On this page, we've put together the most important pet care tips we think pet owners should know. We are committed to keeping your pets happy and healthy so they can stay with us longer.
We've put together the most important pet care tips we think pet owners should know. We are committed to keeping your pets happy and healthy so they can stay with us longer.
So, your pet's just had their last baby vaccination... What's next?
So, your pet's just had their last baby vaccination... What's next?
What kind of pet do you have?
Dogs
Your puppy's final puppy vaccination is typically given when they are about 4 months old. After this, we often feel a little confused about what the next steps are.
Sterilisation
We recommend sterilising all male and female non-breeding animals at the appropriate age.
The appropriate age for sterilisation or castration depends on:
- Breed/size
- Gender
- General health status
- Predisposition to certain health issues
- Behavioural conditions
Basically - the bigger the dog, the later we recommend sterilising and castrating them. Recent literature suggests that dogs seem to benefit from being sterilised later rather than earlier. But, as with most things in life, both waiting longer, and sterilising earlier have pros and cons.
* It's important to note that suggested ages for sterilisation are just that, suggested. Each animal is different and their appropriate age for sterilisation should be approached uniquely.
Ultimately, the appropriate age to sterilise your pet should be decided between you and your veterinarian.
A decision needs to be made on which of the diseases you as pet owner are happier to deal with: Cancers and potential life-threatening infections, or arthritic issues in larger breeds.
Nutrition
As your puppy ages, their nutritional needs change. It's very important that dogs are fed a nutritionally balanced diet that is formulated for their specific breed, size and life stage.
Different breeds have different nutritional requirements.
Large breed puppies must only be fed a large breed puppy diet!
If large breed puppies are fed an incorrectly balanced diet, they will suffer with skeletal/growth deformities.
DO NOT ADD EXTRA CALCIUM TO YOUR LARGE BREED PUPPY'S DIET!
If your pet is on a correctly formulated diet, they should not require any nutritional supplements.
When is my puppy considered an adult?
Depending on breed/size, puppies are considered adults around the 12 - 24 month mark. The larger the breed, the longer they take to mature.
It is important to change adult dogs onto an adult maintenance diet to control their weight and maintain good body condition.
Check out this nifty growth chart we've created to help you keep track of your pet's growth.
Tick and Flea Prevention
Tick and flea prevention forms part of your dog's preventative healthcare plan just like vaccinations.
There are many different products on the market that are safe for your pup.
We recommend monthly or three-monthly treatment (depending on which product you choose to use.)
IMPORTANT - Ticks and fleas aren't just a seasonal problem. Pets can become infected with potentially fatal tick-borne diseases even in winter. Ticks and fleas are always present in the environment, and pose a continuous threat, even if you cannot see them.
Some of the best products include:
(Just click on the product for more information)
- Bravecto (3 month treatment)
- NexGard (1 month treatment) or NexGard Spectra (1 month treatment, including dewormer)
- Simparica (1 month treatment)
All these products have been proven safe under normal circumstances and in healthy patients.
For any more information or advice, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Deworming
Just like vaccinations and tick and flea prevention, deworming your pet on a regular basis is also considered a huge part of your pup's preventative care programme.
We recommend deworming your pet every 3 months (depending on their environmental exposure, it may be advised to deworm them more often).
Just because your pet is an indoor pet, or doesn't leave your yard, doesn't mean they don't need tick and flea prevention or deworming. External and internal parasites are present in any environment, and you can track them into your home on your shoes or clothes.
Here are some products we recommend and use in our hospital:
(Just clink on the product name for more information)
Puppy Training
We recommend starting your puppy's training as soon as they've settled into your home. They can learn basic commands like sit, stay, and come.
At this stage their potty training must begin, as well as crate training. They'll also start recognising their own name, and they'll become comfortable with the new routine that you've implemented. (Routines are very important to make your puppy feel comfortable and confident.)
It is very important that your puppy is socialised. Dogs that aren't socialised become fearful and aggressive. This makes managing them extremely difficult, and makes traveling and vet visits a nightmare.
Public training/puppy classes should commence once their puppy vaccination programme has been completed. This way they'll be protected against potential diseases that they can get from the public environment and their peers.
There are quite a few puppy schools around the Pietermaritzburg area. There is also a fantastic boarding school near Hillcrest.
Microchips
Having your pet microchipped is also highly recommended. Should your pet ever become lost, the chip can be scanned, and your information will be made available to registered professionals.
Microchips are not tracking chips. Their chip number is entirely unique. The chip must also be registered on the microchip database, otherwise it has no use.
This can be done at any age, but it's always nice to pair microchipping with their castration or sterilisation. (The needles are quite big...)
Check out this nifty chart we made to make your road to responsible pet parenting less daunting.
Cats
Your kittens's final kitten vaccination is typically given when they are about 4 months old. After this, we often feel a little confused about what the next steps are.
Sterilisation
We recommend sterilising all male and female non-breeding animals at the appropriate age. For cats, that's generally around the 6 month mark.
The appropriate age for sterilisation or castration depends on:
- General health status
- Predisposition to certain health issues
- Behavioural conditions
- Living conditions (feral/stray cats)
Cats are a little more straightforward when choosing the correct age for sterilisation. We usually recommend that they be sterilised or castrated at around 6 months. There are instances where larger cats are sterilised a little later than the norm.
* It's important to note that suggested ages for sterilisation are just that, suggested. Each animal is different and their appropriate age for sterilisation should be approached uniquely.
Ultimately, the appropriate age to sterilise your pet should be decided between you and your veterinarian.
A decision needs to be made on which of the diseases you as pet owner are happier to deal with.
Nutrition
As your kitten ages, their nutritional needs change. It's very important that cats are fed a nutritionally balanced diet that is formulated for their specific breed, size and life stage.
Different ages and breeds have different nutritional requirements.
CATS CANNOT BE VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN. Cats are obligate carnivores. Their bodies require certain amino acids, like taurine, that can only be found in animal protein. Cats cannot create taurine themselves.
If your cat is on a correctly formulated diet, they should not require any nutritional supplements.
It may be beneficial to add some wet food to your cat's diet. This aids in hydration (cats tend to drink very little water), and can positively affect urinary health.
Cat's must be encouraged to drink more water. They often enjoy running water, so getting your cat a water fountain or leaving a tap to drip a little bit may be a good way to increase their water intake.
When is my kitten considered an adult?
Depending on breed/size, kittens are generally considered adults around the 12 month mark. Some vets even suggest that the are considered adults once their hormones have settled after sterilisation, which is often closer to 67 - 8 months. The general thought is, the larger the cat, the longer they take to mature. But this is not an exact science.
It is important to change adult cats onto an adult maintenance diet to control their weight and maintain good body condition. This is especially important after they have been sterilised or castrated. Their metabolism does change slightly after sterilisation, opening a door for weight gain if their nutrition is not managed appropriately.
Check out this nifty growth chart we've created to help you keep track of your pet's growth.
Tick and Flea Prevention
Tick and flea prevention forms part of your cat's preventative healthcare plan just like vaccinations.
There are many different products on the market that are safe for your cat.
We recommend monthly or three-monthly treatment (depending on which product you choose to use.)
IMPORTANT - Ticks and fleas aren't just a seasonal problem. Pets can become infected with potentially fatal tick-borne diseases even in winter. Ticks and fleas are always present in the environment, and pose a continuous threat, even if you cannot see them.
Some of the best products include:
(Just click on the product for more information)
- Bravecto/Bravecto Plus(3 month treatment)
- NexGard Combo (1 month treatment)
All these products have been proven safe under normal circumstances and in healthy patients.
For any more information or advice, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Deworming
Just like vaccinations and tick and flea prevention, deworming your cat on a regular basis is also considered a huge part of their preventative care programme.
We recommend deworming your pet every 3 months (depending on their environmental exposure, it may be advised to deworm them more often).
Just because your pet is an indoor pet, or doesn't leave your yard, doesn't mean they don't need tick and flea prevention or deworming. External and internal parasites are present in any environment, and you can track them into your home on your shoes or clothes.
Here are some products we recommend and use in our hospital:
(Just clink on the product name for more information)
Microchips
Having your pet microchipped is also highly recommended. Should your pet ever become lost, the chip can be scanned, and your information will be made available to registered professionals.
Microchips are not tracking chips. Their chip number is entirely unique. The chip must also be registered on the microchip database, otherwise it has no use.
This can be done at any age, but it's always nice to pair microchipping with their castration or sterilisation. (The needles are quite big...)
Check out this nifty chart we made to make your road to responsible pet parenting less daunting.