Blog

Anyone with a dog knows that dealing with fleas can be a real pain. The worst thing is that the pests might not live on humans, but they have no issues with biting you and leave itchy red marks.If you… read more

Anxiety is a common problem many owners face, especially when welcoming a rescue dog into the family. However, some pets are naturally more anxious than others.A dog is so much more than an animal; it… read more

High visibility clothing should be worn no matter what time of day at this time of year – after all the better you can be seen by others the safer you are likely to beNow that the clocks have gone bac… read more

Animals hearing, generally speaking is far more acute than humans. Loud noises such as those produced by fireworks – bangs and whistles, can cause actual pain in the ears of animals. It is for this re… read more

Probiotics – or good bacteria – are live organisms which live in your dogs gut. These beneficial bacteria play a number or roles which support your dogs’ general digestive health. This includes assist… read more

To keep your horse or pony healthy and happy their diets should be based predominantly on forage e.g. hay or haylage. Feeding a natural diet high in fibre and low in starch have been shown to reduce t… read more

Horse First Aid – BandagingIncorrectly appliedhorse bandages can be dangerous and in many cases it would be preferable to not bandage rather than have the bandages applied incorrectly. If you are in a… read more

In the fight against wormer resistance faecal worm egg counts are vital tools in the armoury to prevent resistance to horse wormers. Faecal worm egg counts are invaluable as they enable horse owners t… read more

Around 1 in 10 horses/ponies will be affected by Laminitis[i] every year which can cause permanent damage to the hoof. Any horse, pony, donkey or their hybrids can be affected and the problem can occu… read more

Mud Fever In HorsesWith increasingly wet winter and spring periods across the UK horses are becoming more and more at risk from developing mud fever. Mud fever causes irritation, soreness and scabs wh… read more

Why YuMOVE is great for your pet’s jointsAs the UK’s only clinically proven joint supplement brand, YuMOVE are on a mission to give pets active lives, for life. With 15 years of joint expertise under… read more

How to Take Care of Your Dogs TeethOral hygiene is just as important for your pet as it is for you. Just the same as humans, if your dog’s teeth are not cleaned regularly, plaque will build up on the… read more

Back to work post Covid? Helping your pet cope with separation anxiety.Separation related behaviour – often known as separation anxiety – is behaviour which only happens when the pet is separated from… read more

Horses & Fly NuisanceThere are a number of flies which affect horses; midges, black fly, bot fly, horse fly, crab fly as well as stable and house fly. These flies can either cause problems by bein… read more

Worms & Your DogDogs can easily pick up worms without the owner even realising – it is important that these parasites are not ignored simply because you do not realise your animal has become infec… read more

Often even after treating with a suitable flea treatment you will still see flea’s on your animal. However, this does not mean that the treatment has not worked or that the fleas are immune – the reas… read more

Sweet Itch is a common issue for horses and the incessant itching it causes can lead horses to self-harm.Horse’s skin, much like human skin, is not invulnerable to damage, disease or allergies in spit… read more

Bots, the insect larvae of the bot fly, are common parasites found within the stomach of horses. Unfortunately, an infestation of bot fly larvae will not show up in a faecal worm egg count, so it is d… read more

Encysted stages of small redworm are one of the most dangerous parasite threats to horses, yet almost 1 in 5 horse owners have never even heard of them[i]. The parasite is picked up while the horse gr… read more

Dogs can quickly and fatally overheat not only are most of them covered in thick hair they also cannot sweat so to keep cool they must rely on panting and releasing heat through the pads on their paws… read more

Reducing the risk of parasitic disease is achieved by keeping the worm burden low. Younger horses are in greater danger of parasitic disease.Controlling egg shedding stops horses re-infecting themselv… read more

Frontline Plus is a NEW double action flea treatment from Merial Animal Health. The same as Frontline Combo, which is still only available with a written veterinary prescription, Frontline Plus is ava… read more

Flies, mosquitoes and midges are not good news for your horse. At best they bring considerable stress and bother, causing lumps, swellings, sores, rashes and itchy skin. They may trigger conjunctiviti… read more

An outbreak of Babesiosis in Harlow Essex has dog owners throughout the country concerned for well being of their dogs and has sparked fears that the deadly disease could spread throughout the country… read more

SWEET-ITCH – THE FACTSThis condition is caused by an allergic reaction to saliva from the Culicoides midge. It results in intense itching so the horse will try to rub the affected area against stables… read more

Horse & Country TV’s informative Vet Essentials episode on worm control in horses is being aired again this spring. Watching it is an easy and entertaining way to learn everything you need to know… read more

COOPERS GUT EQUALISE Is a prebiotic and postbiotic paste to maintain normal digestive function in horses or help to establish normal digestive bacteria in foals. It is packed in oral syringes.COOPERS… read more

Horses are prone to attack from many species of fly, including the midge Cullicoides, which are irritating to the horse and can cause disease such as Sweet Itch. Horses are not only at risk of fly rel… read more

The Royal Veterinary College and Austin Davis Biologics Ltd, providers of EquiSal Tapeworm testing, have been awarded a research grant by Petplan Charitable Trust for a project entitled: "Improved con… read more

How to ease joint pain in dogs and catsSigns that your pet is experiencing increased stiffness and joint pain include:Reluctance to walk, jump, or playLimpingLagging behind on walksDifficulty rising f… read more

Hurtta Size GuideMEASURING THE DOG1. The back length should be measured from the withers (not the collar) to the base of the tail, while the dog is standing in normal position.Hurtta Size GuideMEASURI… read more

From building dens to not scolding your pets. Loads of helpful advice for pet owners.Zylkene pet advice for fireworks. From building dens to not scolding your pets. Loads of helpful advice for pet own… read more

UNDERSTANDING CUSHINGS DISEASE & SYNDROME IN DOGS and HORSES.These are conditions where excessive amounts of glucocorticoids are produced. Strictly speaking Cushing’s Disease is where a pituitary… read more

UNDERSTANDING THYROID PROBLEMS IN DOGS & CATSCats may suffer from over production of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) in later life. The signs of this include weight loss plus restlessness and a… read more

ARTHRITIS AND LOSS OF MOBILITY IN DOGSCanine arthritis is similar to osteo-arthritis in humans and can affect both mature and younger dogs. Joints become inflamed and painful which in turn leads to re… read more

Joint problems in dogsDogs like humans tend to develop stiffness and arthritis with increasing years. There are a number of “Prescription Medicines” that are widely prescribed. These usually contain M… read more

SOLVING FLEA & TICK PROBLEMSThe problem ?Millions of pounds are spent every year on insecticidal drops which apparently do not work although they are medicines fully licensed with governments thro… read more

Supplements are widely used when dogs or horses develop stiffness in their joints and a good supplement will help maintain healthy joints and freedom of movement. It may also delay the need for “presc… read more

Don't let Encysted Small Redworm creep up on you.Encysted small redworm larvae can remain hidden in the wall of the horses gut and can account for 90% of the redworm burden in a horse.Encysted small r… read more

Following on from our successful webinar on horse wormers and strategic worm control we are please to introduce a new webinar on horse fly control produced by Hyperdrug and Zoetis the makers of Equest… read more

Weather conditions this autumn are already leading to numerous outbreaks of Mud Fever in horses.This is usually attributed to the bacteria D.Congolensis which is also implicated in “rain scald” and ca… read more

As we approach tapeworm time it is important to remember that although traditionally the time to worm for this parasite have been around October and March it does not really matter when you treat as l… read more

Recently Hyperdrug in conjunction with Zoetis the makers of Equest and Pramox created a webinar which was broadcast live to horse owners to help provide the knowledge needed to help maintain your hors… read more

Pramox and Equest are now in tubes to treat horses up to 700kg in weight.Zoetis the makers of Pramox and Equest have made some changes to two of their horse wormers.Pramox and Equest are now in tubes… read more

Latest news on horse wormers is that Equest Pramox a tapeworm and redworm treatment for horses made by Zoetis is now licensed for breeding, pregnant and lactating mares. Equest Pramox can also be used… read more

Small Redworms (small strongyles) are the most common and harmful worms found in horses and whilst mostwormers are effective against adult worms the larvae can become “encysted” after tunneling into t… read more

Our article on Ragwort has produced much interest and comment and several misconceptions have been aired. The point has been made by horse owners that the plant should be exterminated and by naturalis… read more

When dogs or cats are overweight this can lead to health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Arthritis can also be worsened by the inflammatory effects of obesity.While we control how much do… read more

Roundworms from dogs and cats are responsible for an infection in people called toxocariasis caused by roundworm eggs in dogs and cats poo being swallowed and can, in rare cases, the roundworm larvae… read more

Worms are rarely passed in faeces. Occasionally tapeworm segments which look like grains of rice may be seen or roundworm which is a long white worm can be found in faeces. Eggs are commonly found in… read more

It is quite rare for worms to be passed through faeces, but occasionally a roundworm can be passed, and these will be seen as quite long worms which some people can mistake for tapeworm however this i… read more

Fleas can cause irritation where they bite and can make your cat or dog itchy. So look for signs of excessive grooming, such as licking or scratching. This can lead to sore, red skin which in turn can… read more

“My dog does not have fleas”This was the indignant reaction from my sister in law when I mildly suggested that the collection of bites in the classic ‘flea bite cluster’ on my 3 year old sons leg coul… read more

A lot of pet owners do not realise the link between fleas and worms but it is actually the flea that is the cause of most common tapeworm in both cats and dogs.While farm and country dogs may have a p… read more

Horse Wormers faqI just cannot be bothered to read this, what can I do?Give us a ring on 01833 641112 our pharmacists and SQP's are happy to discuss your individual requirements and help you plan you… read more

A new alert system has been launched to inform veterinary professionals and dog owners of reported cases of parvo virus.@parvoalert by Virbac animal health is a twitter feed that displays the outcode… read more

As we approach the festive season Hyperdrug is warning owners against feeding dogs chocolate.It is not obesity that is the concern but one of the ingredients found in chocolate called theobremine whic… read more

Q. My Vet has never offered me a prescription.A.Unfortunately this is not unusual despite the efforts of the Royal College ofVeterinary Surgeons to ensure Vets obey their legal & professional obli… read more

Two million pet rabbits may have a fatal disease?It is estimated that up to four million pet rabbits are kept in the UK and over half of these may have beeninfected by E.CuniculiQ What is this ?A E .… read more

Allergy to FleasIf your pet is still scratching after using flea drops they may have developed an allergy to flea dust which may last for months after the fleas have gone. Insecticides are not a treat… read more

Underdosing horse wormers can lead to resistance, this is because if a horse is given a lower than indicated dose not all of the worms are killed, so the worms that survive may and become more toleran… read more

Dogs and cats are not the only pets to suffer from worms, E cuniculi is a particularly nasty parasite that infects rabbits. It is estimated that half of all pet rabbits have been exposed to this poten… read more

Puppies are born with roundworms which even regular worming throughout their lives will not eliminate completely. Worms pass across the placenta from the bitch before pups are born as well as in the m… read more

Horses can find all sorts of situations distressing, young horses can often nervous getting into a trailer for the first time, and sometimes they just never get over it, becoming more and more upset a… read more

There are lots of good reasons for worming your dog or cat, but in this article we will look at one of the most important aspects; the health of ourselves and our kids.Certain diseases can be passed f… read more

Ticks are in greater numbers in spring and autumn but can be found where temperatures are above 3.5 degrees centigrade any time of the year. It is a common misconception that they jump or fly they sim… read more

The way the drug industry works is that when drugs are new, the drug company that developed them has a patent, that means that no one else can copy them and sell them. This is fair enough, the company… read more

The problemMillions of pounds are spent every year on insecticidal flea drops which apparently do not work although they are medicines licensed with governments throughout the world.WHAT INGREDIENTS D… read more