1. What is Bluetongue? Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting ruminant animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and deer. It is caused by the Bluetongue virus (BTV) and is spread mainly by biting midges (Culicoides species). It does not affect humans. Milk and meat remain safe to consume. Several virus strains (serotypes) exist. In Ireland the current concern is Bluetongue virus serotype [...]
Veterinary nursing: So much more than holding pets for vets Do you really know what a veterinary nurse does? Although the veterinary nursing profession is working hard to educate the pet owning public about what the job entails, there is much work to be done still. Vet nurses are often asked when they’ll be a [...]
Christmas is a great time of year for humans - special foods, festive treats, decorations and all the rest. However, for our pets it’s a different situation - and a much more dangerous one too. So, what are the particularly hazardous substances at this time of year? We’ve made a series of information to give [...]
Sadly there is no one way of preventing your cat from FIP. A complex series of events accumulate into a perfect storm, causing FIP. Here, we summarize what FIP is, the symptoms, and how you can reduce the chances of your cat suffering FIP - although the risks can never be fully eliminated. What is [...]
During the summer months there are many conditions that may affect your pet’s skin that can be itchy and painful. It is important that any problems with your pet’s skin are detected promptly and treated appropriately, to prevent these conditions from progressing and your pet’s skin getting worse. The Importance of Healthy Skin The skin [...]
Different causes There are a number of conditions that could cause sudden inflammation of the ear, so we will concentrate on the most common reasons in this blog. However, should you notice some unexpected ear trauma then you should contact us ASAP to ensure the best treatment is offered for whatever situation your pooch is [...]
Vaccines are essential to preventing life threatening illnesses in both humans and animals. We strongly recommend that all pets in our care receive vaccinations. The length of immunity provided by the vaccine varies between different vaccine brands, and for different diseases - it isn’t a “one size fits all”! What is a vaccine? A [...]
Contagious Cough is a new name for the disease previously known as Kennel Cough. The old name suggested that it was only a problem for dogs in kennels. Unfortunately, as the disease is airborne and highly infectious, this is not the case. Any contact with other dogs can result in your dog becoming infected. Transmission [...]
For the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 outbreak we would ask our clients to: 1: Phone and make an appointment; if you have more than one pet to be seen, please tell us so that we can put aside more time for each clinical examination. 2: Phone ahead for prescriptions; if possible give us [...]
Dogs have 2 anal glands which are located just inside their rectum. They are very small and you cannot see them from the outside. These glands contain a very smelly fluid which is supposed to be released whenever they produce faeces. The smell helps our animals to mark their territory, but the fluid can also [...]
