Alabama Rot: An Update

One subject that continues to raise discussion is Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV) which was given the name Alabama rot as it presents in a very similar way to a disease recorded in Alabama in the 1980’s in Greyhounds.

Veterinary Specialists: The World Is Specialising But So Are We

In this day and age the world is becoming more specialised and veterinary medicine and surgery is no different. The way to think of your vet is much like your own GP but obviously we carry out many medical and surgical procedures ourselves

Ticks: Focus on Parasites

There is evidence the numbers of ticks affecting dogs and people is increasing and this is likely due to increased travel abroad and climate change. Few would disagree given the weather we’ve had in April and early May this year.

Alabama Rot: Has the rot set in?

Hardly a day goes by before an owner asks me about Alabama Rot. There is a lot we don’t know about this new dog disease but there are some things we do know, so let’s start with those. First, it’s quite rare with only about 60 cases so far confirmed in the UK since 2012.

Sherborne Country Fair: Eye Clinic Returns

We are once again the Official Veterinarians for the Sherborne Country Fair on the 29th May. Following the huge popularity and success of last year’s eye clinic, we have once again arranged for Nick Burden to attend with us. Nick is a BVA appointed eye panelist and will be conducting eye examinations under the BVA screening programme for hereditary eye disease in dogs.

New Surgery! Yeovil, 142 Preston Road, surgery now open

Having outgrown the smaller site at Wyndham Hill, Yeovil (144 Sherbone Road). We have now relocated to 142 Preston Road (The Old Plucknett). Our new home, an old public house, will provide our pets with a new, modern, purpose built surgery. We remain at our existing location on Lower Acreman Street, Sherborne.

Pet Poisonings

Dog owners are becoming increasingly aware of the risk chocolate poses but it is worth remembering that dark chocolate in particular contains high amounts of the toxin Theobromine. Dogs metabolise this far more slowly than humans with the common side effects being vomiting and diarrhoea.

Common Emergencies

On the 5th of November I presented a talk at Castle Gardens in Sherborne as part of their Pet Wellbeing day. It was titled Common Emergencies, Toxins and Misconceptions. It generated lots of interesting discussion so over the next two months, I thought it would be a good idea to cover these topics starting with common emergencies.

Vaccination: A viewpoint on the Nobivac Lepto4 Vaccine

In July this year the Telegraph ran an article on the Nobivac Lepto4 vaccine. It was written in a negative manner and highlighted potentially dangerous side effects of this vaccine. I thought this maybe a good time to put forward some of the facts as well as my own views.

Heart Murmurs and Cat Scans

Last month my article looked at how we can assess which large breed dogs are at risk from heart disease and ideally need echocardiography or ultrasound. A blood test called proBNP can help to identify those dogs most in need of a scan. This blood test (proBNP) is also extremely useful in cats.