RATHMINES VETERINARY HOSPITAL
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What should I do if I find injured wildlife?
If you ever find any kind of native animal, bird or reptile and it is injured, please bring it down to us. There is no charge for doing this and we will have the vet examine the animal and hopefully send it on to the Wildlife Rescue Service. Alternatively, you can call the Wildlife Rescue Service direct on 0418 NATIVE (0418 628 483).
What should I do if I find a stray animal?
Again, if you find a stray animal, please bring it down to us so we can scan it for a microchip and try to contact it's owners. There is no charge for this.
How often should I worm my pet?
Puppies & kittens should be wormed for intestinal worms (Roundworm, Hookworm, Tapeworm & Whipworm)
Every 2 weeks till they are 12 weeks old,
Every 4 weeks till they are 6 months old,
then every 3 months for life.
Adult dogs should be wormed every 3 months also. There are tablets available here and dosage depends on your pet's body weight.
What about Heartworm?
Heartworm in dogs is a serious disease, which is transmitted by mosquitos. Around 1 in 4 untreated dogs will contract heartworm. It is easily prevented with one of the preperations available, which now includes a simple, safe & effective injection that can be given from 12 weeks of age. This is more convenient for you, as you don't have to remember a monthly, or daily medication.
Do you treat large animals? (Horses, cows, goats, etc..)
No, unfortunately we do not.
How can I get rid of fleas?
Fleas on your pets can be a real problem, and not only for them! Fleas live in the same environment your pet does & for every flea on your pet there are about 100 in the environment in the form of eggs, larve, pupae & adults. An adult flea only lives for 2 weeks, and can lay 1000 eggs during that time. So fleas are really an environmental problem. Their favourite places are warm, dry spots like in bedding, carpets & under the house, or wherever your pet goes. Dogs & cats can be highly allergic to fleas, and it will only take 1 flea bite to set off a scratching cycle that can last up to 2 days. 
Effective flea controls are readily available from us, and we often have specials for our clients. Products like shampoos, rinses, collars, powders & some sprays are usually innefective as they often don't kill fleas or a very small number of them. Regular flea control with an adulticide product that also includes environmental control is the only way to totally eradicate fleas in your home & on your pet. There are a few products that we recommend, some include other parasite control as well for intestinal worms, ear mites & paralysis ticks. Please ask us which one will be suitable for your pet.
When can I have my pet desexed?
For both male and female pets, the recommended age for desexing is 5 - 6 months. For females, before they first come into season, or "on heat", and for males, before the testosterone starts taking effect. 
Desexing your animal has many advantages -  desexing them removes the sexual urges in both males and females and for males, can remove behaviours such as marking, escaping (a bitch in heat can be smelled by males up to 20km away!), dog aggression and dominance aggression and it stops females coming into season, so they are guaranteed not to have any unwanted puppies/kittens, and undesexed males hanging around them, it also greatly reduces their chances of mammary cancers if done before their first heat.
Desexing is a safe and routine procedure, and we do not require them to be kept overnight, just during the day.
If you would like to book your pet in for desexing, please call us and we will arrange a day with you.
How can I stop flies biting my dogs ears?
In the warmer months, some dogs ears can become a smorgasboard for flies, leaving the dog in a great amount of discomfort and irritation. If this happens to your dog, bathe their ears with warm salty water (1 teaspoon salt to 600ml water) using cottonwool, and gently scrub off all the scabs, as these scabs attract more flies. Follow this up by using a fly ointment you can get from us, which you then rub onto the ears, to deter flies and heal the wounds left by them, we always have these here, ready to buy over the counter. No consult is required for this ointment.
Human fly/insect repellants like Aerogard, Off, etc must not be used on them, and especially not insecticides like Mortein or Raid. We have insect repellant sprays available here which won't cause any harm to you or your dog and will keep those pesky insects at bay, as well as leaving fly baits in the environment.
However if this problem persists, please see the vet.




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  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Catalina Cat Boarding
  • Puppy Preschool
  • Location
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Surgery After Care