Stockport Independent Issue 206

AUGUST 2026 14 Independent PETS ONE in four new own- ers admitted they have considered giving up their puppy within the first two weeks, new research shows. Experts are calling the surge in pet abandonment a crisis of “puppy blues”, in which nearly six in ten (58 per cent) have reported feel- ing anxious, overwhelmed or unprepared in the early stages of having a pet. It comes after the RSPCA found record levels of pet abandonment in the UK, with 22,503 cases reported last year – the highest since the pandemic. A MAJOR crackdown on rip-off vets bills for Brit- ain’s 17 million pet own- ers has been unveiled by the competition watch- dog after a two and half year investigation. In the biggest regulatory shake-up of the £6.7 billion sector in 60 years the Compe- tition and Markets Authority ordered new legally binding reforms including clear price lists, prescription fee caps, a price comparison website, and mandatory branding by the large groups “to boost compe- tition and drive down prices.” There will also be a new cap of £21 for a written prescrip- tion, and pet owners will have to be given a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more plus an itemised bill. The only exception will be emer- gency care. The CMA said pet owners using a vet practice that is part of a larger chain “can expect to see changes before Christmas.” The CMA’s report and measures follows a two year independent inquiry that concluded that a lack of infor- mation “is leading to weak competition and high prices.” It founds that currently fewer than 40% of practices have prices on their websites – and those that do cover few services and are often hard to find. In future practices will have to publish a comprehen- sive price list for standard services – including consul- tations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescrip- tions and cremation options. Martin Coleman, chair of the independent Inquiry Group, said: “This is the most extensive review of veterinary services in a generation, and today’s reforms will make a real difference to the millions of pet owners who want the best for their pets but strug- gle to find the practice, treat- ment and price that meets their needs. “Too often, people are left in the dark about who owns their practice, treatment options and prices – even when facing bills running into thousands of pounds. Our measures mean it will be made clear to pet owners which practices are part of large groups, which are charging higher prices, and for the first time, vet businesses will be held to account by an independ- ent regulator.” Other new requirements include signage making it clear if a practice is part of a HOMEOWNERS shouldn’t wait for warmer weather to protect their pets from fleas and ticks. There is a common mis- conception that such blood-sucking insects thrive in warmer weather, but that doesn’t mean they dis- appear entirely when the seasons change. According to PDSA veter- inary nurse Shauna Walsh, fleas can live on household pets year-round, which can be uncomfortable for your furry friends and unpleasant for humans too. “Many owners assume fleas are only a summer prob- lem, but that’s not the case,” Walsh said. “Fleas can live on pets and in our homes regardless of the weather, especially incentrally heatedenvironments. Regular prevention and vigilance are key to keeping fleas away.” Fleas can live on all walks of animal life, including dogs, cats and rabbits, and also in carpets, bedding, and soft fur- nishings in the home. If fleas aren’t treated effectively, this can also lead to more serious health conditions among your ani- mals, so there is even more reason to act fast. “Consistent prevention and prompt action are the best ways to avoid a flea issue turn- ing into a bigger problem,” says Shauna. Here is how to protect your pets from fleas all year round. Stayon topof your pets’flea treatments, and ensure you regularly give them treatment when required. There are many different treatments, and they may require reapplication at dif- ferent times, so note which treatmentyouuseforeachpet. Keeping a pet diary of all their treatments and vaccina- tion dates is one of the easiest ways to stay on top of your pet’s needs. According to the PDSA, prescription products tend to be more reliable than “off the shelf” options, so con- sult with your vet next time to ensure you receive the best treatments. According to Walsh, it’s essential that you ensure the treatment used on your ani- mals ismade for their species. DOGS definitely see the world differently than people do, but it’s a myth that their view is just black, white and grim shades of grey. While most people see a full spectrum of colours from red to violet, dogs lack some of the light receptors in their eyes that allow human beings to see certain colours, particu- larly in the red and green range. But canines can still see yellow and blue. What you see as red or orange, to a dog may just be another shade of tan. Animals can’t use spoken language to describe what they see, but researchers easily trained dogs to touch a lit-up colour disc with their nose to get a treat. Then they trained the dogs to touch a disc that was a different col- our than some others. When the well-trained dogs couldn’t figure out which disc to press, the scientists knew that they couldn’t see the differences in colour. These experiments showed that dogs could see only yellow and blue. In the back of our eyeballs, human beings’ retinas con- tain three types of special cone-shaped cells that are responsible for all the colours we can see. When scientists used a technique called elec- troretinography to measure the way dogs’ eyes react to light, they found that canines have fewer kinds of these cone cells. Compared to people’s three kinds, dogs only have two types of cone receptors. Not only can dogs see fewer colours than we do, they prob- ably don’t see as clearly as we do either. Tests show that both the structure and function of the dog eye leads them to see things at a distance as more blurry. While we think of per- fect vision in humans as being 20/20, typical vision in dogs is probably closer to 20/75. This means that what a person with normal vision could see from 75 feet away, a dog would need to be just 20 feet away to see as clearly. Since dogs don’t read the newspaper, their visual acu- ity probably doesn’t interfere with their way of life. There’s likely a lot of differ- ence in visual ability between breeds. Over the years, breed- ers have selected sight-hunt- ing dogs like greyhounds to have better vision than dogs like bulldogs. But that’s not the end of the story. While people have a tough time seeing clearly in dim light, scientists believe dogs can probably see as well at dusk or dawn as they can in the bright middle of the day. This is because compared to humans’, dog retinas have a higher percentage and type of another kind of visual recep- tor. Called rod cells because of their shape, they function better in low light than cone cells do. Dogs also have a reflective tissue layer at the back of their eyes that helps them see in less light. This mirror-like tapetum lucidum collects and concentrates the available light to help them see when it’s dark. The tapetum lucidum is what gives dogs and other mammals that glowing eye reflection when caught in your headlights at night or when you try to take a flash photo. Dogs share their type of vision with many other ani- mals, including cats and foxes. Scientists think it’s important for these hunters to be able to detect the motion of their nocturnal prey, and that’s why their vision evolved in this way. As many mammals developed the ability to for- age and hunt in twilight or dark conditions, they gave up the ability to see the variety of colours that most birds, reptiles and primates have. People didn’t evolve to be active all night, so we kept Protect pets against fleas ‘Puppy blues’ are on the increase Vets face huge shake-up bigger chain, and a central- ised price comparison ser- vice through Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons which will share the data with third- party comparison sites. Do dogs really see only in black and white? the colour vision and better visual acuity. Before you feel sorry that dogs aren’t able to see all the colours of the rainbow, keep in mind that some of their other senses are much more developed than yours. They can hear higher-pitched sounds from farther away, and their noses are much more powerful.