Healthcare Advice

WORMING TREATMENT
Animals are likely to pick up worms if they go outside and in young animals usually have them from there mothers. We advise worming animals which are 3-6 months of age every month and once they are older than 6 months of age every 3 months. There are many differennt products avaiable so please speak to a member of staff to find the most suitable product for your pet.

FLEA TREATMENT
Fleas are a common problem for pet owners so pets need to be treated regularly. Even if you can't see fleas on your pet please be aware that the pupae can lie dormant in furniture and carpets for up to 2 years before hatching! Again there are many products avialable all of which have a different time frame on when to apply to please ask for details. Many flea treatments also protect against ticks which are a common problem in the summer months.

NEUTERING
We advise neutering for health and behavioural reasons. Neutering can prevent agressive tendencies and the want to stray. It also prevents unwanted pregnancies, tesitcular tumours in male animals and mammary tumours in female animals. We routinely neuter cats and dogs at 5-6 months of age and we also neuter small furries too such as rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, chincillas etc! Your pet will have an examination by the vet either when they are booked in or on the day of the opeartion. They will need to stay with us for the day but will be home with you by the evening! Please ask at reception for more details, prices or to make an appointment.

MICROCHIPPING
This is a great way to ensure if your pet goes missing they will be returned to you if they are taken to a vets or the RSPCA. It is relitively painless and is a quick procedure performed by the vet or nurse. It is placed in the scruff of the neck and once there your pet wont know anything about it! Please ask for prices or to book an appointment.

NUTRITION
At Green Pastures we stock Royal Canin food which has a variety of different feeds for cats and dogs which we would be happy to advise you on. A good diet can help your pets coat, skin, digestive system, oral health and immune system. We always advise a dry diet which is fed for your pets weight with a supply of fresh water. We encourage people not to give treats or mix diets as this only leads to obesity and can upset their stomachs. Ideally your pet should be fed 2-3 times per day with the largest meal being fed in the morning. If you want advice on the correct diet for your pet or you are concerned they may be over or under weight please book an appointment with a nurse.

VACCINATIONS
We encourage owners to vaccinate all cats, dogs and rabbits to prevent them getting potentially deadly diseases. Puppies and kittens have 2 initial injections and then yearly boosters. Puppies also have a 3rd injection at 16 weeks to ensure protection against parvo. If you do miss a vaccination in an older animal then we restart the course for the price of a booster. Dogs can also have a kennel cough vaccine which again is given annually and is advised especially when dogs are going into kennels. Rabbits can also pick up nasty diseases such as Viral haemorrhagic disease and myxymatosis. We provide vaccinations for these which are given by the vet and can prove invaluable. Vaccinations can be a confusing area so don't hestitate to ask for more advise, prices or to book an appointment. N.B Most boarding kennels and catteries will not take animals unless they are up to date with vacciations and you have a vaccine card fully filled out.

ORAL HEALTH
We provide nurse consultations in oral health. We are able to provide a oral hygiene home care plan tailored for you and your pet. Brushing teeth is the best way to keep your pets teeth clean and ideally should be done daily. If your pet will not tolerate this then there are other options such as an oral rinse, dental chews and water additives. Feeding dry feeds also helps reduce the plaque build up on the teeth. We would be happy to see your pet and give you furthur advice, all you need to do is book an appointment at reception.

GROOMING
Grooming is a good way of bonding with your pet and also provides a chance to check your pet over. We advise brushing at least once a week to remove dead hair and remove any matts. Some matts may be too big to remove with a brush and may need to be done by one our nurses with clippers. Dogs also benefit from regular baths to keep coats clean but this should not be done too often as it can wash the natural oils in the coat out. While grooming your pet it is a good idea to check that the nails aren't too long, ears are clean, nose is free from discharge and eyes are clean. Rabbits bottoms should also be checked daily through the summer months to ensure they do not have flystrike as this progresses very quickly and is often fatal. Through the summer months we run a 'Bunny offer' during which we apply Rearguard to your bunnies bottom to help prevent flystrike. N.B Overweight rabbits and dirty rabbits are more at risk of developing flystrike.