PAWFIT & FACIAL

PAWFIT AND FACIAL this is for pets who need their nails clipping, feet (pads) trimming. A quick trim around their eyes and face.   Please call 07708 169128 for an appointment

The Dog Prescription IS HERE

Dogs can help the development of children with learning and educational difficulties.

Children who grow up with dogs are healthier and spend more time in school.

Owning a dog helps reduce the risk of allergies in children, in particular asthma and eczema.

Dog owners make fewer visits to their GP and spend less time in hospital.

Dogs can reduce depression and improve mental wellbeing in humans.

Dog ownership aids recovery in post coronary patients.

Owning a dog can help lower blood pressure in children and adults.

Dogs can help the elderly by combating feelings of loneliness and isolation

Dog owning adults and children are more physically active and healthier than non-dog owners

Dogs can provide great emotional support for humans during periods of stress and anxiety.

Is Cat Food Harmful to Dogs

Answer

Many dogs prefer to eat cat food if given the chance because generally its higher in fat, which usually means its more appealing to the dog. If your dog is eating the cat's food in addition to her own, she will begin to become overweight and obviously your cat will lose out. Since many cat owners allow their cats to eat throughout the day this is a fairly common problem. It is highly unlikely that any direct harm will come to your dog from eating cat food, but remember that cat and dog food are specifically formulated for their species' needs. In particular, cat foods normally have higher quantities of protein, fat and fiber on a weight per weight basis and have less filling effect. Therefore, it is possible that your dog's general health could be affected if he were to eat only cat food over a long period of time.

SHEDLESS TREATMENT

 SHEDLESS TREATMENT (reduces shedding 60%-80%)

The shedless treatment consists of 3 steps. A special FURminator tool which is utilized to remove excess undercoat and loose hair, bathing then a high powered velocity dryer which blows out all excess hair, flaky skin and dandruff leaving a healthy, shiny top coat.

This is Compo, one of my best clients, very well behaved and a pleasure to groom.    Compo with his Spanish Summer cut before and after:

Meet Cookie the Mini Poodle who is a very old lady indeed.   Before and After her cut

Directions to Office where you get your Dogs Health Certificate Signed Velez Malaga

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries:  Velez Malaga

Directions to Office where you get your Dogs Health Certificate Signed:

Take the exit of the Motorway signed Velez Malaga (1st Right off Roundabout if coming from Nerja)

Turn Right at the next Roundabout

Turn Left (2nd Exit) at the next Roundabout which is the main road into Velez (with Tram Tracks) and Car Dealers on the right and Lidl on the left.

Keep going straight on this road following signs for the 'Centro Cuidad' at the top turn left at mini roundabout continue until you come to a main roundabout with a Water Fountain in the centre of it.

Take the 2nd exit off this roundabout 'Calle Blas Infante' (a row of trees should be on your left)

Take the 1st Right after the Petrol Station

Take 2nd Right and drive about 100 yards up this road - the building is on the corner of next juntion on the Left with large green metal doors with a sign above saying ' Junta de Andalucia - Agricultura y Pesca' - you need to go to 2nd floor.

It sounds complicated but its not - its quite easy to find.

ICE LOLLY TREAT FOR YOUR HOT DOG

Make your dog an ice lolly.   Mush up some green vegetables and a few meaty scraps and a drop of water, put them in a mug and mix together.  Place the mixture in a rawhide chew stick in the centre and freeze until solid - a cool treat for when your Rover is Roasting.

UK Rabies Blood Test Waiting Time Reduced

GREAT NEWS as of the 1st of january 2012 DEFRA have changed their rabies policy. it will now only be 21 days after the blood test not 6 months. now theres absolutely NO excuse NOT to take your pets with you when you return....

ITS TOO HOT FOR YOUR DOG IN THE CAR

 FIVE  reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly:

1. Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.

2. Even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car can be deadly. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.

3. Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes.

4. A dog’s normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death.

5. Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a car’s internal temperature.

Gastric Torsion/Bloat

If you own a deep chested dog such as a Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher,

Akita or Great Dane you must be made aware of Gastric Torsion or commonly

referred to as Bloat.

Bloat is caused by too much gas or fluid in the stomach. This gas can extend the

stomach causing gastric dilation. If the stomach partially rotates its called gastric

torsion. If it fully rotates its called gastric volvolus. Each can be a life threatening

problem.

BLOAT FACTS:

1. Dogs with bloat nearly always are between four and seven years of age.

Two-thirds are males.

2. It usually affects dogs of the larger, deeper-chested breeds: Great Danes,

German Shepherds, St. Bernards, Labrador Retrievers, Irish Wolfhounds,

Great Pyrenees, Boxers, Weimaraners, Old English Sheepdogs, Irish Setters,

and others of large size (58 pounds was the average size in one study) It

rarely occurs in small breeds.

3. Dogs who bloat tend to eat large quantities of dry kibble.

4. They exercise vigorously after eating and tend to drink water in large

amounts after meals.

5. They may have a history of digestive upsets (gastritis).

6. There may be a familial association with other dogs who have bloated.

SIGNS OF GASTRIC DILATION

The signs are excessive salivation and drooling, extreme restlessness, attempts to

vomit and defecate, evidence of abdominal pain (the dog whines and groans when

you push on the stomach wall) and abdominal distention. Its important to know

the history of the dog. Has it eaten recently? Drunk water? Has it been running or

exercising within 2-3 hours of eating?

If the dog is able to burp or vomit you can usually rest assured that the gut is not

twisted. This can be treated at home. Give Mylanta by mouth. Dosage for a small

dog is 6 ounces; Medium dog is 8 ounces; large dog 12 ounces. Make sure you

walk the dog after giving the Mylanta until the bloat is relieved or until you can

contact a veterinarian. If the bloat is relieved at home, it would still be a good idea

to contact your vet to let them know the dog bloated. IF YOU ARE UNSURE,

RUSH THIS DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. THIS COULD BE THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR YOUR DOG. Once a

dog bloats, it will usually bloat again in the future.

SIGNS OF TORSION OR VOLVULUS

The initial signs are the same for Gastric Dilation except more severe. The

distress is more evident. There could be rapid breathing, pale gums and the

dog may collapse. The shock like symptoms are due to the strangulation of the

blood supply to the stomach and spleen. RUSH THIS DOG TO THE VET

IMMEDIATELY. Surgery is needed to relieve a torsion or volvulus. The chance

of a recurrence is about 15 percent.

PREVENTION

Knowing of this problem is the first part of prevention. Feed several small meals

throughout the day (at LEAST 2) instead of one big meal. Keep the dog quiet

at LEAST one hour before and at LEAST 2 hours after a meal. This means no

roughhousing or playing. If the dog usually gets rambuncious after a meal, crate

this animal. Monitor and restrict the water intake of the dog before and especially

after a meal. The dog should not drink after eating dry kibble. Therefore, it is best

to thoroughly soak the kibble for at least 30 minutes before feeding this to the

dog. Try not to feed a kibble which expands greatly when wet. Do the kibble test

overnight. Put a cup of kibble in a bowl. Add water and let soak over night. What

you see in the morning is the amount of swelling this food will do in your dog's

stomach. If its excessive, change to another kibble which doesn't swell as much.

Always keep Mylanta on hand.

These measures may prevent some cases of bloat but will not prevent all cases.

Being aware might be the difference between life and death for your dog.

Alfie - The Miniature Poodle - LAMB Cut with French Mustache

ALFIE before his cut with face & feet shaved

ALFIE after - the LAMB cut with French Mustache

Isla - The West Highland Terrier

Isla the Westy Before and After her haircut

Breed Information - Lowchen

The Lowchen:  With its long, silky coat trimmed in the traditional 'lion clip', this dog is easily distinguished from other members of the bichon group.  The tail is clipped along part of its length, leaving just a plume of hair, completing this attractive, lively breed's distinctive parody of the 'king of the beasts'.

This breed found favour with the European aristocracy at an early stage in its development.  It featured in a painting by Goya of the Duchess of Alba in the 1700's, however its popularity declined to the extent that by 1960 it was considered to be the World's rarest dog breed.

Lowchen cut in style (left) and below out of style

Max The Springer Spaniel

Meet Max the Springer Spaniel from Sweden who spends his winters here on the Costa Del Sol

 

Max Before and After his clip - Max is so chilled out he lies down and sleeps when I am clipping his feet.

Mi Mi - The Bichon Frise

Meet Mi Mi from Sweden - Before and After her cut. Mi Mi does not have the conventional Bichon cut as she prefers a less round face - her fur is softer so looks more fluffy.

Cookie the Miniature Poodle

Meet Cookie before and after her 3 monthly cut. Cookie is very old and her tongue constantly sticks out but is still gorgeous for a very old lady

Sasha & Tally

Meet Sasha the Cocker Spaniel and Tally the Lhasa Apso ready for their 5 weekly trim.

 

 

The Maltese Terrier - Breed Information

The Maltese derives his name from the island of Malta, off the coast of Italy.  The Maltese is a very ancient breed, and was know in the Mediterranean before the time of Christ.  He is a handsome, intelligent dog, always inquisitive, and makes a wonderful pet.  He is very popular in the USA.

The coat is single, that is without undercoat, it hangs long, flat and silky over the sides of the body almost, if not quite, to the ground.  The long head-hair may be tied up in a topknot or it may be left hanging.

Mitch & Luka The Spanish Water Dogs

Spanish Water Dogs need to be shaved down at least once a year and must be done using the same blade all over so the hair grows back evenly.  Spanish Water Dogs are never ever blow dryed or brushed so they thats why they should be cut once a year to allow the skin to breathe and get rid of any matts.

Mitch Before & After

Luka looking gorgeous with his curly coat but it needs its 1/2 yearly cut

Daisy

Meet Daisy who has her coat trimmed every 6 weeks so she always looks gorgeous:

Daisy Before                                                 Daisy After                                            

TEDDY - The Terry Mix

Meet Teddy the Terrier mix before and after his monthly tidy up

BOBBY - Mini Schnauzer White

Meet Bobby the mini white schnauzer who had his tidy up hair cut today:

Bobby Before

Bobby After

TICKS - Its That Time Of Year Again

Ticks are parasitic arthropods that feed on the blood of their hosts. They are attracted to warmth and motion. Ticks tend to hide out in tall grass or plants in wooded areas waiting for prospective hosts. Once a host is found, the tick climbs on and attaches its mouthparts into the skin, beginning the blood meal. Once locked in place, the tick will not detach until its meal is complete. It may continue to feed for several hours to days, depending on the type of tick. On dogs, ticks often attach themselves in crevices and/or areas with little to no hair – typically in and around the ears, the areas where the insides of the legs meet the body, between the toes, and within skin folds. Most species of ticks go through four life stages - eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. All stages beyond eggs will attach to a host for a blood meal (and must do so on order to mature). Depending on species, the life span of a tick can be several months to years, and female adults can lay hundreds to thousands of eggs at a time.

Its Time to Frontline your Mutts People

Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniel Before

Cocker Spaniel After

Chico Bueno Mobile Dog Groomer: Chico Bueno Mobile Dog Groomer: Why Should I Have ...

Chico Bueno Mobile Dog Groomer: Chico Bueno Mobile Dog Groomer: Why Should I Have ...: "Chico Bueno Mobile Dog Groomer: Why Should I Have My Dog Groomed: 'Healthy skin, hair, and nails are what define a well-groomed dog. Dog gro..."

Charlie & Poppy - Tibetan Terriers

 Charlie the Tibetan Terrier - Badly Matted

 Charlie After with his short back and sides

 Charlie

 Poppy before

Poppy After

Sukki - Maltese/Poodle Cross

Today was Sukki's turn for her 6 weekly haircut.   Sukki is 12 years old and very well behaved when being groomed.

This is Sukki before looking a little bit woolly and just needs a tidy up.

Here she is with doing her Elvis impression nice and neat

Paddy - The English Setter

Today I had the pleasure of grooming Paddy the English Setter.     Paddy loves to sunbath and it took some time to convince him to get up off his bed to enable me to groom him.

But eventually we got there. .........  and afterwards he went back to sunbathing - ITS A DOGS LIFE

The Dangerous Pine Processionary Caterpillar

Pine Processional Caterpillars appear in late winter and early spring in many areas of the world. They represent a potential danger to humans, dogs and cats

An innocent line of caterpillars on the move in the area of pine trees may not appear dangerous. Be aware, however, that these harmless looking creatures can present a serious threat to humans, and most especially, to dogs and cats. The caterpillars should be avoided at all costs but if humans or animals come into contact with them, emergency treatment should be sought immediately.

Read more at Suite101: The Dangerous Pine Processionary Caterpillar: A Health Hazard to Humans & Pets in Europe, USA, Japan, Australia http://www.suite101.com/content/the-dangerous-pine-processionary-caterpillar-a207472#ixzz1EIFGg3Av

The Importance of Pet ID

For those of you who have experienced the anxiety and heartbreak when your pet goes missing you will know how important it is to make sure your dog/cat has the proper ID/Tags.

Making sure your pet has visible ID tags is a cheap and effective way along with micochipping that could make all the difference in your pets safe and swift return.

Here in Spain it is the law that your pet should be micochipped and your local vet can do this for you.    You must also remember that every time you move home or change your phone number you must update this information on your pets chip.   If you do not do this and your pet is found and scanned the information will be incorrect and the Vet/Police will not be able to contact you.   This can be done at your vets for approx €12.00

Apart from micochipping I strongly recommend that you put a visible ID tag on your dog/cat collar with a contact number so if it is found wandering the streets you can be phoned immediately as sometimes people don’t want the hassle of taking the dog/cat to the vets to check for a chip and sometimes the police don’t scan for chips and your pet could end up in the pound where it will eventually be destroyed.

These tags can be bought from your local vets from as little as 1€ or you can use key tags which can be bought from supermarkets /Ferritarias.

In the unfortunate event that you do loose your pet, contact your local vets and police stations to see if anyone has found it.    You can also contact CAS via their website www.casnerja.org to see if anyone has handed the dog/cat to them and they can also advise you on where all the local police pounds are.

Dog Heartworm Disease: what is it?

Heartworm is a condition in dogs caused by a certain type of parasite. These parasites are transmitted to your pet through mosquitoes. If you are living in an area where there are lots of mosquitoes during the night, it is very important that you seriously consider heartworm prevention measures for your dog.

Heartworm is a very dangerous disease. It can kill your dog if you don’t do something about it.

The moment heartworm-transmitting mosquitoes bite your dog, the larvae will be transferred into its bloodstream. It will incubate there for several days. That’s the on-start of the disease. If left ignored, the parasites will eventually cause your pet a lot of harm. As such, it has to be treated right away.

If your dog sleeps outside in the Summer months (as mine do) I suggest you get a blood test ASAP.    I had my dogs tested and one of them tested positive.    This resulted in her having to take Asprin to thin the blood for 2 weeks and then 2 very painfull injections in the back muscle’s , she had to continue on the Asprin for 3 more weeks and could not go out for any walks.

Both my dogs now take monthly heartworm tablets @ €5.00 each which prevents them ever contracting it in the future.

If you need any further information on this disease then please contact your local vet.

Why Should I Have My Dog Groomed

Healthy skin, hair, and nails are what define a well-groomed dog. Dog grooming is the practice of caring for the appearance of a canine for personal or showing purposes. Dog-grooming rituals include washing, hair clipping and cutting, nail clipping  and hair styling . Grooming is important for your pet and is aesthetically pleasing to owners. It helps cut down on shedding and smelling, but will also lead to healthy skin, hair, and nails for your dog. Grooming is also a great way to cut down on allergies and infections for both pets and their owners.