Routine Preventative Healthcare for Dogs

Dog ownership brings with it unconditional love and loyalty, but it also brings a huge amount of commitment and responsibility to provide everything your dog needs, including a suitable diet, daily exercise, somewhere sheltered to sleep, interaction and attention, training, grooming and regular veterinary healthcare.

Dogs are very much part of the family, and at Two Rivers Vets we understand how important the health of your dog is to you. The routine preventative healthcare we provide for dogs includes vaccinations, flea, worm and tick prevention and treatment, microchipping, neutering, dental care and dietary advice/weight management.

Vaccinations

Dogs are routinely vaccinated against several potentially fatal diseases. These are distemper, parvovirus, canine infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis (we recommend the latest L4 vaccine to protect against leptospirosis). They may also be vaccinated against kennel cough.

Puppies should have their first vaccinations from age 8 weeks, and will be fully protected after their 12 week injection. Immunity to these diseases is maintained by annual booster vaccinations, for which we send out reminders to registered clients. Routine vaccinations are included in Two Rivers Vets Pet Health Club membership, and there is a 50% discount on kennel cough vaccinations.

The normal cost of a puppy vaccination course is £80.00. The annual dog booster vaccination is £45 and kennel cough vaccination is £30.00. Annual booster and kennel cough given at the same time is £70.00 (saving £5.00).

Flea, worm and tick prevention and treatments

Fleas are very common in dogs, and can also give their owners an irritating bite! Roundworms and tapeworms can be passed to children or other animals, and although they don’t usually cause illness in adult dogs, they can make puppies very poorly and are involved in the lifecycle of fleas. Ticks can attach to your dog when walking in rough hill/grassland areas, and as well as causing skin irritation, can transmit serious infections including Lyme disease.

We can advise on the most suitable flea, worm and tick treatments for your pet (there is a huge array of products available!) and a 12 month supply is included in our Pet Health Club membership.

The cost of individual products varies widely - we only advise on and sell the most effective veterinary-licenced products. These are POMs (Prescription Only Medicines), so are not available in supermarkets or pet shops.

Microchipping

Did you know that it’s the law in Scotland that as well as a collar and tag all dogs should have a microchip for identification? It’s a tiny chip (the size of a grain of rice) which is implanted in the back of the dog’s neck. If your dog is lost, you have a much better chance of him being reunited with you if he’s microchipped, as the number picked up by a microchip scanner will be linked to your contact details. By law, pups must be microchipped from 8 weeks of age.

If your dog is not microchipped, then microchipping is included in the cost of our Pet Health Club membership. We can also check that your dog’s microchip is working any time. Please also remember to update your contact details if you move house or change your number. A microchip normally costs £20.

Neutering

Spaying of bitches or castration of dogs is performed for a variety of reasons including eliminating the risk of pregnancy and reducing unwanted behaviours associated with entire dogs. There are a number of medical benefits as well, such as preventing pyometra (a serious womb infection), stopping false pregnancies, reducing the risk of mammary tumours, and preventing or reducing prostatic enlargement.

We can spay or castrate from around 6 months of age, although the best time can vary with the breed and individual. Our vets or veterinary nurses will be happy to discuss the benefits of neutering and explain the process to you. There is a 10% discount on neutering for Pet Health Club members.

Spaying a female dog costs approximately £230-360 depending on size, and castrating a male dog costs approximately £150-250. This includes the anaesthetic and injectable painkillers which last for 24 hours, a buster collar and a post-operative check-up. Additional painkillers will be prescribed to help your pet rest and heal at home without any discomfort, and will be included in an estimate for the procedure.

Dental care

All dogs will benefit from having their teeth brushed - particularly smaller breeds which can be very prone to tartar build up. Diet also plays a large part in the development of dental disease. Many dogs will require an intermittent ‘scale and polish’ under general anaesthesia, and some will need loose or rotten teeth removed later in life.

We can help prevent dental disease with regular check-ups, demonstration of tooth-brushing techniques, advice on diet, chews and treats, and removal of tartar when necessary. Members of our Pet Health Club get 15% off dental care (including toothbrushes, toothpaste and scale and polish or dental extractions).

The cost of dental care can vary considerably - a scale and polish in an otherwise healthy mouth might take us around 20 minutes, but if multiple extractions are required, or broken teeth with solid roots need to be removed, it might take 2 hours or more. We can give an estimate after examining your dog, but sometimes it’s difficult to tell exactly what needs done until he or she is under anaesthetic.

Dietary advice and weight management