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Free practice resources to ‘Make Senior Easier’
The Make Senior Easier campaign is highlighting the importance of offering appropriate care to ageing pets.
Tools developed to improve owner awareness of ageing pets.

Veterinary health firm Animalcare has developed a suite of resources for practices to enhance the care professionals provide to ageing pets.

The resources form part of the ‘Make Senior Easier’ campaign, highlighting the importance of offering appropriate care to ageing pets. Practices can request their free resource pack by visiting animalcare.co.uk/makesenioreasier

Besides helping professionals build stronger client relationships, AnimalCare hopes the resources will also support owners in caring for their animals as they get older. They include:
  • a video offering top tricks and tips to help practices get the best out of the campaign
  • health check materials, including a senior triage form to be completed by owners, and a senior pet assessment form, which can act as a checklist for practice staff
  • condition handouts for owners, detailing common age-related problems
  • engaging social media posts 
  • generic short articles on age-related issues for use in e-newsletters and on websites.
Kirsty Cavill RVN commented: ''In my role as an RVN and canine rehabilitation therapist, I often come across senior pets with underlying conditions which are adversely affecting their health but could be managed successfully through a multimodal approach and structured treatment plan. 

"By adopting a proactive approach to senior pet care and by helping owners to understand how to best support their pets through this life stage, we will strengthen the bonds with our clients, to ensure the highest standard of care is afforded to all senior patients.''

James Beaumont, Animalcare brand manager, added: “Unfortunately, some signs of a gradual decline in the health of senior patients can go unnoticed. Other changes, perhaps behaviour-related or toileting accidents, can have a significantly adverse effect, not just on the animals but on their owners too. This is why proactively addressing some of the signs of an animal ‘just getting old’ is an important tool for building existing client relationships, as well as making a difference both to animals and their owners.

“As life expectancy increases and numbers of senior pets continue to grow, veterinary care tailored to the needs of these animals has never been more relevant and it is also a huge business opportunity for practices. To help them capitalise on this opportunity, we have created our Make Senior Easier campaign and hope that the resources we have created will improve owner awareness and give practices the tools they need to achieve the best clinical outcomes for older pets and their owners.”

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.