As Fife’s only Veterinary Hospital I am sure you expect the highest standard of care for your loved one(s) each time you visit us, and we want to try and reduce the chance of them becoming ill in the first place! Modern veterinary care should mean that 85% of our work is in keeping pets healthy. For instance, we would prefer to supply you with the most effective flea treatment available, rather than treat your pet with a painful skin complaint later. So here is a brief list of some of the things that you can do for your pet. A list that we hope you will want to keep in order to remind you of what we can do to help you look after your pet.

Vaccination

Only half the dogs in Britain, and even fewer cats, are vaccinated. Sometimes this is due to financial reasons, but more often it is thought to be because of health scares in the NHS with children’s vaccination, or simple embarrassment at forgetting it for so long. We all live far busier lives than we did just a few years ago. As per recommendation, we vaccinate our clients pets yearly, but alternate certain components of it so that their immunity is only stimulated as many times as is necessary. If your pet is older, don’t think that it doesn’t need cover - this is the very time that their immunity is waning. Don’t forget rabbits either. They need to be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and HVD - please phone for details.

Worms

Milbemax is almost universally accepted currently as the best treatment available for round and tapeworms. It treats all the important species of worm and is cheaper than many lesser products. It is a small tablet that is easy to give. The British Veterinary Association recommend worming adult cats and dogs at least every 3 months, dependent on life style and area, a frequency endorsed by many councils for public hygiene reasons alone. To make your life easier we can remind you when the next dose is due.

Fleas

Any pet that is ever within about 6 feet of another, or has ever been where another infested animal has been, is at risk. A single flea can lay up to 2000 eggs and most drop off in your home! So if a pet is not treated regularly, it is not a question of if, but when will they suffer. They are no longer just a seasonal problem, and all year treatment is now recommended with very safe, efficient products available from us (the ordinary retail preparations can not always kill fleas fast enough to prevent viable flea eggs from being shed around the house).

Don’t forget a veterinary treatment is available to discourage fly strike in rabbits too.

Food

It is no surprise that pets need a good quality (the right nutrients in the right proportion), easily digestible diet like we do. Unfortunately, the regulation of pet food manufacturers is limited, & many are more concerned with the taste. They rely on the fact that if you see your pet tucking into it, then you will probably buy it again. But what do you prefer? A salad or a fish supper?! Most of us choose the latter because that is what we have been used to eating, and yet we also know that by eating more healthily, our food preferences can change for the better.

As a practice we only recommend Hills science plan for healthy pets. This company is well aware that early palatability issues are important, & has been working hard to improve this - so if you have not had success in the past, try it again and ask for advice on introducing it, or tell us your other concerns. They even have their own dedicated helpline (0800 282438) for this very kind of support. Because your pet won’t have to fight to get enough calories on this food (many other foods are packed out with cheap fibre), they don’t eat as much, so that daily costs are very reasonable for dogs & positively cheap for cats (about 23p/day)! It is convenient, its content doesn’t vary between tins or between bags, in the dry form it is very slow to spoil, and it comes with a 100% guarantee so that you can return it for a full refund in the unlikely event that it doesn’t suit.

For our part, if you are on our Fit For Life Health Plan, you will get a discount (5%) on all Hill’s Science Plan foods.

If your pet alternatively has a medical condition, there is usually a Hill’s ‘prescription’ food that will help. If these are going to make a real difference then the balance of the various nutrients often has to be significantly manipulated, and so these foods should only be used in conjunction with the advice of a vet. Be aware of the claims of some other companies that try and jump on the band wagon.

Neutering

Did you know that bitches that are spayed before their second season rarely get mammary gland tumours (breast cancer) or pyometras (womb infection) - both possibly fatal? They will live 2 years longer on average, and as they age approximately one year for every two months of our life, that means an extra 12 years in our terms!

If it is done early enough in male dogs it can prevent aggression, anal adenomas (tumours), testicular and prostatic cancers.

If your pet is on our Fit For Life Health Plan then you get a 10% discount on neutering and 50% discount on pre-op bloods and fluids when done at the time.

Micro-chipping

These can be injected under your loved one’s skin to give a permanent method of identification. Most organisations now scan pets that are lost, or they may be injured & taken to a vet who will scan them. They reveal a code number that allows the control centre to alert you of your loved one’s location. More valuable perhaps is that it may tell a vet treating them of the need for special medical treatment or care. It could be the best investment you ever made, and its cheap considering it guarantees somebody at the end of the head office telephone line for the rest of your pet’s life. To encourage you, we often have promotions, and if your pet is on our Fit For Life Health Plan then you will get a massive 30% discount off the normal price. It can be done at the time of an operation or in a routine appointment.

·      Will they pay your vet directly to save you the inconvenience of paying possibly a large sum up front and then having to wait to reclaim it?

·      Do they list their charges for different policies in black & white so that you can consider the best one for you?

Besides cats and dogs, insurance is available for rabbits and certain other animals.