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Puppies and Dogs

Barrmore Vets for dogs are pleased to offer a comprehensive, caring service to all dog owners.

man walking dog– Vets for Dogs and Puppies

Vaccinations

We strongly recommend the vaccination of all puppies, starting as young as seven weeks of age. The puppy vaccinations help to protect against Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Adeno Virus (hepatitis), Parainfluenza Virus, Parvo Virus and Leptospirosis.

Our ‘Puppy Pack’ includes the two initial vaccinations, their first worm and flea treatment, a microchip, and 4 weeks free insurance. Please contact us to speak to the Vets for Dogs and Puppies clinic for more details.

After the first initial vaccines we recommend yearly check-ups which include a full physical examination and booster vaccines as required. This will help us spot any early signs of disease, as well as maintaining your dog’s immune system protection against serious infectious diseases.

We also recommend intra-nasal vaccination against Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough) for any dogs who have contact with large numbers of dogs – for example, those going to agility, classes, shows or for any dogs going to board at kennels.

Neutering

Females

Unless a bitch is to be used for breeding we recommend that all bitches are spayed, usually between 6-12 months of age.  Neutering obviously prevents unwanted pregnancies, but there are also huge health benefits to having a bitch spayed.  These are:

  1. A spayed bitch is much less likely to develop mammary tumours later in life.  The risk of these developing is 0.05% if a bitch is spayed before the first season, 8% if she is spayed between the first and second seasons, and a massive 26% if she is spayed after the second season.  Mammary tumours can be cancerous and can spread within the body meaning that they can potentially be life-threatening.
  2. Spayed bitches cannot develop pyometra.  This is a condition where infection develops in the uterus and it becomes filled with pus.  Again this can be a life-threatening condition if left untreated.  It develops in approximately 23% of unspayed bitches.  Treatment usually involves having to spay a bitch while she is unwell, which carries a much greater risk than operating on a young, healthy animal.
  3. Avoidance of false pregnancies.  A false pregnancy can develop 6-8 weeks after a season.  An affected bitch may have a reduced appetite, show nesting behaviour, possessiveness or mothering of toys and can sometimes even become aggressive.  The body can change with development of mammary tissue and possibly production of milk.  Dogs that have had one false pregnancy are more likely to develop another at a subsequent season.

Some people are concerned about a potential increase in the risk of a bitch developing urinary incontinence if she is spayed before the first season.  There is conflicting evidence regarding this.  However, if any urinary incontinence develops it is usually mild and easily controlled with medication. The benefits of early neutering outweigh the small risk of developing urinary incontinence.

If your bitch has already had a season it is important to wait until at least a month after the end of her season (or approximately 7 weeks after the start of the season) before arranging her operation.

The procedure involves a general anaesthetic, a midline abdominal incision and full ovariohysterectomy (removal of both ovaries and the whole uterus).  Appointments will be made for 3 and 10 days after the procedure to check wound healing.

Males

Neutering or castration of a male dog can be carried out from 5 months of age onwards and has certain health benefits.  These include:

  1. Prevention of testicular tumours.  These can be cancerous and can spread within the body, potentially having life-threatening consequences.  One type of tumour can also cause a feminisation syndrome, where your dog becomes sexually attractive to other male dogs.
  2. Reduced risk of some types of prostatic disease, in particular enlargement (hyperplasia) and infection (prostatitis).  Prostatic cancer is not affected by testosterone, so can occur in both neutered and entire male dogs.

Some recent research has found that the incidence of certain types of cancer (osteosarcoma and haemangiosarcoma) and other less serious illnesses may be increased in neutered males.  The risk is deemed to be low, but in predisposed breeds, there may be a benefit in delaying neutering until the dog is over 1 year of age.  If you are concerned about these issues, discuss them in more detail with the vet.

Neutering will prevent testosterone-associated behaviour.  Neutered males will be less likely to exhibit urine marking behaviour and inappropriate mounting of other dogs, people or objects.  They will be less inclined to roam looking for a bitch in heat. When a dog has detected a bitch in heat he often behaves differently and many stop eating, sometimes for days! Research has shown that neutered males live longer, possibly because less are injured or killed on the roads when roaming.

The procedure involves a general anaesthetic and removal of both testicles through small incisions.  Appointments will be made for 3 and 10 days after the procedure to check wound healing.

Worming

All dog should be treated regularly to kill parasitic worms – both for your dog’s health, and all for the health of all our children, as some worms can be passed to them.

We recommend that puppies are de-wormed monthly until they are 6 months old, and that adult dog are wormed every 3 months.

There are a variety of worming options available, so please contact the clinic for more information about which worming product would be best for your dog.

Flea Treatment

Dogs also require regular treatment for external parasites, especially fleas! Again there are a number of products available, including some combo products that do both fleas and worms. Please contact us to find the best product for your dog.

Senior Dogs

Old age comes to the best of us, and we want to make sure your dog ages gracefully. Our clinic offers free geriatric checks with our nurses, which supply an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have. They will be able to advise you on senior diets, exercise, dental health, weight control and more.

If the nurses think anything is concerning, your dog will be referred to one of our vets who can give a more thorough examination, and run any tests they think are necessary.

Travelling

We employ an OV ( Government approved Official Veterinarians )  who is able to complete PETS Passports for travelling abroad and other official documentation needed for importing and exporting dogs. For further detailed information please visit www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad.

We can also provide advice on parasite control and disease prevention when travelling abroad.

Advice

Our vets for dogs clinic employs 2 veterinary nurses who are able to give free advice on a variety of topics, including:

  • Worming and flea control
  • Dental care
  • Obesity problems
  • Diet
  • Basic training problems.