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How to Raise Funds for Wet Nose Day with a Fun Day

By Paul Roberts

On August 24, 2017

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Wet Nose Day - Planning a Fun Day to Make Much Needed Funds

If you follow us on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of posts about Wet Nose Day and “posing with your nose” to show your support for the campaign, which we are sponsoring.

For those of you who aren’t currently aware of Wet Nose Day, this blog post tells you a bit more about what it is and how you can help.

This takes place from 29th September to 1st October and is all about raising funds for a number of animal rescue centres, all of whom are struggling to pay vet bills and buy much needed equipment and food for the animals in their care.

They rely on donations to help them with these costs but these are unfortunately down on previous years. At the same time, the number of animals coming into their care is rising.

This imbalance is stretching their resources and this is why we were so keen to come on board as a sponsor of Wet Nose Day. If you’d like to help out too, why not think about planning a fun day to help to raise some much needed funds?

How You Can Help

Holding your own fundraising event can help animal rescue centres to redress the imbalance they have between outgoings and incoming donations. This can help them to cover the costs of more food and medical treatments for the growing number of animals they’re looking after.

You could join in with an organised event such as the skydiving fundraiser taking place on Friday 29th September (and the Saturday and Sunday of that weekend) at Beccles Airfield, which requires a £100 registration fee and groups of 5 or 6 people to raise a minimum of £300.

Or you could have a go at organising your own fundraising event to help out. This could be absolutely anything, from cake sales and coffee mornings to something a lot more ambitious! Anything goes so why not get creative? If you want to keep it simple and animal themed, you might want to think about a sponsored dog walk or something similar, for example.

Some of the other fundraising activities that have been planned in the past include ‘doggy’ tea parties and selling animal themed jewellery to give you a bit of inspiration for the kind of things you could plan.

To help you, download our fundraising packs, aimed at Schools and workplaces..packed with ideas and top tips to help you organise the best WetNose ever! 

Are you planning to hold an event or take part in an activity to raise funds for Wet Nose Day? We’d love to hear what you’re planning so do let us know in the comments section below!

Filed Under: Cats, Dogs, Pet Guides & Help

Make a Less Stressful Visit to the Vet Possible

By Paul Roberts

On August 21, 2017

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How To Make a Visit to the Vet Less Stressful

How Can You Make a Less Stressful Visit to the Vet Possible?

A visit to the vets is not, generally, a pet’s favourite day trip. Sometimes pets dislike visiting the vet because of a negative past experience, and others simply dislike the fact that a stranger is going to be inspecting them. Unfortunately, as much as your pet may dislike these visits, and whatever the reason for this, they are a necessary part of keeping them healthy. However, this doesn’t mean that your pet needs to become stressed or upset by these visits, and it is important that you teach them that the vets is not something to become upset about. Use this advice to help you do just that.

Familiarise Your Pet With The Vet

Many pets dislike the vets simply because they rarely visit, and dislike the idea of a stranger prodding and inspecting them. This is especially the case if the only time your pet goes to the vet is when they are unwell or require an injection or an operation. It is important to teach your pet that they can trust your vet, and that they aren’t always going to cause them discomfort. Visit your vet regularly, even when there isn’t a problem, to build up a rapport between the two and to teach your pet that the vet isn’t always going to be an unpleasant experience.

Take Their Favourite Things

Sometimes it is not the vet, but the surgery that causes a pet to become stressed. This means that bringing your pet in their bed, with their favourite toy, and offering their favourite treats, could be enough to calm their nerves during a visit. The more familiar items they have with them, the more they will feel relaxed.

Visit At Off-Peak Times

It is not just the vet and the surgery that may upset your pet, but also the other animals and owners in the waiting room, which means trying to avoid busy times could help. Of course, depending on your reason for visiting the vet, this isn’t always possible. However, if you are booking your pet in for non-emergency appointments, or routine checkups, try to select off-peak times to minimise the possible stress triggers for your pet.

Be Firm But Calm

It can be incredibly frustrating to deal with a pet that is distressed, and the behavioural issues that may come as a result of this stress, but you should not make yourself a reason for these negative emotions. If your pet is showing signs of stress, you must remain firm to show that the behaviour will not get them out of the situation, but you must also remain calm to show they have no reason to worry. If you were nervous and hesitant about visiting your dentist, it would not help to have someone shout at you, and you should keep this in mind when dealing with nervous pets.

Use A Calming Pheromone Spray

If nothing else seems to calm your pet, a pheromone spray like Feliway or Adaptil may help. These natural sprays are approved by vets, and help to make pets feel more secure and less anxious about their experience. You shouldn’t spray these directly onto your pet, but could spray them in the car to calm them on the journey, or on a blanket that you will use to carry your pet into the vets.

Of course, every pet is different, and the effectiveness of each of these actions will depend on the reason for their anxiety. You should never allow your pet’s stress to prevent you from visiting the vets, as this could mean important health problems go untreated. All vets want to help vets so, in order to make your pet’s visit as stress-free as possible, speak to your vet and warn them in advance if your pet has a problem with visiting the surgery.

Filed Under: Cats, Dogs

How to keep indoor cats happy and healthy

By Paul Roberts

On August 17, 2017

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How to Keep Indoor Cats Happy and HealthyFor a variety of reasons, many people wish to keep their cat as an indoor pet. As with humans, sometimes life indoors can become boring for cats (and stressful) if there’s not enough to interest them or keep them entertained.

Indoor cats could be prone to anxiety and weight gain, especially if they have previously been used to having outside access and are now an indoor only cat due to circumstances. They can also experience more stress by changes to their environment as they spend all of their time indoors.

Here are our top tips for helping your indoor cat(s) to be happy and healthy!

Maintaining a healthy weight for indoor cats

Indoor cats can easily become overweight as they may have less space to be active in. You may also be using the “free feeding” method of leaving their bowl out all day and topping it up when it starts to get empty, then it’s really hard to get a true idea of how much your cat is eating, so if your indoor cat is already overweight, this could be the culprit.

Discuss with your vet about trying specific indoor cat diets, which might be better in maintaining a healthy weight for your cat as they tend to be lower in calories and fat.

Keeping them active and stimulated

Ensure that playtime is stimulating and appeals to your cat’s natural hunting instincts. This is particularly important for indoor cats, who don’t get the same opportunities to engage in this kind of activity outside of the home and also tend to have much less active lives in general. These kind of games can be as simple as chasing a piece of string as “prey”.

For the most part, indoor cats rely much more heavily on you to keep them active so it’s very important to spend time playing with them – preferably on a daily basis.

It’s also likely that you will be their main source of company too, especially if they are the only pet in the home. This makes it particularly key that you spend time with them when you can so they are less likely to feel bored and stressed by their indoor life.

 Cat trees can also provide some climbing access and a different view of the world, which can mix things up for your cat.

Other tips for indoor living

Scratching posts can save your furniture from being shredded. You might find it useful to have more than one in different parts of the home so your cat can use them when the mood takes them. If you’re not convinced they will actually use a scratching post, catnip can be a useful incentive.

Litter trays can be another area of concern. If your cat isn’t going outside to the toilet, you will need to be particularly careful where you place their litter tray so that they are sure to use it.

A quiet place that will afford them a good degree of privacy is crucial (away from their food and drink area) and if you have more than one cat, it’s likely that they will be put off using their litter trays if they are too close together.

Animed Direct has a range of indoor cat food, scratch posts, litter trays and more, as well as being able to provide any prescribed medication your cat may need. Don’t forget to check out our range.

Filed Under: Cats, Pet Guides & Help Tagged With: ,

10 Things To Know About Feline Kidney Problems

By Paul Roberts

On August 15, 2017

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10 Things To Know About Feline Kidney ProblemsYour cat’s kidneys play a vital part in keeping your cat healthy: they flush out toxins in the blood and produce urine. This means that if your cat develops kidney problems, they may also suffer other health issues. Because of this, it is important that you pay close attention to your cat’s health, especially as they get older, so that you can get veterinary help as soon as possible.

In our latest blog we take a look at the top ten facts you need to know about kidney problems in cats:

1. There Are Many Triggers

While kidney failure can simply come as a result of old age, there are other things that can increase the likelihood of your cat developing kidney problems. These include infections, kidney stones, cancer, increased exposure to toxins (such as antifreeze) and malfunction of the immune system. Though there is nothing you can necessarily do to prevent any of these, it is important that you are aware of them and their consequences.

2. There are two types of kidney disease:

Chronic Kidney Disease- This is kidney disease that has developed and worsened over a longer period of time, during which your cat may have shown symptoms.

Acute Kidney Injury- This refers to sudden onset kidney problems, where development is too sudden to notice any symptoms.

3. There Are Plenty of Signs

If your cat is suffering from kidney problems, it is likely that they will show some or all of the following:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Increased Water Consumption
  • Bad breath
  • Bloody or cloudy urine
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea

These aren’t just symptoms of kidney problems, and you should visit your vet as soon as you notice that your cat shows signs of any of these.

4. Even Young Cats Can Suffer

Though it is usually older cats that suffer kidney problems, cats of all ages can be affected. This means it’s vital that you keep a close eye on their overall health from the beginning, and take them for regular veterinary checkups so that any problems can be spotted and treatment can begin as soon as possible.

5. Some Breeds Are More Susceptible

All breeds of cats are at risks of kidney problems, but certain breeds, such as Persians, have a hereditary history of polycystic kidney disease. This is where normal kidney tissue is replaced by multiple cysts filled with fluid. Likewise, Oriental cat breeds are more susceptible to Amyloidosis, which can also cause kidney problems.

6. Kidney Disease Can Cause Other Problems

If you cat’s kidneys don’t function properly, they are likely to develop other health issues, including but not limited to:

  • High blood pressure
  • Blindness
  • Severe weight loss

7. It Can Be Diagnosed A Number of Ways

As well as a physical examination, your vet may run other tests before diagnosing your cat’s kidney condition. These tests might include:

  • Urine analyses
  • Blood pressure testing
  • Blood tests

8. Treatment Is Available

There is no cure for kidney disease, but there are treatments that can make your cat more comfortable. Treatment for a cat with kidney disease might include: fluid therapy to rehydrate and normalise electrolyte levels, a specialised diet and medication to lower blood pressure.

9. Water Can Help Prevent Kidney Problems

Though there’s nothing you can do to rule out your cat’s chances of developing kidney problems, encouraging them to drink as much water as possible from a young age can help to promote good kidney function.

10. Early Diagnosis Is Key

As with any other health issue, the earlier you spot the signs of feline kidney problems, the better. Even though there is no cure, your cat will be able to start treatment sooner, meaning their quality of life will be better in comparison.

Unfortunately, kidney disease is not easy to spot, which is why it is often fairly developed before it gets diagnosed. For this reason, it is incredibly important that you keep a close eye on your cat and seek veterinary advice as soon as you suspect that there could be a problem.

Filed Under: Cats, Pet Guides & Help

Planning A Trip To The Seaside With Your Pooch

By Paul Roberts

On August 8, 2017

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Planning A Trip To The Seaside With Your PoochNothing beats a warm summer’s day at the beach, and it’s made even better when your pooch can join you! The UK has a wonderful selection of dog-friendly beaches, even in the summer months, which means they don’t have to miss out on the family fun. However, much like taking a young child to the beach, bringing your dog along for the day does require a little more preparation and planning so that it can go as smoothly as possible, and with these top tips, there’s no reason that anything should go wrong!

Plan Plenty of Stops

We aren’t all lucky enough to live close by to the beach, which means you need to plan for the car journey with your dog. Allow plenty of time for stops so that your dog can stretch their legs, get some fresh air and have a drink- dogs can get hot and restless on long journeys.

Provide Some Shade

While you might want to sit in the sunshine all day, this is not necessarily the best thing for your dog. Bring a parasol or sun tent, or choose a spot that is partly shaded and encourage your dog to take regular rests here throughout the day.

Pack Plenty of Poo Bags

As fun as bringing dogs to the beach can be, it’s important that you clean up after them to prevent any unwanted mishaps and to keep the beach a clean environment for everyone else to use. Though we are lucky to have so many dog-friendly beaches in the UK, it is important to respect the environment.

Bring Lots of Water

If it’s a hot sunny day on the beach, chances are that you will be running around and playing with your dog. This means that it is especially important to keep them well-hydrated so you should encourage your dog to have a drink at regular intervals. Bring a large bottle of fresh water, and a bowl for them to drink from. This fresh water may also come in useful if your dog has been swimming in the sea, as the saltwater can irritate your dog’s skin as it dries.

Bring A Lead

This should go without saying, but it is important that you bring a lead, both for walking your pet to the beach, wandering around the town, and in case of any potential problems once you are on the beach – such as other dogs. It is now the law for all dogs to be microchipped, and dogs also need to wear a collar and tag with contact details on it when in a public place.

Bring Plenty of Toys

As well as the essentials for your dog’s safety, you mustn’t forget toys so that your dog can have fun on the beach! They might be happy strolling along and relaxing in the shade for some of the day, but they’ll want to play, too. Balls and frisbees are great for games of fetch, and will provide endless fun for your dog. You could even throw the balls out for them to fetch in the sea- though you should be sure that your dog is a competent swimmer before doing this, and even then you should avoid throwing it too far – deep enough to paddle will cool them down enough!

Providing you plan ahead and pack everything necessary, bringing your dog along for a family day at the beach can be great fun. Remember that you should always be mindful of other people using the beach, and even if your dog is well-behaved and friendly, the same can’t always be said for other dogs.

Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Guides & Help

Tips on Pet Grooming

By Paul Roberts

On August 1, 2017

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Tips on Pet Grooming

Regularly grooming your pet is just another part of being a responsible pet owner. Not only does it mean that your pet looks and smells good, it can also help to prevent health issues. Even if your pet doesn’t take kindly to being groomed and makes it difficult for you, it is important to persevere- it is just a matter of them getting used to the process. Here are our top tips on pet grooming and how to do it as efficiently as possible.

Take It Slow

If your pet isn’t used to being groomed on a regular basis, it’s important that you take it slow so that they can get used to the process. Try doing one grooming step each day: brushing one day, bathing the next, clipping claws the next and so on. This way your pet will realise that grooming isn’t a big event to become stressed over and, before long, you will find that you are able to do all steps in one day.

Make It A Positive Experience

If you teach your dog to associate grooming with positive rewards, it will make the experience a lot easier for you both. This means that you must not become irritated or angry, instead placing attention on good behaviour. Use their favourite toy to distract them, if necessary, and reward them with treats after each stage of the grooming process. This will help them to dissociate grooming with stress, and associate it with positivity.

Use The Appropriate Products

It is vital that you use products specifically formulated for your pet and their grooming needs. Of course, it goes without saying that you should only use cat products for cats, and dog products for dogs, etc. But you should also consider your pet’s coat thickness and length, as well as any skin conditions they might have. Not only does this mean you’ll get the best results, but you will also avoid causing any unnecessary skin irritation and discomfort for your pet.

Clean Their Teeth, Too

Not only is aural grooming important, so is dental grooming. You need to check your pet’s teeth and gums for any discoloration or unpleasant smells, as these could be signs of gum disease. If your pet is too small, or too hesitant, for a (specifically designed) toothbrush, you could simply use some gauze wrapped over your finger with some pet toothpaste and gently rub over the teeth and gums.

Establish A Routine

As with any task, little and often is usually the best policy. Regularly brushing and shampooing your pet, as well as cleaning their teeth, will keep the job quick and easy, reducing the stress involved for you and your pet. If you leave long periods between grooming, you will find it a much bigger and more time consuming task. Once a week will suffice for an all-over groom, though you should aim to clean their teeth as regularly as possible to avoid any problems developing.

Filed Under: Cats, Dogs, Pet Guides & Help