News from Williamstown Veterinary Centre

This pet care plan is designed to help you provide your dog or cat with excellent health care over the course of his or her lifetime.

The 10 Step Pet Plan provides you with a comprehensive checklist in some of the key areas of veterinary healthcare.

We also have a wide range of informative handouts available to you on related animal healthcare topics should you require further information.


THE TEN STEPS

Step One -  Vaccinations & Health Examinations
Puppies and kittens require a course of vaccinations to provide complete protection from diseases, followed by annual vaccination ‘boosters’ for the whole of their life.  Senior pets benefit from more frequent examinations to monitor and detect changes associated with aging.

Step Two - Intestinal Worming
Intestinal worms can cause illness in cats and dogs.  They can also pose a threat to children as well as adults.  Regular 3 monthly intestinal worming is strongly advised.

Step Three - Heartworm Prevention           
Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes and is a high risk, potentially fatal disease for dogs.  Heartworm is preventable in both felines  and canines but is only treatable in dogs.

Step Four - Flea Control              
Fleas are the most common cause of skin problems in our pets.  Female fleas can lay up to 2000 eggs in their short lifetime. If left unchecked, this will result in a very rapid population explosion.

Step Five - Blood Screening                
It is very important to know how healthy your pet is inside and out. That is why we recommend blood testing especially for any animal undergoing anesthesia. Yearly checks for our senior pets help with early diagnoses for many diseases.

Step Six  - Microchipping                 
Microchips provide a permanent form of identification for your pet.  Should you and your pet become separated, microchipping is your best chance of being reunited.  In May 2007 it became a legal
requirement of pet ownership in Victoria, that all new and or re-registered pets be microchipped.  Microchipping is quick and safe.

Step Seven - Nutrition                  
Premium, lifestage-appropriate pet nutrition is essential in helping your pet lead a happy, healthy life.  The quality and control of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, antioxidants, salts and minerals has numerous long term benefits for your pet.

Step Eight - Dental Hygiene
Unlike humans, our pets can not clean their own teeth.  Without attention to dental hygiene, tartar will build up and cause dentaldisease, which leads to bad breath and tooth loss.  Speak to our Nurses about a free dental check.

Step Nine  - Desexing
We recommend desexing your pet for a wide variety of reasons: to help reduce dominance and aggression behaviours, roaming and associated injury or loss, as well as inappropriate urination. Another great benefit of desexing your pet is the reduction of associated cancers and medical conditions.

Step Ten - Socialisation, Training & Responsibility
Puppy pre-school, obedience training, regular exercise, appropriate containment, microchipping and registration are all key points to be adhered to by dog owners.  Cats should ideally be indoors or housed in outdoor enclosures.  If cats are free to roam, they most certainly should be indoors by dusk. Remember Pet Insurance is available and can be helpful with unexpected vet fees. 

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