As we begin to approach the official start of winter, the mornings are darker, the days are shorter and the temperature drops. We get ourselves bundled up in blankets when inside, and wrapped up in coats, scarfs and hats when outside, but sometimes we forget our pets might be struggling with the change of season too. It’s easily done as we can assume cats and dogs don’t feel the cold because they have their own built-in fur coats! But unfortunately for our fur-babies, winter can take a toll on them too. Not to worry, we’ve included some top-tips to help you ensure your pets are kept warm this winter! 

Dogs:

Dogs actually have a higher body temperature than humans at around 38-39.2°C, which can work in their favour during winter. However, most dogs begin to feel uncomfortable when the temperature drops to 7°C and below. That said, different breeds of dogs react differently to certain types of climate, for example dogs with finer and shorter fur will feel the cold more than others. 

How to tell if your dog is cold:

• Shivering or trembling 
• Whining 
• Curling up in a ball 
• Seeming weak or lethargic 

Keeping your dog warm:

• Ensure your dog has a warm bed where they can rest. 

Just like us, dogs need their own bed which they’d think of as a safe haven, getting a specific dog bed and adding a thick blanket, will provide your dog with the perfect cosy place to sleep

• Reduce visits to the dog groomers. 

Getting your pup a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the usual recommendation. However, during colder months, we advise you to let your dog’s fur grow out for that extra layer of warmth and to provide them with their own winter coat! 

• Buy your dog a jacket. 

For dogs who struggle more with the cold or have finer fur, consider buying a good jacket that your dog can wear inside. This will also save you from having to put the heating on for extended periods of time.

• Heated pads.  

If you don’t have carpeted floors in your home, consider investing in a heated pad for your dog. Tiled floor surfaces can make your pets colder faster, so a heated pad would help avoid this. 

• On colder days try to exercise your dogs inside. 

There are some extremely cold days during winter which humans struggle to keep warm in, these are the days you should consider keeping your pups inside. Getting your dog some toys and playing a game of indoor fetch should help keep them active even when inside. 

• Buy your dog a fleece-lined jacket. 

These can be worn inside or outside, depending on the temperature. A thermal jacket is recommended for when you’re taking your dog on a walk to ensure they’re warm enough. 

• Check your dog’s paws. 

After your dog comes in from being outside, be sure to check their paws for any abrasions from things such as grit and salt, and if it was snowy or icy out – make sure to wipe their paws properly. 

Cats:

Most cats enjoy going outside and venturing out on their own, but it’s important as owners we do what they can to provide them a warm sanctuary, for when they come back inside during colder months. Similar to dogs, cats have a slightly higher body temperature than humans, usually sitting around 38.3-39.2°C, and anything under 7°C is considered to be too cold for cats. Here are some tips for keeping your cat safe and warm this winter.

How to tell if your cat is cold: 

• Shivering or trembling 
• Seeking warmer places – sleeping directly on or next to the radiator 
• Tips of their ears, nose or tail feeling cold to the touch 
• Puffed up fur 
• Curling up into a ball 

Keeping your cat warm and safe

• Provide a warm bed. 

This winter consider getting your cat a covered igloo bed or a hammock bed that attaches to a radiator, or even just a cat bed with blankets placed next to the radiator. These are perfect spots for your cat to have a warm and cosy rest. 

• Put out a litter tray. 

Even if your cat usually goes to the toilet outside, during winter you should provide an accessible indoor litter tray just in case they don’t feel comfortable going outside in the cold. 

• Get your cats lots of toys they can play with inside. 

You’ll find that most cats will prefer to spend more time inside during winter, but they’ll still need a form of exercise that they’re missing from being outside. This is where you can help by providing them with a range of toys to ensure they stay active and healthy. 

• Be careful of antifreeze.

If cats ingest even 5ml of antifreeze it can be fatal, so please ensure any products you own are stored securely and if any spills occur they are cleaned up right away. If your cat accidentally ingests or is exposed to antifreeze you should contact your vet immediately. Signs this has occurred include vomiting, seizures, lethargy, faster heart rate, shallow breathing, increase in urination or drinking. 

• Get your cat a reflective collar. 

Winter is the time of year with the darkest mornings and evenings so to ensure your cat is visible to cars and people, make sure they’re wearing a reflective collar when going outside. 

• Provide an outside shelter. 

Even when cold, some cats will still want to stay outside for hours, so make a safe shelter your cat can go to for some warmth when outside. This could be a small animal-friendly hut or even a cardboard box with a blanket inside. 

• Check your car engine. 

As temperatures drop, some cats crawl under car bonnets or wheel arches for a warm and dry sleeping spot. Make sure to tap your bonnet and check your wheels before starting your car and driving off.  

• Check your cat’s paws. 

Just like dogs, when your cat comes in from being outside, be sure to check their paws for any abrasions from things such as grit and salt, and if it was snowy or icy out – make sure to wipe their paws properly. 

With prices going up this winter, we want to ensure when it comes to caring for your pets you don’t have to worry about being overcharged. That’s why VetBox provides an affordable and trustworthy monthly subscription to keep your pets safe during winter and beyond. 

There are fewer things that bring more smiles to the vet clinic than an owner bringing in their new wiggly happy puppy. It’s an exciting time for families to be adding a furry member, but it can also be overwhelming too! We wish I had an hour to sit down with every family that comes in to go over some truly important puppy topics, but unfortunately that reality is not often possible. Because of this having resources for owners to read/keep has become a must. We’ve included top tips and considerations for socialization/behavior here for new puppy owners!

• Having a well adjusted puppy takes time and training.
  • Puppies are sweet and curious creatures, but it’s important to remember that dogs don’t magically grow up to be well behaved and easy going. There are many new experiences that puppies will go through that shape the type of dog they eventually become. While it is easy to assume all puppies are mellow and welcoming, some puppies are timid and fearful. Did you know that behavioral problems are one of the number one reasons why dogs are relinquished to shelters or requested to be put to sleep? If you have a puppy at home, you have a wonderful opportunity to help them jump through the hoops towards becoming a well adjusted dog.

• Puppies experience their primary “learning” and “socialisation” period up to about 12-16 weeks of age. 
  • This means that the optimal window for teaching them how to acclimatize to new situations is before they hit this age. This often surprises owners, but I like to turn this into a plus. This gives us the chance to help puppies become great doggos.

• Vaccinations vs. Socialization: When is it safe to take my puppy out? 

The answer is, it depends. This question arises because we know the primary socialisation period is prior to 12-16 weeks of age, but puppies have not completed their initial vaccine series to receive disease protection until that age or later. Our answer is to pick safe socialization opportunities, as we should ideally not wait to introduce new experiences. 

What are safe experiences? Just because your puppy is still receiving starting boosters, doesn’t mean you can’t carry them places with you. Carrying them on a short walk or taking them in the car for small trips is a great place to start. They feel safe because they are close to you but can see and smell new things. Another option is playing with dogs of different ages/sizes in a garden that is isolated ie. your back garden. Allowing your puppy to have supervised time with other dogs that are vaccinated, on parasite prevention, and are good with other dogs is a great chance for socialisation. Make sure to watch your puppy’s response to other dogs and stop the interaction if they are becoming overwhelmed/scared. We want to foster positive associations with new friends.

• Short and sweet is key. 
  • Keeping new experiences short and positive allows for puppies to avoid becoming overwhelmed and stressed. 10-15 minutes can often be enough at one time, though repetition over time is also important. Positive reinforcement for positive behaviors/responses are much easier for puppies to remember and associate with future behaviors. For example, a positive experience with treats and praise is much more likely to lead to repeat behaviors in the future. 

• Remember that puppies will often be nervous in new situations. 
  • We need to keep in mind that pretty much everything is new to puppies that are weeks to months old, and these things may be scary. Trying to avoid triggers can be helpful to creating a positive experience. For example, being on the floor with your puppy and a new person instead of having them lean over or get into the puppy’s face is a less confrontational way to introduce them. Don’t forget treats! Sounds can also be scary, so exposure to things like cars, vacuums, lawn mowers, washing machines, hair dryers, etc. are useful.

• Vary the exposure. 
  • The more types of dogs and people your puppy gets exposed to, the easier it will be for them to associate a positive experience with new situations. This particularly comes into play with children. Children are often unpredictable in terms of sounds, smells, and behaviors which can be challenging for puppies to comprehend. Getting puppies used to children is a good way to curb a common dog fear later on in life. It is also essential to teach your children appropriate behavior around dogs! Puppies and children should never be left unsupervised. 

• Puppy socialization classes can be a real plus.
  • Classes at reputable locations such as vet clinics are a great opportunity for puppies to learn what behaviors towards other dogs are welcome vs. discouraged. Be sure to check what vaccinations and faecal tests are required prior to classes, as safe classes should require vaccinations and a negative faecal to prevent the spread of disease.

• Don’t forget to make the vet less scary too!
  • Taking your pet to the vet can be stressful for everyone involved, but it doesn’t have to be. This one is tough given our current COVID pandemic, however, trips to the vet’s office to do a quick “say hi and get a treat” without having any treatments done can be extremely helpful to teach puppies that the vet doesn’t have to be a scary place. 

• Consider training tools to help make a ROUTINE.
  • I often encourage owners to “crate train” their puppy. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a crate/kennel, it can even be a small pen if it’s strong enough to keep them contained. There are a few reasons I am such a fan of crate training:
    • It provides a safe place for your puppy to be unsupervised.
    • It helps create a routine, especially when it comes to potty training. 
    • It creates a trained separation for safe sleeping habits (that being said all of my dogs end up sleeping on our bed later on, who am I kidding). 
  • Puppies are all about routine. The best training protocols rely on creating one that works for you and your puppy then sticking to it. Consistency helps reinforce concepts you are trying to teach, and also helps them retain these faster. This takes some of the uncertainty out of learning for puppies and can relieve stress in new situations. 

KEY POINTS: 

Positive rewards for positive behavior/interactions, routine, and consistency win the game here. Exposing your pet to a variety of safe new environments, people, and animals while they are growing is essential to helping them grow into a well adjusted adult dog. 

Dr. Kirsten

Pets with accurate information linked to their microchips are 54% more likely to be reunited with their owners. Microchipped pets should have their owner’s information stored in a database. However, around 1 in 3 pet owners in the UK don’t know which database their pet is registered with, let alone have accurate information stored. We sat down with Petdatabase.com to understand a bit more about microchips and how they can help you keep your information up to date, for free. 

How do microchips work?

A microchip is a small chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that is placed under your pet’s skin as a means of identification if your pet is ever lost. This chip can be scanned to show the chip number. This number can then be looked up on any DEFRA (Department of Environmental, Food, Rural Affairs) compliant database to find the saved owner details. For this reason, a microchip is only as effective as the data that is stored against that chip number. That’s why keeping the information on your pet’s microchip is so important. 

What happens if my pet is lost?

Did your four-legged friend wander off after catching the scent of a fox in the woods? If it happens, they will most likely end up in the care of a vet, warden, or rescue. Here they can scan your pet’s microchip to find out who the owner is. Now, to make reaching you as easy as possible, make sure to keep your information up to date, for example when you move house. Sadly, 64% of stray dogs in rescues have out-of-date chip information. By keeping your dog’s microchip details up to date, you can help change this stat. 

Do you know which database your pet is registered with?

Bringing a new dog home is super exciting – it’s easy to get wrapped up in all the new toys and treats in those first few weeks. It’s important to remember to also get your dog registered with a local vet, book them in for their vaccinations, and to update their microchip details. During this transition period, it’s really important, and a legal requirement, that you update the microchip information to your own details, and continue to do so should you move home. Unfortunately, in many cases of stray pets, the microchip shows the pet as still registered with the breeder or the first owner and sometimes has no information at all making it harder to reunite lost pets with their loved ones.

It is also really important that you ensure that your microchip is registered with a DEFRA-approved database. This not only makes sure that your personal information is securely stored but also ensures that should your pet ever go missing a vet, warden or rescue will be able to get in contact with you. If you’re unsure of where your information is stored, reach out to your vet.

Keeping your microchip details up to date

You’re fully in control of your microchip information. There are now 18 DEFRA-approved microchip databases and you can choose where your information is stored. Our friends at PetDatabase.com offer free updates for life, plus they provide a really simple and 100% secure switching service.  

What you can enjoy with PetDatabase.com:

• Free updates, for life
• Quick, safe and secure
• Free lost pet service
• ‘Safety Ping’ alerts whenever your chip is scanned
• No boring admin, they manage the transfer for you

Most pet owners know about the common parasite offenders including fleas, ticks, and roundworms. These are the parasites that most commonly afflict our beloved pets and can be seen with the naked eye. But what about the parasites you CAN’T see? Did you know there’s a whole host of parasites that can affect your pet that you won’t be able to see without a microscope?

In today’s blog, we’re going to cover some important facts about MITES in dogs & cats.

What exactly is a mite?

Mites are a class of parasites not so distantly related to spiders and ticks. They prefer to burrow into the skin and cause irritation. Typically these small parasites can’t be seen without taking a sample from the skin and looking under the microscope. Mites are the cause of what many people refer to as mange, a condition classified by itchy, red skin. 

How would my pet get mites?

Most mites are directly transmitted from pet to pet, and are species specific. This means that mites typically have a preferred host (dog vs. cat vs. rabbit, etc). Mites may also be found and contracted from the environment.

What are signs my pet might have mites?

Pets with mites are often itchy! They can also experience hair loss, dry/scaly skin, redness, and irritation of the skin where mites have made their home. 

Are there different kinds of mites?

There are several different species of mites that can affect our dogs and cats. Each of these behave a bit differently, and can cause different clinical signs. 

• Demodex: These mites like to bury themselves deep within the layers of the skin, particularly in association with hair follicles. Demodex is actually considered a NORMAL flora (normal organism) of the skin, however in patients that experience stress to the immune system, Demodex can overgrow and cause redness, hair loss, and dry skin. This is a common issue in young pets coming from rescues/shelters. Interestingly, pets with Demodex are often NOT VERY ITCHY! This differs from other mites. 
• Sarcoptes: Also known as “scabies”, sarcoptes mites like to make their home in the superficial layers of the skin. Animals with scabies are typically VERY itchy! These pets can experience severe hair loss, redness, scaling, and irritation. 
  • *Note: Scabies also has the potential to be ZOONOTIC, meaning people can be infested with sarcoptes as well!*
• Cheyletiella: This mite is also known as “walking dander”, because unlike our other mite species, owners may be able to see these mites on the skin. Cheyletiella mites can often be found on top of the skin wandering between hairs and resemble flakes of dry dead skin. Pets can be itchy and scratch frequently in response to infestation with this mite. 
• Otodectes: This may be the mite that most owners have heard of. Otodectes is a common cause of itchy, red, waxy ears in pets. These mites prefer the nice dark hiding spot to set up their home in the skin of the pinna (ear flap) and deep down into the ear canal. Ear mites are common in dogs/cats coming from rescues/shelters and have previously spent lots of time outdoors. 

How are mites treated? Can you prevent them?

Mites can be treated with a variety of options. These include medicated shampoos, medicated ointments, spot on parasite treatments/preventatives, and even oral parasite treatments/preventatives. Treatments are safe and effective, and should be used under direction of your vet. 

VetBox Top Tip: 

Prevention and awareness are always best! Keeping your pet on tailored, appropriate, regular parasite prevention is recommended by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and the European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites. 

Dr. Kirsten Ronngren, DVM MRCVS

A Look at Parasite Preventative Costs

We know that vet care costs can add up quickly, which can surprise pet owners who aren’t expecting it. Just like your pets food or vaccines, we like to think of parasite prevention as part of your normal planned “monthly pet budget”. While parasite prevention is essential to happy, healthy pets – it doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank. VetBox is on a mission to provide safe, effective, and cost conscious parasite prevention to as many pets as possible. 

Our baseline subscription includes a monthly pipette of flea/tick spot on treatment, and a dose of oral wormer every three months. 

For most pets, this combination provides good broad spectrum parasite coverage that is safe and effective. It also follows the current standard adult parasite preventative recommendations from the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP). 

For cats and small dogs, our subscription cost is just £7.49 per month. This includes the monthly spot on flea/tick treatment, monthly treats to reward your furry family member for getting their treatment, shipping costs straight to your door, and an oral worming tablet every 3 months. We looked into some other subscription companies/online vet pharmacies and found that the same service cost anywhere from £10.50 up to £14.49 per month. Using VetBox means our customers are saving 40 – 55% every month. 

These cost differences are similar as pet size therefore monthly cost increases, and in some cases showed even larger gaps between VetBox prices and other companies. Our XL dog subscription (dogs weighing 40-60kg) is still just £9.49 per month.

We know that our standard subscription might not work for everyone. Some pets need monthly wormer due to higher exposure level/risk level, some pets need lungworm coverage, and some pets might need a change in how their treatments are given (think about your kitties that hate tablets). Our other options for parasite preventatives have also been shown to be consistently more cost effective as well, or at the very least equivalent to other companies or your vets office. That being said, ours also includes shipment straight to your door each month, making it easier for you and your pet!

There’s lots of options for parasite preventatives out there. It’s easy to get overwhelmed! Trust us, we’re all pet owners too and have gone through the struggles of picking the right preventatives for our own critters. If you’re looking for a way to appropriately protect your pet, be supported by a small dedicated animal loving staff, AND do it in an easy cost effective way – VetBox is your answer. 

Click here to start your VetBox journey today