Sometimes our furry friends become unwell or do something that just isn’t quite normal for them. At times like this it’s good to know you can ring Kaleen Vet Hospital and we can make a time to see your pet. Usually we can see them within 48hrs for non urgent matters and in cases of emergencies we can organize to have them seen straight away.

Our examinations are comprehensive with a focus on the area of concern. If there are multiple issues we also have the availability of an extended consultation to allow for all of these issues to be addressed. Please discuss your concerns with our receptionists who will book a consultation that is appropriate for you and your pet.

C3 – This vaccination is administered to all puppies at their first vaccination to protect them from Parvovirus (a life threatening gastroenteritis and immunosuppressive disease), Hepatitis (a disease that initially affects the respiratory system before spreading to the liver, eyes and kidneys), and Distemper (a respiratory and gastrointestinal disease).

C5 – This vaccination is administered to all dogs, and in addition to the above diseases it also provides protection against two pathogens involved in Canine Cough (aka Kennel Cough); parainfluenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Please note that the C3 component of vaccination now provides protection for three years, however the Canine Cough vaccination is still required yearly.

F3 – This core vaccination protects your cat from panleukopenia (aka feline parvo, a gastrointestinal and immunosuppressive disease), and two pathogens involved in “cat flu” (feline herpes and calicivirus).

FIV – Feline immunodeficiency virus (aka feline AIDS) is increasing in prevalence. This vaccination is given to all outdoor cats, as they contract the virus by fighting. This virus suppresses the immune system leaving your cat vulnerable to repeated infection, and as such can decrease the lifespan of your cat.

Filavac VHD K C+V – This vaccination provides your rabbit with protection from two deadly strains of Calicivirus or RHDV (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus). While no vaccine is 100% effective, this injection significantly reduces the likelihood of mortality due to this disease. You should have your rabbit vaccinated if they live outdoors or are likely to come into contact with other rabbits. This vaccine requires a yearly booster.

Did you know that it is the law in the ACT to have all puppies, kittens, dogs and cats microchipped? A microchip is a small silicon chip, the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under your pet’s skin. The chip contains a unique identification number that identifies the pet’s owner through an animal registry. The microchip stays for life and provides your pet with the best form of permanent identification available. Implanting a microchip is a relatively painless, harmless once-off procedure and all our veterinarians are qualified to implant microchips. All cats and dogs must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age.

Heartworm prevention is essential in your dog as it is a life threatening illness. Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes and results in the development of worms up to 60cm long within the heart and major vessels. These worms can block the blood supply out of the heart, resulting in the function of many organs being compromised, particularly the lungs. This can often result in the death of your dog.

We offer an annual injection to protect your dog from heartworm, which is administered at 6 months of age. Prior to this we use tablets given monthly to protect your pup.

If heartworm is suspected we are able to perform a test in the clinic by taking a blood sample from your dog. If heartworm is detected we begin treatment immediately.

As they say prevention is better than a cure, and as such we place a large emphasis on preventative treatment. Fleas, worms and ticks are something that can easily be prevented and at Kaleen we offer a range of spot on products and tablets to protect your pet, and also your family.

It is important to note the common gastrointestinal worms that can affect your pets; roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworm. These worms can inflict many harmful effects on your pet; from diarrhoea to anaemia, and in severe cases death.

The worming regime for your dog is as follow; one tablet every fortnight until your pup is 3 months old, then one tablet once a month until your pup reaches 6 months of age, then give one tablet every 3 months for life.

The prevention of fleas is also of high importance as once your animal is infested it can be challenging to relieve the flea burden. Importantly many animals suffer from flea allergy dermatitis, this means a single flea bite will cause severe irritation for your pet.

If you are visiting the coast, it is vital that you give your pet life saving tick prevention such as Nexgard of Bravecto, at least three days prior to heading off. The deadly paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is commonly found on the east coast of Australia.

Which ticks are found in Canberra? The most common type of tick found in the Canberra region is the bush tick. This kind of tick may not cause deadly paralysis, but can still carry very serious diseases. In recent years we have seen several cases where paralysis ticks have attached to local pets that have not left Canberra. While some of these ticks may have been brought back from the coast with family members on clothing or baggage, others have no link to visiting the coast at all. For these reasons, we generally recommend giving your pet tick prevention year round, just in case.

The importance of these treatments is not only for the benefit of your pet, but also for your family, as these parasites can affect humans too.

The importance of sufficient pain relief cannot be emphasised strongly enough. Not only does it help alleviate pain, it also aids in healing. We have a variety of pain relief options for animals which present to us. The veterinarian will assess your pet and determine a pain score, we then provide the correct level of pain relief. We routinely provide pain relief to all of our surgical cases to decrease pain and aid healing.

We have a close relationship with many veterinary specialists and as such we willingly refer pets to these veterinarians when required. This may be the case when specialist equipment is required, or when a case presents that requires a specialised knowledge of a given body system. This may include; neurological cases, spinal cases, complex surgical cases, and ophthalmic cases.

We stock a range of Advance©, Hills© and Royal Canin© super-premium canine and feline wet and dry wellness foods. Our veterinarians and reception team are happy to assist in selecting the most appropriate diet for your pet. Our clinic also stocks a range of specialised foods which the veterinarian may recommend if your pet has a specific requirement for them.