Welcome to the Winter edition of our Newsletter - Fireworks, Food and Welcome Lily Jones our new Vet

Hill's VetEssentials

Feed your cat from 37p a day* and your dog from 94p a day*.

The Hill’s VetEssentials range provides a high quality complete food for your dog or cat which has been specially designed to provide added life-stage benefits.
We believe that feeding a high quality food to your dog or cat is one of the best ways of keeping them healthy. We recommend Hill’s VetEssentials which has a 100% money back guarantee. We are so confident that your dog or cat will love the food we will give you a full refund if they don’t.

Feeding your cat VetEssentials could cost less than half the price of feeding wet food pouches*

Hill’s VetEssentials provides nutrition specifically formulated for pets’ essential health needs in every life stage. The unique “plaque-removing” kibble gently scrubs away bacteria-laden plaque and tartar to help support good dental health.
For more information speak to your vet or vet nurse or visit our website

Dirty Teeth

Did you know that an astounding 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS).
Bacteria, combined with saliva and food debris between the tooth and gum, can cause plaque formulations that accumulate on the tooth. As bacteria grow in the plaque and as calcium salts are deposited, plaque turns to tartar. Without proper preventive or therapeutic care, plaque and tartar build-up leads to periodontal disease, which affects the tissues and structures supporting the teeth.
Left untreated, periodontal disease can cause oral pain, dysfunction, tooth loss and systemic complications. Common indications of oral disease include bad breath, a change in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face or mouth and depression.
Talk to your vet or vet nurse on how to help reduce dental problems in your cat or dog.

Autumn Newsletter

Welcome, to our latest Newsletter. This month we look at "Firework Fear", our new food Hill's VetEssentials and welcome our new vet Lily to the team. We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and find the articles interesting.

Firework Fear

As the nights start to draw in and the warm weather becomes a distant memory it means that Fireworks Night is soon going to be upon us. Unfortunately some pets just hate the loud bangs, whooshes and flashes of light. If your pet shows destructive behaviour or hides or cowers then it is showing signs of FEAR. Pets that are showing signs of anxiety may pant, pace, stop eating, tremble or go to the toilet more often. Even mild signs like lip smacking or yawning may mean that your Pet is saying "I don't like these noises".
There are several different things that you can do to help your pet cope with Fireworks. If they show signs of FEAR then please go to your vet as early as possible so we can prescribe medication to help. Anxious pets will benefit from calming products such as ADAPTIL, FELIWAY Diffusers, KALM-AID or ZYLKENE which are all based on natural calming systems and can be brought over the counter from us.
It is very important not to re-enforce any negative behaviour and by following the tips below you may help your pet cope.

Don't punish your pet for being scared.
Make sure your pet is in a safe and secure environment - do not take them outside when fireworks are likely to be used. This may mean taking your dog for a walk earlier in the evening.
Try and reduce the noise and light by closing curtains, closing windows and putting on a television or radio.
Try not to fuss your pet as this will positively encourage fearful behaviour. Calm invitations to sit next to you is ok but avoid forced affection.
Using terms like "sit" and then treating the dog direct the reward towards calmly sitting rather than being treated for being nervous.
Ignore any negative behaviour but engage when they are calm.
Create a safe haven NOT a "bolt hole"

If your pet shows signs of anxiety or fear this year it may be worth trying a sound de-sensitisation programme before next year. This can take a long time and must be followed through properly to work. Talk to your vet if this is something that interests you.

Equine Contraception

Dart Vale Vets are pioneering a brand new drug to control reproduction in Dartmoor Ponies.
Alongside the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, Vet Jonathon Lamming is running the first UK trial of the Australian drug in 20 Dartmoor Ponies. It is vital to control breeding within the population to stop unwanted ponies being born. We already support the Association with discounted colt castrates and micro-chipping but this trial will hopefully bring us a step closer to reducing the number of foals born each year, whilst maintaining the adult population. We are currently in the process of applying for permission from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to import the product from Australia.

Hello to our New Vet Lily

Lily Jones joins the Dart Vale Team having graduated from Liverpool University.
Lilly studied Bioveterinary Science first before graduating in Veterinary Science. Outside of work Lily enjoys long walks with her two keen agility collies Cloe and Blake. She also enjoys a spot of rock climbing and enjoying the Devon / Somerset countryside where she grew up.

More Team News

We said goodbye to Amicia Mole last month as she left Dart Vale for pastures new. Amicia's role in Brixham is now going to be covered by Vet Christopher Bamford who has been working from our Totnes branch for the past 3 years and Dart Vale Vets Partner Kevin Davidson. We all wish Amicia good luck in her new job and hope that her travelling plans go smoothly.