Articles
Field notes on caring for the pets you love.
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Summertime Hazards: What UK Pet Owners Should Watch For
Summer pet safety UK: keep dogs, cats and small pets cool, shaded and well watered to prevent heatstroke and dehydration. Watch for sunburn on noses, ears and bellies and use pet-safe suncream. Avoid hot pavements by walking early or late. Protect pets from insect stings, fleas, ticks and flystrike with repellents, regular parasite treatments and daily grooming. Make the garden safe by removing toxic plants, storing chemicals and avoiding cocoa mulch. Keep animals away from barbecues and dangerous foods like cooked bones, onions, garlic and grapes. Supervise swimming, avoid blue-green algae, strong currents and stagnant water, and rinse pets after a swim. Plan travel with ID tags, crates, familiar food and regular breaks. During loud events keep pets indoors and give them a quiet space. If you are worried about your pet in summer contact your vet for advice.
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Understanding Septicaemia in Aquarium Fish
Septicaemia in fish is a serious blood infection caused by bacteria such as Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. Common signs of septicaemia in fish include red streaks in fins, red patches or haemorrhages, swollen belly, bulging eyes, ulcers, clamped fins, lethargy, loss of appetite and difficulty swimming. If you suspect septicaemia, move the fish to a hospital tank, check and improve water quality (ammonia and nitrite must be zero), perform partial water changes, give a broad-spectrum antibacterial medication as directed, add aeration and keep stress to a minimum. Watch for reduced redness, return of appetite and better activity, but be aware that advanced cases may not recover and humane euthanasia can be kinder. To prevent septicaemia, keep water pristine, quarantine new fish for 2-4 weeks, treat wounds and infections early, avoid overcrowding and feed a balanced diet. Seek an aquatic veterinarian or experienced aquarium specialist if multiple fish are ill, fish decline rapidly or treatment does not work.
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Diabetes in Dogs: Signs, Causes and How to Manage It
Diabetes in dogs is when the body cannot use or make enough insulin, so blood sugar stays too high. Early signs of diabetes in dogs include increased thirst, more urination, greater appetite, weight loss and low energy. Vets diagnose diabetes with blood and urine tests. Most dogs need lifelong insulin therapy plus a steady diet, regular exercise and routine feeding times to keep blood glucose stable. Owners should monitor for hypoglycaemia (weakness, trembling, collapse) and for serious complications such as cataracts, infections or diabetic ketoacidosis. Keeping dogs at a healthy weight, providing regular exercise and attending routine vet check ups can lower some risk factors. Contact your vet if you notice increased thirst or urination, unexplained weight loss, sudden lethargy, vomiting or other worrying changes so treatment can start early and improve your dog’s outlook.
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Supporting a Rabbit That Has Lost Its Companion
Rabbits can grieve when a bonded companion dies. Signs of grief in rabbits include reduced appetite, lethargy, hiding, searching, reduced play, clinginess and changes in sleeping habits. Appetite changes are serious because a rabbit that stops eating can develop dangerous gut problems, so contact a rabbit-savvy vet immediately if your rabbit refuses food, has fewer or smaller droppings, or loses weight. Simple help that may calm a grieving rabbit includes keeping routines the same, offering extra gentle attention, keeping the home quiet and familiar, giving favourite greens and fresh hay, and letting the rabbit briefly see their companion’s body if you think it will help. Watch closely for illness, especially in older rabbits, and avoid making many big changes at once. If you plan to get another rabbit, reintroduce slowly using neutral territory, supervision and neutering for both. Take care of your own feelings too, and contact rescue groups or vets for bonding support and advice on how to help a grieving rabbit.
Small Mammals -
The Complete Guide to Lure Training in Falconry
Lure training in falconry teaches falcons and hawks to recognise, strike and return to a lure. A lure is leather or synthetic, shaped with wings or fur and fitted with a line and a food reward. Swinging lures copy flying prey and dragging lures copy running prey, helping fitness, hunting skill and recall training. Before you start, make the bird calm on the glove, set the right flying weight, pick open safe ground and check jesses, swivel and telemetry. Keep sessions short, reward every strike, train at the same time each day and avoid too many misses. For safety avoid roads, power lines and wild birds, do not use spoiled food and never free-fly without telemetry. With patience and regular practice, lure training builds fitness, sharpens hunting skills and strengthens recall.
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Obesity in Cats: Causes, Risks and How to Help Your Cat Stay Healthy
Cat obesity is common, especially in indoor cats. It happens when cats eat more calories than they burn. Common causes of cat obesity are overfeeding, too many treats, lack of play, neutering and age. Signs of an overweight cat include ribs that are hard to feel, no waist from above, a sagging belly, less interest in play and poor grooming. Weight management for cats focuses on measured portions, a vet-recommended diet, fewer treats, set feeding times and more play with toys and food puzzles. For weight loss for cats, work with your vet to rule out medical causes and set slow, safe targets while tracking weight. Prevent obesity by feeding a balanced diet, playing daily and keeping indoor cats mentally and physically active.
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Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms and Emergency Treatment
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in dogs is a life‑threatening emergency that happens when the body cannot use glucose and produces too many ketones. It usually affects dogs with uncontrolled or newly diagnosed diabetes and can be triggered by missed insulin, infection, stress or poor appetite. Common signs of DKA include increased thirst and urination, weight loss, tiredness, poor appetite, vomiting, rapid or laboured breathing and a fruity smell on the breath. Vets diagnose DKA with blood sugar and ketone tests plus checks for dehydration, electrolytes and organ function. DKA treatment is urgent hospital care with intravenous fluids, insulin, electrolyte correction, feeding support and treatment of any infection. To help prevent DKA give insulin exactly as prescribed, keep regular meal times, monitor blood sugar if advised and call your vet promptly if your dog becomes unwell. Many dogs recover well with fast treatment, but delayed care worsens the outlook, so contact your vet or an emergency clinic straight away if you suspect DKA.
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Understanding Reproductive Infections in Chickens: Causes, Symptoms, and Care
Reproductive infections in laying hens are common, especially in high producing hybrid birds. These infections affect the ovary, oviduct and abdominal cavity and include salpingitis, egg peritonitis, internal laying and ovarian infections. Key symptoms to recognise are reduced or misshapen eggs, a swollen abdomen, lethargy, loss of appetite, a penguin like stance, difficulty walking and laboured breathing. A poultry vet can diagnose with a physical exam, ultrasound and tests. Treatment may include antibiotics, anti inflammatory medicine, hormone implants or fluid drainage, plus quiet warm care, good nutrition and clean coop hygiene. Seek veterinary help quickly if you spot symptoms to give the hen the best chance of recovery and to protect flock health.
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Everything You Need to Do Before Boarding Your Guinea Pigs
Boarding guinea pigs while you go on holiday can give peace of mind, but good preparation matters. Choose a guinea pig boarding facility with experience, clean secure housing, daily health checks and vet access. Book early for busy holiday periods. Make sure bonded guinea pigs stay together, keep their normal diet and vitamin C routine, and bring favourite items like hideouts, bedding and food. Leave clear written care instructions, label supplies and tell staff about any medical needs. Use a safe carrier for travel and check your guinea pigs’ health before and after boarding, contacting a vet if you spot worrying signs. With these steps your guinea pigs are more likely to stay calm and healthy while you are away.
Small Mammals -
A Complete Guide to Caring for Kerry Hill Sheep
Kerry Hill sheep are a native British breed from Kerry in Powys, Wales, known for bold black and white markings and upright ears. They are medium sized and hornless, hardy and easy to keep in upland or lowland systems. Ewes weigh about 55 to 70 kg and rams 80 to 90 kg. They have strong maternal ability, high lamb survival and usually straightforward lambing. Housing needs are small: good pasture, shelter in bad weather, secure 1.2 metre fencing and fresh water. Feed with grass, plus hay or silage in winter and minerals for pregnant and lactating ewes. Work with your vet on vaccinations, worm testing, flystrike prevention and hoof care. The medium fleece is used for carpets and rugs and the lamb meat produces a well shaped carcass. Kerry Hills suit commercial farmers, smallholders and show people who want a hardy, productive and attractive native breed.
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Safe Car Travel With Your Cat
Travelling with a cat by car can be stressful but safe with the right steps. In the UK the Highway Code says pets must be suitably restrained so they do not distract the driver. Use a sturdy cat carrier that is well ventilated and large enough for turning, and secure it with a seat belt so it cannot slide or tip. Never let a cat roam loose in the car or open the carrier near open doors. Prepare by leaving the carrier out at home, adding familiar bedding and smells, checking microchip and ID, and packing water, food and any medicines. For long journeys plan rest breaks, watch for motion sickness and avoid leaving your cat in a hot car because heatstroke can be fatal. Talk to your vet about a health check and calming options for anxious cats. Careful planning, calm driving and a secure carrier make car travel safer for both cat and driver.
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How Hot Is Too Hot? The Danger of Hot Cars for Dogs
Cars can become deadly for dogs in minutes, even on mild days. There is no safe outside temperature to leave a dog unattended in a car. Vehicles act like greenhouses and heat up fast, and cracked windows do not stop this. Around 20°C outside can already be risky and 22 to 24°C can quickly become life threatening inside a car. Flat faced breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs and Boxers, plus puppies, older dogs, overweight or thick coated dogs and those with heart or breathing problems are at higher risk. Early signs of overheating are heavy panting, drooling, restlessness and bright red gums. Later signs include vomiting, collapse, seizures and loss of consciousness. If a dog is overheating move it to a cool place, give small sips of cool water, wet their body with cool water, increase airflow and call a vet; do not use ice cold water. Never leave a dog alone in a warm car. If the weather feels warm to you it is probably too warm for a dog. Leaving a dog in a hot car can cause severe suffering and may lead to fines or prosecution.
Dogs