Caring for Your Pet 101: Simple Steps for Everyday Animal Care

Here in the UK, we’re a nation of animal lovers. Dogs, cats, and rabbits are among the most common pets owned in the UK.

However, the cost of looking after your pet’s health can become a strain on your finances if something goes wrong. Which is why it’s a good idea to take great care of your pet’s health.

Prevention is better than a cure, and you can prevent your pet from developing serious health problems through simple but effective everyday treatments from the pharmacy.

Happy pets, happy pet owners!

Treating your animals with love will naturally lead to good care and welfare. However, there are some aspects of animal welfare that require additional attention to be able to ensure that your pet is healthy.

We say that an animal is happy when its welfare is very good. On the other hand, when welfare is very bad, we say the animal is suffering.

Unlike humans, animals can’t express their feelings through words. So, it can be challenging to know where to start when it comes to caring for your animal. Fortunately, UK legislation has given us some concrete methods for determining if our pets are happy.

The 5 Animal Welfare Needs

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, owners and keepers of animals are responsible for meeting the needs of the animals in their care. The five Welfare Needs are outlined to help animal owners understand their responsibilities and assess the welfare of the animals in their care.

1. Environment - Having a suitable living environment
2. Diet - Having a suitable diet and in the right amount
3. Behaviour - Being able to exhibit normal animal behaviour
4. Company - Having company if animals need to live together
5. Health - Being free from pain, injury, and disease

The first step in caring for your animal is to assess these 5 needs. When these basic needs are met, you can proudly say that your animal friends are happy. On the other hand, cruelty to animals or failing to cater to the welfare needs of the animals in your care can get you:

• banned from owning animals
• fined of up to £20 000, and/or 
• a prison sentence

So, what should you do if you find that some of your animals’ needs are not being met?

Well, the first thing is to understand that this doesn’t necessarily mean the animal is suffering. Somewhere between “happy” and “suffering”, we can say that a pet is “content”. Still, it’s great to know that you’ve done all you can to make your pet happy.

Animals’ needs differ from species to species. A dog’s ideal living environment is different from that of a horse. So, it’s best to check in with your vet for some advice on what you can do to improve any aspect of your animal’s welfare.

There’s much you can do to help improve the welfare of your animals. Here are some common pet care problems which may come across especially as a dog or cat owner.

Dog and Cat Care

Always consult with your vet if you’re unsure of how to treat any of these common issues.

Fleas and Ticks on dogs and cats

Ticks

Ticks are small parasites which suck blood from other animals. They have short legs and an oval-shaped body which grows larger and darker as it fills with blood from the host animal.

Ticks are typically common in woodland and grassland where they may climb or drop onto your pet’s coat. When bitten by a tick, host animals including humans can develop diseases such as Lyme Disease so it’s important to remove ticks as soon as possible and in the correct way.

Always safely remove ticks using the correct tick treatment for your pet or using a tick remover card or tool. You can learn more about how to safely remove ticks below.

Fleas

Fleas are also parasites that can be problematic for your pets. There are different species of fleas which can infest certain host species. For example, there are cat fleas, dog fleas, rabbit fleas, and human fleas but most can infest more than one host species.

Fleas can pass on diseases to your pets and if the flea larvae are infected with worm eggs, this can lead to your pet developing worms. So, if your pet needs flea treatment, this must be accompanied by worm treatment as well.

Treatments for ticks and fleas are usually the same products. Learn more about these below.

How to remove ticks on dogs and cats

When removing a tick, you have to be careful not to squeeze the blood from the tick back into the animal, nor should you leave the head of the tick whilst only removing the body as this can also lead to bacterial infection.

You can use a tick remover tool. Pharmaceutical tick treatments are also available but they also work on getting rid of fleas so we’ll discuss these a bit later on – jump to tick and flea treatments.

Using a tick remover tool

A tick remover is a tool specially designed for the purpose of safely removing ticks from your pet’s coat. Remember that if the head of the tick is left attached, it can lead to bacterial infection causing you pet to be seriously ill. Using a tick remover allows you to remove the tick correctly and avoid this risk.

Here at Weldricks, we stock the Lifesystems Tick Remover card which features a handy magnifying lens and two different sized removal tools for safely correctly removing different sized ticks. It also fits perfectly in your wallet or purse.

Tick and flea treatments for cats and dogs

There are plenty of tick and flea treatments for your pet which you can buy from the pharmacy. However, you must always use the treatment which is specifically made for your type of pet.

For example, some dog flea treatments contain a pesticide which is highly toxic to cats. When it comes to dog treatments, you can buy the treatments based on the weight of the dog.

Remember that when it comes to fleas, it’s not enough to just treat your pet. You also need to groom your pet regularly and treat your home throughout to avoid flea infestation.

Here at Weldricks, you’ll find a range of treatments for dogs and cats from two main brands, Flevox and Frontline. The treatments are effective for killing both ticks and fleas. However, the dog treatments range includes treatments for small, medium, and large dogs so you can choose based on your dog’s weight.

 

Dog and cat flea treatments available from Weldricks online pharmacy.

Treatment	Kills Ticks	Kills Fleas	Kills Flea Eggs	Treat Flea Allergy Dermatitis*
Frontline Plus Dog	✔	✔	✔	✔
Frontline Plus Cat	✔	✔	✔
Frontline Spot On Dog	✔	✔
Frontline Spot On Cat	✔	✔
Flevox Spot On Dog	✔	✔		✔
Flevox Spot On Cat	✔	✔		✔

*can also be used as part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) where this has previously been diagnosed by a veterinary surgeon

 

Worms

Worms are parasites that grow and live in the intestines of other animals. They feed on ingested food and blood. The types of worms that can infect your pet include:

• Roundworms
• Tapeworms
• Whipworms
• Hookworms 

Animals develop worms in several ways, and this can vary depending on the type of worm.

1. From other infected animals, for example, bitches can pass on roundworm infection to their puppies during pregnancy or through breast milk.
2. From eating the larvae of worms which can be found for example in infected grass areas, faeces, and fleas or other parasites, and undercooked meat.
3. From eating raw meat or infected prey animals

Your pet is always at risk of developing worms. That’s why it’s recommended that you worm your pet regularly. This will protect your pet’s health by stopping worms from maturing. Worming treatments may vary depending on your pet and the type of worm you’re treating. Over the counter, treatments are available from pharmacies and you can ask your pharmacist for guidance when buying.

For vet advice, you can collect some of the worms from your pet’s stool and wrap them in damp cotton wool to take your vet. They will be able to advise on the best worming treatment for your pet. 

Preventing worms from infecting your pets

You can also prevent your pet from getting worm infestations by:

• Regularly worming your pet with over the counter treatments
• Treating your pet and your house for fleas (fleas can carry worm eggs)
• Regularly disinfecting food and water bowls
• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting the environment in which your animal lives
• Regularly grooming your pet and treating flea infestations as soon as possible
• Providing good pasture for grazing animals and removing dropping from grazing areas
• Keeping rabbits away from wild rabbits and rodents through proper housing
• Cleaning up and disposing of faeces carefully
• Maintaining good hand hygiene by washing your hands thoroughly before eating

 

Worming treatment for cats and dogs

If you have both cats and dogs, you can treat them with Panacur 10% Oral Suspension which is designed for both species. It is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic which is effective against immature and mature worms.

The treatment can be administered mixed with feed or orally directly after feeding.

Buy Panacur 10% Suspension Wormer For Cats & Dogs

Other treatments are available specifically for cats and for dogs. Read more about these below. BE sure to also read the Descriptions, Directions and any Warnings on the page when buying treatments from the pharmacy.

Worming treatments for dogs

Treatments for dogs are available in the form of tablets. You can buy these from the pharmacy. Below is a list of the worming treatments stocked here at Weldricks. You can order these online for home delivery or to pick up in-store.

Remember to check the dosage and choose the product which is right for your pet’s size.

• Cestem Worming Tablets for Small & Medium Dogs Pack of 2
• Cestem Worming Tablets for Large Dogs Pack of 2
• Drontal Dog Tasty Bone Tablet Pack of 1
• Drontal Bone Shaped Tablets Pack of 2
• Drontal Bone Shaped Tablets Pack of 6
• Drontal Plus XL Tablets for Dogs Pack of 8
• Panacur 10% Suspension Wormer For Cats & Dogs 100ml

Worming treatments for cats

Drontal provides 2 types of treatments which are effective for worming cats. The spot on treatment is a topical treatment which you apply to your cat’s skin at the base of the neck. The other is a tablet treatment which is effective against all gastrointestinal worms.

• Drontal Cat Tape & Roundworm Tablets Pack of 2
• Drontal Cat XL Tape & Roundworm Tablets Pack of 2
• Drontal Dronspot Spot-On Solution for Small Cats Pack of 2
• Drontal Dronspot Spot-On Solution for Medium Cats Pack of 2
• Drontal Dronspot Spot-On Solution for Large Cats Pack of 2

Equine Care

Owning and caring for a horse involves a lot of time and effort. For instance, the daily aspects of general horse care involve feeding, watering, sheltering, and providing exercise. Here are some of the other aspects of horse care and the products you can find at Weldricks to help you take care of your horse.

Skin and coat care

Horses look great when their coats are clean and shining. Grooming your horse is simple with Hydrophane Ring-O-Cide Shampoo. You simply mix the shampoo with water and spray it over the coat, mane and tail until slightly damp. Then let it dry before thoroughly brushing the coat clean. Hydrophane Ring-O-Cide Shampoo also brightens and whitens white and grey horses.

Hoof care

As the saying goes - “no hooves, no horse”. This is a critical part of equine care that can have serious consequences on your horse's health and quality of life. Your horse can develop hoof problems if adequate care is not taken to groom and maintain its hooves. These are the common hoof problems you may have to deal with.

• Thrush - an infection of the frog of the hoof
• Quarter Crack - a vertical crack of the hoof that causes your horse to be lame
• Hoof Bruise - a bruise on the hoof resulting from haemorrhage caused by blunt trauma
• Horse Hoof Abscess - an infection inside the hoof which also causes the horse to be lame
• White Line Disease - an infection of the white line which is between the hoof wall and sole
• Laminitis & Founder - an inflammation of the sensitive lamae of the hoof (this is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately)
• Navicular Syndrome - broadly used to describe any type of heel pain which causes your house to be lame

Therefore, professional hoof care is essential because it helps to ensure healthy hoof growth. You should work closely with your vet and farrier to care, treat, and maintain your horse's hooves.

You can also use Effol Hoof Ointment to help ensure healthy hoof growth. A combination of laurel and thyme helps to prevent hoof diseases as well as having an anti-bacterial and stimulating effect while petroleum jelly extracts form a water and dirt-repellent layer.

Insect repellents

Flies, lice, midges are just some of the insects that can plague horses making them uncomfortable. An effective insect repellent should be used to ward off these insects.

At Weldricks we stock 2 insect repellents - Deosect and Fly Away Defleqt Fly & Insect Repellent. 

Deosect is a residual insecticide and requires a prescription while Fly Away Defleqt Fly & Insect Repellent is based on a herbal formula and does not require a prescription.

See the full range of equine care treatments and supplements at Weldricks.

Prescription Only Medicines (POM-V)

Sometimes your pet may need extra-strong medicine to help them feel better. Your vet will prescribe this for you to buy at a pharmacy. Here at Weldricks, you can order vet prescribed medicines which we’ll send to you by post. Here is how it works.

1. Go to Vet Prescriptions.
2. Choose the items and quantities you want, add these to your basket.
3. Enter your details and complete the secure online payment process.
4. Send us your vet prescription
   • For controlled drugs - send us your original vet prescription by post.
   • For all other prescription items – send us a copy via email, Facebook messenger or via the website contact form.
5. We’ll dispatch your pet medicines to you by post once we've received and checked your prescription.

It’s that easy. Order vet prescriptions online!