welcome to the mewsletter autumn 2013

Ready for your Winter’s Sleep?
Contrary to popular belief, most tortoises of the types most commonly
kept as pets do actually hibernate in the wild. They do so, however, for much
shorter periods than they are frequently subjected to in captive collections. It has
been commonplace to attempt a hibernation of up to six or even seven months,
whereas in the wild these same tortoises have been used to hibernation rarely
longer than ten to twelve weeks.
It is best to replicate natural conditions as closely as possible in respect of
hibernation periods, and so it is not recommended to give your tortoise an overlong hibernation. Most fatalities occur either near the beginning, or at the end of
the hibernation period. You can certainly improve your tortoise's chances greatly
simply by limiting the period of hibernation to not more than 20 weeks at the
most - this is only for a perfectly fit tortoise which is fully up to weight.
Tortoises which are anything less than l00% fit, or are in any way underweight,
will require a proportionally shorter period of hibernation under carefully
controlled conditions; possibly they may even need to be kept awake and feeding
over the entire winter season.
Do not attempt to hibernate ANY tortoise if you suspect it may be a
tropical variety.
If a tortoise is not fit to hibernate by the end of August, then it is not
going to be fit in October. In order to survive hibernation in good condition,
tortoises need to have built up sufficient reserves of body fat; this in turn stores
vitamins and water.
When you are hibernating your tortoise, keep it dry and well insulated in
properly prepared accommodation. Ensure they are safely protected against
rodents, with the hibernation box having good ventilation. And also making
certain that temperatures are stable, and within safe tolerances, i.e. neither too
hot nor too cold. An ideal temperature for hibernation is 5 °C, or 40 °F. At this
temperature tortoises remain safely asleep, but are in no danger of freezing.
If you are unsure about the state of your tortoise to consider hibernation,
it is best to ask for advice or look at the Tortoise Trust website.
WELCOME TO THE MEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2013
Tel: Alexandra 01275 343457 Hillyfields 01934 843381
When both practices are closed, there is always 24 hour emergency veterinary
cover available from Vets Now Ltd. Phone 0117 971 3111 for free advice from
a vet or qualified veterinary nurse or for an emergency appointment at any time.
Practice Mews
• Karen’s Maine Coon kittens have all flown the nest, going to London,
Milton Keynes, Southampton, Portishead & Chepstow. However she has
three new bouncy kitty additions – Gemini Bear & Barley.
• Autumn is a busy time for conferences - Tim is attending the Chicken Vet
course near Exeter in October, and Charmaine is going to lectures at the
London Vet Show in November.
• Maddy has recently returned to full fitness after sustaining a muscle tear
while competing at an agility show back in April. With the help of our
associated physiotherapist Holly Kerr she has been having a lot of massage
and laser treatment on her injured leg. She is now back to her old form and
Rob hopes to be competing with her again in the next few weeks.
• Congratulations to Anne-Marie on her wedding to Darren in June.
FREE! FREE! FREE!
Having trouble shifting the pounds? Is the waistline expanding rather than
shrinking? We are happy to ask clients to bring their pets to come into see the
nurses for free regular weight checks. It helps having a regular check on the
scales, and some free professional advise from the nurses in regards to their
weight loss regime. We do need to ask for you to make an appointment please,
as weight checks can not be scheduled when consultations are being held.
FIRST AID – BURNS
Few injuries in pets are as traumatic, painful and disfiguring as a burn. Unlike
other injuries, a burn, by its very nature, causes tissue damage; sometimes complete
tissue damage. Often it takes time for the extent of the damage to be fully realized.
Burns can be caused by heat sources, chemicals or radiation. Most burns that dogs,
cats and other pets receive come from sunburn, electric cables, a hot surface, an
appliance (ie heater/hairdryer) or chemical substance found in and around the home. It
is very important that the home be "pet-proofed" to prevent an injury of this nature.
Burns are generally placed into one of three
categories –
1st degree: Superficial partial thickness
wounds - These burns involve only the top layer of
skin.
2nd degree: Deep partial thickness wounds
- These burns involve the deeper layers of skin and
will produce blisters on the skin surface.
3rd degree: Full thickness wounds - These burns involve complete destruction
of all skin layers.
As these can be painful injuries, avoid being bitten. You may have to muzzle
your pet.
Extinguish all flames. If electricity is involved, make sure the power is turned
off. If the burn is from a dry chemical, brush away as much of the substance as
possible. Be sure to protect the mouth, nose and eyes of yourself and the pet. If there
is still chemicals on the skin, then wash the contaminated area with large amounts of
tepid flowing water. Protect yourself with appropriate safety equipment and make sure
the area is well ventilated.
Apply cool water compresses with a clean cloth ie cotton tshirt, teatowel etc. This
may prevent the burn from penetrating deeper into the tissues. Change the compress
frequently, and keep the site cool and wet. If the burn involves only one part of the
body, you can submerge the area in cool water.
Do not break any blisters that may have formed. Do not apply any ointments or
butter-like substances and do not apply ice to the burn. Contact our surgery straight
away, as you will need to be seen as an emergency.
Take steps today to prevent your pet from being burned by ensuring that items
are out of harms way, chemical substances are in pet (and child) proof areas and
ensure animals are kept out of the sun, use sunscreen or kept off hot pavements during
hot spells.
Creaky Old Cat Bones?
Until recently, feline osteoarthritis has not been commonly diagnosed or treated mainly
due to the cats' survival instinct to hide signs of pain and the lack of recognition of the
condition by owners. Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis in which the normal cartilage
that cushions the joint is worn away, exposing the bone and resulting in discomfort.
The most obvious sign of arthritis is joint pain, with the most commonly affected joints
being the elbows, stifles (knees) and hips. However, this is where the problem arises;
cats are the masters of hiding discomfort and do not demonstrate the obvious signs of
pain. They are not taken for walks like dogs and restrict their own activity to minimise
the use of the sore joints. They also tend not to show the same obvious signs of pain as
other species (e.g. vocalising), exhibiting more 'passive' behaviour to disguise pain.
Signs of pain in cats that owners may observe and report to the vet include the
following:
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Reduced mobility
Changes in grooming behaviour
Temperament changes
Changes in activity level
A clinical examination may or may not show discomfort on palpation or reduced
mobility of the affected joints, so often radiography is needed. In cats, unlike humans
and dogs, their bones do not always have proliferative bony changes at affected joints,
but more soft tissue changes. Currently there are some very good anti-inflammatory
medications and nutritional supplements that are suitable for use in cats. Home comforts
and management adjustments are also vital to the improving the cats' quality of life and
can be just as important as medications.
Easy home and management adjustments for the arthritic cat
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Provide soft beds for sore joints in easily accessible, quiet places
Place beds in quiet, draft free areas of the house
Igloo beds or cardboard boxes can make an older cat feel warm and secure
Provide 'steps' up to higher sites, eg, the sofa, the cat flap, radiator beds
Tie the cat flap open so the cat doesn’t need to push through
Always have a litter tray inside and use a low sided version or cut out the sides
to make it easy for arthritic cats to climb in
Use different types of litter that are softer for sore feet
Make sure food and water are easily accessible, at floor level or with steps up to
higher levels
Put food, water and litter trays on one level to avoid the cat having to go up and
down stairs
Clip nails regularly