October/November 2013 Newsletter

THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION

Parvovirus has been reported in Glasgow recently. Parvovirus causes a highly infectious and usually fatal disease of dogs, which causes severe diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration.

The good news is that illness caused by the Parvovirus is preventable with regular vaccination.

At Campbell & Galloway, we recommend that our patients have an annual health check and booster vaccination. This not only gives them valuable protection against several nasty bugs, including Parvovirus in dogs, but also allows us to give a general health check to your pet and pick up any abnormalities early. We can also give advice on any questions you may have about your pet’s health.

We routinely vaccinate dogs against Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis. For cats we routinely vaccinate against Feline Infectious Enteritis, Feline Rhiotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus. Outdoor cats are usually also vaccinated against Feline Leukaemia Virus too.

Remember that cats do not need to go outdoor to pick up Feline Infectious Enteritis, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus, and as such even indoor cats need regular vaccination.

Some people worry about “over-vaccination”. Please be sure that we only give your pet what they need. For example, as immunity lasts for three years to Distemper with the vaccine we use, this part of the dog vaccine is only given every three years. Immunity to Leptospirosis however only last one year, therefore this part of the vaccine needs to be given every year.

Check your pet’s vaccination status and if they are overdue be sure to call us soon to plan how to re-start their vaccination course.

WINTER-PROOF YOUR BUNNY

As winter draws in think about your outdoor rabbits. Here are a few tips to keep them warm & well this winter:

Raise the hutch off the ground to prevent the base becoming damp. A brick under each corner will suffice if the hutch does not have legs.
Cover hutch with an old blanket or tarpaulin to keep the heat in & the wind out. Remember to leave a small area for ventilation.
Please provide a warm bed. If your hutch doesn’t have a separate bedroom area, consider a cardboard box.
Provide extra bedding ie newspaper to line the bottom and then a thick layer of hay or sawdust.
Rabbits need more food in winter as they use more energy to heat themselves.
Water bottle may freeze so check regularly, and consider insulating the bottle.
Outdoor rabbits can be housetrained, so they can live indoors during winter months, or come inside to play or for a cuddle.

Remember rabbits DO NOT hibernate. If you notice your rabbit is lethargic, cold or not eating please contact us straight away! Rabbits need to eat regularly to keep their guts moving, so a small amount of inappetance can quickly become a big health problem.

Don’t forget your rabbit this Christmas! Rabbits love carrots, brussel sprouts and parsnip, so leave some of your Christmas veg for them!

STAFF NEWS

Meet Eric, our newest member of staff. Eric is a 5-year-old, former racing Greyhound. Jade rescued him at the beginning of October, and he is settling in well. His favourite things are cuddles, sleeping and squeaky toys (particularly stolen ones from the stand in reception, much to Jade’s annoyance!).

BETTY

Betty, the wee cat we were looking to re-home has settled in to her new home! She is now answering to Melon and loves nothing more than cuddling on the sofa to watch television with her new “dad”. Thanks to everyone for their help in finding her a new home.

PATIENTS ON LONG-TERM MEDICATION

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) state that we must be seeing our patients on long-term medication every 3 months. To ensure we are keeping to the RCVS regulations we need to check every prescription that we hand out with a Vet. If you need more medication please call to order it in advance so that it can be ordered in if required, checked and dispensed ready and waiting for you.

THANK YOU!

The staff at Campbell & Galloway would like to say a massive thank you to all of our lovely clients for generally being lovely. We have received many gifts recently (including the ones below) and although we do not do what we do for presents we do enjoy sweets and cake.

CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL

One of our clients has recently highlighted to us the work of Cruelty Free International, who are a global organisation that lobby against animal testing for cosmetic & consumer products.

Check out their website for more information: www.crueltyfreeinternational.org

NEW ARRIVALS