Dr David says:

Anyone who’s met me will know how proud I am of our Best Best Buddy Unlimited™ plan.

The plan is designed to take a lead role in preventative health care – by identifying underlying issues at an early stage we are actively extending pets lives.

When I put the plan together, I focused on including everything that I think my patients need to keep them happy and healthy.

I believe that my clients should be bringing their pets in to see us often, for their own peace of mind and to allow us to be proactive in caring for our patients.

If you agree with this ethos, then being on Best Buddy is absolutely going to save you money.

If you’re still not convinced, pop into the practice and I’ll be happy to chat with you about it – and that invite extends to all of our clients, not just John!

Dr David says:

This is a similar subject to tackle as diarrhoea, which I answered a question about a few weeks ago.

Typically, if you think your pet is ill, you should bring them in to see. You know your pet, and you know what normal is for them.

If they’ve been sick after eating, the best thing to do is to starve them for 24 hours. Just skip their next meal if they’re a young pet.

If after this period they’re still ill, or if they’re again after their next meal, then you should book in to see us.

Usually this kind of thing will sort itself out – but for the occasion that it’s a sign of something more serious it’s not worth taking a risk.

And of course, if you think there’s a serious problem, call us straight away.

Check out the video for more advice, or book an appointment so we can chat to you about your pet’s specific circumstances.

Dr David says:

Ear discomfort can be really troubling for pets – and you’ll tend to get a lot of cues that they’re feeling unhappy.

Shaking their head, holding it low or tilting it to one side, and scratching at their ears are all tell-tale signals. You also may notice a funny smell and discharge – brown wax may be normal, but anything yellow or green is bad.

The problem will usually be one of three things.

It could be an infection, which will clear up with antibiotics.

It could be allergies – the ear is essentially a specialised piece of skin, so we’ll treat this similarly to any other topical allergy.

The other option is a foreign body – something being stuck down the ear, such as a grass seed. This will need to be removed by us, and unfortunately your pet will need to be sedated.

Generally, ear problems will only get worse, so it’s not worth waiting to see what happens – the sooner we can treat it the better.

Watch the video for more information – and remember that members of our Best Buddy Unlimited™ wellness plan get all of their consults for free, making it easy to pop in for peace of mind whenever you’re unsure about anything with your pet.

Dr David says:

It’s hard to imagine life without our family pets, but as they age it becomes necessary to consider how we can manage the end of their lives with compassion.

It’s important to understand your options and feel supported – and our team is here to support you and your pet with empathy, respect and clarity at every step.

I believe that it makes it easier for everyone if the situation is discussed before the time comes.

This happened to one of my pets recently, she had a brain tumour and she was going downhill pretty quickly. She really was very, very uncomfortable and in quite a lot of pain.
So we made the difficult decision to put her to sleep.

So I understand.

If you find yourself having to consider what will happen when your pet is no longer comfortable, please do make an appointment to talk to me and my team so we can support you in this difficult time. And in the meantime, I hope the video can answer some of your questions.

Dr David says:

Lameness can have a wide range of causes, from a thorn in a paw through to a broken leg.

If the limp has come on suddenly, I’d recommend bringing your pet in to see us urgently as that’s a sign that something external has happened that we’ll want to investigate.

If it’s been more of a gradual thing it’s a little less urgent, but we should still see the pet as soon as you can bring them in – and in this case we’d probably be expecting the cause to be something like arthritis, especially if it’s an older pet.

If it isn’t immediately obvious what’s causing the limp we may need to investigate further with x-rays or other diagnostic tests.

Watch the video for more information, drop our team a message on PetsApp for more tailored advice or book an appointment now so we can start to treat your pet.

Dr David says:

The causes of your pets eyes seeming red can range from allergies and infections to more serious conditions such as glaucoma.

The problem is that eye problems can develop quickly – and in some cases, they can lead to permanent damage if left untreated. The other thing with eye conditions is that they are likely to get worse and more difficult to treat if ignored.

For that reason I’d always recommend bringing your pet in to see us if they’re having trouble with their eyes.

Watch the video below for more information – and remember that members of our Best Buddy Unlimited™ wellness plan get all of their consults for free, making it easy to pop in for peace of mind whenever you’re unsure about anything with your pet.

Dr David says:

Pet insurance can seem complicated at times, but I’m going to keep this very simple.

I believe that pet insurance is vital for all pet owners. All of my own pets are insured and it’s the first job I tackle whenever I get a new pet.

You can check out the video below for a brief overview of the different types of insurance available, or drop us a message on PetsApp if you want guidance tailored for you and your pet.

But in a nutshell, if you have comprehensive pet insurance – and of course a Best Buddy Unlimited™ membership – then you have everything covered for your pet’s healthcare with two easy direct debits a month!

Dr David says:

You can use your owner’s intuition a little here. If your dog – or any other pet – seems really ill, then yes, bring them in.

If they’ve been sick or had an isolated incident of diarrhoea, the best thing to do is to starve them for 24 hours. Just skip their next meal if they’re a young pet.

If after this period they’re still ill, or if they become ill again after eating, then you should book in to see us.

Usually this kind of thing will sort itself out – but for the occasion that it’s a sign of something more serious it’s not worth taking a risk.

Check out the video below for more advice, or book an appointment so we can chat to you about your pet’s specific circumstances.

Dr David says:

Pets commonly suffer most from allergies in the summer and we can treat this in a variety of ways.

Many pets can suffer from seasonal allergies, often aggravated by increased pollen levels.

And as last month was no mow May, it’s likely many of you are seeing signs of irritation in your furry friends!

Symptoms can include itchy or red skin, fur loss, anal gland irritation, itchy ears and watery eyes.

Often allergies can settle down on their own – but many pets need medication to alleviate their discomfort.

Check out the video for more advice, or book an appointment so we can chat to you about your pet’s specific circumstances.