Kendal Surgery Monday to Friday 8.30am—7.00pm Saturday 8.30am-12noon Tel:01539 722692

www.westmorland-vets.co.uk

Kirkby Lonsdale Surgery Monday & Thursday 8.30am-7.00pm Tuesday 8.30am-6.00pm Wednesday & Friday 8.30am-5.00pm Saturday 8.30am-12 noon Tel:015242 71221

Little Friends

Fleas are an all year round problem not seasonal. Through the year, you

might find your pets get some little friends…!

Fleas are the most common parasite problem for UK dogs and cats. Did

you know, 95% of any infestation is in the home and not on the pet?!

Fleas can cause severe irritation and infection of the skin (flea allergy

dermatitis). They may also carry Bartonella - this is a bacteria that

causes the disease Bartonellosis, also known as Cat Scratch Disease.

As well as diseases, fleas can carry the flea tapeworm which can cause

harm to our pets.

Tick numbers have been increasing over recent years in the UK. Many

factors may have contributed to this increase including changing

weather patterns making conditions more favourable for tick survival

and increasing numbers of deer.

Ticks put your pet at risk of contracting tick-borne pathogens, which can

result in diseases such as Lyme and Babesiosis. Owners are also at risk

from both ticks and any diseases carried when they walk their dogs.

Ticks are not confined to rural areas either, with strong tick populations

also present in urban areas.

Book a nurse consultation or call in to discuss the best treatment for your pet.

Thursday 12th September Come along and see us at the show. There'll be a cup of tea and a yummy cake waiting for you.

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KENDAL KIRKBY LONSDALE

Summer 2019

Welcome to our summer small animal newsletter! In this edition, we have lots to fill

you in on with what our team have been up to over spring. We have recently been

focusing on our pet's emotional health post operation and have some useful tips for

you and your pet. We will also take a look at some of the hot topics this summer in-

cluding pet passports and our pets 'little friends'.

What’s been happening with us…

On the 16th, the team got together and went

to the Milking Parlour in

Kirkby Lonsdale to learn

about how the business got

started and how they make

their delicious gelato! We

then got to sample some

too – yum!!

Exciting news - Vets Chris and Becca have

got engaged!! We are very pleased for them

and wish them all the best for the future.

This is Peggy with the new KONG toy – her

mum was the lucky winner of the KONG

Classic dog toy when she guessed which vet

nurse had which pet on our online competi-

tion. Well done, we hope Peggy enjoys her

new treat!

At Easter, we held a little competition… 12

staff members took to the kitchens in their

spare time and all made some egg-cellent

cakes for our ‘Great Kirkby Bake Off’!!

They were all egg -ceedingly good but Leanne

was the overall winner with her strawberry

carrots on chocolate cheesecake.

In Our Spare Time

We are a fairly active bunch here at Westmorland – our Kirkby nurses have recently been putting in a lot of training in their spare time. Last month, Naomi got muddy completing a gruelling ‘Born Survivor’, Leanne smashed it in another triathlon and Gayle completed her first marathon! Well done girls!

May - Vet Nurse Awareness Month

Outside of the consulting room, most of the attention and medical care your pet receives is at

the hands of a veterinary nurse. It is this care we celebrate each May, as Veterinary Nursing

Awareness Month (VNAM) gives us an opportunity to talk about our role in caring for your

pets. In any given day a veterinary nurse may find themselves taking x-rays, medicating pa-

tients, consulting with clients, maintaining equipment, monitoring anaesthetics, dressing

wounds, answering phones, and the list goes on!

We have 8 Registered Veterinary Nurses, all who do a fabulous job each and every day. If you

want to know more about what RVNs do, or how to train to become one, please give us a call.

Country Fest 2019

Chris and Rebecca had a super time presenting

prizes at the dog show at Country Fest the other

week. The dogs came in all sizes, shapes but

were a really friendly bunch.

Holiday time!

Summer has arrived and it’s time to book a holiday! How-ever, with BREXIT on the horizon, things are in a state of flux.

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) allows owners to take their pets abroad, provided their pets meet the conditions of the scheme.

Currently, the rules regarding pet travel within Europe require pets to have:

* A valid Pet Passport

* Microchip (or legible tattoo imprinted prior to 3 July 2011)

* Rabies vaccination (pet must be at least 12 weeks of age)

* At least 21 days before travel . As of the 31st of October, unless a deal is agreed, requirements may alter. We therefore advise your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. Please call to discuss your pets requirements.

For further details and up to date information on pet transport visit: https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

P.o.s.t Operation Tips

Is your dog having an operation soon?

Or maybe they have an injury that requires strict rest? Trying to keep them quiet for the required time can be very difficult and can lead to frustration for the pet (and owners!). Keeping their minds occupied without being physically active can be a big challenge so we have come up with 4 POST op tips on how to keep your dog mentally healthy whilst they recover from their procedure or injury.

P – Play with a KONG toy.

This will keep your dog occupied when left alone for quiet time. Chewing is quite relaxing and stress relieving and will keep their mind occu-pied.

O – Only walk little and often.

Frequent short walks are more beneficial than a few longer ones. It will keep them mentally ac-tive without being too physically active. You can also make walks more interesting by going to different places with new smells, sounds and sights.

S – Start making food time more fun

Using slow feeders, activity feeders and lick mats are a fun easy way to keep your dog stimulated without physically doing too much.

T – Teach your dog brain games

This is a great way of interacting and bond-ing with your dog whilst not overdoing it. Playing games such as ‘hide and seek’ or teaching them a new skill will encourage your dog to use all its senses whilst tiring them out.