Winter Newsletter

Practice Newsletter Winter 2014 January 20th — March 31st

Practice News Many Congratulations to Rachael Jackson who, after much study, college tuition, in-house training and mentoring, has passed her examinations to qualify as a Veterinary Nurse. She will now become Registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and continue to work in her own right as a Professional. In fact all of our Nursing Staff, some who have been with the Practice for almost 40 years, are Registered Veterinary Nurses. This demonstrates to you that they keep their skills up to date and are accountable for their own professional conduct. To achieve this each Nurse follows a RACHAEL programme of Continuing Professional Development which gives you the assurance that those looking after your pets, Veterinary Surgeons and Nurse alike, are highly trained and skilled. Our Nurses work alongside the Veterinary Surgeons to ensure the best possible care for your pets. They are all adept at patient care, first aid, anaesthetic monitoring, preparing patients and assisting in theatre, laboratory work and practice hygiene. They also run their own series of clinics (NURSE CLUBS) offering support services to you completely FREE OF CHARGE. These include Puppy, Kitten, Rabbit and Small Furry Clubs where you learn how to look after your pets and develop a relationship with someone who will always be able to offer you advice or assistance should you need it. They also run a Weight Club for more ‘portly’ pets, a Senior Pet Club, an Arthritis and Pain Management Club, a Diabetic Club and Puppy Parties where we invite recently vaccinated puppies to socialise with others whilst Mums and Dads learn more about giving their dogs the best possible start in life. Vetcare Ltd has been an Investors In People Organisation since the late 1990’s, proudly displaying the world respected IIP Logo, the stamp of quality. This shows you, our clients, how much we care for our staff and that we are different from other Practices. Not content with just that we have in January reached higher and achieved Bronze Recognition which is awarded for outstanding business management. We are also an RCVS Accredited Practice. To achieve this there are many standards we must meet and have regular inspections to ensure we maintain this. Check your practice is accredited before going.

Inside this issue:

Congratulations Veterinary Nursing Investors In People ‘Review’ Competition

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Senior Pets Dental Disease Joint Disease Diet and Age Brain Aging

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Age Related Diseases Senior Pet Club Preventive Health and Special Offers

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Special Offers Chips and Supplements Contact Details and Social Media channels

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COMPETITION Visit our review page at http://smart-reviews.co.uk/ vetcare/ and write a review on any service, person or aspect of the Practice you have liked. Please send a copy of the review and contact details to: [email protected]. We will put all the names into a hat and the first Three we draw out will win vouchers to spend at the Practice on anything they desire to the value of £100, £50 or £25 respectively. The draw will take place on 31st March 2014.

Pets form a huge part of our families and none of us like to think about them getting older. There is no exact age when a cat or dog becomes a ‘SENIOR’ but we generally think of dogs becoming senior between the ages of 6 to 9 years depending on the breed. Cats are considered Senior from 9 to 10 years onwards.

SENIOR PETS

SIGNS of aging are not always readily visible. As pets enter their senior years internal changes start to take place and their metabolism starts to slow down. Many clients bring their senior animals for their Annual Health Examination and say things like, “He is slowing down a bit now”, “She has been drinking more”, “She is not as keen out on a walk as she used to be”, “He sleeps a lot now”, “He is getting a bit grumpy”, and so on. The truth is that most of the changes you may have noticed aren’t due to just age, there are specific problems that can arise in the older pet and for most there is usually something we can do to help. Looking after your older pet (feeding, exercise, grooming, play, handling and just understanding them) can be very different to when they were in their younger years and there is much we can advise you about. DENTAL DISEASE is common in all pets, especially when they are older. Apart from halitosis (bad breath) the infection in the gums can lead to tooth damage, abscesses and can be a precursor to heart disease. We have a full range of dental health products that can be used to prevent and treat dental disease. Some patients need to come in for dental assessment and treatment under anaesthetic—far more that just a scale and polish. Our Nurses run a FREE DENTAL CLUB where we will advise and help you with dental and oral hygiene as well as giving you a ‘dental pack’ full of useful information and ‘freebies’. JOINT DISEASE and ARTHRITIS is common in all older pets and very under diagnosed, particularly in cats. Many people think their pet is just sleeping more, becoming grumpy and less keen on walks or climbing up to see outside. The reality is that they could be in pain, sometimes severe. We have FREE APPOINTMENTS to see the Veterinary Surgeon if you think your cat or dog is suffering. Whilst pain relief medication is usually always necessary (we are offering 10% off all Arthritis treatments) we also need to consider exercise regime, weight, supplements, physiotherapy and sometimes further investigation. For patients on treatment our Nurses also run a FREE ARTHRITIS CLUB where they support you in all aspects of arthritis care and this forms part of the on-going aftercare for arthritis sufferers. DIET: As pets age so do their digestive systems and dietary requirements. It is important to provide high quality, easily digested protein, less fat and energy etc. for reduced activity, to give the body less work to do (especially the kidneys) and maintain muscle mass. We stock Senior Dog and Senior Cat Vet Complex which is a superior diet specifically aimed at the older pet. It is better than anything you might buy in a supermarket and costs, per day, about 25% less than other ‘premium’ pet foods like Proplan or Science Plan. We also have a range of specifically designed Prescription Diets for older pets with medical conditions. SENILE CHANGES: Dogs and Cats can both suffer from brain aging and dementia. Sometimes behaviour changes can be linked to metabolic causes elsewhere in the body and sometimes they are related to genuine age related brain deterioration. There is much we can do to discern the root of the problem and much we can do as far as treatment is concerned, often just with simple supplements. Many brain changes are reversible or manageable. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS: smart-reviews.co.uk/vetcare/

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OTHER AGE RELATED DISEASES: There are myriad other conditions associated with old age. We pick up many of these at Annual Health Examination and Booster Consultations (for which we make 15 minute appointments) but we recommend that you see the Vet at least twice a year for a general health examination. We also recommend blood and urine tests at intervals to look for internal disease, particularly kidney disease. A recent study revealed that the vast majority (80 %) of owners of dogs older than nine years of age were not aware of at least one significant health problem with their pet. Cancers and growths are often missed by owners, particularly if they are internal. Other diseases of older pets include heart, kidney, gut, pancreas and liver disease, diabetes, overactive thyroid (cats), underactive thyroid (dogs), Cushings disease, cataracts, skin diseases and worm, flea, lice, mite and tick problems. At the end of last year our nursing team developed and launched The SENIOR PET CLUB: Membership of the Senior Pet Club is FREE OF CHARGE and entitles you to see our Nurses at 3 to 6 month intervals throughout the year. They will carry out a brief examination, measure weight, body condition, vital signs, ask questions, take a history and ask you to complete a health related questionnaire. They will also offer urine tests and blood tests (at 10% below our usual price) which will be interpreted by one of the Veterinary Surgeons. At the Club you will be given an Information Pack packed with guidance and information relating to your dog or cat together with a ‘goody bag’ of samples and free stuff that you will find useful. If a problem is identified at the Senior Pet Club that warrants attention from the Veterinary Surgeon then this will be arranged with 20% off the initial consultation price. Many senior pets take medication for their ailments and must be ‘under our care’, with examinations at regular intervals in order for us to continue prescribing. With some diseases this will always be with the Veterinary Surgeon but with others we can arrange for you to be seen at the Senior Pet Club in between Veterinary Surgeon visits, e.g. dogs or cats on long term arthritis drugs that need blood samples and / or urine tests doing at intervals to assess kidney health.

Senior Pet Club

Preventive Health OFFERS Preventive health (Vaccinations, Flea Prevention, Worm Prevention, Appropriate Diet, Dental Hygiene, Exercise, Weight Control and so on), is essential for all pets, but especially for those in their twilight years whose immune system may be deficient compared to when they were in their youth and who are more susceptible to certain conditions. At Vetcare we only recommend products that are SAFE for your pet, COST -EFFECTIVE and that actually WORK, unlike many supermarket, pet shop and on-line bought products. This winter we are offering 33% DISCOUNT on Prac-Tic Flea treatment for dogs, BUY THE FIRST GET THE SECOND ONE FREE on Program bi-annual Flea Prevention for cats (for new users) and 10% OFF Milbemax 4 pack Cat / Dog worming tablets. Winter Newsletter 2014

ALL OFFERS VALID UNTIL 31st MARCH 2014

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Special Offers BACKHOME CHIPS We are really trying to encourage people to have their Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and other furries micro-chipped. If you haven’t done so already make efforts to never lose you pet by having a quality chip fitted by a suitable qualified person. This can be done by making an appointment to see the Nurse or asking the Veterinary Surgeon next time you are in to see them. We are offering Backhome Microchips for only £15 until 31st March 2014. SUPPLEMENTS Many people ask about or we recommend supplements for Arthritis and Skin Disease. We only recommend products for which there is scientific evidence for their efficacy and advise caution about buying things from the internet or from suppliers where the quality is not guaranteed. Dasuquin is a revolutionary supplement for dogs with arthritis . Dasuquin is an exclusive veterinary formulation developed to deliver advanced cartilage support in dogs. It contains the unique combination of glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate, avocado/ soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), and tea polyphenols. These compounds work synergistically to protect the cartilage, thereby playing an important role in supporting and maintaining joint health. There is real scientific evidence of its value in helping arthritis, moreso than with any other similar product. We are offering this for 10% off until 31st March 2014. Omevio is a food supplement that contains a balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential Fatty Acids. It contains a blend of fish oils, anti-oxidants and Vitamins E and C that have been proven to help dogs and cats with allergic skin disease. They help reduce inflammation, modulate the immune system, improve the epidermal lipid barrier (sebum) and improve coat quality and gloss. The beauty about Omevio is that it has a unique dispensing system that keeps air away from the product. Essential Fatty Acids can oxidise and degrade in air and this system ensures the quality of the oil stays fully fresh. We are also offering this with a 10% discount until 31st March 2014. PENNINGTON HOUSE VETERINARY CENTRE Newlands Road, Leigh, WN7 4HA Tel: 01942 262051/673777 Fax: 01942 262691 LADIES LANE VETERINARY CENTRE 18 Ladies Lane, Hindley. WN2 2RG Tel: 01942 522999 Fax 01942 522899

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TONGE MOOR VETERINARY CENTRE 391/393 Tonge Moor Road, Bolton. BL2 2JR Tel: 01204 526936 Fax 01204 364195

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The Caring Practice CECIL AVENUE VETERINARY CENTRE 1 Cecil Avenue, Sale, Cheshire. M33 5BW Tel: 0161 973 0375 Fax 0161 973 0802

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