Astonishing Secrets - Your New Puppy or Kitten

"You're a cutie"

Welcome to another Astonishing Secret, and this is the practical information you need to help you and your newest family member settle into a new routine.

Puppy licks and kitten purrs are what warms every vet's heart, as we are all driven by the love of our animals.  And everyone loves babies.... of any species.

But what is the most exciting part?  It isn't the puppy breath, the waggy tails, the play stance..... for me it is the knowledge that the future holds so many moments of  joy, companionship and fun times.

We know that many pet owners are choosing their new family pet from ads on gumtree, or pet rescue sites or other avenues on the internet.   And with that, comes a decision on whether they trust the seller's "vet check" of the puppy or not.  My take home message is -  by all means trust, in principle, the seller's vet check, but ALWAYS, for peace of mind, get your own thorough vet check too.

And this vet check should be within 24 hours of picking up your puppy.

What are the common problems we see in new puppies and kittens that are hidden by breeders or missed at the initial vet check?

• dental issues - we commonly see "base narrow canines" or mismatched jaws which cause problems.  This problem is on the increase, and many pets act in as if they are uncomfortable, making a thorough assessment difficult.

Protecting your pets against parasites also
protects your famiy too.

• ear mites - these are little creatures with hairs on their legs, which often causes intense itchiness around the head and neck area.  Many breeders treat with an anti-mite product, so the pet appears to be "mite free", and in some cases, we are seeing mite infected pets from a reputable breeder, because of drug resistance.

• coccidiosis and intestinal worms -  even in the best environments, the immature immune systems of the young ones make them more likely to be infected. 

• microchip mix - ups. What we mean here is that the microchip in the new baby, does not match the microchip number on the paperwork that has been handed to the new owner. It is easier to sort out before the papers have been sent to the government, rather than trying to fix up weeks later. One of the things we do at Russell Vale Animal Clinic is to "scan and check" every pet at every visit to check that everything is up to date.

• heart problems - it is well known that the most common age to diagnose a congenital heart problem is at 12 weeks of age, but many puppies or kittens will show problems at a younger age too.

• umbilical hernias - the little "cysts" on the tummy which can come and go. They may seem normal to breeders as they are common, but they are not normal.

Of course, there are many things that our puppies and kittens can get that I haven't listed... that is why a vet check within a day of getting your new baby is sooo important.   After all, after spending many hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on your little baby, what difference does spending $50 or $60 make (depending on where you go)

At Russell Vale Animal Clinic, from Dec 2013 to Dec 2014, we will be introducing something new.

 It is a trial, and it is up to you on whether it is something that is worthwhile keeping.

For puppies or kittens less than 16 weeks old...

• all pets acquired from a breeder where the puppies parents have been sighted, a complete vaccination certificate, AND a veterinary health certificate has been issued..... the vet check is FREE.

• all pets acquired from the RSPCA or another registered pet rescue organisation, with a complete vaccination certificate ..... the vet check is FREE.

Our normal puppy/kitten check price is $60, which is a comprehensive physical examination, as well as a complete assessment of your pet's preventative healthcare - such as vaccinations, heartworm prevention, intestinal worming, microchipping information, dental care, what to eat, how to care for them the first few nights, and much much more! It takes about 40 minutes not including your registration time, so it is a very comprehensive and thorough check.  Tests such as skin scrapes or ear swabs are included also (normally $40 each).  But if your pet is acquired through the above places, then your first vet check with your new puppy or kitten is free.

We do not support puppy mills or backyard breeders who do not care for their pets at all.  Often these are sold through pet shops or online.   But these are the ones that definitely need the vet check ups.  These vet checks are at the usual price of $60.

 

Your new pet checklist

• The paperwork you should get includes

• Vaccination Certificate
• Any genetic tests/checks done on the parents
• Any hip/elbow/eye scoring tests done on the parents
• A recent (no more than 5 days old) Veterinary Health Examination Certificate
• Microchip Certificate of Identification in your name (within 7 days of your pet joining your family) and a Copy of the Change of Owner form (for your peace of mind)

• Make a list of when your pet is due for their next

• intestinal worming
• Heartworm prevention
• flea control
• vaccination

• The usual bedding, collar, tag, kennel, toys

• As there is a waiting period on pet insurance, get it early - some vets, like us, offer 4 weeks free pet insurance, but we do need to examine your pet first before we can activate your complimentary months pet health cover with PetPlan.

Congratulations on the newest member of your family - we look forward to being part of it all with you and your pet.

Questions?  Why not ask us at Russell Vale Animal Clinic.  Email us or call us on 42 845 988

Obsession with Pet's Body Image

As I was trawling through the net, trying to get inspiration for my next Animail Tails, my monthly e-news, I decided I would do a focus on pet obesity.

Going through google images of all that is out there about this very serious topic, it made me realise that what I was looking at recommending, in terms of the perfect body shape for your pet, could be paralleled into the body obsession of our  human world - the desire for the perfect body.

I began to feel really awful, as we shouldn't be obsessed about how we look, and we shouldn't be aiming for perfection, because each of us are already perfect, in our own unique way.  We should look at our pets in the exact same way - they are already perfect.

We should be sensible about our body weight, knowing the risks that come from carrying more kilos than you should, whether you have four legs or two.

Lily loves to jump on our scales
as she smiles for the camera.

At Russell Vale Animal Clinic, we weigh pets at every visit, and we print off weight charts also. We use this information, as well as examining your pet, to check their Body Condition Score (BCS).  We start this from the first visit.

Fortunately, most of my pets I have known since puppyhood/kittenhood, so if their weight starts to creep up, as it does when they are 2-3 years of age, then we can make helpful suggestions (or Dirk can do the guilt trip speech) to get them down a bit.

It is harder when I see an adult overweight pet for the first time.  My own GP once asked me do I talk to my own pet owners about their obese pet.  "Of course I do I said.  I am not oblivious to the risks of obesity."


Obsession with a pet's body image is wrong, but being diligent in maintaining a healthy weight range is absolutely the right thing to do.  We always go back to what is the healthy weight range for each individual pet, and aim to keep them there from year to year.

Overweight pets are prone to a wide range of health problems, such as

• Skin problems - overweight pets often have fat folds in front of their necks or at the base of their tail, these areas can sweat and become infected causing skin fold pyodermas
• Heart disease - the heart needs to work harder to pump blood around. It is only when the heart starts to fail that you may see signs, such as coughing, difficulty in exercising, gagging whilst drinking, and poor appetite.
• Arthritis and other joint disorders - as expected, the joints will suffer increased "wear and tear" as a result of the overuse
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Please monitor your pet's weight each year, and don't spoil them to the point of obesity. 
  I am Dr Liz, and I am for happy, healthy pets.... always.
  
  

Musings of Dr Liz - Pet Owner? Carer? Pet Parent?

Welcome to another one of my musings, but this is one in which I really do need your help to come up with the most sensible answer.

"And whose family do you
belong to? Are you a
child or a pet or both?"

Recently, I read a blog by a much older, more experienced, and overall, very funny veterinarian where he talked about pet parents, pet guardians, pet owners. And it got me thinking (which is awfully hard to do on a Sunday morning, trust me).

I write alot about loving pet owners.... and for me, the important part is the "loving" part, not the "owner" part.  I will admit that I never thought about whether I should use "pet parent" instead, and what you, as loving owners/parents/carers/guardians of those happy smiling animals around you, actually think of it all. Would it make a difference to the overall gist of what I write, and about the relationship you have with your pet if I used a different phrase?

Should we even be using the word "pet" and choosing something else?

At Russell Vale Animal Clinic,  we usually refer ourselves as Auntie Liz (Dr Liz to you humans),

Uncle Dirk, goofing around with Benji (2008)

and Uncle Dirk (Dirk), as it gives us leeway to spoil our visiting pets as much as we can.  But then, I know some people who are attached to the leads of these animals, look at us as if we are mad (and they are right, we are).  My madness hurts no one, my pets gets lots of treats, and actually start to enjoy a vet visit - as who doesn't enjoy a visit with their Auntie or Uncle, and getting spoilt?

The problem lies in that some people think of these terms in the literal sense - so calling yourself a pet Auntie or Uncle is, well (hopefully) not literally true.  But is there a problem in using this phrase?   I don't think so. Or I should say, I hope not, as I often refer to pet parents as Mum and Dad too during the check ups, and talk about sisters etc.

"Family means everything"

The absolutely single most important thing is the relationship, the friendship, the love and respect between kindred animal spirits - human, animal - it is unique for every single one of us. 

Some, like you and me, feel in our bones our connection with animals. It is such a part of us, that the phrases don't matter, as the relationship is at a significantly deeper level... A spiritual connection of kindred or like minded spirits.

As a loving pet owner, the connection is one of kindred spirits. When one half  is absent, the heart feels incomplete. Your thoughts are where they are, and what they are doing. When one half dies, it is a painful, deeply felt loss.  In my head, when I think of people who feel like this about their furry family members,  I write of them as my "loving pet owners".   And in the consultation room,  I think of them as pet parents (the mums, dads, sisters, cousins, grandparents etc, depending on who is the room at the time).  But the relationship is the same.

How do you think about your relationship with your furry family member?  What phrases do you read about that make you feel squirmy, and what phrases do you read that makes you say "yep, that describes me exactly" when it comes to describing your relationship with your pet?

As I am more in tune with animals than I am with people, I really need your help here, so at least I can get it half right with you.

I am Dr Liz, and I am the vet at Russell Vale Animal Clinic. We absolutely love animals, and we are thankful that they (mostly) love us too.