| |
|||
| a great place for pets - www.thevets.com.au | |||
May 2005 edition
1. Aquadog Health & Fitness Update 2. DIY: Cat lookout 3. Teaching your cat to sit - proof it can be done 4. Hip Dysplasia 5. Puppy Preschool 6. The DISH and the old dog 7. Chubby Checkers |
||||
|
|
1. Aquadog Health & Fitness Update The centre is taking shape. After 4 months of delays with plumbing and trade waste approvals the pool and pool surrounds are now complete as is all internal carpentry. It's great to see it taking shape and we hope to have dogs swimming before the end of June. Back to top |
|||
|
|
2. DIY: Cat lookout Cats love getting up high and looking out over the neighbourhood. A cat lookout located on the side of your house provides the views they crave while encouraging some much needed exercise. Here's a plan that can be used as a basis to design and build your own cat lookout at home: Materials: · a drill · measuring tape and spirit level · two galvanised tubes per platform · open weave fabric to create a hammock effect [see image at left]. To attach the platforms to your wall you will need either 10G x 60 mm timber self tapping screws for weatherboard or 40mm stainless steel screws and plugs for brick · 2 wall brackets per platform [each should be the same width of platform] Getting started: Mark off the height of the catwalk and if you want two catwalks, position them at different heights to encourage your cat to jump. The first at a height your cat can leap up to, say 900mm off the ground. For older cats you may want to bring the first one down to 600mm or less. [Use measuring tape and spirit level to check all platforms are level] Second & subsequent platforms: The second lookout should be 400 mm away from the first and 400mm higher. Pre-drill holes: place plugs in and screw through the brackets. Fitting the brackets: screw the catwalk to the brackets. Larger cats may need an extra bracket for support. For more information about cat lookouts and similar products, please visit www.catmax.com.au Back to top |
|||
|
|
3. Teaching your cat to sit - proof it can be done Contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained. In fact most cats already are to some extent at least. It's common for a cat to turn up immediately when food is put in their bowl - this is a learned response the cat has been trained to come. So, what else can you teach your cat? Being able to sit is a good start. Click here to see a short video of how it's done and below are the steps: Start by holding the food directly in front of her nose. Let her smell or even nibble on the food to ensure you have her full attention. Slowly but surely, move the food in an arc back over her head towards the tail. Don't say the word sit at first as this may confuse her. Allow the bottom to hit the floor just by itself don't push it down. The key is to keep your hand quite close to the head to prevent your cat from standing up which is what they tend to do at first. Once your cat is responding to the hand signal, then introduce the word sit as her bottom touches the ground. Reward her every time she sits and do it as soon as her bottom touches the ground. Have fun! For more advanced training with your cat, it's advisable to see a trainer. For more information call us or go to: www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au Back to top |
|||
|
|
4. Hip Dysplasia Chrissy is a 7 year old German Shepherd who had been struggling with her daily routine over the last couple of weeks. Going up and down steps was becoming difficult, she yelped a few times when jumping into the car and every so often she limped while on a walk. At the vet for a check up, she was found to have pain in both hip joints. Radiographs were taken to identify the source of the pain and these revealed the left hip joint [also called the coxofemoral joint] to be damaged [see image at bottom left for a similar example]. It's most likely the joint developed incorrectly when she was a pup, a condition known as Hip Dysplasia. The poorly developed joint was then more exposed to wear and tear leading to arthritis. The pain associated with arthritis has disrupted her daily activities. In an effort to give her comfort and more mobility, she was put on a programme of weight loss, limited but regular exercise and anti-inflammatory medication. Within 48 hours she was feeling better and moving more freely up the steps to the back porch. A week later she was almost back to normal. From now on, the key will be to focus on the weight reduction programme and creating a habit of regular exercise. Hip Dysplasia can be prevented to a great extent by choosing pups whose parents have healthy hips. This is determined by radiographing the parents' hips and for some breeds, providing a "Hip Score". For more information on the Hip Score, call us. Back to top |
|||
|
|
5. Puppy Preschool The March classes of Puppy Pre-School were a barking success! Puppy Pre-School is held at our Nerang clinic on Thursday nights and at our Helensvale clinc on Wednesday nights. Arundel Plaza Vet clinic also holds Puppy Pre-School classes on Tuesday nights. The course runs from 6.30-7.30pm for three consecutive weeks. If you have a puppy aged between 8 and 18 weeks be sure to join in the fun!!! Congratulations to our March Puppy Pre-School graduates: Coffee the poodle, Bailey the Shar Pei, Pocky the West Highland Terrier, Barney the Border Collie and Jessica the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Back to top |
|||
|
|
6. The DISH and the old dog Doggy Dementia is characterised by similar changes in behaviour as seen in people with Alzheimers Disease. Oxygen free radicals, a normal but toxic by-product of brain cell activity, overwhelm the body's natural defences and cause enough damage to produce behavioural changes. Surprisingly, 50% of dogs aged 8 years and older show one or more of these changes. These changes are called DISH, which stands for: D Disorientation Appears lost in familiar surroundings Fails to recognise familiar people or places Decreased alertness and aimless behaviour I Interacts Less No longer keen to greet family members Doesn't seek attention or want to be patted S Sleep pattern disturbed Sleeps more during the day and or less during the night Wanders around the house at night H House training lost Doesn't ask to go outside Frequent accidents occur indoors Loss of bladder or bowel control The good news is that with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, these changes can be diminished and even reversed. The key is observing your dog carefully. If you detect any of the above signs, contact us for an evaluation. Hill's Prescription Diet Canine b/d is the first and only nutritional product to provide a reliable management for signs of brain ageing and age related behavioural changes in dogs. For more information click here. Back to top |
|||
|
|
7. Chubby Checkers Run your fingers lightly across your pet's ribcage. You should be able to feel your pet's last few ribs. If you can't then it's likely your pet is overweight. Obesity is a major cause of disease in pets as it is in people. Our Chubby Checkers weight loss club can help your pet rediscover his/her waistline and get him/her on the right track to trimming down. Give us a call if you think we could help your pet lose weight. Back to top |
The Vets Nerang Unit 5/90 Spencer Road Nerang 4211 ph 5596 2322 fx 5596 0549 Helensvale Unit 7/14 Sir John Overall Drive Helensvale 4212 ph 5529 8011 fx 5529 4133 www.thevets.com.au |
|
|