Christmas Toxins - Why 'Only One' Mince Pie is Too Many...

 Why is 'only one' mince pie too many for our furry family members? 

Many of us this Christmas will spend a lot of time with friends and family enjoying the festivities. Naturally, we want to share this time with our pets (after all they are part of the family!). Although it appears as though we are spoiling them by giving them some of the treats that we enjoy safely, it can actually be a big danger for our pets to ingest some of the classic things we enjoy at Christmas time. 

In some toxins even a tiny amount can be enough to cause harm to our pets. The kidneys are often affected by toxin ingestion, as they as responsible for the breakdown and excretion of waste products from the body. Many pets will appear clinically well immediately after eating the toxin, and will become unwell at a later time. However, this unfortunately can mean that the damage has already been done, causing a lasting negative effect on the kidneys. Time is of the essence when treating a case of toxicity!

Below are some of the most common Christmas toxins...

Mince Pies/Raisins/Christmas Pudding - grapes and raisins are very common at Christmas time - they are present in puddings and desserts, as well as on many cheeseboards. Even one raisin or grape can cause permanent damage to the kidneys and make pets very poorly.

Nuts - some nuts, such as the Macadamia nut are toxic to pets. They can cause muscle tremors, vomiting and hyperthermia soon after ingestion. All nuts are high in fat, so it is best to avoid feeding any type of nuts to your pet. 

Onions/Garlic - all types of onion and garlic are toxic to pets, and can cause kidney damage even if only a small amount is ingested. Be mindful of feeding your pet anything that could potentially contain any onions or garlic (such as gravy or stuffing).

Chocolate/Xylitol - a favourite treat at Christmas, chocolate contains theobromine which is toxic. Theobromine is found in higher concentrations in dark chocolate, although it is still found in milk varieties. It can affect the central nervous system and heart as well as the kidneys, and severe cases can result in seizures. 

Bones - we don't advise giving any bones to pets as there is a big risk of splintering and perforation. This is particularly important with cooked bones as they are much more brittle after cooking. They can also get stuck after being ingested and become a choking hazard. 

Tinsel/Baubles/Fairy Lights - Christmas decorations can break, shatter and/or splinter very easily. This can result in cuts on the paws if stepped on, and blockages or perforations if ingested. Make sure you keep decorations and Christmas trees out of reach, and use pet friendly materials where possible. Salt dough should be avoided, as it can cause sodium levels to rise dangerously high if ingested. 

Poinsettia/Mistletoe/Potpourri - all of these Christmas plants are mildly toxic and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive salivation. 

If your pet ingests anything listed above, please get in touch with the practice as soon as possible. The sooner treatment is started, the better the outcome will be, and long term side effects will be less likely. The treatment plan will vary depending on the type of toxin and amount ingested. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week even throughout the Christmas period to care for your pets!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the team at Barnsley Vets4Pets!

What is a Registered Veterinary Nurse?

What is a Veterinary Nurse? 

Here at Barnsley Vets4Pets we have a team of 13 qualified nurses and 3 student nurses. As a team we work hard to maintain high standards - we must be doing something right as we have just been given a Clinical Excellence award! 

Every year the month of May celebrates Veterinary Nurses by raising awareness of the amazing job they do in practice. Many people aren't aware of how much our job role actually involves, so here are some of the main bits...

Reception - we answer the phone, book appointments, check people in on arrival and help if reception is particularly busy. A lot of the time you won't realise it, but a Veterinary Nurse can be one of the first faces you see when you come through our doors!

Anaesthesia - we monitor anaesthetics, and make sure your pets are kept stable throughout. We are trained to recognise emergencies whilst the vet is busy performing surgery on your pet. Although we have some machinery that helps us, the most important equipment is us - using our eyes and ears we are able to carefully monitor your pet from induction right through to recovery.

Consultations - we run nurse consultations every day and see a wide variety of appointments. They can range from second vaccinations to post-operative checks and nail clipping. We have our own reception and waiting area with a viewing window into our Hydrotherapy suite. 

We are lucky enough to have our very own waiting area & reception!

Physiotherapy/Hydrotherapy - here at Barnsley Vets4Pets we are lucky enough to have a team of nurses who are physiotherapists and hydrotherapists. After orthopaedic procedures we see pets on a weekly basis and demonstrate physiotherapy techniques, check surgical wounds, and guide you and your pet through the rehabilitation process. We can also offer hydrotherapy in our aquatic treadmill to further support them in their rehabilitation. Our rehab team consists of eight nurses; Tanya, Chelsea, Rachel, Charlotte, Emily, Mandy, Alex and Reann.

Gorgeous Charlie working in our aquatic treadmill!

Surgery - sometimes we are required to assist the vets in more complicated surgeries. One surgery that we commonly assist in is a Laparoscopic spay - this a is similar to 'key-hole surgery' in humans. This involves the use of a rigid endoscope, light and camera. Using this method we can carry out a less invasive surgery when compared to the traditional 'open' surgical method.

Inpatient Care - when patients are unwell and require hospitalisation the majority of their care is provided by a Veterinary Nurse (always under the direction of a Vet!). We regularly carry out vital sign checks, administer medications and give your pets the TLC they need when they are staying with us. 

Weight Clinics - Georgina, one of our qualified Veterinary Nurses runs weight clinics here at Barnsley. Over a period of time Georgina helps owners to get pets to their ideal body-weight safely. She can work out daily requirements in calories, and tailor make weight loss programmes for each individual pet.

Just a few of our Registered and Student Veterinary
Nurses! 

Laboratory Work - taking and testing blood samples is something that we do on a daily basis. This can tell us how a patient's organs are functioning, as well as assess the response to certain types of treatment. The list is endless! Laboratory work is not just blood samples - we also test urine and examine things such as mites under microscopes - interesting stuff!

Behaviour - qualified Veterinary Nurse Reann offers one-on-one extended behaviour appointments, as well as running puppy training classes every Tuesday evening in the Healthcare Centre at the practice. Reann is our go to for all things behaviour!

Dental Hygiene - our head nurse Claire has a particular interest in this subject and has done an advanced dentistry course. As nurses we are able to scale and polish teeth, but are not able to carry out extractions. After pets have had dental treatment under anaesthesia we can advise clients on oral hygiene for their pet (brushing, dry diets). We also discuss oral hygiene at our puppy checks, as prevention is the best form of treatment! 

These are just a few of the things we do every day as a Veterinary Nurse! The list could go on forever as we have such a varied job role, especially as we work in such a busy Hospital. We even have our own dedicated night-nurse team (Keeley, Charlotte and Lauren) who provided emergency and out of hours care to your pets! 

To find out a little more about our Veterinary Nurse team click on the link below... 

Meet the Veterinary Nurse Team @ Barnsley!

Our VN Awareness Banner proudly up in the nurse reception area!

You may have spotted our very own Dr Caroline Richards on your TV screens, she’s the star of the current Vets4Pets TV adverts promoting £49 BSIL being shown right across the UK. We’re really excited and proud of Caroline.

We managed to grab some time with the already very busy Caroline to chat to her about her experience filming the advert and why she feels so passionately about the Best Start in Life plan.

How did you get selected to star in the TV advert?

I’ve been a partner with my husband Dr Peter Richards for last 16 years since we set up Vets4Pets Barnsley. The support office team reached out to me a few months ago to see if I’d be interested. I was quite nervous but the first step was just a test day so I was keen to experience something new! It turned out that they felt I did a good job on camera and I was so pleased when I heard they’d like me to shoot the full TV advert.

You did a great job! How did you remember all your lines?

I was really nervous but the team were all really good. I did have lines to learn but overall I’m passionate about the brand, my business and the Best Start in Life health plan so it felt very natural to talk about the plan. I love working with pets of all ages but spending the day with some lovely puppies and kittens certainly kept any nerves at bay.

There are some gorgeous pets in the advert, can you tell us anymore about them?

The golden retriever puppy in the advert is called Maggie and the kitten was called Bear. They were really well behaved and had their owners on hand all day with lots of breaks, good food and play time.

Were there any pet bloopers on the day!?

There were a few pets there on the day and a couple of the puppies just didn’t want to sit still. There were plenty of bloopers of playful puppies. 

Tell us why you feel so passionate about Best Start in Life as a health plan

There is so much to think about when getting a new puppy or kitten and the Best Start in Life plan includes everything your pet needs to grow up happy and healthy! I love this plan as not only do I love meeting puppies and kittens, its great to know that the puppy and kitten have had their first vaccination, 3 months flea and worm treatment and have been micro chipped making them ready for the world! 

How are you dealing with your new fame locally!

Its lovely to be recognised by people when I'm walking the dog or taking my children to school. I feel very proud to be recognised by people as a vet, its a huge part of my life and I'm very passionate about what I do. 

Click on the below link to see Caroline in action! 

 

Watch the TV Advert