By Margot Hunter of Dunedin Vets

ONCE your new puppy or kitten has settled into your household, there are several things to consider, ensuring your new pet is kept fit and healthy.

Register with your veterinary surgeon. This gives immediate reassurance if a problem does arise with your pet.

At Dunedin Vets, we offer free puppy and kitten checks and for all new pets as soon as you acquire them; this may be carried out by telephone during these Covid-19 times. Lots of advice is given by vets, qualified veterinary nurses and reception staff.

Everyone is thinking about vaccination against coronavirus for humans just now. Vaccination has been the major controller of lethal diseases since the process was developed by Edward Jenner centuries ago.

We must vaccinate our pets to prevent several fatal conditions. Pups can be vaccinated from six weeks of age. However, vaccinating at 10 and 14 weeks of age is the new normal during this Covid-19 pandemic, when most vaccinations are given.

Pups should be kept isolated until two weeks after the first vaccination, then limited contact with other dogs until after the second vaccine. Boosters are given annually against parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis leptospirosis and kennel cough.

It is advisable to vaccinate your kitten against cat flu, feline enteritis and feline leukaemia. Two vaccines are usually given three weeks apart from nine weeks of age. Kittens should be kept isolated until one week after the second vaccine. Boosters are given annually against cat flu, feline enteritis and feline leukaemia.

Rabbits can be vaccinated against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), of which there are two strains. One vaccine against the two agents can be given from six weeks of age. Boosters are given annually.

Everyone loves a new puppy or kitten, but please be aware of unscrupulous dealers who take advantage of the kind and loving nature of the majority of people.

Recently, Kimberly Mackie visited Dunedin Vets’ Tranent surgery with her new puppy Poppy. Poppy is a Jack Russell cross Chihuahua, so is a very small pup. However, Poppy arrived with diarrhoea and very dehydrated, weighing only a few hundred grams.

Poppy was examined by vet Chris Monk, who immediately saw how ill little Poppy was.

Mum had bought her in all good faith from a family home. It was soon discovered that Poppy had been microchipped and had a vaccination in Eire. Poppy was an import from Eire, a victim of the illegal puppy farming trade.

It is so difficult for new owners to know the origin of their pup, especially when the sellers can seem so plausible. Ask to see the parents or at least the mother and other pups in the litter, although they find many ways to circumvent these questions. It is also so difficult to return a puppy or kitten once you have cuddled them and instantly fallen in love.

The good news is that Poppy, after fluid therapy and medications, and lots of loving care from Dunedin Vets staff and, of course, his forever mum, has made a full recovery and is developing her own special character.

We must also consider other preventable conditions which our pets may be susceptible to.

Most puppies and kittens are born with a roundworm infestation. Worms are passed to them before birth by their mothers and through mother’s milk. This is obviously not very pleasant and potentially these worms pose a risk for humans, especially children.

Tapeworms are rarely a problem in puppies and kittens, although one type is actually transmitted by fleas.

We recommend worming puppies and kittens at eight, 10 and 12 weeks of age with a quality wormer in tablet or liquid form, which will kill most worms.

Remember, there may be no obvious signs of worm infestation.

Worming should be carried out every three months for the rest of your pet’s life.

Many puppies and kittens arrive at their new home with a population of external parasites. These include fleas and mites.

Fleas are passed from one animal to another. Although there are different types of dog and cat fleas, they don’t mind what they jump onto to feed!

Fleas are two to three millimetres long and move quickly through the coat. Flea droppings are black and gritty, and turn red if damp cotton wool is applied to them.

Fleas can transmit several diseases, cause allergies and general irritation. Fleas live on your pet, and in the house.

You must use a suitable insecticide spray to destroy flea larvae, which can survive for months in the environment. Your veterinary staff can advise what is best for your pet and your home.

The rabbit flea is unusual in that it doesn’t move very fast. They are often found along the edge of cats’ ears and are difficult to remove, so are called ‘stick tight’ fleas. Cats pick them up when hunting wild rabbits.

Walking dandruff mites (cheyletiella) are very common in puppies, kittens and bunnies. They are too small to see but occasionally skin scurf appears to move, which is actually the mites, hence the name.

Mange mites (scabies, demodex) are minute parasites which bury into the skin. Some are passed from mother to young and some spread from pet to pet. Some cause intense scratching, some cause hair loss. Some can be very difficult to treat, requiring specialised anti-parasitic washes or spot on treatment.

Ear mites live in the ear canals, causing irritation, lots of wax production and a smell.

At Dunedin Vets, we strongly recommend taking out insurance for your pet at a young age. Many breeders will provide initial insurance cover, and many vets will offer free insurance with certain companies for a few weeks. This gives peace of mind whilst you are considering which insurance to purchase. We suggest you look for a ‘lifelong cover’ policy so your pet will always be covered.

Consider a pet health club for your new arrival. Many veterinary practices, including Dunedin Vets, offer this type of scheme. Basically, you spread the cost of your pet’s preventative healthcare over the year rather than being faced with large bills at booster time, so allowing you to budget monthly for this.

Dunedin Vets’ pet health club offers many other benefits and discounts. During these difficult times, many people are finding this a great way to ensure the best care for their pets without burdening themselves financially.

Puppies, kittens and bunnies bring so much love to a family and help so much in your wellbeing – choose wisely, and look after them well, and you will have a friend and companion for life.