Oaklands Veterinary Clinic (011 728-6012) in Johannesburg has kindly given us permission to share their answers to some of their most frequently asked questions (which we thought would be of interest to you too). It’s our way of sharing expert pet care advice from a Vet with you.
Kitten and puppy vaccinations are of the utmost importance to prevent the spread and contraction of potentially fatal viruses and diseases. Kittens can be vaccinated from 8 weeks of age, and puppies can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age.
We recommend no sooner than 14 days after the puppy has had their third puppy vaccination.
If the puppy/kitten vomited directly after the dewormer was administered, you can deworm them again. However, if the vomiting was at least 1 hour or more after the dewormer, it’s not necessary to deworm again as the tablet has more than likely been absorbed into the system. If you would like to deworm again as a safety precaution, you are more than welcome as you cannot overdose on a dewormer.
Deworming for both cats and dogs can be done every 3 to 4 months. If, however, you have a cat or dog that tends to eat “strange things”, then more frequent deworming is necessary.
Both ticks and fleas transmit/carry certain parasites and diseases (ticks transmit biliary and Ehrlichia; fleas carry tapeworm eggs), some more serious than others. We recommend treating with a suitable tick and flea product on a monthly basis, depending on the product. Ticks and fleas are still around in winter, though less prevalent, so it’s best to keep the treatment regime going throughout the year.
This is most likely an injection site reaction. They generally appear 3 to 6 weeks after the injection, usually starting out soft and sometimes becoming firm. These lumps usually dissipate on their own but can take up to 3 months to completely disappear. If your pet has a lump that you’re concerned about, please don’t hesitate to take them to the vet.
If you have no intention of breeding your pets, we recommend sterilisation to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens – and also to prevent certain illnesses related to the reproductive system. A good minimum age for both puppies and kittens is 6 months. However, some kittens come into season a bit earlier. In this case, they can be sterilised at a slightly younger age. For large breeds and certain other dogs, we recommend sterilisation when they’re older than 6 months. Please discuss this with your vet.
Yes, you can. The sterilisation procedure is slightly more complicated and your pet will need to be on post-op antibiotics. Very importantly, if a female dog is sterilised while on heat, she needs to be kept away from male dogs for at least a week post-op.
In most cases, stitches can be removed 10 to 14 days post-op. However, if it’s a specialised procedure, the stitches may have to remain in for longer. Please check with your vet if you’re unsure. If you happen to leave the stitches in a few days longer than 14 days, it’s not a problem, but remember that they do have to be removed.
A microchip is a tiny transponder (not a GPS) that’s inserted under the skin of your pet. It contains a unique barcode, which is registered on a national database and contains your contact details. If your pet gets lost and is taken to a vet or SPCA, they will be scanned for a microchip, the barcode entered into the database, and you will be contacted. We strongly recommend that you microchip all your pets – it’s quick to do and as simple as having a vaccination done.
Allergic reactions can be very serious (much the same as humans) – even fatal if left unattended. If you suspect that your pet has been stung, please take them to the vet for treatment as soon as possible.
The answer to both of these questions is yes in South Africa (unless you have a pet that lives indoors 100% of the time – then every third year should be sufficient). Yearly vaccinations are important because of the rabies situation in South Africa. Pets are only fully protected if their rabies vaccinations have been done within the last year. Travel to rabies areas (i.e., KwaZulu-Natal) is only allowed if rabies vaccinations are done more than 30 days before travel but less than 1 year ago.
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2 Oranjerivier Drive, Terenure, Kempton Park, South Africa
GPS Co-ordinates:
-26.076106,28.197492
