Animal Corner
Dogs, cats and Rabbits can contract a number of serious and potentially life-threatening diseases that can be easily prevented by vaccination.
A primary course of vaccination, followed by annual boosters is an effective way to prevent your pet from contracting any of these sicknesses.
A vaccination reminder in sent to you in the post when your pet is due their vaccination.
Kennel Cough vaccination is needed if dogs are going into kennels.
Dogs:
Parvo:
The virus affects dogs causing Vomiting and Diarrhoea, along with internal bleeding. Treatment in intensive and despite treatment a number of animals will not recover.
Leptospirosis:
Dogs are usually infected by contact with rats and slow moving water. The disease can also be transmitted to Humans. It damages liver and kidneys and can have fatal consequences.
Kennel Cough:
Is an upper respiratory tract infection caused by both viral and bacterial agents. The infection is very contagious to other dogs and multiple animals kept in close proximity are at greatest risk. The infection results in a severe, hacking cough and may be accompanied by fever and lethargy. The vaccination is recommended for dogs going into kennels.
Cats:
Cat flu:
This virus causes respiratory disease in cats characterised by sneezing, runny eyes and nostrils and possible fever. Some recover, while other suffer recurrent bouts of the disease throughout their lives.
Feline Leukemia Virus:
Is a feline specific retrovirus that infects cats via transfer of saliva (through cat bites) or nasal secretions, milk and occasionally faeces. It may also result in the development of cancer (specifically Lymphoma).
Rabbits:
Myxomatosis
Is a viral disease caused by a Pox virus in rabbits. The virus is endemic in wild rabbit populations and is transmitted via biting insects e.g. mosquitoes and fleas. The clinical signs usually involve severe lethargy, not eating, and is often accompanied by swelling of the eyelids, nose, lips, ears and genitalia. Most rabbits unfortunately do not respond to treatment once clinical signs are seen.
Rabbit Viral hemorrhagic disease:
Is an extremely contagious and often a fatal viral infection. Infection is acquired through direct contact with infected animals or viral particles left on inanimate objects. Young rabbits (<8 weeks old) are resistant to disease, while infected rabbits develop a fever which may be followed by collapse and neurological signs and often die within 12-36 hours.
Parasites
Dogs and cats need to be routinely treated for internal and external parasites as they are not only harmful to your pet but mat also be Detrimental to you and your family’s health.
We recommend giving a worming tablet every 3 months for an adult cat or dog.
We recommend giving a flea treatment every month for an adult cat or dog.
There is some variation with puppy, kittens and pregnant pets: please ask our vets for further information.
New Puppy Information
Vaccination:
Vaccines are given to dogs to stimulate immunity against five infectious diseases:
- Canine Distemper
- Canine Hepatitis
- Canine Parvovirus
- Leptospirosis
- Influenza
A vaccination against kennel cough is also necessary for any dog going into kennels.
Why vaccinate my puppy?
Vaccinations are necessary to stimulate immunity against infectious diseases and prevent contracting diseases.
At what age?
A puppy needs 2 vaccinations: At 6-8 and 10-12 weeks of age.
It is important to keep the puppy indoors so it does not have contact with other dogs until fully vaccinated.
When do I booster my dog and is kennel cough necessary?
A booster is due yearly and is vital in maintaining immunity. A vaccination reminder is sent to you in the post.
A Kennel cough vaccination is needed at least 5 days before your dog goes into kennels. This is also a yearly vaccination that is squirted locally into the nose.
Parasite control
A dog needs to be routinely treated for internal and external parasites. You can buy worming tablets and flea treatments at the reception at any time.
Worming Tablet (given orally against internal parasites) how often?
Fortnightly until 12 weeks of age
Monthly until 6 months
Every three months thereafter
External Parasite Control (Flea Treatment)
Spot on in the neck (higher risk during summer months): depends on manufacturer recommendations:
Stronghold: 1 every month. :Fleas, earmites, mange, heartworm, round and hookworms
Frontline: 1 every 2 months. :Fleas and ticks
Advocate: 1 every month. :Fleas, mange, demodex, heartworm and roundworms
Is it necessary to treat my house against fleas?
The flea lifecycle also has a stage in the direct environment. By washing pet’s beds, vacuuming beds and carpets and treating your pets with a spot on you can minimise the risk of fleas in your home.
Training
During the first months your puppy is in its socialisation phase: this is the period when he/she learns what is normal and what they are allowed to do. It is very important to encourage obedience as this socialisation phase is very important for the adult behaviour of your pet.
How do I toilet train my puppy?
Up to 12 weeks of age puppies have little control over their toilet habits. Bring your puppy outside after a meal to the same spot, stay with it till it has finished its toilet and reinforce and praise verbally. Leave newspaper at the door for emergencies and do not scold your puppy if accidents occur as this can lead to confusion and fear.
Obedience Training
As previously stated socialisation phase is very important in regard to the adult behaviour of your puppy. This can be encouraged through puppy classes. Training involves time and effort.
Nutrition
Get the correct balance: do not overfeed (give food ad lib) to your dog as this can cause obesity. A puppy needs small more frequent meals during the day as they have a small stomach. As your puppy develops (5-6 months old) 2 or 1 meal daily will suffice.
Nuts are recommendable as they are better for the teeth.
When changing from one type of food to another gradually mix in small amounts of the new food as a sudden change can cause tummy upsets.
Microchipping
This is an individual identification chip that is placed in between the shoulders of your pet. It cannot be removed and is handy if your pet strays as all pounds and veterinary surgeons have a chip reader. When the chip number is known your details can be found and your pet returned to you.
Insurance
This is strongly recommended as medication for certain conditions, road accidents and out of hours calls can be costly. Certain breeds can be very susceptible to certain costly conditions.
Breed dispositions
Ask your vet what breed dispositions occur in your pets breed.
Neutering
Why neuter my dog?
Female: Prevent pregnancy and heat. The risk of mammary tumors, ovarian cysts, infections of the uterus and false pregnancies decreases.
Male: Prevent roaming, marking territory, breeding and aggressive behaviour.
At what age?
From 8 months of age. With large breed female dogs we recommend waiting until after they have been in season for the first time.
What is involved?
A general anesthetic is needed.
Female: Ovariohysterectomy – removal of ovaries and uterus.
Male: Castration – removal of the testes.
Will my dog gain weight?
There may be a change in metabolic rate but weight gain is avoidable by monitoring diet.
New Kitten Information
Vaccination:
Vaccines are given to cats to stimulate immunity against two infectious diseases:
- Feline panleucopenia: infectious enteritis
- Feline infectious respiratory disease: cat flu
- There is also an optional vaccination for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV); this is recommended when cats live together in close contact. Before this vaccination can be given a test must be done to determine if your cat/kitten is not yet infected with FeLV.
Why vaccinate my kitten?
Vaccinations are necessary to stimulate immunity against infectious diseases and prevent contracting diseases.
At what age?
A kitten needs 2 vaccinations: At 9 and 12 weeks of age.
If you choose to vaccinate against FeLV this should be done at 12 and 15 weeks of age.
When do I booster my cat?
A booster is due yearly and is vital in maintaining immunity. A vaccination reminder is sent to you in the post.
Parasite control
A cat needs to be routinely treated for internal and external parasites. You can buy worming tablets and flea treatment at the reception at any time.
Worming tablet (given orally against internal parasites) how often?
Fortnightly until 12 weeks of age
Monthly until 6 months
Every 3 months thereafter
External Parasite control (flea treatment)
Spot on in the neck (higher risk during summer months): depends on manufacturer recommendations:
Stronghold: 1 every month : Fleas, ear mites, mange, heartworm, round and hookworms
Frontline: 1 every 2 months : Fleas and ticks
Advocate: 1 every month : Fleas, mange, demodex, heartworm and roundworms
Is it necessary to treat my house against fleas?
The flea lifecycle also has a stage in the direct environment. By washing pet beds, vacuuming beds and carpets and treating your pets with a spot on you can minimize the risk of fleas in your home.
Nutrition
Get the correct balance: do not overfeed (give food ad lib) to your cat as this can cause obesity. A kitten needs small more frequent meals during the day as they have a small stomach. As your kitten develops (5-6 months old) 2 or 1 meal daily will suffice. Nuts are recommendable as they are better for the teeth.
When changing from one type of food to another gradually mix in small amounts of the new food as a sudden change can cause tummy upsets.
Chip
This is an individual identification chip that is placed in between the shoulders of your pet. It cannot be removed and is handy if your pet strays as all pounds and veterinary surgeons have a chip reader. When the chip number is known your details can be found and your pet returned to you.
Insurance
This is strongly recommended as medications for certain conditions, road accidents and out of hours calls can be costly. Certain breeds can be very susceptible to certain costly conditions.
Breed dispositions
Ask your vet what breed dispositions occur in your pets breed.
Neutering
Why neuter my cat?
Female: Prevent pregnancy. The risk of mammary tumors and ovarian cysts decreases.
Male: Prevent roaming, marking territory, breeding and aggressive behaviour.
At what age?
From 6 months of age.
What is involved?
A general anesthetic is needed.
Female: Ovariohysterectomy – removal of ovaries and uterus.
Male: Castration – removal of the testes.
Ten Tips For a Healthy Pet
1. Ensure your pet has an initial course of vaccinations followed up by boosters every year.
2. Keep up to date with worm and fleas treatments: worming every 3 months and flea treatments every month-6 weeks
3. Feed a good quality diet designed to meet your pets’ needs. There are a variety of diets available to suit different life stages and also prescription diets for medical conditions e.g. obesity and kidney disease.
4. Neutering of females is advisable to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to reduce the incidence of cancer. In male dogs, wandering, hyper sexuality and prostatic disease may be helped by castration.
5. Keep your pets teeth clean and healthy with daily brushing. Dentals can be carried out under a general anesthetic to remove tartar and extract loose or infected teeth.
6. Pets especially those with long coats need regular brushing or combing to prevent mats. However if bathing is carried out too frequently it can dry up the coat.
7. Regular daily exercise is necessary to keep your dog healthy and happy.
8. Nail trimming is also important. Dewclaws especially the hind ones may need trimming to prevent them from in growing. If your dog walks on grass, all the claws may need regular trimming. Cats’ claws should only be trimmed if they live indoors.
9. Keep your pets weight checked regularly to prevent obesity and its related problems. We provide a pets weight clinic if it is necessary.
10. As your pet gets older regular check ups from our vets will help keep them fit: advice about arthritis, heart problems and other age-related illnesses can be of great benefit.
Pet Travel Information
Motion Sickness:
For dogs and cats that suffer from motion sickness, medication is available that can help to reduce or eliminate signs such as drooling and vomiting.
Please Contact Us for further information regarding these products
How to choose a boarding establishment for your pet?
Looking through the golden pages or contacting us is a good place to start. Recommendations from other pet owners are also very helpful.
We always recommend that you visit any boarding kennels before leaving your pet.
Ensure booster vaccinations are up to date well in advance of a planned trip. Kennel cough vaccination is also necessary for dogs. The vaccine must be given 5 days before kenneling and lasts for one year.
Flea/mite control and a routine worm treatment is advisable before and after kennels.
Travelling abroad with your pet.
Ireland and the UK are rabies free but on the continent rabies can occasionally occur; therefore there are restrictions necessary to prevent the spread of this disease.
A pet travel scheme is now in operation in the UK and Ireland which enables owners to travel with their pet dog and cats to the continent and return without the need for quarantine. You can avail of this scheme by fulfilling certain requirements. This involves micro-chipping of your pet, passport application, rabies vaccination, blood testing and health certification.
As of January 1, 2012 there have been a number of changes to the pet travel scheme compared to what you may have been accustomed to in the past. We recommend that you visit the Government Website to familiarise yourself with the new procedures.
Below is a summary of the changes in relation to entry of pets into the UK and Ireland.
| What has to be done | Before 1 January 2012 | From 1 January 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip | Yes | Yes |
| Rabies Vaccination | Yes | Yes |
| Documentation (pet passport or third country certificate) | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Test (dogs and cats) | Yes | No |
| Pre-Entry waiting period | Yes | Yes |
| Length of waiting period before entry to the UK and Ireland | 6 months from date sample taken for blood test | 21 days after vaccination against rabies |
| Tick Treatment | Yes (24-48 hours before embarkation) | No |
| Tapeworm Treatment | Yes ( as for tick) | Under consideration at European level |
Entry rules for pets entering the UK and Ireland from unlisted non-EU countries:
| What has to be done | Before 1 January 2012 | From 1 January 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip | All pets from unlisted third countries are licensed into quarantine for 6 months and vaccinated against rabies on arrival | Yes |
| Rabies Vaccination | Yes | |
| Blood Test | Yes Blood sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination | |
| Documentation (third country certificate) | Yes | |
| Pre-Entry waiting period | Yes | |
| Length of waiting period before entry to the UK and Ireland | 3 months after blood sample taken | |
| Tick Treatment | No | |
| Tapeworm Treatment | Under consideration at European level |
Other Considerations
- Take your pet for a health check by your vet in advance of your journey.
- Get advice from your vet on pregnant animals.
- Speak to the carrier in advance to ascertain the conditions that your pet will travel in and to ensure that you have the required paperwork.
- Do not use sedatives unless advised by a vet.
- Give your pet only a light meal about 2 hours before travel.
- Check with the carrier that your pet will have full and constant access to fresh water.
- Use a container which enables your pet to stand, sit and lie down in a natural position, and to turn around easily.
- The container should contain absorbent bedding and provide ample ventilation.
- A familiar toy can help your pet get used to the container.
Additional requirements may also be necessary for entry into other European Countries. Details of these can be obtained from the appropriate Embassies.
Pet Insurance
Moss Veterinary hospital strongly encourages our clients to take out health insurance for their pets. It ensures that your pet is covered when he or she needs it most. It provides you with the peace of mind that if something unexpected happens, your pet will receive the highest quality of care without having to worry about the cost.
Here are a few points to consider when submitting an insurance claim form to us:
- Check which insurance company you are with, to ensure that you sign the correct form. Note: some companies have similar names.
- Please note that Petinsure and Petinsurance are two different companies.
- Ensure all of the policyholders section of the form has been completed, including the condition which you would like us to claim for, and your signature with the date.
- If claiming for more than one condition please complete a separate form for each condition.
- Please note that we cannot accept or process any insurance claim forms or receipts for work carried out in MiNightVet as we are completely separate companies. Please sign and submit a claim form to MiNightVet directly. You will not incur an addition excess on your policy. You can also scan and email your claim to their email at minightvetkildare@ttga.ie.
- In reception we have copies of some of the insurance companies claim forms which you can complete in reception. If you do not have time to complete it in reception, you can print it from the insurance companies’ website, fill it out and drop it into us. See claim form website links below:
Allianz: Link
Petinsure: Link
– Recently some insurance companies have been taken over by Davies Group. These include Petinsurance, Blue Insurance and An Post insurance. These companies are paperless and will not accept paper claim forms from now on. Policyholders of these companies, please go to your insurance companies’ website to make a claim and you will be directed to a Davies Group claim portal. From there you can follow the steps to digitally claim. When you have submitted your claim, please email insurance@mossvethospital.ie and request us to send the clinical history to your insurance company.
Below, please find links to the client claim portal for each insurance company:
-Petinsurance: Link
-Blue Insurance: Link
-An Post Insurance: Link
Frequently Asked Questions:
When should I take out insurance for my pet?
We recommend you take out insurance as soon as possible for your pet. A puppy or kitten generally tends to be healthier than an adult pet who could already have a health condition which the insurance company can exclude. This will allow you to pay less for your policy and give a wider cover to your pet.
What is/is not covered by insurance?
Depending on the insurance company and taking into account that pre-existing conditions will not be included, generally insurance companies cover most non-routine procedures. Examples include: hospitalisation, medications, surgeries, diagnostic testing and referral procedures. Insurance companies don’t generally cover vaccinations, parasite treatment, neutering and dental procedures. Please consult your individual policy and insurance company for all terms and conditions.
Keep in mind, if your pet is diagnosed with a condition before the policy is taken out the insurance company will not cover this condition. There is a 14 business day cooling off period after the policy has been taken out. During this period the insurance company can also exclude any condition listed in the clinical history. Please note that veterinary staff cannot change a clinical history once it has been written as it is a legal document.
Do insurance companies cover older pets?
This depends on the insurance company, however insurance companies may accept older pets depending on age. Keep in mind that any condition listed in clinical notes during the pet’s life, before the policy was taken out will not be covered. Pets who are already insured may also incur a 35% excess charge on each claim submitted once the pet has reached 7/8 years of age depending on the insurance company.
When do I make a claim?
Once your pet has been treated by the vet for a non-routine issue and you have reached your excess (excess is set by the policyholder eg, 100 euro per condition) you can then make a claim.
How do I make a claim?
Once you have paid the veterinary bill, you can then claim it back through your insurance. Ensure you submit a claim form per condition. Processing times for claims vary widely and can take weeks to finalise.
Depending on your insurance company, you can send in a claim by:
Allainz and Petinsure: You can complete a form in reception or download a form from the insurance companies website and complete before you arrive to your appointment. Ensure you complete all of the policyholders section and sign it including the date of submission.
Petinsurance, Blue Insurance and An Post Insurance: These companies are now processed by Davies Group and have become paperless. The policyholder must submit their claim through their insurance companies website. Please click the link above to submit a claim.
Note: Petinsure will be going paperless in the coming months. The policyholder will then complete a claim form themselves on an online portal. We will keep you updated when this change occurs.
A Guide to Pet Insurance
We recognise that pets are part of the family, so if they have an accident or illness, it is a worrying time for all all concerned.
Pet Insurance is advised for covering unexpected treatment costs for your pet should they become ill or injured.
Generally policies do not cover routine procedures such as vaccinations, neutering, flea treatments, worming, dentals and behavioural problems. However, policy terms and conditions can vary vastly among companies.
As vets we are legally not allowed to advise you as to which pet insurance policy is best. If you want advice we recommend you speak with an insurance broker.
However, if you wish to take out an insurance policy or change your policy to another company we recommend you read the terms and conditions carefully and check the following:
- Excess
- The maximum claimable per condition per year/per policy term
- Is a condition covered for just one year or for the duration of a pets lifetime
- Does it cover both injuries and illness
- Do they cover your pet for life or only up to a certain age
- Is there an additional payment when your dog reaches a certain age, is a certain breed or for claims above a certain amount
- Are there conditions the policy does not cover
- Does the policy include/exclude pre-existing conditions
As a team one of the worst situations we face in our profession is when the treatment and care of a pet is compromised due to money constraints. At Moss we encourage the concept of pet insurance and recommend it to all our clients.
Having your pet insured gives you peace of mind to know that between us and yourselves, we will never have to compromise on the quality of the veterinary care available for your much loved pet, allowing decisions regarding the best course of treatment to be made on the basis of need rather than simply based on cost.