Dog Advice

Tips and advice for dog owners

  • Parasite prevention
  • Vaccinations
  • Dental advice and treatment

Parasite prevention

Flea Treatment
Fleas are the most common parasites caught by dogs. They are small, wingless insects, with back legs that are modified for jumping. Fleas cause itching, they also transmit worms, and will bite humans. The majority of a flea’s life cycle (approx. 95%) occurs off the animal – in your home and environment. Adult fleas feed on your pet’s blood and lay thousands of microscopic eggs each which fall off into the environment. It is important to understand the flea life cycle when choosing a flea product to ensure it targeted at treating both the pet and the environmental load.

You can help protect your dog from fleas with correct advice and treatment. We generally do not recommend non-prescription products as they are not effective. Speak to our friendly vets and nurses who can advise and provide you with safe, effective flea prevention and treatments for your dog!

Worming Treatment
As a caring pet owner, you will know that worms come with the territory. Pets can be suffering with worms without showing any obvious symptoms, so worming your pet is important. Worms carried by cats and dogs can pose a health risk, not just to the pet in question, but to other animals and to humans. Worms sound unpleasant because they are. They are parasites that live in intestines, affecting how your dog digests their food. What are the different types?

Contact us to find out more about how you can protect your pet against parasites.

Vaccinations

It is important to ensure you follow advice about when your pet is due a booster vaccination. Extensive research has been carried out to show how long immunity from vaccines lasts. If your pet is overdue then they are not protected and may need to have a restart course. Your vet will be able to advise you on this.

We recommend that every puppy/dog is vaccinated against:

  • Parvovirus
  • Leptospirosis
  • Distemper
  • Infectious Hepatitis

These are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that still exist today but are thankfully less common than they used to be because of responsible vaccination.

Puppies have 3 vaccinations (usually at 8, 10 and 12 weeks). They must not be down on the ground outside/in public areas/exposed to unvaccinated dogs until 7 days after the 2nd vaccination.

Booster vaccinations are annual and highly advised. Some insurance companies insist upon this too. We are using the most up-to-date vaccines with added cover against certain strains of Leptospirosis. If your dog is new to this vaccine, they will need a second dose 4 weeks later which is free of charge to you.

Another vaccination that is well worth considering is for Kennel Cough. Despite its name, kennel cough is a highly infectious cough that can be picked up anywhere (it can be airborne or picked up from plants/grass/objects where another infected dog has been).

The kennel cough vaccination is annual. Most kennels/doggy day care centres insist on dogs having been vaccinated against it, and usually at least 1 week before their stay (check with the kennels you use to be sure of their rules).

Dental advice and treatment

Dental disease in dogs is very common, affecting a staggering 1:3 dogs over the age of 3 years old. Without adequate dental hygiene dog’s teeth will develop dental plaque, formed from bacteria. If left, plaque can form tartar. The acid created by the bacteria in plaque severely damages the surface of the teeth and irritates the gums; leading to inflammation of the gums and damage to the tissues around the teeth, and, potentially, tooth loss.

Signs of dental disease can include:

  • Bad breath
  • Red or bleeding gums
  • Dribbling
  • Difficulty eating or reduced appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Pawing or rubbing at the face 

Looking after your dog’s teeth is just as important as looking after your own. It is an important part of maintaining their overall health. Dental issues often go unrecognised but the pain they cause may have serious affects to your dog’s behaviour and general health.

Like most things, prevention of dental disease is much better than cure. Brushing should be introduced as young as possible. At Wellpets, we can provide special toothbrushes exclusively for dogs, and meat or poultry flavoured toothpaste! You can make an appointment for a dental check with one of our nurses or vets who can demonstrate how to brush your dog’s teeth, advise you on the best products and provide you with the correct diet to help maintain good dental health.

Additionally, we are fully equipped for any dental problem your dog may be suffering with. Our operating theatres contain compressed air dental machinery and manual dental equipment to enable efficient cleaning and removal of any damaged teeth.