Just a reminder that as of 6th April 2016, it becomes a legal obligation for any dog in the UK over the age of 8 weeks to be identified by a microchip. So if you haven't had your dog microchipped yet, you'd better get on with it. Now is the time.
In a shameless piece of clinic promotion, I can let you know that we have plenty of microchips in stock at the clinic, so if your dog needs one, compliance is just a phone call away. And that phone number is 020 7723 0453, in case you forgot.
And another thing that many people don't realise is that even in the electronic microchip age, your dog still has to wear a collar with an ID tag at all times when out in public.
Funnily enough, we can supply these too. A wide range of perfectly delightful collars that your dog will be proud to wear in the best society, and some exquisitely designed and crafted ID tags to match.
And you of course, as their significant human other, are responsible for your dog's good behaviour at all times, so if you need a dog trainer (or in many cases, it's you that needs a little update on dog training), guess what, we can help with that too.
So many things to do and think about.
See you soon.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Happy Birthday Hyde Park Vets
Not that anybody is really interested, But the Hyde Park Veterinary Centre came of age today. We turned 18!
There's been a clinic in Connaught Street continuously since 1872 which is rather more impressive, but it's current incarnation started on March 30th 1998.
The clinic was initially at the Connaught Square end, catering more for the many thousands of working horses in the capital. It moved about 30 years ago to the small rooms behind the flower shop, finally gravitating to 61 Connaught Street in the mid 1990's.
We expanded into number 63 just 4 years ago.
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre at 18 years old - does that mean I finally get my own door key?
There's been a clinic in Connaught Street continuously since 1872 which is rather more impressive, but it's current incarnation started on March 30th 1998.
The clinic was initially at the Connaught Square end, catering more for the many thousands of working horses in the capital. It moved about 30 years ago to the small rooms behind the flower shop, finally gravitating to 61 Connaught Street in the mid 1990's.
We expanded into number 63 just 4 years ago.
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre at 18 years old - does that mean I finally get my own door key?
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Chocolate is NOT good for dogs. Just in case you didn't know
Easter weekend is just around the corner and we all know what that means...
It's probably going to rain and there's going to be a lot if chocolate around.
Which is great, because chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which is a bit of a stimulant (like caffeine) and it makes some of us feel a bit better (in some cases a LOT better).
The problem is that some dogs find it hard to resist eating chocolate when they find it lying around at home and theobromine is quite poisonous for dogs. Too much theobromine affects the heart, nervous system and kidneys. It can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness and agitation, a raised heart rate, muscle tension, loss of coordination, rapid breathing and in severe cases seizures and death.
Symptoms can start just a few hours after eating chocolate.
The problem is that some dogs find it hard to resist eating chocolate when they find it lying around at home and theobromine is quite poisonous for dogs. Too much theobromine affects the heart, nervous system and kidneys. It can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness and agitation, a raised heart rate, muscle tension, loss of coordination, rapid breathing and in severe cases seizures and death.
Symptoms can start just a few hours after eating chocolate.
Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine. For example white chocolate contains very little. Every 25 grams of milk chocolate contains around 50 milligrams of theobromine and unsweetened (baking) chocolate contains around 400 milligrams of theobromine in each 25 grams.
The toxic dose of theobromine for dogs is around 100-150 milligrams for each kilo of bodyweight. In real English that means that a 250 gram bar of dark chocolate can be fatal for a Labrador weighing around 25kg.
So what should you do if your dog eats some chocolate?
Our first advice would be to call your vet. Once they know your dog's body weight, what type of chocolate they've eaten and roughly how much (and it's best to over-estimate if you're not sure), they'll be able to calculate fairly precisely whether you need to be worried or not.
If your dog has eaten a toxic amount, veterinary treatment is likely to involve making your dog vomit, possibly washing out the stomach, and maybe giving a substance called activated charcoal to absorb any remaining toxins. If this is done quickly, the prognosis is generally good, but far better to intervene quickly than to wait until it's too late.
On that happy note, have a Happy Easter but best to hide the chocolate!
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Starving the vegetarians into submission.
It was a nice walk along the river, with the potentially delectable end point of a stop at a highly suitable pub for a pint and a bite to eat. What pleasant anticipation.
Once comfortable installed in said hostelry, it was time to take a look at the menu. 'V' denotes vegetarian - an excellent start for this new phase in my life. How pleasing - not for the first time since embarking on this journey - to have a feeling of riding a wave of responsible feeding.
Apart from the fact that nothing on the menu had a 'V' against it. The simple phrase that 'V denotes vegetarian' was simply an explanatory note on the off-chance that there might be a vegetarian option on said menu at some unspecified point in the future.
On more detailed inspection we found an unlabelled 'V': a chicory, carrot & tomato fondue with goat's cheese.
Now I have never really taken to goat's cheese, but under the circumstances ie being faced with the alternative of a full-on meat-is-murder pub menu, I figured it would be an acceptable choice. And anyway fondues are great. Chunks of crusty local bread dripping great gloopy strands of slowly solidifying cheese, washed down with gallons of white wine, as you gaze out of the window across snow-covered mountains, your bones and muscles aching after a day of perilous downhill activity. What could be better. Yum.
But then it arrived. A small saucer with some even smaller pieces of vegetable sitting in a thin cheese-like soup. And err, that's it.
I mean, come on guys, at least try to make it a little bit easier for me. There I am, trying my hardest to save the planet by eating a more sustainable diet, and then you go and offer me something whose nutritional value might just about keep me going for the time it takes to finish this sentence.
I remembered many years ago a casually misogynistic acquaintance of mine venturing the view that goat's cheese was girl's food and therefore should not be eaten or approved of by those of a masculine disposition. And there was a small guilty part of me that felt I slightly agreed, but I had always tried to keep it to myself. But now here was a supposedly respectable pub chain endorsing the myth, as witnessed by the miniscule portion that clearly was aimed at a diner trying to stay alive on less than 3 calories a day.
I weigh 95kg for goodness'sake. I need food.
You, you pub chefs, restauranteurs, managers, bosses, buyers and decision makers, have all contributed yet further to global warming and the destruction of the ozone layer by making me eat both a starter and a sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel ice cream just to have enough energy to get out of the door, let alone walk home again.
Shame on you.
#campaignforpropersizedvegetarianandveganportionsin publiceatingplaces is not exactly trending on Twitter right now, but it should be.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
How old is your cat?
Translating a cat's age in real years into the human equivalent often seems to make it easier to understand quite where they are in their life cycle when we're talking about age-related health problems.
Everyone has been younger than they are now, and most of us know at least some older people and the health issues they're going through. So when we think of Mr Tibbles as being the cat equivalent of a 15 year old boy or a 45 or 75 year old man rather than his real 1, 7 or 15 years, his health and vitality issues can make a bit more sense.
There's far too much nonsense about each cat year being 7 human years or variations on that theme - if it were true, the average life expectancy for a cat in the UK - measured in human equivalent years - would be just over 100.
I suggest you use this: it's from International Cat Care
Monday, February 1, 2016
How can we best look after our elderly cats?
Older cats are susceptible to quite a number of aged-related diseases, many of which are treatable if caught early enough. So how often should we be checking them over to make sure that everything is going OK?
Sometimes it's a difficult decision, particularly when they look so comfortable at home, they don't go out much any more and suddenly the whole idea starts to seem a bit stressful (for you if not for them)
International
Cat Care - formerly the Feline Advisory Bureau, one of the UK's leading veterinary cat health resources - suggests that cats of all ages should be assessed at a
veterinary practice at least once a year. They should have a general physical examination and discussion of appropriate preventive health care including diet, parasite control and any vaccine requirements, and their weight and body
condition score should be recorded.
In
addition to this:
• Mature
cats – those aged seven years or older should come in once a year for a blood pressure and their urine concentration checked. Dilute urine can be a sign of underlying disease with the
most common causes being chronic kidney disease, over-active thyroid glands and diabetes. Cats whose urine is too dilute should be further investigated by checking their urine chemistry and taking a blood sample for a blood cell count, chemistry check and measurement of their thyroid hormone levels.
• Senior
cats – those aged 11 years or older should come in at least once a year for a full examination, blood pressure check and urine & blood
tests as above to check the blood cell counts, chemistry and thyroid hormone levels. The less healthy ones should have these checkups more frequently, in some cases every six months.
• Geriatric
cats – those aged 15 years or older should come in every six months for a full clinical
examination, weight check, body condition score, blood pressure and urine test. Blood tests should continue to be done annually
unless there is any clinical reason to take them more frequently.
If you manage to follow this protocol, you will pick up on signs of chronic disease much earlier and we'll be able to get them on the right diet and medication for them to be able to enjoy many more years of active, healthy and comfortable life. Call for your appointment on 0207 723 0453 or email us at hydeparkvetnurse@aol.com and one of our nurses will call you back.
Summary:
0-7 years: Physical examination every 12 months
7-11 years: Physical examination, blood pressure and urine test every 12 months
11-15 years: Physical examination, blood pressure, urine and blood tests every 6-12 months
Over 15 years: Physical examination, blood pressure, urine every 3-6 months, with blood tests every 6-12 months
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Vegetarian hell
You might be getting the impression that I spend my entire life in a pub, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I just so happened to be in one recently and was in need of sustenance after a long day in the proverbial office.
What, I asked myself, were going to be the vegetarian options in this salubrious establishment? Surely here, in the heart of a posh bit of London, we were going to find a feast of fruits, flowers, beans, nuts and vegetables from around the world, to satisfy the appetites of a thousand bright young things hell bent on changing the world. Here, if anywhere, would I find a culinary delight for my new-fangled dietary fastidiousness.
Mushroom dumplings! Wow! Sounds good. In a beetroot sauce, with turnip tops (??). OK let's go for it. The waitress agrees it's delicious but diplomatically suggests a side. Perhaps the cauliflower cheese, yes that would be the best accompaniment. Hmm.
And the beluga lentils! With pomegranate! And other things to make it doubly delicious! Yum - can't wait and now feverishly hungry.
And then it arrived.
The dumplings were delicious, all 6 of them. But they looked like Hula hoops, with a combined mass of maybe 5 grams, lying on a thin bed of lawn trimmings, with a side pot of beetroot water. Clearly designed to be eaten by an anorexic dragonfly.
The lentil thing was equally tasty but in need of an electron microscope to identify it's exact location on the great Kalahari desert of an otherwise empty plate.
Come on guys, help me out here. I'm trying to do the right thing by eating less meat - none in fact - and in the process both purify the temple that is my body and do my bit to stop the imminent destruction of our dear planet's fragile environment.
But you ain't making it easy for me. I weigh 95 kg and work hard all day - I need to eat, not peck.
My 18 year old son went for the chicken breast on a bed of a thick bean and vegetable sauce, and announced towards the end that it was not only delicious but so gargantuan in portion size, he was struggling to finish it.
I just so happened to be in one recently and was in need of sustenance after a long day in the proverbial office.
What, I asked myself, were going to be the vegetarian options in this salubrious establishment? Surely here, in the heart of a posh bit of London, we were going to find a feast of fruits, flowers, beans, nuts and vegetables from around the world, to satisfy the appetites of a thousand bright young things hell bent on changing the world. Here, if anywhere, would I find a culinary delight for my new-fangled dietary fastidiousness.
Mushroom dumplings! Wow! Sounds good. In a beetroot sauce, with turnip tops (??). OK let's go for it. The waitress agrees it's delicious but diplomatically suggests a side. Perhaps the cauliflower cheese, yes that would be the best accompaniment. Hmm.
And the beluga lentils! With pomegranate! And other things to make it doubly delicious! Yum - can't wait and now feverishly hungry.
And then it arrived.
The dumplings were delicious, all 6 of them. But they looked like Hula hoops, with a combined mass of maybe 5 grams, lying on a thin bed of lawn trimmings, with a side pot of beetroot water. Clearly designed to be eaten by an anorexic dragonfly.
The lentil thing was equally tasty but in need of an electron microscope to identify it's exact location on the great Kalahari desert of an otherwise empty plate.
Come on guys, help me out here. I'm trying to do the right thing by eating less meat - none in fact - and in the process both purify the temple that is my body and do my bit to stop the imminent destruction of our dear planet's fragile environment.
But you ain't making it easy for me. I weigh 95 kg and work hard all day - I need to eat, not peck.
My 18 year old son went for the chicken breast on a bed of a thick bean and vegetable sauce, and announced towards the end that it was not only delicious but so gargantuan in portion size, he was struggling to finish it.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Monday's food rant
Apparently, 40% of the planet's land mass is currently turned over to food production of one sort of another in order to feed, rather inefficiently, our current population of seven billion.
Hmm. One problem is that the 40% represents most of the land that we can actually use. Much of the rest of it is covered in mountains, desert or ice.
And if our world population is heading for 9.6 billion by 2050, we're going to have massively to increase the amount of food we produce. With little extra available land unless we chop down even more rain forest, in which case some of our environmental problems are going to get as whole lot worse.
26% of our land is already used for animal grazing and further huge swathes of land are used to raise the crops that feed animals for human food. I don't really like the name, but I think you should check out some of the statistics on http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/
The inescapable fact is that meat production is horribly inefficient (quite apart from any moral, ethical or nutritional arguments against it) and if we don't do something about the rate at which we're trying to eat it, we might be heading for a rather nasty global food shortage.
A cursory glance at the news on any day of any week will show time and time again that we, as a species, are really not very nice when the going gets tough. It's how we got to the top of the pile over the last 6 million years. Start to take some of the food away from our children's mouths and things could get very ugly very quickly.
Waste less food. Between field and plate we manage to waste almost 50% of the food we actually produce.
Eat less meat. Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 20 kg of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land 10kg of CO2 equivalent and one animal's life.
Hmm. One problem is that the 40% represents most of the land that we can actually use. Much of the rest of it is covered in mountains, desert or ice.
And if our world population is heading for 9.6 billion by 2050, we're going to have massively to increase the amount of food we produce. With little extra available land unless we chop down even more rain forest, in which case some of our environmental problems are going to get as whole lot worse.
26% of our land is already used for animal grazing and further huge swathes of land are used to raise the crops that feed animals for human food. I don't really like the name, but I think you should check out some of the statistics on http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/
The inescapable fact is that meat production is horribly inefficient (quite apart from any moral, ethical or nutritional arguments against it) and if we don't do something about the rate at which we're trying to eat it, we might be heading for a rather nasty global food shortage.
A cursory glance at the news on any day of any week will show time and time again that we, as a species, are really not very nice when the going gets tough. It's how we got to the top of the pile over the last 6 million years. Start to take some of the food away from our children's mouths and things could get very ugly very quickly.
Waste less food. Between field and plate we manage to waste almost 50% of the food we actually produce.
Eat less meat. Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 20 kg of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land 10kg of CO2 equivalent and one animal's life.
Friday, January 22, 2016
The Destruction of Hyde Park
Is it just me or does anyone else share my sense of despair when a substantial chunk of our beloved Hyde Park is yet again trashed and rendered unavailable?
We have to go through process this at least twice a year, during which time this jewel of our city resembles some giant prison camp, inaccessible to all those who might like to walk, run, exercise their dogs, do sport, or frankly, just breathe a little fresh air surrounded by trees, grass, open space and nature.
The latest horror is of course the ghastly Winter Wonderland. At a stroke when it started in November, it took out of action the biggest area of open green space in the centre of London. December passed and now towards the end of January as the barriers finally come down, we are greeted by the sight of countless acres of muddy wet wasteland, as the guys in hi-viz jackets prepare to fence it off yet again whilst is is reseeded, re-turfed, primped and preened.
If previous years are anything to go by, the whole process should just about be complete by the time they're ready to fence it off again for the summer concerts.
I realise I'm sounding like the archetypal grumpy old man, and don't get me wrong, I do love it when the sound of live music wafts across the park, and the Christmas lights do look lovely, BUT.... do we really have to go through this every time?
Who makes all the money out of all this? Maybe it's none of our business, what with it all being Royal Parks business, and of course they need to pull in some more cash, what with the Royalty being short of cash, but there's no doubt in my mind that some private individuals are likely to be making fat profits out of each event.
Lucky them.
Just a shame for those who want to use Hyde Park as a park.
We have to go through process this at least twice a year, during which time this jewel of our city resembles some giant prison camp, inaccessible to all those who might like to walk, run, exercise their dogs, do sport, or frankly, just breathe a little fresh air surrounded by trees, grass, open space and nature.
The latest horror is of course the ghastly Winter Wonderland. At a stroke when it started in November, it took out of action the biggest area of open green space in the centre of London. December passed and now towards the end of January as the barriers finally come down, we are greeted by the sight of countless acres of muddy wet wasteland, as the guys in hi-viz jackets prepare to fence it off yet again whilst is is reseeded, re-turfed, primped and preened.
If previous years are anything to go by, the whole process should just about be complete by the time they're ready to fence it off again for the summer concerts.
I realise I'm sounding like the archetypal grumpy old man, and don't get me wrong, I do love it when the sound of live music wafts across the park, and the Christmas lights do look lovely, BUT.... do we really have to go through this every time?
Who makes all the money out of all this? Maybe it's none of our business, what with it all being Royal Parks business, and of course they need to pull in some more cash, what with the Royalty being short of cash, but there's no doubt in my mind that some private individuals are likely to be making fat profits out of each event.
Lucky them.
Just a shame for those who want to use Hyde Park as a park.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Microchip identification of dogs becomes law on 6th April 2016
From 6th April 2016, every dog in the UK will have to have microchip identification in place.
It's always been a legal requirement for any dog to be identifiable, and the law still requires dogs to wear a collar and identity tag when out in a public place, but the legal requirement for microchipping is new.
On the face of it, that seems like a good enough idea. A microchip is the only means to definitively identify an animal, and is reckoned to be sufficiently secure to be the basis of identification for the pet passport scheme. So it's fine. A good idea all in all.
It means that if ever you and your dog are separated (whether lost or stolen), there's no argument about who's dog belongs to who. And then if there's any question of legal liability in case of a fight, bite or accident, the same applies. We do have to be responsible for our dogs and their behaviour.
Our only concern is that all dogs over the age of 8 weeks have to have a microchip and some of the 8 week old puppies that come into this clinic - and no doubt many others across the land - are still pretty tiny, the poor little mites.
There's us, going out of our way to try to make sure the whole vet experience is a nice one, so they don't become fearful, and then we have to spike them with a great big chip needle. Ouch. But that's the law so if your dog is not yet microchipped, get on with it before it becomes illegal not to.
Call us on 020 7723 0453 if you need any more information or need to have your dog microchipped - we have a special discount price available until the end of February. It can be done during a routine consultation.
Oh, and by the way, don't you love government legislation terminology? Here it is:
It's always been a legal requirement for any dog to be identifiable, and the law still requires dogs to wear a collar and identity tag when out in a public place, but the legal requirement for microchipping is new.
On the face of it, that seems like a good enough idea. A microchip is the only means to definitively identify an animal, and is reckoned to be sufficiently secure to be the basis of identification for the pet passport scheme. So it's fine. A good idea all in all.
It means that if ever you and your dog are separated (whether lost or stolen), there's no argument about who's dog belongs to who. And then if there's any question of legal liability in case of a fight, bite or accident, the same applies. We do have to be responsible for our dogs and their behaviour.
Our only concern is that all dogs over the age of 8 weeks have to have a microchip and some of the 8 week old puppies that come into this clinic - and no doubt many others across the land - are still pretty tiny, the poor little mites.
There's us, going out of our way to try to make sure the whole vet experience is a nice one, so they don't become fearful, and then we have to spike them with a great big chip needle. Ouch. But that's the law so if your dog is not yet microchipped, get on with it before it becomes illegal not to.
Call us on 020 7723 0453 if you need any more information or need to have your dog microchipped - we have a special discount price available until the end of February. It can be done during a routine consultation.
Oh, and by the way, don't you love government legislation terminology? Here it is:
Obligation to microchip dogs
3.—(1) Subject to a certificate issued under paragraph (2) or (3), from 6th April 2016 every keeper of a dog which has not been implanted with a microchip by that date—
(a)which is older than 8 weeks; and
(b)which is not a certified working dog for the purposes of section 6(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006(1),
must ensure that it is microchipped.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply for as long as a veterinary surgeon certifies, on a form approved by the Secretary of State, that a dog should not be microchipped for reasons of the animal’s health.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), from 6th April 2016 a keeper who imports a dog must ensure that the dog is microchipped in accordance with paragraph (5) within 30 days of importing the dog unless a veterinary surgeon certifies, on a form approved by the Secretary of State, that the dog should not be microchipped for reasons of the animal’s health.
(4) A certificate issued under paragraph (2) or (3) must state the period for which the dog will be unfit to be microchipped.
(5) A dog is microchipped where—
(a)a microchip which complies with regulation 4 has been implanted in the dog; and
Monday, January 18, 2016
I'm sorry, but isn't the dairy industry too big?
I very much appreciate the widely held concern about the fall in wholesale milk prices and the poor returns that dairy farmers are able to achieve in the current market. Add to this the on-going difficulties with TB control and the farce of the badger culls, and we have a beleaguered industry in quite a state of crisis.
Milk is a great source of energy, protein and calcium if you don't have anything else to eat. And a cow is a great way of converting vegetation that is relatively indigestible for humans into a steady supply of such nourishment. It's also mobile and fresh, which is especially useful when you don't have a fridge.
But the above have limited value in our society and I can't help noticing that our shops are now full of skimmed, low fat or even non-dairy dairy products, partly because many of the base constituents of milk are actually quite bad for us as adults, especially given the relative abundance of other food types.
Is the elephant in the room not the issue that we all consume far too many dairy products anyway and that the industry is therefore bigger than either our economy, health or environment can sustain?
Last time I checked, I was weaned when I was about six months old.
Milk is a great source of energy, protein and calcium if you don't have anything else to eat. And a cow is a great way of converting vegetation that is relatively indigestible for humans into a steady supply of such nourishment. It's also mobile and fresh, which is especially useful when you don't have a fridge.
But the above have limited value in our society and I can't help noticing that our shops are now full of skimmed, low fat or even non-dairy dairy products, partly because many of the base constituents of milk are actually quite bad for us as adults, especially given the relative abundance of other food types.
Is the elephant in the room not the issue that we all consume far too many dairy products anyway and that the industry is therefore bigger than either our economy, health or environment can sustain?
Last time I checked, I was weaned when I was about six months old.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Life without meat #2
2 days into vegetarianism, I went down with what felt like a terrible hangover. Woke up with a ringing headache - very unusual for me unless I've been drinking gallons of red wine the night before, which I hadn't. It's dry January, remember? - a state which progressed into feelings of nausea and exhaustion.
I baled out of work half way through the day, also very unusual for me.
Was this detox?
Yuk.
Fast forward through 5 days of vegetables, beans, nuts and water. I think the medical term is flatus, but my guts are beginning to get used to it.
On a mercy mission with daughter (a prime architect of the current nutritional regime) to visit elderly mother in Cheltenham, whizzing happily down the A417 in the Cotswolds. We were just talking about lunch.
'Mmm, yes I'm hungry. Pub lunch? '
'Sounds great.'
Then we remembered that we were vegetarians, and that this might make a Sunday pub roast slightly challenging. And what's more, mission creep seemed to crept up on me yet again, and where this had initially morphed surreptitiously from dry January to de-tox vegetarianism, apparently now I was heading for the full planet-saving vegan.
'You know you want to be a vegan, Dad. Anyway, you have to, otherwise we're all going to die. Do you want me to die?'
'Well, no, of course not'
'Well then we all have to become vegans and that includes you'
'Oh'
'There's a pub'
As we skidded off the main road and lurched into the gravel of the car park in front of the picture-perfect roadside hostelry, our hopes were not high. We imagined the sudden silence in the bar as we feebly asked
'Could we have the roast pork without the pork, please?' silently wondering whether the gravy was made from boiled animals or not, as the locals prepared the gibbet in the pub garden.
'That's what we did with the last people who looked they might vote for Jeremy Corbyn' they'd say as they poked their pitchforks at the tattered remnants of the last vegetarian in the county.
But not a bit of it. No less than 7 vegetarian or vegan main course options on the menu. Oh yes, here in rural Gloucestershire (http://www.thegoldenheart.co.uk), the world has already changed. We are clearly bang on track for a rosy future for generations to come, with no starving children, no desertification, no war and no economic crises ever again.
The nut roast was a triumph: peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom. Right here, now!
I baled out of work half way through the day, also very unusual for me.
Was this detox?
Yuk.
Fast forward through 5 days of vegetables, beans, nuts and water. I think the medical term is flatus, but my guts are beginning to get used to it.
On a mercy mission with daughter (a prime architect of the current nutritional regime) to visit elderly mother in Cheltenham, whizzing happily down the A417 in the Cotswolds. We were just talking about lunch.
'Mmm, yes I'm hungry. Pub lunch? '
'Sounds great.'
Then we remembered that we were vegetarians, and that this might make a Sunday pub roast slightly challenging. And what's more, mission creep seemed to crept up on me yet again, and where this had initially morphed surreptitiously from dry January to de-tox vegetarianism, apparently now I was heading for the full planet-saving vegan.
'You know you want to be a vegan, Dad. Anyway, you have to, otherwise we're all going to die. Do you want me to die?'
'Well, no, of course not'
'Well then we all have to become vegans and that includes you'
'Oh'
'There's a pub'
As we skidded off the main road and lurched into the gravel of the car park in front of the picture-perfect roadside hostelry, our hopes were not high. We imagined the sudden silence in the bar as we feebly asked
'Could we have the roast pork without the pork, please?' silently wondering whether the gravy was made from boiled animals or not, as the locals prepared the gibbet in the pub garden.
'That's what we did with the last people who looked they might vote for Jeremy Corbyn' they'd say as they poked their pitchforks at the tattered remnants of the last vegetarian in the county.
But not a bit of it. No less than 7 vegetarian or vegan main course options on the menu. Oh yes, here in rural Gloucestershire (http://www.thegoldenheart.co.uk), the world has already changed. We are clearly bang on track for a rosy future for generations to come, with no starving children, no desertification, no war and no economic crises ever again.
The nut roast was a triumph: peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom. Right here, now!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Saving the world in 2016
One day at the beginning of January, we sat down as a family to dinner and started to discuss our various exploits and antics over the Christmas and New Year period. Teenage parties, boozy dinners, late nights, long lunches, sore heads, unexplained stains on carpets, the usual litany of destruction and chaos.
'We should do dry January' someone said, and 20 minutes later, I realised that the discussion had somehow suffered mission creep, and that I had just agreed to give vegetarianism another try. I can't quite remember just how we got to that point, but as the last of the Coq au vin slipped down, I began to realise that we were heading for some changes around here.
This would be my third shot at it.
Episode 1 was when I was a student way back in the late '70s. A group of us lived in a cottage outside the city, and decided we would embrace certain aspects of the hippy ideal. This would include becoming vegetarians and being committed to what was then called 'alternative technology'. We were early eco-warriors and talked a lot about trying to change the world and save the planet. Rather than being rebels without a cause, we had a cause all right, but there wasn't much real rebellion going on - we had degrees to study for, after all.
The vegetarianism all started as a result of a particular dinner I cooked one night. Being a veterinary student, I had a working familiarity with the anatomical details of quite a number animals and felt that it was no big deal to stretch out both our food budget and sense of culinary adventure during my occasional visits to the butcher. But when I served up a dish of pig's trotters, my companions felt that I had crossed a certain line from which there was no going back. Not only was my dinner uneaten (it was, to be fair, almost inedible), but the protests were loud and vocal. And two of the gang were turned into life-long vegetarians on the spot.
Episode 2 was many years later, and also came on me as a bit of a surprise. Far less an emotional or ethical decision, I was simply persuaded that meat and dairy products were actually not very good for me and that a diet of vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits, devoid of alcohol, coffee and other stimulants would be the route to unimaginable energy, fitness, stamina, excitement, joy and fulfilment.
This was not wrong, but I lost about 10kg in weight and being already skinny at the start, I tired of continually being asked by concerned friends, family, clients and chance acquaintances
'Are you alright? I mean, really?'
So I gave up and went back onto the dark side.
Episode 3 started seven days ago.
I'll keep you posted.
'We should do dry January' someone said, and 20 minutes later, I realised that the discussion had somehow suffered mission creep, and that I had just agreed to give vegetarianism another try. I can't quite remember just how we got to that point, but as the last of the Coq au vin slipped down, I began to realise that we were heading for some changes around here.
This would be my third shot at it.
Episode 1 was when I was a student way back in the late '70s. A group of us lived in a cottage outside the city, and decided we would embrace certain aspects of the hippy ideal. This would include becoming vegetarians and being committed to what was then called 'alternative technology'. We were early eco-warriors and talked a lot about trying to change the world and save the planet. Rather than being rebels without a cause, we had a cause all right, but there wasn't much real rebellion going on - we had degrees to study for, after all.
The vegetarianism all started as a result of a particular dinner I cooked one night. Being a veterinary student, I had a working familiarity with the anatomical details of quite a number animals and felt that it was no big deal to stretch out both our food budget and sense of culinary adventure during my occasional visits to the butcher. But when I served up a dish of pig's trotters, my companions felt that I had crossed a certain line from which there was no going back. Not only was my dinner uneaten (it was, to be fair, almost inedible), but the protests were loud and vocal. And two of the gang were turned into life-long vegetarians on the spot.
Episode 2 was many years later, and also came on me as a bit of a surprise. Far less an emotional or ethical decision, I was simply persuaded that meat and dairy products were actually not very good for me and that a diet of vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits, devoid of alcohol, coffee and other stimulants would be the route to unimaginable energy, fitness, stamina, excitement, joy and fulfilment.
This was not wrong, but I lost about 10kg in weight and being already skinny at the start, I tired of continually being asked by concerned friends, family, clients and chance acquaintances
'Are you alright? I mean, really?'
So I gave up and went back onto the dark side.
Episode 3 started seven days ago.
I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
In case you wondered why we blood test your dogs at vaccine time...
Regular visitors to our clinic will know that when it comes to your dog's 'booster vaccination' visit, we are more likely to have a conversation with you about taking a vaccine antibody test before deciding whether to vaccinate or not.
What you might not realise is just how unusual this is for a veterinary clinic to take such a strategic and well-considered approach to vaccination, to focus our efforts on making sure that your dogs remain fully protected rather than just vaccinating away with little regard for any possible adverse consequences.
We are proud that for many years we have been so far ahead of the rest of our profession, and it was gratifying this week to read an article this week in the Veterinary Record (the weekly journal of the British Veterinary Association) about vaccination against parvovirus, the often fatal virus gastro-enteritis that affects dogs.
Here are just a few direct quotes from the paper and it's accompanying editorial piece:
- vaccination may be unnecessary if an animal already has antibodies against the infectious disease, but usually vets do not know the immune status of their patients
- antibody status against canine parvovirus should be determined instead of periodic 'blind' vaccination to ensure reliable protection with unnecessary vaccination
- such an approach could prove useful in reducing the adverse effects of vaccination, such as hypersensitivity and immunosuppression
- obesity is considered a chronic inflammatory state that can lead to impairments in innate and adaptive immune functions
- Riedl and others have helped to develop a new concept; to evaluate the immunity of a dog before it's first and subsequent vaccinations
- with cat calicivirus (flu) infections, serological data in predicting protection are limited
- transient side effects to vaccination are common and can be indicative of an adequate immune response
- transient side effects occurred in 37% of dogs: lethargy 17%, gastro-intestinal signs 12%, increased thirst 1% or a combination of problems 5%. Injection site reactions with local swelling or pain 2% and lymph node enlargement 20%
The final recommendation was that:
- antibody status should determined instead of periodic re-vaccinations to avoid unnecessary vaccinations in adult dogs.
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre - way out ahead in appropriate pet health care!
What you might not realise is just how unusual this is for a veterinary clinic to take such a strategic and well-considered approach to vaccination, to focus our efforts on making sure that your dogs remain fully protected rather than just vaccinating away with little regard for any possible adverse consequences.
We are proud that for many years we have been so far ahead of the rest of our profession, and it was gratifying this week to read an article this week in the Veterinary Record (the weekly journal of the British Veterinary Association) about vaccination against parvovirus, the often fatal virus gastro-enteritis that affects dogs.
Here are just a few direct quotes from the paper and it's accompanying editorial piece:
- vaccination may be unnecessary if an animal already has antibodies against the infectious disease, but usually vets do not know the immune status of their patients
- antibody status against canine parvovirus should be determined instead of periodic 'blind' vaccination to ensure reliable protection with unnecessary vaccination
- such an approach could prove useful in reducing the adverse effects of vaccination, such as hypersensitivity and immunosuppression
- obesity is considered a chronic inflammatory state that can lead to impairments in innate and adaptive immune functions
- Riedl and others have helped to develop a new concept; to evaluate the immunity of a dog before it's first and subsequent vaccinations
- with cat calicivirus (flu) infections, serological data in predicting protection are limited
- transient side effects to vaccination are common and can be indicative of an adequate immune response
- transient side effects occurred in 37% of dogs: lethargy 17%, gastro-intestinal signs 12%, increased thirst 1% or a combination of problems 5%. Injection site reactions with local swelling or pain 2% and lymph node enlargement 20%
The final recommendation was that:
- antibody status should determined instead of periodic re-vaccinations to avoid unnecessary vaccinations in adult dogs.
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre - way out ahead in appropriate pet health care!
Monday, December 7, 2015
LGBT vets led by our very own Mat Hennessey
Vets come together to support LGBT colleagues
18 September 2015
Vets across the country are coming together to back a new initiative that will support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender colleagues in the veterinary professions and provide a support network promoting fairness and equality for all.
The new British Veterinary LGBT group (BVLGBT) will meet at the British Veterinary Association (BVA) headquarters at the end of September in London to bring together supporters and start to plan activities for the coming year.
Vet Mat Hennessey started the group after noticing a medics banner at the Pride in London parade and realising that there was a need for representation and support for the LGBT community amongst vets. BVLGBT is open to anyone who wants to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights within the veterinary professions, whether studying or working, and already has nearly 300 members.
Mr Hennessey said:
“Seeing that banner brought to the fore something that I had been aware of for some time – the need for a visible and supportive community for veterinary professionals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and the colleagues who want to support us and promote equality.
“Veterinary professionals are a supportive bunch, but there has not been an open culture for LGBT vets on campus and in practice and that should change. The nature of veterinary work also means that vets can be located in remote, rural regions, without an LGBT community to plug into and this can be a very lonely and isolating experience. BVLGBT wants to engage with all colleagues who could benefit from the group and we are particularly keen to reach out to vets working in those rural areas without an LGBT community to feel part of. We are here for you.”
John Blackwell BVA President commented:
“This is a forward thinking and much needed initiative and one that BVA is proud to support. Veterinary surgeons and our veterinary nurse colleagues work within a close-knit community whether it is practice based or otherwise and the formation of BVLGBT sends a clear message out that the veterinary professions and organisations such as BVA welcome diversity and will fight for equality. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our LGBT colleagues and look forward to marching with them at Pride in London in June 2016, having achieved much in the coming year.”
To find out more and become involved in BVLGBT, please emailbvlgbt@gmail.com
The BVLGBT/BVA meeting in September 2015 is by invitation only. Please email bvlgbt@gmail.com
Monday, November 2, 2015
I'm a Jack Russell, a breed not a type
I see that the Kennel Club has finally given in and added the Jack Russell terrier to the list of official pedigree dogs. This is a rare honour indeed - since 2008 only a handful of breeds have been added to the list, most of whom I suspect you will never have heard of. The ever popular Turkish kangal and greater Swiss Mountain dog to name just two.
As a previous Jack Russel owner myself, I know I am biased but it always seemed a bit odd that this most recognisable of dogs should not have been granted that privilege decades ago.
But apparently all this time they have not been a breed but a 'type'.
All Jack Russell Terrier births will now be registered and a breed standard will be set describing their size, exercise requirements, temperament and grooming needs, all in the name of 'protecting it's future as a much-loved traditional working dog and popular pet'.
My mind wanders back to one of my very early canine patients who - somewhat incredibly - had been hit by a train and survived. I was in the operating theatre trying to put the various bits of this poor little creature back together again when the senior partner of the practice popped his head around the door (in a haze of pipe smoke - those were the days) to mutter a few words of support for my efforts with the immortal phrase:
"He'll do fine - you'll see. When you're dealing with Jack Russells, my boy, you'll find that you have to redefine words like tough..."
He was right.
As a previous Jack Russel owner myself, I know I am biased but it always seemed a bit odd that this most recognisable of dogs should not have been granted that privilege decades ago.
But apparently all this time they have not been a breed but a 'type'.
All Jack Russell Terrier births will now be registered and a breed standard will be set describing their size, exercise requirements, temperament and grooming needs, all in the name of 'protecting it's future as a much-loved traditional working dog and popular pet'.
My mind wanders back to one of my very early canine patients who - somewhat incredibly - had been hit by a train and survived. I was in the operating theatre trying to put the various bits of this poor little creature back together again when the senior partner of the practice popped his head around the door (in a haze of pipe smoke - those were the days) to mutter a few words of support for my efforts with the immortal phrase:
"He'll do fine - you'll see. When you're dealing with Jack Russells, my boy, you'll find that you have to redefine words like tough..."
He was right.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
3 things you ought to know?
One:
This Thursday (29th October) it's the Hyde Park Vet Halloween Pet Party from 6-8pm at the Pet Boutique at 63 Connaught Street W2 2AE. Dress yourself up, peel the kids away from the television and come along for a Halloween Fancy Dress moment. Judges for the event are the irrepressible Jo Good and Anna Webb, the Barking Blondes from Radio London's 'The Barking Hour' (you can listen in to BBC Radio London 94.9FM every Thursday 3-4pm for all that's dog in London).
This Thursday (29th October) it's the Hyde Park Vet Halloween Pet Party from 6-8pm at the Pet Boutique at 63 Connaught Street W2 2AE. Dress yourself up, peel the kids away from the television and come along for a Halloween Fancy Dress moment. Judges for the event are the irrepressible Jo Good and Anna Webb, the Barking Blondes from Radio London's 'The Barking Hour' (you can listen in to BBC Radio London 94.9FM every Thursday 3-4pm for all that's dog in London).
Two:
Last week, Codie, one of our veterinary nurses, climbed 5,895 metres to the very top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and in the process she and her friend Sophie Holmes, who has cystic fibrosis herself, raised over £10,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. If you want to chip in, click on their Just Giving page. We think it's a pretty amazing achievement and and are very proud of them both.
Last week, Codie, one of our veterinary nurses, climbed 5,895 metres to the very top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and in the process she and her friend Sophie Holmes, who has cystic fibrosis herself, raised over £10,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. If you want to chip in, click on their Just Giving page. We think it's a pretty amazing achievement and and are very proud of them both.
Three:
We're about to start the dreaded Firework season. Loads of fun and games for the people setting them off and having firework parties, not so much or you are an anxious or noise-phobic pet. There's lots you can do to help them cope better and make the whole experience a bit less of a nightmare. Take a look at our Firework Advice page for more information or come and talk to one of our veterinary nurses about how you can help them.
Look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening from 6pm
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Vegans in a hamburger joint
Sitting in a local burger joint last night with the family, one of them posed the question to the waitress
"Which is your favourite cheese in a cheeseburger?"
Imagine my surprise when she replied
"Well it used to be the blue cheese but I don't eat cheese any more because I'm a vegan."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh yes, there are several vegans on the staff here - three in fact, plus one vegetarian."
"Anything to do with the food?"
"Oh no, I just couldn't help feeling sorry for them,"
The animals, I assumed she meant. But apparently management don't like them mentioning that bit.
=
"Which is your favourite cheese in a cheeseburger?"
Imagine my surprise when she replied
"Well it used to be the blue cheese but I don't eat cheese any more because I'm a vegan."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh yes, there are several vegans on the staff here - three in fact, plus one vegetarian."
"Anything to do with the food?"
"Oh no, I just couldn't help feeling sorry for them,"
The animals, I assumed she meant. But apparently management don't like them mentioning that bit.
=
Monday, August 3, 2015
Killing lions for fun
Isn't it weird?
A highly paid medical health professional pays £££ to go all the way to Zimbabwe to kill a lion.
And - oops, the country's most famous one.
I know I'm a vet, so maybe it's a bit different for me, but I still find it astonishing that anyone - particularly in this day and age of environmental sensitivity - would WANT to do such a thing.
And then put it up on Facebook as a matter of pride.
Maybe in the hope that his patients, as they sat in his dental chair, would gaze admiringly at his manly, latex-gloved hands and think 'Hmm those are the fingers that cradled the rifle and then pulled the trigger. Those are the hands that belong to a man of courage and sensitivity, just the type of hands I'd like in my mouth, fixing my teeth.'
Not sure whether he necessarily deserves to have to close down his clinic as appears to be happening, but you would think he could find something better to do with his time...
A highly paid medical health professional pays £££ to go all the way to Zimbabwe to kill a lion.
And - oops, the country's most famous one.
I know I'm a vet, so maybe it's a bit different for me, but I still find it astonishing that anyone - particularly in this day and age of environmental sensitivity - would WANT to do such a thing.
And then put it up on Facebook as a matter of pride.
Maybe in the hope that his patients, as they sat in his dental chair, would gaze admiringly at his manly, latex-gloved hands and think 'Hmm those are the fingers that cradled the rifle and then pulled the trigger. Those are the hands that belong to a man of courage and sensitivity, just the type of hands I'd like in my mouth, fixing my teeth.'
Not sure whether he necessarily deserves to have to close down his clinic as appears to be happening, but you would think he could find something better to do with his time...
Monday, July 6, 2015
Pet Owners and Trainspotting
I see that the Blue Cross has commissioned a survey to see if there are any benefits to owning pets. Apart from the obvious, that is.
And the results?
From what is admittedly a fairly small sample (1000 people out of the billions on the planet, of whom 13 million are classified as pet owners living in the UK), came the following conclusions.
If you are a pet owner, you are more likely to:
- have a job (40% of non pet owners were unemployed)
- spend more 'family time' together
- enjoy your job
- be fitter, taking at least 2 hours more exercise a week
- earn £3000 per year more
- manage an average of 5 people in your work (against 2 for non pet owners)
I'm not sure what to do with this astounding information, but if it's representative of the real situation, rehoming centres like Battersea Dog's Home and the Mayhew really ought to be empty.
When Irving Welsh wrote that now infamous sequence in Trainspotting, maybe he missed something (and I paraphrase in case there are children watching):
"Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suit on hire purchase in a range of fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life… "
Maybe if this data had come out sooner and he had bothered to read it, some of the nihilist gloom could have been avoided.
Choose a dog would be my advice.
Or a cat.
And the results?
From what is admittedly a fairly small sample (1000 people out of the billions on the planet, of whom 13 million are classified as pet owners living in the UK), came the following conclusions.
If you are a pet owner, you are more likely to:
- have a job (40% of non pet owners were unemployed)
- spend more 'family time' together
- enjoy your job
- be fitter, taking at least 2 hours more exercise a week
- earn £3000 per year more
- manage an average of 5 people in your work (against 2 for non pet owners)
I'm not sure what to do with this astounding information, but if it's representative of the real situation, rehoming centres like Battersea Dog's Home and the Mayhew really ought to be empty.
When Irving Welsh wrote that now infamous sequence in Trainspotting, maybe he missed something (and I paraphrase in case there are children watching):
"Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suit on hire purchase in a range of fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life… "
Maybe if this data had come out sooner and he had bothered to read it, some of the nihilist gloom could have been avoided.
Choose a dog would be my advice.
Or a cat.
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