Elderly Yoda, increasingly in pain from arthritis, now spurts around their garden and runs everywhere with no sign of the crippling pain she was in before. Yoda is one of the first dogs in the UK to be given the natural fulvic acid-based formula after owners Cathy and John Dean noticed the animal was increasingly experiencing  difficulty walking far and only wanted to lie down.

“She went from being a lively dog that would walk as far as we could take her, to suffering from pain in her limbs and unable to walk very far at all. It was obvious she was in trouble,” said Cathy. “Border collies are used to running round a lot and she was looking really down. “Vets told us there was really nothing we could do for her as she was old and had arthritis.  We were told it would gradually get worse.”

Cathy, a well known Potteries area networker who runs the IBD Internet Business Directory,  met Stafford man John Challinor who was looking for dog owners to try out his new formula,  based on the human version of the naturally found fulvic acid, but with added vitamins. “We were desperate and said we’d try anything,” said Cathy. “We were a bit sceptical, but John assured us the formula - called The Pet Answer - was based on natural minerals  that so much of our food today lacks.  What a difference it made after just a month.  Yoda was jumping up and running everywhere she could; we just couldn’t hold her back.  All our friends are amazed at the turnaround; she’s a puppy again.”

Further information about the formula is on www.healthypetsdirect.co.uk or John Challinor can be contacted on 07957 882 997.

Osteoarthritis, a debilitating disease of the joints leading to inflammation and gradual loss of cartilage, affects about 20% of dogs over the age of one.  Osteoarthritis, which can result in severe pain and lameness, is incurable but can be managed through a combination of medication, altered nutrition and exercise.

Now veterinary scientists at the University of Liverpool are undertaking a large scale study to compare the effects of two common licensed treatments for osteoarthritis in dogs.  The study needs dogs who are older than one year, weigh more than 10 kilos and have either been diagnosed with arthritis by their vet or whose owners believe they are suffering from arthritis.  Signs that dogs might be suffering from osteoarthritis include stiffness or a limp after rest, reluctance to go for walks, or slowing down while on walks or a noticeable limp.

Ben Walton, from the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, said: “We need around 100 dogs for this study which will be examining the effectiveness of two well-known treatments for canine osteoarthritis.  The dogs will take part for a twelve week period, and during this time medication will be dispensed at no charge to the owner.  The dog will need to visit the University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital at Leahurst on the Wirral four times during the twelve week period for an evaluation by an orthopaedic vet.  The risk of side effects from the medication is low.”

If you are interested in taking part in this study then please contact Ben Walton at the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Liverpool’s Leahurst campus on 0151 795 6239 or by email ben.walton@liv.ac.uk.

Overheating can be dangerous for dogs, so the non-electrical Canine Cooler is the perfect solution to keep temperatures down in the hot weather. The product cools and soothes your pet by dissipating heat from the blood supply running close to the surface of the body.

The Canine Cooler is easy to use and is activated by simply filling it with ordinary tap water. Once activated, it stays cool and is ready to use whenever you need it. Made from medical grade materials to provide safety and durability, the Canine Cooler is a high quality product designed to be effective and convenient. The soft, comfortable, flexible surface wipes clean and because the product does not melt or sweat it is suitable for use either at home, or when travelling in the car.

The Canine Cooler comes in three sizes:

Small (18” x 24”)
Medium (24” x 36”)
Large (36” x 48”)

Soothsoft has also introduced Canine Cooler Covers, to complement the Canine Cooler, which are available in three sizes and are treated with PERMAGARD® to prevent bacterial and fungal build up, to reduce odours and to enhance hygiene.

Available from http://www.personalcooling.co.uk/templates/page_01.php?cfp=page:SF0101&category=3&filter=Human&productgroup

As collars can easily drop off, micro chipping your pet is a much more effective way of making sure they do not stray too far from home. However there is a wealth of information out there which can be very confusing.

There are lots of chips available and it can be hard to know which is best. Microchips can range vastly in terms of quality and readability so it is important to get the right one. It is also vital that there is a robust database available for the lifetime of your pet to ensure peace of mind and make sure your prying pooch or travelling tortoise can be found quickly.

You can micro chip any pet! From fish (yes really!) to skunks and even teddy bears (5 were chipped in 2003), our much loved animals are clearly very important to us.

So how can you cut through the information and get the basics about micro chipping? Fortunately we have pet veterinarian Emma Milne, along with Caroline Kisko of the Kennel Club, in our web TV show to answer all your questions on keeping track of your pet.

Over the past two months staff from npower have been meeting guide dog owners and their respective guide dogs during selected lunchtime visits to its offices across the north east. Guide Dogs had previously been invited to the npower site in Worcester and was selected by npower to receive a £20,000 donation, which was used to sponsor four guide dog puppies through their training.

At these visits npower employees have been encouraged to sponsor a puppy, recycle for the charity and get involved in volunteering and payroll giving.

Nicola Wilson, Guide Dogs’ Development Fundraiser for the North said: “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit the north east sites of npower. We’ve had an incredibly warm welcome so far and thanks to everyone’s support Guide Dogs will receive an extra £792 annually and we still have three more site visits to attend. npower and their staff have been extremely supportive of Guide Dogs and we simply cannot thank them enough for their continued generosity and support.”

“The dogs love all the attention they receive at these visits and the volunteers who dedicate their time enjoy answering all the queries and talking about their experiences as guide dog owners and/or volunteers.”

npower currently sponsor four guide dog puppies at Tibury power station and its offices in Swindon and Worcester. Orbie, a five month old golden Labrador is sponsored by the offices in the North East.

Gary Doig, npower’s Community Investment Manager in the North East said, “npower was delighted to sponsor our own guide dog puppy, Orbie, through the corporate charity committee. The Guide Dog visits to our North East sites will undoubtedly create a lot of interest amongst our employees, enabling them to learn more about the dogs themselves as well as increase awareness of the great work done by the charity. Hopefully Guide Dogs will also be able to recruit some future fundraisers from amongst our people.”

There are around 4,600 guide dog partnerships throughout the UK; each costing about £50,000. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to funds its guide dog service.

Nicola explained: “Without the help of employers and staff like npower, Guide Dogs couldn’t provide its services for visually impaired people.

“There are still thousands of blind or partially sighted people who never leave the house alone because they lack the confidence and support to do so. Guide Dogs want to change this and provide independence and freedom to every visually impaired person who needs it.”

Apart from Chris’s news about his dogs Itchy and Scratchy - he talks about feeding birds and building nest boxes - the site has loads of interesting and informative articles including news from the Isle of Wight Zoo (Casper the white lion has just moved in), a what’s on spot (where members can publicise or learn about local pet and animal events), a community page, where there is a pet sitters group to join, or new groups can be created, a Vet’s corner where Paul Webster will answer health queries, free classified ads for pet owners should anyone have that old rabbit hutch to sell. There is also a Shopping Mall with everything an owner needs for their pet, and a gallery of pet and animal pictures and prints.

Chris will also pre-judge two photographic competitions-one for adults and the other for under 10s,with fabulous cameras as prizes. mypetbook fans will pick the winner from the top ten selected by him.

Celebrating the launch of the website, editor Rachel Benneworth (who has 2 goldfish, Rainbow and Nemo) said, “mypetbook will allow anyone passionate about pets and animals to spend fun and constructive time on the site sharing their photos and knowledge on every related topic from health to events and to learn from new friends as well as the experts - improving the life of their pets and wild animals into the bargain. If you don’t have a pet you can register a ‘wild pet ‘such as “Robbie the Robin”

Mypetbook caters for owners of all ages of cats, dogs, birds, rodents, horses, farm animals, fish, reptiles and wild pets.

A deadly infection caused by a parasite is making its way through the British Isles. A significant number of dog-owners admit they that don’t know anything about lungworm (A. vasorum) and half have never heard of it. The life-threatening infection is carried by slugs and snails which can then be eaten by dogs, either on purpose or by accident. Symptoms of the disease can be many and varied and can be confused with other illnesses, so it’s important to be clued up on this spreading threat.

So what can you do to protect your pooch? Well, take a look at this web TV with pet veterinarian Joe Inglis.

http://iframeplayernoauto.webchats.tv/chat/be_lungworm_aware_with_vet_joe_inglis
For more information visit www.lungworm.co.uk

In the following video he chats about his life post Five Star including his new album ‘Eliminate’ and the real star in his life, his faithful companion; dog Joe to Catrina, former model and ambassador for Pet Protect.

Chocolate eggs and other treats left around the house at Easter can be a big temptation to four legged friends, however unlike most people they can become extremely unwell if they eat large amounts of chocolate which is intended for humans.

The toxic chemical within chocolate is called Theobromine and the amount contained within chocolate varies according to the type and quality of chocolate. Dark chocolate usually contains high levels of the toxic chemical, compared with white chocolate which contains comparatively little. Even a small amount of high quality dark chocolate eaten by a dog can cause clinical signs such as hyperexcitability and restlessness, vomiting, tremors and convulsions.

While M&S Pet Insurance policyholders have access to a 24-hour advice line, 365 days a year, meaning that if the worst happens this Easter they know they have support at the end of the phone, as it is much better to avoid the problem in the first place.

Vetfone nurses provide concerned pet owners with immediate advice on an animal’s condition and can decide whether emergency medical treatment is required.

Vetfone Deputy Operations Manager, Clare Scantlebury, said: “Easter is a great excuse to indulge in all things chocolaty, but dog owners should think carefully about storing chocolate eggs in a safe place out of the reach of hungry dogs.  The potential danger depends on the amount of chocolate eaten, the type of chocolate and the size of the dog. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate and is showing signs of illness, seek medical advice immediately.”

David Wells, M&S Head of Insurance, said: “It’s not just the chocolate at Easter which can cause illness and injury in pets. We have seen claims when dogs have eaten small novelty toys from Easter eggs and shredded plastic used as packing material in Easter baskets.  Small toys may cause internal damage or an intestinal blockage which can be life threatening. Ideally keep these objects well out of reach of your pets and supervise your dogs closely if children are playing with the toys.”

www.cavaliermatters.org is a beautifully illustrated website, providing easy to read and understand information for Cavalier Pet Folk. The site helps to decode the technical and scientific jargon surrounding the health problems associated with the Cavalier Kind Charles Spaniel breed through plain English, amusing sketches and charming anecdotes. The content is written and illustrated in a thoughtful and simple layout with tips and advice plainly identified, using cartoons of owls and birds.

Tania Ledger conceived the idea for this site when she first heard about Syringomyelia (sm) on the BBC documentary “Pedigree Dogs Exposed”. She was shocked and appalled that dogs are bred into a terrible life of pain. Her Cavaliers, Molly and Dougall, were both diagnosed later with this and other serious health issues.

As well as the basic content, it has the website has two further objectives. Firstly, To help to raise funds for research and rescue through the sale of items helpful to cavaliers in their daily lives. Secondly, to raise awareness of the issues surrounding this breed and to campaign against puppy farming and poor breed and breeding standards set by the Kennel Club. There are currently two active  petitions running on the site.