Churchill Change Logo for Red Nose Day
Churchill is changing his logo for Red Nose Day 2009 and doing something “funny for money.” As well as wearing a red nose, for every Churchill policy sold between 9th-15th March, the insurance company will donate £1 to Comic Relief. This includes all Churchill branded policies including car, home, van, motorcycle, travel and pet insurance, as well as breakdown cover.
Claire Foster, spokesperson for Churchill comments, “We hope to raise a lot of money for Comic Relief. It’s fantastic to be involved and support such a great cause that resonates so well with Churchill customers.”
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Family reunited with Pet Tortoise
A family has been reunited with its pet tortoise, which was rescued from a rubbish lorry.
Fred was plucked from the lorry’s compactor by sharp-eyed binman Shaun Wilson, who handed him to the RSPCA.
The 30-year-old reptile is believed to have woken early from hibernation and broke into a rubbish bag in the hunt for food.
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Saga pet insurance issues tips on lost pets
Saga Pet Insurance has advised animal owners who lose their furry friends to make sure they communicate the loss to as many people as possible.
The recommendation comes as research by Saga revealed that 30 per cent of Brits have lost cats or dogs, with 13 per cent of lost pets never making it back home.
“Losing a pet is always heartbreaking so appealing for information and raising awareness of a lost pet can be vital in ensuring it’s safe return,” said Andrew Goodsell, chief executive at Saga Group.
The problems of moving house with pets
Buying a new house takes on a different dimension if you’re a dedicated animal lover, says Tom Cox
Labrador crowned UK’s best pet slimmer by veterinary charity
A formerly porky Labrador has been crowned the UK’s best slimming pet by a veterinary charity after shedding 1st 6lbs (10kg).
Keano, from Plymouth, was so overweight at 7st 2lbs (46kg), he could not roll over on his back before joining the PDSA scheme.
But regular walks and proper dog food helped him find a new lease of life.
Five obese dogs and one cat completed PDSA’s 100 day diet and fitness programme, devised by vets.
The charity says canine obesity rose by 9% in the last year, which can cause potentially fatal conditions.
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Don’t let pets pass on bugs
Owning a pet is one of life’s pleasures and can be good for children and adults.
Pet owners have a reduced risk of heart disease and tend to visit the doctor less often with other illnesses. Stroking a pet can aid stress relief and caring for a pet helps children to learn nurturing skills.
However, people are sometimes worried they may pick up diseases from pets. This does not happen very often, it is more common for illness to be passed on from another human, but keeping your pets healthy is an important precaution.
US: Pet Dental Health Week
The American Dental Association estimates that almost 80 percent of adults brush their teeth at least twice a day. Keeping our teeth clean is vital to our oral health and well being, and it shouldn’t be any different for our pets.
When is the last time you brushed Fido’s teeth or had them professionally cleaned? Pets need dental care, just as people do. Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, urges pet owners not to neglect their pet’s pearly whites.
According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three. Dr. Brooke Niemiec, doctor of veterinary medicine, recommends an annual dental exam for all pets, but believes a bi-annual exam is needed for small and toy breeds.
“The main reason that pets need a dental exam is because pets do not show their oral infection or pain, yet a vast majority of pets have a problem in their mouth,” said Niemiec. “These problems cause not only local issues, but systemic disease as well.”
Niemiec treats the same problems over and over again in the animals he cares for. Periodontal disease is the most common problem for both dogs and cats. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an infection resulting from the build-up of plaque on the surfaces of the teeth surrounding the gums. If plaque is allowed to accumulate, it will irritate the gum tissue. This will eventually lead to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth.
He also sees regular cases of broken teeth, oral cancer, jaw fractures, orthodontic disease and tooth resorption in cats, which is the loss of tooth enamel that eventually leads to the loss of the tooth structure.
Dr. Tony Woodward, doctor of veterinary medicine, also sees similar issues in his patients. He cautions that even though there are not any specific warning signs to watch for, pets tend to act older.
“Besides the few obvious problems, like broken teeth or extremely bad breath, animals don’t really show symptoms from their dental problems,” explained Woodward. “Pets do become hesitant to eat and seem to think about eating before diving right in when suffering from periodontal disease or other dental issues.”
Both dentists stress the importance of preventative at-home care to help combat dental disease in pets and feel it is a critical part of dental care. Plaque forms on teeth within 24 hours and studies have shown areas can become re-infected with two weeks of a cleaning.
Woodward suggests four steps to help ward off gum disease and bad breath. The most important aspect of at-home care is to brush your pet’s teeth once or twice a day between one-two minutes. In addition, Woodward also advises pet owners to utilize oral rinses, as well as pet food and treats designed specifically to improve and promote oral health.
The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) has compiled a list of products that are intended to help reduce the buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth of animals and created the VOHC seal of approval.
Niemiec suggests at-home dental care can be successful if started young, done consistently and made into a positive experience for the pet.
Schedule your pet for a dental exam today. For more information, please visit Pet Dental Health Month.
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Dignity For Owners And Pets
Leading veterinary charity PDSA has announced the launch of an innovative scheme to help supporters beat the credit crunch and raise funds for sick and injured pets.
As the average cost of a funeral continues to rise, PDSA has joined forces with one of Britain’s largest providers of funeral services to offer a range of pre-paid funeral plans.
The joint initiative with Dignity Funeral Plans will cover policyholders’ funeral expenses with a donation being made to PDSA for every plan purchased, helping the charity to achieve its goal of funding treatment for pets in need of vets.
John Cole, PDSA Head of Direct Marketing, said, “We believe that this scheme will appeal to the many people across Britain who support the very vital work we do as a charity as well as providing them with peace of mind.
“It’s never easy to talk about planning a funeral, whether it’s your own or that of a loved one. However, dealing with arrangements in advance, including the cost, is a practical and sensible thing to do and can also bring comfort at a most sensitive time.”
Pet euthanasia service prosecuted
A company called Pet Heaven are being prosecuted in the US for a mobile pet euthanasia service they offered.
Pet lovers told to avoid online scammers
Pet lovers are being warned to be on alert for an online scam taking advantage of dog buyers.
The threat emerged as The News reported yesterday how a family from Portsmouth had been conned out of £716 by an African gang, with the false promise of a puppy being delivered.
The Dunkley family were hit by the scammers when daughter Chalsea selected a cute poodle puppy from an online advert.