Services

In certain cases,  such as end of life care, owners would rather that their pet remains in their own environment. We are happy to arrange such visits within normal working weekday hours. However, for cases where prompt attention or a more thorough examination is required the best care can be given by an owner bringing their pet to the surgery.

Cats

Always bring your cat to the surgery in a secure basket as this will prevent any risk of escape or injury by another animal in the waiting room. You will be offered a loan crate if you arrive without one as we cannot allow cats or other small animals held in your arms in the waiting room for safety reasons.

Dogs

Please keep dogs on short leads at all times in the surgery. Allowing them to wander is risky and can upset cats and other already stressed dogs. We have lead on loan if required.

If your pet is particularly noisy, aggressive, hard to control - or may be contagious (e.g. Kennel cough) then please keep them outside and inform reception of your arrival.

Animals coming in for an operation need to be starved from 8pm the night before. This is to ensure their stomach is empty so that they don't vomit with the anaesthetic. They can have water overnight as normal.

Animals are admitted between 8:30am and 9:00am when you will be asked to sign some documentation giving your permission for the procedure your pet is being admitted for. One of our nursing assistants will be on hand to answer any questions you have and provide reassurance, as we know it can be a worrying time for owners. Most routine ops result in patients going home the same day during the afternoon.

We offer pre-anaesthetic blood testing to assess the patient's liver and kidney function. This is agreed with the nursing assistant at admission and the in-house testing is carried out before any pre-med is given. This is advised particularly for older animals over the age of eight or sick animals, to ensure they are fit for the anaesthetic and assess if other measures, such as intravenous fluids, are required.

Why Vaccinate?

We strongly recommend that all pets are fully vaccinated to reduce their risk of infectious diseases which are difficult or impossible to treat once the animal is infected and in many cases are fatal.

The initial and booster vaccination visits always include a full examination of the animal which is in itself invaluable for picking up problems which may not be apparent to the owner. These visits also offer a useful opportunity for owners to discuss any concerns they may have regarding the animal's health or behaviour with a vet.

Dogs

Dogs should be vaccinated against Distemper (D), Hepatitis (H), Parvovirus (P), Parainfluenza (Pi) & Leptospirosis (L).

Puppies can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age (we advise 8 weeks old). They then receive a second vaccine two to four weeks later at a minimum of 10 weeks of age and are able to go out 5 days after this second visit. The earlier they complete this course, the better so that they can be safely taken out and socialised with other animals, people, traffic etc.

Booster vaccinations are required annually to maintain immunity to these diseases. However, different parts of the vaccine provide immunity for different lengths of time. To ensure that we don't 'overvaccinate' animals we give a full DHPPiL vaccine every third year and in the intervening years only a partial LPi vaccine.

Some dogs will also need to be vaccinated against Kennel Cough. This is required for animals when they will be mixing with many other animals in close proximity eg. dogs going into kennels, working dogs at shoots, dogs attending training classes. This is a live vaccine given as a small amount of fluid up their nose. It provides one year's immunity and must be given at least 3 full days before the period of risk.

Cats

Cats should be vaccinated against Calicivirus and Herpesvirus (cat flu), and Panleucopaenia (cat parvovirus) and feline leukaemia.

Kittens can be vaccinated from 9 weeks of age. They receive a second vaccination 3 to 4 weeks later. They then require an annual booster vaccination.

Rabbits

Rabbits should be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD).

Rabbits can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age. A single vaccine provides one year's protection with the strongest immunity over the first six months. For this reason, we recommend annual boosters should be given in the spring to give the most protection over the summer/autumn risk period.

Myxomatosis is spread via fleas from wild rabbits. VHD is spread directly by other rabbits or indirectly by a number of other animals, or people, if they have contact with an infected rabbit.

Don't Worry, We'll Remind You...

We all lead busy lives, so our practice operates a free booster reminder service whereby our staff will identify if your animal becomes overdue for their booster vaccination and post a reminder card to your address.

We recommend that all female cats and dogs are neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to reduce the risk of mammary cancer. Male cats should be neutered to prevent urine spraying in the house and aid population control. This can be done from 4 months of age.

For male dogs, it will depend on the individual dog and his characteristics, we recommend you discuss this with the vet at your routine health check appointment.

Neutering for bitches is dependent on the individual dog and her characteristics, we recommend you discuss this with the vet at your routine health check appointment.

Older bitches can be neutered at 3 months after the end of their last season. This is the midway point between seasons and will ensure hormones are more settled.

It is now a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks to be microchipped to ensure they can be identified and enable a speedy return home should they become lost. However, given that cats are the most likely to go walkabout, we also strongly advise that they are chipped to help reunite them with their owner should they do so.

The procedure involves inserting a small microchip (the size of a grain of rice) under the skin between their shoulderblades. Insertion causes minor discomfort only and most animals tolerate the procedure very well. We use Identichip microchips which is one of the leading brands because of their reliability and anti-migration technology to ensure the chip stays in the correct place under the skin. The microchip has a serial number that can be read using a scanner device. This serial number is registered against the animal and owner's details on a central national database called Anibase. Vets, police and animal rescue organisations are all able to scan lost animals on arrival and have access to the database to quickly obtain the owner's contact details. This is far more reliable than tags on collars as these tags and/or collars are often lost when an animal goes missing. Once implanted the microchip should last a lifetime.

We have had many cases over the years where we are contacting an owner before they even know that their pet is missing (e.g. dogs that have escaped from the garden).

At Crieff Vets we stock a wide range of worm, flea and tick products. It can sometimes be confusing and difficult to find the correct product(s) for your pet given the large number of product choices, routes of administration and combinations of parasites treated. Therefore, one of our team will be happy to advise you to ensure you get the most suitable product for your pet.

Worms

Wormers are available as granules, liquid, tablets and spot-on preparations. The right choice depends on the age of the animal, round or tapeworm control and ease of administration. Worming requirements depend on your pet’s individual lifestyle and characteristics and should be discussed with the vet. If you wish to start a worming routine for your pet, simply make an appointment.

Lungworm is known to be an increasing problem in the UK. Animals are infected by contact with slugs and snails. Lungworm can cause respiratory problems and bleeding disorders which can be difficult to diagnose and treat. If you have concerns, discuss this with the vet.

Fleas

There are a number of different products available to prevent fleas. There are several different spot-on products which provide 4 weeks protection or a tablet for dogs which provides 3 months protection. These products kill all fleas on the animal within 48 hours of administration. Some products also treat worms, lungworms and mites or protect against ticks.

If an animal is already infested with fleas then they should be treated with one of the above products but it may also be necessary to treat their environment. The majority of fleas live in the environment and can then re-infect the animal, so regular vacuuming and insecticidal sprays for the house will also be required to control a flea outbreak.

Ticks

Ticks are a significant problem in our area. Although still relatively rare, there is an increasing awareness and risk of tick-borne disease in the UK. It is, therefore, important to prevent the tick biting the animal in the first place rather than just removing them once they are attached and feeding.

Ticks can be prevented on dogs using products that either repel them to prevent attachment or kill the ticks very soon after they have attached and before there is any chance of spreading infection. These products include spot-ons, tablets and collars.    

As some insecticides used in the dog products can be toxic to cats, the choices for prevention in cats is slightly more limited. The spot on products for cats, therefore, do not repel ticks but will kill them within 48 hours of attaching. There is a collar available which does repel ticks and prevent attachment but some cats will not tolerate, or lose, collars.

An Animal Health Certificate is now required for pets travelling in the EU. Find out more information here.

Sadly, saying goodbye to a beloved pet is a really difficult time. We can advise which option may be the best for you and your pet, and offer guidance and support to help you decide when the right time is.  As we are less emotionally involved, we can advise what the options are and what may be best for your pet. 

We understand that it can be more difficult when you feel you have little or no control over your pet's fate. We can help you focus on what you can control, such as ensuring they go peacefully, that you can be with them in a quiet, or home, environment, and that you have the time you need with them. 

You will also be able to decide where your pet's final resting place will be. We can arrange routine and private cremations with a large range of options for ashes return. We treat all animals with respect and use a trusted provider for this. 

Grieving

The loss of a pet can be similar to mourning a close friend or family member. Many of our pets can be with us for such a long time that they can have been one of the few constants in our lives, with us when we change jobs, move houses, have children and go through difficult times. Some people who haven't had animals don't understand this, but it is completely normal to have feelings of intense grief, loneliness and isolation. It is also normal to feel guilt. As pet owners, we have to make difficult decisions for our animals and when we are grieving we often over-analyse these decisions trying to find fault with ourselves. The strength of all these feelings can take us by surprise and last longer than we might expect ourselves, but they do get better with time. As vets, we are happy to offer support during this time.

Many owners find that seeking reassurance, being able to discuss the decisions made and speaking to people who understand the way they are feeling, can help them to move forwards. For further support there are a number of useful resources such as the Pet Bereavement Support Service.