Wellness Packages Archives - Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital

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Health food guide for Dogs

A Guide to Healthy Eating for Your Pet Below, we list our top simple and healthy dog snacks.

Carrots for Healthy Teeth

Raw carrots aren’t just for horses – they’re also a great healthy snack for your dog! Chewing carrots is excellent for your dog’s teeth and helps them to stay sharp. It is perfect for overweight dogs as they are so low in calories. Check out our wellness package.

Cheese for a Protein Boost

Cheese can be an easy and healthy snack with lots of protein and calcium, um as long as your dog isn’t lactose intolerant. Cottage cheese is a perfect choice for dogs as it is very high in protein, low in fat and easy to digest.

Yogurt for Digestive Health

This one is quite specific, as you’re looking for plain, unsweetened, live yogurt. The live cultures and probiotics are great for your dog’s digestive health, and as with cheese, adding extra dairy to your dog’s diet means a boost of protein and calcium.

Eggs for Extra Calories

Your pup can enjoy eggs cooked or raw. Raw eggs can be given to your dog whole (preferably outside!), including the shell, as this contains a lot of great nutrients such as biotin and riboflavin. If you need more clarification on raw eggs, try a hard-boiled egg, peeled with no seasoning. High in protein and a good calorie boost for a growing pup!

Green Beans for Dogs

Green beans are the perfect snack for a vegetarian dog that needs to lose weight. The stringy vegetable is very high in fibre, which will help your dog to feel full, but it doesn’t contain many calories, so it will aid in weight loss.

Apples for Vitamins

Chuck a chopped apple into your dog’s bowl at snack time to give it a daily dose of vitamins A and C. No need to peel it as the skin is where much of the nutrient content is stored, but avoid seeds as much as you can as these contain small quantities of cyanide.

Fish for Good Fats

Cooked salmon or sardines are especially beneficial to your dog as they contain good fats and amino acids. Ensure any fish you feed your pet is cooked, and remove all bones before to ensure there’s no risk of choking.

Coconut for Immune Protection

Coconut contains a fatty acid called lauric acid, which helps the immune system and can help in weight loss. You can feed your dog coconut flesh, coconut milk or coconut oil, but make sure they don’t get their paws on a whole coconut as the furry outer shell can cause problems if swallowed. Coconut also helps with bad breath and skin conditions, so this one’s an all-rounder!

Peanuts are a good source of protein

Peanuts are one of the only nuts that your dog can eat. Macadamias, walnuts and pecans are highly toxic to dogs, whilst almonds pose a choking risk due to their shape. Peanuts, however, are entirely safe and are a good source of protein and healthy fats. Ensure you feed your dog shelled, unsalted peanuts to keep this snack healthy.

Port Kennedy Vets offers a Wellness Programme to help you keep your dog in top condition and live a long, healthy and happy life. Call 08 6555 5149 or visit our contact page today to learn more.

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Preventative Dental Healthcare for Your Pet

Preventative Dental Healthcare for Your Pet: Keeping your pet’s teeth and gums healthy is an essential but sometimes neglected part of pet care. We probably give our teeth a good brushing and flossing every day. Nevertheless, we may not give our canine and feline pets the same kind of attention.

Animals, like people, need regular dental checkups to stay healthy. Dental illness ranks highly among the frequent health issues that dogs face. Toothaches, bad oral care, and mouth shape problems can really affect your pet’s health, behaviour, and sense of well-being.

How can you ensure that your pet’s teeth and gums are always in the best possible shape? Here are some tips.

Preventive Dental Healthcare for Your Pet

1. Proper Diet for Strong Teeth and Gums

The foods that pets eat significantly impact their oral health. For example, chewing and gnawing on certain foods helps to eliminate tartar and plaque from their teeth. Modern dental diets for dogs are just as beneficial as regular brushing.

If you want to help your cat or dog keep their teeth healthy, see your vet about developing a special diet.

Inadequate dental care

Visually inspect your pet’s teeth regularly for changes or damage. Plaque, the accumulation of germs, is the first cause of oral health problems, such as tartar formation and tooth decay.

If you see any yellowing, browning, or holes in your pet’s teeth, it might be a sign of tartar or decay. The following are some indicators of poor dental hygiene that might eventually cause problems:

Having foul breath
Challenges with chewing and eating
Gum disease, loss of gum tissue or Loss of teeth
Profuse dribbling and saliva production
Pawing at the mouth as if it were uncomfortable

Your pet’s oral health depends on your quick response to these warning signals. Dental problems can spread to other parts of the body, like the heart, kidneys, and brain, so you’ll also be improving their general health.

2. Healthcare for Prevention

Veterinarians use preventative healthcare to ensure that your dogs remain in the best possible condition. This method encourages routine health examinations, immunisations, dental treatment, and diet. As a result, pet owners may avoid spending a fortune on costly emergency treatments, surgeries, and dental care.

It is essential to take your pet to the veterinarian regularly. By doing so, the doctor can monitor changes in your pet’s mouth, teeth, or gums and catch any issues early. In the long run, this will save you money by allowing you to treat your cats and dogs sooner rather than later, improving their comfort and health.

Affordable wellness packages are available at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital. These packages include dental exams and other preventive treatments for your cat or dog. Contact the veterinary staff for additional details or to schedule an appointment.

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Sterilisation and Desexing for Your Pet

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital

1/9 Fielden Way, Port Kennedy, WA 6172

Phone: +61 89 524 6644

Fax: +61 89 524 6626

Email: admin@portkennedyvet.com.au

Please allow up to 24 hours for responses to email.

We are your local Vet hospital

Welcoming a little canine or feline friend into your home is always exciting.

Considering many things to care for your new pet properly would be best. These considerations ensure that you give 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 several benefits for your pet’s health and well-being.

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

What happens when you Desex or Neuter your pet?

Desexing, also sometimes called neutering or spaying, is a standard 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.

Benefits of Sterilisation for Your Pet

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

Benefits of sterilisation.

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

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.

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

A blood test has to be taken before surgery to check vital organ function at the clinic. They will also perform a thorough physical examination before administering a general anaesthetic and pain relief medication.

Caring for Your Cat or Dog after Desexing

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

Limit your pet’s food and water to small portions the first night they return home. Ensure 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

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.

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Special Vet Care for Kittens

Essential Vet Care for Kittens: Health Tips & Expert Advice

Special Vet Care for Kittens. It’s necessary to make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible after adopting a new kitten. After all, you’re bringing a new family member into your home. You should arrange a thorough health check to ensure your kitten is healthy and also to verify that they aren’t carrying any infectious diseases or parasites that could affect other pets or people.

The First Check Up

Your kitten’s first check-up will start with a comprehensive physical exam. This will involve a visual check of your cat’s eyes, ears, fur, and teeth, as well as measuring your cat’s temperature and weight. Your vet will listen to the kitten’s heart and lungs and feel for any abnormalities in other internal organs to ensure the kitten’s life gets off to the best possible start. Faecal and blood tests may also be taken at this time.

Vaccinations

Kittens are particularly at risk of contracting several diseases as they gradually lose the antibodies passed on by their mother and are left unprotected. There are three essential ‘core’ vaccines for your kitten – rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia. These vaccines can be administered starting around 6-8 weeks of age and then boosted over the following few months. Your veterinarian will provide you with a vaccination schedule to follow, ensuring your cat receives the best possible protection against infectious diseases.

Microchipping

Microchipping is a legal requirement in Western Australia and should be completed in the first few months of your kitten’s life. The process is as simple as a small injection in the back of the neck, and it means your pet has a very high chance of being returned to you if it gets lost.

Flea Prevention

All pets will be exposed to fleas at some stage once they are outside and interacting with other animals. Kittens can begin to receive preventative treatment against fleas from 2 months of age, and all pets in your household must be treated at the same time.

Worm Prevention

Kittens need to be treated regularly from a very young age to protect against heartworms and intestinal worms. When you purchase our kitten wellness package, it includes 12 months of protection against these harmful parasites.

Desexing

All male cats outside breeding colonies must be desexed, and it is highly recommended that females be desexed as well. Pets who have been spayed or neutered are healthier, more relaxed, less likely to roam or fight, and ultimately better to live with. Your kitten should be desexed before 6 months of age at the latest.

Total Wellness

All of the treatments listed above are available in the Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital kitten wellness package, designed to give your pet the best possible chance of preventing, detecting, and managing any illness it may develop. The wellness package offers an excellent foundation for your kitten’s lifelong health and happiness.

If you’d like to purchase one of our popular wellness packages for your kitten, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

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Veterinary Care for Puppies

Tick Paralysis in Cats, Dogs, and Other Species

Essential Vet Care for Puppies: Health Tips & Checkups Guide

Vet Care for Puppies: Just like babies, puppies need constant care for the first few months of their life to monitor behaviour and keep them safe. Your puppy should make its first visit to the vet before it reaches 10 weeks old – the longer you wait, the more you put them at risk.

Puppy care involves a range of preventative treatments and checkups, all of which are included in our Puppy Wellness Package. To learn more about how your vet can care for your puppy, read the information below.

Vaccinations

Vaccines are a vital part of your puppy’s care to help prevent severe disease. There are two classes of vaccine: core vaccines, which should be given to every puppy, and supplementary vaccines, which are only recommended for certain dogs and specific situations.

The three core vaccines offered at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital are distemper (a viral disease affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems); canine adenovirus type 2 (an infectious respiratory disease) and canine parvovirus type 2 (a virus infecting the intestines). The first vaccine for a new puppy is recommended at around 8 weeks, with regular boosters administered for the first few months.

Deworming

Many puppies are born with intestinal parasites inherited from their mother. Your dog should be wormed every few weeks for the first few months, then every 3 months thereafter. This treatment should be completed regardless of whether worm droppings are visible, as the evidence of intestinal worms can sometimes be too small to be seen. If left untreated, these parasites can cause anaemia and weight loss, so preventing their growth is vital.

Desexing

Spaying or neutering your puppy provides health benefits for your pet and lifestyle benefits for you. It prevents pets from fighting or roaming and makes them more relaxed and affectionate, while also eliminating the risk of certain cancers. The ideal time for surgical spaying is between 4 and 6 months of age, before your puppy reaches sexual maturity.

Teething

Your puppy’s first teeth will begin to erupt after just a few weeks, with the teething process lasting a few months. Ensure your dog maintains excellent oral health by brushing regularly and visiting your veterinary clinic for dental check-ups. Preventing gum disease and tooth decay is simply a matter of monitoring your pet’s diet and keeping teeth strong by chewing on raw or dental bones every week.

If you’d like to arrange vaccinations for your puppy or purchase a wellness package, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

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Important Vaccines for Cats

Essential Cat Vaccinations: Protecting Your Feline’s Health & Well-being

Importantly, Cat Vaccinations: Preventive treatment is a vital part of your pet’s health. By ensuring your animal receives all the necessary vaccines at the correct times, you can prevent them from contracting common diseases and maximise the quality and longevity of their life. Below, we provide more information on the necessary and recommended vaccinations for your kitten or cat.

Core Vaccines

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital, we offer a set of three core vaccinations. The feline rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus vaccines both prevent a common respiratory disease, often simplified as ‘cat flu’. This disease is easily spread between cats through coughing or sneezing and can affect cats of any age, but kittens are particularly susceptible. This vaccine should be boosted annually to prevent reinfection.

The third vaccine in our core set is for feline panleukopenia, which is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease. Fortunately, the vaccine is highly effective in providing immunity, and the disease is no longer prevalent.

Additional Vaccines

We also offer optional vaccines for feline leukaemia, which suppresses your cat’s immune system, leaving them susceptible to infections, and feline immunodeficiency virus, which is a very slow-acting infectious disease that also affects the immune system.

When Should My Pet Be Vaccinated?

Kitten vaccinations typically begin between 6 and 8 weeks of age and are boosted regularly during their first few months. Young kittens inherit maternal antibodies that provide them with protection against disease, but this protection fades as they grow. Therefore, it’s vital to arrange vaccines at the right time. For adult cats, your vet will advise you on how often they need vaccinations, as this depends on their age and lifestyle. To ensure your pet is fully covered for preventive care, you can purchase one of our wellness packages, which includes vaccinations and other preventive treatments in a single, affordable bundle.

Does My Indoor Cat Need Vaccinations?

While it may seem counterintuitive, indoor kittens and cats will still require vaccines, especially the core vaccinations against feline rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus and feline panleukopenia.

It’s important to remember that these diseases can be fatal, making complete protection necessary. If your curious cat wanders outdoors, ends up in a shelter or comes into contact with another cat, they may be exposed to dangerous diseases. Many kittens also contract diseases at a young age, before you meet them or even in utero, meaning the possibility of a disease recurring in unprotected cats is always possible.

What Are the Risks of Vaccination? Generally, there are few risks associated with standard vaccines. Your pet may experience a mild reaction at the injection site, but more serious side effects are unlikely. When caring for a kitten, it’s essential to keep them inside until ten days after their final vaccination to ensure they are fully protected. Vaccines are only effective when necessary boosters are given annually.

If you’d like to arrange vaccinations for your pet, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

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The Importance of Pet Health Check

The Importance of Pet Health Checkups: Ensuring a Happy & Healthy Life

The Importance of Pet HealthChecks: Regular health checks give pets and their owners the best chance to prevent, detect, and treat potential illnesses, both immediately and in the future.

A complete exam allows your vet to take a closer look at your pet and will enable you to ask about any unusual behaviour. Below you’ll find more information on the Importance of health checks and how to manage your pet’s veterinary care.

Early Disease Detection

A key benefit of regular health check-ups for your pet is the potential to detect illnesses early on. There may be subtle changes in your pet’s behaviour that you don’t consider remarkable, but your vet may pick up on these as warning signs of something more serious. If your pet is diagnosed with a disease, the earlier the treatment starts, the better the prognosis will generally be. This treatment could involve anything from surgery and medication to a simple dietary change, but whatever it is, you’ll want to get started.

Preventative Treatment

Many animal illnesses can be easily prevented with proper veterinary treatment. Younger pets, in particular, require a range of vaccines to combat preventable diseases, as well as treatments to eliminate parasites and worms. Your veterinarian will help you develop a preventive healthcare plan for your pet over the next few years, which includes scheduled treatments at regular intervals. At each check-up, the vet will also examine your pet’s weight and be able to warn you if they are becoming overweight, enabling you to make the necessary changes to avoid obesity.

Important Checks

During an annual health check, your vet will complete a thorough nose-to-tail examination of your pet. They will check the ears for mites and infection, and examine the eyes to ensure your pet has no vision issues, such as cataracts or glaucoma, which can lead to more serious problems. Internal organs will be examined using a stethoscope and physical manipulation to ensure there are no abnormalities. Another essential area of investigation is your pet’s mouth. Tooth or gum decay can cause your pet pain without you even realising it. This can lead to more serious abscesses or even tooth loss.

Total Wellness

At Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital, your pet’s health is our primary concern. To provide you with the best possible service and value for money, we’ve developed a range of wellness packages that offer excellent preventive care for your dog, cat, puppy, or kitten. The plan includes regular health checks, parasite treatments, essential vaccinations, deworming, and discounts on additional consultations. Explore our dog and puppy or cat and kitten packages to learn more, and keep your pet healthy for less.

If you’d like to purchase a wellness package for your pet, then call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital now on 08 9524 6644 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.

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The Importance of Pet Nutrition

The Importance of Pet Nutrition: Ensuring a Healthy and Happy Life for Your Furry Friend

The Importance of Pet Nutrition. Good nutrition is just as important for your pets as it is for the rest of your family. Nutritional requirements for your pet, depending on their age, breed, size and health, will change over time. To keep your pets as happy and healthy as possible, follow our guidelines below.

Commercial vs Home Made Foods

Commercial foods are designed to meet all of your pet’s needs. Most include a mixture of meat, grains, vegetables and vitamins. If you prefer to feed your pet raw food then that’s fine too – just make sure it provides the right combination of energy, proteins, healthy fats and other necessary nutrients for your pet’s stage of life. Dry foods are good for the teeth while wet foods provide additional moisture to prevent dehydration.

Speak to your vet about the best feeding option, but in general, the choice of food is down to the personal preferences of you and your pet.

Does My Pet Need to Diet?

In Australia, one in three cats and dogs is overweight. Pets in this situation live shorter and less active lives than their fitter counterparts. Heavy pets tend to be less playful and energetic, and they interact less physically with their families, spending more time lying around. Carrying extra weight also puts extra pressure on their limbs, joints and the heart.

If you suspect your pet is overweight, then it’s important to do something about it now. Carrying just a few extra kilos can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and joint problems, among other complications. You can do a basic check for obesity at home by seeing how easily you can feel your pet’s ribs – if they are difficult to feel then it’s time for a visit to the vet.

How Do I Put My Pet On a Diet?

Weight loss for your pet shouldn’t be too tricky. The keys to success include the right advice from your veterinary healthcare team and your commitment to your family.

The ideal weight for your cat or dog will be calculated based on its size, age and breed. Just as with humans, it’s important not to cause extreme weight loss – a safe amount is around 3-5% body weight per month. Once you know what you’re aiming for, you can start to feed your pet smaller portions of its normal food or use special, lower-calorie pet food. You should also increase the amount of exercise your furry friend gets each day. Sign up for the free weight loss clinic at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital for help every step of the way.

Treats

Dogs and cats love treats just as much as we do! There’s no reason that treats can’t be part of a healthy diet for your pet. Just make sure you pay attention to what they’re eating and make sure treats don’t make up more than 10% of their daily calorie intake. Instead of buying snacks at the supermarket, try treating your pet to fresh vegetables or fruit snacks such as green beans or banana slices, or bigger snacks like baby carrots, watermelon or apples for dogs. Just make sure you avoid anything high in fat or sugar and skip anything that could damage your pet’s teeth.

If you’re interested in discussing a diet plan for your pet, call Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital or visit our contact page for more ways to reach us.

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