Weekday: 8:30am to 6:00pm | Saturday: Closed Sunday: Closed
Weekday: 8:30am to 6:00pm (open until 8pm Tuesday & Thursday) | Saturday: 9am to 2pm | Sunday: 9am to 12pm
As I sit to write this article, it is 7.40pm on the 15th of May. Today was the first day working out of our new practice on Preston Road. After so many months of planning and so much hard work, finally we are in. If I’m honest it felt a little bit like working at someone else’s practice today! We are all really proud of our new surgery but it’s important to remember that people come to our practice because of the staff who work there and the job that they do on a daily basis. We now have a surgery that thoroughly does them justice. Have a look at our Facebook page for a sneak peek or pop in to say hello! Now it’s time to put my vet hat back on again. There is evidence the number of ticks affecting dogs and people is increasing…
This is likely due to increased travel abroad and climate change. Few would disagree given the weather we’ve had in April and early May this year. Ticks are arachnids and closely related to spiders. They stand on the ends of grass and vegetation waving their legs, waiting for an animal to brush past so they can climb aboard. Ticks can cause irritation and localised reactions. More importantly, they are vectors for a number of serious diseases in both dogs and people.
The most well-known and widespread is Lyme disease. It is caused by a bacterial infection and causes vague flu-like symptoms, a lameness which shifts from limb to limb, and fever. A classic ‘bulls-eye’ lesion is found in both dogs and people alike. Appropriate antibiotics are effective once a diagnosis is made.
Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis are less common and rarer in the UK than other parts of Europe. We are now seeing cases diagnosed in Southern England, however. With increasing pet travel and gradual climate change, both these diseases will become more commonplace in this country.
There are several ways to prevent ticks but there are two treatments we routinely recommend. The first is a tablet called Bravecto; it kills fleas and ticks and lasts 3 months. The second is a medicated collar called Seresto. It prevents fleas and ticks from attaching, is safe, and effective and given it lasts 7-8 months offers excellent value. Combining either of these products with an effective monthly wormer (such as Milquantel) provides complete protection against all internal and external parasites.
With the increase in pet travel abroad, parasitic infections and other exotic diseases are on the rise. So if you do travel, it is important to contact one of our surgeries for advice on appropriate preventative medicine. Even at home, without protection, our pets are still at significant risk.
