Leech therapy has been known since ancient times. Leeches are now recognized as a medicinal remedy and are used in both human and veterinary medicine to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and thin the blood.
The medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) is bred in leech farms in various sizes specifically for use on humans and animals. An adult leech weighs four to ten gramm and can consume six to ten times its body weight in blood.
In small animals, leeches are used as a supportive treatment for joint inflammation, muscle stiffness, wound healing disorders, lymphatic inflammation, bruising, abscesses, nerve inflammation, and much more.
Leeches are increasingly being used on horses in both sports and leisure activities. They can provide useful support and accompaniment to therapy for laminitis, colic, eczema, scars, bruising, muscle and tendon disorders, and even vein and gum disease.
There are a few things to remember before treatment with leeches. You must not give your animal any blood-thinning or anti-inflammatory medication three days beforehand. Leeches are very sensitive to odours. Do not feed your horse any feed supplements containing garlic, ginger or other essential oils for three days beforehand. Do not apply any ointments, insect sprays or shampoos to the skin areas to be treated two days beforehand.
The leech is placed on the desired area of the animal's skin using a laboratory tube or by hand. After a short moment, the leech attaches itself firmly, saws into the skin with its tiny teeth, and begins its blood meal. This usually lasts 30-60 minutes.
With a sufficient meal, the leech can survive for up to two years. However, to prevent the transmission of diseases, medicinal leeches are killed after treatment or returned to the leech farm, where they are placed in a "used leech tank" and are no longer used.
As soon as the leech bites, various substances are released into the animal's blood via its saliva, the effects of which are used for therapeutic purposes. These substances are important for the leech to be able to feed at this spot for as long as possible. It is believed that there are up to 100 different active ingredients in leech saliva, only a fraction of which have been identified and researched to date.
Initially, substances are released that accelerate the distribution of the leech saliva in the blood. These are followed by active ingredients that have pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory effects.
The bleeding from the wound after the bite is not harmful, but has a cleansing effect.
Do you like rabbits? Then it's best to get two or more, as these little hoppers feel very lonely on their own. Before you bring your rabbits home, you should make sure you have enough space for them.
Does your cat suddenly seem unwell and lethargic? Or is it behaving differently than usual, perhaps avoiding being stroked? You should pay close attention to any unusual behavior. Keep a close eye on your cat's health and take it for regular check-ups at your veterinary practice.
Whether human or pet, preventive check-ups are important. Prevention is the best medicine, because when detected early, diseases can often be cured quickly. So be attentive, take your dog to your veterinarian for preventive check-ups, and keep a close eye on your dog's health yourself.
Prevention is better than cure: with this in mind, we offer age-appropriate veterinary care plans for a healthy life for your dog – from birth to old age.
High blood pressure, medically known as hypertension, is not usually a separate disease in domestic cats, but is often the result of other general illnesses. Older cats in particular often suffer from a pathological increase in blood pressure, which can have serious consequences.
You will probably be alarmed when your cat suddenly starts limping. There can be many different causes. Keep an eye on your cat now.
Since the urethra narrows significantly towards the tip of the penis in male cats, it can very easily become blocked, a condition known as urethral obstruction. Affected animals are suddenly unable to urinate, resulting in painful and life-threatening urinary retention in the bladder. This is always a medical emergency that requires immediate veterinary treatment. Indoor cats are primarily affected, while outdoor cats are much less likely to develop the condition.
It can be so much fun to spend hours grooming our horse. Cleaning the tail, oiling the hooves, and so on... Many four-legged friends also enjoy a day of beauty. Of course, there is a wide range of products you can try out on your horse. There are entire beauty ranges for animals, and you can actually spend a lot of money in equestrian shops. But there are cheaper options. The simplest items from the drugstore can be wonderfully repurposed as horse care products. The same goes for equipment for ground work, fear training, or just for playing with your horse.
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You love sports—and you love your dog. So why not combine the two? Even if you're looking for competition or new challenges, or want to take your sport to the extreme, you can do it with your canine partner.
This widespread viral infection is named after the Hungarian veterinary pathologist Aladar Aujeszky, who first described the disease in 1902. It is caused by the porcine herpesvirus and can affect dogs and cats, as well as cattle, sheep, and goats, and is almost always fatal. The disease, also known as pseudorabies, cannot be transmitted to humans. According to current legislation, pseudorabies is a notifiable animal disease and is controlled by the state.
The family has agreed that it's time to get a pet. However, it should be an animal that doesn't require too much work. It should bring joy, but not demand too much attention – and ideally, it should be something that even a primary school child can help look after. Does this sound like a familiar list of requirements? Then a small group of guinea pigs could be just right for you.
