DOG NEUTERING
At Hitchin Vets we recommend neutering for small to medium breeds from 6 months of age. Larger breeds or nervous dogs benefit from delayed surgery.
Bitch Spays
If you would prefer to wait until after your dog has had a season to spay, we would recommend waiting 3 months from the first signs of the start of the season to have surgery performed. If your dog has not been spayed they are likely to come into ‘heat’ usually around every 6 months. At this point, we would recommend keeping her on a lead and away from male dogs during her walks and as they will be attracted to her for a period of 7-10 days.
For females, the procedure involves removing the ovaries, known as Ovariectomy (OVE). If, however, we find any womb abnormalities during surgery we will undertake a full Ovariohysterectomy (OVH), which may pose an increased risk with older dogs. Both methods of surgery ensure that your bitch will no longer be able to have puppies or come into season.
The Health Benefits of Spaying Your Dog
-Getting your bitch spayed can reduce the risk of her developing mammary gland tumours which is the most the most common type of malignant tumours in female dogs. Scientific evidence indicates that spaying your dog before her first season will provide the maximum protection benefit and this reduces with each subsequent season thereafter. Ovarian cancer can also be eliminated by having your pet spayed.
-Spaying can also reduce the likelihood of pyometra which is an infection of the womb, often resulting in emergency surgery.
It can also reduce the risk of accidental pregnancies and potential of complications throughout pregnancies , which can be heightened in specific breeds.
Spaying can also prevent your dog from developing pseudo pregnancy which is where your bitch will show signs of ‘false pregnancy’. Signs can include milk production, nesting and other behavioural changes and enlargement of mammary glands. There may be a need to visit your vet for medication to resolve these signs if your bitch is struggling with the symptoms.
Male Castration
The surgery involves removing the dog testicles from the sac.
The Health Benefits of Castrating Your Dog
-Eliminates testicular cancer which is the second most common tumour in males.
-Entire dogs can be prone to perineal hernias which require specialist surgery to correct.
-Prevention of impregnating un-neutered bitches.
Chemical Castration
Contrary to popular belief, castration can be detrimental to behavioural issues such as aggression and anxiety due to the removal of testosterone hormone after surgery. In these cases, we recommend delaying castration potentially indefinitely or trialling a chemical castration which mimics the effects of surgery without the permanent commitment of surgery. These are available in 6 month and 12 month durations.
Procedure information
We offer a free of charge pre-op check to all clients to discuss individual pet needs and when the most appropriate time would be to book in for surgery or alternative options.
This procedure is performed at our practice as a day surgery. Admission is arranged between 9am-9.20am on the morning of the procedure and a full discharge appointment will be given upon collection of your pet to discuss post-operative care. A smart collar or medical shirt can be provided to prevent licking of the wound, which can lead to infection.
You are also welcomed to one free of charge post-op check for us to examine the wound approximately 7-10 days after surgery.
We recommend monitoring your pets weight after neutering as both male and females can be prone to weight gain following this procedure. If an increase is observed, reducing their daily food intake can be discussed to combat this.
RABBIT NEUTERING
Rabbit neutering isn't just about preventing reproduction, it is essential for a rabbit's health and wellbeing. As rabbits should, ideally, live in pairs or groups for optimum welfare, neutering allows them to do this safely.
It also prevents life-threatening health problems, particularly in female rabbits, and unwanted pregnancies.
It is essential to neuter both rabbits or all individuals of a mixed-sex group to ensure they live happily, as unneutered males may still attempt to mount her which can trigger fighting, causing stress to all involved. Mounting can still occur in neutered pairs, however, this will be mostly due to dominance and is a natural behaviour and can be exhibited by both female and male rabbits.
Alternatively, if a female rabbit is left unsprayed around male companions she will experience recurrent false pregnancies, again causing possible aggression and stress.
Male Rabbits
Male rabbits can technically be castrated at any age once their testicles have descended, around 10-12 weeks, however, waiting until around 4 months is preferable due to weight and anaesthetic safety. A pre-op check can be arranged to discuss individual cases to ensure we are offering the best advice for your pet.
If your unneutered male is housed with an unneutered female, it is best to keep them separate but in close proximity so they can still interact and smell each other but unable to impregnate her. They become sexually mature from 12 weeks of age. Often wire mesh can be used in this instance.
The procedure for males is relatively straight forward and ono invasive. A general anaesthetic will be given and the testicles are then removed from their sacs and the tubes tied off.
PLEASE NOTE: IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT MALES REMAIN SEPERATED FROM FEMALES FOR 6 WEEKS POST-NEUTERING TO ALLOW FOR ANY RESIDUE IN THE TUBES TO HAVE DISSAPATED.
Female Rabbits
Spaying can be done from 12 weeks of age, however, due to the size of their uterus it is recommended to wait until around 16-20 weeks minimum, but ideally before 9 months as this can pose surgical challenges due to fat surrounding the uterus and it’s blood supply, as well as the higher risk of her falling pregnant. We would recommend arranging a pre-op check as soon as you are able for us to discuss the most suitable plan for your pet. This procedure for females is more intrusive- a general anaesthetic is administered to remove her uterus and ovaries are via an incision in her abdomen. Females are sterile as soon as they have been spayed, however, they will need time to recover and their site wound to heal- usually 7-10 days is ample. If they are housed with their companion straight after the procedure, it is important that they are gentle with her, otherwise, they should be kept separate as above, in close proximity but still able to see and smell each other.
Post-Operative Care
It is advised that rabbits be kept warm and dry after surgery. Often it is advised to bring outdoor rabbits inside to convalesce. Plenty of water, hay and food should be available at all times. Recovery time is usually between 7- 10 days, kept as calm as possible during this time to aid in healing.
PARASITES
Fleas – The most common external parasite found on pets is fleas, with a female flea being able to lay up to 50 eggs per day. An infestation of fleas is not only an unpleasant experience for both pet and owner, but can also cause potential illness amongst pets too. A flea’s life cycle can range from a few weeks to a month, although given the right conditions this time period can be much longer. The pet spreads the flea eggs wherever it goes, which can result in an infestation within the home environment.
Ticks – Ticks are often found in long grass, meadows, woodland, and even sometimes within the home. They attach themselves to our pets and feed on their blood. Ticks not only can be uncomfortable for you pet but can transmit potentially serious diseases, which can also harm us too.
Lungworm – Lungworm in dogs is unfortunately becoming more common within the UK and pets can be at risk by coming into contact with snails and slugs, or drinking from infected puddles. Symptoms can include moderate, dry coughing with a slightly increased respiratory rate, to severe coughing and respiratory distress or failure. Using preventative treatment for all of the above help keep your pets healthy, so if you would lie more information on any of the above, please do call us at the surgery to speak with one of our team.
Generic worms- Roundworm, Tapeworm, and Hookworm
Dogs and cats are both at risk from getting worms, most commonly roundworm, tapeworm and hookworm.
How to Pets Get These Worms?
As a puppy or kitten, worms can be passed on via their mother’s milk- roundworm being the most common.
As they get older, worms can are contracted through pet’s daily activities such as grooming- if roundworm eggs are attached to their fur they will then be ingested and cause a worm infection.
Tapeworm larvae can be carried by fleas that if ingested during grooming, can lead to adult tapeworms developing within your cat’s intestine. Fleas can also be a worm risk for house-cats. Another common cause is scavenging and hunting, which can lead to a worm burden through eating or interacting with other infected animals, such as birds or rodents. If pets ingest faeces, this can sometimes contain worm eggs or can be bought into your home on footwear, which poses a risk to indoor cats!
Some worm larvae, like hookworm, can survive in soil, posing a threat to dogs and cats that dig!
An early and consistent worming routine is vital to help combat worms and keep them at bay from infestation, this will also keep you family safe from secondary health risks of your pet bringing worms into the home.
Treatment
It is imperative to begin an early parasite treatment routine to maintain your pet’s general health and prevent any parasite induced illnesses. Treatment for the above parasites can be administered in both spot-on and tablet form. Worming treatment is recommended to be given at 2 weeks, 5 weeks and 8 weeks- often this final treatment will tie in with a health check and so we can then begin them on their future regime- this typically entails a flea and wormer treatment given monthly whilst a tape wormer given at 6 monthly intervals to keep the critters at bay! If your pet is a particular hunter/scavenger this can be given more frequently but it is recommended to contact us before any changes are made for us to confirm a safe dosage.
RABBIT ADVICE
Fly Strike
This condition can happen when flies lay their eggs on the skin of the rabbits which subsequently hatch into maggots and eat away at the flesh of the species. This is potentially fatal condition if left untreated. The warmer weather can increase the risk of this happening, but rabbits with specific conditions such as arthritis, gut or urinary issues, dental diseases or other wounds are at an increased risk. It is common practice and also advice from The Rabbit Welfare Organisation to adhere to these protocols;
As part of our in-house Healthy Pet Scheme, this would include periodic treatment to cover for the prevention of fly strike. If you believe that your rabbit is suffering from the above please contact us as a matter or urgency so that we can provide treatment and possible investigations.
Vaccinations
Rabbits can be vaccinated using a combined vaccination, against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (Myxo-RHD) from 5 weeks of age. This requires yearly boosters to maintain immunity. This is recommended for all pet rabbits, including those kept indoors.
Myxomatosis is a severe, largely fatal, viral disease which affects skin, eyes, lungs, liver and genitals of both wild and domesticated rabbits. It can be transmitted from infected rabbits via insects or fleas, as well as direct infection being possible through respiratory tract secretions should wild rabbits be able to get near enough to domesticated rabbits and so contact between the two is best prevented.
RHD is another mostly fatal disease, transmitted directly between rabbits of indirectly via clothing, bedding or rabbit food.
In some cases, caught early, treatments such a fluid therapies, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and syringe feeding can be used to help combat the virus, although sadly, in more severe cases euthanasia may be the kindest option.
Worming
Specific rabbit wormers are recommended to be given orally 2-4 times a year.
CAT NEUTERING
At Hitchin Vets we recommend having cats neutered from 4 months of age, or around 2kg in weight. We offer a pre-op check to all clients, free of charge, to discuss individual pet needs and when the best time would be to book in for surgery.
Female Spays
The surgical procedure involves a general anaesthetic whereby we remove your pet’s ovaries, known as Ovariectomy (OVE). If, however we find any abnormalities with the womb during surgery we will undertake a full Ovariohysterectomy (OVH), which possibly has an increased risk with older animals. Both methods of surgery ensure that your cat will no longer be able to have kittens, or come into season. As standard, cats have seasons roughly every 3 weeks which usually has an effect on their behaviour and it can also cause them to become very vocal.
Male Castrations
For males, a general anaesthetic is administered and the testicles are surgically removed from their sacs and the sperm chords tied.
This procedure is carried out at the surgery as a day procedure, whereby we would admit your pet on the morning of the surgery, and complete a full discharge appointment later that same day. You are also welcomed to one free of charge post op check for us to check the wound, roughly around the 7 – 10 day mark after surgery.
After neutering it is indicated that they will be more likely to increase their weight due to the hormone change, which can be more common in some breeds. We would therefore recommend monitoring your pets’ weight after surgery to ensure that the weight does not creep up, as if so, we would need to revisit the daily food intake. All anaesthetics carry an element of risk; however, we can offer a pre-anaesthetic blood test to see if there are any underlying health concerns which could compromise the anaesthetic, which would be run before we go ahead with surgery.
DENTAL DISEASE
Dental disease, if left untreated, can lead to gum disease and rotting teeth. It is one of the most common conditions found in cats and dogs during veterinary health checks. Smelly breath, plaque build up and discolouration of the teeth are some of the main indicators.
Unfortunately, it can also lead to issues of the heart, kidneys and liver due to the bacteria in the mouth.
Key methods for helping to prevent dental disease and remove plaque are:
Brushing
The most effective way to prevent dental disease is by regular brushing of your pet’s teeth. We appreciate that with some pets this is easier said than done which is why we recommend implementing dental hygiene from an early age. There are different varieties of dental kits on the market, including the use of pet specific toothpaste that does not contain fluoride (found in human toothpastes).
Fluoride can cause liver irritation, as pets swallow their toothpaste, and are unable to metabolise it.
The current recommendation is to brush at least three times a week but ideally everyday for best results. A nurse can provide a demonstration if required.
Special Diets
These are designed to remove plaque while your pet eats. The individual pieces of kibble are made more fibrous so they do not shatter when bitten, instead the deposits of plaque are rubbed off the sides of the tooth as it penetrates.
For animals where brushing cannot be carried out, this is the next best step for preventing plaque build up.
Dental Toys
These can give some of the mechanical cleaning effect but tend to be chewed in the same part of the mouth the majority of their use and so their effect is limited.
Please note that dental treatments are just providing relief for the problem with the mouth today. Some pets may require dental descale and polishes annually to remove tartar in order to prevent the need for extractions.
We recommend 6 monthly health checks to allow identification of dental disease- these can be performed by one of our nurses.
DOG VACCINATIONS
Here at Hitchin Veterinary Surgery we vaccine against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus (with the three being known as DHP) and Leptospirosis. Vaccines are recommended by our surgery to prevent serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions. All of the above as described as ‘core vaccines’ which is described as one that all dogs should have regardless of individual circumstances, and that they can protect animals from severe, life threating diseases. Our vaccination protocol is as follows;
Kennel cough vaccines are also recommended to be given alongside the booster however these do not form part of the ‘core vaccines’. Kennel cough is a highly contagious airborne disease which can cause respiratory infections, and can be transmitted when dogs come into close or direct contact with one another.
Distemper virus can be transmitted by direct contact with an infected dogs’ saliva, urine or blood which can cause potentially fatal conditions including seizures and brain damage. Hepatitis is spread via faeces, blood, saliva and nasal discharge from infected animals, and can result in kidney or eye damage. Parvovirus is easily transferred via infected faeces either via direct contact with another dog or via transmission on clothing. It can lead to severe vomiting and diarrhoea and it can often be fatal in young puppies. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection which is spread via infected urine. Infection generally occurs when dogs are exposed to contaminated soil, water or urine. If infected, it can cause severe damage to the liver and kidneys, and can also affect the heart and eyes potentially leading to organ failure and in fatal cases, death.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection which is spread via infected urine. Infection generally occurs when dogs are exposed to contaminated soil, water or urine. If infected, it can cause severe damage to the liver and kidneys, and can also affect the heart and eyes potentially leading to organ failure and in fatal cases, death.
There are two options for a Leptospirosis vaccination- known as Lepto 2 and Lepto 4. The main difference between the two is the number of trains it protects against. Lepto 2 provides protection against two strains of Leptospirosis: canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae whilst Lepto 4 offers immunity for four strains:canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa, and australis. If your dog enjoys swimming in rivers etc. or frequently drinksout of puddles we would recommend opting for the lepto 4 version.
CAT VACCINATIONS
Cats require vaccinations annually, to protect them against disease such as: Cat flu (feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus), Feline infectious enteritis and feline leukaemia virus. They will also ensure your pet won’t pass on any illnesses to others.
The vaccines start with a course of two, with the first one being administered around 8 weeks and the second 3-4 weeks later. Yearly boosters are required thereafter to maintain immunity.
Cat flu is a common illness affecting the upper respiratory tract in cats, much like a cold or the flu in humans. It is mainly caused by one of two viruses; feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus. Very young and mature cats, as well as those with compromised immune systems are they most vulnerable to this condition. If left untreated, it can sadly become fatal.
It is spread much like a cold, through your cat coughing and sneezing then other cats picking up the germs. Once cats have recovered from cat flu, it’s possible for some cats to continue to harbour the infection and come down with cat flu again, particularly during times of stress or other illness.
Common symptoms for Cat flu include: sneezing, coughing runny nose and eyes, drooling, inappetence, fever and mouth ulcers.
Feline infectious enteritis (also known as parvovirus) is a nasty virus of the gut that can cause severe disease and illness in cats, particularly kittens. Sadly, this can spread rapidly in cat groups, such as multi-cat households, catteries or breeders where individuals are not vaccinated and can be fatal. If a pregnant cat contracts this it can affect the kittens’ brain development.
The symptoms of this virus include: vomiting, initial high temperature, lack of appetite, watery diarrhoea- sometimes containing blood, lethargy, inappetence, and abdominal pain. However, not all infected cats will show all of these ailments.
It is important to thoroughly disinfect any areas where your cat has been if they have been exhibiting the above symptoms.
Feline Leukaemia Virus, or FeLV, is a virus that causes a fatal disease by affecting the immune system. Once contracted, it can cause vulnerability to other infections, anaemia or tumours. It is not zoonotic and so does not affect humans.
This can be diagnosed through a blood test.
This virus can be spread direct contact with the saliva of infected cats, via grooming, sharing food or water bowls, or through mating behaviour. There is an incubation period of months, or sometimes years, before signs of infection show in those that are infected.
Common symptoms include recurrent respiratory infections, sore gums or digestive problems, general malaise or have a high temperature, in some cases, enlarged lymph nodes, severe anaemia and breeding problems may be observed.
It is important to keep your cat indoors and isolated from others if you suspect your cat may have the virus or is showing signs mentioned above to prevent spreading.
All of these conditions can be either prevented or minimised with vaccinations.
If you are concerned your cat is exhibiting any of the above signs, please contact us immediately.