Vaccination Amnesty

Vaccination Amnesty for your pet

Has your pet missed their booster this year?

Did you stop vaccinating after their puppy and kitten course?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to either of the above then you and your pet can take advantage of our Vaccination Amnesty Month.

During November Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates have joined forces with Merial, manufacturers of animal vaccines to offer a full restart course of your pet’s vaccinations for the same price as an annual booster.

This means a huge saving of 30% for both dogs and cats.

Why are boosters required?

The initial vaccines given to your puppies and kittens provide them with protection against diseases which can sometimes be fatal.

Over time this protection falls and their immunity levels need ‘topping up’ on a yearly basis by a booster vaccination. Your pet will also receive a full healthcheck at their annual booster appointment by your veterinary surgeon before they are vaccinated. This is the ideal time for them to have an ‘MOT’ to make sure that they are fit and healthy at least once a year.  It is a common misconception by pet owners that once your pet has had their initial vaccines they will be covered for life and regular boosters are unnecessary.

Why does my pet need to restart the course again?

When your pet was a puppy or kitten it was vaccinated twice with an interval of 2-4 weeks between injections. These injections were required to ensure a full immune response to all parts of the vaccine. If you do not come back for the annual boosters after this or if you leave it over 18 months after the last vaccination, the protection for some of the diseases may no longer be sufficient and a course of 2 vaccines is needed again to boost their immunity.

What is a Vaccination Amnesty?

At Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates we routinely send out reminders for your pets’ annual booster but we appreciate that they can arrive at busy times and sometimes they get forgotten.

A vaccination amnesty is a great way to bring your pet’s vaccination status up to date at a minimal cost to you.

This year there have been several outbreaks of Parvovirus in the area and we have treated several unvaccinated dogs which have not been able to fight the disease and sadly passed away. Had these dogs had their vaccinations their immune system would have been able to produce antibodies to help fight the disease which helps increase their chance of survival.

Don’t forget your cats!

Cats roam around large areas often coming into contact with other cats in the area which may not be vaccinated and carry diseases such as ‘cat flu’. By making sure your cat is kept up to date with their vaccines you can protect them from spreading this infectious disease.

 

To participate in the vaccination initiative, cats and dogs should not have been vaccinated for at least 18 months and must be at least 18 months old. This offer is only available throughout November.

Please contact your local branch of Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates to arrange an appointment.

 

 

 

 

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

You will be surprised to know that it is about the same price as a fancy sports car – about £30,000.  That’s how much a little puppy is probably going to cost you over its lifetime!

It’s easy to fool yourself that one more little addition to the family is not likely to make a big difference to the budget and when they arrive on your doorstep as a “free gift” (as they are inclined to do especially in the case of the adorable little kitten).  However when you think that the average cat and dog now lives to 12 years and beyond the costs really do add up!

Taking into account the cost of food, vet treatments, kennels, petminders, groomers, insurance and accessories the average cat is going to cost you in the region of £18,500 and a dog £30,500.

For pet owners all over the world we know the benefits of owning a pet are priceless but you need to bear in mind the financial commitment.

Given these facts here are our top tips for pet ownership:-

Get Pet Insurance – Please!

Almost half of the UK pet populations will need medical treatment this year – at an average cost of £220 each.  Getting pet insurance or putting money aside for a veterinary emergency treatment is very sensible.  Check out the insurance policy carefully as buying on price can be a very false economy as budget policies put limits on what the policy will pay out on.  You will get the best value from a lifetime policy where cover limits are renewed every year.

Insurance should be purchased as soon as you get your new pet as there will less likelihood of excluded pre-existing medical conditions.

Remember also that no policy will pay out on routine treatments such as vaccinations and worming, flea treatments or nail clipping.  There will also be an excess to be paid for each and every condition on which you make a claim.

Get your pet microchipped

Pets do go astray and a staggering 14,500 dogs with microchips were reunited with their owners via Dogs Trust alone.  Please make sure you spend the money having your pet microchipped.  All pets!

Introducing a new cat to existing pets

I was reading the other day an article in CP Clinic which is The Cats Protection journal for veterinary professionals.  I think you will find it really useful if you are looking to introducing a new cat to your family.

What we know in practice is that in spite of best efforts to introduce a cat to a new home not every feline adoption is successful.

So first of all let’s consider the social behaviour of cats and why cat-to-cat introductions can led to aggression.  The domestic cat descended from the African wild cat and as a result of the environment in which the species lived and survived the ancestor of our cats did not develop the complex visual communication signals that are typical of more social animals.  Domestic cats have limited ability to show visual signalling which makes it difficult for them to communicate their state or interpret the signals of others.  Despite this, cats can live together very successfully.

Here are our tips:-

• The new cat should be provided with his own room, food, water and a litter tray and somewhere to hid – an upturned box or under the bed.  The room chosen should not be in an area where any existing cats currently spend their time.  The use of a Feliway diffuser may be useful in reducing anxiety.
• Initial introductions can be made a feeding time as cats form social bonds best around this time.  Position food bowls as far away as possible from each other.  Choose somewhere where either cat can escape to another room, get behind furniture or jummp up high if it wants to.  After feeding they should be separated again.
• Continue to feed the cats together and gradually start increasing the time during which they have visual contact but fussing with or playing with them for a short time so that their attention is on you, before the food is put down.  If this is tolerated move the bowls closer together very slowly as they become more comfortable with one another
• Once the cats are relaxed while feeding start including periods of time where the cats are not distracted by playing or fussing.  The aim is for the cats to associate each other with pleasant occurrences, not shouting or chasing
• Be prepared to be patient.  Should there be any violent reaction the casts should be separated immediately and the programme should go back a step.

The points to remember are:

• froma cat’s point of view another cat poses a threat to their food and other resources.  To reduce this feeling of competition, both cats should be provided with plenty of placed to sleep, eat, drink and toilet that can be reached without having to pass one another
• Cats should be given the option to avoid each other.  Cardboard boxes to hide in or empty shelves to hop on are ideal.
• Although a cat may have lived with another cat in the past this does not mean that he will tolerate a new cat immediately – each relationship is specific to the individuals.
• Cats may choose to live in different parts of the house. If this is an acceptable realtionship to them and neither cat seems to be suffering and you as the owner are ok with it the provided each cat has its own resources all should be fine.

With thanks to The Cats Protection League and Author Gemma Lovegrove.

The Cats Protection Legue have a range of free leaflets available at www.cats.org.uk where they can be downloaded.

Don’t forget we are here to help you every step of the way – just contact the practice and let us work with you to settle in your new family member!

www.cinqueportsvets.co.uk

Summer Horse Health Evening

First Aid – Show Ring Prep – Nutrition

We are holding an evening of talks and demonstrations at our clilnic in Milbourn Equine Clinic in Ashford on Wednesday 23rd June 2010.

Guest speakers are Lizzie Drury from Saracen horse feeds who will be talking about condition and nutrition and Amanda Lamb who will be lending some of her great practical knowledge or show craft.  There will also be some really useful basic equine first aid tips from our veterinary surgeons.

Refreshments and some fantastic raffle prizes are kindly sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds including the top prize – a day at an international competition yard!

We look forward to meeting you but as numbers are limited please RSVP to 01233 500505 to confirm your place.

Wye Branch Opened

We are delighted to announce that you can now bring your pets to our new branch at Wye.

Our address is Wye Veterinary Surgery 5A Oxenturn Road Wye Kent TN25 5BH  Telephone 01233 813003

We consult between 9.00 a.m. - 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9.00 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. on Saturday.

Our 24 Hour Emergency Services is at our Kingsnorth Branch –  Ashford

Kingsnorth Ashford Kent TN23 3EA Telephone 01233 640022

Welcome to our Blog

Welcome to our blog where we will be sharing news and views about your pets and horses because we care about them as much as you do.

We would love your comments and to know what you would like us to bring you information on so please tell us.

We have set up our own community page on Facebook – Cinque Ports Vets Cares  and we hope you will share your photos, videos and stories with us there too – you will need a Facebook account to do this.

You can also Tweet with us on Twitter 

Rita Dingwall  Practice Manager