De-sexing
The most important thing you can do to prevent the destruction of unwanted pets is to de-sex your pet. There are too many unwanted kittens and puppies. Regretfully, the RSPCA of NSW alone, is obliged to destroy 10,000 cats and 8,000 dogs each year. De-sexing can help prevent this.
If you are a pensioner or on a low income, Friends of the Pound can assist with the cost of desexing.
What is de-sexing?
For male cats and dogs de-sexing is the removal of the testes. For female cats and bitches de-sexing removes the ovaries and uterus.
Why de-sex?
There are too many unwanted kittens and puppies. Regretfully, the RSPCA in NSW alone, is obliged to destroy 10,000 cats and 8,000 dogs each year. De-sexing can help prevent this.
Generally, de-sexed animals make better pets. De-sexed animals are less likely to get diseases and illness such as mammary cancer and uterine infections in females and cancer and prostate problems in males. Your pets normal behaviour will remain unaffected.
De-sexing prevents behaviour problems such as roaming, aggression and urine marking in males. In females it prevents mating behaviour and false pregnancy.
When should you have your pet de-sexed?
Your pet should be de-sexed by the age of 6 months old, it can be done much earlier. There is no benefit in letting females have one litter before they are de-sexed. Problems can occur in births where the bitch is too young. Please book your pet in about 2 weeks before the desired date. Ring for details. Your pet must be fully vaccinated before admission.
How do you care for your newly de-sexed pet?
All animals react differently to the surgery - your vet who desexes your pet will give you advice appropriate to your particular dog or cat.
Microchipping
A lost microchippped dog or cat with up-to-date address details will get home sooner. Since the introduction of microchipping, most lost or stray dogs picked up around the Tweed Shire are returned home the same day. Dogs can even be traced to other states - stolen Victorian dogs have been identified by a vet in Queensland! Unfortunately cat owners are not so keen to have their pet microchipped and it is more difficult to reunite lost cats with their owners.
In New South Wales it is a legal requirement that all cats and dogs are microchipped. This can be done by your vet at a reasonable price, or you can contact Friends of the Pound. The Tweed Shire also runs cheap microchipping days - keep an eye on the Tweed Link.
Once your pet is microchipped, it is important to keep the details up to date.
If you change address or phone number, please update the microchip details on the New South Wales Companion Animals Register by contacting your local council.
If you give away or sell your pet you must notify the Council of the change of ownership.
The importance of keeping your details up-to-date
A lost microchippped dog or cat with up-to-date address details will get home sooner. Since the introduction of microchipping, most lost or stray dogs picked up around the Tweed Shire are returned home the same day. Dogs can even be traced to other states - stolen Victorian dogs have been identified by a vet in Queensland! Unfortunately cat owners are not so keen to have their pet microchipped and it is more difficult to reunite lost cats with their owners.
In New South Wales it is a legal requirement that all cats and dogs are microchipped. This can be done by your vet at a reasonable price, or you can contact Friends of the Pound. The Tweed Shire also runs cheap microchipping days - keep an eye on the Tweed Link.
Once your pet is microchipped, it is important to keep the details up to date.
If you change address or phone number, please update the microchip details on the New South Wales Companion Animals Register by contacting your local council.
If you give away or sell your pet you must notify the Council of the change of ownership.
Ticks
Paralysis ticks
The Tweed Shire is a bad area for ticks and tick season is really all the year round! Many pets are lost to ticks each year but this can be prevented. Please physically check your pets daily.
Tick paralysis is a disease produced by the toxin of the paralysis tick Ixodes Holocyclus. Spring and early summer are the worst time i.e. August – December, but ticks can be found all year. The paralysis tick injects a potent nerve toxin (poison) during the time they are sucking blood.
Signs to look out for are:
- Weakness and paralysis of the hind legs
- Vomiting and a change in “voice” pitch
- A grunting respiration when breathing
- And finally, paralysis of the respiratory muscles, which leads to death
This whole process takes 2 – 5 days.
Finding and killing the tick is the first step. An anti-serum can be given, but treatment is expensive. The more the tick is touched prior to removal, the more the poison is injected. You may dab the tick with an insecticide or tea-tree oil prior to removal.
The best prevention is daily searching (even if your pet has other preventative measures). Especially check in areas that your pet cannot reach itself, such as around the neck, under the chin, in the ears, mouth & gums. An animal can come down with symptoms even 24 hours after the tick has been removed.
There are several treatments which can help prevent your pet being affected by ticks. Please ask your vet or local pet store. Make sure you choose a prevention method which suits your pet's (and your own) lifestyle - tick collars, pills or 'spot-on's. Some are more suitable for animals which swim regularly. What ever you choose, make sure you follow the instructions carefully - your pet's life depends on it!
Heartworm
Protecting your dog or cat from heartworm infection is critical because the disease caused by this parasite is usually fatal without diagnosis. Expensive treatment may not reverse some of the damage already caused by the heartworm.
Why guard against heartworm?
Protecting your dog or cat from heartworm infection is critical because the disease caused by this parasite is usually fatal without diagnosis. Expensive treatment may not reverse some of the damage already caused by the heartworm
What are heartworms?
Heartworms are large parasites (up to 30cm long in dogs) that live in the heart and blood vessels of the lungs of dogs and cats. They are spread between infected dogs and cats by mosquitoes.
Are all dogs and cats at risk?
Heartworm infection is now found throughout mainland Australia, in both dogs and cats. While cats are less susceptible to infection than dogs, they are nevertheless at risk. Infection in cats is difficult to treat and they often do not recover fully. Heartworm infection is not confined to areas where mosquitoes are in high concentrations. It only takes one infected pet moving into a new area to introduce the infective larvae. Puppies and kittens can be bitten by mosquitoes from soon after birth, so the heartworm preventative you use from the recommended age of 6 weeks, should control infections acquired earlier.
Why is heartworm disease so dangerous?
Heartworm living in the heart and blood vessels of the lungs, interfere with circulation and damage tissues, eventually causing heart failure if left untreated, this can result in the death of your pet. Importantly, in the early stages of infection no symptoms are evident. Once symptoms are observed the disease will be well advanced. The first signs may include persistent coughing, laboured breathing, lethargy (laziness), rapid tiring during exercise and a swollen abdomen.
How is heartworm infection diagnosed?
Your veterinarian can test for heartworm infection using a small blood sample. This should be done periodically to ensure that your preventative program is effective. Ask your veterinarian for their advise.
How can heartworm disease be prevented?
Fortunately, prevention of heartworm infection is straight-forward.
It is possible to get an annual injection - a great alternative if you have a monthly struggle to give your pet a pill!
There are also preventatives which can be given once a month, either as a tablet or a meaty chewable treat that your pets may actually enjoy eating, even your cat! The chewable tablets can also provide control of roundworms and hookworms, the most significant intestinal parasites of dogs and cats.
Do all "wormers" prevent heartworm?
No, not all wormers prevent heartworm so please check with your veterinarian that you are using a heartworm preventative product.
Caring for Your New Dog / Puppy
Bringing them home for the first time
The very first rule - start as you wish to continue! Having a little puppy sleeping on/in your bed may be OK, but a full grown dog can be a very different matter!
You may discover on bringing home your new dog that they need to be reassured and gain your trust. We ask that you please be patient with them and give them a chance to settle in properly. Through our own experiences of pet caring, we have found these 6 simple things will help:
Ensure that you register your pet with your local council. This will ensure that if your dog/ becomes lost then found it will be returned to you.
Caring for Your New Cat / Kitten
Bringing them home for the first time
At first your new cat/kitten will be timid as it needs time to settle in. Adult cats may hide until they feel secure and not eat, do not worry as they will come out and socialise and start eating in a few days. Kittens may cry for their siblings, but they will soon settle in.
If your new pet is sharing your home with other pets you must introduce them slowly, keeping them separated at first then let them meet by placing the new cat/kitten in a carrier so that the existing pets can see and smell your new cat/kitten before letting them meet. Or you may restict them to one room for 24 hours so they have less anxiety and are able to smell their new flatmates through the door.
Your pet must be kept inside for at least one month before letting it out to explore your yard outside. The best time for this is before dinner, but a few hours before it gets dark. When you let your pet out for the first time it should be under supervision to ensure that your cat/kitten doesn’t go where you don’t want it to go.
If your cat/kitten is to be an inside cat and you have more than one cat you should provide a separate litter tray for each.
A combination of wet and dry food is best. If it is a kitten, kitten biscuits should be provided for 12 months, then adult biscuits. Hills Science diet or any dry foods that are available from your vet are the best for your cat. If male cats/kittens are fed cheap supermarket biscuits they run the risk of developing crystals in the urinary tract which can be very painful and expensive. Water should always be provided.
Ensure that your cat/kitten feline injections are kept up to date and that you register your pet with your local council. This will ensure that if your cat/kitten becomes lost then found it will be returned to you.
Worming
If your cat has fleas, there are a number of powders, sprays and shampoos on the market to help control the problem. There are also flea collars available from your vet, always read the instructions on the package before using an insecticide on your cat. If in doubt, consult your vet first. Your vet is best able to advise you on the most appropriate flea treatment for your cat/kitten.
Toilet Training
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