Did you get a new rabbit during lockdown? Are you wondering how to give it the best life, now that your life is gearing up again? Enriching your rabbit’s life is pretty simple when you know how. The Avenues Vets’ nursing team is sharing their top tips for a happy & healthy bunny.
Before we dive in, have you registered your new rabbit with us yet? Once registered, our team can give you more in-depth advice and take care of your rabbit’s health care needs.
Seven ways to enrich your rabbit’s life
1. Cognitive enrichment for rabbits
Rabbits need mental stimulation and the ability to express natural behaviours to ward off boredom and stress. We love homemade rabbit enrichment ideas such as toys from cardboard boxes, paper bags, old towels, and flower pots. How about a rabbit tunnel made out of ready-made tubes, or a rabbit digging box using a container of soil? You can also buy rabbit enrichment toys online.
2. The perfect companion
Pet rabbits should ideally be kept in pairs. If you have concerns about a pair leading to baby rabbits, please talk to us about neutering.
3. Human interaction
Regular human interaction and being handled from a young age will help your rabbit develop into a confident, friendly adult pet. Carve out some time each day to spend with them.
4. Food enrichment for rabbits
A nutritional, fibrous diet will aid your rabbit’s digestive health, avoid dental problems, and make them happy – our nurses can advise on this. Using food to encourage natural behaviours will enrich your rabbit’s life too. Make hay-filled toilet roll tubes, hanging food parcels, and foraging trays.
5. Sunlight
Did you know that rabbits need sunlight to make vitamin D, which helps them get more calcium from their food? Allow plenty of time in a secure outdoor run each day (not during the hottest hours).
6. ‘Hutch goals’
Rabbits love a cosy, safe hutch, accompanied by a run that’s big enough to complete at least three full hops and stand up comfortably in. Stairs and obstacles will provide challenges too.
7. Grooming & cleaning
Regular hutch cleaning, grooming, and keeping fur clean & dry are essential for avoiding ‘fly strike’, which can be fatal. Grooming can also make your rabbit happy. Check for ear mites & fleas while you’re at it, both are easily treated so just ask our team.
8. Disease protection for rabbits in Lanarkshire
Rabbits need annual vaccinations for protection against life-threatening diseases Myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease. Rabbit Awareness Week 2021 in June is all about raising awareness around RVHD2, a more deadly variant of RVHD1. Is your new rabbit vaccinated yet?
We offer a full range of veterinary services for rabbits at our Woodside Avenue practice. Why not register your new rabbit with us today?
Like many people, did you try to socialise a puppy bought in lockdown and weren’t able to cover all aspects? The Avenues Vets’ nurses want you to know it’s never too late to socialise a puppy, or an older dog, and explain how below.
So you can get 1-2-1 puppy advice from our fully trained vet nurses, take a moment to register your new best friend and tell us all about them.
Puppy socialisation is an important part of early development, and helps them grow into confident and well-mannered adults. After 6-8 weeks of ‘training’ with mum & siblings, it’s over to you. Ideally, socialising a puppy should be done by 16 weeks. Socialising an older dog is still worth doing, just allow more time & patience. Our nurses have created this handy puppy socialisation checklist to help you:
Post-Lockdown Puppy Socialisation Checklist
- The basics: Build up to collar wearing in the house and lead walking in the garden. Once fully vaccinated, do daily walks around your neighbourhood (start with 5 mins for each month of age twice a day). Get them used to being examined all over at home, and bring them to see our Woodside Avenue team to get weighed regularly. Happy experiences will reinforce a positive association, before they need a veterinary procedure.
- At home: Check your puppy is relaxed and happy. Then let your puppy get used to seeing and hearing things like the washing machine, hoover, TV, hairdryer, doorbell/knocker, and post arriving through the letterbox. Toys can be used to introduce different movements and textures in a non-threatening way.
- Summer sounds: There’s lots for your puppy to get used to in the garden this time of year such as the lawnmower, kids playing, and the hosepipe. Your puppy can of course have fun outdoors, but what you don’t want is for them to be afraid or bark uncontrollably.
- People: Your puppy may not have had much interaction with people outside your household yet. Now they can get used to friends, family, different age groups, and people wearing face masks, hats and glasses. Don’t forget postal workers and people in high-vis clothing.
- Animals: Socialising your puppy with other dogs is very important. Stay close enough to remove your puppy from the situation if needed, but don’t overcrowd so they can build confidence. Most dogs will teach puppies what is/isn’t acceptable to them, and owners may ask you to leave their dog alone. When introducing cats, small furries, horses, sheep, and cows, go slowly and be careful. A calm puppy around squirrels & birds would be beneficial.
- Out & about: Get your puppy used to traffic, busy highstreets, pet-friendly shops, and the ice-cream van of course!
- Car travel: Use a dog crate or a harness and seatbelt. Build up to longer car rides now you can go further afield – remember water & toilet breaks. Ask us for help if this isn’t going well.
- Home alone: If you’ve spent a lot of time at home, your puppy could develop separation anxiety when you go out. Try crate training or dedicate a safe corner in a quiet room for your puppy’s bed. Leave them alone for a bit longer each time.
The Avenues Vets’ nurses recommend involving everyone in your household, including children. Plus, stay calm, be consistent, and keep sessions short & frequent. Try not to overload your puppy with new experiences all at once and always reward calm behaviour towards new things. Finally, stay strong and resist the urge to cuddle your puppy if they get wary.
For more helpful puppy socialisation advice, register your new puppy and book a chat with our nurses.
During COVID lockdowns, did you spend way more time than normal at home in Lanarkshire with your cat? Did you both eat more and do less? Chances are, weight gain and separation anxiety could now be an issue… for your cat.
You may need to help your cat adjust now that you’re returning to some kind of normality and leaving the house more. Our head nurse Linsey has some advice on COVID cat concerns.
Get cat advice from our nurses
Social distancing from your sofa, cat on lap, sharing snacks… sound familiar? Doing less and eating more leads to weight gain. If your cat is overweight, their quality & length of life can suffer. There’s no need to panic, The Avenues Vets’ nursing team can help.
Book your cat in for a weight check and body condition score review. Our nurses can advise you on the best foods for overweight cats, and ways to get your cat moving more.
COVID Cat separation anxiety:
You hear about dogs, but can cats get separation anxiety? Yes. Cats are often seen as ‘aloof’, but are in fact very attached to their owners. They’re typically not as vocal or destructive about it as dogs, which is why cat separation anxiety often goes unnoticed until it’s severe. It can be caused by change or a lack of stimuli, and when forming a dysfunctional bond i.e. prolonged time at home with you.
Anxiety in cats usually presents as behaviour issues:
- Your cat cries when you leave, loudly and excessively.
- They’ve started urinating on your clothes or soiling other areas indoors.
- Licking and self-grooming has become an obsession.
- Your cat has become clingy or takes self-isolation too far.
- Changes at mealtimes i.e. eating too fast or not eating.
- Vomiting & diarrhoea (common for other health issues, get checked if more than 24 hrs).
If your cat is displaying some of these new behaviours, it’s a good idea to get them checked by our team. Some health issues can also cause behavioural changes. If needed, our team can talk to you about getting support from an experienced pet behaviourist.
4 ways you can help your cat adjust after lockdown:
- Cut the snacks, but talk to our team before changing your cat’s main diet.
- Add more stimuli to their environment for when you’re not there – cat activity centres and toys can also help with weight loss.
- Designate time each day for playing and grooming – great for exercise and bonding.
- Ask us about using plugin diffusers that omit natural pet pheromones to soothe your cat.
If you’d like to chat about these topics or anything else, The Avenues Vets’ friendly nurses are happy to help. Talk to us about your cat.
It’ll come as no surprise to hear that dogs are the UK’s most popular pets, estimated at around 9 million, closely followed by cats at an estimated 8 million.
But given that there are some 51 million pets in the UK, according to the RSPCA and figures estimated by the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, there are obviously a lot of other types of animals around. The team at Avenues Vets thought it would be fun to find out the range of pets in Lanarkshire.
We’d love to see pictures of your pet, so please get in touch and post your pet photos.
April is National Pet Month when lots of organisations join forces to promote responsible pet ownership and increase awareness of the benefits of living with animals and the valuable role they can play in helping people through therapy or assistance.
So what better time to share your pet experiences? Share your funny stories and heartwarming tales involving your pets and upload a photo while you’re at it.
It’s easy for people to immediately think dogs and cats when they hear the word ‘pet’, but many pet owners share their homes with more unusual creatures, from insects and ferrets to snakes and horses, so there is a wide variety of interaction between humans and animals and we’re sure your stories will make for fascinating reading.
We can’t wait to hear your anecdotes, so why not go to our social media page and start sharing?
April is National Pet Month and a time to focus on responsible pet ownership. You might think owning a small furry pet like a hamster, guinea pig, gerbil, or chinchilla, is pretty straight forward and doesn’t take much responsibility. Right?
It’s true, small furry pets do spend most of their time in cages and hutches. However, in order to give them the healthy and fulfilling life they deserve, would-be owners should educate themselves on what their preferred species’ needs are, before making a purchase. Head nurse Linsey Wallace has this advice:
Responsible pet ownership – caring for small furries:
- Healthcare: Your small furry pet won’t need annual vaccinations (except rabbits), but they will benefit from annual or bi-annual health checkups. If you spot unusual behaviours, lumps or bumps, or a reduced appetite, you should contact your vet for advice.
- Nutrition: Do some research into what a healthy and balanced diet looks like for your particular species of pet. Diet is very important for oral health too as small furries need the right type of food to look after their teeth.
- Enrichment: Boredom and loneliness can lead to self mutilation and health issues. Enrich your small furry pet’s life with regular human interaction, toys to play with, and challenges that mimic those they’d experience in the wild – give them obstacles to move, climb on, and chew through to make themselves a comfortable home. Remember though, most small furries are nocturnal and should not have their daytime sleep disturbed.
- Handling: Getting your small furry pet used to being handled is important so that a) you can enjoy some quality time with them, b) you can clean out their housing without causing them stress, and c) both you and the vet can check them over without upsetting them, or being bitten.
- Company: If you’re able to, it’s a good idea to keep small furry pets in pairs for companionship. Research which pairings work best for your species, and talk to a vet about neutering.
- Environment: Whether an indoor cage or outdoor hutch, your pet’s housing should be warm, well ventilated, and safe from predators. Give them a comfortable bed and somewhere to hide out too.
- Hygiene: Remove soiled bedding and droppings daily. Give bowls and toys a weekly clean. Once a month, remove everything and clean it (including the housing itself) with warm soapy water if possible or a pet-safe cleaning spray.
Get in touch with our nursing team if you have any questions about this topic.
Kittens are as cute as buttons but in those formative weeks and months they can occasionally be little devils too and their enthusiasm for life can prove a bit destructive.
But so long as you’re prepared you and your kitten can have hours of fun without the downside. Here at the practice in Woodside Avenue we’ve plenty of experience with kittens, so here are some suggestions to make those first few weeks and months a happy learning curve for both you and your pet. If you’ve any questions after reading this, don’t hesitate to contact us for advice.
Contact us for kitten care advice
When you bring your kitten home it will need your help to get used to its new surroundings and to become socialised into your way of life. To make things easier all round make the most of this impressionable age to:
- Ensure it is introduced to all members of the family and gets used to being around people of all ages, as well as other pets.
- Introduce your kitten to various essential items it will need to get used to, including litter tray, grooming tools and its pet carrier – essential for journeys away and trips to the vet.
- Start a routine for feeding and try to stick to it.
- Bring in plenty of toys and a scratching post to distract your kitten from the soft furnishings.
- Expose your kitten to as many experiences as you can – have a think about the encounters it is going to make throughout its life.
- Keep any potential poisons, such as household cleaners, out of your kitten’s reach.
- Introduce play time. The more time you spend playing with your kitten the more it will bond with you.
- Make sure your kitten has a safe space of its own to rest and sleep in.
Your kitten will need vaccinations and parasite prevention treatment too, so bring it along to Avenues Vets where we can chat to you about what’s needed and get it used to being handled by our team too.
We look forward to meeting your new arrival but in the meantime we are here to offer kitten advice when you contact us.
Rabbits tend to be fairly easy to care for, but accidents and health emergencies can happen. It’s important to remember that most rabbit emergencies will require professional veterinary treatment, but you may be able to provide basic first aid and treat minor injuries or ailments on the spot if you have a rabbit first aid kit.
Call us for advice on: 0141 643 0404
Avenues Veterinary Centre’s nursing team has this advice for you about what constitutes a rabbit emergency and what your first aid kit should include.
You should see a vet immediately if your rabbit has: a large open wound, an escape of flowing, spurting or oozing blood, pale or blue gums, laboured breathing (mouth open), excessive diarrhoea, is seizuring or has lost consciousness, has eaten something harmful, or hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12 hours or more.
Your rabbit’s first aid kit should include:
- Phone number for your vet.
- Small pet carrier and towels.
- Hand sanitiser and gloves.
- Gauze pads, cotton buds & pads, soft bandages & vet wrap bandages.
- Blunt tipped scissors & tweezers, nail clippers, eye dropper.
- Feeding syringes to administer food, water or medicines.
- Digital rectal thermometer and petroleum jelly – normal body temperature should be 101-103 degrees Fahrenheit, rectal reading should be 103-104.
- Instant cold packs – use on the side of the carrier for heatstroke, or wrap in a towel if using briefly on a swelling. Quick temperature change can cause shock.
- Heat pad for mild hypothermia – never put directly under your rabbit, use a towel and put on a low setting.
- Saline or pet-safe antimicrobial solution (Hibiscrub) to clean wounds.
- Pet-specific antibacterial spray (Vetericyn) for treating wounds & infections.
- Any medications prescribed to your rabbit.
- Brushes and flea comb.
- Pot of baby food with rabbit-safe ingredients (try organic pumpkin or squash with no additives or preservatives) for when your rabbit won’t eat. Dilute it with water and use a feeding syringe to administer it slowly. An alternative is Oxbow Critical Care for herbivores.
- Small LED Flashlight for examining eyes, nose and ears.
Call us on 0141 643 0404 to get some of these items and for rabbit first aid advice.
Whatever you do, don’t yank that pesky tick straight out of your dog! It might seem like the obvious thing to do especially if your dog is agitated, but pulling a tick straight out can cause the head to detach, which can lead to more irritation and increases the risk of disease transmission.
This may sound horrible, but it’s a common problem during spring and summer. Our head nurse, Linsey Wallace explains.
What you need to know about ticks:
- Ticks mostly live in woodland, long grasses and fields, more so where sheep or deer graze. Although most prevalent in spring and summer, they can be problematic throughout the year in some areas.
- Ticks can vary but are typically small, oval & flat. Unfed they’re about the size of a sesame seed and can swell to coffee bean size after a feast of blood.
- They latch onto pets (and people) by inserting their mouthparts into the skin to suck blood. Many produce a sticky glue-like substance to stay attached.
- A tick bite can cause irritation, as well as anaemia and temporary paralysis in rare cases. Ticks can also spread lyme disease, which affects humans too. Left untreated, lyme disease can lead to a serious, debilitating chronic illness with complications for life. Headaches are a common initial symptom in humans.
How to tell if your dog has been bitten by a tick:
After walks, check your dog all over for ticks (they’ll feel like small bumps), especially under the tummy, armpits, ears, head, neck, groin and feet. Your dog might:
- be excessively scratching or biting at an area, or shaking their head.
- have an initial ‘bullseye’ rash around the bite site.
- have intermittent lameness.
- show fever or lethargy.
To remove a tick safely you’ll need a tick removal tool that’s been specially designed to help you perform the necessary motion needed to get it out in one piece. These tools typically come in a pack of two sizes and can be purchased from most vet practices, pet stores, and some online retailers. Linsey recommends having a set in your pet first aid kit, and even your handbag and car.
The longer the tick is in your pet, the bigger the risk of disease transmission. If you’re struggling to get it out yourself, contact our nursing team for advice.
A buzzing bee whizzing through the air must seem like a fun game to a cat, until they get stung. Head nurse Linsey Wallace wants cat owners in Lanarkshire to learn some basic first aid so they know what to do if their cat gets stung by a bee.
If you can, try to determine whether your cat was stung by a bee, wasp, or hornet. Quickly search the area where it happened for the insect.
Wasps are long and thin, have little or no hair, and are distinctly bright yellow and black. Bees are typically furry. A hornet is much larger and more aggressive. Our nurses have found some fun facts and advice on how to tell the difference:
Fun facts from the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk
Advice from the British Pest Control Association: bpca.org,uk
If your cat is unfortunate enough to get stung by a bee or another buzzing insect, Linsey has these first aid tips:
- If the insect is still attached to your cat, use something flat like a credit card to scrape it and its stinger away. Be careful not to get bitten or scratched by your cat, you may need a friend to help hold them.
- If you didn’t see the incident occur, look out for excessive licking of an area, which could also be red and swollen.
- Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the area to reduce the swelling, and prevent your cat from scratching it – a cat head cone would be ideal.
- You can apply a home remedy to reduce pain and neutralise the sting;
- Bee/hornet sting: a thick paste of water & bicarbonate of soda/salt.
- Wasp stings are alkaline: lemon juice or vinegar.
- Contact your vet quickly if your cat experiences severe swelling or agitation, hives, excessive drooling, collapse, or seizure.
- Monitor their health and behaviour for 24 hours and keep up with hydration and food intake.
- You may also want to contact your vet for advice if the sting is near your cat’s eyes (can affect vision), and mouth or throat (can affect breathing).
- Some antihistamines for humans can be used, however, never give your cat human medication without instructions and the correct dosage from your vet.
In case your cat ever gets stung by a bee and requires urgent treatment by a vet, pop our emergency number in your phone. Our emergency info
Will your rabbit be jumping for joy this spring? They may well be if they’re protected from life-threatening diseases and aren’t suffering from sneezing fits and allergies.
Avenues Veterinary Centre’s nursing team have pulled together this advice to help you give your rabbit the best start to this season.
Rabbit diseases & vaccinations
Vaccinations can protect your rabbit each year against life-threatening diseases Myxomatosis and both strains of RVHD, cases of which are nearly always fatal.
- Myxomatosis is often thought of as a ‘wild rabbit problem’ as the disease can spread rapidly through a population by blood-sucking fleas, ticks, mites and mosquitoes. However, domestic rabbits living in the same area can contract this deadly disease too after being bitten by the same parasites.
- Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD-1 & RVHD-2) can be spread by inanimate objects that have been contaminated with the virus including shoes, clothing, car tyres, and rabbit hutches. Rabbits that have contact with an infected rabbit or their faeces, fur or meat, are likely to contract it.
Check your rabbit’s vaccinations are up to date. Contact us.
Rabbit allergies & sneezing
If your rabbit is sneezing, it could be due to one of these things:
- A rabbit being allergic to hay is rare, but it can happen. Try switching your hay supplier or the type of grass you feed them – never use lawn mower cuttings as this can make them ill.
- Wood shavings in bedding can make your rabbit sneeze. If you’ve changed their type of bedding recently, try switching it back and symptoms should clear up in a day or two.
- Dust is the most common cause of rabbit sneezing. Hay is grown outdoors, harvested by large machinery, and then stored in barns – so it can get very dusty. Too much dust can cause an allergic reaction in your rabbit.
- A build-up of urine ammonia, dust, and other particles from an unclean living environment can contribute to rabbit sneezing. Clean your rabbit’s hutch out regularly to improve air circulation and keep your rabbit healthy.
Contact our nursing team to talk about rabbit care.
