News

Having been in lockdown, and with schools closed for almost ten weeks, there has been a surge in parents getting rabbits for their children.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week here in the UK, so we wanted to explore the connection between pet ownership and mental health.

We have some big news here at Oak Barn. Vets Louise and Andrew Ketteridge will be retiring in June.

Bunny Behaviour

Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal in the UK. In 2019 the PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing Report documented that 900,000 rabbits live in homes throughout the United Kingdom. So, do rabbits use body language to communicate their feelings like our dog and cat family members do? The simple answer is yes.

Rabbits, Rabbits everywhere....

It is always lovely to see wild rabbits hopping around the fields.  Sadly though, it is around this time of year, we start to see these beautiful animals with Myxomatosis.

On this VE Day, it will be 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe. The 75th anniversary will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of people from all walks of life. It is equally important to consider the role animals played and how they were touched by war.

We love dogs; they’re amazing companions - fun, loving, and they bring us lots of joy. But for some people their dog is more than just a pet – they’re a lifeline. Most of us are familiar with Guide Dogs, who are bred and trained to help people with visual impairments navigate their way around outdoors. But did you know that Hearing Dogs also exist, to support people with hearing loss?

If there is one thing that many dogs look forward to each day, it is getting out of the house for a walk. Whereas this used to be plentiful, the arrival of COVID-19 and the resulting Government measures that followed, has caused changes to the routines of both pets and owners alike.

May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month. This campaign, led by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), aims to raise awareness of the importance of the role of the veterinary nursing profession to the public.

Looking after our Feline friends

As we mentioned in our first post, the current Coronavirus outbreak has brought many changes to our everyday lives, this also applies to our pets. We have already briefly discussed the basics of dog language and looked at some enrichment ideas to keep our canine companions happier and calmer. So, what about our feline family members?