Got a question? Ask Wolfie!
Hello Everyone
Welcome to Ask Wolfie!
For those of you who don’t know me yet, I am the resident four legged canine staff member at Vale Veterinary Group. You can see me at the Kidderminster surgery.
In my free time when I’m not scampering around the park or swimming in the duck pond, I’m here to answer all your questions about any veterinary matter whether it is a question about your pet, the practice, how to become a vet or vet nurse or just e-mail me to say hello!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Answers to previous frequently asked questions will be included below.
Dear Wolfie,
My name is Evie and I'm 9 years old and I really want to become a vet nurse. Do you have any tips for me?
Wolfie says
Hello Evie. Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I was out sniffing in the garden when your e-mail came through so I ran back inside to read it. I think I may have left muddy paws on the carpet though. Oopsy!
First I would say to read lots of books on animal care and don’t forget little animals too like rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Make sure you do all of your homework as you have to pass some tricky exams when you are older to become a veterinary nurse so being clever is a bonus.
Make sure you look after any pets you have and make sure they are kept clean and groomed and always have fresh water available.
When you are at senior school maybe you could come and spend some time with us to see what happens day to day.
I'm always here as my mum is one of the vets and she brings me to work every day so maybe you could say hello to me next time you come?
Bye for now
Love from
Wolfie xxx
Dear Wolfie
My dog, Meg, a terrier cross, eats grass nearly every day when we are out walking. She’s a rescue I got last December and was used for breeding on a farm in Wales. I don’t, however, think that she was badly treated but assume that she was in a kennel for sometime when younger but may have been allowed to roam after her breeding days. I only have a very small garden without a major grassed area so she eats the long grass when we are out.My question is: is this a normal habit and is it OK? She’s never sick after eating the grass and has a very good appetite.
Wolfie says
There is a lot of debate about why dogs eat grass, and there is not one single right or wrong answer.. Some dogs eat grass all the time possibly because they like the taste! Others dogs eat grass only occasionally and may or may not be sick afterwards and this may be a form of self-treatment for an upset stomach. It is not proven that dogs who eat grass have a specific illness or a dietary deficiency. Most dogs will demonstrate this behaviour at one time or another and it is generally normal, though sudden changes in behaviour can be a sign of a problem. Of course try to make sure Meg does not eat grass that you suspect has been treated with chemicals fertilisers weed killers as this could cause a problem.I eat grass all the time and my mum who is one of the vets here doesn’t mind at all so it must be OK, however if you feel Meg is unwell in any way then please make an appointment to bring her in to see us.
Dear Wolfie
I see that some practices like yourselves are RCVS accredited. What does this mean?
Wolfie says
Essentially we are vetted by the vets The Royal College Of Veterinary Surgeons visits us to inspect our premises, facilities ,equipment, protocols, staff and mounds of paperwork to do with contracts health and safety and maintenance of equipment to name only a few. Once they are satisfied we are at the standards required they award us an RCVS accreditation for three years. This means we are truly up to scratch to deliver the very best in veterinary care for your pet. Not all practices have this prestigious accreditation and can display the logo. The public can then choose which practices are truly delivering the best service safe in the knowledge we have achieved the highest standards a little bit like choosing a 5 star hotel over a 2 star!
Dear Wolfie
I was wondering how often I should worm my dog Alfie. I cannot see any worms when he goes to the toilet so I am not sure if this is necessary. Is it really that important?
Wolfie says
The current recommendation by the BSAVA [British Small Animal Veterinary Association] is that us dogs should be wormed every THREE months with a wormer that is appropriate for round, tape and lungworm.The vets here have seen an increasing number of dogs infected with LUNGWORM [Angiostrongylus vasorum] which is carried by slugs and snails.Infection with this parasite can sometimes be FATAL. Not all wormers will treat this parasite so pop in to reception or call us to arrange a preventative treatment for Alfie soon. Cats also should be wormed every three months especially if like my cat friend at home they are hunters. Cat can be infected with both round and tapeworm from hunting and eating small rodents and birds. Yuk!
Dear Wolfie
I would like to get my bitch Roxy neutered and have heard different opinion as to whether she should be done before or after her first season. What do you think is best?
Wolfie says
There is no rule that is applicable to all bitches when it comes to spaying. Each bitch should be considered as an individual. We like to look at the breed characteristics, the conformation of the external genitalia and whether or not she has full bladder control. Some breeds for example Old English Sheepdogs and Dobermans will benefit from a first season as urinary incontinence is a problem in these breeds and more so if they are spayed before they have a season. If everything is OK we will spay bitches from six months old. Older bitches need to be spayed three months after their last season and only if there are no signs of False Pregnancy. I was spayed after my first season as I used to sprinkle a little when I was excited *blushes*.
Wolfie will reply to all e-mails sent within 2-3 working days. Some of the e-mails will feature on our website for the interest of our clients however names and email addresses will not be published to maintain individual’s privacy. Ask Wolfie is not intended or designed for emergency questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in person to the veterinary practice. E-mails will be answered by a veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse or member of our administration team and are not intended to replace a full veterinary examination of your pet or full discussion of your pet’s condition.
Pet Information
Got a question? Ask Wolfie!
Hello Everyone
Welcome to Ask Wolfie!
For those of you who don’t know me yet, I am the resident four legged canine staff member at Vale Veterinary Group. You can see me at the Kidderminster surgery.
In my free time when I’m not scampering around the park or swimming in the duck pond, I’m here to answer all your questions about any veterinary matter whether it is a question about your pet, the practice, how to become a vet or vet nurse or just e-mail me to say hello!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Answers to previous frequently asked questions will be included below.
Dear Wolfie,
My name is Evie and I'm 9 years old and I really want to become a vet nurse. Do you have any tips for me?
Wolfie says
Hello Evie. Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I was out sniffing in the garden when your e-mail came through so I ran back inside to read it. I think I may have left muddy paws on the carpet though. Oopsy!
First I would say to read lots of books on animal care and don’t forget little animals too like rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Make sure you do all of your homework as you have to pass some tricky exams when you are older to become a veterinary nurse so being clever is a bonus.
Make sure you look after any pets you have and make sure they are kept clean and groomed and always have fresh water available.
When you are at senior school maybe you could come and spend some time with us to see what happens day to day.
I'm always here as my mum is one of the vets and she brings me to work every day so maybe you could say hello to me next time you come?
Bye for now
Love from
Wolfie xxx
Dear Wolfie
My dog, Meg, a terrier cross, eats grass nearly every day when we are out walking. She’s a rescue I got last December and was used for breeding on a farm in Wales. I don’t, however, think that she was badly treated but assume that she was in a kennel for sometime when younger but may have been allowed to roam after her breeding days. I only have a very small garden without a major grassed area so she eats the long grass when we are out.My question is: is this a normal habit and is it OK? She’s never sick after eating the grass and has a very good appetite.
Wolfie says
There is a lot of debate about why dogs eat grass, and there is not one single right or wrong answer.. Some dogs eat grass all the time possibly because they like the taste! Others dogs eat grass only occasionally and may or may not be sick afterwards and this may be a form of self-treatment for an upset stomach. It is not proven that dogs who eat grass have a specific illness or a dietary deficiency. Most dogs will demonstrate this behaviour at one time or another and it is generally normal, though sudden changes in behaviour can be a sign of a problem. Of course try to make sure Meg does not eat grass that you suspect has been treated with chemicals fertilisers weed killers as this could cause a problem.I eat grass all the time and my mum who is one of the vets here doesn’t mind at all so it must be OK, however if you feel Meg is unwell in any way then please make an appointment to bring her in to see us.
Dear Wolfie
I see that some practices like yourselves are RCVS accredited. What does this mean?
Wolfie says
Essentially we are vetted by the vets The Royal College Of Veterinary Surgeons visits us to inspect our premises, facilities ,equipment, protocols, staff and mounds of paperwork to do with contracts health and safety and maintenance of equipment to name only a few. Once they are satisfied we are at the standards required they award us an RCVS accreditation for three years. This means we are truly up to scratch to deliver the very best in veterinary care for your pet. Not all practices have this prestigious accreditation and can display the logo. The public can then choose which practices are truly delivering the best service safe in the knowledge we have achieved the highest standards a little bit like choosing a 5 star hotel over a 2 star!
Dear Wolfie
I was wondering how often I should worm my dog Alfie. I cannot see any worms when he goes to the toilet so I am not sure if this is necessary. Is it really that important?
Wolfie says
The current recommendation by the BSAVA [British Small Animal Veterinary Association] is that us dogs should be wormed every THREE months with a wormer that is appropriate for round, tape and lungworm.The vets here have seen an increasing number of dogs infected with LUNGWORM [Angiostrongylus vasorum] which is carried by slugs and snails.Infection with this parasite can sometimes be FATAL. Not all wormers will treat this parasite so pop in to reception or call us to arrange a preventative treatment for Alfie soon. Cats also should be wormed every three months especially if like my cat friend at home they are hunters. Cat can be infected with both round and tapeworm from hunting and eating small rodents and birds. Yuk!
Dear Wolfie
I would like to get my bitch Roxy neutered and have heard different opinion as to whether she should be done before or after her first season. What do you think is best?
Wolfie says
There is no rule that is applicable to all bitches when it comes to spaying. Each bitch should be considered as an individual. We like to look at the breed characteristics, the conformation of the external genitalia and whether or not she has full bladder control. Some breeds for example Old English Sheepdogs and Dobermans will benefit from a first season as urinary incontinence is a problem in these breeds and more so if they are spayed before they have a season. If everything is OK we will spay bitches from six months old. Older bitches need to be spayed three months after their last season and only if there are no signs of False Pregnancy. I was spayed after my first season as I used to sprinkle a little when I was excited *blushes*.
Wolfie will reply to all e-mails sent within 2-3 working days. Some of the e-mails will feature on our website for the interest of our clients however names and email addresses will not be published to maintain individual’s privacy. Ask Wolfie is not intended or designed for emergency questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in person to the veterinary practice. E-mails will be answered by a veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse or member of our administration team and are not intended to replace a full veterinary examination of your pet or full discussion of your pet’s condition.
In an emergency please call either: 01562 822692 or 01299 822423
Out of surgery hours our emergency services is provided by: VetsNow Worcester and VetsNow Oldbury
Please telephone our NORMAL NUMBERS & your call will be transferred to the VETS NOW OUT OF HOURS SERVICE directly.