Pete the Vet: When is the best age to neuter my pet, and why is it so important?

Thirty years ago, up to thirty thousand dogs were euthanised annually in Irish dog pounds just because they were surplus to requirements - vets and animal welfare groups tackled this by creating public information campaigns and a nationwide means-tested subsidised spay and neuter strategy by Dogs Trust

Pete the Vet: The cone of shame mightn't be an option for all dogs!

As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air. While animals may not engage in the same type of romantic endeavours as humans, there is no doubt that their urge to find a mate and ultimately to reproduce are just as strong.

Spring is here, and the breeding season is revving up; most animals are seasonal breeders. For many mammals and birds, mating in mid-February leads to young being born (or hatching) from mid-March onwards. The timing means that the natural food supply, peaking in the summer months, fits the needs of the growing animals: first, the mother needs extra nutrition to allow her to feed her newborns, and the young creatures then need to be able to find plenty of food to allow them to grow and develop fat reserves by the time food becomes scarce in the autumn and winter.