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What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a condition that causes your pet to have multiple seizures or ‘fits’. This can be due to a structural problem in the brain, due to a genetic cause or sometimes due to unknown reasons. Genetic epilepsy or epilepsy of unknown origin (called ‘idiopathic epilepsy’) most commonly starts between the ages
Use of rat and mouse poisons increase in Autumn as rodents attempt to move indoors to keep warm. Such poisons aren’t just harmful to mice and rats though – rodenticides are also highly toxic to pets and, if eaten, could be fatal. Rodenticide poisons can also impact ecosystems, as wild animals often have access to
Although Xylitol is present all year round, it definitely merits special mention at Halloween and Christmas. These are times when treats are often both in abundance, and left lying around as the holidays make us feel a bit more carefree. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol which is used as a low-calorie sweetener in drinks, sweets,
At this time of year they can be seen in parks and pavements up and down the country (some people even leave them around the house to ward off spiders), but did you know conkers contain a chemical called aesculin which is poisonous to dogs? Not only that, but larger conkers could also cause an
We all know that dogs just love to eat anything – and vets are often asked about wild mushrooms. With the milder climate and the recent rain and moisture, mushroom populations seem to be booming this autumn. Last year the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) even issued a warning about the issue. Most of the
Dogs love to experiment and, you guessed it, their mouth is their laboratory! Unfortunately, they don’t always have the good sense to be selective in what they choose to ‘test out’, and batteries are no exception. Batteries are hidden everywhere in a household – from inside watches to children’s toys to TV remotes. Some may
Read the first of our series of InPractice articles on ‘Intoxication in dogs and cats’
There are two types of intoxicated patient that present to veterinary practices: the asymptomatic patient with a known exposure and the patient with clinical signs that may (or may not) be due to a toxin or poison. Deciding when (or if) to treat these patients is often an inexact science and the decision must be