Your 2024 Pet Parent Checklist

Your 2024
Pet Parent
Checklist

As the new year approaches, it’s a good time to make resolutions and set new goals

It’s also a great time to make sure your pet is ready for the year ahead. We’ve made a helpful list to ensure your pet is all set for 2024.

1. Does your pet have a tag with your current info? If your pet gets lost, a tag with your details increases the chances of them being returned to you safely.

2. Is your pet microchipped? A microchip helps identify your pet and reunites you if they are found without a tag.

3. Is your pet registered with the council? Registering your pet helps support community initiatives and makes it easier to locate you if your pet goes missing.

4. Have you booked an annual wellness check? Regular checkups catch health issues early, even if your pet seems fine.

5. Have you started a flea and worm treatment schedule? Keeping your pet free from fleas and worms is vital for their health

6. Have you booked annual vaccinations? Regular vaccinations keep your pet healthy and should align with their wellness check.

7. Have you joined Best for Pet? Best For Pet is designed to provide your pet’s core and preventative healthcare needs for twelve months at a low fixed price.

Give the gift of wellness

Best For Pet is designed to provide your pet’s core and preventative healthcare needs for twelve months at a low fixed price.

A membership allows cat and dog owners to spread your pet’s core healthcare costs into affordable monthly payments and make great savings in doing so!

Remember, these steps help ensure your pet’s well-being throughout the year. If you have answered no to any of these questions, talk to our team to get your pet ready for the year ahead!

7 tips for travelling with your pet

7 tips for
travelling with
your pet this
summer

It’s that time of the year when day trips, road journeys, and holidays are in full swing.

If you’re taking your beloved furry companions along, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Incorporate Extra Breaks Factor in additional stops during your journey to allow your pet to stretch their legs and attend to their bathroom needs.

2. Pack Treats Ensure you have a supply of your best friend’s preferred treats. These can serve as rewards for good behaviour throughout the trip.

3. Crack the Windows Slightly Partially cracking your car windows by a few centimetres can help balance the air pressure inside and outside the vehicle, reducing the chances of nausea. This practice also promotes ventilation and maintains a comfortable temperature inside the car.

4. Find Pet-Friendly Spots See if there are any pet-friendly cafes, parks, and accommodations along your route, especially if you’re planning an overnight stay.

5. Address Nausea If your pet tends to experience car sickness, consult your veterinarian regarding suitable motion sickness medication.

6. Tackle Anxiety Consider bringing a few of your pet’s cherished toys on the journey. These items can help alleviate their anxiety while travelling in the car.

7. Prioritise Safety Whenever your companion is in the vehicle with you, make sure they are securely fastened with a harness or enclosed carrier. This is crucial for keeping both you and your pet safe.

If you have any questions about travelling with your pet, please speak to your Vet.

Santa’s Pet Parent Quiz: Your pet’s festive foes

YOUR PET‘S
FESTIVE FOES

Santa’s Quiz

Put Your Knowledge to the Test!

While we celebrate Christmas and indulge in the holiday season, it is important to remember to be mindful of our furry family members.

Do you know the dangers and things to be aware of for your pets? Test your knowledge!

Start

If you think your pet has ingested something that they shouldn’t or notice a change in their behaviour, please speak to your veterinary team.

Dental Offer 2023

Your pet
needs annual
dental care

– just like you

Many pet owners don’t realise that bad breath isn’t normal, and that roughly 80% of adult pets have dental diseases like gingivitis.

Sadly, dogs and cats hide dental pain really well, so you mightn’t even realise your pet is suffering. Putting off dental work is more expensive and painful for your pet in the long run.

Book a FREE pet dental health assessment

Our pets trust us to look after them, so watch out for these signs indicating poor oral health in dogs and cats:

– Smelly breath
– Inflamed or bleeding gums
– Facial swelling
– Discoloured teeth
– Loose or broken teeth

Book a FREE pet dental health assessment today

Get 10% OFF any dental treatments!

Booked before 31 August

Book now

The importance of eating habits and a healthy diet

Keep a watchful eye on your pet’s appetite. If they’re off their dry or hard food, it could point to a dental problem that’s stopping your pet from eating normally.

A dedicated dental diet can help pets to maintain healthier teeth through the cleaning action of these specially designed diets.

Read more

Best for Pet members save $250 on dental

Join our Best for Pet Wellness Program and instantly save $250 on any dental procedure.

Plus, members save $20 OFF Hill’s Prescription Diet Dental Food before 31st August. *For participating clinics only

Kitten Teaching Through Toys

Teaching through toys

Cats, especially when they are still kittens, are naturally playful and energetic. Being a new cat owner, you will want to make sure you have plenty of toys for them to play with. Toys are a great thing to have for your kitten for a multitude of reasons. Not only do toys help your cat get physical exercise, but they also provide them with enough mental stimulation for training good habits. But best of all, toys can be an outlet for you and your fur baby to develop closer bonds with one another.

From cat trees to chasable toys, there is a wide range of toys to choose from that are all over the market. It’s best to experiment with these different toys to see which ones your kitten clicks with the most. Once you have a greater understanding of your kitten’s personality and preferences, then you’ll know which toys are perfect for them.

Talk to our team for advice today >

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Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >

Kitten Dental Care

Kitten dental health

It’s a good idea to start caring for your kitten’s teeth from a young age. Proper dental care can help prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay in later years.

And don’t be alarmed when your kitten starts losing their baby teeth – this is a normal process as their adult teeth start to push through. You’ll most likely see wonky teeth that are about to fall out or bleeding gums from teeth that have just fallen out.

As they’re teething, they’ll most likely look for anything to chew on. Offer them a kitten-friendly chew toy that they can sink their teeth into and be prepared to water down their food if they’re finding it hard to crunch.

If you have any concerns regarding your kitten’s dental health, book an appointment with us today.

Member Advantage

And did you know Best for Pet members get $250 offBest for Pet members get $250 off dental care annually? Contact us to find out more about how you could save on dental.

Book an appointment >

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Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >

Kitten Nutrition

Kitten nutrition

Proper nutrition is another part of helping your kitten get the best start in life. Kittens need a balanced diet that includes all the essential nutrients for growth and development. Proper nutrition is vital for kittens because it helps them to grow strong bones and muscles and provides the energy necessary for play and learning.

There are many premium-grade commercial foods that meet the exact nutritional requirements of growing kittens. Although brands vary in quality, premium brands generally provide higher-quality ingredients. Therefore, we recommend you feed your kitten premium-grade kitten food.

Talk to our veterinary team for advice on the appropriate nutrition for your kitten.

Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight for your kitten is extremely important for their overall health and well-being. Keeping your kitten at their ideal weight helps to keep their bones, joints, and muscles strong and healthy. In addition, keeping your pet at their ideal weight can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as urinary problems, diabetes, heart disease, and types of cancer.

Monitor your kitten’s weight regularly and work with your veterinary healthcare team to make adjustments to ensure they stay at their ideal weight. By doing so, you can help your pet stay healthy and happy.

Talk to our team to see if your kitten is due for a weight check today!

Member Advantage

Next time you pop into our clinic, why not pick up their food as well? We sell premium kitten food, and Best for Pet members get 10% off RRPBest for Pet members get 10% off RRP.

Book an appointment >

Read more

Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >

Kitten Protecting them from parasites

Protecting kittens from parasites

There are various nasty parasites you need to protect your new kitten from, including heartworms, intestinal worms, fleas and ticks. Whilst some treatments cover all of these parasites, it’s best to talk to your vet about the treatment that’s right for your cat and location.

Whether it’s oral chews or spot-on products it’s important to get on top of parasite treatments as soon as you bring your kitten home, as introducing them to new environments can increase their exposure to disease.

There are various nasty parasites you need to protect your new kitten from, including intestinal worms and fleas.

Whether it’s oral chews or spot-on products, it’s important to get on top of parasite treatments as soon as you bring your kitten home, as introducing them to new environments can increase their exposure to disease.

Fleas and ticks

Fleas

Fleas

Fleas are one of the most problematic parasites for pets, with the ability to cause skin disease and allergic reactions. In addition, they can be challenging to diagnose, as a kitten with flea allergy dermatitis may never actually be seen with fleas!

That is why flea treatments should be used every month of the year to prevent and control flea infestations effectively. Please consult our veterinary team for the best advice on flea prevention for your kitten.

Fleas commonly cause itching, skin disease and allergic reactions in kittens. What’s more, they can be challenging to diagnose, as a kitten with flea allergy dermatitis may never actually be seen with fleas!

That’s why flea treatments should be given every month of the year to prevent and control flea infestations effectively.

Ticks

There are several types of ticks in Australia, some of which are a nuisance, such as the bush tick, right through to the deadly paralysis tick. Paralysis ticks are a common parasite for those living near the eastern seaboard of Australia. They can result in symptoms such as breathing difficulty, weakness or paralysis of the legs and vomiting.

Paralysis tick
Cattle tick
Bush tick
Brown dog tick

Tick prevention products include:

  • Oral chews
  • Spot-on products
  • Tick collars
  • Sprays
  • Rinses

Our team are happy to advise the best preventative for your kitten. Importantly, even when a prevention product has been applied, you should check your kitten for ticks during tick season. Simply run your fingertips over the skin, checking for lumps. Most ticks reside on the head, neck, and ears, but you must check the entire body.

Intestinal Worms

Intestinal worms are parasites that live in the intestines and feed on the nutrients that the kitten consumes. The most common intestinal worms in Australia are roundworm, tapeworm and hookworm. If left untreated, these parasites can cause a wide range of health problems, from malnutrition to anaemia and even death. The most common way for kittens to become infected is by ingesting the eggs of the parasites, which can be found in contaminated soil, faeces, and other sources. To protect your kitten regular worming treatments should be provided.

Intestinal worms are parasites that live in the intestines and feed on the nutrients that the kitten consumes. If left untreated, these parasites can cause a wide range of health problems, from malnutrition to anaemia and even death. The most common way for kittens to become infected is by ingesting the eggs of the parasites, which can be found in contaminated soil, faeces, and other sources.

Following the below worming protocol will keep your kitten free from intestinal worms:

To protect your kitten regular worming treatments should be provided. Following the below worming protocol will keep your kitten free from intestinal worms:

  • every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age
  • then once a month until 6 months of age,
  • And every 3−6 months for life.

Member Advantage

You can purchase parasite treatments next time you come into our clinic. Plus, Best for Pet members get 10% offBest for Pet members get 10% off parasite prevention.

Book an appointment >

Read more

Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >

Kitten Desexing

Desexing your kitten

Desexing is generally recommended at around 6 months of age. Not only does it prevent unwanted litters, but it reduces the risk of certain diseases and cancers, such as prostate and mammary gland tumours and pyometra (an infection of the uterus).

Desexing your kitten before he or she reaches sexual maturity (from 4 to 6 months of age) will prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as reduce roaming behaviour and territorial marking. Not only that, but female cats who are desexed before their second heat have a significantly reduced risk of mammary cancer and uterine infection.

It’s important to talk to your vet when considering the time of desexing to weigh up the various pros and cons.

Some breeders even require you to desex your kitten as a condition of sale, or insist you let them know if you plan to breed your cat. If you do plan to breed your cat, there is a lot to consider and we recommend booking an appointment with one of our expert vets to discuss the steps.

Book an appointment >

Read more

Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >

Kitten Microchipping

Microchipping and name tags

Microchipping

It is a legal requirement in most states and territories in Australia to have your kitten microchipped. This tiny chip is placed under the skin of the neck, between your kitten’s shoulder blades. If your kitten is found and taken to a vet or animal shelter, staff will use a special scanner to retrieve the unique identifying code on your pet’s microchip, which is stored in nationwide registry databases. Therefore, it’s imperative that you keep these details up to date. If you’re unsure of your kitten’s microchip status, we can use our clinic scanner to check this. It only takes a few minutes and does not require an appointment.

Microchipping your kitten helps ensure they are easily identified and is a requirement in certain regions across New Zealand. A microchip is a tiny chip placed under the skin of the neck, between your kitten’s shoulder blades. If your kitten is found and taken to a vet or animal shelter, staff will use a scanner to retrieve the unique identifying code on your kitten’s microchip, which is stored in a nationwide registry database. Therefore, it’s important to keep these details up to date. If you’re unsure of your kitten’s microchip status, we can use our clinic scanner to check this. It only takes a few minutes.

Name tags

We recommend getting your kitten’s name engraved on one side, and one or more phone numbers engraved on the other. This gives you peace of mind knowing that if your kitty runs off, most likely someone will find them and give you a call.

Remember: Talk to our team if your pet needs a microchip or to confirm your details registered on the chip.

Book an appointment >

Read more

Questions about new kitten

We’re here to help

If you have any questions about anything regarding your kitten, get in touch with us today, or bring them in for a check-up (we love meeting new kitties!)

Book an appointment >