Author: Shanklin Pets

 

Ticks are 8-legged insects part of the same classification as spiders which feed off the blood of animals and animals to complete their life cycle.  After a period of up to 10 days of drawing blood from its host a tick will detach itself and fall off. They have 4 stages to their life cycle: Egg, Larva (6-legged), Nymph (8-legged) and Adult and must eat blood at each stage to survive after hatching. Due to the amount of stages and hosts needed, the full life cycle can take up to 3 years to complete. With around 800 different species of ticks there’s almost a tick for every species out there and have been around for at least 90 million years.

 

Why are Ticks so problematic?

 

Ticks can be found almost anywhere as they live in grass (long grass in particular), trees bushes and leaf piles, amongst other places, and typically prefer warm, moist areas of the body. Tick bites in general are common but they can be quite problematic as some bites can transmit harmful bacteria causing diseases in humans and dogs alike. The symptoms can also take anywhere from days to weeks to develop depending on the bacteria transmitted.

Some symptoms of tick-borne diseases include:

• A red spot/rash near bite site
• Neck stiffness
• Full body rash
• Blisters
• Headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Fever
• Muscle/joint pain or ache

What should you do if you or your pet has a Tick?

As soon as a tick has been found it should be removed using a tick removal device. The  tick should be grasped as close to the skin surface as possible and pulled straight up and away from the skin, applying constant pressure, making sure you’ve removed the entire tick from the skin. Care should be taken not to bend or twist the tick. Sprays can also be used to aid the removal process. The bite site should be cleaned with local cleansing and antibiotic cream and the tick itself should be drowned in rubbing alcohol to ensure it’s dead. If symptoms arise after the ticks been removed, a visit to a health professional is recommended. Tick prevention is also available to apply or take so that it kills the ticks as soon as it breaks the skin.

 

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What is bland dog food?

A bland dog food diet is highly digestible and soft which are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single protein source. The diet is also normally low in fibre, fat and protein and high in carbohydrates.

Bland dog food includes:

• Boiled white rice with skinless and boneless boiled chicken. 2 cups of rice should be fed to every half cup
• Equal parts boiled rice and low-fat cottage cheese
• One part cooked and drained lean hamburger and two parts plain boiled pasta

Why feed bland dog food?

Bland dog food is normally fed to dogs with diarrhoea after a 12 to 24 hour fast to try and settle their stomachs as quickly as possible, its also sometimes fed to dogs with IBS to try and prevent a reaction. This gives their intestinal tract a break whilst still providing needed calories and nutrients whilst regulating their stools. As a bland food diet isn’t nutritionally balanced it shouldn’t be used for more than a couple of days without a vet’s guidance and if diarrhoea still persists a trip to the vets is needed.

Bland Food Feeding Instructions

You should feed around 25% of your dog’s usual portion every 6 to 8 hours with smaller dogs needing slightly less and bigger dogs needing slightly more – sticking to the same ratios of protein to carbohydrate.  Treats should not be fed during this period. Going back to their normal diet should be transitional over a week, rushing the progress could cause a reverse of any progress and cause diarrhoea again.

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What is IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, is a common disorder that affects the large intestine and can be caused by a variety of reasons – including food and stress. Its not known what exactly causes IBS in both cats and dog, but there’s a range of suspects – from food allergies such as Wheat, the ability to pass food through the gastrointestinal tract, to mental distress.

What are the symptoms of IBS?

Some of the common symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Occasional chronic large bowel diarrhea
• Bloating
• Frequent passage of small amounts of faeces and mucus
• Nausea
• Vomiting

How is IBS treated?

After a cat or dog has been diagnosed for IBS by a vet, its recommended they be fed a diet this is highly digestible and had a high volume of fibre to try and restore as well as maintain the digestive tracts normal function. As well as this, anything that could be stressful to the cat or dog should be removed from their environment. These foods normally come under the acronym ‘I/D’ for Intestinal Diet or ‘Digestive Care‘ and are normally prescribed to you by a vet. In addition to this, some vets recommend a bland diet that’s poor in fats.

Recommended foods for IBS:

• Fish and fish oil
• Flaxseed oil
• White meat
• Seafood
• Sweet potatoes
• Vegetables – especially green leafy vegetables or broccoli

What foods can cause IBS to flare?

Different dogs and cats can be sensitive to different foods, so its best to stick with any vets advice on what to feed them. However, it’s also useful to know what foods they react badly to so their IBS can be managed a bit more easily.

Some common foods include, but aren’t limited to:

• White potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Red meats
• Corn
• Dairy foods
• Dark chicken meay
• Egg yolks
• Any food high in fat

 

What should Rabbits be fed?

 

Wild Rabbits all around the world consume a range of plant material that meets their daily requirements without the need for factory-produced foods sold in store. Despite previous beliefs and cartoons, carrot shouldn’t make up the majority of a Rabbit’s diet as they’re high in sugar and can cause serious health problems – such as tooth decay and digestive problems. Not only that, but Rabbits don’t naturally eat root vegetables such as carrots, or other foods such as fruit, year round due to it being seasonal food. So, what else should a Rabbit be fed?

Hay

Hay should be anywhere from 80% to 90% of a Rabbit’s diet and should be readily available for them as it isn’t just for bedding. It is rich in Vitamin A and D as well as calcium, protein and other nutrients. These promote healthy teeth and also helps keep their teeth short. Grass hay can be varied or mixed and allow the Rabbit to get a range of grass, such as straw, opposed to just eating the same every day.

Fresh Food

Fresh food provide additional nutrients to those from the grass hay, as well as providing different textures and tastes. The food in turn also provides more moisture in their diet, which promotes good bladder and kidney function, and should make up about 15% of a rabbits diet. About ¾ of the fresh food fed should be washed leafy greens of a darker colour, such as cabbage, kale and broccoli. It’s recommended that at least 3 different kinds of leafy greens should be fed a day.

It’s important that the fresh food being fed isn’t old otherwise it would have had a chance to build up oxalic acid, which is toxic to Rabbits in large quantities and can cause kidney damage. This acid can be found in plants such as parsley, mustard greens and spinach. These should still be included in a Rabbit’s diet as they’re nutritious for them but should only be fed only one type listed above a day.

 

What Else Can Rabbits be Fed?

Root vegetables – such as broccoli and cauliflower – can still be fed, but they’re higher in either starch or sugars so should be fed in smaller quantities than leafy greens. Fruit can also be fed in small amounts, but as they’re incredibly high in sugar and starch they should be fed in moderation as Rabbits will gravitate towards them and overeat them. Because of this, fresh fruit should be fed opposed to dried as dried fruit also have higher levels of sugar and starch and should be fed as the occasional treat.

5% of a Rabbit’s diet should be pelleted rabbit food which is about one egg cup a day – this is to ensure all the vitamins and minerals they need are being provided for.  Other than this, fresh water should always be readily available.

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Fly strike is often caused by the green bottle fly and related fly species laying eggs on rabbits. The green bottle flies are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces and the odour of rabbit scent glands. They lay their eggs on or around the rabbit’s rear. They hatch within hours into maggots that eat the rabbit’s flesh as well as releasing dangerous toxins. Especially, during the summer months, fly strike in domestic rabbits is a serious problem.

Flies will strike any healthy animal, but generally those that have a wet and dirty groin area are most at risk. A rabbit whom is unable to clean itself properly may become infected. Typically this includes obese rabbits, females with large dewlaps, or skin folds around their abdomen. It also affects rabbits with urinary problems or diarrhoea, elderly or arthritic rabbits, long-coated breeds, and rabbits with teeth problems. Flies are also attracted to wounds as the odour and moisture of the flesh provide the perfect habitat for egg laying.

If you find maggots on or around your rabbit’s anus you should consult your vet immediately. If possible, ring ahead, so that the vet can be prepared for your arrival and treat your rabbit immediately. Your rabbit will probably be in pain and shock and will require specialised care.
If you cannot get to a vet immediately, pick off as many of the external maggots as you can, using a pair of tweezers. The maggots which have burrowed into the flesh can be encouraged to the surface of the skin. This can be done through heat; for example a warm, damp towel. Ideally you should avoid wetting the rabbit’s coat excessively. This is because damp fur will clog the clippers that vets use to shave the infected areas. However, dipping your rabbit’s rear into water can help to get rid of some maggots. Ensure you dry the area afterwards.

The most effective treatment is done by removing the maggots using tweezers and shaving off any damp or dirty fur. This should be carried out by your veterinarian as rabbit’s skin is very thin and tears easily. Your vet will not only have a skilled and experienced staff on hand, but they will also be able to administer sedation or an anaesthetic to make the process easier. This will ensure that your rabbit does not experience discomfort. Rabbits that have fly strike will also often need antibiotics to prevent infection. Anti-inflammatory and pain killing drugs are sometimes also administered.

Fly strike is a distressing and potentially fatal condition. However it is easily preventable. Whilst we cannot eliminate flies from the environment by monitoring your rabbit daily you should be able to dramatically lower the risk of fly strike. Remove all soiled bedding daily, Ensure that your rabbit is not being overfed. This can result in diarrhoea, leading to a dirty groin, Feed greens and fruit in moderation. Some rabbits cannot tolerate an over-abundance of green food and it can lead to diarrhoea and a dirty anus. For the same reason, take care when putting your rabbit out on the lawn in the summer, so as to prevent access to excessive amounts of fresh grass. Check your rabbit twice daily to ensure that it is clean and dry. This includes house rabbits, who can also be at risk.Disinfect hutches weekly. Keep the rabbit dry and use a cleanser to remove faeces. Keep the hair around the anus very short by trimming with scissors or clippers.

Ridding the environment of flies, by means of chemical insecticides may damage the environment, animals, and people. Fly traps catch many flies but not all. Repellents may work temporarily, but you must remember to use them repeatedly. Nylon netting can be used to cover outdoor hutches and runs, to prevent flies entering your rabbit’s environment. It can also be used to create inner fly doors in sheds. Take care not to trap any flies inside when hanging it.

Small Animal section

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Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked hot car—even for “just a minute”—while they run to the shops. Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paw pads.

If you see a dog left alone in a hot car, take down the car’s color, model, make, and license plate number. Try to find the owner quickly, or call your local r.s.p.c.a or the police, the r.s.p.c.a.can not enter a car without the police so its best to call both if the dog is distressed. Have someone keep an eye on the dog. Don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved.

If the authorities are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back up your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal from the car, and then wait for authorities to arrive.

Watch for heatstroke symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, thick saliva, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and lack of coordination. If a dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her out of the heat, preferably into an air-conditioned vehicle, and then to a veterinarian immediately. If you are unable to transport the dog yourself, take him or her into an air-conditioned building if possible and call r.s.p.c.a again.

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Its so easy to over feed a beloved pet, you think that little tiny sliver of chicken cant hurt, or maybe just one crust off of your toast in the morning will be fine, it may look small to us, but to your dog?

The human stomach is about the size of a fist, but a dogs stomach for example Yorkshire terrier, they have a stomach the size of a walnut! Now look at it from yours dogs point of view, your give them a piece of chicken the size of your finger, to a small dog that’s like us eating a whole chicken breast! That crust? A whole slice of toast.

The average human male needs 2500cals aday, and the average human females need 2000cals, what is average? Well in the uk the average male is 5ft 9 and 83kg, females average is 5ft 3 and 70kg, that’s simple enough, we are one breed, homo sapien,  so one average can be worked out, but there is 339 recognised dog breeds in the world, and that’s without cross breeds, there is no average dog, so the only way to work out calorie needs is weight, but even this is just a guild line, pugs for example can easily put weight on even with a measured diet and regular walks, where as a grey hound can over eat and still stay slim due to the way they use calories, neutered dogs need less calories, there is just to many factors, but you cant feed a pug the same as a golden retriever just because they both dogs

Dog Weight	Daily calorie needs	Human equivalent
2kg/4.4lb	140	Twix 142cal
5kg/11lb	280	M&S cheese scone 305cal
10kg/22lb	470	Ginsters Cornish pastie 496cal
15kg/33lb	640	McDonalds deluxe cheese burger 650cal
20kg/44lb	790	Beefeaters beef roast with the works 834cal
25kg/55lb	940	Fish, chips and mushy peas 867cal
30kg/66lb	1080	Burger kings chicken royal,  chips and coke 998cal
35kg/77lb	1210	Wetherspoons large breakfast 1463cal

https://www.shanklinpetstores.co.uk/product-category/dogs/dry-seniorlight-food/

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At the moment we are only stocking the short and standard leads, all 3 harness sizes and the buckle collars, on request we can supply semi-choke collars and coats. CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR RANGE 

Are you frustrated with people judging your dog just because of their breed, when in fact they have nothing to worry about?

Do you have a dog that isn’t good with children or adults and you need to let others know in advance?

Or maybe you have a dog that is not good with other dogs, yet other dogs come running up to your dog?

There are many more dog situations that cause problems and can be helped with a simple item.

Using a simplistic traffic light colour coded system, we can stop many of these accidents and incidents from happening in the first place. The products are visible from a distance to warn others in advance, and have large embroidered writing on in addition so there is no confusion. They are very high quality and made from the best materials available.

Because our loyal family members can’t talk for themselves, but they need others to know their personality, they could wear one of these items meaning much more peaceful walks, no judging because of their breed, and possibly a big saving from vets bills!

• All items are made from high strength polypropelene nylon webbing with embroidered wording for maximum durability. All ‘O’ and ‘D’ rings are welded type for maximum strength.
• All items are machine washable at 30 oC.

Standard lead length with luxury padded handle lead/leash 120cm length x 25mm width (48” x 1”) with 3 embroidered words each side (6 total).
Short lead length with luxury padded handle lead/leash 60cm length x 25mm width (24” x 1”) with 1 embroidered word each side (2 total).

Strap Harness Medium-Large fully adjustable to fit most common breeds. High strength fits chest/belly girth 59cm-92cm x 25mm width (23”-36” x 1”) and has double rings for lead/leash attachment for extra security. Harness has 6 embroidered words.
Suitable for use on bull breeds, large dogs and dogs that pull.
Medium Vest Harness fits chest/belly girth 48cm-72cm (19”-28”), maximum neck size 40cm (15”). 3 embroidered words around chest and shoulders. Maximum dog weight of 10 kgs (22lbs). Not intended for bull breeds.
Small Vest Harness fits chest/belly girth 38cm-60cm (15”-24”), maximum neck size 31cm (12”). 3 embroidered words around chest and shoulders. Maximum dog weight of 5 kgs (11lbs)

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Hamsters Nutrition is important, Hamsters are omnivorous pets who love to hoard food.  The best feeding time is in the evening when they start to wake up. Complete foods specifically for hamsters are available but here are some nutrition tips to bear in mind:

In their natural habitat hamsters eat grasses, seeds and grain. Although they are often mistaken as herbivores, they are omnivores and need protein in their diet to keep them healthy.

Hamsters need feeding every day and as they are nocturnal creatures, an evening feed is ideal.

A heavy, earthenware bowl is best to keep the food dry – it will need to be cleaned daily.

Hamsters have delicate cheek pouches so be careful how you feed them.  Do not give foods that contain whole oats as these can puncture pouches.  Also avoid sticky foods, as these stick to their pouches. The list is not exhaustive, and if in doubt as to whether something is safe to feed it is best to avoid.

Hamsters have teeth which grow continually. If fed unsuitable foods, these fail to wear the teeth sufficiently and this can lead to painful dental conditions. Plenty of hay and safe twigs to chew are a good idea.  Failure to feed them with the right diet can result in serious dental disease.

Your hamster may like an occasional treat, such as a small piece of fruit or vegetable – but too much green food can cause diarrhoea. Don’t feed too many treats as even hamsters can get eat too much and become overweight, this can lead to many other health problems.

Fresh, clean water must be always available. There are drinking bottles designed for hamsters on the market, just make sure you check the bottle frequently to see it always has water in it, and change the water daily to ensure that it is always fresh and that the bottle is clean.You should also check that your hamster can reach and drink from the bottle with ease

There are a number of nutritionally balanced diets for hamsters on the market. Manufacturers have experts available to provide you with advice on what you should buy for your pet and how to feed, so contact them direct for further advice on specific products.

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Hamster foods 

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