News and updates from Animal Ark - vets in Essex

With the holiday season around the corner and so much uncertainty, we wanted to ensure we had our opening times for the festive period in place for you. As always we remain available 24 hours a day for on-site emergency care throughout. See below our opening times over the festive period for routine consultations, collection of food and medications.

It is difficult to add new descriptions and commentary to the vast amount that has already been written about 2020.

However, we wanted to take this opportunity to say a big “Thank You”.

There are a variety of complementary treatments available to help our senior pets, one of these being physiotherapy. Below we take a closer look at physiotherapy as a therapy and the benefits it can have for your pet.

Supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Antimicrobial Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among clinicians, policy makers and also the public to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.

With the onset of colder weather, certain conditions that affect our pets can start to worsen. One of these conditions is Osteoarthritis (or OA for short) and below we take a closer look at the disorder and what can be done if your dog is diagnosed with it.

From 16-22 November, it is Road Safety Week in the UK. This week aims to inspire the country to take action on road safety, promoting lifesaving and awareness around speeding. When walking your dog, you should be extra careful, especially around this winter season.

As the weather gets colder, you and your pet may be spending more time indoors on the sofa. The lack of exercise can have a negative impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of both you and your pet. With ongoing limitations to outdoor activities because of COVID-19, knowing how to keep your pet fit at home could help keep them healthy and happy.

Halloween can be a fun-filled time of the year for all the family; however, the many unfamiliar sights and sounds can make it a stressful occasion for our pets. Therefore, we have focussed on a few points to be aware of as we approach the day itself:

The change of season from summer to autumn sees lots of changes in nature and our surroundings – greens turn to rust and gold, leaves fall and summer flowers give way to berries. As always there are things we need to be aware of that may affect our pets and their wellbeing. Here are some things to look out for this autumn. 

Dogs, like humans, can be prone to gaining weight. This in turn can cause health problems like diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart and respiratory problems, and could reduce your dog’s life expectancy. Here we look at some tips to help get your pet pooch in good physical shape.