Cold Weather Aches and Pains
Cold winters can make your pet's joints feel stiff and painful. This can manifest as a reluctance to go on long walks, a stiffening when getting up after lying down or a specific lameness.
The joints most susceptible to arthritis are those permitting limb movements - called synovial joints. The ends of the bones which meet at these joints are covered by smooth articular catilage. In pets with arthritis, this protective cartilge is damaged, resulting in exposure of the underlying bone, causing pain and inflammation. Secondary new bone is commonly deposited around the joint and may be seen on x-ray.
For info and tips on how to best help this, read on in our newsletter.
Garden Birds
During the long winter months, food can be in short supply for garden wildlife. Offering a selection of foods to the birds will help them survive until spring and ensure you have lots of interesting visitors to watch!
Dawn and dusk are when most birds feed, so make sure your bird tables are full at these times. In addition to traditional bird tables, hanging feeders suspended from trees or free standing poles are a popular way of feeding birds.
For more info read our winter newsletter here.
Winter Weight Worries!
Shorter days, inhospitable weather, and the lure of a cosy sofa all conspire agaisnt us and our pets in the winter months, leaving both pets and owners prone to putting on a few unwanted pounds. THis is a problem because while it is all too easy to gain weight, it isn't nearly as easy to lose it!
For more info and tips on winter weight read the full newsletter here.