It’s thirty years since I qualified as a vet, and in that time, our understanding of “the truth” has changed. The dominance hierarchy of dogs has been shown to be untrue, the idea that cats love the company of other cats is a myth, and there are many other examples.
As a vet, I have kept up to date with these changes in our knowledge by going to regular educational events, as well as by reading journals and text books. But for owners, it can be difficult to stay up to date.
The University of Edinburgh has a dedicated animal welfare college: The Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, funded by a generous bequest from an animal loving philanthropist. The centre has set up a new way of learning all about current thinking on dogs and cats, and now its possible to do a free online course that will bring up up to date in just five weeks. You only need to do a couple of hours a week, and the quality of videos, information and discussion is top notch.
To find out more about this, read my latest online post in the Daily Telegraph: click on the link below.
Please note that I am unable to answer veterinary questions in comments. If you have questions or concerns about your pet's health it is always better to contact your vet.