How to Perform CPR on Cats and Dogs

It might surprise you to know that being able to perform CPR on cats and dogs is an important skill to have if you own a pet. Whether your cat or dog is an inside or outside pet, knowing CPR will mean you can act quickly in an emergency and you could save a pet’s life in the process.

An emergency isn’t really the time to be searching on Google, so make sure you read this handy guide now so you are able to save the life of your pet or the pet of somebody else if you need to.

 

Here’s our guide to CPR in cats and dogs

Remove Any Obstruction if Possible

Your cat or dog may be choking on something that is obstructing their breathing. Before attempting any CPR, open your animal’s mouth and check to see if their air passage is clear. If there is something caught in their throat, remove it carefully. Your pet may be conscious and distressed which could cause them to snap or bite. If this is the case, it’s best to take them straight to a veterinarian.

 

Give Artificial Respiration

If your cat or dog is unconscious and their airway is unobstructed, you can attempt to give artificial respirations. This is done by closing the animal’s jaw tightly and breathing into their nose. You should see their chest rise. If this isn’t working or your pet is a small dog or cat, you could try covering their nose and mouth with your mouth and breathing over them. When doing artificial respirations, 2 breaths are sufficient.

 

Perform Chest Compressions

The way you perform chest compressions on an unconscious pet depends on their size. Large dogs can be positioned on their backs similar to humans and compressions can be done in the centre of their chest. This is difficult for small dogs and cats so you may need to do their chest compressions while they are lying on their side. Compressions are then done on the side of their rib cage. The rate of compression also varies depending on the animal’s size but generally, 80-120 compressions per minute are suitable for small to medium sized dogs and all cats. 60 compressions per minute are sufficient for large dogs.

 

Alternate between Breaths and Compressions

Now that you know how to perform breaths and compressions during CPR, it’s also important to alternate between the two. If you’re giving 80 compressions then you should give a breath after 40. If you’re doing 60 compressions, give a breath after 30. Alternating between breaths and compressions helps to give CPR more of a chance of being successful.

 

What Now?

Once your cat or dog is breathing independently again you can cease CPR. You should take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible afterwards to determine the cause of the problem and to do a general health check. If CPR has failed, take your pet to the vet immediately.

 

The team at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital understands, values, and respects the very special nature of the human-animal bond and are happy to assist you with how to perform CPR. We are also there for you in any emergency pet situation. Contact us to find out more today.

5 Reasons to Join a Puppy Training Class

When you bring a puppy home they instantly become the star of the house but if they aren’t trained young, you might find your puppy becoming less popular. Chewing your belongings, aggressive behaviour and poor toilet training are all examples of bad habits your dog may exhibit. As they get older, these habits might be harder to break and some of them may even become dangerous to the wellbeing of others and result in extra vet visits.

Early education and socialisation are essential for the behavioural development and wellbeing of puppies. Young puppies are able to learn obedience skills, toileting behaviour and social etiquette quite easily. All of these things set your puppy on the path to being a well-adjusted dog.

Here’s why you should join that puppy training class immediately.

1. Your Puppy will Learn to Be Social

This is one of the most important reasons to send your dog to puppy school. If your puppy doesn’t have the opportunity to mingle and mix with dogs and people of all different shapes and sizes, they won’t know the appropriate way to behave when approached by another dog or people who aren’t in your family.

2. Your Puppy will Learn to Hold Back the Bite

Some puppies won’t naturally learn to hold back from biting. The nature and breed of your dog also influence whether they are more likely to be biters. At puppy school, you’ll be given the skills to make sure your dog learns that gentle mouthing is ok but biting hard won’t be tolerated.

3. You will Be Confident in Housetraining Your Dog

A lot of the time, a simple “No!” each time your dog commits a housetraining crime isn’t enough to train them to be obedient. At puppy school, you’ll learn specific techniques to make sure your dog isn’t destroying your home or garden.

4. Your Puppy will Learn How to Be Restrained

If your puppy doesn’t learn that humans might need to touch their paws, pick up their leg or pop them on a lead then it will be difficult when the time comes and they need to be washed or have an injury inspected. At puppy school, your puppy will learn that’s it is OK to be held and restrained for a brief period of time.

5. Your Puppy Will Become a Happy, Well Adjusted Dog

Puppy training sets your dog up for a lifetime without aggression or fear. A puppy school allows your puppy to become a dog that isn’t fearful of certain situations and one that knows how to handle a domestic home life around children, cars, street sounds and more.

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital approx 17 mins from Rockingham or Baldivis runs weekly Puppy Classes. We offer a safe and secure environment for your new puppy to learn and meet new friends. Classes are small and tailored to the needs of you and your puppy – and they are great fun too.

It is recommended that you commence Puppy Classes between 8 and 14 weeks of age. Contact us today about enrolling your puppy in our Puppy Classes.

Ways to save on Pet Expenses

Save on Pet Expenses with Preventative Healthcare

Being a pet owner is a truly wonderful thing, with our little animal friends bringing companionship, love and joy into our lives. As well as this, caring for a dog or cat is a significant investment, both in terms of time and money.

Before you go ahead and adopt a new puppy or kitten, you need to make sure that you’ve carefully considered whether you have the financial capacity to responsibly care for them. The expense of keeping a pet can be considerable for some owners, particularly if their cat or dog becomes ill or needs emergency vet care.

Fortunately, there are also ways to save on pet expenses. Today we’ll look at how wellness packages for your dog or cat can allow you to look after their health and wellbeing while saving money in the process.

Properly Caring for Your Cat or Dog

Owning a pet is a long-term responsibility. You have to be committed to caring for them for their entire life, providing them with a safe and comfortable home.

Annual health checks by a professional veterinarian are recommended for all cats and dogs, even if your pet appears to be completely healthy. If your pet has an ongoing condition or is older, they may need to visit the vet more frequently – generally twice a year, or as advised by your veterinarian.

Save Money with Preventative Healthcare

By practising preventative healthcare, your cat or dog will receive regular health checks by a qualified vet. This will help you to keep track of their wellbeing and detect any signs or symptoms of ill health.

This proactive approach to your pet’s wellbeing will keep them healthy, reducing the need for emergency treatments or operations. This will also reduce the likelihood of more expensive vet bills further down the track.

Things You Can Do At Home

You can also save on expenses by making sure that your cat or dog is taken care of properly at home. Coupled with professional preventative care, the following strategies will help to protect your pet and keep your costs down:

  • Nutritional foods – feed your pet a vet-approved diet to maintain their health and wellbeing
  • Regular cleaning – clean your pet’s beds, bowls and other living areas to prevent infection and other sicknesses
  • Pet grooming – have your pet groomed regularly to create a healthy coat and reduce possible complications
  • Entertainment – playing games and engaging your pet will improve their emotional wellbeing while nurturing their physical health

Wellbeing Packages – for Easy, Affordable Monthly Payments

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital offers a range of affordable wellness packages that provide regular preventative care. Working with you, we can ensure optimum health for your cat, dog, kitten or puppy. With a wellness package, you’ll also know you have somewhere to turn to in case of emergency. Our professional and qualified vets are always on hand to offer you guidance and support at any stage of your pet’s life.

At Port Kennedy, we understand the monetary aspect of looking after an animal, and we offer services to make life a bit easier for pet owners. Monthly payment plans provide you with much-needed peace of mind about the health of your cat or dog while taking the emotional and financial stresses out of being a pet owner.

Talk to your trusted Port Kennedy vets about how wellness packages can benefit you and your best mate.

Benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for your cats or dogs

The Benefits of Sterilisation and Desexing for Your Pet

Have you become the happy owner of a new puppy or kitten?

Congratulations! Welcoming a little canine or feline friend into your home is always an exciting time.

There are many things you’ll need to consider to properly take care of your new pet. These considerations ensure that you’re giving them the happiest and healthiest life possible. One of the most important things you’ll need to take care of is getting your cat or dog desexed. As well as reducing the risk of unwanted litters, neutering has a number of benefits for your pet’s health and wellbeing.

We’ve put together some practical information about desexing to help you create a better experience for your cat or dog.

What is Desexing or Neutering for Pets?

Desexing, also sometimes called neutering or spaying, is a common surgical procedure that prevents pets from being able to reproduce. If you don’t want your new kitten or puppy to become pregnant and breed, you’ll need to organise to have them desexed at a professional veterinarian clinic.

The most common age to desex your pet is between 4 and 6 months, however, the procedure can be completed at any stage of an animal’s life.

The Benefits of Sterilisation for Your Pet

With the world already full of stray and abandoned animals, it’s vital that pet owners take responsibility and make sure that they’re not contributing to that number of unwanted animals. If you don’t want your cat or dog to have a litter, you must organise for them to be desexed. This applies to both males and females.

As well as removing the risk of unwanted pregnancy, there are also some other surprising benefits of sterilisation for cats and dogs.

These advantages include:

  • Stopping the heat cycle in female cats and dogs
  • Living a longer and healthier life
  • Preventing testicular cancer and prostate disease in male pets
  • Preventing pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in female animals
  • Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals
  • Being less prone to wander, especially in male pets

Preparing for Your Pet’s Desexing Procedure

Your vet will give you detailed instructions before your pet’s procedure, but here are some things to expect before your cat or dog’s spaying appointment.

Your pet will need to fast before their procedure. No food is to be given to your cat or dog after 10pm on the night before surgery. The next day, before surgery, no water is to be given after 8am.

At the clinic, the vet may take a blood test prior to surgery to check vital organ function. They will also perform a thorough physical examination before administering a general anaesthetic and pain relief medication.

Some cats and dogs might require intravenous fluid support during their surgery.

Caring for Your Cat or Dog after Desexing

Most pets will recover very quickly from the sterilisation procedure, although they may have a little tenderness at first.

Limit your pet’s food and water to small portions on the first night that they return home. Make sure you administer the post-surgical medications properly and check the incision at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption, such as bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge.

Prevent your pet from licking or chewing their stitches and always return to your vet to remove the stitches and have a post-surgery check-up.

Desexing Your Pet in Port Kennedy 

Pet owners in Port Kennedy, Rockingham, Baldivis and the surrounds can organise to have their cat or dog desexed at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital.

Sterilisation procedures can also be included as part of the clinic’s range of affordable wellness packages. These packages provide regular preventative care for the health of your cat or dog, puppy or kitten.

Book in for a desexing appointment today or talk to our team about healthcare packages for your pet.

The Value of Regular Grooming Appointments

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital Pet Grooming

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital Pet GroomingWe’ve all seen the attention our pets pay to their grooming – cats and dogs can spend a considerable amount of time licking paws, smoothing fur and scratching ears and tails.

But did you know that grooming is actually essential to your pet’s health and wellbeing? The act of grooming for your pet is much more than just making sure their coat looks neat.

Let’s look at some of the benefits proper grooming can bring to your pet.

The Benefits of Regular Pet Grooming

Helping your cat or dog to feel comfortable and clean has many benefits. Grooming greatly improves their mood and behaviour while ensuring optimum physical and mental health.

Some benefits include:

  • A clean coat and skin
  • Unobscured eyes and vision
  • Clipped, healthy nails
  • Healthy teeth
  • Reduced risk of eye, ear, skin, teeth and nail infections
  • Easier toileting, by clipping area around the tail
  • Getting your pet comfortable and used to being at the vet
  • Increased sociability

The Side Effects of Neglecting Your Pet’s Coat

 Failing to properly groom pets can lead to serious consequences for cats and dogs, affecting much more than just their appearance. In fact, failing to tend to a pet’s grooming needs can lead to an unhappy, uncomfortable and even aggressive pet.

You might not know this but knotted, matted hair can be very painful for pets. It can cause sores and skin conditions, restricting blood flow as the hair pulls tightly on the cat or dog’s skin. Matted hair can also feel very heavy for pets, adding extra weight and increasing the risk of overheating.

As well as being very uncomfortable, parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites thrive on dirty, neglected coats and can prove fatal for cats and dogs.

How Often Should Your Pet Be Groomed?

For owners of long-haired cats or dogs with special coats, you’ll need to accept the responsibility of more frequent home grooming for your companion.

In general, pets can be groomed every 4-12 weeks, depending on the type of pet you have. It’s best to ask local veterinarian near you  to schedule grooming appointments to follow to best take care of your cat or dog’s coat.

Professional Pet Grooming

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital we offer a wide range of affordable wellness packages for cats and dogs to Rockingham, Warnbro, Baldivis and surrounding  These packages include everything from check-ups to vaccinations and your pet’s grooming service. Book an appointment for pet grooming with Port Kennedy veterinary hospital today and take the opportunity to discuss your pet’s wellness program.

This way, you’ll be looking after your pet’s complete health and wellbeing with no risk of forgetting about regular clipping and grooming.