Urinary incontinence (an involuntary or accidental loss of urine from the bladder) is a startling and often concerning problem for pet owners. Pets can be incontinent for many different reasons. These reasons can include physical problems of the bladder, the urethra (which is the tube from the bladder to the outside) or neurological abnormalities involving parts of the brain and spinal cord for bladder function. Solving or helping an incontinence problem starts with identifying the cause.

With canine motion sickness being one of the leading reason pet owners are not able to take their dogs on day trips or holidays, we are very excited about a relatively new treatment option that has been very successful for many pets.

If your pet has been stung by a bee or insect, please follow the instructions below.

• Carefully remove the sting and bathe the area with cool water
• Restrict exercise to help decrease blood supply to the area and therefore pain and swelling
• Observe your pet carefully
• You may notice slight changes such as puffiness in the face, lips and eyes as well as "lumpy" looking skin in the bite area

More and more dogs and cats are living well into their senior years and just like elderly humans, pets can suffer from a kind of dementia called cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS. CDS is a syndrome associated with brain aging. It leads to changes in a pet's responsiveness, learning, memory and can cause anxiety with age.

Anal Sacs (or Anal Glands) are two small glands located just inside your pet’s anus (bottom), at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions. Each of these glands has a tiny duct or tube, which has an opening into the rectum. The secretion that comes from these glands is very smelly, often brown in colour and is about the consistency of water or oil. Anal Glands serve no real purpose in domestic pets, just like your appendix, however in past times they were used primarily for territorial marking, as a defence mechanism (i.e. like a skunk) or as a form of communication.

Bladder stones can form in dogs just like they do in humans. The stones themselves (uroliths or calculi) can be described as rock-like collections of minerals that form in the urinary bladder. They may occur as a few large stones or as collections of multiple small stones. Some patients with bladder stones show no signs of any kind and the stones are discovered incidentally but there are some changes that might promote a search for stones. Bloody urine, straining to urinate or an increase in the frequency of urination are the main signs.

Cancer is a disorder of cell growth (uncontrolled cell division) that results in an abnormal mass of tissue (tumor) without a purpose. The growth exceeds that of normal tissue, is un-coordinated and persists after the cause has gone. There are many different types of cancers.

In our experience informing a pet owner that their pet is blind or is going blind can be quite a daunting task. It's an overwhelming experience for most pet owners and a time often filled with emotion and doubt. That's why we have asked Sue, the owner of a blind Whippet named Pebbles, to tell her story. We hope her insight into a moment of darkness and her handy hints in dealing with day to day activities will provide you with some hope. 

Coughing is a common protective reflex for a dog, often a natural mechanism to clear the airways of harmful or unpleasant material. Whilst it may not sound like a serious problem, sometimes coughing is a sign of a significant disease.

Just like a human medical emergency, follow the same DRSABC principles of handling an animal medical emergency.

D - Danger - make sure it is safe to approach your pet. Use a blanket/ towel to handle cats or a makeshift muzzle for larger dogs.

R - Response - determine if your pet is conscious - look for any signs of movement.

S - Send for help - ask another person to call us while you assist your pet.

A - Airway - only check the airway if your pet is unconscious - pull the tongue out of the mouth and look for any obstructions.

B - Breathing - watch the chest to see if it is rising and falling. If your pet is not breathing administer two breaths.

C - Compressions - After two breaths if no signs of life, commence CPR.