Helpful Information

VACCINATIONS

Puppies

We like to start vaccinations at eight weeks of age (though it can be started at 6 weeks), with a second dose given at 10 weeks. The fee for the course not only includes the vaccinations but also an “adolescent check” two months later, as well as worming on all three occasions. An annual booster is required, although not all the vaccine fractions will need to be boosted every year. Kennel Cough may be performed at the same time as other vaccinations

Your puppy will be immune from a week after the second dose and can then join training or socialisation classes. It is important that this is started as early as possible in the puppy’s life – it can save a lot of heartache for you and increase your dog’s enjoyment of life when he can play happily with other dogs and people.

Kittens

This can be started from nine weeks of age, with the second injection at twelve weeks. Your kitten should be kept inside until one week after the second vaccination to allow the immunity to develop properly before any exposure to infection. We recommend vaccination against Cat Flu, Feline Enteritis, and Feline Leukaemia,

Rabbits

Your rabbit should be vaccinated from six weeks of age against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD). Initially these two vaccines are usually given one week apart. Myxomatosis vaccination should be repeated six-monthly, and VHD every year

NEUTERING

Dogs

Benefits of neutering males (castration) – from 6 months of age:

• Stops him roaming

• Reduces sexual behaviour such as mating cushions, table legs or people’s legs!

• Reduces aggression and frequent leg-cocking

• Avoids prostate problems later in life

Benefits of speying females (ovario-hysterectomy) – our policy is preferably after their first season.

• Prevents her coming into season stopping 3 weeks, twice a year of worry for the owner and restriction on the lifestyle of your pet

• Eliminates the risk of uterine problems such as pyometra later in life

• Reduces the risk of mammary cancer

Cats

We recommend neutering from five and a half months of age in both males (castration) and females (speying).

Males

• Less likely to roam

• Less aggressive

• Less smelly!

• Less likely to develop annoying and destructive tom-cat habits such as urine spraying

Females

• No unwanted pregnancies

• No unwelcome attention and urine-spraying by local tom cats

Rabbits

This can be done from 4 months of age and avoids unwanted litters. It also stops fighting in male rabbits. In females it stops nest building due to false pregnancy and removes any risk of ovarian cancer later in life.

Microchipping

Microchipping is a permanent means of marking your pet with a unique number that is logged on a national database along with your contact details. This ensures the best chance of you being reunited with your pet should they be lost or stolen.

Microchipping is now a legal requirement if you are taking your Pet abroad and is also compulsory for the British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club Hip & Elbow dysplasia shemes as well as the Animal Health Trust’s Genetic testing.

Pet Passports

If you're planning a trip, a pet passport will give you the freedom to take your pet to any European country, the United States, and Canada with no quarantine upon returning home. It is easier to travel overland/by ferry or channel tunnel than it is by air as rentry to the UK by air is only permitted with specific airlines flying to specific UK destinations. This vary and should always be checked on the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk before booking. A number of commercial pet travel companies offer services to faciltate this but do remember that travel by air can end up being very expensive.

Prepare in advance because you will not be able to take your pet abroad for a least 21 days after the initial rabies vaccination. A blood test is no longer required but the following are essential.

1. Microchipping

2. Rabies Vaccination

3. A 21 day interval before travelling

4. Completion of a Passport by your Veterinary Surgeon.