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A third of pet owners reveal their animals have alerted them to danger
Animals are often affected by poisonous fumes more quickly.
Study reveals pets can save lives

A study by npower on the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning has revealed that a third of pet owners have been warned of danger by their pet.

Two thousand pet owners were surveyed and results show that hazards including fire and carbon monoxide leaks have been detected by their animal companions.

A carbon monoxide leak cannot be smelt, seen or tasted and early symptoms of poisoning commonly include vomiting, excessive tiredness and erratic behaviour. The study revealed that 1 in 10 people are not aware that exposure can be fatal, yet carbon monoxide poisoning causes approximately 50 deaths every year in the UK.

One survey responder commented: “One evening, three years ago, I passed out on the sofa whilst watching television and my seven-year-old Collie licked me non-stop to wake me up. I was able to get up and went out for fresh air in good time. I later found out that the gas fire was giving off high readings of carbon monoxide as was the cooker.”

Further examples from the study of heroic pet action include a dog who barked repeatedly to alert a new parent that their baby was having a convulsion; an owner who was woken from a hypoglycaemic attack; and a pet which became agitated after inhaling carbon monoxide and subsequently made the owner aware of the leak.

When compared to humans, animals are often affected by poisonous fumes more quickly. The smaller the body, the faster the symptoms generally develop.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.