Bits for Pets Blog

Scientists believe a tick which can kill dogs has spread to the British mainland after a dog in Kent was bitten by the insect and died.

Janet Hunt, from Ashford, said she used to walk her dog Caffreys near railway lines used by Eurostar trains. Foreign trucks also park alongside the paths.

Caffreys died from the blood-born disease babesia, caused by a tick not previously known to be in the UK.

The disease was diagnosed by a research scientist at the University of Bristol.

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A huge hedgehog hunt called Hogwatch has begun, to find out how many of the prickly creatures there are in the UK.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species is asking people to report sightings of the animals as they are worried hedgehog numbers are falling.

Some experts fear the number of hedgehogs in the UK has dropped by as much as 20% over the last four years.

Hedgehogs are thought to be under threat from farming and the loss of their habitat in towns.

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We are seeing rising criticism of the pet industry coming out of the pet insurance sector. Last year Saga Pet Insurance voiced its concerns over unhealthy pet treats while Sainsburys Bank told us that owners of pedigrees are more likely to claim than crossbreed owners. Earlier this month Churchill told dog owners that they have no idea how expensive our dogs really are. Now Direct Line Pet Insurance is telling owners that they are spending £46 million on vets bills throughout the lifetime of their pets - due to poor kennel conditions. The pet insurer has launched a campaign to further regulate kennel standards.

The research points out that of the 5,400,000 dogs in the UK, 300,000 have had to go to the vet as a result of a stay in kennels at a cost of more than £150 each on fees. Over one in 10 dogs (12%) had contracted an illness and 4% sustained an injury from their time in the kennels says the company.

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A road trip to visit a friend in Liverpool turned into a voyage of discovery for Heather Martin from Bristol.

After arriving in Merseyside and hearing a noise coming from under the bonnet of the car, she was surprised to discover the cat hiding by the engine. And when the stowaway’s owner was traced, Heather was staggered to find Nacho lived next door to her in Bristol.

“I’ve just moved into my house in Bristol and hadn’t met my neighbours, so I didn’t recognise the cat - but what a way to break the ice!” said Mrs Martin.

“The RSPCA inspector was fantastic,” she said. “I was so pleased the cat was alright and mortified that I hadn’t known he was there all the time. The fact that he was chipped made it so easy to find out where he was from.”

Click Here! For the full story and why it is important to micro chip your cat or dog.

A dog who has collected 3,000 balls at his local golf club has been rewarded for his efforts - with lifelong membership at the place!

Mongrel terrier Deuce and his owner Jim often take a sunset stroll at Pontnewydd Golf Club and the pet can’t resist going looking for lost balls.

The balls he collects are handed out to the Monmouthshire club’s young players.

Deuce gets lots of treats, but his reward won’t stretch to one thing - the club house is out of bounds!

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For 16 years, the 60-year-old Garland resident has worked in her spare time to save rabbits, find homes for them and educate people about their proper care.

And for Ms. Yule and the nonprofit North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary she founded, the weeks after Easter are a busy time. She hears the same story again and again.

“Often people think: ‘My child is crying for a rabbit. How much work can it be?’ People think that a rabbit is a farm animal, content to live in a small hutch in the back yard. They are wrong.”

“People don’t realize how much care bunnies need, but also what phenomenal pets they are,” says Loretta Pantenburg, one of a handful of local veterinarians who are well versed in rabbit care. “Rabbits should be spayed or neutered. They don’t require vaccines but do need to see the vet more frequently than dogs or cats.” Expect to spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 a year on rabbit care.

“Before adopting any pet, you should research its care and make sure it’s a match for your life and family before you bring it home,” Dr. Pantenburg recommends. “Rabbits can live 10 to 12 years – that’s a long-term commitment for any family.”

The North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary can be reached at www.ntrs.org

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Important news for dog owners.

New powers for local authorities to deal with a plethora of environmental crimes came in to force recently.

Measures under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act will give local authorities new powers to deal with problems resulting from dog owners.

The following new powers affecting dog owners come into force, as of April 6th.

Dogs:

- dog byelaws replaced with dog control orders which enable local authorities and parish councils to deal with:

1) fouling by dogs

2) ban dogs from designated areas

3) require dogs to be kept on a lead and

4) restrict the number of dogs that can be walked by one person.

(on the spot fine available for these offences to a maxiumum of £80)

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Benji when he was overweight. A very fat cat has been forced to lose some weight after being bullied by… a rabbit!

Benji, a six-year-old ginger moggy, had piled on the pounds after getting used to a high-fat diet. He weighed 10kg - that’s twice the size of a normal cat.

Then the family’s pet rabbit, Chester, starting jumping on the poor cat, and Benji couldn’t get away from him.

So his vet put him on a diet and he lost half his bodyweight. Now he’s much happier and can get away from Chester.

One of his owners, Jackie Tucker, told The Metro newspaper: “He’s like a new cat and has so much more energy.”

Vet Katherine Blanchard said: “He was the fattest cat I’ve treated but he’s done really well.”

She added that some people don’t think overweight pets are a problem, but it should be taken seriously as being obese affects animals in the same way as it affects humans.

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NEW YORK - He came from the streets of Brooklyn, a cool customer on four legs, the perfect bait for a sting on a fake veterinarian.
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Meet Fred, undercover kitten.

Authorities on Wednesday introduced the 8-month-old former stray cat that posed as a would-be patient while police investigated a college student accused of treating pets without a license.

At a news conference, Fred sported a tiny badge on his collar as he posed for photos with owner Carol Moran, a prosecutor.

“He’s pretty easygoing, a real Brooklyn guy,” Moran said.

read the full story here

The cause of gum disease is the same in cats and dogs as it is in people.

Gum disease is an infection resulting from build-up of soft dental plaque on the surfaces of the teeth around the gums. The bacteria in dental plaque irritate the gum tissue if plaque is allowed to accumulate, which often leads to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth.

Hard dental tartar (calculus) consists of calcium salts from saliva deposited on plaque. Tartar starts to form within a few days on a tooth surface that is not kept clean, and provides a rough surface that enhances further plaque accumulation. Once it has begun to grow in thickness, tartar is difficult to remove without dental instruments.

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