All the latest info on caring for your pet

Did you know that 28th September is World Rabies Day? Sadly, this disease still exists, and claims 59,000 human lives each year, not counting the thousands of infected animals. There is, however, an umbrella organisation trying to change that - the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (or GARC for short). They’ve set themselves the (difficult, but achievable!) goal of “Zero by 30” - in other words, no human cases by 2030. The World Rabies Day is there to promote their work, to raise awareness, and to build support.

Obviously, if you have any doubts - give your vet a ring! There’ll always be someone on duty who will be able to give advice over the phone, even if it isn’t an emergency that needs seeing right now. However, there are only thirteen or fourteen conditions that are genuinely life-or-death emergencies, and these need seeing RIGHT NOW. If your pet is suffering from one of the following conditions, they need seeing - as soon as possible. So, don’t delay - call your vet and then get in the car and drive!

We vets are always going on about tick control - and to be honest, you’ve probably let it flow over you (don’t worry, we all do it!). However, the importance of avoiding or preventing tick bites has been front page news this week, with the revelation that former England rugby player Matt Dawson was seriously ill with an infection transmitted by a tick bite. It’s not just our pets that are at risk - livestock, us and our families are also potentially in danger - but by treating our pets, we can help break the tick life-cycle, and minimise the danger. It’s worth bearing in mind that about one dog in three is affected by ticks in any given season - and that even the inner cities aren’t safe (Matt Dawson was bitten and infected in a central-London park).

This is a topic that comes up again and again - but sadly, it is true! Over the last year or so, there has been a growing chorus from vets to warn people of the (very real) dangers of throwing sticks for dogs - sadly hindered by celebrities who should know better. Yes, it’s true that many dogs catch sticks every day of their lives and never have a problem, but how would you feel if it was your dog that became impaled, abscessed, or bled to death from a lacerated artery?

The latest campaign by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), highlights the rise of so-called “mega-farms”. There is no formal definition of a mega farm, but in the USA, “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations” (CAFOs) are defined as those housing 125,000 broiler chickens, 82,000 laying hens, 2,500 pigs or 700 dairy or 1,000 beef cattle. In the UK, special permits are needed if they house more than 40,000 chickens, 2,000 pigs or 750 breeding sows. The term “mega farm” seems like appropriate terminology. There are now 789 mega farms in the UK, and the CIWF online map allows you to see if there’s one near you.

The wording on the website is eye-catching:

“Around 70% of farm animals in the UK are kept in factory farms, where they spend their lives in overcrowded barns or cages. Factory farming has spread across the country to satisfy our appetite for cheap meat, dairy, and eggs, at great cost to animal welfare, human health, and the environment. Follow this link to see how much chicken, pig, and dairy factory farming there is where you live.”

The pros and cons of gigantic farms

Mega farms are controversial. Animal welfare groups like CIWF are quick to condemn them for turning animals into commodities devoid of any value other than their market price, while farming organisations argue that mega farms offer the best hope of maintaining good animal welfare while also producing the cheapest possible meat, milk and eggs. So what’s the truth?