Here at Imberpark your pet's welfare and wellbeing has always been our number one priority. Working in conjunction with professional veterinary surgeons, Vet Health Focus sets out to bring you relevant seasonal topics from health issues and advice through to dietary developments.
This time around, Vet Health Focus speaks to:
Rebecca Hyland
Background:
I worked in mixed practice in Australia for 6 months before embarking on an Internship at Cornell University in upstate New York. After completing this I decided to come to the U.K which has been my home ever since!
Studied at/Graduated from:
University of Melbourne in 2000
Expertise/Special Interests:
Experience in small animal practice and my interests are in Internal and Emergency medicine
Where I work (Surgery Name):
Vets on Wheels
Specialises in:
Taking away the stress and anxiety of getting pets to the vet
Topic:
Food
Health Focus: Food For Thought
I graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2000 after completing BSc (Hons) and BVSc (Hons) degrees. I worked in mixed practice in Australia for 6 months before embarking on an Internship at Cornell University in upstate New York. After completing this I decided to come to the U.K which has been my home ever since! I have had extensive experience in small animal practice and my interests are in Internal and Emergency medicine. I attend conferences regularly both in the UK and overseas to keep up to date with modern medical procedures. I work 2-4 days a week within a veterinary cliniceither in Ealing or central London.
My aim with Vets on Wheels is to provide a professional and caring mobile service dedicated to taking away the stress and anxiety of getting pets to the vet. Instead I can offer a consultation along with other services in the comfort and convenience of the home. I am based in Staines and offer a variety of services. For more information regarding the services offered and the areas covered please visit the website linked below.
Chocolate is just as delicious to our dogs as it is to us! Thats why we have to be extra careful to keep chocolate out of our pooches' reach. Chocolate (cocoa) contains a substance called theobromine, which is actually in the same class of molecules as caffeine - therefore its not surprising that the effects of chocolate toxicity are that of 'over stimulation'. The cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems are affected, as well as the kidneys. The initial signs of chocolate toxicity include vomiting and diarrhoea, muscle tremors, overheating, restlessness and anxiety and increased urination (it acts as a diuretic). In the more advanced stages of poisoning there may beseizures and cardiac arrhythmias.
If you are aware that your dog has ingested chocolate your vet should be able to give you some idea of the likelihood of toxicity. The level of theobromine in chocolate is dependent on the type: generally dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate, and better quality chocolate is more toxic. This information plus the weight of your dog can be used to get a rough idea of how serious the ingestion might be. Generally speaking, your vet will try to induce vomiting if the pet is seen early enough. Some dogs also need to be given a charcoal solution to soak up some of the toxin. If a dog is exhibiting clinical signs then they may need to be hospitalised for support and treatment while the body eliminates the toxin. So as you can see, its far better to prevent the ingestion in the first place - place those easter eggs high up on shelves or in the fridge and keep any chocolate as secure as possible - a lot of dogs are happy to eat the wrappers and boxes as well!
Another food which is toxic to our pets is onion, especially to cats. Onion contains thiosulphate which can cause red blood cell hemolysis (breakdown of the red cell membrane or outer surface), causing a severe anaemia. Any form of the onion can be toxic - powdered, cooked or uncooked. Cats lack the enzyme responsible for breaking down the toxin which is why they are more susceptible to it than dogs. Some people give their pets left over mince e.g. spaghetti bolognese or left over pizza without realising there is a dangerous level of onion in it. Dogs should never be given this sort of 'human food' - apart from toxicity they are VERY fattening.
It may also surprise you to learn that grapes, including the dried form as raisins, can be harmful to our cats and dogs. These foods can be nephrotoxic (affecting the kidneys) and this toxicity is not apparent untilseveral days after the ingestion. Even after making your pet vomit there is usually a hospitalisation period required with 'flushing' of the kidneys with high rates of intravenous fluids. The pet will usually have to stay at the vets for 2 or 3 days and a blood test is taken several days after cessation of the fluid therapy to assess the kidney function. It is not known exactly what compound causes the toxicity or the amount in any given crop of grapes so any ingestion should be viewed as hazardous.
Hopefully you found some of this information helpful, just a little "food for thought"...
"Providing a professional and caring mobile service dedicated to taking away the stress and anxiety of getting pets to the vet."
Vets on Wheels
w: http://www.vetsonwheels.co.uk/
e: info@vetsonwheels.co.uk
t: 07725 973 023