Frequently Asked Questions
What is BESTPRACTICE and what does it mean for me?
BESTPRACTICE is New Zealand’s ONLY quality accreditation programme that ensures a high standard of service and professionalism for veterinary clinics and hospitals in New Zealand.
A quality assurance programme modelled on best practice overseas standards and adapted to suit the New Zealand veterinary environment.
Hamilton Small Animal Veterinary Centre was one of the first practices to join up to the standard in NZ and continues to meet the current evolving standard.
How often does my pet need vaccinations?
Both cats and dogs should be vaccinated yearly after they have completed their initial kitten or puppy courses.
Just as important is the annual check-up performed at the time of each vaccination.
Over a pets lifetime this is equivalent to a human getting a check-up every 5-7 years so a lot can change during a 12 month period in your pets life.
With annual check-ups we are able to detect many problems a lot earlier meaning better outcomes for you and your pet.
How often should I worm my pet?
Puppies and kittens should be wormed every 2 weeks up until 12 weeks of age.
Between 12 weeks (3 months) and 6 months of age, it should be done monthly as young animals are more at risk for problems secondary to worms.
After 6 months pets should be wormed 3 monthly.
However many modern flea products also contain effective worming treatments so discuss your needs the next time you contact the clinic and our trained staff will give you the advice and product that best meets you and your pet’s needs.
I can’t see any fleas so should I still treat my pet for them?
YES!
Once you have fleas on your pet they are already producing flea eggs and contaminating your household environment.
Once the environment is contaminated it takes more time and is more difficult to resolve the flea issue.
With modern safe flea products spotting a flea should be a rare event.
With a wide range of safe long lasting topical and oral products flea control is a simple and relatively inexpensive health concern to resolve.
Call or drop in and our trained staff will help determine the best product for you.
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