Microchipping in Cobham, Surrey

Small furry animals may be a better proposition for families with children wanting a pet, where you don’t want the responsibility or longevity that comes with a dog or cat. However, even these pets require daily care and attention, and before obtaining an outdoor pet such as a rabbit or guinea pig, it is certainly worth considering whether you and your children are really prepared to go out on a cold winter’s morning before school, to care for the pet and give him/her some food and attention. Rabbits and guinea pigs are both sociable animals who need plenty of companionship and care. Call us for advice!

Pet insurance is an excellent way of covering your pet for unexpected vet’s bills, but even the insurance premium can prove to be prohibitive for some – expect anything from £30 to £120 per month depending on the breed. It’s a good idea to look into this before deciding on which breed to go for, as some breeds are prone to particular illnesses and therefore the insurance premium will be on the higher side – and it’s not only big dogs which are expensive to treat! Cats are more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents than dogs, and have their own set of diseases which they’re prone to in older age as well.

Our pet care plan is an excellent way to budget for the expected expenses involved with keeping a dog, cat or rabbit. For a set monthly fee, paid annually or by monthly direct debit, you can spread the cost of vaccinations, worming, flea control, etc, and be entitled to 6-monthly health checks, an annual blood and urine screen, a microchipping, plus 10% discount on all other treatments and purchases (excluding food purchases). Costs are £17 per month for cats, £20 for small dogs, £23 for medium, £26 for large and £32 per month for giant breeds over 40 kg. Please ask us for more information or to sign up – it’s very easy!

In the event of an obvious emergency, such as a road accident, collapse, seizure, heavy bleeding, choking, severe vomiting, injury, etc, please call us right away. However, bear in mind that the emergency vet may be out on a house-call or in the middle of an operation, so it is really helpful for us to be given some advance warning of your arrival. Although there is almost always a vet and/or qualified nurse on the premises during opening hours, it is possible that they may already dealing with another case, and also if an emergency happens after 6 pm, it may be preferable for you to take your pet directly to our night-time emergency service in East Molesey.

A flea is an external parasite which causes severe irritation, scratching, chewing at the skin, and sometimes a scabby rash especially on the pet’s back and down towards the tail. Fleas are prolific breeders, laying their eggs (which are very difficult to see, but look like grains of salt) on the pet, which then fall off into the environment. This will be everywhere and anywhere that the pet goes. In cases of severe infestation it is necessary to treat the environment/house as well as the pets, and all pets in the home should be treated (cats, dogs and rabbits), not just the ones that you think have fleas.

Roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms – they can be difficult for owners to differentiate between, but the good news is that if you use a good multi-wormer then all of these will be covered! It is important to keep your pet de-wormed, both for the pet’s own health, but also because some are zoonotic, which means they can cause problems in humans as well. We all like to kiss and cuddle our pets, but by doing so we are putting ourselves at risk of contracting disease.

Lungworm can be prevented with the regular use of one of two common products, and owners can chose between a monthly worm tablet which also covers the dog for all types of intestinal worms as well, or a popular ‘spot-on’ treatment which also covers the dog for roundworms, fleas and mange. The choice is yours, however we do strongly recommend that a lungworm preventative is used.

Diarrhoea is one of the most common complaints that we see in cats and dogs. Mostly it is due to a minor problem, such as a change in diet, or eating something they shouldn’t have done! If it is mild it may well clear up by itself after a few hours, however if the diarrhoea is also accompanied by vomiting and/or lethargy, the matter should be taken a little more seriously. Food should be withheld during a period of vomiting, and what is fed should be easily digested, such as a little boiled chicken and rice, plain white fish and rice, or a little scrambled egg with no extra fat. Steer clear of milk and other dairy products.

This is too big a subject to go into too much detail here, but please get in touch with Cobham Veterinary Centre if you have any kind of problem with your pet’s behaviour. Your pet’s particular problem may require referral to a behaviourist which we can help with, and who usually require a veterinary health check to rule out any medical causes before they take the case on.