Contact

Contact info

Please feel free to contact me regarding any locum work or veterinary nurse training.

Telephone: 07854 673 108

Subscribe to newsletter

Contact form

🤔Did you know fleas are parasitic insects with

🤔Did you know fleas are parasitic insects with incredibly powerful legs that enable them to jump up to 50 times their own body length!? 😳 This means they can jump from another surface onto your cat with ease! 🩸Fleas have little brown, flat bodies of just a few milometers long, which helps them to move
easily between your cat’s fur and spend several hours feeding on your cat’s blood. 😿Flea bites can be really unpleasant for cats, causing them to itch, scratch and bite at their coat, as well as making them feel agitated. Ingested fleas can also cause tapeworm infection in cats too. 🤔Did you know fleas can also bite humans? As a veterinary nurse I have been bitten by fleas plenty of times over the years - flea bites are super-itchy and uncomfortable! 😬 The only way you can prevent ticks and fleas living on your cat and infesting your home is with
regular treatment ✔️ 🐈This doesn’t have to be stressful or disruptive for you or your cat. Ticks and fleas can be treated using tablets, collars, or spot-ons. Discussing your cat’s temperament, as well as your preferred way of treating with your veterinary team, will help them recommend what would work best for you and your cat. 💚Please don’t be worried about asking to change your cat’s tick and flea treatment, we want what is best for you and your cat and we are here to help! 💻For more information about stress-free treatment options for tick and flea infestations please go to: http://www.stressfreepet.co.uk/ This post has been sponsored by Elanco, but any views and advice given are all my own.

💚Webinar number 2 from the @thebvnaltd Chronic

💚Webinar number 2 from the @thebvnaltd
Chronic Illness Campaign ⬇️⬇️ 💚We’ve launched a Chronic Illness Campaign! Join us on 19th August for the “Resilience for life with a chronic illness!” webinar 💚 Learn about how other VNs cope and how to deal with changes. Head to our events page now for tickets for this online event Reposted from @thebvnaltd. #veterinarynurse #veterinarynursing #vetnurse #studentvetnurse #veterinarynursesofinstagram #veterinary #whatvnsdo #planetRVN #bvna #bvnachronicillnesscampaign #chronicillnesswarriors #chronicillnesswarrior #chronicillness #chronicillnessawareness

😺When it comes to cat litter each cat will have

😺When it comes to cat litter each cat will have its own preference, which is likely developed early on in life 😿However, poor litter choice can increased the likelihood of litter tray aversion and house soiling Here are some tips on choosing the most 'cat friendly' litter for your cat: 🐾Cats generally prefer soft, fine litter, compared to the harder wooden pellets. Soft litter is kinder on the paws and easier to dig and cover urine/faeces with 🐾Choose clumping litter as this is easier to remove and keeps the litter tray clean (which is more appealing for your cat) 🐾Avoid scented litter as this is unpleasant for your cat. Baby powder scent may be nice for us, but cats really don't like it! 🐾Avoid litter deodorisers as the smell is unpleasant for your cat 🐾Avoid tray liners as these can get caught in you cats claws 🐾Avoid litter types that claim the litter does not need to be changed for a month - it really does and your cat will notice the smell, even if you don't! 🐾Go for the most dust-free litter you can find (especially if your cat is asthmatic) 🐾Litter depth should be approximately 3cm (but this may depend on your cat's age, size and preferences) 🐾Ensure soiled litter is scooped out at least twice a day and is completely changed every 1-2 weeks 🐾If you do decide to change your cat's litter this should be done gradually, over a couple of weeks (unless you've been advised differently by a professional). Sudden change to a different litter could cause a litter tray aversion 😺If you are getting a new cat or kitten, find out what its litter preference is and stick to that whilst it's settling in 💚If you cat is house soiling seek advice from your veterinary surgeon. Referral to a suitably qualified animal behaviourist may be required 📚References: Carney, H., Sadek, T., Curtis, T., Halls, V., Heath, S., Hutchison, P., Mundschenk, K. and Westropp, J., 2014. AAFP and ISFM Guidelines for Diagnosing and Solving House-Soiling Behavior in Cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 16(7), pp.579-598 Seksel, K., 2016. House soiling problems. In: I. Rodan and S. Heath, ed., Feline behavioural health and welfare. St Louis: Elsevier

Only a few days until the @thebvnaltd Chronic Illn

Only a few days until the @thebvnaltd
Chronic Illness Campaign starts! 💚
⬇️⬇️⬇️ 😔Working and living with a chronic illness or condition is a challenge for many VNs. 💚We’re aware of the challenges faced so we recently circulated a survey to gauge the extent of the issues. 💚Almost 1,000 VNs completed the survey and the outcomes have helped us to identify specific resources to help improve the working environment for VNs who suffer with a chronic illness or condition. 💚During August and September, we are producing information to help VNs, along with a series of four webinars 💻 Find out more via our website blog or events page! Reposted from @thebvnaltd #BVNA #bvnacouncil #chronicillnesswarrior #chronicillness #chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnesswarrior #diversityandinclusion

Intestinal roundworms are long, spaghetti-like wor

Intestinal roundworms are long, spaghetti-like worms that affect cats of all ages, but are particularly common in kittens The two most common roundworms in cats are called: 🪱Toxocara cati
🪱Toxascaris leonina 🐈Toxocara cati can be passed from a queen (mother) to her kittens. This is because once a cat is infected with this roundworm, the larvae migrate and lay dormant in it's muscle tissue 🐈If the cat is female and becomes pregnant, the larvae travel to her mammary glands and are passed on to her kittens via her milk in the first few days of their lives 🐈This route of infection is known as 'transmammary' is why regular worming of kittens is so important from around 3 weeks of age Infection of Toxocara cati and Toxocara leonina can also occur through: 🐾Ingestion of eggs from the environment (via the faeces of an infected cat) 🐁Through eating prey that have eaten the eggs eg rodents 🐾This is why cats that hunt regularly may need to be wormed more frequently Heavy roundworm burdens in kittens can be very serious and cause: 😿Diarrhoea
😿Vomiting
😿Large distended abdomen
😿Poor appetite
😿Stunted growth
😿Intestinal obstruction 😳Humans (including children) can also be infected by Toxocara cati, with potential for ill health caused by migrating larvae 🤔Has your cat been wormed recently? 🗣️Speak to your veterinary team if you need advice about worming your cat 📚Reference: Fisher, M., Walsh, V. and McGarry, J., 2011. Elementary parasitology. In: B. Cooper, E. Mullineaux and L. Turner, ed., BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing, 5th ed. Quedgeley: British Small Animal Veterinary Association, pp.162-163.

Here she is, the bionic Poplet 💕 She's doing O

Here she is, the bionic Poplet 💕 She's doing OK and seems comfortable, although her toes are a bit swollen 😕 She's still responding to fuss though and purring, chirruping and kneading (she is a bit high from the meds too 😂) She's also decided that she doesn't want her hypoallergenic food and will only eat regular wet food, so I'll have to try and source something similar in wet form or at least a gastrointestinal diet tomorrow 🙄 We had an initial poonami 💩, but her tummy has settled for now. It's not easy balancing pain relief, adequate nutrition and IBD! I'm exhausted 😴 It's such a worry when your own pet is poorly. Love Poppy ❤️❤️

Both the photos in this post are of tapeworms that

Both the photos in this post are of tapeworms that came out of a cat! 🙀 The left hand side photo are tapeworms expelled from a recently wormed cat, and the right hand side is a photo of a tapeworm segment moving around a cat's bottom - ewwwww! 🤢 Tapeworms are long, flat, segmented worms that are common in most mammals (including cats) The most common species of tapeworm seen in cats are: 🪱Dipylidiym caninum
🪱Taenia taeniaeformis 🤢Adult tapeworms live in the small intestine of cats, attaching themselves to the intestinal mucosa with their hooked mouthparts, which they use to take up nutrients from the gut 🤢Here, segments of tapeworms full of eggs break off and are then passed out in the cat's faeces - this is when cat owners may see 'moving grains of rice' around their cat's bottom 🙀 🤢Some tapeworms (Dipylidiym caninum) are passed onto cats via fleas. This is because the intermediate host for tapeworm is the flea, meaning that the flea is a necessary part of the tapeworm life cycle 🤢Affected cats ingest fleas when they groom, which then infectes the cat with tapeworm larvae. These take 2-3 weeks to mature into adult tapeworms 🤢This is why cats with flea infestations should be wormed too, as they will likely have tapeworms as well as fleas 🤢Another type of tapeworm (Taenia taeniaeformis) is more likely to affect cats that hunt and eat rodents such as mice and rats, as they are the intermediate host for this type of tapeworm. This is why regular worming of cats that are prolific hunters is so important Has your cat been wormed recently? 🤔 👍Speak to your veterinary team for advice, as heavy worm burdens can cause poor health and gut obstructions - treatment is easy References: Beugnet, F., Labuschagne, M., Fourie, J., Jacques, G., Farkas, R., Cozma, V., Halos, L., Hellmann, K., Knaus, M. and Rehbein, S., 2014. Occurrence of Dipylidium caninum in fleas from client-owned cats and dogs in Europe using a new PCR detection assay. Veterinary Parasitology, 205(1-2), pp.300-306. Icatcare.org. 2021. Worming your cat | International Cat Care. [online] Available at: <https://icatcare.org/advice/worming-your-cat/> [Accessed 20 July 2021].

Happy 6th birthday to this extra noisy, wormy lovi

Happy 6th birthday to this extra noisy, wormy loving, perfect specimen of absolute gorgeousness! 😻😻😻😻 We love you Mr Monkey Business ❤️❤️🐵🐵