Karen and Billy completed their training in Andover in October and launched Petpals (Hartlepool & East Durham) on 17th October 2011.

Sunburn

Pet suffer from sunburn too, especially pets that have hair loss due to allergies, hot spots, surgical preparation, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.  In pets, sunburn can appear as red skin or hair loss.  Sunburn can irritate or exacerbate existing conditions, such as allergies or hot spots.  Many people have their pet’s fur trimmed to help them manage in hot weather but this can make them more susceptible to sunburn, groomers should warn pet owners of this possibility.

Provide protection from the sun – sunscreen can and should be used on our pets.  Sunscreen can be applied to the bridge of the nose, ear tips, skin surrounding the lips, and any area where pigmentation is low.  Animals that have white fur, pink skin, light coloured noses or thin, very short or missing fur are most in need of protective sunscreen or sun block.  The groin, inside legs and abdomen may also need sunscreen because hair tends to be very thin in these areas and ultraviolet light can reflect off of certain surfaces to affect that skin.  There are sunscreens  created specifically for pets. 

 Heatstroke

Cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs do not sweat through their skin like humans, so they are not as efficient at cooling down.  They pant to release heat and they sweat through the foot pads and nose.  Limiting the amount of time a pet spends outdoors during the hottest hours of the day is important.  Certain types of pets are more sensitive to hear and therefore, more susceptible to heatstroke including overweight and obese pets, very young and very old animals and brachycephalis (short-nosed) breeds of cats and dogs such as Persians, Pugs, Bulldogs and Boston Terriers.  Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, dry or tacky and dark red tongue and gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy or collapse of body temperature of greater than 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Farenheit).  In rabbit, laboured breathing , flaring of the nostrils and distress are all signs of heat stress.  Some animals can recover fully from heat stoke if it is caught early enough and treated appropriately.  Others may suffer from seizures and permanent organ damage and require lifelong treatment.  Sadly, many pets do not survive heat stroke.  Prevention is the key.

How to prevent heatstroke – take early morning and evening outdoor play and walks and avoid vigorous exercise on warm days.  Ensure there is plenty of fresh drinking water, even ice cubes.  Reduce a pets body temperature using chilled wet towels.  Never leave an animal alone in the car even if the weather is not hot, the inside of the car acts like an oven and the temperature can rise to dangerously high levels in a matter of minutes.  Ensure there is access to cool shady areas to escape from the heat, even indoors.  Do not confine a pet to any room where the temperature may be especially high, such as a sunroom.  Groom more frequently in summer months to help remove excess hair.

Avoid Water Hazards

Even dogs that are good swimmers need to be protected around water. Animal life jackets can aid flotation and retrieval.  A ramp is an excellent accessory on a boat or a pool and could save the life of a pet that has fallen into the water unattended.  Toxic waters – blue-green algae can be found on the surface of warm, slow or still lakes, ponds and wetlands.  If faced with an accidental ingestion of toxic algae water, immediately wash off the pet’s coat (to prevent self cleaning contamination) and take to the vet if there are any troublesome signs.

Parasite Infestations

Fleas, ticks, lice and mites are just some of the parasites that are abundant in the summer.  Adult fleas spend most of their time on an animal, but flea eggs, larvae and pupae are most often found in the pet’s environment. 

Prevention is better than cure but the steps are the same for a successful flea control programme.  You must treat the environment as well as the pet.  Ticks – as the weather gets warmer, people spend more time outdoors and ticks become more active.  Ticks can carry a number of infective organisms that can sometimes make people and pets ill and potentially cause serious medical problems.  How a tick is removed is extremely important.  There are a number of tick removal tools on the market.  All claim to be safe and efficient but proper use is vital. 

Thursday, April 7 05:08 pm Yahoo News 

Animal experts are warning dog owners to learn how to spot the tell-tale signs of a killer parasite which is spreading at an “alarming rate” around the UK.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20110407/tuk-dog-owners-warned-over-killer-worm-dba1618.html

Natalie completed her training in Andover in Febraury and launched Petpals (Thanet) on 8th March 2011.

Their tips are well placed to help pets enjoy healthier and longer lives, along with the support of pet care specialists.

Their top ten tips are:

1. Think carefully before getting a pet and learn about it’s special requirements.
2. Ensure your pet is sociable and well trained.
3. Provide a nutritious and well balanced diet.
4. Provide suitable housing and bedding.
5. Clean up after your pet and worm it regularly.
6. Protect against disease.  Your vet can provide advice.
7. Prevent unwanted litters and where appropriate neuter your pet.
8. Groom your pet regularly.
9. Control your pet and ensure it is properly identified.
10. Take out pet insurance cover for dogs, cats, rabbits and horses to cover against unexpected veterinary fees and third party liability.

Petpals are advocates of responsible pet ownership.  Our services compliment these ownership tips in providing care for your pet while you are away from home.

- Promote responsible pet ownership
- Make people aware of the benefits of pets for people and people for pets
increase public awareness of services available from professionals who work with animals
- Raise awareness of the role, value and contribution to society of working companion animals

Last year, thousands of people joined in at events across the country to raise funds for charities.  The events also helped to raise awareness of the positive benefits of having pets and how this is rewarded back to the pet through responsible pet ownership.

According to National Pet Month, the 1200 plus events raised over £80000.

National Pet Month have identified ten tips for responsible pet ownership, available here.

National Pet Month is a registered charity, unique in bringing together animal welfare charities, professional bodies, pet businesses, schools, youth groups and pet lovers, with the common goal of improving the welfare of pets.

Visit their website at www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk where you can also make a donation.

The trustees are National Office of Animal Health (NOAH), Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) and Pet Care Trust (PCT).

Fun was had by all, and an impressive variety of dogs and their owners took part in the different categories. The best of show award, sponsored by Petpals, went to the beautiful all-white German Shepherd, Annouk and her owner Heather.

Petpals (Wirral West) owner, Jim Furlong:

‘It was a pleasure to support Sarah in this venture. We really enjoyed the day, and it was lovely to see the variety of dogs on display.

All the categories were keenly contested, and there was real delight from the winners – even the prize for ‘the owner that looks most like their dog’ was highly competitive.’

Petpals (Wirral West) is your first stop on the Wirral for your dog walking, cat visits, home boarding and pet taxiing needs. They can be contacted on 0151 353 8060 or emailed at: wirralwest@petpals.com

Expert opinion

According to Sheila Stewart, who runs Capricom Animal Rescue Centre in North Wales, the majority of pets being abandoned by their owners is due to them not taking out pet insurance. This seems ridiculous at first, but bare in mind the cost of veterinary treatment and so it seems a reasonable hypothesis.

The answer?

Pet owners should consider taking out pet insurance so that they can pay for their pet to receive the treatment it needs should it become injured or ill. According to Sheila Stewart of Capricom Animal Rescue Centre it may help reduce the abandonment of pets at their centre.

What to look for in a pet insurance policy

Price should not be the only factor when purchasing insurance. You have to consider the things you need covered as every pet and its owner are different. The following is a list of common features which are omitted from certain cheaper policies:

• Veterinary treatment – This is the most common cause for a claim, with research by moneysupermarket.com suggesting that people are more likely to claim on their pet insurance than on their motor or home insurance. However, some low quality insurers will state in the small print that this is not covered by their policy. Look out for this!
• The excess – Some policies are cheaper simply because the excess is higher. The average excess is around £40-£50, but if you wish to offer to pay a higher excess in order to benefit from a lower premium do so at your own risk, but please ensure that you can afford the excess for the good of your animal.
• Third party cover – Some insurers will not pay out should your pet cause damage to a third party (i.e. damage to someone else’s property).
• Dental cover- Sainsbury’s bank estimates that dental fees for animals cost UK pet owners £28.5 million per year. However, some insurers will not pay out should you make a claim for your pet’s dental care.
• Commercial events- Some insurers will consider your claim invalid if you are making a claim for an injury your pet sustained when in a commercial event. If you are planning on this, make sure the insurer will cover it.
• Holiday cover-If you are planning on taking you pet abroad, only agree to a policy that will cover any claims made in different countries. Many insurers will not cover this.

Please Note: This is promotional content provided by moneysupermarket.com. Petpals does not endorse or advocate any particular brand of pet insurance.

After teaching for 18 years, Jim Furlong and his wife Jayne, decided to turn their love of animals into a business and they have just launched Petpals Wirral West, based in Neston.

Jim and Jayne Furlong who have launched Petpals Wirral West

 Jim said: ”It was a big decision for us both to give up our careers. I was running 5 departments as a Head of Humanities, and Jayne was a professional librarian. However, we both love animals and we decided to start this new business as a result.

“With the busy lives people have today,  there is a real need for our services.

“Late hours at work means people cannot always get back to walk their dogs, and more people are preferring to leave their cats in their own homes while on holday instead of putting them through the stress of catteries.

“We are fully insured and police-checked for peace of mind.”

For more information about Petpals, visit their website here, or you can contact Jim and Jayne on 0151 353 8060 or email them at wirralwest@petpals.com.

After 18 years of working in education, and reaching a Senior Teacher level, Jim decided he wanted to combine his love of animals and the great outdoors with owning his own business. Jayne, a professional librarian, has joined him and they now cover the Wirral West area for Petpals.

Animals have always been a key component in our lives. Jim grew up with German Shepherds (his father was a breeder) and Jim and Jayne’s cat, Pixie, was with them for 16 years, even enjoying living in the Middle East with them. Currently, they have both Bella and Buffy, who are two delightfully crazy ex-rescue cats.

Our goal is to deliver high quality and professional pet services by providing reliable and flexible solutions for all your pet care needs. Our range of services include pet home visits, dog walking, cat sitting, dog sitting, dog visits, dog and small animal boarding – all with the aim of providing your pets with the same love and affection they receive from you. Therefore we offer a particularly popular alternative to catteries and kennels, for day trips or long breaks. Early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, especially in school holidays.

We are always on the look out for new host families for our clients dogs, so email us if you would like to offer your services or know of anyone who might be suitable.

For more information please contact wirralwest@petpals.com or visit the Petpals Wirral West area page here.