VET FAQ

PUPPIES/DOGS

To safeguard your pet from potentially serious and sometimes fatal diseases, your puppy needs to be vaccinated.

Our vaccines protect against several diseases, including Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis and Canine Parainfluenza Virus and Bordetella (Kennel Cough).

Puppy vaccinations can commence as young as 6 weeks of age. So your puppy can safely socialise with other dogs and go for walks outside, we aim to achieve full immunity by 16 weeks of age.

To maintain immunity, adult dogs require an annual vaccination booster. You will receive a reminder when your dogs’ yearly vaccination is due.

KITTEN/CATS

Our vaccines protect against several diseases, including Feline Enteritis, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calcivirus.

Kitten vaccinations can commence as young as 6 weeks of age, then every 2 to 4 weeks with the timing of the final dose being no earlier than 16 weeks.

To maintain immunity, adult cats require an annual vaccination booster. You will receive a reminder when your cats’ yearly vaccination is due.

RECOMMENDED VACCINATION SCHEDULE

• 06 to 08 weeks F3/F4 Vaccine
• 12 to 14 weeks F3/F4 Vaccine
• 16 to 18 weeks F3/F4 Vaccine

There are many benefits to desexing your puppy or kitten:

• Puppies and kittens can be safely desexed between 2 – 4 months of age. Early age desexing prevents the extra veterinary costs to desex female dogs and cats that are pregnant or in season and prevents any risk of unplanned litters. Your veterinarian may recommend later desexing for giant breed dogs.
• Females desexed before their first heat recover quicker from the surgery than adult animals.
• A dog is more likely to have a long, happy and healthy life if desexed. Our companion dogs no longer live in the wild. They need to fit into an increasingly urbanised society. Desexed dogs will not be as frustrated, wanting to roam to mate. This reduces risks of death or injury on roads or in a dog fight. They can still help protect your property by alerting people with their barking but are less likely to have to be seized or declared dangerous by your local Council through aggressive behaviour.
• Some people worry that their dog will put on weight if desexed – too much food and not enough exercise are the causes of obesity, not desexing!

Figuring out why your cat urinates in odd places can sometimes be a little tricky. Illness, stress and physical problems using the litter box can all cause inappropriate urination,  however, once you find out the cause of the problem, it usually isn’t too hard to correct.

The most important thing to remember is, whenever there is a sudden change in your cats behaviour, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are common and can be very painful. If your cat has been given a clean bill of health, you should check the following things.

CHECK THE CLEANLINESS OF THE LITTER TRAY

Be sure you keep the litter box very clean. Cats are clean animals and some may want their box meticulous. This may mean scooping 1-2 times daily and/or changing the entire material every 3-4 days. The type of kitty litter you use may be too rough on your cat’s feet so you could also try changing the brand. (This could also be why your cat chooses your softer clothes on the floor or the bath mat). Each cat in a household requires 1-2 litter trays per animal.

LITTER BOX LOCATION

Check around where the litter box is located to be sure that there is not something about the location that the cat may find a problem. This could be a noisy appliance, people walking by, the dog approaching, nearby children playing, or other cats in the household.
Disharmony between housemates: In a home with multiple cats, there may be subtle underlying tensions that may make one or more cats anxious. This could lead to non-litter box usage – make sure that each cat has their own litter box.

NEW SURROUNDINGS

If you have just adopted the pet, it may take some time for your new kitty to adjust to their new surroundings and may take a little time for them to feel comfortable. In this case, patience is important.

STRESS RELATED

Cats will spray urine to mark their territory. They will do this when they are stressed or when they find themselves in a new environment. Spraying is most common with undesexed males, but females can also mark – not only is desexing your pet important to stop unwanted litters but will also help to minimalise their need to roam, aggressive behaviour in males and exposure to disease. To find a discounted veterinary clinic in your area log onto www.ndn.org.au

Each year, thousands of lost and abandoned animals are taken in by humane societies, rescues and shelters across the country. Some of these animals never make it home because they can’t be identified.

Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you, the owner. Collars and tags can be removed or get lost and tattooing can become illegible over time. Microchips are the only truly permanent method of identifying your dog. It lasts for the lifetime of the pet.

Even cats should be microchipped. Cats are naturally curious and unpredictable. In the event that your cat strays away from the safety of your home, a microchip is your cat’s best chance of a fast return.

If you want to dramatically improve your pet’s chances of getting home fast and safe, implanting your pet with a microchip is your best option.

Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted by a veterinarian just beneath the surface of the skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to receiving a vaccination through a needle. Once implanted, the microchip remains between the shoulder blades, just beneath the skin for the rest of the animal’s lifetime, becoming a permanent form of identification.

Is there a tracking device in it? Will it store my pet’s medical information? The microchips presently used in pets only contain identification numbers. No, the microchip cannot track your animal if it gets lost. Although the present technology microchip itself does not contain your pet’s medical information, some microchip registration databases will allow you to store that information in the database for quick reference.