Menu:


Pet Info

 





























Annual Health Check


Q: My pet acts just fine, why should I bother with an annual health check?

A:  Here are 4 good reasons!

1. Nature has taught dogs & cats to 'act' normal, even when they are sick. 
Think about it!  What happens to a dog or cat who 'acts' sick out in the wild?  Nothing good!  Examinations often find hidden problems in pets who seem just fine.

2. Unlike humans, your pet cannot tell you if they are not feeling 100%.
Your vet needs to find out by physically examing them, and performing blood screening tests if required, to access what's happening on the outside & inside.

3.  Pets age faster than people.
About 7 times faster in fact!  So an annual health check, is actually like checking your dog or cat once every 7 years.  And a lot can change in 7 years! Refer to the age chart below to see how old your pt really is.

4.  Our job is to help your pet stay happy, healthy, and pain free so that you can have them with you as long as possible.
Doing this requires that we catch problems early, and we can't do that without an exam!  Make an appointment for your pet's annual health check today!


Pet Age Chart
Click chart to view




 


Dental Check


Q: My pet acts just fine, why should I bother with a dental check?

A:  Pet's need dental care too!  Here are 4 good reasons why:

1. For the health of the pet. 
Oral care is necessary to provide optimal health and quality of life for your pet.  Diseases of the oral cavity, if left untreated can be very painful and may contribute to other local or systemic diseases.  Gingivitis is a reversible condition which can be treated.  But if left untreated it can progress to a more serious and irreversible condition; periodontitis.  The sooner we can treat dental disease, the better chance we will have of catching it before it develops to an irreversible stage.  Bacteria from the teeth and gums can also enter the blood stream and may travel to major organs and begin infection there.  Amoung organs most often affected are the heart, kidneys, and liver.

2. To treat any pre-existing conditions. 
It is important to understand that home dental care does not remove existing tartar, nor does it treat existing periodontal disease; therefore regular dental examinations and professional cleanings by your vet are still necessary.  If a home care routine is implemented at home without a vet check first, it may cause more pain and discomfort.  It is important that pre-existing dental problems and infection are treated and controlled as soon as they develop.

3. To continue to maintain optimal oral health after treatment. 
Dental checks by your vet every 3 - 6 months are extremely important in preventing & treating dental disease.  Plaque begins to form on a cleaned tooth surface within hours, so just because your pet has had a professional cleaning, it doesn't mean the problem will not reoccur if measures are not taken to prevent it.  Regular checks are essential to allow your vet to monitor the progress of you pet's preventative program, just as twice-a-year checks are important for people.  For pets who form tartar quickly, or those with a history of oral problems, frequent examinations and professional cleanings may be advised.

4. For cost-effectiveness. 
Keeping your pet's mouth healthy, and treating dental conditions before they become a serious problem, means your pet will require less professional cleanings under anaesthetic.  Once dental disease develops, it can progress quickly, so treating you pet's problems early can save you from spending on major dental work such as extractions and x-rays.

DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!  BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR PET'S DENTAL CHECK TODAY!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Puppy Care
 

  - Nutrition

For proper growth & development, puppies have special nutritional needs from weaning until skeletal maturity.  A complete and balanced healthy diet is important for:

 

 

 

▪ Safe & controlled growth
▪ Smooth skin & a glossy coat 

▪ Well-formed stools

▪ Healthy bone & joint development

▪ A strong immune system


   - Behaviour

Being a puppy is one of the most important stages in a dog’s life.  The 8 – 20 week period is the vital time to start training and socialising your puppy to ensure they develop into normal, friendly, and confident adults. 


To give your puppy the best start in life, enroll them into the East Bentleigh Animal Care Puppy Class Program.  Classes are held in a safe environment, where all attending puppies are vaccinated.



  - Vaccination 
Vaccination from 6 weeks of age is very important to protect your puppy from contracting a number of contagious diseases.  We recommend the following vaccination schedule for the best protection:

         1st Vaccine    6 - 9 weeks of age    
             2nd Vaccine    10 weeks of age

 

 

A booster vaccination once a year is usually required to maintain an optimal level of immunity. 


 

   - Microchipping  

Microchipping is a way of permanently identifying your puppy for life.  Collars and tags are useful but are frequently lost, become unreadable, or carry an old address.  Microchipping is performed by implanting a small chip under the skin between the shoulder blades.  This chip contains a unique code that is linked to a pet registry.  With a microchip, your pet can be identified anywhere in Australia, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

All dogs and cats MUST be microchipped before being registered with the local council at 3 months of age.

 

  - Heartworm

Heartworm is a serious disease which is transmitted by mosquitos.  It can be very difficult to treat and is often fatal, but the good news is it can be prevented!  The Proheart SR-12 Injection is administered at the following ages:

 

1st Dose      12 weeks of age

2nd Dose      6 months of age

3rd Dose      15 months of age

 

Booster doses will need to be given once a year to ensure continuous protection against heartworm.



 

  - Internal Parasite Control 

Dogs can suffer from a variety of intestinal worms including hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm & whipworm.  Worm infestations can lead to serious problems including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss, poor growth, lethargy, and anemia.

It is important to begin worming your puppy once every 2 weeks until 3 months of age.  Subsequent doses are required 3-monthly for life.



 

  - External Parasite Control 

 

Fleas can cause intense irritation and discomfort to dogs.  They can also infest the home, and bite humans too. As adults, females can lay 50 eggs per day and up to 5000 eggs in their lifetime.  Surprisingly 95% of your pet’s flea population lives in your house, while only 5% of the flea population is seen on your pet.  Because of this, it is important to treat the environment as well and not just the dog. 

 

Using a spot on product once a month will continue to break the flea cycle on your puppy, and also in their environment.  Regular cleaning such as vacuuming, washing your pet’s bed, mowing lawns, and raking leaf litter, will help by physically removing flea eggs and larvae from the environment.


 - Desexing

 

Desexing is a common surgical procedure performed under a general anaesthetic to make the dog infertile. There are numerous health and behavioural benefits of desexing, as females will no longer come into season, and males will be less likely to display hormonal related problem behaviour. 

 

Desexing is strongly recommended at 5 months of age, before sexual maturity.



 

   - Grooming  

Grooming is required for all dog breeds whether they are long, short, smooth, wiry, curly, or silky coated.  It is important to accustom your puppy to the routine of brushing, bathing, and the sound of the clippers from a younger age.  

Professional grooming is available at our clinic by appointment to encourage puppies to accept this type of handling.




 
 




Kitten Care


  - Nutrition

For proper growth & development, kittens have special nutritional needs from weaning until skeletal maturity.  A complete and balanced healthy diet is important for:

 

 

 

▪ Safe & controlled growth
▪ Smooth skin & a glossy coat 

▪ Well-formed stools

▪ Healthy bone & joint development

▪ A strong immune system


     - Behaviour

For a kitten to become a socially well adjusted cat they need plently of contact with people, other cats, and even animals such as the family dog from around 12 weeks of age.  It is important for socialisation sessions to occur in a safe and healthy environment, with other pets that are vaccinated and are in good health.

It is important never to hit or yell at your kitten.  A few quick squirts from a water spray bottle are more gentle, but still highly effective.  This can help you train your kitten not to jump on benchers or scratch the furniture.



  - Vaccination 
Vaccination from 6 weeks of age is very important to protect your kitten against several infectious diseases.  We recommend the following vaccination schedule for the best protection:

          1st Vaccine      6 weeks of age    
             2nd Vaccine    8 weeks of age
             3rd Vaccine    12 weeks of age

 

 

A booster vaccination once a year is usually required to maintain an optimal level of immunity.


 

   - Microchipping  

Microchipping is a way of permanently identifying your kitten for life.  Collars and tags are useful but are frequently lost, become unreadable, or carry an old address.  Microchipping is performed by implanting a small chip under the skin between the shoulder blades.  This chip contains a unique code that is linked to a pet registry.  With a microchip, your pet can be identified anywhere in Australia, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

All dogs and cats MUST be microchipped before being registered with the local council at 3 months of age.

 

  - Feline AIDS

Feline AIDS is caused by infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV),  potentially fatal viral disease which interferes with the immune system of a cat.  FIV is most commonly spread from cat to cat through bite wounds during fighting, so any cat allowed outside to mix with other cats is at risk.  Unfortunetly there is no treatment or cure  for an FIV infected cat, but there is a vaccine now available to help prevent FIV infection.

 

 

1st FIV Vaccine      8 weeks of age

2nd FIV Vaccine    10 weeks of age

3rd FIV Vaccine     12 weeks of age

 

 

Booster doses will need to be given once a year to ensure continuous prevention of FIV.



 

  - Internal Parasite Control 

Cats can suffer from a variety of intestinal worms including hookworm, roundworm & tapeworm.  Worm infestations can lead to serious problems including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss, poor growth, lethargy, and anemia.

It is important to begin worming your kitten once every 2 weeks until 3 months of age.  Subsequent doses are required 3-monthly for life.



 

 

 

  - External Parasite Control 

 

Fleas can cause intense irritation and discomfort to cats.  They can also infest the home, and bite humans too. As adults, females can lay 50 eggs per day and up to 5000 eggs in their lifetime.  Surprisingly 95% of your pet’s flea population lives in your house, while only 5% of the flea population is seen on your pet.  Because of this, it is important to treat the environment as well and not just the cat. 

 

 

Using a spot on product once a month will continue to break the flea cycle on your kitten, and also in their environment.  Regular cleaning such as vacuuming, washing your pet’s bed, mowing lawns, and raking leaf litter, will help by physically removing flea eggs and larvae from the environment.


 - Desexing

 

Desexing is a common surgical procedure performed under a general anaesthetic to make a cat infertile. There are numerous health and behavioural benefits of desexing, as females will no longer come into season, and males will be less likely to display hormonal related problem behaviour. 

 

 

Desexing is strongly recommended at 4 & 1/2 to 5 months of age, before the cat reaches sexual maturity.