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Puppy & kitten vaccinations, desexing and microchipping

Puppy & kitten vaccinations, desexing and microchipping

Preparing your puppy or kitten for a healthy life means committing to three strategies that all vets support – a full vaccination programme, desexing and microchipping. Being a responsible pet parent means looking at all the risks and making plans to avoid them.

Puppy header

Puppy vaccinations

In New Zealand, it’s best-practice to vaccinate pet dogs against canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine cough (kennel cough) and canine leptospirosis.

Puppy vaccinations timeline

Typically, a puppy vaccination schedule can be established following an initial consultation with your vet. At your first visit for your puppy's vaccinations your vet will provide you with a vaccination record that will show the vaccinations given and when your puppy is due for their next booster. It’s important to keep this record in a safe place. If you ever need to book into a boarding kennel or doggy daycare, you will need to provide proof that your dog is fully vaccinated.

The core vaccination timeline

If you adopt an older puppy that hasn’t been vaccinated, visit Animates Vetcare as soon as possible to get advice on beginning the recommended vaccination programme.

Why vaccinations are important

Vaccinations are designed to help prevent your dog or puppy from contracting potentially-fatal dog diseases. They also help to manage the spread of disease within New Zealand’s pet dog population. The costs of your puppy's recommended vaccination schedule can be given over the phone by our Animates Vetcare teams prior to booking an appointment.

 

Desexing

If you change address,  remember to update the  microchip database

Unless you plan to become a registered dog breeder, getting your puppy desexed is the right thing to do. Dogs have longer, healthier and safer lives when they are desexed. Desexing helps to control the number of homeless puppies in New Zealand.

What does it involve

Desexing a female puppy (spaying) involves removing the ovaries and uterus under general anaesthetic. Desexing a male puppy (neutering) involves the removal of the testicles through a skin incision (the operation is a day procedure, so you’ll drop your puppy at the vet in the morning and collect them at the end of the day).

Talk to your local Animates Vetcare team for advice on desexing your puppy. Find your local clinic here.

Some of the benefits of desexing

There are multiple reasons to have your puppy desexed.

  • Desexing your puppy helps to avoid reproduction-related problems. Desexed males will have a lower risk of testicular and prostate cancers. Desexed females have a lower risk of pyometra (acute uterine infection) as well as mammary and ovarian cancers.
  • Scientific evidence shows that desexing can reduce a range of behavioural problems with dogs, including mounting, aggression and roaming.
  • Wandering dogs run a high risk of being hit by cars. The majority of wandering dogs impounded by councils haven’t been desexed.
  • Reduced cost of registration

The best age for desexing

The recommended age for desexing your puppy varies between breeds. For advice on when you should desex your puppy contact your local Animates Vetcare clinic.

The procedure steps

  1. To fully assess your puppy’s overall health, it is recommended to perform a pre-anaesthetic blood test.
  2. Intravenous fluids are given to help support your puppy’s liver and kidneys to metabolise anaesthetic agents used and help maintain better blood pressure during surgery.
  3. Animates Vetcare uses gas anaesthesia as maintenance general anaesthesia, which is the safest form of anaesthesic for dogs.
  4. The operation is carried out and closely monitored by a fully qualified vet team in a dedicated surgical theatre set up.
  5. Your puppy is given pain relief for post-operative pain, including pain medication to take home.

Don’t believe the desexing myths

It’s likely you will hear some ‘fake news’ about dog desexing. Here are the most common myths:

  • Females should have a litter before being spayed. Not true. In fact, spaying a dog before she comes into heat for the first time will greatly reduce her risk of mammary cancer.
  • Desexing will make my pet fat. Desexing is done at an age when rapid puppy growth is decreasing and diet control is necessary. Overfeeding and lack of exercise will make your pet fat, not desexing.
  • Desexing a trained guard dog will reduce his/her ability to guard. Guarding results from instinctive territorial behaviour. This does not change when a dog is desexed.
  • Pets become lazy after they are desexed. There are generally no changes in the character of pets after being desexed. Young male dogs however will be less inclined to mount objects and jump fences in search of a mate.
  • My dog will miss out on life if I have him desexed. If you have your male dog desexed before he is six months old he will never develop mating behaviours, so he won’t be missing a thing.

The recovery period

You can generally expect your puppy to make a quick recovery after desexing surgery. Ideally, you will have crate-trained your pup – a crate is an excellent recovery place. Your puppy will require lots of rest until they have fully healed enough for their stiches to be removed, this is generally between 10-14 days. Gentle lead walking is generally allowed but you will need to make sure your puppy doesn't run or jump often. Often an Elizabethan collar (also sometimes referred to as a pet cone) is required to protect the surgical site from any unwanted licking and chewing.

 

Microchipping

If you change address,  remember to update the  microchip database

Microchipping is a legal requirement for all dogs. A microchip allows your dog to be identified if they are ever lost, stolen or injured. Collars and tags can be easily removed, but a microchip cannot!

Your dog has a unique number

A microchip has a unique ID number. It can be scanned at vet clinics and animal shelters to identify your dog. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip is inserted quickly and easily under your pup’s skin by a vet or licensed implanter. The database is maintained by the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.

  • Microchipping can be done at the same time as desexing, while your puppy in under anaesthetic.
  • Anaesthetic isn’t essential for implantation, so you can have your puppy microchipped at any vet visit.
  • If you change address or contact details, you can update details on the NZCAR website.

 

 

Kitten header

Kitten vaccinations

In New Zealand, it's best-practice to vaccinate pet cats against the core diseases that they are susceptible to, such as cat flu and feline panleukopenia. The team at Animates Vetcare, or your local vet, can discuss the recommended vaccination protocol for your kitten, to help protect them against disease.

A three step programme

Your kitten will need at least three vaccinations before they can be considered fully vaccinated. At your first visit for your kitten's vaccinations, your vet will provide you with a vaccination record that will show the vaccinations given and when your kitten is due for their next booster. It is important to keep this record in a safe place. If you ever want to book into a cattery, they will need proof that your cat is fully vaccinated.

The core vaccination timeline

Kitten Vaccination programme

If you adopt an older kitten that hasn’t been vaccinated, visit Animates Vetcare as soon as possible to get advice on beginning the recommended vaccination programme.

Why vaccinations are important

Vaccinations are designed to help your kitten immune to potentially-fatal cat diseases. They also help to prevent the spread of disease within the feline community. The costs of your kitten's recommended vaccination schedule can be given over the phone by our Animates Vetcare teams prior to booking an appointment.

 

Have your kitten desexed before they are six months old.Desexing

Getting your kitten desexed is a highly recommended. Cats have healthier and safer lives when they are unable to have kittens. Desexing helps to control the number of homeless kittens in New Zealand. Cat shelters are overwhelmed by kittens that nobody wants.

An important little operation

Desexing involves removal of part of the kitten’s reproductive system while under a general anaesthetic. Female desexing (also known as spaying) involves removing the ovaries and uterus. In males, desexing (also known as neutering) involves the removal of both testicles.

Book your kitten in for advice and a general health check before their desexing procedure here.

Some of the benefits of desexing

  • Male cats are less likely to fight and wander away from home
  • Both males and females are less likely to spray urine to mark their territory
  • The urine of male cats that are not desexed is particularly stinky
  • Desexing female cats reduces the risk of mammary tumours and eliminates the risk of tumours in the ovaries, uterus and cervix.
  • Desexing male cats reduces the risk of prostatic diseases and perianal tumours, and eliminates the risk of testicular cancers.
  • Eliminates the risk of pregnancy.

The best age for desexing

The current recommended age for desexing a cat is between four and six months.

The procedure steps

  1. To fully assess your pet’s overall health, it is recommended to perform a pre-anesthetic blood test.
  2. Intravenous fluids are given to help support your kitten's liver and kidneys to metabolise anesthetic agents used and help maintain better blood pressure during surgery.
  3. Animates Vetcare uses gas anaesthesia as a maintenance anaesthesia, which is the safest form of anesthetic for pets.
  4. The operation is carried out and closely monitored by a fully-qualified vet team in a dedicated surgical theatre set up.
  5. Your pet is given pain relief for post-operative pain, including pain medication to take home.

The recovery period

Generally, kittens make a speedy recovery after desexing surgery. However, you should prepare a closed recovery room where there is no opportunity for your kitten to jump up onto things. Often an Elizabethan collar (also sometimes referred to as a pet cone) is placed on your kitten to protect the surgical site from any unwanted licking and chewing until it is healed enough for the stiches to be removed at around 10-14 days.

 

Have your kitten desexed before they are six months old.Microchipping

There are two compelling reasons to get your kitten microchipped. Firstly, it’s a way for your pet to be identified if they're lost or injured. Secondly, it means you can use a microchip cat door that only opens for your pet.

Unique to your pet

A microchip has a unique ID number. It can be scanned at vet clinics and animal shelters to identify your pet. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip is inserted quickly and easily under your pet’s skin by a vet or licensed implanter. The database is maintained by the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.

  • Microchipping can be done at the same time as desexing, while your kitten in under anaesthetic.
  • Anaesthetic isn’t essential for implantation, so you can have your kitten microchipped at any vet visit.
  • If you get a microchip cat door installed, instructions will be supplied about how to programme the door to recognise your pet
  • If you change address or your contact details, you can update your details on the NZCAR website.

 

Read about puppies Read about kittens

Puppy

Puppy vaccinations

In New Zealand, it’s best-practice to vaccinate pet dogs against canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine cough (kennel cough) and canine leptospirosis.

Puppy vaccinations timeline

Typically, a puppy vaccination schedule can be established following an initial consultation with your vet. At your first visit for your puppy's vaccinations your vet will provide you with a vaccination record that will show the vaccinations given and when your puppy is due for their next booster. It’s important to keep this record in a safe place. If you ever need to book into a boarding kennel or doggy daycare, you will need to provide proof that your dog is fully vaccinated.

The core vaccination timeline

Dog Vaccination Timeline

If you adopt an older puppy that hasn’t been vaccinated, visit Animates Vetcare as soon as possible to get advice on beginning the recommended vaccination programme.

Why vaccinations are important

Vaccinations are designed to help prevent your dog or puppy from contracting potentially-fatal dog diseases. They also help to manage the spread of disease within New Zealand’s pet dog population. The costs of your puppy's recommended vaccination schedule can be given over the phone by our Animates Vetcare teams prior to booking an appointment.

Desexing

Have your puppy desexed at about six months old.Unless you plan to become a registered dog breeder, getting your puppy desexed is the right thing to do. Dogs have longer, healthier and safer lives when they are desexed. Desexing helps to control the number of homeless puppies in New Zealand.

What does it involve

Desexing a female puppy (spaying) involves removing the ovaries and uterus under general anaesthetic. Desexing a male puppy (neutering) involves the removal of the testicles through a skin incision (the operation is a day procedure, so you’ll drop your puppy at the vet in the morning and collect them at the end of the day).

Talk to your local Animates Vetcare team for advice on desexing your puppy. Find your local clinic here.

Some of the benefits of desexing

There are multiple reasons to have your puppy desexed.

  • Desexing your puppy helps to avoid reproduction-related problems. Desexed males will have a lower risk of testicular and prostate cancers. Desexed females have a lower risk of pyometra (acute uterine infection) as well as mammary and ovarian cancers.
  • Scientific evidence shows that desexing can reduce a range of behavioural problems with dogs, including mounting, aggression and roaming.\Wandering dogs run a high risk of being hit by cars. The majority of wandering dogs impounded by councils haven’t been desexed.
  • Reduced cost of registration

The best age for desexing

The recommended age for desexing your puppy varies between breeds. For advice on when you should desex your puppy contact your local Animates Vetcare clinic.

The procedure steps

  1. To fully assess your puppy’s overall health, it is recommended to perform a pre-anaesthetic blood test.
  2. Intravenous fluids are given to help support your puppy’s liver and kidneys to metabolise anaesthetic agents used and help maintain better blood pressure during surgery.
  3. Animates Vetcare uses gas anaesthesia as maintenance general anaesthesia, which is the safest form of anaesthesic for dogs.
  4. The operation is carried out and closely monitored by a fully qualified vet team in a dedicated surgical theatre set up.
  5. Your puppy is given pain relief for post-operative pain, including pain medication to take home.

Don’t believe the desexing myths

It’s likely you will hear some ‘fake news’ about dog desexing. Here are the most common myths:

  • Females should have a litter before being spayed. Not true. In fact, spaying a dog before she comes into heat for the first time will greatly reduce her risk of mammary cancer.
  • Desexing will make my pet fat. Desexing is done at an age when rapid puppy growth is decreasing and diet control is necessary. Overfeeding and lack of exercise will make your pet fat, not desexing.
  • Desexing a trained guard dog will reduce his/her ability to guard. Guarding results from instinctive territorial behaviour. This does not change when a dog is desexed.
  • Pets become lazy after they are desexed. There are generally no changes in the character of pets after being desexed. Young male dogs however will be less inclined to mount objects and jump fences in search of a mate.
  • My dog will miss out on life if I have him desexed. If you have your male dog desexed before he is six months old he will never develop mating behaviours, so he won’t be missing a thing.

The recovery period

You can generally expect your puppy to make a quick recovery after desexing surgery. Ideally, you will have crate-trained your pup – a crate is an excellent recovery place. Your puppy will require lots of rest until they have fully healed enough for their stiches to be removed, this is generally between 10-14 days. Gentle lead walking is generally allowed but you will need to make sure your puppy doesn't run or jump often. Often an Elizabethan collar (also sometimes referred to as a pet cone) is required to protect the surgical site from any unwanted licking and chewing.

Microchipping

If you change address,  remember to update the  microchip database.Microchipping is a legal requirement for all dogs. A microchip allows your dog to be identified if they are ever lost, stolen or injured. Collars and tags can be easily removed, but a microchip cannot!

Your dog has a unique number

A microchip has a unique ID number. It can be scanned at vet clinics and animal shelters to identify your dog. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip is inserted quickly and easily under your pup’s skin by a vet or licensed implanter. The database is maintained by the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.

  • Microchipping can be done at the same time as desexing, while your puppy in under anaesthetic.
  • Anaesthetic isn’t essential for implantation, so you can have your puppy microchipped at any vet visit.
  • If you change address or contact details, you can update details on the NZCAR website.

Puppy Care Guide

Covering everything from your puppy's development, to care essentials, our Puppy Care Guide is the ultimate guide to preparing for and caring for your new puppy.

Kitten

Kitten vaccinations

In New Zealand, it's best-practice to vaccinate pet cats against the core diseases that they are susceptible to, such as cat flu and feline panleukopenia. The team at Animates Vetcare, or your local vet, can discuss the recommended vaccination protocol for your kitten, to help protect them against disease.

A three step programme

Your kitten will need at least three vaccinations before they can be considered fully vaccinated. At your first visit for your kitten's vaccinations, your vet will provide you with a vaccination record that will show the vaccinations given and when your kitten is due for their next booster. It is important to keep this record in a safe place. If you ever want to book into a cattery, they will need proof that your cat is fully vaccinated.

The core vaccination timeline

Cat Vaccination Timeline

*If there has been more than four weeks between vaccinations, you will need to re-start the vaccination regime.

If you adopt an older kitten that hasn’t been vaccinated, visit Animates Vetcare as soon as possible to get advice on beginning the recommended vaccination programme.

Why vaccinations are important

Vaccinations are designed to help your kitten immune to potentially-fatal cat diseases. They also help to prevent the spread of disease within the feline community. The costs of your kitten's recommended vaccination schedule can be given over the phone by our Animates Vetcare teams prior to booking an appointment.

Desexing

Have your kitten  desexed before they  are six months old.Getting your kitten desexed is a highly recommended. Cats have healthier and safer lives when they are unable to have kittens. Desexing helps to control the number of homeless kittens in New Zealand. Cat shelters are overwhelmed by kittens that nobody wants.

An important little operation

Desexing involves removal of part of the kitten’s reproductive system while under a general anaesthetic. Female desexing (also known as spaying) involves removing the ovaries and uterus. In males, desexing (also known as neutering) involves the removal of both testicles.

Book your kitten in for advice and a general health check before their desexing procedure here.

Some of the benefits of desexing

  • Male cats are less likely to fight and wander away from home
  • Both males and females are less likely to spray urine to mark their territory
  • The urine of male cats that are not desexed is particularly stinky
  • Desexing female cats reduces the risk of mammary tumours and eliminates the risk of tumours in the ovaries, uterus and cervix.
  • Desexing male cats reduces the risk of prostatic diseases and perianal tumours, and eliminates the risk of testicular cancers.
  • Eliminates the risk of pregnancy.

The best age for desexing

The current recommended age for desexing a cat is between four and six months.

The procedure steps

  1. To fully assess your pet’s overall health, it is recommended to perform a pre-anesthetic blood test.
  2. Intravenous fluids are given to help support your kitten's liver and kidneys to metabolise anesthetic agents used and help maintain better blood pressure during surgery.
  3. Animates Vetcare uses gas anaesthesia as a maintenance anaesthesia, which is the safest form of anesthetic for pets.
  4. The operation is carried out and closely monitored by a fully-qualified vet team in a dedicated surgical theatre set up.
  5. Your pet is given pain relief for post-operative pain, including pain medication to take home.

The recovery period

Generally, kittens make a speedy recovery after desexing surgery. However, you should prepare a closed recovery room where there is no opportunity for your kitten to jump up onto things. Often an Elizabethan collar (also sometimes referred to as a pet cone) is placed on your kitten to protect the surgical site from any unwanted licking and chewing until it is healed enough for the stiches to be removed at around 10-14 days.

Microchipping

If you change address,  remember to update  the microchip.There are two compelling reasons to get your kitten microchipped. Firstly, it’s a way for your pet to be identified if they're lost or injured. Secondly, it means you can use a microchip cat door that only opens for your pet.

Unique to your pet

A microchip has a unique ID number. It can be scanned at vet clinics and animal shelters to identify your pet. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip is inserted quickly and easily under your pet’s skin by a vet or licensed implanter. The database is maintained by the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.

  • Microchipping can be done at the same time as desexing, while your kitten in under anaesthetic.
  • Anaesthetic isn’t essential for implantation, so you can have your kitten microchipped at any vet visit.
  • If you get a microchip cat door installed, instructions will be supplied about how to programme the door to recognise your pet.
  • If you change address or contact details, you can update details on the NZCAR website.

Kitten Care Guide

Covering everything from your kitten's development, to care essentials, and helping them use their litter, our Kitten Care Guide is the ultimate guide to preparing for and caring for your new kitten.