keynes Vets Now Luton Beds Vets Barton Vets Now Hemel Hempstead All of these clinics email 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 2017. www.onswitch.co.uk