The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Make sure your pets are safe, sound and feeling great
With the upcoming change in legislation this April, all dog owners must have their pets microchipped or face possible fines for not doing so.
Parkside Vet Group, Dundee’s most established veterinary practice, has long supported the ethos of pet microchipping.
Vet Alan Hill, based at the purpose-built Barnhill surgery said: “With up to 100,000 animals straying or lost each year, this initiative will help us to reunite pets with their owners quickly and effectively.
“The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted just under the skin between the shoulder blades.
“The procedure itself is very safe and takes minutes to do. At Parkside, as soon as we implant the chip we record this online so the microchip is registered as soon as the pet leaves the surgery. It’s quick, effective, inexpensive and lasts for a lifetime.”
If a pet is found, a scanner placed over the animal identifies the unique 15-digit code. This allows the owner to be traced and informed as soon as possible that their animal has been recovered. It is worth noting microchips are suitable for all pets including cats, horses, tortoises and even parrots.
Vaccinations are always a topic of conversation and even here in Courier Country there are occasional cases of infectious diseases such as canine parvovirus.
This viral condition started in the 1970s from a mutation of a feline virus and caused huge problems with severe vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Now, thankfully, there is a successful vaccination regime which has reduced the risk substantially for pets, though it relies on regular top-up jabs.
Parkside Vets is running a vaccination amnesty, which has just been extended into March to encourage all pet owners to maintain their pet’s immunisation status.
Alan said: “Vaccination has removed many of these cases of infectious disease. Parvovirus in dogs and flu or leukaemia with our cats are all dangers completely avoidable nowadays thanks to current vaccination regimes.
“We are keen to run the amnesty to try and encourage as many owners of unvaccinated pets as possible to get protection. This will help ensure not only their pet’s safety but the safety of everybody’s pets, as the level of infectious disease in our area will be reduced.
“There is little to compare with the sinking feeling we experience as vets when we see a young pup or an older dog with parvovirus. It’s such a horrible disease to treat, yet with vaccines it’s completely avoidable.
“The amnesty means pets can receive the two injections required to ensure protection against these diseases but at the cost of a booster, a saving of around £30 for each pet.”
This initiative is available at all three Parkside Vet Group branches: the main surgery on Kings Cross Road, Dundee, the Barnhill Surgery on Dalhousie Road and the Broughty Ferry surgery, just down from M&S off Brook Street.