5 diseases pets can pick up from humans

5 diseases pets can pick up from humans | PetAir UK

Known as “reverse zoonosis”, occurrences tend to be rare but are a possibility. The most common type of illness being bacterial followed by viral, parasitic and fungal. Read on to discover the diseases we’re most likely to pass on to our pets.

1.     Salmonella

Salmonella is often associated with food poisoning and is a bacterial infection that causes vomiting and diarrhoea that can be passed from humans to pets. To reduce the chances of your pet catching salmonella, take extra care to wash your hands after using the bathroom, stop your dog from drinking from the toilet water and if you know that your salmonella was food-borne then avoid letting your pet get near any leftovers.

2.     Mumps

Thanks to the MMR vaccine, mumps is now rarely seen. However, there were still over 200 hundred cases in the UK during the first quarter of the year. Mumps can cause headaches and fever in dogs and humans, as well as painful swelling of the glands in the neck. It’s important to keep any family members diagnosed with mumps away from pets, as it is highly contagious.

dog lying down on wooden floor

3.     MRSA

MRSA is usually associated with a hospital stay and cases in animals are thought to be extremely rare.  The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has published some guidelines to help avoid the spread of the disease.

4.     Ringworm

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus and is thought to be the most common disease that pets and their owners pass on to each other.. In cats and dogs it can cause baldness in circular patches. Pets can catch ringworm by coming into direct contact with an infected human or via any contaminated objects like towels or clothes.

5.     Giardia

Giardasis is a waterborne infection that can cause diarrhoea. It spreads through contact with faeces and water such as wells, lakes and streams as well as drinking water.

To keep everyone in your household, human or animal, safe and healthy, always practice good hygiene by washing your hands frequently and discourage your pet from licking your face.

‘Mog’ author Judith Kerr to publish new book

‘Mog’ author Judith Kerr to publish new book | PetAir UK

There’s no end to the amusement that we get from our pet cats. They are wild, whacky and sometimes just downright weird. Long before the boom in the popularity of cat videos available to watch online, author Judith Kerr decided to capitalise on the quirks and traits that make cats so easy to adore. Inspired by the “bizarre” behaviour of her first cat, Mog, which included licking her daughter’s hair while she was asleep, she penned the heart-warming classic, Mog The Forgetful Cat. There are now an astonishing 17 picture books about Mog and 2015 saw Kerr team up with Sainsbury’s to raise an impressive £1.5 million for Save the Children’s literacy campaign. It’s no surprise that last year she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from reading charity BookTrust.

Nearly 50 years after the release of the original ‘Mog’ book, her newest creation, Katinka’s Tail, is inspired by her latest pet cat and features a bright white cat with a tabby tail. According to the Kerr, Katinka makes her open the back door for her “like a person”, but in the book, Katinka travels far and wide, into a forest and even to the moon.

Executive publisher Ann-Janine Murtagh says, “Judith Kerr is a simply extraordinary picture book creator – the vitality of this new tale with its whimsical wit and beautifully observed illustrations of Katinka and her rather delightful owner sees Judith on absolutely top form.” She added, “I am quite simply over-the-moon with the wonder that she has delivered in Katinka’s Tail!”

Katinka’s Tail will be published by HarperCollins in paperback on October 19th.

Hefty Fine for Driving With an Unsecured Dog

Hefty Fine for Driving With an Unsecured Dog | PetAir UK

Drivers who let their dog go loose in the car, by having them on their lap or in the foot well, are at risk of large fines and invalidated insurance.

A survey carried out by uSwitch found that 69% travelled with their pet in the car and a fifth of these are not securing them properly. A third of drivers had also never heard of Rule 57 of the Highway Code which states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly.

“A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

Breaking the Highway Code doesn’t carry a direct penalty, but drivers could still be pulled over by police for driving without due care and attention. This can result in a maximum fine of £2,500, and up to 9 penalty points. Also, if an unsecured pet has caused an accident with another vehicle, insurers are unlikely to pay out.

Rod Jones, an insurance expert at uSwitch, said: “As a nation of animal lovers, it’s surprising to see so many drivers taking such a relaxed attitude to their pet’s wellbeing, never mind their own safety when behind the wheel.

“As much as we love our pets, remember that securing your furry friend when driving is a requirement in the Highway Code. The last thing you’d want to happen is to suffer an accident and only then find that your insurer may not pay out.”

Do Pets Go Into Quarantine When Leaving the UK?

Do pugs go into quarantine when leaving the UK? | PetAir UK

There’s no quarantine on landing for most of the places we fly dogs and cats to; the only places that impose quarantine restrictions out of the common destinations are Australia and New Zealand. Otherwise, dogs and cats land at the destination airport and can be collected and brought home that same day.

For pet travel to Australia and New Zealand, all cats and dogs must complete a minimum of 10 days in an Australian or New Zealand quarantine facility. Any issues that occur which increase the biosecurity risk posed by an animal may result in a longer stay in quarantine. Your pet would need to stay in quarantine longer, for example, if a tick is found on them. It would be required to stay for 21-30+ days until blood testing is completed at your cost. Or, if your pet arrives without correct paperwork, they would have to stay in quarantine until the paperwork is sorted which can be expensive and very stressful for the owner.

If you are travelling to Australia or New Zealand, it is advisable to start preparing your pet early to avoid an extended quarantine visit or delay in the UK. If you are going abroad in the next 7-18 months and you plan on taking your pet with you, start the rabies work. If it’s less than 7 months, start the rabies work very urgently. This is because your pet needs to have a rabies vaccination at least 7 months before they travel to Australia/New Zealand. About 3-4 weeks after this vaccination, they will need a rabies blood sample or Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titer Test (RNATT), which will determine whether your dog/cat has made enough antibodies to keep them safe from contracting rabies. Your pet would not be allowed to enter Australia until at least 180 days after the rabies blood sample. The reason behind this is if your pet actually has rabies and produced antibodies because of this, then it would’ve shown itself by this time. You will also need to get an import permit after the Titer test, but no sooner than 42 days of import.

After your pet flies and lands in quarantine, the quarantine team will collect them from the airport and settle them in. You will be emailed to say they are safe and well. In Australia, there is no visiting, but in New Zealand, quarantine is slightly more relaxed. For other destinations such as Singapore or Japan, your pet will land and go to the airport based quarantine area. Their paperwork will be checked there, and if all is satisfactory then they will get released. For most other destinations, the landing procedure is slightly less complicated and they are just collected at the cargo area of the airport.

There is a lot to know and plan when flying your pets abroad, and lot to potentially get wrong or misinterpret. So, if you still have some unanswered questions or would like anything explained further, you can either look at the FAQ’s on our website and the pages for the specific locations we fly pets to, or feel free to give us a call on 01725 551124. We’re happy to help with anything you need.

Law says mother must be present for buying puppies

Law says mother must be present for buying puppies | PetAir UK

Theresa May has announced a ban on the sale of puppies without their mother present. She hopes the move will end the “disturbing” multi-million pound illegal trade of puppy farms. Animal charities welcomed the announcement but said that enforcement would need to be tightly monitored.

Marking the biggest change in the way pets are sold in 66 years, the new legislation will mean that all sellers are required to show the puppies alongside their mothers to potential buyers. Theresa May hopes this will ensure that people can welcome a “happy, healthy” puppy into their families.

The internet has been one of the main catalysts for the trade as this allows people to buy puppies without seeing the conditions they are being raised in or where they’ve come from. Many puppies are smuggled into the UK on fake passports having been mass-produced on farms in Central and Eastern Europe.

puppy dog asleep on womans arm

The trade peaks in November and December when the Christmas season begins and The RSPCA says that criminal gangs have been known to make as much as £35,000 a week. Puppies bred on the illegal farms are often separated from their mothers far too early and often die soon after reaching their new home. Many of them suffer from being kept in poor conditions and require expensive treatment to deal with health and behavioural problems.

The new legislation also affects licensed dog breeders who will now only be able to sell puppies that they have bred themselves and any online advertisements will be required to include the seller’s license number, as well as the country of origin and residence of the dog. The government has also pledged to tackle the increase of careless overbreeding of popular dog breeds that are known to suffer lifelong health issues, like many flat-faced breeds including pugs and French bulldogs.