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PDSA is 'Top of the Ops'
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Charity’s vets reflect on another amazing
year of pet operations and dramatic cases
The puppy that fell off a cliff; the shot
cat; the dog that ate Homer Simpson: it’s all in a day’s
work for vets at pet charity, PDSA. Now they have
rounded up some of the most amazing and eye-watering
cases in an end-of-year ‘Top of the Ops’ compilation.
PDSA, the charity that cares for the pets
of people in need, has broken its own record for pet
operations this year, completing over 100,000, a
5% increase on last year. Its varied surgical casebook
includes emergency operations to remove clothes, balls
and toys from pets’ stomachs, repairing broken limbs,
together with neutering operations, tumour removal and
skin grafts plus other procedures such as fitting full
body casts to injured pets – to name but a few.
“We see all manner of pet patients every
day,” says PDSA Senior Vet Surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury.
“It’s incredible how some pets survive the ordeals they
have been through. It’s testament to their own fighting
spirit and the great work of our vet teams.That’s why
PDSA is so important to the millions of loving pet
owners, who rely our charitable services.”
To celebrate the work of the charity’s highly skilled
staff, PDSA is highlighting the ten most memorable cases
from the last 12 months.
Counting down from 10,
here’s PDSA’s
‘Top of the Ops’ list:
10.
This time last year Labrador, Jack, (then
six-months-old) from Plymouth, ate an entire alphabet of
fridge magnets as a midnight snack, and had to be rushed
to PDSA’s Plymouth hospital to have them removed from
his stomach.
9.
Mischievous six-month-old
Labrador puppy, Rolo, from Gillingham, became the ‘catch
of the day’ for PDSA vets in Gillingham in October after
she swallowed a 1 inch catfish hook - complete with
line still attached. PDSA vets performed an
emergency endoscopy to locate and remove the hook.
Luckily it hadn’t gone into Rolo’s stomach, so the vets
were able to get the hook out in a matter of minutes. If
it had travelled any further inside it could have
punctured her internal organs which could have proved
fatal. As it was, she was back on all fours and wagging
her tail again in no time at all.
8. In
October, Luna, a curious cat from Sunderland, underwent
a rather eye-watering procedure following a near fatal
encounter with a two-and-a half inch stick which had
become mysteriously embedded deep inside her tiny nose.
The stick was literally millimetres away from fatally
wounding her. Vets who treated Luna had never seen such
a strange sight before.
7. In
April, Derby PDSA vets operated on four-month-old
Yorkshire Terrier, Tia, after she had accidentally
swallowed a plastic toy seahorse. Considering Tia's
petite proportions, it was amazing that she had actually
managed to swallow the sizeable toy!
6.Ten-year-old
dog Dixie, from Aberdeen, needed emergency surgery from
PDSA vets to remove a plastic Homer Simpson figure from
her intestines in March. The figurine goes down in
history as one of the most bizarre items removed from a
pet’s stomach!
5.
13-year-old Croydon cat, Smudge, needed emergency
surgery after being shot with an air gun in September.
PDSA vets had to remove the pellet, which had become
stuck in its bladder and was acting as a plug,
preventing him from urinating.
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Betty the Staffordshire bull terrier puppy
4.
Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, Betty, was in
surgery for over an hour after eating a full-length
plastic arrow, measuring 10.5 inches! She had emergency
surgery at Thamesmead PetAid hospital to remove the
arrow which spanned from her oesophagus right through to
the small intestine.
3.
Vets at Huyton PDSA PetAid hospital had to act
quickly when Harvey, a six-month old Shar-pei, was
rushed in after swallowing a cocktail stick in May. The
stick was poking out of his intestine and without
surgery, he could have died from peritonitis.
2.
Tinsel the cat from Staffordshire, was another victim of
an airgun attack, which could have killed her. During a
two-hour operation, PDSA vets found two airgun pellets
that had perforated her intestine in five places. The
charity’s vets had to navigate through six loops of the
intestine to remove damaged tissue and then sew
everything back together. PDSA vets described it as ‘the
worst airgun injury they had ever seen’.
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Darcy the Patterdale terrier puppy
1. In
at number one is the dramatic story of Patterdale
terrier puppy, Darcy, from Sunderland, who defied death
after plunging 45ft off a cliff, leaving her with broken
bones in three of her legs. PDSA staff spent hours
operating on her broken bones to help the unlucky pooch
walk again. She’s now back on all fours and living life
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Kym Marsh Re-homes
RSPCA Puppy
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Coronation
Street actress Kym Marsh has
come to the rescue of a puppy
named Oliver after seeing an
appeal for him to be re-homed on
the TV programme This Morning.
Kym fell in love with Oliver,
who’s a twelve-week-old
retriever cross, the minute she
spotted him on the show which
was featuring dogs abandoned
over the Christmas period.
Kym said “I was off work and we
were watching the show and I
felt so sorry for all the dogs,
but little Oliver walked on and
looked so chilled in the studio,
he just melted our hearts”.
Oliver was found in a box by the
bins outside a pet shop in
Surrey just after Christmas and
was taken to Chobham’s Millbrook
Animal Centre.
Chief Inspector Simon Osborne
appeared on the TV show with
Oliver and a Staffordshire cross
puppy named Saffy who was
abandoned on Boxing Day.
Immediately after the feature,
dog lover Kym Marsh contacted
the programme desperate to speak
with the RSPCA and offer Oliver
a new home.
The RSPCA agreed to visit her
home to ensure it would be
suitable for a puppy, and on
Sunday 10 January, Kym and her
partner, ex-Hollyoaks actor
Jamie Lomas and their family
visited Millbrook to meet Oliver
and introduce him to their
seven-year-old Chihuahua named
Charlie.
Kym added: “The RSPCA do an
amazing job for not just dogs
but all animals and I’m so
pleased to be able to support
the Society and adopt Oliver to
give him the home he deserves.”
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Burns Real Food for Dogs
Developed by Veterinary Surgeon
John Burns BVMS MRCVS
Sixtyplusurfers Competition
Sixtyplusurfers has teamed up
with Burns Pet Nutrition to
offer one lucky reader the
chance to win a Doggie Bag
containing lots of goodies for
your pet.
When John Burns was in
veterinary practice he realized
that many pet health problems
were linked to diet. He advised
owners to feed a home prepared
diet instead but, as this was
time consuming for them and not
always convenient, he developed
a range of dry, complete foods
based on his home cooked
recipes.
Burns diets are
naturally produced from high
quality ingredients and do not
contain artificial colourings,
flavourings or chemical
preservatives. As they contain
only highly digestible
ingredients the daily feeding
costs are low making them very
economical to feed. As a bonus
the dog can digest the food
properly leaving less waste to
clean up afterwards.
Symptoms such as
excessive moulting, itchy skin
and digestive upset can be
managed by feeding Burns at the
correct rate. In addition most
of the diets are hypoallergenic
and some can be used as
alternatives to Veterinary &
Prescription Diets™.
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Itching or Moulting?
Many owners
regard persistent moulting as an
irritating but unavoidable part
of dog ownership but in most
cases this is a symptom of an
unsuitable diet. Excessive
moulting, obsessive grooming,
chewing the feet and legs,
balding patches, skin eruptions
and irritated skin can all be
signs of food intolerance and
changing to a hypoallergenic
diet, such as Burns, may help.
Overfeeding can
also cause skin irritation and
moulting as it creates a build
up of metabolic waste in the
body which is expelled through
the skin. Having the anal
glands emptied can help remove
this toxic waste from the body
and allow the skin to improve
quicker. Many owners don’t
think they are overfeeding
because their dog is not
overweight but excess weight is
only one symptom. Other signs
of overfeeding include digestive
upset, waxy ears, runny eyes,
bad breath, tooth tartar, body
odour, full anal glands,
moulting, itchy and flaky skin.
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Digestive problems?
Unfortunately
digestive problems are quite
common in dogs. Symptoms can
include flatulence, loose or
excessive stools, strong
smelling or light coloured
stools and diarrhoea. As with
skin problems many of these are
simply caused by the dog eating
too much food and reducing the
daily ration will often help.
However, food intolerances and
allergies are becoming more
common and changing to a
hypoallergenic diet with novel
ingredients (ones the dog has
never eaten before) can help.
Burns has several diets with
novel ingredients, such as our
Pork and Potato, Venison and
Brown Rice and Duck and Brown
Rice varieties.
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Weight Control?
Obesity is
currently a major problem in
pets yet many owners are
surprised when they are told
that their dog is overweight.
There is a common misconception
that if you can see a dog’s ribs
it must be underweight. You
should be able to feel the dog’s
ribs should easily with the flat
of your hand and if you ‘pinch’
the skin there should only be a
little flesh between the
fingers. You should also be
able to see a clear waistline
when looking at the dog from
above.
Although all
Burns’ adult maintenance
formulations contain controlled
levels of fat (oil) and are
considered ‘light’ or ‘low
calorie’ High Oats in
particular can be helpful with
weight control. Oats naturally
have a higher fibre level than
rice or maize which means that
the dog can feel satisfied for
longer by a smaller volume of
food. Specialist or Veterinary
Diets™ for weight control are
usually high in added fibre in
the form of cellulose, an
indigestible plant material, to
reduce the digestibility of the
food. These foods are an
expensive way of producing
faeces.
To control a
dog’s weight Burns’ High Oats
should be fed according to the
animals target weight and not
its actual weight. Vegetables,
both cooked and raw, can safely
be included in the diet to help
fill the dog up if you feel that
is needed. It is important to
check the dog’s weight regularly
to ensure that the weight
reduction programme is on course
and that there is a slow and
steady reduction in weight.
Here to Help You and Your Dog!
Burns understands
that each dog is an individual
and we have a free nutrition
helpline so you can consult
our team of friendly, expert
nutrition advisors. Whether you
need in depth advice on managing
specific health problems or
simply want help with feeding
amounts the Burns Nutrition Team
has the experience and knowledge
to help. They will be happy to
help you put your pet on the
road to natural, good health.
Call them free during office
hours on 0800 083 66 96
or e-mail via
info@burnspet.co.uk
.
About the Company
Burns Pet
Nutrition is a family run
business founded by John Burns
BVMC MRCVS. Based in Wales, the
company supports independent pet
shops and businesses. We
recommend that you buy Burns
products from your local pet
shop or supplier. You will not
find Burns products in any
supermarket store.
To search for
your nearest Burns Stockist
click here:
www.burnspet.co.uk/dog/stockist.asp
Doggie
Bag Competition
Win a Burns
Doggie Bag containing the
following items:
2 x 2kg Burns
Real Food for Dogs, one packet
of Kelties and Ocean Bites
treats and a Burns fleece dog
blanket.
To enter the competition, please
answer the following question:
Which has the highest fibre
level?
[a]
Rice
[b]
Maize
[c] Oats
Email your answer together with
your full
name and address to:
comp@burnspet.co.uk
Good luck!
From time to time
Burns Pet Nutrition may send you
emails on pet nutrition and
special offers.Please add “no
contact” in the subject line if
you do not wish to receive
any
further correspondence. |
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Your
Pet in the Cold Weather
The
RSPCA is asking members of the
public to do everything they can
keep animals safe in the snow
and ice after being called about
a number of dogs, horses and
wildlife in sticky situations.
Pets
need extra special care during
the chilly winter months. Keep a
close eye on outdoor pets, such
as guinea pigs and rabbits. Put
extra bedding in their home and
be prepared to move them into a
shed or garage for extra shelter
whilst the weather is cold.Try to maintain a regular
routine with your dog. Dog owners must keep their pets
well away from ponds and lakes
that are iced over. Thin ice may
break under a dogs weight. If
your dog does get trapped on
ice, call for help rather than
risking your own safety by
trying to rescue it yourself.
Also watch out for dogs paws
becoming impacted with snow this
can cause them discomfort.Don't forget to look after the
wildlife in your garden. In
winter, birds may have
difficulty finding normal food
supplies such as berries,
insects, seeds, worms and fruit. |
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Could
Your Pet Win The
Pet Factor? .jpg)
Has your pet got a special story to tell? As
part of its Pet Factor campaign, the National
Office of Animal Health’s (NOAH) website Pet
Health Information is looking for winning pets
with amazing stories to be entered into a
competition for a prize worth more than £1,000.
Pet Health Information www.pethealthinfo.org.uk is
asking pet owners to go onto the website to
explain why their four-legged friend has the Pet
Factor in 200 words or less. Maybe you wouldn’t
recognise your rescue dog from his neglected
former self? Or your brave cat has recovered
from being run over? Whatever makes your pet
special, this is your chance to shout about it.
The Pet Factor campaign was launched with a
viral video trilogy, focussing on Pet Factor
auditions for a dog, cat, and hamster that
reminded owners of the importance of basic pet
care – worming, flea control, exercise and a
healthy diet.
Phil Sketchley, chief executive of NOAH, said:
“The video campaign was an amazing success, and
even got its own following on Facebook. Now we
want to take the campaign even further and have
launched a competition to find pets that have
done something special in a way that really
embodies the spirit of the Pet Factor.”
The winning pet and their owner will have a full
photo shoot worth over £1,000 with renowned
animal photographer Sam Lunt. The final
photographs will be presented to them in a
beautiful bound book, to remember their special
day.
If you missed the pet factor viral videos, click
on www.youtube.com/petfactor and
if you think your pet has what it takes to win
the Pet Factor, submit your 200 word entry, with
a photograph if possible, at www.pethealthinfo.org.uk,
by 28 February 2010.
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Britain’s Pets Face
Dietary Time Bomb
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Forget eight out of ten cats,
nine out of ten vet
professionals believe UK pets
are at serious risk of diet
related diseases, mirroring the
alarming trends seen in human
health, and the recession has
increased the risk.
A study of more than 100
veterinary professionals
suggests their daily case loads
are weighed down with a host of
serious “man-made”
dietary-related problems
including obesity, diabetes,
heart disease and high blood
pressure, simply because owners
are not feeding their pets
appropriately. What’s more,
these problems are on the
increase as a result of owners
switching to lower quality food
– or feeding a man-made diet of
crisps and chocolate as in the
case of Barney the 70kg
Dalmatian uncovered recently.
"As a nation, our modern
lifestyles of fast food, large
food portions, and too little
exercise are taking a toll on
our health, our children's
health, and now our pet's
health. Excessive calories and
lack of physical activity are
leading to alarming rates of
obesity, which has become the
most common form of
malnutrition in pets today.
"As the links between obesity
and disease are becoming
clearer, it is vital that pet
owners adopt healthier
practices such as feeding
appropriate portions of food,
avoiding too many snacks and
treats, and exercise with their
pets," said Pet Obesity Task
Force Committee Member and
Veterinary Nutritionist, Dr
Daniel Chan.
Alarmingly, despite obesity
being the most physically
obvious diet related disease in
the UK, the vet professionals
who participated in the Hill’s
Pet Nutrition study agreed
unanimously that owners do not
realise their much-loved but
overweight pet is actually
suffering from malnutrition. If
the most physically obvious diet
related disease is not
recognised as a health problem,
little wonder vets have such
concern regarding the more
‘silent’ yet no less deadly
diseases such as diabetes and
heart disease.
The vet professionals were also
in agreement that not all pet
foods are the same, believing
to some degree you get what you
pay for. Yet worryingly, 83% of
vet professionals believe our
pet’s health has been another
casualty of the economic
downturn, as cutbacks in the
family budget saw trading-down
on pet food. Vets suggest the
effects of these cutbacks will
lead to increases in cases of
diet related diseases in the
next two years, with a surge in
potentially fatal conditions
such as diabetes (61%),
intestinal problems and
pancreatitis (66%).
Adrian Pratt BVSc MRCVS, Hill’s
Pet Nutrition Veterinary Affairs
Manager, said: “The results make
sombre reading. Almost all (98%)
of the vet professionals who
participated report seeing a
host of preventable diseases in
practice which are the result of
inappropriate feeding. While
obesity tends to be caused by
an excess of ‘empty calories’
and too little exercise,
inadequate nutrients or excess
nutrients like salt, will also
affect a pet’s general health
and wellbeing, leading to
sickness or long-term diet
related diseases.”
Other
findings of the study include:
· Diet-related problems that
cause suffering on the most
widespread scale include
problems in the intestines and
pancreas, which 40% of vet
professionals saw at least once
a day in practice. Pancreatitis
is one of many dietary-related
diseases that can be fatal.
· Vet professionals expect to
see an increase in diseases
associated with malnutrition
such as kidney disease (55%),
lower urinary tract disease and
urolithiasis (58%), heart
disease and high blood pressure
(30%). Over half (56%) also
anticipate an increase in growth
abnormalities and/or skeletal
deformities and skin diseases
(51%). All of these conditions
can be avoided or managed with
the appropriate diet.
· On the point that you are what
you eat, 93% of vet
professionals agree that this
is relevant to pets just as it
is in humans.
· More than three-quarters of
vet professionals agree that
feeding quality will save money
in the long term.
· In addition to trading-down
on foodstuffs, owners have been
tightening the purse strings and
cutting back on vaccinations,
worming and flea treatments
(80%), routine surgeries, such
as neutering (51%) and pet
insurance (50%).
The study was conducted by
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, global
leaders in pet food and makers
of Hill’s Science Plan, one of
the few products available in
the UK that provide specifically
tailored nutrition to ensure
that pets receive the optimal
range of nutrients, every day.
A
cat can be fed on Hill’s Science
Plan for as little as 38p per
day (£2.66 per week), less than
the price of a cup of coffee.
Based on feeding a 4kg cat a 5kg
bag of Hill’s Science Plan
Adult Optimal Care at midpoint.
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Two Girls For Every Boy
Perfect Start to Pochard
Breeding Programme
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Scientists working to save the rarest bird in
the world, the Madagascar pochard, have reported
ducks (girls) outnumber drakes (boys) by almost
two to one in the first two broods being reared
in captivity, giving further hope to the
emergency rescue mission. 16 ducklings being
raised by WWT’s ‘Team Pochard’ in Madagascar,
along with colleagues from Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust and The Peregrine Fund, have
now been “sexed” and 11 are female.
WWT’s aviculture manager Nige Jarrett explains:
“This is a perfect start to a
conservation-breeding programme. There are fewer
than 20 adult birds left in the wild, all on one
lake – their future is very precarious. In 2010
we will be working to breed as many pochards as
possible to reintroduce on to wetlands across
the species’ former range. To do this we need
our young birds to lay lots of eggs , so females
really are the currency we’re dealing in. 11
out of 16 in the first two broods is fabulous
news.”
Team Pochard is raising three broods of pochard
ducklings in captivity in Madagascar. Like all
ducks, it is possible to tell their sex by
examining their bottoms. The two eldest broods
were recently handled to be leg ringed and at
the same time the birds were sexed: well over
half of them turned out as females. The sexes of
the birds in the third brood may yet bring more
good news.
The current emergency rescue mission was mounted
after a reconnaissance team visited in July and
found the situation was worse than feared.
The
team discovered just six females and evidence
that ducklings from 2008 had died at just a few
weeks old, leaving the entire species highly
vulnerable to extinction.
Working with local people and the government of
Madagascar, this work is part of a wider plan to
establish a conservation breeding centre in the
region in 2010. You can follow the team’s
progress at wwt.org.uk/teampochard.
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