DOGS' HEALTH

This page was last revised on 30^th May 2005

Like everyone else, I hope I never have to go to the vets because I'm pawly. However, from a very early age, Ian and Julie took me regularly to our local vet so that I got used to the people there, the reception area,and that traditional "health" smell. Very quickly, I came to enjoy trotting in there - for no reason other than to be weighed!

Now, going there for a check up, or for a booster jab, holds no fear for me. The vets are different, but they all come from the Vet school that says, "give dogs loads of biscuits - that way they'll be too busy eating to notice what else you're doing!". And it works!

Gemma has been introduced to the vet already, to have her second injection, and to be microchipped like me. Ian says Gemma is now a Pentium 4 Pup and that, if she wanders off unnoticed, he can track her by satelite - scary!

One of our Christmas presents in 2004 was a First Aid kit designed especially for dogs. This will be kept in a handy location so it will be available when we are at home, and can be taken with us if we go out. Terrific idea - every dog should have one!

Here are some handy tips for healthy living:

Never eat chocolate

Never eat chicken bones or any other brittle bones - they can become lodged in the throat and cause discomfort, trauma and, ultimately, may lead to death. My advice is to find something much more appealing, and less hazardous, than a bone!

Make sure your local vet's telephone number is readily available (if possible, store it in the memory of your Pets' home and mobile phones). Find out who they should call in an emergency (outside normal surgery hours) and, if going on holiday with your pets, try to locate a vet near to where you'll be - your local vet in Cambridgeshire will not be much use if you need medical attention in Scotland!

Be aware of dangers around the house and in the garden that may harm dogs: examples include wires that can be chewed, poisonous plants, grass seed and plastic bags.

If you are teething puppies, and those sharp little teeth are causing pain, ask your pets to give you an ice cube to play with. It will numb the gums and will slide across the floor, thus providing alot of fun. One hint though: if you get bored, and the ice cube melts on the new carpet, remind your pets that it wasn't you!

Make a note of this list of Poisonous Plants when out and about, or in the garden (which should really be designed so as to exclude items on the list).

I list below some good links for you. Ultimately though, and if in doubt, your personal vet should be consulted.

First Aid in Dogs
This is an excellent and concise overview of first aid for dogs.

Animal Care
This section of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' website looks at animal welfare in general, starting off by asking, "Which pet, if any, is right for you?"

First aid for dogs
This page is from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) - a charity making sure that pets needing vets, but belonging to people who can't afford vets, get the treatment required.

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