Puppies & Kittens
What age can I get my puppy or kitten? Puppies & kittens develop quickly and are usually weaned at 5 to 6 weeks of age. You are most likely to bring them home when they are between 7 and 9 weeks. Bringing them home? Prepare for the new arrival by getting food & water bowls, bedding, a litter tray for kittens & perhaps a crate for your puppy. Think about where you d like them to go in the house and make sure the house is safe & secure. Many people use a puppy crate these days which is a great way to help you new dog adapt & feel secure in its new home. Puppies soon get to feel at home in the crate & will be happy to sleep & spend quiet time in it. It can also help toilet training as they will become less likely to soil in the crate. When your cat first arrives in its new home it is a good idea to keep it indoors for several weeks to allow it to get used to your home and the safety it provides. Once it is time to let them out, do it on a day when you can keep a door open and be in the garden with them so they don t feel worried and neither do you. We recommend that you keep your cat in at night as many cats fight more at night or get caught up in accidents; they are safer staying in. Getting a new puppy or kitten is a really exciting time. Doing a little research can make all the difference. Just give us a call if you d like some more advice on any aspect of pet ownership. Cliff Maw - Vet
Your puppy or kitten will have been fully weaned (onto solid food) by the time you bring them home at around 8 weeks of age. Once they are weaned they have no requirement for milk. Breeders will often provide a sample of the food they have been eating & its generally best to stick to this whilst your new pet is settling into your home. WHICH FOOD? There are many good quality pet foods. Make sure that you feed one appropriate to your pets age and ensure it is a complete food which should contain all the nutrition they require every day. As they grow older you should change from a puppy or kitten food to the next growth stage appropriate for them CHANGING FOOD When introducing a new food it is best to do this over a period of 5-7 days. This will get your animal used to it slowly. If you change straight away they may get an upset stomach. HOW OFTEN & HOW MUCH? New puppies & kittens will need to be fed around 4 times a day at first but this will reduce as your pet grows and can take bigger meals. Foods usually have guides as to how much to feed per day. The guides can be a bit confusing but we will be pleased to help. DRY OR WET? There are some advantages to feeding dry food but the choice is yours: You generally need to feed less as wet food is made up of 80% water. It is more economical. It is better for the teeth. Most good brands of dry food will contain some sort of dental technology which helps to keep the teeth clean. You won t have the problem of flies hanging around in the summer. The nurses at Bicester Vets are here to help you with all aspects of pet care. Nutrition is one of these areas. If there is anything you would like to know give us a call to arrange a free nurse consultation. Sarah Carter RVN
WHAT IS VACCINATION Vaccination is a proven & safe way of protecting our pets against specific, serious infectious diseases. WHAT DISEASES DO WE VACCINATE AGAINST? Kittens: are generally vaccinated against 2 different viruses which can cause cat flu plus the feline enteritis virus & the feline leukaemia virus. All of these are potentially fatal conditions especially in young kittens. They are injected at 9 and 12 weeks of age. Puppies: are immunised against distemper, viral hepatitis, parvo, leptospirosis, parainfluenza virus & corona virus. The injections are done at 8 and 10 weeks of age. WHEN WILL THEY BE PROTECTED The vaccination course causes the pets immune system to build up its own protection which takes time. They should have good protection 2 weeks after the second injection. WHAT ABOUT BOOSTERS The protection provided by the vaccinations reduces gradually over time. We recommend an annual booster to ensure optimum protection. At the booster vaccination your pet will receive a thorough health examination and advice as part of the visit. There s lots more we can tell you about vaccination & diseases. The first vaccination is a great place to discuss this with the Vet or just give us a call & we ll be happy to help. Jason Williams - Vet
Microchipping is an important part of pet ownership and gives you peace of mind for your pet. WHY SHOULD I HAVE MY PET MICROCHIPPED? It is the only true permanent method of pet identification It gives you the best chance of having your pet returned after going missing It is a quick and minor procedure It lasts for the lifetime of your pet WHAT IS A MICROCHIP? Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted just beneath the surface of the skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to receiving a vaccination through a needle. Most animals don t even react when the microchip is implanted. It remains there for life, becoming a permanent form of identification. HOW DOES IT ALL WORK? Each microchip has a unique number which is linked to the national 24hr database. If your pet is found away from home all vets, animal charities and local authorities will have a scanner to read the chip and retrieve your pet s details. You can then be contacted to arrange your pet s return. Did you know that we sell cat flaps which will read your cat s microchip & only let known cats through ask at reception about our great value Sureflap Cat-flaps. Nearly 1000 pets go missing every day in the UK. Don t let your pet be one of them. Protect your pet for life. Don t delay, just call us today and we ll be happy to explain further & to book your pet in for their micro chip! Laura Kent; Receptionist
Hi there! My name is Ruth and I have been a receptionist at Bicester Vets for 10 years. One of my duties is to process all of the pet insurance claims. I would like to tell you about pet insurance and how important I think it is for our clients to insure their pets. WHY GET PET INSURANCE? Over the years I have seen some unfortunate accidents, and dealt with clients who have been so relieved that they had taken our advice and got insurance. Vet s bills can quickly add up and an insurance premium is a small price to pay for peace of mind. WHICH COMPANY? At Bicester Vets we recommend Pet Plan. Why? Because they are the UK's number-one pet insurance provider and only deal with pet claims (unlike some other insurance companies). If you are thinking about insurance but are not sure which company to use, just remember this; cover for life is very important. As it says on the tin, it will cover illness or injury for the life of your pet. It may be a little more expensive monthly but you will have peace of mind knowing that, as your pets gets older, things like diabetes, arthritis, and hyperthyroidism will all be covered. Some other policies will only cover short term illness and accidents for the first 12 months, after that you could find yourself paying for medication as well as your monthly insurance premium. WHEN SHOULD I TAKE OUT PET INSURANCE? When you register your new puppy or kitten at Bicester Vets you will receive four weeks free insurance cover from Pet Plan. From the moment you leave our practice, having had a full health check your little one will be covered. I know only too well that accidents happen all the time, from little paws being trodden on to upset tummies, and sometimes more serious accidents! My advice would be to take advantage of Pet Plan s offer. WHAT ABOUT OLDER PETS? We can also give you advice on insurance for your pet up to the age of 8yrs for dogs and 10 yrs for cats! You will still receive 4 weeks free insurance, just pick up a leaflet at reception. I hope this has helped to explain some of the benefits and advantages that Pet insurance can give. Please feel free to discuss any of the above with either myself or any of our fully trained reception team or pick up one of our insurance information leaflets at reception. Cheers, Ruth x
WHY NEUTER CATS? Male cats (Toms) have a tendency to be very territorial. They may urinate in the house to mark their territory & tend to roam a long way looking for females. They often get in fights which can lead to painful abscesses & are much more susceptible to contracting the Feline AIDS Virus. Castration removes the testicles and the hormones which drive this unwanted behaviour. Female cats (Queens) come into season regularly during the early spring & summer. They will actively seek out males & can fall pregnant when only 6 months old. Spaying removes the ovaries as well as the uterus to stop this regular cycling thus preventing unwanted pregnancy. WHY NEUTER DOGS? Male dogs are castrated primarily to reduce the tendency to unsociable behaviour. Some dogs can be very dominant or aggressive & can have a tendency to want to get out & roam especially if they can smell a bitch in season. It also reduces the risk of prostatic & testicular disease. Female dogs (Bitches) will come into season about every 6 months. They will bleed for a week or so before becoming fully ready to mate. Dogs will be extremely attracted to her & try their hardest to mate with her. Spaying will stop this as well as dramatically reducing the risk of mammary cancer and taking away the chance of getting false pregnancies, uterine tumours or pyometron (a life threatening womb infection). WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DAY? Neutering your pet is a routine surgical procedure and can be done any time from 6 months of age. They will be admitted in the morning, the procedure is performed and the vets will contact you to discuss the operation & make arrangements for collection later the same day. Timing of surgery is important especially for bitches. Please give us a call to discuss the details and we ll be able to book your pet in at a convenient time. Fiona Cornish - Vet
Puppies & Kittens are prone to picking up fleas, worms & other parasites so good control is essential. Fleas These insects live in the coat of our pets & can cause intense itchiness. They can spread between animals but also can survive long periods in the house where they can lay dormant waiting to pounce on a new pet. Worms The most common worms are roundworms which can be caught directly from the mother of your pet or from the garden where worms have been passed by other animals. Young animals are particularly susceptible to picking these up as their resistance is low. Other parasites Our young puppies & kittens can also pick up ear mites, tape worms & occasionally ticks or lung worms. The staff at Bicester Vets will be able to advise on the best preventative program for your pet. It s really important to ensure your young pet is free from parasites which can stunt their growth & in some cases make them ill. Give me a call at the practice if you d like to discuss parasites or anything else to do with your pet. David Moore - Vet
INTRODUCING A NEW KITTEN? A new kitten in the household is an exciting time but it can be daunting for the cat. They need time to settle in and get used to their new surroundings. There ll be some nervous exploration & lots of sniffing. Leaving the basket they arrived in as a safe haven to run back to can be helpful. Cats are relatively solitary & enjoy their own space so ensure that they have access to quiet corners so they can groom, sleep & hide if necessary. Socialising is also important so try to gently get them used to brushing and handling as well as other cats, dogs & people. PUPPY SOCIALISATION & TRAINING The early months of a puppy s life are a crucial time to be socialised and trained. Puppies are very keen to learn so will soon be sitting & responding to their name. They need to have contact with other people & animals to ensure they won t be frightened in the future. Formal classes are a great way to socialise you puppy whilst meeting other dog owners and learning about dogs and training. We keep a comprehensive list of dog training classes in the area which you can use to find a convenient class for you & your puppy. I ve written a guide to Cat Behaviour which has a lot more useful information about cats and their wonderful idiosyncrasies. You ll be able to access it from the How to Guides section of the web site www.bicestervets.co.uk Just give me a call if you d like a chat about cats. Emma Shepherd RVN
Notes You could use this page to write down any questions you might have to ask us
THE END Please give us a call if you d like any further information on owning a new puppy or kitten. There are loads more informative articles to download & read in our How To Guides section of the web site. Simply go to www.bicestervets.co.uk & click the How to Guides link on the home page. To keep up to date with everything that happens at the practice you can also: follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bicestervets then press the Like button to get our updates. We also send out regular email newsletters which have interesting stories & occasional offers to take advantage of. Just email contact@bicestervets.co.uk and request that your email is added to our list. Bicester Vets Ltd - Registered Office: The Veterinary Surgery, Victoria Road, Bicester OX26 6PJ. Company Number: 6528010