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Annual health checks

help keep pets healthy

We all know the old saying prevention is better than a cure …
and we all know it’s true!

Annual health checks help keep pets healthy

We all know the old saying prevention is better than a cure … and we all know it’s true!

Why it’s important

We have regular check-ups and high five ourselves when we come out with a clean bill of health, and if not we take our medicine to get back on track and in-shape. The older we get the more often we slip in for a check-up. Think about your furry friends just for one minute. Our animals age far more quickly than we do – an annual vet visit for your dog is the equivalent of you seeing your doctor every seven years! Kind of puts it in perspective when you think about it.

The most common reason given by owners for not taking their pets for an annual health check is time and for vaccinations … simply forgetting when they are due!

 

Here at Fur Life Vet we want to remind you about how important that annual health check is for your furry family member. Follow along with us to learn a little about the common diseases that affect our pets, the new technology available that can detect some diseases far earlier than previously possible and the reasons why preventative health management provides better outcomes for you and your pet … hands down.

Annual Health Check

 

Annual Health Checks help keep our pets healthy

We all know the old saying prevention is better than a cure … and we all know its true! We have regular check-ups and high five ourselves when we come out with a clean bill of health, and if not we take our medicine to get back on track and in-shape. The older we get the more often we slip in for a check-up. Think about your furry friends just for one minute. Our animals age far more quickly than we do – an annual vet visit for your dog is the equivalent of you seeing your doctor every seven years! Kind of puts it in perspective when you think about it.

The most common reason given by owners for not taking their pets for an annual health check is time and for vaccinations … simply forgetting when they are due!

We recommend you bring your pet in every year for a health check.

A yearly check means we can monitor your animal to ensure their ongoing well-being and address any changes that may adversely affect their health as early as possible.

The annual check also provides you with the opportunity to have a chat with us about any concerns you may have, as well as a chance to discuss your pet’s diet, exercise, and parasite prevention.

Vaccinations

Do you know that many of the common diseases that impact our furry family are preventable?

Ensuring your pet’s vaccinations are up to date is one way you can keep them safe from some pretty nasty and often life threatening bugs. After vaccination your pet will develop immunity to the disease they are vaccinated against.

Dogs & Puppies

We currently use a C5 vaccine – this protects against five common or dangerous diseases that are easily spread between animals:

Distemper – this disease can severely impact multiple body systems, and has a high fatality rate. It is no longer common due to several decades of vaccinating, however ongoing vaccination is required to prevent this disease from taking hold again.

Hepatitis – caused by a virus, this disease results in chronic and irreversible liver damage.

Parvovirus – this is a highly resistant virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, and has caused numerous recent outbreaks in Australia. It requires prolonged and intensive medical therapy, and can be fatal in young animals.

Canine cough – Often called Kennel Cough, this disease is rarely fatal, but can cause severe pneumonia. Our vaccine protects against the two most common forms, Bordatella bronchiseptica(bacteria) and Canine Parainfluenza (virus).

Vaccinating Puppies

Puppies gain some protection from their mother’s milk (as long as the mother has immunity) but this protection gradually declines around 6-8 weeks of age and we need to commence a vaccination program.

  • 1st Vaccination: 6–8 weeks
  • 2nd Vaccination: 10+ weeks. If a puppy commences the program after 10 weeks of age, only one vaccination is required. This is NOT a reason to delay vaccination until then as the puppy will be unprotected between 6–10 weeks.
  • 3rd Vaccination is a kennel cough booster vaccination (if an intranasal vaccination was not given as part of the 2nd Vaccination) and final health check.

Vaccinating Adult Dogs

Adult dogs require their 1st booster vaccination 12 months following their puppy course, which is usually around 15 months of age.

  • Triannual C3 Vaccinations – C3 vaccination lasts for 3 years in adult dogs.
  • Annual Canine Cough Vaccination – needs to be given annually.

 

Cats & Kittens

We have different levels of vaccinations for our feline friends. Our base vaccination is the F4. This covers for:

Panleukopaenia – the cat equivalent of canine parvovirus.

Herpesvirus – this causes significant disease of the upper airways and inflammation of the eyes. Cats become lifelong carriers, and stress can cause the disease to flare up and make your cat sick again. While the flare-ups can be treated, there is no cure.

Calicivirus – This also causes upper respiratory tract disease, and affected cats often develop severe ulcers in their mouth. As with herpesvirus, cats become lifelong carriers and the disease can flare up when stressed. While the flare-ups can be treated, there is no cure.

Chlamydiosis – This bacteria causes severe conjunctivitis and may also cause a respiratory tract infection. While it can be treated, it is debilitating, and has the potential to be fatal in young kittens.

In addition to these four core vaccines, we also offer vaccination against Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

FeLV – can severely impact a number of different body systems, and infected cats are at high risk of developing cancer. It significantly shortens lifespan.

FIV – most commonly causes suppression of the immune system, making cats more prone to developing other diseases and making it harder to recover.

Also significantly shortens lifespan. (Further information about FIV on then left).

The most common route of infection for both of these diseases is through saliva, and thus is a particularly high risk for cats that get into fights.

If your cat goes outdoors, we strongly recommend they be vaccinated against these two diseases.

 

Vaccinating Kittens

F5 Vaccination

  • 1st Vaccination: 8 weeks.
  • 2nd Vaccination: Minimum 12 weeks (or 4 weeks after 1st).

FIV Vaccination

  • 1st Vaccination: 8 weeks
  • 2nd Vaccination: 12 weeks
  • 3rd Vaccination: 14-16 weeks

Vaccinating Cats 6 months +

Vaccinating Cats – 6 months of age 

  • F5 Vaccination – two vaccinations 4 weeks apart.

FIV Vaccination

  • Will need a blood test to make sure the cat is negative for FIV, then three vaccinations given at 2-4 week intervals.

Annual Vaccination

  • Both F4 and FIV vaccinations require annual boosters.
Pet Dentals

Dental disease is caused by the accumulation of plaque. Plaque is the thin, sticky film that covers teeth and is composed of bacteria and their by-products, saliva, food particles and sloughed epithelial cells. Much the same as with our own teeth.

Four ways to prevent dental disease:

  • Appropriate food
  • Pet Dental chews
  • Brushing your pet’s teeth
  • Regular veterinary dental check-up
  • Dogs over the age of 3 with dental disease 80% 80%
  • Cats over the age of 3 with Dental disease 70% 70%

Signs of dental disease

There are various signs you can look out for in your pet, these are:

  • Bad Breath (halitosis)
  • Discoloured or loose teeth
  • Excessive drooling, sometimes blood stained
  • Dropping of food from the mouth when eating, or reluctant to eat, especially hard food
  • Pain when handled around the head or behavioural changes
  • Facial swelling pawing at the mouth Inflamed (gingivitis) or receding gums

Pet dental treatment

A dental treatment involves:

  • Full veterinary pre-operative health assessment
  • Admission and discharge appointments.
  • General anaesthetic including intravenous fluids
  • Professional scaling to remove tartar.
  • Charting of the mouth to look for tooth decay, pain and mouth cancers
  • Polishing of the teeth so they shine
  • Advice on home-care to keep that smile sparkling

For more information about your pets specific dental health we encourage you to make an appointment for a dental assessment.

Parasites

We offer a variety of parasite prevention products in our clinics to cover all the parasite groups discussed below. Our products are top of the range, whereas many supermarket products cannot guarantee sufficient protection. Please come in and have a chat to our staff … they can help you determine which parasite prevention products best suit your needs.

Fleas

While these pesky bugs are most common in the warm weather, your pet can be infested all year round. Although fleas particularly love warm sandy environments, they can be found anywhere, including being tracked though your yard by strays and wildlife. In very severe cases, particularly in young animals, flea burdens can be life threatening.
Maintaining flea control, and regularly washing your pet’s bedding in a hot wash, are some easy but important ways to keep them healthy and itch free.

Ticks

We are unfortunate enough to share this part of the world with a species of paralysis tick. These ticks are most commonly found in bush and beach regions, so keeping your furry friend protected when travelling through these areas, particularly in the warm weather, is paramount. Tick paralysis requires intensive medical intervention, and if left untreated is fatal.

Heartworm

This parasite is spread by mosquitoes, and is particularly dangerous because by the end of a complex life cycle, the adult worms reside in the heart and all the major blood vessels from it, which can lead to some serious and potentially fatal cardiac complications.
It is predominantly a parasite found further north in Australia. However, there have been isolated cases of heartworm in the region over the last few years, and the potential for the disease to be carried into the area by another animal is high.
If your pet is not up to date with heartworm prevention, it is extremely important to get them tested before starting any heartworm prevention product. Prevention products can kill all stages of heartworm at once, and if your pet happens to be heartworm positive with adult worms living in their circulatory system, this can result in blockages (embolism) that will likely be fatal.

 

Intestinal Worms

Dogs & Puppies

There are four common types of intestinal worms in dogs, they are: roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. The symptoms of each type of worm vary, as does the way in which dogs can be infected.

Roundworm 

There are two species of roundworm which can affect dogs, toxocara canis and toxascaris leonin. Both are long, white and spaghetti-like in appearance and absorb nutrients from the infected dog.

Roundworm larvae will initially infect a dog’s intestinal tract, but can burrow their way into other bodily tissues and organs. As toxocara canis larvae mature, they will move onto the lungs to develop and then then up to the airway before being coughed up and swallowed again, re-entering the intestine to complete their lifecycle. Toxascaris leonina do not move around the body and have a far simpler lifecycle.

Hookworm 

Hookworms are short, blood sucking parasites with teeth. They can be fatal in young puppies, due to the amount of nutrients they strip from the dog. They are not common in the UK but they are present in Europe. Hookworms have a very similar lifecycle to the toxocara canis roundworm, moving about the body and into the lungs to mature before re-entering the intestine.

Whipworm 

Whipworms live in the large intestine and don’t extract as many nutrients as other types of worms. Unless the worms burrow into the intestinal tissue, they pose few problems and rarely cause symptoms. They do occur in the UK but aren’t common.

Tapeworm

Tapeworms live in the small intestine, grabbing on to its wall with six tiny rows of teeth to absorb nutrients as food is digested. They are long – half a foot or more in length – and flat in appearance. Unless the dog is extremely active, the parasite does not harm the pet, as there are plenty of nutrients to serve both host and tapeworm. When excreted, the worm normally splits into segments which look like small grains of rice.

Cats & Kittens

Kittens need worming against roundworm every two weeks from six-16 weeks old. Check that the product is appropriate for the age and weight of the kitten. Adult cats should be wormed regularly, and when feeding kittens. Recommended frequency depends on whether good quality flea treatment is given regularly, and if the cat is able to hunt. It is probably sensible to treat most cats at least four times a year.

Some tapeworms – which look like grains of rice in the faeces (excrement) – are caught from fleas, so a good quality programme for flea control is essential – consult your vet.

Desexing

Desexing is the only effective permanent method for preventing unwanted pregnancy in animals, and provides important health benefits as well.

Desexing surgery involves the removal of the testicles of males, known as castration or ‘neutering’, or the ovaries and uterus of females, known as ovariohysterectomy or ‘spaying’.

Your pet will be desexed under general anaesthesia. As most animals undergoing desexing are young and healthy, complications are rare. In addition, the anaesthetic will be closely monitored throughout the procedure to ensure the safety of your pet. Post surgery our nursing team will monitor and care for your pet until he or she is ready to go home.

Benefits of Desexing
There are important benefits associated with having your pet desexed.

 

Social benefits

  • Reduction in territorial behaviours such as urine marking.
  • Reduction in noisy calling behaviours.
  • Reduction in anti-social behaviour.
  • Reduction in wandering.

Health benefits

  • Reduction in risk of some malignant cancers, in organs such as the testes, ovaries, cervix, or uterus.
  • Prevention of infection of the uterus, or pyometra.
  • Reduction in risk of some serious diseases, such as prostatic disease and perineal hernia, in male dogs that haven’t been castrated.

Financial benefits

  • Prevention of costs associated with unwanted litters.
  • Avoidance of costs associated with the serious medical diseases listed above.
  • Discounted council pet registration fees.
Pet Insurance

Pet Insurance has many benefits, most of which is peace of mind. Many of us consider our pets to be part of the family. Although when a pet becomes injured or sick, the reality of veterinary costs can come as quite a shock. Those that have chosen to insure their dogs or cats can focus on their health rather than the costs.

It is common for some clients to assume that a Medicare rebate is available for pets, but there are unfortunately no subsidies for veterinary care, including both preventative and emergency procedures.

The costs associated with providing high quality veterinary care to your beloved pet can be very expensive, particularly in emergency situations, and we find that most people are unprepared! It is for this reason that we strongly recommend that all of our clients consider a pet insurance plan. This covers your responsibility as a loving and caring owner to provide the best treatment for your four-legged companion who is completely dependent upon you for their health and wellbeing.

Ask our Reception team for a PetPlan Pet Insurance brochure or visit www.petplan.com.au

VetPay

VetPay is specifically designed to help you pay for veterinary expenses without the worry of high upfront costs, particularly for emergency or unplanned medical treatments. VetPay sets up a payment plan and debits your bank account or credit card and pays your Fur Life Vet for the services provided. You can even get pre-approval for VetPay with no obligation to use it!

We understand how heartbreaking it can be when a beloved pet requires extensive veterinary treatment and the funds are not readily available. In some cases, this can mean owners are forced to make a decision not to treat their animal.

Our payment policy is that ALL visits are paid for at the end of each consultation and surgery. For this reason, we have paired up with a company called VetPay to cover the costs of those emergency visits that can unfortunately surprise us all. VetPay is a company that focuses in providing small loans specifically for veterinary treatment.

The process of applying with VetPay involves a quick and simple approval process with us at the clinic and a small 10-20% deposit is made (dependent on the price of the procedure).

VetPay will then pay for all of your pet’s treatment on the spot, while you make small repayments over time. VetPay is very flexible and will try their hardest to meet your needs, as we understand that each situation is completely different.

For more information on VetPay, or to seek initial approval, please visit www.vetpay.com.au, or give them a call on 1300 657 984.

Annual Health Check

We recommend you bring your pet in every year for a health check.

A yearly check means we can monitor your animal to ensure their ongoing well-being and address any changes that may adversely affect their health as early as possible.

The annual check also provides you with the opportunity to have a chat with us about any concerns you may have, as well as a chance to discuss your pet’s diet, exercise, and parasite prevention.

Annual Health Checks help keep our pets healthy

We all know the old saying prevention is better than a cure … and we all know its true! We have regular check-ups and high five ourselves when we come out with a clean bill of health, and if not we take our medicine to get back on track and in-shape. The older we get the more often we slip in for a check-up. Think about your furry friends just for one minute. Our animals age far more quickly than we do – an annual vet visit for your dog is the equivalent of you seeing your doctor every seven years! Kind of puts it in perspective when you think about it.

The most common reason given by owners for not taking their pets for an annual health check is time and for vaccinations … simply forgetting when they are due!

Vaccinations

Do you know that many of the common diseases that impact our furry family are preventable?

Ensuring your pet’s vaccinations are up to date is one way you can keep them safe from some pretty nasty and often life threatening bugs. After vaccination your pet will develop immunity to the disease they are vaccinated against.

Dogs & Puppies

We currently use a C5 vaccine – this protects against five common or dangerous diseases that are easily spread between animals:

Distemper – this disease can severely impact multiple body systems, and has a high fatality rate. It is no longer common due to several decades of vaccinating, however ongoing vaccination is required to prevent this disease from taking hold again.

Hepatitis – caused by a virus, this disease results in chronic and irreversible liver damage.

Parvovirus – this is a highly resistant virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, and has caused numerous recent outbreaks in Australia. It requires prolonged and intensive medical therapy, and can be fatal in young animals.

Canine cough – Often called Kennel Cough, this disease is rarely fatal, but can cause severe pneumonia. Our vaccine protects against the two most common forms, Bordatella bronchiseptica(bacteria) and Canine Parainfluenza (virus).

Vaccinating Puppies

Puppies gain some protection from their mother’s milk (as long as the mother has immunity) but this protection gradually declines around 6-8 weeks of age and we need to commence a vaccination program.

  • 1st Vaccination: 6–8 weeks
  • 2nd Vaccination: 10+ weeks. If a puppy commences the program after 10 weeks of age, only one vaccination is required. This is NOT a reason to delay vaccination until then as the puppy will be unprotected between 6–10 weeks.
  • 3rd Vaccination is a kennel cough booster vaccination (if an intranasal vaccination was not given as part of the 2nd Vaccination) and final health check.
Vaccinating Adult Dogs

Adult dogs require their 1st booster vaccination 12 months following their puppy course, which is usually around 15 months of age.

  • Triannual C3 Vaccinations – C3 vaccination lasts for 3 years in adult dogs.
  • Annual Canine Cough Vaccination – needs to be given annually.
Vaccinating Kittens

F5 Vaccination

  • 1st Vaccination: 8 weeks.
  • 2nd Vaccination: Minimum 12 weeks (or 4 weeks after 1st).

FIV Vaccination

  • 1st Vaccination: 8 weeks
  • 2nd Vaccination: 12 weeks
  • 3rd Vaccination: 14-16 we
Vaccinating Cats 6 Months Plus

Vaccinating Cats - 6 months of age 

  • F5 Vaccination – two vaccinations 4 weeks apart.

FIV Vaccination

  • Will need a blood test to make sure the cat is negative for FIV, then three vaccinations given at 2-4 week intervals.

Annual Vaccination

  • Both F4 and FIV vaccinations require annual boosters.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

What is FIV?
Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), commonly known as feline aids, is a virus similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Once infected, FIV causes a lifelong infection that leads to immune suppression.  A FIV infected cat may not show any clinical signs for several years. Due to poor immune function, however, a FIV infected animal is susceptible to a variety of other diseases that may lead to severe illness.

How is FIV spread?
FIV is shed in saliva and, hence, spread by direct bite wounds between cats.

Who is susceptible?
Cats of all ages are susceptible. Aggressive biting behaviour with stray and feral cats poses risk to any free-roaming, outdoor cat. High risk factors include sexually intact, male cats, living outdoors due to their tendency to display territorial fighting behaviour.  Multi-cat households or high density habitats also increase the risk of territorial fighting and, hence, spread of FIV.

Public Health Risks?
It should be noted that FIV is host specific to feline species (including the domestic cat, lions, tigers, leopards, panthers etc) and cannot be spread to other species, including humans.
Due to their immunosuppressed state, FIV infected cats are susceptible to a variety of diseases; some of which may pose human threat. Humans who are immunosuppressed must be particularly careful.

Is there a treatment?
There is no cure for FIV; infection with FIV is life-long. Supportive treatment, however, can be offered. Furthermore, treatment may be directed at concurrent disease.

How do I prevent my cat from FIV?

1. Prevent exposure
Stop your cat from roaming freely outdoors. Spay or neuter your cat to reduce free-roaming and fighting behaviour.

2. Vaccination
A killed vaccine is available for prevention against FIV. Cats may be vaccinated from eight weeks of age. Any outdoor, freely roaming cat should be vaccinated to prevent infection with FIV. A full vaccination course should be completed before allowing your cat outdoors. An initial vaccination course requires 3 doses. Thereafter, yearly boosters are required. FIV positive cats cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, cats older than 6 months of age and unvaccinated must be tested for FIV infection before vaccination.

3. FIV blood test
An in-house blood test can be conducted to rule out FIV infection.  Cats older than 6 months of age and unvaccinated should be tested for FIV infection. Before introducing a new cat (> 6 months) into the household we recommend testing for FIV infection.  If your cat has been exposed to FIV (unvaccinated and freely roaming outdoors), we recommend testing to rule out FIV infection.

Vaccinating Rabbits

Kittens

1st dose – 4 weeks
2nd and 3rd dose at 4 weeks intervals

Adult Rabbits

2 doses at 4 week intervals     Twice yearly booster Every 6 months after finishing initial course

Cats & Kittens

We have different levels of vaccinations for our feline friends. Our base vaccination is the F4.

This covers for:

Panleukopaenia – the cat equivalent of canine parvovirus.

Herpesvirus – this causes significant disease of the upper airways and inflammation of the eyes. Cats become lifelong carriers, and stress can cause the disease to flare up and make your cat sick again. While the flare-ups can be treated, there is no cure.

Calicivirus – This also causes upper respiratory tract disease, and affected cats often develop severe ulcers in their mouth. As with herpesvirus, cats become lifelong carriers and the disease can flare up when stressed. While the flare-ups can be treated, there is no cure.

Chlamydiosis – This bacteria causes severe conjunctivitis and may also cause a respiratory tract infection. While it can be treated, it is debilitating, and has the potential to be fatal in young kittens.

In addition to these four core vaccines, we also offer vaccination against Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

FeLV – can severely impact a number of different body systems, and infected cats are at high risk of developing cancer. It significantly shortens lifespan.

FIV – most commonly causes suppression of the immune system, making cats more prone to developing other diseases and making it harder to recover.

Also significantly shortens lifespan. (Further information about FIV on then left).

The most common route of infection for both of these diseases is through saliva, and thus is a particularly high risk for cats that get into fights.

If your cat goes outdoors, we strongly recommend they be vaccinated against these two diseases.

Because of the potentially severe nature of these two diseases, any cat older than 6 months with an unknown FeLV/FIV history will require a blood test beforehand to confirm that they do not already have these diseases. Vaccinating for these diseases in a cat that is already positive can result in your pet becoming extremely sick. This test is done in our clinic and only takes 10 minutes to get results.

Pet Dentals

Dental disease is caused by the accumulation of plaque. Plaque is the thin, sticky film that covers teeth and is composed of bacteria and their by-products, saliva, food particles and sloughed epithelial cells. Much the same as with our own teeth.

Four ways to prevent dental disease:
  • Appropriate food
  • Pet Dental chews
  • Brushing your pet's teeth
  • Regular veterinary dental check-up
  • Dogs over the age of 3 with dental disease 80% 80%
  • Cats over the age of 3 with Dental disease 70% 70%
Signs of dental disease

There are various signs you can look out for in your pet, these are:

  • Bad Breath (halitosis)
  • Discoloured or loose teeth
  • Excessive drooling, sometimes blood stained
  • Dropping of food from the mouth when eating, or reluctant to eat, especially hard food
  • Pain when handled around the head or behavioural changes
  • Facial swelling pawing at the mouth Inflamed (gingivitis) or receding gums
Pet dental treatment

A dental treatment involves:

  • Full veterinary pre-operative health assessment
  • Admission and discharge appointments.
  • General anaesthetic including intravenous fluids
  • Professional scaling to remove tartar.
  • Charting of the mouth to look for tooth decay, pain and mouth cancers
  • Polishing of the teeth so they shine
  • Advice on home-care to keep that smile sparkling

For more information about your pets specific dental health we encourage you to make an appointment for a dental assessment.

Parasite Protection

We offer a variety of parasite prevention products in our clinics to cover all the parasite groups discussed below. Our products are top of the range, whereas many supermarket products cannot guarantee sufficient protection. Please come in and have a chat to our staff ... they can help you determine which parasite prevention products best suit your needs.

Fleas

While these pesky bugs are most common in the warm weather, your pet can be infested all year round. Although fleas particularly love warm sandy environments, they can be found anywhere, including being tracked though your yard by strays and wildlife. In very severe cases, particularly in young animals, flea burdens can be life threatening.

Maintaining flea control, and regularly washing your pet’s bedding in a hot wash, are some easy but important ways to keep them healthy and itch free.

Ticks

We are unfortunate enough to share this part of the world with a species of paralysis tick. These ticks are most commonly found in bush and beach regions, so keeping your furry friend protected when travelling through these areas, particularly in the warm weather, is paramount. Tick paralysis requires intensive medical intervention, and if left untreated is fatal.

Heartworm

This parasite is spread by mosquitoes, and is particularly dangerous because by the end of a complex life cycle, the adult worms reside in the heart and all the major blood vessels from it, which can lead to some serious and potentially fatal cardiac complications.

It is predominantly a parasite found further north in Australia. However, there have been isolated cases of heartworm in the region over the last few years, and the potential for the disease to be carried into the area by another animal is high.

If your pet is not up to date with heartworm prevention, it is extremely important to get them tested before starting any heartworm prevention product. Prevention products can kill all stages of heartworm at once, and if your pet happens to be heartworm positive with adult worms living in their circulatory system, this can result in blockages (embolism) that will likely be fatal.

Desexing your pet

Desexing is the only effective permanent method for preventing unwanted pregnancy in animals, and provides important health benefits as well.

Desexing surgery involves the removal of the testicles of males, known as castration or 'neutering', or the ovaries and uterus of females, known as ovariohysterectomy or 'spaying'.

Your pet will be desexed under general anaesthesia. As most animals undergoing desexing are young and healthy, complications are rare. In addition, the anaesthetic will be closely monitored throughout the procedure to ensure the safety of your pet. Post surgery our nursing team will monitor and care for your pet until he or she is ready to go home.

Benefits of Desexing

There are important benefits associated with having your pet desexed.

Social benefits
  • Reduction in territorial behaviours such as urine marking.
  • Reduction in noisy calling behaviours.
  • Reduction in anti-social behaviour.
  • Reduction in wandering, which can lead to your pet being lost, harming native wildlife or having an accident with a car.
Health benefits
  • Reduction in risk of some malignant cancers, in organs such as the testes, ovaries, cervix, or uterus.
  • Prevention of infection of the uterus, or pyometra, which is where the uterus fills with pus, common in older entire female dogs.
  • Prevention of 'false pregnancy syndrome' in undesexed female dogs.
  • Reduction in risk of some serious diseases, such as prostatic disease and perineal hernia, in male dogs that haven't been castrated.
Financial benefits
  • Prevention of costs associated with assistance at birthing .
  • Avoidance of costs associated with the serious medical diseases listed above.
  • Desexing your pet also entitles you to a discount on your council pet registration fees, for the life of your animal.

When should I desex my pet?

In general, we recommend desexing your pet between 3–6 months of age.

However your pets breed and size and your circumstances should be taken into account when deciding on the appropriate time.

Not all pets are the same so it’s best to speak to one of our vets about the best age recommendation for your pet and specific circumstances.

Pet Insurance and Vet Pay

Pet Insurance has many benefits, most of which is peace of mind. Many of us consider our pets to be part of the family. Although when a pet becomes injured or sick, the reality of veterinary costs can come as quite a shock. Those that have chosen to insure their dogs or cats can focus on their health rather than the costs.

VetPay is specifically designed to help you pay for veterinary expenses without the worry of high upfront costs, particularly for emergency or unplanned medical treatments. VetPay sets up a payment plan and debits your bank account or credit card and pays your Fur Life Vet for the services provided.  You can even get pre-approval for VetPay with no obligation to use it!

Pet Insurance

It is common for some clients to assume that a Medicare rebate is available for pets, but there are unfortunately no subsidies for veterinary care, including both preventative and emergency procedures. The costs associated with providing high quality veterinary care to your beloved pet can be very expensive, particularly in emergency situations, and we find that most people are unprepared! It is for this reason that we strongly recommend that all of our clients consider a pet insurance plan. This covers your responsibility as a loving and caring owner to provide the best treatment for your four-legged companion who is completely dependent upon you for their health and wellbeing.

Ask our Reception team for a PetPlan Pet Insurance brochure or visit www.petplan.com.au

VetPay

We understand how heartbreaking it can be when a beloved pet requires extensive veterinary treatment and the funds are not readily available. In some cases, this can mean owners are forced to make a decision not to treat their animal.

Our payment policy is that ALL visits are paid for at the end of each consultation and surgery. For this reason, we have paired up with a company called “VetPay” to cover the costs of those emergency visits that can unfortunately surprise us all. VetPay is a company that focuses in providing small loans specifically for veterinary treatment. The process of applying with VetPay involves a quick and simple approval process with us at the clinic and a small 10-20% deposit is made (dependent on the price of the procedure). VetPay will then pay for all of your pet’s treatment on the spot, while you make small repayments over time. VetPay is very flexible and will try their hardest to meet your needs, as we understand that each situation is completely different.

For more information on VetPay, or to seek initial approval, please visit www.vetpay.com.au, or give them a call on 1300 657 984.

 

Your Local Fur Life Vet

Fur Life Vet Epsom

Epsom 1800 387 543

furlifevet.com.au/epsom

Fur Life Vet Eaglehawk Road

03 5443 9385 (Bendigo)

furlifevet.com.au/eaglehawkroad/

Gippsland Veterinary Hospital

Maffra 03 5147 1177

Sale 03 5169 7222

maffravet.com.au

Kyabram Veterinary Clinic

Kyabram 03 5852 4600

Nathalia 03 5866 2860

kyabramvets.com.au

Terang & Mortlake Vet Clinic

Terang 03 5592 2111

Mortlake 03 5599 2612

terangmortlakevetclinic.com.au

Warrnambool Veterinary

Warrnambool 03 5559 0222

Port Fairy 03 5568 6222

Koroit 03 5559 0260

Nullawarre 03 5559 0270

wvc.com.au

Border Veterinary Clinic

Barham 03 5453 3159

Cohuna 03 5456 2709

Kerang 03 5452 2094

bordervets.com.au

Echuca Moama Vet Clinic

Echuca 03 5483 5999

echucavets.com.au

Deniliquin Vet Clinic

03 5880 2888

denivet.com.au

Finley Vet Clinic

03 5883 3833

finleyvet.com.au

Fur Life Vet Dubbo

02 6885 5544

furlifevet.com.au/dubbo

Quirindi Veterinary Clinic

02 6741 2000

quirindivetclinic.com.au

Gympie Veterinary Services

Gympie 07 5482 2488

Tin Can Bay 07 5486 4666

gympievetservice.com.au

Scottsdale Veterinary Services

03 6352 2996

scottsdalevets.com.au

Smithton Veterinary Service

03 6452 6333

smithtonvet.com.au

Devoted Vets (Warragul)

03 5623 2525

devotedvets.com.au

Cox Street Vets (Hamilton)

03 5571 1202

coxstreetvets.com.au

Fur Life Vet Shepparton

03 4804 6444

furlifevet.com.au/shepparton/

Fur Life Vet Torquay North

03 5296 0444

furlifevet.com.au/torquay/

Fur Life Vet Highton

03 5296 0400

furlifevet.com.au/highton/

Fur Life Vet Golden Plains

03 5281 2226

furlifevet.com.au/goldenplains/

Fur Life Vet Smythesdale

03 5318 5750

furlifevet.com.au/smythesdale/

Fur Life Vet Harbour City

07 4972 5100

furlifevet.com.au/harbour-city/

Dalby and District Veterinary Services

07 4662 2301

apiam.com.au/dalby-district-veterinary-services

Fur Life Vet Fraser Coast

07 4123 1570

furlifevet.com.au/fraser-coast/

Howard Veterinary Clinic

07 4129 4336

furlifevet.com.au/fraser-coast/

Fur Life Vet Clermont

07 4983 1172

furlifevet.com.au/clermont/

Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital

07 3289 1322

furlifevet.com.au/samford/

The Vet Practice

1300 838 254

thevetpractice.com.au/

Fur Life Vet Hastings

03 5910 4288

furlifevet.com.au/hastings/

Romsey Veterinary Surgery

03 5429 5711

romseyvet.com.au

North Hill Veterinary Clinic

02 6772 1686

northhillvet.com.au/

Scenic Rim Veterinary Service - Boonah

07 5463 1339

srvets.com.au

Fur Life Vet Yarrawonga

03 5852 0077

furlifevet.com.au/yarrawonga/

Fur Life Vet Horsham

03 5381 1439

furlifevet.com.au/horsham/

Fur Life Vet Bunbury

08 9796 5800

harradine.com.au

Fur Life Vet Dalyellup

08 9795 1284

harradine.com.au

Fur Life Vet Caboolture

07 5221 3488

furlifevet.com.au/caboolture/

Fur Life Vet Whittlesea

1300 838 254

furlifevet.com.au/whittlesea

Fur Life Vet Eden

02 6496 1252

edenvet.com.au

Fur Life Vet Merimbula

02 6495 1261

merimbulavet.com.au

Fur Life Vet Pambula

02 6495 7873

pambulavet.com.au

Fur Life Vet Tarneit

03 5296 0404

furlifevet.com.au/tarneit

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© 2023 Fur Life Vet | Apiam Animal Health

Privacy Statement
Privacy Policy 
Apiam Animal Health Limited ACN 604 961 024 

INTRODUCTION

Apiam Animal Health Limited and each of its subsidiaries ('Apiam', ‘our’, 'we' or 'us') take your privacy and security very seriously. We respect your rights to privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Act”) and we comply with all of the Act’s requirements in respect of the collection, management and disclosure of your personal information.

This policy relates only to the personal information management practices of Apiam.

Personal information means information that identifies you as an individual, or from which your identity can reasonably be ascertained.

This Policy describes how we collect, store, use and disclose personal information and explains your rights to access and correct that information or make a complaint about the handling of your personal information (regardless of the form of the information and whether the information is true or not).

This policy does not relate to personal information held about current or former employees of Apiam.

WHAT TYPE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

We only collect personal information if it is necessary for one of our functions or activities. The type of personal information we collect will depend on the reason for collection. Generally, the types of personal information we collect will include name, contact details and records of communication with us.In addition, we collect information relating to:

Veterinary clients and/or retail customers

  • information about your pet or animal ownership details; insurance details (if applicable) for the treatment of your pet or animal;
  • details of the products and services you have purchased from us or which you have enquired about, together with any additional information necessary to deliver those products and services and to respond to your enquiries;
  • marketing preferences, including the type of marketing materials you wish to receive and the method of delivery (email, SMS, direct mail, or other);
  • responses to customer satisfaction, service development, quality control and research surveys and similar activities;
  • any additional information relating to you that you provide to us directly through our websites or indirectly through use of our websites or online presence, through our representatives or otherwise; and information you provide to us through our customer surveys or visits by our representatives from time to time.
  • We may also be required to collect your personal information under State and Territory veterinary surgeons’ legislation.

Job applicants

  • employment and academic histories and the names of referees. We will collect this information directly from organisations that provide recruitment related services to us, and from third parties who provide job applications with professional or personal references.

Students

  • Personal data from students is collected for the purpose of facilitation of placements. We will collect this information directly from education providers or directly from students seeking placement or work experience.

Shareholders

  • Personal data from shareholders is collected for purposes related to their shareholding, including for the purposes of issuing or transacting in shares, paying dividends, regulatory reporting and shareholder communications. Such data may include a shareholder's name, address, shareholding details, tax file number, and bank account details. Shareholder data is collected on behalf of Apiam by the external manager of our share register. From time to time this data may be provided to other external service providers for the purposes of paying distributions or mailing shareholder communications, or to the extent permitted by legislation to authorised securities brokers, persons inspecting the register, bidders for Apiam’s securities, or certain regulatory bodies including the Australian Taxation Office.

We will also collect information, including names and contact details, about:

  • people involved in or through organisation that we support;
  • our suppliers (this information is collected for business-related purposes but contains some limited personal information such as contact details of the people that we liaise with);
  • people who correspond with us, including through our website, in which case we may keep a copy of that correspondence and relevant contact details; and
  • people who request information updates about us through our mailing list.

WEBSITE ANALYTICS 

To improve your experience on our website, we may use ‘cookies’. Cookies are an industry standard and most major websites use them. A cookie is a small text file that our site may place on our computer as a tool to remember your preferences. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. However, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Apiam website.

Our website may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites.

Our website uses Google Analytics, a service that transmits website traffic data to Google servers. Google Analytics does not identify individual users or associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. We use reports provided by Google Analytics to help us understand website traffic and webpage usage. By using our website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner described in Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

HOW WE COLLECT AND HOLD PERSONAL INFORMATION

Where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, we collect personal information directly from you when you correspond or register your details with us, when you present your pet or animal for treatment at one of our clinics or provide feedback to us. Depending on the nature of our interaction with you, we may collect personal information from third parties – for example, information about job applications is collected in the manner set out above; when new veterinary practices join the Apiam group; and from organisations with whom we have an affiliation.

Apiam may also collect personal information about individual veterinary surgeons (for example where other veterinary surgeons are also involved in the care of an animal), contractors and other individuals who interact with us. This information is generally collected for administration and management purposes.

We hold personal information in hard copy (paper) or electronic form. If you provide information to us electronically, we retain this information in our computer systems and databases. Information held in electronic form is generally held on servers controlled by Apiam or on servers controlled by third parties under contractual arrangements with Apiam in Australia. Apiam uses physical security, password protection and other measures to ensure that personal information stored in electronic form is protected from misuse, interference and loss; and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

Personal information collected in hard copy (paper) form may be converted to electronic form. Information held in paper form is generally securely stored at our veterinary clinics or our head office. Apiam uses physical security and other measures to ensure that personal information in hard copy form is protected from misuse, interference and loss; and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

WHY WE COLLECT, HOLD AND USE PERSONAL INFORMATION

We may use personal information for the primary purpose for which it is collected (e.g. the provision of our veterinary services) or for purposes related to the primary purpose where it would be reasonably expected that we would use the information in such a way, or in other limited circumstances as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act).

We collect, hold and use your personal information:

  • to provide safe and effective veterinary care to your pet or animal;
  • to provide products and services to you and to send communications requested by you;
  • to answer enquiries and provide information or advice about existing and new products or services;
  • to communicate with you about upcoming appointments, health checks, vaccination schedules and other related veterinary care matters;
  • to manage, monitor, plan and evaluate our services;
  • for safety and quality assurance and improvement activities;
  • for testing and maintenance of information technology systems;
  • for product and service development, quality control and research to improve the way Apiam and its service providers provide products and services to us and you;
  • to seek your feedback in relation to customer satisfaction and our relationship with you and perform research and statistical analysis using such feedback;
  • to correspond with people who have contacted us, and deal with feedback;
  • to recruit and assess potential employees;
  • to provide services to shareholders in relation to their holding of Apiam securities;
  • for marketing (including direct marketing), planning, product or service development, quality control and research purposes by Apiam and its related bodies corporate;
  • to maintain and update our records;
  • to comply with any law, rule, regulation, lawful and binding determination, decision or direction of a regulator, or in co-operation with any governmental authority of any country;
  • to answer your questions, provide you with information or advice (including general pet health advice) or consider and respond to requests or complaints made by you.

WHY WE DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION

We may disclose personal information to third parties where we are permitted to do so by law or we have obtained consent to do so. We may disclose personal information for the primary purpose for which it is collected or for purposes related to the primary purpose where it would be reasonably expected that we would use the information in such a way.

Third parties we may disclose personal information to include:

  • Veterinary care professionals (for example, veterinary pathologists) in the course of the provision of veterinary care to your pet or animal (where this is consistent with our veterinary surgeons' legal and professional obligations);
  • Data analysts, IT service providers and our advisors including our professional advisors (including legal and financial advisors);
  • Financial institutions involved with administering billing (including administration of insurance and other third-party payment arrangements) and debt recovery; and
  • Government agencies.

We take steps to ensure that our service providers are obliged to protect the privacy and security of personal information and use it only for the purpose for which it is disclosed.

OVERSEAS DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Unless we have your consent or an exception under the Australian Privacy Principles applies, we will only disclose your personal information to overseas recipients where we have taken reasonable steps to ensure that the overseas recipient does not breach the Australian Privacy Principles in relation to your personal information.

We may use cloud computing services or data storage located overseas in which case information may be stored, under our control, on computer servers located outside of Australia.

ACCESSING AND CORRECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION

You can request access to your personal information held by us, or request that it be corrected, by contacting us at the address below.

Where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will try to provide you with suitable means of accessing it (for example, by mailing or emailing it to you). There may be instances where we cannot grant you access to the personal information we hold. For example, we may need to refuse access if granting access would interfere with the privacy of others or if it would result in a breach of confidentiality. If that happens, we will give you written reasons for any refusal.

If you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request that we amend it. We will consider if the information requires amendment. If we do not agree that there are grounds for amendment then we will add a note to the personal information stating that you disagree with it.

DESTRUCTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Apiam takes reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your personal information where it is no longer required. Personal information which forms part of our veterinary surgeons' treatment records must be maintained in accordance with legislative and professional requirements.

COMPLAINTS ABOUT HANDLING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information has been handled by Apiam, you may contact us at any time. Matters relating to this policy will be received by the Privacy Officer (company General Counsel). The contact details for the Apiam Privacy Officer are set out below under 'Contacting Us'.

We will consider and respond to your complaint within a reasonable period. If you are not satisfied with our response to a complaint, or you consider that Apiam may have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or the Privacy Act, you are entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can be contacted by telephone at 1300 363 992. Full contact details for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can be found online at www.oaic.gov.au.

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time. This Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the Apiam website. Any updated versions of this Privacy Policy will be posted on our website and will be effective upon posting. Please review it regularly.

CONTACTING US

You may contact us in relation to this Privacy Policy or your personal information as follows:

Phone: (03) 5445 5999

Email: privacy@apiam.com.au

In Writing: The Privacy Officer
Apiam Animal Health
PO Box 2388
Bendigo DC, Vic 3554

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