Overweight Pets

Is your pet a Usain Bolt , muscular fit and active or is it Mr Blobby in a fur coat? Chances are it’s somewhere between the two. Not many of us can expect to run a sub 10 second 100 metres, but we should be able to run it without collapsing halfway for a rest …

Adopting a pet – Part 1

Each year more and more pets are being dumped or given away by their owners.  According to the RSPCA more than 100 animals are being abandoned each day.  This is a 65% increase compared to figures in 2007. There are many reasons why people give away their pets: The pets are too much hard work …

Breaks and Fractures

At Cherrydown Vets one of the reasons pets are bought in to us is because of breaks or fractures to their bones.  It could be because of a car accident, a high fall, fighting, over exuberance or something more serious like bone cancer. There are two types of fractures, open and closed. An open fracture …

Owning a Rabbit – Part 2

Food and Diet If you believe what you see in a Bugs Bunny cartoon rabbits only eat carrots. This is a complete myth.  A rabbit’s diet is far more complex.  If you broke it down it would look like this: 80% Grass and Hay – Rabbits digestive systems must have grass and/or hay in order to …

Owning a Rabbit – Part 1

Did you know there are approximately 1.7 million rabbits kept as pets in the UK? This makes them the third most popular pet after cats and dogs. There are many different breeds all varying in size, shape and personality.  It is generally thought owning a rabbit is easy. However, as they need daily attention, have …

Pet Passports

If you want to travel abroad with your pet you need to get a Pet Passport as this will help you avoid long quarantine periods when you return.  The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is designed to stop the spread of rabies and other diseases while still allowing your pet to travel.  From 1st January 2012 all …

Fleas

Even though you may have the cleanest pet in the world and your house is sparkling, your furry friend may still get fleas. It is commonly assumed that fleas jump from one animal to another but that is not the case. Pets generally pick up fleas from infested areas such as the local park, your …

Rabbits – Diet and Husbandry

RABBITS – Diet and husbandry Water should always be available. Avoid muesli based diets – it makes rabbits more likely to become selective feeders and not to obtain the full nutrition needed. Pellets such as Excel should be fed but should make up no more than 10% of the rabbits total diet. 70% of a …