Uplands Way Vets

We know that many of you have been enjoying Easter eggs, and that maybe even the Easter Bunny may have paid you a visit! At this time of year rabbits become extremely popular pets. If you're a rabbit owner, or you're thinking of buying one, here's a handy guide from the RSPCA on how to better read your rabbit's behaviour.

Happy Easter to all of our clients and patients! We hope you have a lovely day and are staying safe.

With the weather becoming warmer and sunnier, many of us are out in the garden more, or making the most of our daily exercise allowance. Government advice is to stay indoors, so with our pets often curious about what we are up to, it's a good idea to be aware of the dangers that could be found in our gardens.

Here's some top tips from Cat's Protection to help keep your cats and kittens safe and happy at this time

There is a lot of chocolate around at this time of year which means it's extra important to keep it safely out of reach of your dogs. It is very poisonous to dogs and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and even kidney and heart failure. If you are doing an Easter egg hunt in your garden make sure your dog doesn't eat them!! 🍫 If your dog wants to play too, why not get the kids to set up a dog treat hunt just for them, with a range of tasty dog-friendly treats for them to find? 🦴
If you think your dog has eaten any chocolate please call us, we may need to make your dog sick to avoid further intoxication.

Can you guess all the dog breeds?! There are a couple of tricky ones thrown in there!

*Contains pictures of surgery*
Albert was born with a cleft palate, due to the tissue that makes up the hard palate not closing properly while he was developing in the womb. His nasal cavity and mouth are connected, which could have lead to lots of problems later in life if not fixed. You can see the extent of it in the second picture He had correction surgery performed by vets Mark and Javier, and then had a feeding tube placed to allow the inside of his mouth to heal as best it could. The last picture shows his mouth a few days ago when it was re-checked - a successful surgery!

🐱 ATTENTION ALL CAT OWNERS! This is a long one but please take the time to read it 🐱
We have seen a recent rise in cases of blocked bladders in male cats. This is where the cat is unable to urinate due to a blockage, leaving the bladder to fill up and up, therefore turning very serious very quickly. They can go into shock and it can be fatal if not caught quickly.
It can occur due to a build up of crystals or stones in the bladder, but can also have an 'idiopathic' cause (i.e.... an unknown cause).
Cats are very prone to stress, sudden changes in their routine or environment can cause anxiety and other health problems, such as a blocked bladder in male cats, or cystitis for both genders.
Obviously now a lot more people are staying at home due to the Covid-19 lockdown, this condition is particularly important to keep in mind.
- Ensure your cats have their own area that they can 'escape' to and feel safe in, maybe provide a new litter tray. - Try and keep your routine as normal as possible at home, work in a different room to where they spend most of their time if you are able. - If you have children ensure they are aware that cats (and other pets of course) need personal space, they do not take well to being overwhelmed or bothered frequently.
Please check the link for symptoms, and what we as vets can do to help with this condition.
https://icatcare.org/advice/urethral-obst ruction-in-cats/
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During these unprecedented times, we thought we'd make you a little rhyme. To remind you of all that we miss, we can’t wait to get back to normality after all of this.
... Every breed of dog and cat, Guinea pigs, rabbits and the occasional rat. We miss every interaction, every kiss and every cuddle, Every tail wag and snuggle, even every happy wee puddle!
Remember that from behind the glass the gloves and lines, We still keep you inside our hearts and minds. Thank you for your loyalty and understanding, Our team, clients and their pets are beyond outstanding.
Share a picture in the comments of your companion and make our day.
Lets do our best to shake any of the doom and gloom away!
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A very good point!! 🌡😳

ATTENTION DOG OWNERS! A lot of people will be working from home and although this could put a big smile on your canine companions face, it could also lead to problems when you return to your normal work routine as your pet will have got used to all of your attention!
Here are our top tips for preventing separation anxiety:
... Tip #1 Follow the same routines as you would if you were going to work, for example get up at the same time. Dogs are good at knowing your routine so anything that is ‘different’ for a long period of time, can become their new routine. Remember, you will have to return to leaving the house for work at some point and this can then distress your dog.
Tip #2 You can still take your dog for a walk following government guidelines of once a day. Consider the best time of day to do this as this and where so that you continue to follow social distancing. Dogs also benefit from mental stimulation so you could hide treats around your home and or garden, so they have to use their nose to find them.
Tip #3 If you are working from home and it is possible, work in a different room to your dog. It may be nice to look down and see your companion at your side especially if you are used to having company in your office, but when you return to work your dog could miss this attention.
Tip #4 Your dog may try to distract you to play or just give them a fuss. It can be hard to resist, but responding teaches them that you are always available for them when they want you. This will stop when you return to work, and this lack of contact when they want it is one of the reasons dogs can suffer with anxiety. Use other distraction techniques like a kong stuffed with food for them to play with https://kongcompany.com/lets-play/recipes
Here is a video to learn more about Separation anxiety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r53U5vzV OM
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Thank you to everyone who clapped for all the key workers tonight 👏🏼👏🏼 We are of course still working hard to provide care for your animals, and your appreciation and respect is greatly welcomed. We hope you’ll be clapping alongside us at 8pm again next week to thank all key workers during this strange time.

This chilled out chinchilla is Haribo, and recently came to see us to have an overgrown tooth removed. Just take a moment to appreciate those ears! 😍😍😍