Latest News from Blacks Vets

May is a month to celebrate, with three bank holidays to look forward to, including the May Bank Holiday, the coronation of King Charles III and the Spring Bank Holiday. Rest assured, we will still be here for you and your pet; however, the way you access care for your pet might differ from normal.

At Blacks Vets, we are urging pet owners to be aware of a change in legislation which is making it compulsory for cats to be microchipped. 

Pets, just like humans, can suffer from allergies. Allergic reactions in pets are often caused by environmental factors, such as pollen or dust as well as certain foods or insect bites. As a pet owner, it's important to be aware of the common allergies in pets and the symptoms they may experience.

The majority of the nation gets excited to be eating Easter eggs or chocolate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner or perhaps all three! But we need to careful and ensure our pets don’t get a hold of any, as chocolate could be dangerous for our animals, especially dogs!

Is your cat microchipped?

If you are a cat owner in England, you will be legally required to ensure your cat is microchipped by Saturday 10 June 2024, if it is older than 20 weeks old, following the Government's announcements on Monday 13 March 2023. Failure to comply may result in a fine of up to £500. If your cat is already microchipped, it is also part of the law that your details associated with the chip must be up to date.

When we think about weight management in pets it can be easy to focus on their exercise routine and how active they might, or might not, be. However, getting them out for their daily walk is only part of it, and in fact what they eat from one day to the next plays an equally important role.

Keeping our pets safe in Dudley is important to all of us as pet owners. They trust us with their care and protection, as well as feeding, exercising and cuddling them, which includes identifying them so that we can be reunited if we are parted.

Brushing is by far the best method of keeping your pet's teeth clean and is more successful if taken in stages. Ideally, it would help if you brushed your dog's teeth at least once daily or three times per week at a minimum to help remove plaque and prevent tartar build-up.

As we head into the festive season, we want to reassure you that we will still be here for you and your pet, however, with some slightly different opening hours than normal.

Just like us, our pets feel the cold; whilst we can indulge in hot drinks and wrap up in layers and warm up by the fire, you should also consider how to keep your pets happy and warm as the temperatures start to fall.