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Our blog is written by our team of experts who are here to help you with your pet problems. They have extensive experience in veterinary care, animal behaviour and horse welfare.
You can browse the blog below or search for specific topics, like health or behaviour, in the search box.
Popular blog posts
How to become a veterinary nurse
Posted on 13 May 2013
Are you thinking of a career as a veterinary nurse but you're not sure how to get started? To celebrate National Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month Blue Cross has put together a guide to help you with your future career... ...
Why greyhounds and lurchers can make the best family pets
Posted on 21 May 2013
Last year Blue Cross took in 126 unwanted and abandoned lurchers and 26 greyhounds – and sadly these dogs often take longer to rehome because people just don’t see them as family pets. But they can actually make the perf...
Finding your new puppy Posted on 12 Sep 2012There are so many ways to get a new puppy, so it’s sometimes hard to know which option is best. But it’s extremely important to do your research and make sure that you get your new pet from a responsible source. Blue Cross edito... 
Should you get a puppy or an adult dog? Posted on 10 Sep 2012
There’s nothing quite as adorable as a little puppy looking at you like butter wouldn’t melt. But just because they’re cute doesn’t mean they’re always the right choice of pet. As part of Puppy Awareness Week... 
A street cat named BobPosted on 07 Sep 2012James Bowen was a recovering heroin addict trying to put his life back together when he met a stray cat who needed a friend as much as he did. He tells Blue Cross editor Natasha Kleanthous how the two of them set off on the road to rec... 
Why is your pet limping?Posted on 03 Sep 2012
What does it mean if your cat or dog is limping? And what should you do? Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay reveals more about this problem and what causes it…
Dogs and cats are natural athletes and good mobility is vi... 
Rehoming a Blue Cross horse – your questions answered Posted on 28 Aug 2012Rehoming from Blue Cross can be a fantastic way of finding your next horse or pony, whether you’re looking for a field-mate for another horse or a pony to compete with. We’ve put together some handy frequently asked questions to... 
Pets don’t care about their appearance – so why do we? Posted on 16 Aug 2012
Breeding for appearance might produce pretty looking pets, but the consequences can be great, as Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay reveals…
Anyone who has ever tried to run for a bus in high heels knows the risks of looking... 
What causes allergies in pets? Posted on 10 Aug 2012
Allergies are big business in both humans and animals. There are lots of “reduced allergy” products on sale, which is not surprising as allergies are becoming more common. Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay discusses wha... 
Feeling Olympic? CaniX could be the sport for you and your dog Posted on 09 Aug 2012
If you’ve been bitten by the Olympic bug and fancy taking up a new sport, CaniX could be for you. It’s a great activity for dog owners and you could soon be competing at events across the UK. But don’t just take it... 
Could you be a Blue Cross horse foster carer? Posted on 06 Aug 2012
Blue Cross is hoping to tackle the growing numbers of unwanted and abandoned horses that desperately need our help with a new foster care scheme. We catch up with our first carer, Chrissy Bacon, to see how she’s finding ... 
Do pets really enjoy sharing their space with other animals?Posted on 03 Aug 2012
Blue Cross has made some changes so that new clients at our animal hospitals will only be able to register two pets per household. We hope this will enable more pets to benefit from our services – but it could also help to imp... 
Do children benefit from having a pet? Posted on 26 Jul 2012
A new survey has revealed that owning pets can have a positive effect on children’s health, happiness – and even their homework. Blue Cross editor Natasha Kleanthous discusses why a pet can be such wonderful addition to ... 
'Fostering for Blue Cross is a very special experience'Posted on 23 Jul 2012
Looking after eight bouncing puppies and five playful kittens is one mammoth feat but it’s also something that devoted Blue Cross foster carer Lesley Davis wouldn’t swap in a million years, as she tells editor Natasha Kl... The dangers facing short-nosed dogs Posted on 12 Jul 2012
New research has suggested that some people aren’t recognising the dangers facing short-nosed dogs like pugs and bulldogs. Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay reveals more…
Dog owners may be failing to appreciate ... 
Poorly cat Mary-Anne is rescued from the streets Posted on 11 Jul 2012
The Blue Cross Lewknor rehoming centre looks after and finds happy homes for hundreds of cats and dogs every year. Animal welfare assistant Jess Hollis will be bringing you regular news from this busy centre – this week she te... Is your pet in pain? Posted on 05 Jul 2012When people are in pain they can talk to a doctor about it, but how can we tell if our pets are suffering? Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay reveals more…
It’s a common misconception that an animal cannot be in pain because ... 
Compulsory microchipping could help keep our nation’s pets safePosted on 28 Jun 2012It’s coming to the end of National Microchipping Month but there’s still a lot of work to do if we’re going to tackle the huge number of stray and abandoned dogs, as Blue Cross public affairs manager Rachel Cunningham reve... Lost and found – much-loved dogs reunited thanks to a microchip Posted on 18 Jun 2012There’s nothing more heart-warming than reuniting a missing pet with their owner and seeing the relief on both faces. Here are some of our favourite reunion stories which would never have happened if it wasn’t for a microchip, a... 
Is your older pet just slowing down – or is it time to go to the vet? Posted on 13 Jun 2012Growing older is an inevitable fact of life for us all, but how can you tell if your pet is simply slowing down or if they have a problem that needs veterinary attention? Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay has some advice to help… Ag... 
Ooh la la! Failure to update cat’s microchip leads to cross channel search Posted on 11 Jun 2012We were puzzled when stray cat Tiggy’s microchip revealed she should be in France. Soon we found ourselves on a European-wide search for her owner as Blue Cross editor Natasha Kleanthous reveals… It’s not the first time w... Microchipping - your questions answeredPosted on 01 Jun 2012Thousands of animals go missing every year and sadly many of them never find their way home. But microchipping can help to keep your pet safe, as Blue Cross editor Natasha Kleanthous reveals… Here at Blue Cross we take in hundreds of... 
What to do if your pet goes missing Posted on 08 Jun 2012If your pet has ever gone missing then you know just how terrifying it can be. Blue Cross has put together some tips to help if it happens to you… It’s every owner’s nightmare – they call their pet and no one comes.... 
Finding a home for Blue Cross dogs Happy and Lily Posted on 22 May 2012The Blue Cross Lewknor rehoming centre looks after and finds happy homes for hundreds of cats and dogs every year. Animal welfare assistant Jess Hollis will be bringing you regular news from this busy centre – this week she tells us a... 
It’s a scary world out there for nervous puppy Ben Posted on 14 May 2012The Blue Cross Lewknor rehoming centre looks after and finds happy homes for hundreds of cats and dogs every year. Our new blogger, animal welfare assistant Jess Hollis, will be bringing you regular news from this busy centre – this w... 
Allergies and pets: our advice for copingPosted on 04 May 2012Many pets and horses are sadly given up to Blue Cross rehoming centres due to allergies. If you think you may have a pet allergy, check out our advice before deciding to rehome...
From cats to rats, so far this year we have had over 90 ani... 
Top tips for keeping your pet safe during the floods Posted on 01 May 2012If your town or village is at risk of flooding, your pet’s probably the last thing on your mind during this stressful time. But have you thought through what might happen if you do need to evacuate? Blue Cross editor Natasha Kleanthou...