1. Miriam Main BVM&S MRCVS

2. 
 Fireworks – protecting your pet
 Poisonings
 Eating hearty foods
 Exercising safely
 Creepy crawlies
 Autumn aches
What we will cover today

3. 
Firework Night – 75% of pets

4. 
 Trembling and shaking
 Clinging to owners
 Barking excessively
 Cowering and hiding behind furniture
 Trying to run away
 Soiling the house
 Pacing and panting
 Refusing to eat
 Scratching furniture
Fireworks – signs of noise
phobia

5. 
 Dogs – owner related
- reassurance OK in moderation
- essential to keep calm
 Cats – environment related
- litter trays (multiple)
- food location
- water location
Prevention better than
cure

6. 
 Exposure to various noises in controlled way
 Time frame: weeks to months
 www.soundtherapy4pets.co.uk
 Need speakers & volume control
Sound desensitisation

7. 
 Real life is unpredictable:
- Various rooms (include outside)
- Various times
- Various people present
 Go at your pet’s pace
 Don’t react yourself
 Don’t do at times of other loud noises
 Use kong or frozen treat
Sound desensitisation

8. 
 Play tracks yourself
- 1 – component firework sounds
- 2 – complete firework sounds
- 3 – complete firework display
 Always start with your pet settled and calm with long
lasting treat or toy
Sound desensitisation

9. 
 Start the first track at 0
 Slowly increase volume (NB gaps between) until
MILD reaction (eg ear twitch)
 Look at the volume number – this is the STARTING
VOLUME for desensitisation
Sound desensitisation

10. 
 Start with pet relaxed with treat/toy
 Play the track at STARTING VOLUME
 If your pet reacts: switch off the track, do NOT interact
with your pet, try again at a later date at a lower
volume.
 If your pet does not react: give praise and reward, play
the track for one minute then stop.
 Increase by one minute per day (if no reaction) at the
STARTING VOLUME
Sound desensitisation

11. 
 Continue daily until relaxed throughout whole track
(10-15 minutes)
 Perform at least 1 session per day
 Start again at a higher volume for 1 minute
 Carry on until at a realistic volume
 Repeat at different times etc
 Move on to next track from the beginning (NB check
volume setting!)
Sound desensitisation

12. 
 Location – smells, windows
 Size – comfortably stand and turn
 Positive reinforcement – treats & toys
 Free access daily
 Cats – height
 Padding or blankets – muffle sound
Pet Dens

13. 
 Zylkene
- protein from breast milk
- blocks the chemical receptor for feeling fear
- need to pre-empt problem (2-3 days)
- takes longer on established problems
- advise Wed 29th Oct – Wed 12th Nov
- www.zylkenepet.co.uk
Supplements

14. 
 ADAPTIL and FELIWAY
- Pheromones: bitch “appeasing”, cat “home territory”
- Diffusers (collars for dogs only) – 4 weeks
- Spray – 4-5 hours
- Use in or around pet den
- Start 27th October
Supplements

15. 
 Sedation
- unpredictable, ?safety
- not tackling problem
- limited supply
 Diazepam
- some use in selected cases
- must be after consultation with a vet
Drugs

16. 
 Walk dogs in daylight or early morning
 Keep cats indoors when it is dark
- NB litter trays!
 Shut windows, doors, cat flaps
 Muffle sounds
- curtains, door stoppers
- radio
 Microchip up to date
 Always keep cool and calm
 Distract with new treats & toys
Top Tips

17. 
Rich Autumn Foods

18. 
 Gastro-enteritis
- lining of guts damaged, “good” bacteria disturbed
vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, chronic
sensitivity
 Pancreatitis
- digestive enzymes start to attack the body
extreme pain, anorexia, lethargy, serious
potential complications
 Long term consequences to a cheeky roast dinner!
High Fat Foods

19.  Chocolate
- darker = worse
- theobromine and caffeine
- 1oz per lb milk chocolate is lethal
- low – vomiting, diarrhoea, drinking excessively
- medium – cardio-toxic
- high – seizures & death
 Raisins & grapes
- hugely variable – as few as 4 grapes!
- kidney toxicity 24-72 hours
Poisonous Foods

20. 
 Antifreeze – ethylene glycol
- sweet taste – attractive
- only liquid available in cold weather – cats!
- vomiting, nerve problems, drink excessively
- acute irreversible renal failure
 Rat & snail bait
- highly palatable
- muscle tremors, anxiety, seizures, bleeding out
- fast treatment essential!
Other poisons

21. 
 Bones & decorations
- turkey, roast dinners etc
- choking emergency treatment
- stuck in guts emergency operation,
perforation risk
- sharp objects scratching
Choking hazards

22.  Harvest mite
- orange, only just visible
- attach to sparsely haired areas
- irritable itching lesions
- crusted spots to raw bleeding
- ear flaps, toes, eyes
- can affect people!
 Fipronil spray
Autumn beasties

23. 
 Fleas
- all year round problem in Cornwall
- home environment – central heating!
- still regularly see fleas
 Ticks
- continue through Autumn
- O’tom tick hooks
Autumn beasties

24. 
 Autumn aches - arthritis
- damp, cold weather
- stiff to rise, slower on walks, bunny-hopping steps
- spending more time alone, grumpy
 Safety
- high visibility gear when out walking
- NB compromised vision
Autumn Watch

25. 
Any questions?