Thursday 29 December 2011

Strange Cat Deaths blamed on anti-freeze

An outbreak in sudden cat deaths has been blamed on irresponsible car owners and anti-freeze.
The sweet-tasting but deadly substance used to keep cars running in winter has been found in a spate of poison deaths in five areas around the country.
Over the past few weeks their has been an increase in the number of cats being brought to vet practices - many have died suddenly or after a short illness, and the post-mortem examinations have confirmed that these animals experienced rapid kidney failure following the ingestion of ethylene glycol, a major component of anti freeze.
Most of the deaths were family pets and it is believed cats are more susceptible as they lick the substance in small puddles while dogs look for larger water sources.  A few millilitres will kill a cat.
Cats are also more at risk as they spend time outside fending for themselves and have a habit of lying under warm cars.
There is no way to be certain how or where the cats ingest the chemical although suspicion has fallen on leaky car radiators and irresponsible disposal of anti-freeze products.
It only takes a small amount of ethylene glycol to poison small animals and induce relatively rapid kidney failure, after ingesting the chemical, small animals may initially present with relatively vague, non-specific signs such as being dull and listless.  Other damaging side-effects include uncoordinated movement before they move rapidly on to kidney failure and death.
Please be vigilant with storage, use and disposal of anti-freeze products. Thank you

Thursday 8 December 2011

Christmas Stockings

*              CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS AVAILABLE AT OUR CLINIC FOR YOUR PET
You pick out what you would like your pet to have for Christmas from our wide range of pet accessories and we’ll make up a stocking for you to put under your Tree. Or you can choose from one of our own stockings already made.