Vet Times

Tag: Dogs

  • Seaside welfare

    Seaside welfare

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    Warm weather and cool breezes mean living by the beach in summer can be a lot of fun. However, there is always an animal welfare situation to consider, and it’s not just about overheating pooches on the beach. A video of a child harassing a seal was shared online recently. Thankfully, many of the comments…

  • A nervous generation

    A nervous generation

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    I read somewhere in the early days of lockdown that several rescue shelters have been experiencing 100% empty kennels for the first time since opening. This was truly heart-warming to hear, and seemed at first as a small silver lining around the dark clouds of the pandemic. However, it shortly came to light that demand…

  • Crazy pet myths

    Crazy pet myths

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    I’m hoping to move home soon, but it’s been a long time since I moved with a pet. I’m considering Prof Edward Coleman’s feelings in this far more than my own; he likes to wander to other gardens and, although he settled quickly here, I’m moving nearer a busy road, so I’m thinking of ways…

  • Look after each other – including the four-legged ones

    Look after each other – including the four-legged ones

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    As much as we’re having to adapt our lives in so many ways during these strange and uncertain times, I think a lot of us take for granted that our pets will always be so reassuringly consistent. This is mainly because, while our own lives are currently being turned upside down and inside out, our…

  • Don’t get a puppy

    Don’t get a puppy

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    I read somewhere that, as more people will be at home at the moment, now might be good time to get a puppy. However, I cannot disagree more: in the middle of a pandemic, now is NOT the time to get a puppy. If you are due to get a puppy or are considering getting…

  • Are stereotypes damaging to animal welfare?

    Are stereotypes damaging to animal welfare?

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    We know with people that stereotyping leads to assumptions and judgements that may be unhelpful – so is this the case with animals, too? I’ve pondered this question for a while and, while it seems we are trying to address this with regard to dog welfare, it strikes me it affects all animals. We recognise…

  • Social distancing and vets

    Social distancing and vets

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    The Government’s advice is clear. We should not be leaving our houses for anything other than four very clear reasons: Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible One form of exercise a day – for example, a run, walk or cycle (alone or with members of your household) Any medical need, to provide care…

  • Nurse pets

    Nurse pets

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    After my recent blog about Ebony, I’m here to be brave and say that I’m single. In every way, I am foot loose and fancy free. For the first time in 16 years I have no pets. Ebony and I had been a little team since early last year, and now it’s just me. It…

  • Pitfalls of pet insurance

    Pitfalls of pet insurance

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    Nowadays, insurance is not the be all and end all. It is no longer the all-singing, all-dancing green light to work up a case to “gold standard” without financial restraints. So many companies are out there with so many variations in policies that it’s seemingly impossible to keep up. The question “is he insured?” is…

  • Negative clients

    Negative clients

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    As a student, on day one of a new EMS placement, I walked in on a vet who was clearly already in a bad mood, first thing on a Monday morning. I had absolutely no idea of the context, but she finished ranting at somebody else before turning to me and saying: “Don’t ever let…