Healthcare
As a practice, we try and promote responsible pet ownership. This involves utilizing all that is available to reduce the chances of preventable illnesses in your pet's life. Vaccination, parasite control and neutering are areas all pet owners should be aware of and acting appropriately.
As the saying goes, prevention is far better than the cure.
Vaccination
Fortunately vaccines are available for many of the major fatal diseases that your animals may face and form an important part in disease control. We advise annual booster vaccinations to ensure your pet has the maximum immunity, and also so that our vets can give your pet a thorough check over to ensure all is well. The health check has been vital in diagnosing conditions and picking up subtle health changes allowing for treatment to be administered much earlier than if symptoms were allowed to progress.
Dogs
Vaccination is against Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza virus.
Additional vaccination:
Kennel Cough is available and is particularly useful if your dog attends shows, goes into boarding kennels or socialises with a number of other dogs. This is an annual injection that is administered up your dog's nostril. Rabies vaccine is available for animals travelling under the Pet Travel Scheme. This vaccination lasts for 3 years, however some EU countries require an annual booster vaccination.
Puppies are vaccinated from 8 weeks of age, then require a second vaccination 2 weeks later.
All dogs require annual vaccinations - Not all diseases listed above require an annual vaccination (such as Distemper and Hepatitis) so your veterinary surgeon will follow our vaccination protocol and ensure your pet only have administered what is needed.
Cats
Vaccination is against Cat Flu (feline calicivirus & herpes), Enteritis (panleukopenia), Leukaemia and Chlamydia.
Kittens are vaccinated from 9 weeks of age, then require a second vaccination 3 weeks later.
All cats require annual vaccinations - Not all diseases listed above require an annual vaccination (such as Enteritis and Chlamydia, ) so your veterinary surgeon will follow our vaccination protocol and ensure your pet only have administered what is needed.
Rabbits
Vaccination is against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD).
Vaccinations can be given from 6 weeks of age.
Vaccination against myxomatosis is recommended every 6 months, and VHD annually.
Parasite Control
The downside of having pets is discovering the little 'hangers-on' that sometimes come with them. Effective flea control is easily achieved by using a spot on preparation to treat your pet and the house. We recommend a particular flea treatment that also prevents infestations of the home, so please ask us for details.
Worming, especially in your pet's first 6 months of life, is very important for the health of you, your family and your pet. We recommend to do this every month up to the age of 6 months and then every 3 months thereafter, with a simple tablet. These are available from the surgery.
You may find parasite control available in supermarkets - please talk to us first before buying them, just so you can then make an informed decision as to which product you should buy. Believe it or not, talking to us could save you money in the long run!
More information is available at www.fleatickfacts.com and www.wormfree.co.uk.
All new puppies and kittens get their first flea and worm treatment free of charge.
Neutering
Neutering of dogs and cats is carried out for a variety of reasons including:
- Health-related issues
For example, reduction in occurrence of tumours and eliminates the possibility of uterus infections in females. - Reproduction control
To prevent unwanted litters, ultimately reducing the number of homeless animals. - Behavioural/psychological reasons
Can reduce aggressive behaviours, roaming, urine marking and reduces the reproductive drive.
For both males and females a general anaesthetic is required. In females, the ovaries and uterus are removed and the testicles are removed from the males.
We recommend neutering your pet from 5/6 months of age.
Neutering an older pet will have its benefits, although not as effective compared to if the procedure was performed at a younger age. For example, spaying a female dog after she has had two seasons will eliminate the possibility of developing a life threatening uterus infection, but the possibility of mammary cancer will still be high due to the number of seasons she has had. Behavioural problems have a very high learning component, so by delaying to remove the hormone element (neuter) the behaviour will be have been ingrained into their character, and therefore much harder to alter.
Rabbits can be neutered too. Male and female rabbits are usually neutered at around six months of age under general anaesthesic. In both cases it tends to make them easier to handle and less aggressive. Female rabbits can get pregnant as early as 16 weeks of age so it is important to get rabbits sexed when you get them and keep males and females separate until neutered. Around 50% of female rabbits over the age of four will develop uterine carcinoma (cancer of the womb) so it is of particular importance to spay females young.