Veterinary News & Pet Care Advice - Page 23

Brentknoll Vets are now officially an accredited cat friendly clinic 

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) is the veterinary division of International Cat Care; they work with Veterinary staff to help improve the care that is provided for cats around the world through education, training and awareness.

One of the very best things you can do to give your cat a long and healthy life is to ensure that he or she is vaccinated against common and serious feline infectious diseases.

With major advances in treating pet diseases, oral disease - most importantly periodontal or gum disease caused by the build-up of plaque and tartar - has become the number-one health problem for cats. It's estimated that without proper dental care 70% of cats will show signs of oral disease by age three. With your help, your cat can have healthy teeth and gums throughout their lives.

The important thing to remember with pet insurance, is that animals are living things - they are not cars or household items. They are all individual, they are unpredictable and just because they're 'new and shiny' doesn't mean they can't 'break' or 'go wrong'.

Whilst you would assume lifetime cover will protect your pet throughout their whole life, we have sadly seen some pet owners get caught out by the small print.

Half price Microchipping throughout March 2016

What is microchipping?

• A small chip, the size of a grain of rice, is inserted between the shoulder blades of your pet using a sterile needle
• The procedure does not require an anaesthetic and is no more painful than a standard vaccination
• The chip is coated in a bio-compatible glass, the same material used in human pacemakers, which is not rejected by the animal's body
• The device fuses to the animal's bodily tissue, meaning it will not move around

Having your cat spayed or castrated not only helps solve the serious problem of a burgeoning population of unwanted cats but also makes for friendlier, easier-to-live-with pets.

Canine osteoarthritis

You may have noticed that your once bouncy canine companion isn't jumping for joy when you arrive home from work any more - we're sure they're still pleased to see you, but they may have developed a condition called osteoarthritis.

Planning for the arrival of a new kitten

Make sure you're ready for the arrival of your new kitten by 'pet proofing' your home. Have fun choosing a carrier, bed, blanket, litter tray, toys and other supplies before your new kitten enters your house for the first time.