As humans who live in a hot country. We love summer, those hot days swimming in the shimmering ocean, BBQ’s under the shade of a tree and cooling down with a dip in the pool. But summer can be hard on our pets. Especially, our cats. With no way to keep themselves cool, we must […]
Help! My dog ate snail bait!
Snail bait, due to the toxic component called metaldehyde, is a common cause of dog poisoning. It’s commonly seen during spring and summer when snail numbers are high and gardeners are trying to control their numbers. They are designed to attract and kill snails and slugs. The problem is they also attract our furry friends, […]
Paracetamol toxicity and your pets
Paracetamol is a safe and commonly used pain reliever for humans. However, the same is not true for our pets. Cats and dogs are not little humans and paracetamol can be a death sentence for our pets. Cats – never okay to give paracetamol Cats are so sensitive to paracetamol that even half a tablet […]
Grape and sultana toxicity in dogs
Grapes, sultanas and raisins (which are just forms of dried grapes) are very toxic to dogs. What’s in them, as well as the amount eaten to cause toxicity is unknown. Ingestion of only a few sultanas may cause toxicity in some dogs however, could be tolerated in other dogs. The toxin in grapes, sultanas and […]
Rat bait toxicity in dogs
Rat bait (rodenticide) is unfortunately a common cause of dog poisoning. It’s often stored in the home or shed. It is put down and subsequently forgotten about…until of course you find your pup feasting on it. These poisons are designed to kill rats by stopping the bloods ability to clot normally. It affects the vitamin […]
Is fertiliser toxic to cats and dogs?
Fertilisers are toxic to both cats and dogs. However, most cases of poisoning happen to dogs, mainly due to their scavenging nature. Fertilisers generally contain nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium which can vary in what is added to the fertiliser. These agents are added to kill plants, insects and fungi. Signs seen after ingestion depend on […]
Lilies toxic to cats – Fact or fiction?
Lilies are beautiful, they smell great, they come in a variety of colours but did you know, they are highly toxic to cats. In fact, eating the smallest amount can cause their kidneys to fail, and even with intensive therapy, sadly, many cats die. All parts of the plant including the pollen are considered toxic […]
Help! My puppy has diarrhoea!
Diarrhoea is a sign of an unhappy gastrointestinal tract and is characterised by watery or loose bowel movements. It may also have mucous or blood in it. Diarrhoea is just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. In any case, we need to find the cause of the diarrhoea so that we can […]
Is your dog struggling to jump in the car?
It’s hard to see our elder pets struggle to perform tasks that were once second nature, such as getting into the car. Changes in behaviour like this are often one of the first signs that something is not quite right. A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start, and […]