General Health

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Why Vaccinate?

Early immunisation against life-threatening infectious pet diseases saves many lives. Puppies, kittens and Rabbits are particularly susceptible to infectious diseases and should be vaccinated to ensure their health and survival, and boost their natural immunity.

Modern drug companies have pioneered an approach to pet vaccination that minimises the number of vaccinations required and defines them into two categories - core and non-core. Core vaccinations should be given to every pet and non-core vaccinations to those animals that have a lifestyle that puts them at particular risk for certain diseases.

As a practice, we recommend giving the least amount of vaccinations required to recommend protection so as to avoid possible overstimulation of the immune system, usually called "vaccinosis". We recommend Nobivac vaccines, which we have used for over 20 years, and which in our experience have almost no side effects but provide very good protection. In both cats and dogs, after the initial course, we recommend a full booster every three years, with annual top-ups for the components that we know won't last that long.

Infectious Diseases

There are certain infectious diseases you should protect your pet against, depending on its individual lifestyle. For puppies and dogs, vaccinations against parvovirus, distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis and parainfluenza are considered “core”. Kittens and cats should be protected against cat 'flu, feline leukaemia and panleukopenia. Finally, for rabbits, consideration should be given to protecting against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease.

For pets that stay in kennels or catteries, special attention should be given to exposure to infectious diseases like canine infectious tracheobronchitis (Kennel Cough - bordatella bronchiseptica) and the cat ‘flu complex.

Whether a pet owner or someone working with cats, dogs, kittens, puppies or rabbits, you can find further information on the following links: Dog Vaccinations, Cat Vaccinations, and the future of pet vaccinations.

Click here to read more about Dog Vaccinations or Cat Vaccinations.

Flea Control

Fleas are a common problem in this area throughout most of the year as not only is it very warm during the summer, but we have few touches of frost and a lot of people live in centrally heated houses with carpets, which fleas love! Therefore, we recommend that people use a modern spot-on or collar to control fleas throughout the year.

Different flea products work on the various stages of the life cycle. If you are having a problem with fleas on your pet or in your house, why not request an appointment to see a nurse for more advice.

Ticks

Some pets never seem to get ticks; some get them every day! Ticks go through a complicated life-cycle during which they can pick up Lyme's Disease that causes problems to dogs and humans. For dogs and cats that pick up ticks, there are a number of very efficient spot-ons and/or collars that repel and/or kill ticks.

Worm Control

Some worms that are carried by pets e.g.: roundworm (Toxocara) and tapeworm (Echinococcus), can cause illness in people. All pets pick up roundworms when they are young, and should be wormed routinely depending on your and their lifestyle. Babies and small children are especially at risk. Tapeworms are not a common problem in this area unless your cat is a hunter! Canine Lungworm (French Heartworm) does occur, but at present, we do not think it is something pets can pick up in this area.

If you would like further advice or are having problems, please request an appointment to see one of our nurses. If you buy your flea, tick and worm control products from us, this appointment is free. Otherwise, there will be a charge.

Microchipping is the most common form of identification used for cats and dogs. As each microchip has a unique number, there is no mistaking one animal with another. It will be a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped from 6th April 2016, as well as dog tags, which all dogs are required to have by the Dog Control Act 1992. Tags must have the surname and address of the owner (Telephone number is not required but we highly recommend a mobile number).

It is very distressing when your animal goes missing, but you can make it easier for your pet to be reunited with you by having a microchip fitted. Vets, rescue centres and dog wardens all have microchip readers and when an animal is brought to them either lost or injured, they can scan the chip and contact the database provider to find the name and contact details of the owner.

There are several sorts of microchips available. Some take the pet's temperature, which you can read with a special reader, some have special coating to help prevent them from moving around inside the body, some are bigger, some smaller. They are easily inserted using a large needle into the scruff of the dog or cat.

The practice recommends Biotherm Microchips. These take the pet's temperature, have a coating to help stop them moving from where they were inserted and are registered with a 24/7 call centre. Once the pet has been scanned by a reader, the call centre can be contacted.

It is also possible to have a microchip fitted that will operate the door of a cat flap, allowing you to keep unwanted strangers out! A sample of these can be seen at each of our surgeries.

Microchips can be inserted during a routine appointment and there is a 10% discount if they are done when your pet is having its annual health check and vaccinations.

Please mention it to the receptionist when booking your appointment and they will make sure that the paperwork is ready before you arrive.

Dogs and cats have different nutritional requirements depending on their age, breed, sex, activity level, reproductive status, environment and health status. Complete and balanced diets are available for growth, adulthood and maturity to meet their nutritional requirements during each life stage.

There are also various diets available to support dogs and cats with medical conditions including liver and kidney disease, urinary tract disease (crystals, stones and cystitis), arthritis and mobility problems and many more. These are “prescription” diets and will be recommended by a vet or nurse if they feel they would be appropriate for your pet.

Obesity

Obesity is a growing problem among cats and dogs. Some breeds are more prone to becoming overweight than others and indoor cats are more at risk as they tend to exercise less. There are many health problems associated with obesity including heart problems, exercise intolerance, arthritis and joint problems, diabetes, liver disease, urinary problems, increased blood pressure and breathing problems. Overweight animals also find it more difficult to groom themselves and their coat can become matted.

Neutered dogs and cats require fewer calories, so in order to prevent obesity the amount of food given should be reduced by 15-30% on average. Where possible, low fat or light diets should be given.

Free Weight-Watchers Clinics

Nurses run weight clinics where your pet will be weighed and given a body condition score (BCS). The ideal BCS is 3/5, this means that the ribs and spine are not visible but are easy to feel, there is an obvious waist and minimal abdominal fat. If your pet is overweight the nurse will recommend a low calorie diet and calculate the daily amount of food needed based on your pet’s ideal weight and BCS. Treats can be given as part of the daily amount, but must be kept to a minimum and human foods are not allowed as tit-bits. The nurse will arrange to see your pet every 2-4 weeks and the daily amount can be adjusted if required. Once your pet has reached its ideal weight, a suitable maintenance diet will be selected and the amount will be calculated.

Grooming plays a very important part of caring for your animals. It is best to start when your dog or cat is still young and do a little at a time, especially if they are very wriggly. Start grooming for short periods of time, gradually building up the amount of time until your animal is quite happy with you grooming them. Whilst doing this, lift up their tail, lift and touch their paws and check between their toes. Use a wide-toothed comb to gently remove the undercoat from your pet; with long-haired breeds, it is advisable to do this on a daily basis to prevent knots. A thick, matted coat can also make your pet overheat in hot weather and can contribute to heat stroke. It is also important to check the skin for fleas, ticks and any redness which may require treatment.

Some pets, especially cats, get very distressed when their owner tries to groom them which can lead to the build-up of knots and matted areas of the coat. If your pet's coat does get matted, you can make an appointment for it to come into the surgery for the day where a sedative can be given and the coat can be de-matted, or in some severe cases be clipped off.

It is also a good idea to check nails, teeth, skin, ears, nose and feet when grooming so that your pet gets used to being handled and will help to make the experience of seeing a vet less worrying for them. When checking the nails, look out for nails that are too long, too sharp or broken. Nails can be clipped at a nurse appointment if necessary.

When checking teeth, look for tartar, smelly breath, red gums or broken teeth. For more information about dental disease see the pages on dental health and dental disease. When checking skin and ears, make sure that ears are nice and clean, no wax is seen and there are no red or sore patches. If you are at all worried, please contact the surgery.