Where has 2019 gone! It’s incredible to think that we are in November already and summer and Christmas are just around the corner! The busy time is upon us, meaning that people will start the ‘end of year’ frenzy getting ready to buy presents, book holidays and to see friends and family before the year is done. Have I missed something? Of course – our four-legged family members! With so much happening around us, sometimes we think ‘oh, I’ll get to that later’, which then leads to it being left too long, and then more panic sets it.
This month’s blog will provide you with a checklist of all the things you should be thinking about as the end of year approaches, and what you may need to have done to your pet before you and the family pack up and head away on holidays.
- Vaccinations
Did you realise most boarding kennels require cats and dogs to be vaccinated prior to boarding? Vaccinations are extremely important when it comes to boarding our furry family members to ensure your own four-legged friends safe as well as their fellow boarders. Nonetheless, boarding is not the only reason we should make sure are four-legged friends are vaccinated! Though it can occur all year round, Parvo-virus is a potentially fatal disease our pets can catch, and it is more prominent during the months of summer.
Why should I vaccinate my pets though?
Vaccinations are one of the most important tools we have available to keep our furry family members healthy. During their appointment, they are given a full health examination by one of our Nurses and Veterinarians. They can also have their nails clipped, anal glands expressed and their urine tested to look for any abnormalities. Vaccinations are safe, have limited side effects and they work!
Vaccinations protect against preventable disease - Prevention is always better then cure. If a horrible disease can be prevented with a simple vaccination, why not vaccinate!
Vaccinations protect your pet from transmittable diseases– Obvious…. we know, but our pets can be at risk of contracting a disease even if they are not in direct contact with another animal. Most of the preventable diseases such as, Canine Parvo virus and Canine Parainfluenza virus in dogs, and feline herpes virus and Feline calicivirus in cats, are environmental and airborne diseases. This means the diseases can be carried between our pets on clothing, footwear or in the environment. When visiting parks, going for walks and staying at boarding facilities this risk of our pets catching a disease increases.
Vaccinations save money! – Anything that saves money is great, right?! Vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of treatment for the disease they prevent.
Boarding – If you ever plan to board your furry companions, they must be up to date with vaccinations – what would happen if you had a family emergency and boarding was the only option? Remember - A minimum of 2 weeks after vaccinations is what is needed to ensure your pet is covered before placing your pet into boarding.
Vet clinic overnight stays - When our pets are sick, their immune system may be compromised.
- Parasite Prevention
The next thing to ask yourself is “is my pet covered for fleas and worms?” This is something we all can forget to keep on top of, but luckily it can be easily sorted out. All intestinal worm and flea treatments can be purchased over the counter without having to have a consultation. There are many different products available too which means there’s bound to be a product that will suit your pet. One of our friendly nurses at reception can assist you with choosing the correct product.
Heartworm is not classified as an intestinal worm, but is indeed a parasite that shouldn’t be forgotten about. Many of the products cover heartworm, but there is also an injection available which can provide your pet with a 12-month coverage (once the initial course has been completed). With summer means more mosquitos, which are the vessels that transmit heartworm. So make sure the products cover for heartworm as well.
- Microchip
In case you have a new puppy or kitten or haven’t heard about the new laws in South Australia, there has been an update in the laws about pets and microchipping. As of 1 July 2018, all dogs and cats must be microchipped. The benefits of having your pet microchipped is they have a permanent form of ID, and if lost and brought into the clinic or found by the council, they can be simply scanned and have their owners located.
If you’ve read that and have started to panic because your pet isn’t microchipped- have no fear! Microchips can be implanted by our nurses, and it literally takes seconds to do. They do not require to have an anaesthetic, and are given lots of love and treats to distract them! The microchip is about the same size as a single granule of rice, so most pets barely know they are getting it done.
So there you go – make sure your pets are up to date with their Vaccinations and Parasite control before you head out on holidays or take them to their boarding kennels, and make sure that if they go with you they are microchipped in case they decide to go for a little vacation of their own! We want you to have a stress-free summer, in knowing that there’s a couple less things to worry about!