The Seven Steps To Preventative Healthcare
Blood Screening
Microchipping
1. HEALTH CHECKS
"Regular health checks are vital for your pet's health and well being"
- Health checks are the cornerstone of preventative health care
- We will examine your pet from nose to tail and will look for signs of illness or disease
- Prompt recognition and early treatment of diseases improve survival rates.
- We will discuss and recommend a preventative health care plan if appropriate
- We will help you understand the true, complete health status of your pet and what you need to do to ensure the longest and best life possible
- Health checks are tailored to the specific age of your pet, for example, it is recommended a blood screen is carried out for pets in their golden years to identify latent problems that increase in likelyhood with age.
Return To Top
2. NUTRITION
"For the overall health and well being of your pet, it is critical they receive an appropriate diet"
- The type of food your pet eats has a dramatic effect on coat, skin, activity level, stool quality and volume, and overall health
- An appropriate diet will assist in preventing illnesses and diseases such as peridontal (dental) disease, kidney and liver disorders, and obesity which is linked to heart disease
- We strongly recommend that you feed your pet Complete Diet 'dry food' that contains all the nutrition your pet needs
- Your pet's diet should be tailored for the different needs your pet requires for each development stage of its life
- As complete diets are 'packed' with all the nutrition your pet needs, daily feeding costs are less than supermarket foods.
Return To Top
3. WORM CONTROL
"It is important for your pet to be free from parasites such as worms"
- Worms cause irritations that can make a pet feel very uncomfortable
- Worm infestation may lead to further complications including vomiting, abdominal pain, severe weight loss and anaemia
- A child's health can be jeopardised if the child comes into contact with worm eggs
- Regular treatment utilising proven and safe methods of worm control will free your pet from worm infestations
- The most appropriate method of parasite control depends upon each pet’s individual circumstances. We recommend worming every 3 months, monthly for high risk and 6 monthly for low risk categories.
Return To Top
4. FLEA CONTROL
“It is important for your pet to be free from parasites such as fleas.”
- Fleas cause irritations that can make a pet feel very uncomfortable
- Flea infestations may lead to further complications such as severe skin allergies
- Fleas act as a host for tapeworm
- Regular treatment utilising proven and safe methods of flea control will free your pet from flea infestations
- It is also important to control your pet’s immediate environment to ensure a successful flea treatment programme
- The most appropriate method of parasite control depends upon each pet’s individual circumstances.
Return To Top
5. SPAYING/NEUTERING
“Spaying and neutering brings your pet health and behavioural benefits.”
- Spaying or neutering helps prevent many life threatening diseases and can head off some irritating behavioural patterns
- Spayed pets are at lower risk for ovarian cancers and cysts, mammary gland tumours and uterine infections
- Neutered males are less susceptible to prostate disease and testicular cancer
- Spayed or neutered pets are less likely to act aggressively or wander away from home
- Unless you intend to breed, it is highly recommend that you spay or neuter your pet by six months of age
- Common myths dispelled: your pet will not get fat; females do not need a season before being spayed; and your male pet will still be a man.
Return To Top
6. DENTAL CARE
“A healthy mouth and teeth forms part of the overall health and well being of your pet.”
How does dental care
affect my pet?
8 out of 10 dogs and
cats over the age of three years require some form of dental
treatment.
Tartar and Gingivitis
(inflammation of the gums) can lead to loose and painful teeth
and bad
breath. Also,
bacteria from lack of teeth and gum quality can effect other
organs in the body
such as the heart, liver
and kidneys.
Preventative Care
Our focus is to set
out an effective preventative treatment plan (Home Care) with the intention
of minimising the amount
of treatment or surgical intervention required. Quality Home Care,
both before and after
treatment can delay or prevent further disease.
Grading System - Making It Easier To
Understand
Your pets teeth are
graded from level I to IV. Teeth at Grade I display early signs of
gingivitis,
a degree of straining on
the teeth and some discolour of the gums.
Grading increases
according to the condition of the teeth and gums up to Grade IV, which
involves significant
inflammation and swelling of the gums, bone loss around the teeth, tooth
mobility, significant
pain and systemic cascade of bacterial infection. For simplicity, if your
pet needs dental
treatment, there will be a set fee based upon the level of the Grade of teeth.
Treatment ranges from
nothing, to professional scale and polishing for Grade I to extractions
for Grade IV.
Nurse Clinics
Courtesy Nurse
Clinics are scheduled 5 - 7 days after any treatment to monitor progress and
set out an appropriate
Home Care plan. An additional courtesy Nurse Clinic is also offered
three months after
treatment, again to monitor progress and assist in acheiving a successful
Home Care treatment plan.
Even if your pet does not need any treatment, Dental Nurse
Clinics can provide
practical Home Care demonstrations for preventative care.
- Periodontal disease can cause painful tooth loss
- Periodontal disease can lead to poor general health and has been associated with liver, kidney and heart disease
- Dental care may increase a pet’s life expectancy by 10 to 20%
- Pets over the age of three are likely to require dental treatment
- You can assist in preventing illness and disease with some of the following preventative steps such as feeding Complete Diet ‘dry food’, brushing your pet’s teeth and giving dental treats/toys
- It is important that you monitor your pet’s health and examine your pet’s mouth and teeth at least once a month
- Signs of disease include red and swollen gums, foul odour and/or excessive drooling
- Brownish tartar may build up on your pet’s teeth with age, which should be eliminated.
Return To Top
7. INSURANCE
“Peace of mind when you need it.”
- Veterinary care costs can rapidly accumulate, especially when surgical procedures are involved and sometimes at the most inopportune moment
- Pet insurance involves the payment of monthly budgeted costs leaving you with peace of mind knowing that your dog can be afforded the best available treatment
- As with other insurance policies, excess payments are involved
- The quality of cover (types of expenses and period of time) and amount of excess differs between insurance companies and policies within each insurance company
- There are broadly three types of cover for a condition: cover for 12 months, cover for a fixed pound amount; and cover for life.
Return To Top
BLOOD SCREENING :
Wellness Screening - Blood Profiles
Prevention is better than cure .....
We can gain valuable information about your pet's health with just a few drops of blood.
Carrying out a wellness screen helps our pets live happier longer lives.
Pre-Anaesthetic Screening
Is carried out before surgery.
The information provided allows us to reduce the risk of surgery and anaesthesia.
Tests include liver and kidney function, organs which process anaesthetic gasses.
In some circumstances, surgery may be deferred whilst we address abnormalities discovered.
The results are also used as a 'base-line' reference which we can refer to later to allow faster, more accurate diagnosis
and treatment.
'Golden Years' Screening
Dogs and cats over 7 years of age are regarded as being in their golden years - old age pensioners.
Golden years screening allows us to detect diseases before symptoms appear.
By the time symptoms appear, in many diseases much of the damage has already been inflicted.
Early detection allows us to take preventative action, for example a prescription diet.
Preventative action makes for happier and healthier pets, and usually with less expense for you.
Geriatric screening can be carried out during your annual health check.
Peace Of Mind Screening
Even in younger pets it is possible to carry out a screen.
This provides you with 'inside knowledge' giving you a better understanding of the health status of your pet.
The results are also used as a 'base-line' reference which we can refer to later to allow faster, more accurate diagnosis
and treatment.
What Tests Are Carried Out?
There are two basic types of test we carry out:
Blood Chemistry
Provides an insight into your pet's vital organs such as kidneys and liver.
This helps us determine if such organs are functioning correctly.
Haematology
Provides an insight into the blood itself.
Amongst other things, this helps us determine:
The ability of your pet to carry oxygen around the body (red blood cells)
The ability of your pet's primary means of fighting an infection (white blood cells)
The clotting factors of your pet's blood (platelets)
What Do The Tests Mean?
Albumin (ALB) Is a kind of protein, reduced levels may point to liver or kidney disease.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) An enzyme produced by the liver. High levels may indicate liver disease or Cushing’s syndrome.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Is produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys, High levels indicate the liver and/or kidneys are not working correctly.
Calcium (Ca) High levels may indicate certain types of tumours, parathyroid or kidney disease.
Creatinine (CREA) Is a muscle metabolism byproduct. High levels may indicate incorrect kidney function or urinary disorder.
Blood Glucose (GLU) Is the main energy source for the body. High levels may help diagnose diabetes, low levels may indicate liver disease.
Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) / Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) High levels of this enzyme indicate liver disease.
Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Is released into the blood stream by damaged or destroyed cells.
Total Bilirubin (T-Bil) Is an element of bile secreted by the liver into the intestinal tract. Helps identify bile duct problems.
Total Protein (T-Pro) can indicate dehydration, liver, kidney or gastro disorders.
Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride) are controlled by the kidneys. Levels help evaluate vomiting, diarrhoea and heart problems.
Haematocrit (HCT) or Packed Cell Volume (PCV) is the percentage of red blood cells in the blood. Low readings indicate anaemia, high levels indicate dehydration.
Red Blood Cells (RBC) carry oxygen to the body’s tissue and carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Low levels indicate anaemia.
White Bloods Cells (WBC) Higher levels indicate an infection. Low levels may indicate a suppressed immune system or an inability to fight off infections.
Return To Top
MICROCHIPPING:
What is it?
It is about the size of a grain of rice and stores a unique identification number. The microchip is inserted in between your pet’s shoulder blades. A scanner waved over the microchip reveals the microchip number
Why do it?
Once microchipped, your name and address is entered along with the microchip number onto a national database. If your pet is subsequently lost or stolen, a scanner passed over the implanted microchip will reveal the number. The database is checked for that number and your details are provided which allows you to be contacted
Bio-Therm Microchipping?
A new innovation is a microchip that also contains an inbuilt thermometer. This allows your pet’s temperature to be taken by merely waving the scanner over the microchip, removing any stress caused when putting a thermometer up your pet’s bottom.
Return To Top 
