Articles
Advice on choosing a vet and caring for your pet.
Page 2
-
Wobbler Syndrome in Horses: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management
Learn about wobbler syndrome in horses, also called cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM). This guide covers causes, symptoms such as an unsteady gait and hind limb weakness, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and ways to reduce risk in young horses.
Equines -
Why Sawdust or Wood Shavings Are Not Recommended for Rabbits
Learn why sawdust, cedar shavings and some pine shavings are not safe rabbit bedding. Fine dust and aromatic oils can irritate a rabbit’s eyes, skin and lungs, while damp bedding can lead to ammonia smells and poor hygiene. Safer rabbit bedding options include low-dust paper bedding, hay, straw, hemp bedding, cardboard pellets and washable fleece liners. Choose bedding that is soft, non-toxic, absorbent and easy to clean, then remove soiled areas each day to keep your rabbit’s home clean and comfortable.
Small Mammals -
Müller’s (Mueller’s) Sand Boa: The Secretive Burrower of African Sands
Learn how to care for Müller’s Sand Boa, also called Eryx muelleri, a small burrowing snake from West and Central Africa. This guide covers its habitat, size, calm nature, vivarium setup, deep sandy substrate, temperatures, feeding, handling, health concerns, lifespan and breeding. Müller’s Sand Boas need a secure arid enclosure with plenty of loose substrate, low to moderate humidity, fresh water and minimal disturbance.
Exotic -
Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Cats: A Serious Complication Explained
Learn about diabetic ketoacidosis in cats, a life-threatening diabetes emergency caused by high ketone levels. Find out the warning signs, including vomiting, lethargy, poor appetite, dehydration and rapid breathing, plus how vets diagnose and treat DKA. Prompt veterinary care, regular insulin, steady feeding routines and close monitoring can help prevent this serious condition.
Cats -
Mobility Issues in Dogs: Signs, Causes and How to Help
Learn about mobility problems in dogs, including common signs such as limping, stiffness, trouble standing and reluctance to exercise. This guide covers causes including arthritis, injuries, joint disorders, obesity and neurological conditions, plus ways to support your dog at home with safe flooring, supportive beds, weight control and gentle exercise. Find out when to contact a vet, available treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, and how early care can help dogs stay comfortable and active.
Dogs -
The Complete Guide to Keeping Fiddler Crabs
Fiddler Crabs care summary. Small semi-terrestrial crabs kept in a brackish paludarium (a tank with both land and slightly salty water). Use at least 60 litres for 3–5 crabs. Make 70–80% land and 20–30% shallow water no deeper than 5–8 cm. Provide 8–10 cm of fine sand or a sand–soil mix for burrows. Salinity (salt level) 1.005–1.015, temperature 22–28°C, pH 7.5–8.5. Humidity 70–90% and air temperature 24–28°C, use a tight lid and mist the land daily. Feed algae wafers, spirulina pellets, sinking crustacean pellets, vegetables and occasional protein. Keep at least 3 crabs with 1 male to 2–3 females and use a species-only tank. Do weekly 20–30% water changes, use a gentle sponge filter and provide hides and climbing decor. Support moulting with calcium and steady conditions. Lifespan about 2–3 years. Not suitable for simple freshwater tanks; they do well with a proper brackish setup.
Exotic -
What Should You Do With Your Guinea Pigs When You Go on Holiday?
Planning a holiday with guinea pigs? Never leave them alone for long. Guinea pigs need daily hay, fresh water, veg, cage cleaning, social time and health checks. Ask a trusted friend or neighbour, hire a professional pet sitter, or use a small animal boarding service. Keep bonded guinea pigs together and leave plenty of hay, pellets, veg, bedding, water and any medication. Write clear care notes with feeding amounts, cleaning routines, vet contacts and emergency details. Remind carers that guinea pigs need vitamin C every day and watch for signs of stress or illness such as hiding, loss of appetite, teeth chattering or weight loss. Avoid big changes before travel and check your pets are well with a vet if needed. Book sitters or boarding early during busy holidays to get good care.
Small Mammals -
A Complete Guide to Vaccinating Alpacas
Alpaca vaccination keeps animals and herds safe from fast, serious infections. In the UK most vaccination programmes focus on clostridial diseases, such as tetanus, enterotoxaemia and pulpy kidney. Work with a veterinary surgeon experienced in camelids to choose vaccines, doses, routes and booster timing. Baby alpacas, called crias, need special timing because they get antibodies from their mother’s first milk. Boosters maintain protection and records of vaccine name, batch, date, who gave it and booster due date should be kept. Store and give vaccines as the product leaflet and your vet advise, and watch for mild reactions like small swelling or more serious signs like breathing problems, in which case call your vet straight away. Other vaccines, for example for leptospirosis or bluetongue, may be used if local risk makes them sensible. Vaccination works best with good biosecurity, parasite control, proper nutrition and regular health checks, so plan a herd health programme with your vet.
Camelids -
A Complete Guide to Caring for Oxford Sheep
Oxford sheep are a large native Down breed from Oxfordshire, popular in the UK for meat production, showing and pedigree flocks. They have dark faces, woolly foreheads and calm behaviour. Ewes usually weigh 80–100 kg and rams often exceed 120 kg, giving heavy, well-muscled carcasses and good growth. Oxford sheep care needs strong fencing, simple shelters, fresh water and year-round access to grass, hay or silage plus minerals. Breeding uses rams from 12–18 months and lambing needs supervision because lambs and ewes are large. Health work includes vaccinations, faecal egg counts, flystrike prevention and regular foot care. This guide covers Oxford sheep housing, feeding, breeding and health for commercial farms and smallholders looking for a hardy, easy to handle meat breed.
Sheep Livestock -
A Complete Guide to Keeping Silver Pheasants in the UK
Silver Pheasant care guide for the UK. This clear summary explains keeping Silver Pheasants in ornamental aviaries, with practical advice on housing, feeding, breeding, health and legal duties. Give birds a secure aviary with a minimum of 5 metres by 3 metres for a pair, welded mesh, sheltered roosts and natural ground for foraging and dust bathing. Feed game or pheasant pellets, grains, greens, fruit and insects, and provide grit and oyster shell plus fresh water daily. Breeding runs from March to July, clutches are 8–15 eggs, incubation is 25–26 days and chicks need high protein starter and a warm brooder. Watch for coccidiosis, worms, mites and respiratory problems, keep housing clean, worm regularly and quarantine new birds. Silver Pheasants are hardy and calm, popular for display aviaries and estates. No special licence is needed in the UK, but follow the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and register with APHA if you breed and sell commercially.
Poultry -
Diabetes Mellitus in Cats: Signs, Causes and How to Manage It
Diabetes in cats, or feline diabetes, is common in middle aged and older cats. Look for signs of diabetes in cats like drinking more, peeing more, eating more but losing weight, and being tired. Vets diagnose diabetes with blood and urine tests. Treatment for feline diabetes often needs daily insulin, a high protein low carbohydrate diet and weight management. Regular blood glucose monitoring, steady feeding times and a calm routine help keep blood sugar steady. Some cats can go into remission with early treatment and weight loss. Watch for low blood sugar or signs of diabetic ketoacidosis and contact your vet for sudden changes. With consistent care many cats live long, comfortable lives.
Cats -
How You Can Support Your Remaining Dog When You Lose a Dog in the Family
When a dog loses a companion, it can show signs of grief such as changes in behaviour, reduced appetite, more sleep, clinginess, searching, more barking and restlessness. To help a grieving dog, keep routines steady, give calm attention, offer walks and simple games for mental stimulation, and watch for signs of illness or lasting weight loss. Letting a dog sniff a passed companion can help some dogs, but not everyone chooses this. Avoid big changes straight away and wait before getting another dog; if you do, introduce the new dog slowly on neutral ground. Speak to your vet or a qualified behaviourist if severe anxiety, aggression, refusal to eat or other worrying symptoms continue.
Dogs