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newsThere is always plenty going on at Quantock Veterinary Hospital so do keep an eye on our News page to keep up to date with our achievements, staff changes and other key pieces of news. Lucky Lola Basset HoundPet Smile month 2010Summer trips with petsSparky is pet of the monthFlystrike action now!Summer is here!National Microchip Month June 2010Pet of the Month April 2010 – ‘Magnus’ KeatesBeautiful Belle is a top slimmerDido is pet of the month for MarchWorm Patrol with Dr WhoSad newsRuby is 'Pet of the year'New veterinary nursesPet of the Month December – ‘Ruby’Free January weight consultationsPet of the Month November– ‘Teddie’Remember remember even though it's December...Alfie - September's Pet of the MonthCommando challenge 2009Sian scoops national dental awardRemember remember though it's DecemberLiz completes half marathonLucky Lola Basset Hound
Lola Taylor, a lovable basset hound belonging to a local family with two young children was only 7 months old when, out for a walk, she squeezed through a hedge and ended up in the middle of two lanes of fast traffic. Mr Taylor watched in horror as terrified Lola was hit by one car and then a second fast moving vehicle. She ended up on the verge, conscious but extremely shocked and in acute pain. Mr Taylor explained “It really was a horrifying sight to witness and we had no idea how badly hurt she was but with the help of some very kind passer-by, we wrapped Lola up and I held her very carefully while a lady drove me straight to the veterinary hospital. It's so reassuring to know that in times of trouble there are people who will drop everything to help". Vet Liz Mullineaux, who had just finished surgery on a cat, rushed to check Lola over- the worry was not being able to see the extent of her injuries and concern about spinal damage-things were not looking good and Mr Taylor had to leave Lola in the team's capable hands but not knowing if she would pull through. Liz said "after we'd calmed Lola down and sorted out her pain relief we discovered that she had a fractured pelvis and broken tibia. Surgery involving complex pinning of her leg and then she had to endure weeks of dressing changes and cage rest-not easy for a young pup. She was in a lot of pain for some time, despite good pain relief, and on top of that poor Lola had lost the ability to urinate on her own and so needed help expressing her bladder". After nearly a month, the family were keen to get Lola home. Mr Taylor explained “It was a lot of hard work looking after Lola when she came home – it was like having another baby! However with the guidance and support of both Liz and Dominic, the dedicated commitment of the veterinary nurses, in particular Stuart, and help available 24/7, we felt able to provide the care Lola required. Looking after her meant lifting her carefully using towels, helping her go to the toilet and administering all her medicine around the clock, but it was great to have her back! The children were brilliant and took it all very seriously". After weeks of rest and then gradual physiotherapy, with the help of physiotherapist Helen Massey, Lola improved, physically and psychologically, little by little and she has delighted everyone with a full recovery. Mr Taylor added “We can’t believe it. When Lola had her first walk and we watched her break into a run with joy we were over the moon – it’s a sight I thought I’d never see again!". 2010-09-01 back to top Pet Smile month 2010
Dental disease affects many of our pets. Often the signs are mistaken for signs of old age setting in. This September, at Quantock Veterinary Hospital we are offering free dental checks to all animals. So, whether you are concerned that dental problems may be affecting your pet or you want to learn how to keep their mouth healthy, this is the time to make an appointment. As well as free dental health checks, we are also offering 10% off any dental treatment carried out during Pet Smile Month (September 2010). Animals of all ages can be affected by dental problems, so book your dental check now and we can advise you on preventative care or treatment to suit you and your pet. 2010-08-27 back to top Summer trips with pets
This summer you may be thinking of taking a family trip. Here are some travelling tips to make the journey more enjoyable for your four legged family members. To prevent injury to your dog as well as yourself and your passengers it is strongly recommended that you restrain your dog within the vehicle. There are three good ways of doing this: 1. You can install a pet barrier between the boot and the back seats. While this does help prevent your dog from causing a distraction while you are driving, and offer some protection to those in the car as a result of the dog being thrown forward in an accident, it does not offer much protection for the dog in an accident. 2. Your dog may be contained in a crate while traveling. The crate should ideally be secured to the car so as to avoid it moving in transit or during an accident. If the pet suffers from travel sickness this can be the best method to prevent the car from becoming soiled. 3. You can restrain your dog with a safety harness that attaches to a standard seatbelt. This prevents the dog from being thrown around in the event of an accident and restrains him/her within the car, while still allowing the pet to sit, lie and look out of the window. Travel sickness To get your dog used to traveling take him/her for short car journeys to an enjoyable destination, such as a park or the beach, so that the dog associates the car with a positive experience. If your dog suffers from car sickness do not feed him/her for a few hours before the journey. If travel sickness is a persistent problem speak to one of the vets about medication to help reduce or stop this. 2010-08-12 back to top Sparky is pet of the month
Long haul for brave Sparky but she's up and running! Once stabilised and before surgery took place poor Sparky then suffered a plural effusion with fluid building up around her lungs making it hard for her to breath. This complication delayed surgery but a few days later she was undergoing a long and complex operation with two vets, Liz Mullineaux and Dominic Phillips, working hard to preserve her quality of life. As part of Sparky’s treatment, the vets attached an ‘external fixater’ to her badly damaged hind leg. After a few months of returning home it was apparent that Sparky’s pelvis had healed well and critical neurological functioning of the bladder and bowels back to normal which was a huge relief. However, despite the treatment and rest, Sparky’s fibula was not mending as it should as a result of the infected damaged bone from the open fracture and in June it was agreed by all involved that it would be best for her to have her rear leg amputated. Mrs Houghton said “It’s been a long haul with Sparky following the accident but we’ve got there in the end and despite the loss of her leg, she is as right as rain again! Sparky was originally my mother’s cat and very wild, it took her a long time to trust us and become part of our family. After the accident it was a difficult time waiting to see if the various injuries had mended successfully, particularly as this sort of damage can lead to serious neurological issues. Then, after she lost her leg, she was very wobbly and frustrated but I’m happy to say that she now really is fine and bounds up our stairs just like before! Everyone at the hospital has been kind and dedicated and their hard work has paid off. I’ve been a client of theirs for a very long time and we have been very impressed with their care, I really can’t thank them enough.” Nurse Zoe Richards said “Sparky was such a brave little cat and so friendly and loving despite all she was going through.> We’re really delighted that she’s home and coping so well on her three legs.”
2010-07-13 back to top Flystrike action now!
Over the past two months here at the hospital we have admitted 10 rabbits that have developed flystrike. This is a disease that occurs when flies lay their eggs around the rabbit’s bottom, normally because faecal material has built up around this area. The eggs hatch into maggots which mature and burrow under the skin making the rabbit extremely ill and if not treated soon enough toxic shock can be fatal. Even if you check your rabbit’s bottoms routinely for cleanliness it only takes 12 hours for a complete cycle from egg to flesh eating maggot! The smallest amount of faeces or tiniest wound will make your rabbit very attractive to that blue bottle fly that is looking for somewhere safe and warm to lay her eggs. All rabbits are at risk from developing flystrike but some conditions make them more susceptible than others. These include:
Responsible rabbit owners should be applying a preventative product, either one that prevents maggots from developing or one that repels flies, or in some cases both. Come and talk to us about which product(s) are most appropriate for your pet. Why risk your rabbit’s life? 2010-07-12 back to top Summer is here!
As we all look forward to some sunshine it is easy to forget about how the season might affect our furry friends. At Quantock Veterinary Hospital we are highlighting the problems which Summer can bring for your pets. These include: a variety of allergies; itching caused by fleas and ticks; and 'Heat stroke' (which can be fatal). Thankfully there are many things which pet owners can do to make life more comfortable for their animals:
Call into the Hospital for advice on the best care for your animals throughout the warmer months .....our team will be happy to help you!
2010-06-16 back to top National Microchip Month June 2010
In order to add our support to National Microchipping Month, Quantock Veterinary Hospital is offering microchipping at just £17.00 inc vat all throughout June. Having a pet stolen or go missing is a heart-wrenching experience for any owner. By having their pets microchipped, owners can ensure that if their missing pets are found they will be returned to them. National Microchipping Month is a campaign organised by the Kennel Club and Petlog, the largest Microchip Pet reunification service in the UK, that encourages and promotes microchipping as the preferred method of permanent pet identification. Phone the Hospital to make an appointment to have your pet microchipped today! 2010-06-01 back to top Pet of the Month April 2010 – ‘Magnus’ Keates
Magnus is a cat with a dangerous penchant for ribbon and glitter! Three year old Magnus Keates, who is blind in one eye, was brought in to the hospital vomiting, uncomfortable, increasingly miserable and seriously off his food. His worried owner, Mrs Keates, had no idea what might be wrong but neither she, nor vet Rhiannon Jones were totally surprised to find that he had a thickened intestine indicating a potential foreign body. Magnus had a history of picking up and eating strange objects he found around the house and with Mrs Keates involved in various craft activities and with two daughters in the house, it was a constant struggle to ensure that there was nothing left lying around that he might try to eat! “With this history, I felt it was likely that Magnus had eaten something that was stuck, particularly on feeling the lump in the intestine” said Rhiannon. “On examining his throat, we found the end of a glittery thread wrapped firmly around the back of his tongue – the thread led on down the oesophagus. We had no choice but to give him a general anaesthetic and investigate surgically to see where it went.” Vets Liz Mullineaux and Rachel Thomas performed the surgery and found that the thread – which turned out to be approximately one foot of gold, glittery twine – went all the way, from its anchor at the tongue, down his oesophagus, through his stomach and down his intestine! The foreign body was safely removed and Magnus made an encouraging recovery. However, a few days after leaving hospital, the little cat made a worrying turn for the worse once again becoming lethargic, retching and this time suffering a serious cough. Fortunately, Mrs Keates brought Magnus quickly back to the hospital where the condition was diagnosed as aspiration pneumonia, an extremely serious and life threatening, inflammatory lung disorder that can occur with the inhalation of a foreign substance. This had arisen from Magnus vomiting and regurgitation food into his airways whilst the string was in place. Magnus was treated with fluids, strong antibiotics and more rest. He has now made a full and robust recovery. Mrs Keates said “Both times I knew something was badly wrong because Magnus, who is usually a bit of a monkey, was totally off colour and put up no fight getting into his travel cage. We are so very relieved that he’s totally better now – in fact we think that he’s been rather enjoying the attention, he has been treated like a prince at the hospital and the last time we went for a check up, he was purring so loudly they couldn’t concentrate on his tests! Everyone at the hospital was fantastic; you don’t feel like it’s a business because it’s all so personal.” Very little is being left on the floor at the Keates household these days! 2010-05-23 back to top Beautiful Belle is a top slimmer
Six years old collie cross Belle Simon is one of our most successful slimmers. In July 2009 Belle weighed 29kg, with chest and waist measurements of 82cm and 70cm respectfully. Belle saw Veterinary Nurse Lucy Hudson at a weight clinic and started on a program of increased exercise and a special weightloss diet. Over seven months belle has lost 6.4kg making her a slimline 22.6kg, with new chest and waist measurements of 70cm and 53cm. Her success is down to the dedication of her owner who has been very strict with her feeding, stopped giving unnecessary treats and has increased Belles exercise. Belle was also one of Lucy's first weight clinic cases and she says she feels 'pleased and proud that she has achieved her target weight'. If your pet is overweight and you feel you need some help and advice to get on the right track to a slimmer healthier pet, come and speak to us at the Hospital or phone Lucy. 2010-05-04 back to top Dido is pet of the month for March
Three and a half year old Dido, a fun loving border terrier with a good appetite, gave her owners a terrible fright earlier this year when she managed to open and eat an entire Tupperware container full of rich, dark chocolate Tiffin! Juliet Harkness, was preparing for a training day for volunteers of a local charity ‘Home Start’*, a voluntary organisation offering support, friendship and practical help to families at home with children under five. She had baked enough special Chocolate Tiffin for the 15 people attending the event (see recipe below!), placed it carefully in a container and left it in a bag in the kitchen for the following day. Mr and Mrs Harkness were woken up at 2am by Dido and her mother Clarrie, barking and generally disturbed. Mr Harkness explained “We let the dogs out but although Dido particularly was acting strangely, we couldn’t see what was worrying them. We woke again at 3am to the same disturbance and it was then that we noticed the open and empty container! We couldn’t believe she could have eaten it! We quickly checked the internet for details about dogs and chocolate poisoning but it was terrifying to read about the potentially fatal effects.” Vet Liz Mullineaux was called out and brought Dido immediately into the hospital where it was confirmed that she had eaten well over a fatal dose of chocolate and was in a worrying condition. She was put onto fluids and BCK granules, a charcoal based granule which helps absorb any toxins remaining in the stomach, and kept under careful observation. She remained agitated and her symptoms peaked with a dangerously high heart rate and temperature. However the team managed to stabilise her with careful treatment including a course of Valium and thankfully, over three days Dido made a total recovery and was able to go home. Liz said “Dido certainly kept us on our toes cleaning up the after effects of her midnight feast! We were just so relieved that Mr and Mrs Harkness got her in to the Hospital in good time – any later, or if she’d been a slightly smaller dog, I am sure we would have had a real tragedy on our hands. Poisoning is a common problem with the greedier breeds of dogs like terriers or Labradors and prompt action is critical. A near disaster but Dido is fine and we benefited from Mrs Harkness’s Tiffin recipe which was requested by staff!” ** Dido, who had seven beautiful puppies late last year, is apparently completely back to her greedy and mischievous self! Try the tiffin yourself.......just don't feed it to your dog! * www.homestart-westsomerset.org.uk ** Mrs Harkness’s Chocolate Tiffin Recipe 6 oz butter 3 tablespoons golden syrup 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder 12oz Rich Tea biscuits Cup of raisins 12 glace cherries 12 oz quality plain chocolate 70% (or half milk/half plain) 2 tablespoons brandy
Soak the raisins and cherries in the brandy. Put butter, syrup and cocoa powder in large saucepan and melt. Crush biscuits in a bag until quite small. Mix into saucepan and add the raisin and cherries. Press into a lined baking tin approx 12"x 8" . Allow to cool. Melt the plain chocolate (or half milk/plain) in a small basin placed in a saucepan of water on a low heat (Bain Marie). Spread the melted chocolate over the biscuit and chill. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares. ENJOY! 2010-04-23 back to top Worm Patrol with Dr Who
Doctor Who has just landed in his Tardis at Quantock Veterinary Hospital. It is reported that the Doctor and his fellow time travelling friends have decided to spend a month with the Veterinary team to help defeat the worms that feed off and habituate the intestines of our furry friends. The Doctor commented “The worms have been attacking my faithful friend K9 so I felt I had to do something to fend them off. I have therefore teamed up with many species from across the galaxy to teach people about the evils of the “worm” and how we can regain control of them before they conquer the universe!”
Throughout the month of April here at the hospital we have teamed up with Novartis Animal Health to help support the Worm Patrol Campaign. Not only can we provide you with up to date information on the best way to protect your pet, we can also risk access them to recommend how many times a year you should be treating them for worms.
Are worms just a risk to animals? NO! Many of us forget that even though worms can make animals unwell they can be a big risk to human health causing many internal problems e.g. blindness
New wormers!! All dog owners can now enjoy worming their pets rather than dread having to plan how they are going to trick them in to eating a tablet! A new wormer is now available in the form of a chicken flavour treat-dogs will be begging for more! Just as effective but 100% less hassle!
Free weigh and worm consultation with a nurse Arrange an appointment to bring your cat or dog along to the practice to get them weighed and wormed by the nurse. The nurse will be able to discuss appropriate worming for the rest of the year and advise on the best ways to avoid risk to your health.
Buy 4 wormers and receive 25% off. You then have the added option to purchase 6 pipettes of Practic Flea and Tick treatment and receive 25% of these too!
Cat Owners Buy 4 wormers and receive 25% off.
As the Daleks would say- Lets EXTERMINATE worms together! 2010-04-16 back to top Sad news
Sadly our first Pet of the month for 2010 Rust Beecham lost his long fight against pancreatitis and its complications in February. His family are devastated, but were keen for us to update all of you with this sad news and to celebrate Rusty's life. Rusty was not only a family favourite but was the mascot for the Contest radio station that the Beechams run - he was known as "DX Dog" by all involved in the station, including listeners all over the world! There's no doubt we wont be the only ones to miss him. To see Rusty in the radio shack with Ukranian football international Serge Rebrov go to www.flickr.com/photos/24786148@N04/2529638476 As we previously reported: Rusty a five year old apricot Toy Poodle was brought into the Hospital at the end of December 2009 with a sudden onset of persistent vomiting and severe lethargy. The Beecham family were extremely concerned as Rusty couldn't keep down any fluid or food at all. Dominic Phillips, veterinary surgeon, examined Rusty and after running some crucial blood tests diagnosed the little dog to have acute pancreatitis, a serious and painful condition. Unfortunately, in Rusty's case, the insulin producing parts of the pancreas were also damaged in the disease process, leading to acute diabetes and a critical and potentially life threatening condition. Rusty was in the Hospital over the New Year period and in intensive care, requiring constant monitoring for nearly a week. Vets Liz Mullineaux and Dominic and nurses Lucy Hudson and Zoe Richards worked around the clock to treat Rusty. "Despite our worst fears" said Zoe, "Rusty pulled through and amazed us all". Rusty's family were delighted to eventually have him home. 2010-03-30 back to top Ruby is 'Pet of the year'
English Bull Terrier Ruby has been awarded Quantock Veterinary Hospital's very first 'Pet of the year' title. The owners of all twelve pets that were awarded the 'Pet of the month' through 2009 were invited to a special award evening at the Hospital. The snow resulted in cancellation of the first planned date in January, but a new date was set and on Tuesday 9th February owners, staff and invited judges gathered at the Hospital. The twelve pets each had details of their cases presented by Veterinary Nurse Zoe Richards who has been instrumental in the success of the scheme. The three judges, former Head Nurse Laura Nicholls, Nicola Geoghegan a former veterinary nurse now actively involved in the Hospital in her role with Novartis Animal Health and Nicola Ward a marketing consultant who works closely with the Hospital, had a very difficult job judging the winner. In the end Ruby was selected as best fitting all of the criteria of the award; 'Immense bravery', 'Brilliant character', 'Determination to survive' and 'Learning to live with a disability'. Her owners, Mr and Mrs Fordy and their family, who had been an important part of her success were delighted with the award. For more information about Ruby look at the next news page and follow the links down for more information about each of the Pets of the month for 2009. The picture shows (from left to right) Veterinary Nurse Zoe Richards, Mr and Mrs Fordy and their two children, Veterinary Surgeon Colin Cheetham who treated Ruby and Veterinary Surgeon Liz Mullineaux who helped organise the event. 2010-02-11 back to top New veterinary nurses
We are pleased to welcome two new trainee veterinary nurses to the Hospital. Katie Jones (on the left of the picture) joins us from a practice in Wales. Katie is an NVQ level 3 trainee and hopes to complete her final exams to become a fully qualified veterinary nurse in the summer. Sara (on the right) is a nursing degree student from Hartpury College, she spent some time with us in 2009 on work experience and is now back for a year work placement before returning to college to complete her degree in 2011. Both Katie and Sara have lots of experience in veterinary practice and will be a great addition to our team. 2010-02-02 back to top Pet of the Month December – ‘Ruby’
Ruby is a cheerful and popular 9½ year old English Bull Terrier who is learning to live with a catheter! Poor Ruby had been suffering ongoing problems with her bladder for some years and was getting used to frequent visits to the vets and various treatments when her owners Mr and Mrs Fordy moved to Bridgwater and became clients of the Hospital. When Mrs Fordy brought her pet in to see if there was anything that could be done to help, Ruby was once again struggling to urinate and obviously in discomfort. A lack of bladder tone leading to overfilling of the bladder and overflow incontinence was diagnosed by veterinary surgeon Colin Cheetham and after Xrays and examination under an anaesthetic a temporary tube was carefully inserted into her bladder to allow it to be drained. Ruby didn’t interfere with the catheter at all and so it was decided to fit a permanent cystotomy tube, a drain passing through her tummy wall and straight into her bladder. These are not produced for dogs so a childs feeding tube was improvised which allows her dedicated owners to remove a plug to release urine at regular intervals every day. Ruby is now home and learning to live with her catheter which will always have to remain. As Mrs Fordy said “we’re just so pleased that Ruby can live a relatively normal life again. She’s such a fun loving dog but as her problem got worse and as she got older, we were terrified that she’d have to be put down. This is a solution we can all life with – now she hardly seems to notice it.” Colin added “Ruby is a hugely popular patient of ours – she is so affectionate and full of fun but her condition was complicated, unusual and getting worse. We felt we had no choice but to control her problem with a permanent drainage sytem as the only alternative was to put her down – something none of us wanted. It’s a procedure that is used commonly in people but rarely in dogs, not least because it needs a very special patient who will not interfere with the new plastic plumbing! Ruby is the perfect patient, maybe all the more surprising given the boisterous and inquisitive nature of her breed! 2010-02-01 back to top Free January weight consultations
Christmas is over, the New Year is here and most of us will be thinking of loosing those post Christmas pounds, but what about out pets? It is estimated that 40% of the UK pet population is obese. This is having a serious impact on our pet's health, including increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and decreasing life expectancy. With this in mind during January 2010 Quantock Veterinary Hospital is running free weight consultations to check your pet's weight and body condition score and to offer advice on life stage and weight management nutrition. Overweight pets will be invited to join the new 'Weigh In Club', this includes: money off vouchers for their first bag of Royal Canin weight reduction diet, a support pack with lots of helpful information, weightloss tracker chart, realistic set targets, follow up appointments with plenty of support along the way and certificates and prizes for reaching target weights. For more information please contact the Hospital or speak to RVN Lucy. We look forward to welcoming you and your pet to the club. 2010-01-08 back to top Pet of the Month November– ‘Teddie’
Teddie Hancock is a loving and lucky young rabbit. At 3 years old she was admitted to the Hospital straining to urinate and in obvious discomfort. After a thorough check up, urine analysis, ultrasound scan and an X-ray, Teddie was found to be suffering from a bladder stone. The stone proved to be over 1cm in diameter – relatively large and no doubt painful. Vet Rhiannon Jones performed a cystotomy to remove it and the little rabbit is now home again and making a good recovery. Ms Hancock, Teddie’s owner, said “We were so shocked when Teddie became ill as one of our previous rabbits had suffered the same problem. We belonged to another veterinary practice at the time and two weeks after the operation our poor rabbit died so we were very concerned to recognise the symptoms in Teddie and then discover it was the same problem.” Vet Rhiannon said “It was great that Ms Hancock brought Teddie in when she did. Primarily composed of calcium, bladder stones which are left undiagnosed will continue to enlarge, irritate and damage the bladder wall leading to serious illness. We’re delighted that Teddie is all sorted out and back to her cheerful, affectionate self again.” Ms Hancock added “The treatment, advice and after care we received at the Hospital was so good compared to our previous experience, it was a real relief. As advised, we now give Teddie two syringes of potassium citrate every day and she is on a diet which excludes certain calcium rich foods such as kale - it’s not too much trouble and it means we can help prevent a reoccurrence.” 2009-12-16 back to top Remember remember even though it's December...
PETS ARE STILL FRIGHTENED OF FIREWORKS. As the firwork season often extends to January we are still seeing lots of frightened pets. It is estimated that approximately 60% of pets become anxious and stressed during the firework season. To make matters worse, not only are many owners unaware of how to help their pets with firework fears, vets believe 71% of owners may miss the signs that their pets are frightened.
Despite new legislation aimed at controlling firework use, the use of fireworks is increasing and the firework season seems to be longer and longer each year – that means pets and pet owners are having to survive more and more nights of stress and distress.
“Each year we see a huge number of cases of fear based behavioural problems due to fireworks” says vet Dominic Phillips. “Dogs become restless, pant and try to hide or escape. Some dogs will destroy doors in their panic to escape. Cats also suffer from firework fear and will hide-away during firework events. Pets can injury themselves from panicking; if they escape they are at risk of road traffic injuries and can get lost.”
For many years Quantock Veterinary Hospital has been offering pet owners advice, support and anti-anxiety treatments for this difficult time. With a proven track record for being effective Dog Appeasing Pheremone (DAP) has helped many dogs and their owners through the firework season. Based on a natural pheromone produced by nursing bitches, DAP has a calming and reassuring influence on dogs reducing their symptoms of fear. About 70% of dogs will respond positively to DAP. DAP is now available in a range of different convenient products: plug in diffusers, spays and collars. Other products are also available to help fearful pets including Zylkene capsules, a palatable powder derived from milk protein to help reduce stress and anxiety in cats and dogs.
Just as important as the anti-anxiety therapies now available are practical measures pet owners can take to reduce pet stress. Here are 10 top tips for pet owners for fireworks night:
Quantock Veterinary Hospital asks everyone to use fireworks responsibly during this firework season. 2009-12-02 back to top Alfie - September's Pet of the Month
Alfie Allen, a much loved eleven year old Basset Hound, had a close escape one afternoon in September, when he unexpectedly ran in front of his owner’s son’s car! His shocked owner, Bruce Allen was horrified to realise what had happened “I’d left Alfie sleeping soundly in my office and just went to move my son’s car on the drive. Alfie is so low to the ground I didn’t see him and before I knew it he was under the car - it was dreadful”. Veterinary Surgeon, Colin Cheetham was called out to rescue the injured Basset and found him lying under the jacked up car in considerable pain. After being carefully moved and sedated, Alfie was ambulanced to the Hospital where he was diagnosed with significant ligament damage, severe bruising and worryingly a fractured right hock – a critical joint essential for movement. Vets Liz Mullineaux and Dominic Phillips carried out the operation to fix his traumatic injuries. The operation was a success and after a few days Alfie was released from Hospital but needing eight further weeks of check-ups and regular dressing changes. “It has been a long haul” said Bruce Allen “but he is doing very well. He’s now gradually rebuilding his strength and this could take sometime because he’s actually very lazy! We are so grateful to Liz and all of the staff at the hospital whose attitude and care has been wonderful.” Nurse Zoe Richards added “Poor Alfie was not the easiest of patients because he was in so much pain and so very scared, but over the weeks his trust for us has increased hugely and caring for him has become much more straightforward. His return to mobility is wonderful to see and we are truly delighted with how well he is doing.” 2009-11-03 back to top Commando challenge 2009
Five members of staff and four friends made up the Quantock Veterinary Hospital team for the 2009 Commando challenge. Pictured from left to right are; Laura Cheetham (Colin's daughter), Colin Cheetham (partner), Claire House (Trainee nurse), Becky Chamberlin (Admin assistant), Rachel Thomas (Vet), Paul (Rachel's partner) and Dominic Phillips (partner). They were joined by former Veterinary Nurse Sarah Edwards and her brother Mark. The team raised over £600 for the Air Ambulance and Poppy appeal, by taking on the seven miles of the Royal Marines endurance course on Woodbury Common just outside Exeter including water tunnels and lots of mud! 2009-11-02 back to top Sian scoops national dental award
Veterinary Nurse Sian Holman has been awarded a Pfizer Dental Leadership Busary by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA). She collected the award at the BVNA congress in October (Sian is in the middle of the picture). The bursary worth around £1600 will allow Sian to undertake theory and practical training in veterinary dentistry and eventually the BVNA Nurse Certificate in Veterinary Dentistry which she hopes to complete in 2010. As dental disease is one of our most common conditions in pets the extra skills Sian gains will allow us to provide an even better service for the treatment and prevention of dental disease. 2009-10-27 back to top Remember remember though it's December
PETS ARE STILL FRIGHTENED OF FIREWORKS Even though we are through the traditional firework season there still seem to be lots of them, through to the New Year celebrations. This year we have even more help than ever before to get your pets through the stressful firework season from carnival into the New Year. In addition to the DAP and Feliway treatments you might have used sucessfully in previous years we can now offer you a new stress busting product called Zylkene. Contact the Hopsital on the usual phone number or come in and see us to get your pet prepared and avoid what can be an otherwise stressful time of year for everyone 2009-10-04 back to top Liz completes half marathon
Vet Liz Mullineaux sucessfully completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London on 11th October to raise funds for the human tuberculosis charity TB alert. Sponsorship from friends, family and clients of the Hospital has so far raised £500 for the charity. To learn more about TB alert or if you'd still like to sponsor Liz go to her JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/Liz-Mullineaux or see the reception staff at the Hospital. 2009-09-16 back to top |
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