Common Questions From Our Customers

Veterinary clinics provide a range of high-quality services to meet the health and wellbeing needs of your pet. Taking your pet to the vet regularly is essential at every stage of their life. Whether it be for preventative health, general care, vaccinations or emergency vet care, our clinics are committed to taking loving care of your pet.

At Vetmed, we have a range of services to provide the best care possible care for your pets. The 5 main things our veterinarians do are:

1. Preventative Health Consultations: tailored for your pets lifestage
2. Pet Vaccinations: specific for the area you live and risk your pet may face
3. Innovative specialised surgical procedures: endoscopy, bronchoscopy and advance orthopaedics
4. Pet de-sexing: including minimally invasive desexing
5. Boarding and grooming

Vaccinations are an important way of safely and effectively protecting your pet from several serious diseases. The C5 vaccination is highly recommended for all Australian dogs, as it protects against:

• Parvovirus
• Distemper
• Infectious canine hepatitis
• Canine cough – including Parainfluenza virus and Bordetella bacteria
• In addition we have Leptospirosis vaccinations and Rabies Vaccinations for those pets that are at risk

Your pets are assessed each year with a health check and an evaluation is made to determine the frequency of vaccinations. This takes in to account risk factors of exposure, travel requirements and your pets underlying health. It is particularly important to make sure new puppies and kittens are fully vaccinated, as their immune systems are still developing.
Vaccinations are required:
• 6 to 8 weeks of age
• 12 weeks of age
• 16 weeks of age
• then Annually or Triannually for the rest of their life

The immune systems of new puppies take time to develop as they grow. During this growth phase, puppies require frequent visits to the vet for their early vaccinations. Once these initial vaccinations are done, our pets require an annual vaccination visit for the remainder of their lives.

There are 3 vaccines commonly known as “core” vaccinations to protect your dog and 2 for cats.
Dogs
The C3 vaccine protects against parvovirus, distemper, and hepatitis. The C4 vaccine also protects against parainfluenza, while C5 protects against all the above as well as Bordetella bacteria.
Generally, the C3 vaccine is given to your puppy at 6 to 8 weeks of age, all other future vaccinations will be C5.
Cats
The F3 vaccine protects your cat against both enteritis and cat flu (rhinotracheitis and calicivirus). The FIV vaccine protects your cat from feline aids virus.

At Vedmed we offer innovative specialised surgical procedures for your pets.
Orthopaedic surgery is typically performed to treat conditions such as:

• Fractures of bones
• Dislocated kneecap or Pateller Luxation
• Cranial cruciate ligament rupture

Minimal invasive surgery is used to visualise, diagnose, and treat joint disease as well as to view internal organs and treat certain abdominal conditions. These procedures are performed through tiny incisions ensuring less pain for your pet.
Dental procedures such as extractions, oral tumor removal, jaw fracture management and fillings are also a common surgery that might be required by your pet.

Your pet will require lots of love and care following their surgery. Our top tips for post-surgery care include:

• Make sure your pet is warm and comfortable.
• Offer small amounts of food and plenty of water, unless otherwise advised by your veterinarian. Generally, meals can return to normal the day after surgery.
• Keep any wounds clean and dry and check for any signs of odour, heat or swelling.
• Ensure any post operative medications are administered as directed.
• Keep any exercise to a minimum; following your vets instructions.
• Watch out of any signs of vomiting, bleeding, and swelling.
• Make an appointment for a follow-up visit.

Preparing your pet for boarding is especially important to ensure a stress-free experience for you and your pet. Here are a few tips to help you get your dog ready for boarding:

• Talk to our staff about your pets normal eating habits.
• Take your pet on a big walk before your drop off to so they have burned off all their excess energy
• Drop off any necessary medications making sure everything is clearly labeled with instructions
• Stay positive and make a quick departure after your drop off.

Lots of things make animals itch. The number one culprit is the flea! If your pet isn’t current on flea preventive or is particularly sensitive to fleas, this can cause severe itching and discomfort and sometimes you won’t even see the little things!! Often the issue goes beyond fleas and involves food or environmental allergies. To determine the real cause of the problem it is recommended you speak to your vet. They can perform small skin tests to figure out the cause and start a plan of action

This is a common trend with cats, they see the carrier and they bolt. Then you spend the better part of an hour looking for puss while watching the clock knowing the vet appointment is just about passed. A way to avoid this is rather simple, incorporate your cat’s carrier into his/her home environment. Instead of bringing out their carrier at the time it is needed, leave the door off the carrier and place it in area where the cat is comfortable. ie Cat climber, next to food bowls or their bed. This helps teach the cat the carrier is a OK. That it is a safe place to be. The next time you need a trip to the vet it’s guaranteed the carrier issue is no longer.

If you move house or change your telephone contact it is very important to update your pet’s microchip details as soon as possible. Your local vet hospital can provide you with the appropriate paperwork to be filled out and posted to your local council. Alternatively if you just want to check the details are all correct, call the hospital with your pet’s microchip number and the friendly staff can look up the details on the companion animal registry. This is a search engine only, details can not be updated.

If it is a new occurrence then yes, we will need to examine your pet. The most important concern is your pet’s welfare therefore an examination is necessary in determining the best path and treatment for your pet.  Most drugs have legal restrictions on their supply and a consultation is be required by law before they can be dispensed. If your pet has a reoccurring problem and is seen regularly, no longer than a 6 month period between consultations, then under most circumstances we are able to rescript the appropriate medications. To save yourself time and to prevent misunderstandings please phone with your request before coming to the clinic.

At Vetmed we work at the highest standard of care and we strongly believe performing a preanaesthetic blood test for animals who are undergoing a general Anaesthetic is meeting that standard. All animals receive a full physical exam during their surgical stay, but a preanaesthetic blood test gives us a much more detailed look into your animal’s health by showing us any underlying disease processes that may be present but not obvious. We are predominantly looking at kidney and liver function as these are the two main organs that process the anaesthetic drugs. Any hidden problems can therefore be detected before surgery. Blood testing also gives us a baseline reading so if there are any future problems with your pet, we have information with which to compare current results.

If you have come across a stray animal and have tried to find it’s owner unsuccessfully, the best thing to do is take this animal to the closest veterinary hospital . That way his microchip can be scanned for his family’s contact details and they can be reunited. In the unfortunate event the animal is not microchipped or the contact details are not up to date the animal will be transported to the pound where pet owners more commonly know to search for their missing animals.

A lot of times plaque is the culprit in causing your pets smelly breath. Brushing your dogs teeth regularly, add dental diet food and making sure they have plenty of bones will help to get rid of that yucky doggie breath. Plus, an annual visit to the vet for a proper dental teeth clean will help to ensure your dog has not only great smelling breath, but also healthy teeth and gums! Yep, pets should have a regular visit to the pet dentist too and the vet!

Dogs are not silly, they can smell tablets and won’t just eat them out of your hand like it is a treat. Try breaking the tablets up and mixing in with their dog food. You can also try placing the broken pieces inside a piece of soft cheese, sausage even pate works. Some dogs will try and hide the pill in their mouth then spit them out, so watch them for a minute or so to make sure the pill has been swallowed. If your dog will not eat the broken tablets in any type of food, place the tablet on the very back of the dogs mouth and hold the dogs mouth shut until they swallow the tablet.

If you are on your own, it is best to try using a syringe (without the needle – your local vet can provide you with one). Hold the dogs mouth closed and insert the syringe in through the side of the mouth. If you have someone to help you, keep the mouth closed with one hand, with the nose facing upward, and with the other hand open the lower jaw. Then someone can inject into the mouth. Tickle the adams apple or block nose and your dog will swollow

If your dog is sitting, the liquid will penetrate the ear much better. So get your dog to sit down then pull his/her ear up and place the ear drops in the ear. Your dog will usually try to shake it’s head, so try giving a massage on the base of the ear to distract them, they love it!

Take the size of your house or apartment into account when you are choosing what breed of dog you want. There are also many other things to consider, energy levels, malting, barking, anxiety etc. Come in for a free Nurse Consultation if you are having trouble deciding the right breed for you.

Before you commit to owning a dog, make sure that you have enough time to dedicate to its training and upbringing. Puppies are cute and cuddly, but they grow into dogs who need to be exercised, they also require lots of love and attention. Plus, during puppy stage they need to be fed multiple times during a day and let out of the house several times for potty breaks. Also consider the costs, both initial and ongoing. You’ll need to take your young pup for vaccinations and annual exams. All dogs are a big commitment, but they have excellent health benefits for the family such as improving fitness and providing company.

Definitely! Cats age approximately 5 years to 1 human year, so annual check ups for cats are like us going to doctor once every 5 years. Vaccinations are also important to your cat’s health. All cats, even indoor cats, need to be vaccinated every 1 to 3 years depending on their risk of catching disease. Viruses can travel through the air or, they can even be brought into your house on people’s hands or clothing. Then there’s the risk of an indoor cat getting out, or, that a disease-carrying cat may wander into your yard or house.

Yes. Dogs age a lot faster than humans, so annual check ups for dogs are like us going to doctor once every few years. Dogs need regular vaccinations. There are different options available when vaccinating your dog. Some vaccinations like Kennel Cough for example need to be done annually, where as others like parvo virus and distemper virus vaccinations are available in yearly or 3 yearly applications. You may also need a blood test or some other type of treatment for you dog. Your vet will help you decide on the right and preventative treatments for your pet.

There are plenty of good flea treatments available for your pets. If your cat or dog doesn’t respond well to tablets, you can use the flea products where you place it on the back of your pets neck. The best idea is to speak to your vet to get the right advice. Also remember to treat all pets and the environment as this is where fleas breed. For cats, avoid flea products containing permethrins as they are very toxic to cats.

Give your new puppy some toys to chew. All puppies like to chew things. This is normal behaviour and also helps teething. A few different toys for your new puppy are a good idea, as different chew toys do different things, and your dog won’t get bored. You can get teething toys, toys where you can place treats inside so they have to problem solve to get to the treats, rope toys etc. Ask your local vet or pet store for some chew toys and they will be able to help you pick the right size for your new pup.

A tick remover or tick removal tool will help remove a tick. These tools can either be tweezers or a specially shaped ‘hook’ which you buy from your vet or pet supplies store.

To remove the tick, grab the tick adjacent to your pet’s skin (at the tick mouthparts), twist the tick gently, then pull the tick away from the skin.

Take care not to squeeze the tick’s body as you pull it off your dog. Removed ticks may still be alive, so be sure they don’t escape to find another host to feed on.

Hip Dysplasia causes debilitating arthritis due to loose hips from an early age. It affects all giant and large breeds including Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles, Rottweilers and Great Danes, and all cross breeds of the above.

Hip Dysplasia can be diagnosed with a simple PennHIP x-ray from as young as 16 weeks of age. By detecting at this early age, Hip Dysplasia can be prevented. Early diagnosis (16 to 20 weeks of age) means a simple operation called Juvenile Pubic Symphysodesis (JPS) can be performed to “tighten” the hip joints and reduce the chance of arthritis later in life. VetMed will also help you to ensure your dog has strict weight control and will put your dog onto the right diet and supplements that may include Omega 3 Oils for example.