Articles

Articles, questions and guides on pet care.

Conker poisoning in dogs

Conker poisoning in dogs

Conkers are the seed of the horse chestnut nut tree, a very common species in the UK, which are found lying on the ground in the autumn time. Similar to acorns, curious dogs may pick up conkers to…

Read article
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in cats

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in cats

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a term used to describe progressive kidney failure or chronic renal failure in cats. CKD is one of the most common diseases in older cats, although it does not affect…

Read article
Lameness in dogs

Lameness in dogs

Dogs can become lame for many reasons, such as a wound, insect sting, sprain or fracture. Other causes include joint problems, such as osteoarthritis. In this article we talk about symptoms,…

Read article
Lameness in cats

Lameness in cats

Cats can become lame for many reasons. Cats may develop an abscess from a cat bite, a wound, sprain, fracture or a sting in the paw. Some lameness can also be caused by joint problems in the leg.…

Read article
Heartworm disease in cats

Heartworm disease in cats

Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) are transmitted to cats by mosquitoes. Cats who travel abroad or who are adopted from outside the UK are most at risk and preventive precautions should be taken in…

Read article
Heartworm disease in dogs

Heartworm disease in dogs

Heartworm is a parasite, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Heartworm infection is much more common in dogs than cats, but it can cause serious illness and even death in both species. Preventative…

Read article
What are dog food allergies?

What are dog food allergies?

Everybody has heard of food allergies by now or knows people who have them. Dogs can also get food allergies, but they like to do them differently than people. Read on to learn how to recognise them.

Read article
Lungworm infection in dogs

Lungworm infection in dogs

Lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) is a life-threatening disease of dogs. The number of cases in the UK over the last few years seems to be rising. Our vet explains what signs you should look out…

Read article
Colitis in dogs - a common cause of diarrhoea

Colitis in dogs - a common cause of diarrhoea

Colitis in dogs means that the patient is suffering from inflammation of the large intestine (colon). Many dogs will suffer from colitis at one stage in their lives and this is also a common puppy…

Read article
Vomiting vs regurgitation in dogs and cats - what is the difference?

Vomiting vs regurgitation in dogs and cats - what is the difference?

All pet owners will know that vomiting is a common problem in dogs and cats. However, it is important to know the difference between vomiting and regurgitation. Regurgitation in dogs and cats has…

Read article
Drooling in dogs and cats

Drooling in dogs and cats

Drooling, or hypersalivation (ptyalism), is the result of overproduction of saliva or the inability to swallow the saliva being produced, or both. Drooling in pets can present as a mild complaint or…

Read article
Crate training for puppies

Crate training for puppies

Puppies are often crate trained as part of an introduction to a new household. This can be an effective way of helping puppies to feel safe, secure and to prevent injury overnight. However, things…

Read article
Vomiting bile in dogs and cats - causes, signs and treatment

Vomiting bile in dogs and cats - causes, signs and treatment

Dogs and cats vomit bile when they have no other food content in the stomach. This could be because there has been previous vomiting, or it may be that they have not eaten recently. Bile and gastric…

Read article
Help! My dog gets travel sickness

Help! My dog gets travel sickness

Travel sickness, also called car or motion sickness, can affect pets as much as humans. Any form of travel can trigger travel sickness- dogs may shake, drool, yawn excessively, vomit and in some…

Read article
Long-term diarrhoea in dogs and cats

Long-term diarrhoea in dogs and cats

Loose stools can become an ongoing problem in both dogs and cats. In medical terms, changes to the consistency of stools is termed chronic diarrhoea when it has been present for 2 weeks or more.…

Read article
How to do an elimination diet food trial for dogs

How to do an elimination diet food trial for dogs

Elimination diet food trials are done in dogs both to diagnose and treat various food intolerances or allergies. Read our article to learn how to do one successfully!

Read article
Megaoesophagus in dogs

Megaoesophagus in dogs

Megaoesophagus is a condition where the muscular food pipe, which connects the throat to the stomach (the oesophagus), does not function normally. Food and saliva cannot move into the stomach, as…

Read article
Intussusception in dogs and cats

Intussusception in dogs and cats

Intussusception is an uncommon problem that can occur in the intestine where one part of the gut slides into the next part in a telescoping action. This can cause a blockage or particle blockage…

Read article

With FirstVet, the vet clinic and pet shop are only one tap away. Get fast advice, trusted care and the right pet supplies – every day, all year round.

FIRSTVET UK LTD

25 Horsell Road

London

N5 1XL