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If you're the proud parent of a new puppy, congratulations! Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time. But along with the joys of puppyhood come some important responsibilities. One of your most important tasks will be to ensure that your puppy receives all their vaccinations on schedule. This post takes a look at two vaccines that are most important for puppies. Rabies Vaccine When most people think of rabies, they think of wild animals.

A dog with a limp tail may be trying to say something. It can be a sign of fear and stress, but before you wonder who has dared to frighten or stress out your beloved pooch, have you considered that your dog may have sprained their tail? Discomfort for Your Dog When it comes to ease of treatment, a sprained tail isn't especially complicated to correct. But don't assume that it's an insignificant injury, as it can be very painful for your dog.

Neutering your dog is about more than just preventing puppies. While eliminating the risk of any accidental matings is definitely one of the biggest benefits of neutering, there are many more advantages to the procedure. Alongside health benefits (such as a reduced likelihood of developing cancer or prostate complications), one of the most overlooked benefits of neutering your dog is how much it can improve their behaviour. Here are just four main changes you may notice after neutering your furry friend.

In theory, any creature with teeth can develop a cavity in those teeth. Perhaps humans are the most susceptible to cavities, due to the amount of sugar that can be found in the average diet. But if you or any member of your family develops a cavity, then it's off to your dentist. But it's not as though each and every member of your family can actually tell you if they're experiencing a problem with one of their teeth.

Certain canine medical conditions can be treated with surgery, although surgery is not necessarily going to be recommended. This is the case with Cushing's disease, which also exists in humans. The disease means that your dog's body produces excessive cortisol, which is a steroid hormone. Most instances of Cushing's disease are triggered by a small growth on your dog's pituitary gland (located at the base of their brain). Given the location of the growth, surgery is risky, which is why your dog's condition will generally be managed with medication, along with certain dietary and lifestyle recommendations.

Urinary tract obstruction can kill a strong, healthy cat in a shockingly short amount of time. As such, it should always be considered a medical emergency, necessitating immediate treatment at an emergency and/or 24-hour veterinary clinic. However, urinary tract obstruction can be particularly serious in male cats, so you should act with even more urgency if you suspect your male cat is having urinary problems. What is urinary tract obstruction? 

Pets are an instrumental part of their owners' households, but quite often their health is put at risk by simply not having regular checkups. This is of course not done on purpose, after all, many people live extraordinarily busy lives, and unless you see your pet visibly suffering, it is easy to assume everything is okay. However, in reality, many pets can be suffering in silence or be presenting the early warning signs of a disease or condition that needs immediate attention.

When your cat is poorly, needs the snip or just a simple pet vaccination, the vet is the first place to take them. The problem for many cat owners is that it can be extremely stressful for their fluffy bundles of joy -- and it can also be stressful for the owners. Here are a few tips and pointers to consider when looking to make the vet trip a more bearable experience:

The best way to get rid of your dog's ear mites is to take them to a vet for medication that kills the mites. This treatment can take a few weeks, but it's sure to put an end to your dog's scratching, head shaking and ear abrasions. However, ear mite treatment isn't a permanent cure. If you're not careful, your dog could get ear mites again—and again, and again—leading to more discomfort for your pup and more money in veterinary bills for you.

Sometimes curiosity really can spell bad times for the cat. They're curious creatures, and that often leads them to eat things they really shouldn't. Anything from string to coins can be eaten by your cat, and those objects might not make it successfully through the digestive system. When they don't, your cat will suffer from foreign body obstruction. Here are just a few signs that might have happened. Vomiting and Retching

Most of the time, a vomiting dog is nothing to worry about. However, in some cases, vomiting can be a sign that your dog needs to see an emergency vet. Here are 3 situations where your dog's vomiting constitutes an emergency. Remember that this list is not exhaustive; if your dog's behaviour is concerning or you're worried for any other reason, it's best to get your dog to the clinic for your own peace of mind.

When the middle ear, located behind the eardrum, becomes infected, cysts can form around the eardrum. These cysts, known as cholesteatoma, tend to occur when an infection has been present for an extended period of time, which isn't uncommon, as it's not always easy to spot the signs of a middle ear infection in dogs. All breeds of dog can develop ear cysts, but those with droopy ears, narrow ear canals or hair growth in the outer ear canal are at a greater risk of ear infections.

Oedema is a very common problem faced by most horse owners from time-to-time. 'Filled legs', as the condition is colloquially known, is usually simple to resolve, but there are times when it can be indicative of a more serious issue where veterinary attention is required. So, what causes filled legs and when should you call the vet? What causes filled legs? Filled legs refers to a condition where the horse's lower legs become swollen and puffy.

Sinusitis is characterised by inflammation of the air-filled pockets in your rabbit's nasal cavity. This respiratory condition can be acute or chronic and is commonly caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, allergies or trauma to the nose. Sinusitis caused by bacteria or fungus is contagious, and the affected rabbit should be kept separate from other rabbits. Here's an overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment approach for sinusitis in rabbits:

If you have a female dog, particularly a thoroughbred, you might be tempted to breed from her. This can come with several fantastic benefits; you get to see your dog become a mother and play with new puppies, and the whole process can be extremely rewarding. However, while many people do enjoy breeding their dogs, there are several drawbacks that owners can sometimes fail to consider. Before you make your decision to breed your dog, make sure you carefully consider the following points.

The oral cavity accounts for around 10% of all feline tumours, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common. SCC is an extremely aggressive cancer, and the estimated 1-year survival rate rests at less than 10%, a disturbing statistic indeed. Of course, being able to spot the condition early can help save your cat's life; even if it is too late for death to be avoided, your pet can be spared the pain of going through the disease without treatment.

Parasitic ear mites are highly contagious, and once they colonise your rabbit's ears, they can spread to other areas of their body, including their neck and abdomen. If left untreated, ear mite infestations can cause lesions to develop in the inner ear, and when these lesions get infected with bacteria, your rabbit could develop hearing loss. Rabbits can pick up ear mites from straw bedding, grass, woodchip and other rabbits, and all breeds of rabbit are susceptible to ear mites.

Many dogs benefit from spending part of their day outdoors and providing a kennel or enclosed run is a good way of allowing your dog to enjoy the fresh air.  However, dogs have a habit of getting into scrapes so it's important that your pet's kennel is safe, warm and dry, especially if your pet has recently had surgery or is recovering from an illness. Here are some simple dog kennel safety tips to make sure that your pet stays safe whilst enjoying his time outside.

Your cat can develop blepharitis for a number of reasons, including a bacterial or viral infection, eye disease or a food allergy. Blepharitis causes inflammation of the eyelid margins and irritation around the outer eyelids and is a long-term condition. Here's an overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment approach: Symptoms A common symptom of blepharitis in cats is crusts that form along the eyelid margin, and the skin around the eyelids can also flake and appear inflamed.

Vomiting can be a sign of a range of mild and more serious medical conditions for a cat. However, it's also a normal reaction to eating bad food, poisons or even having too much fur in their digestive system. If you are unsure of whether your cat needs to go to the vet after vomiting here are some other indications.  Was it a once off? If your cat has done a once off vomit but is otherwise healthy and happy, and hasn't kept vomiting, this can be a sign that they had something that they need to purge.

Iron-deficiency anaemia impairs the functioning of your dog's red blood cells and leaves them unable to transport enough oxygen around your dog's body. This can weaken their immune system and leave them vulnerable to developing health conditions related to their lungs and heart, such as tachycardia. This type of anaemia in dogs is typically caused by intestinal bleeding or parasites. Here's an overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment approach for iron-deficiency anaemia in dogs:

Cats have a long lifespan, and as they age, their dietary requirements begin to change. In fact, most cats become finicky eaters as they grow older, and you will be lucky if you get them to eat anything at all. If your cat is past the middle-age years, you should consider making some dietary changes to boost their health and prolong their life. Read on to find out the importance of making dietary changes to your aging cat and some of the best foods that you should start giving them.

Annual booster vaccinations are a key part of keeping your dog healthy and safe from dangerous, preventable diseases.  However, not all dogs are comfortable with this procedure and their anxiety can manifest itself as aggressive or unpredictable behaviour when attending the veterinary clinic.  Small breeds of dog can be particuarly feisty and tricky to control when attending the vet for their jabs. Here are some top tips on how to safely restrain your small dog when you take him to the vet for his vaccinations.