Microchipping

Compulsory for dogs, a good idea for others!

Microchipping your pet is a quick and safe procedure that can help reunite you with your pet should they stray. Furthermore, it is a requirement by law to have all dogs microchipped.

How is my pet microchipped?

A needle containing the small, size of a grain of rice, microchip is inserted under your pet's skin. It takes one minute but lasts a lifetime.

What happens next?

We record your details including name, telephone number(s), address and e-mail address, along with the details of your pet and the 15 digit microchip number.

These details are then registered with the official U.K. pet microchip database - PETtrac.

If your pet goes missing

Notify the PETtrac database by calling them on 0800 652 9 977 or 01273 408722

When a missing pet is found, they will be scanned for a microchip. The scanner will read the pet's unique microchip number, which can then be entered into the database. The staff of PETtrac will ask some security questions before revealing your personal details.

Updating your details

Micropchips are only effective at reuniting pet's with owners if the details associated with the microchip are correct.

If you move house or change number, remember to update your details on the PETtrac website.

What if your pet came from overseas?

Simply go to the PETtrac website, follow the link to "update your pet's details" and enter the microchip number.

The website will generate a form for you to sign and post with the relevant fee.

Pet Passports

Opening the world to your companion

To travel through Europe on the Pet Travel Scheme, your pet will need a Pet Passport, complete with a microchip and a vaccination for Rabies. Book in with one of our officially authorised vets to get your pet ready to travel!

When travelling with your dog, cat or ferret, the rules you must follow depend on the country you’re going to or coming from.

Travelling within the EU (or into the EU from another ‘listed’ country)

When travelling to or returning to the UK from another EU or non-EU but “listed” country your pet needs:

a microchip
a rabies vaccination (make sure your pet is microchipped first or the vaccination won’t count)
a pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate
tapeworm treatment (for dogs only)

You must also use an authorised carrier and an approved route.

You must wait 21 days from the date of the rabies vaccination before travelling.

Travelling into the EU from an unlisted country

An ‘unlisted’ country is any country not included in the list of EU and non-EU countries.

When travelling to or returning to the UK from an unlisted country, your pet needs:

a microchip
a rabies vaccination (make sure your pet is microchipped first or the vaccination won’t count)•
a blood test – the vet must take the blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination (the date of vaccination counts as day 0, not day 1)
an official third country veterinary certificate

Some countries have specific travel requirements so always check with APHA (DEFRA) for the latest requirements at www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners

Guide Dogs and Other Assistance Dogs

Assistance dogs are allowed to travel in the aircraft cabin with their owner on approved routes and carriers registered to carry assistance dogs.

They can normally also travel in areas where other animals aren’t allowed.

Rules for assistance dogs travelling under the EU pet travel scheme are the same as for other dogs.

The Guide Dogs Association website has advice about taking assistance dogs abroad.

When you return to the UK

Staff from the travel company will scan your pet’s microchip and check your documents.

If you don’t have the correct documents or your pet hasn’t been properly prepared, they will be put into quarantine or sent back to the country they travelled from. You must pay the costs for this.

Other types of pet

There are no restrictions on bringing pet rodents, rabbits, birds, ornamental fish, invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles to the UK from other EU countries.

Pet rabbits and rodents from other countries must spend 4 months in quarantine. They need a rabies import licence and must enter the UK at a Border Inspection Post.

Contact the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) for more information on the rules for travelling with these or other species of pet.

Fleas, ticks and worms

Prevention is better than cure

Unwanted visitors on your pet or in your home is not only unpleasant but a health risk too. Many of the common parasites that may live on your pet can also transmit harmful diseases to them and you.

It is far easier to prevent an infestation than to cure one! We have a range of products against fleas, ticks and worms to suit all types of pets and circumstances.

Festering Fleas

These small parasites live in your pet's coat and survive on their blood. Once they're done feeding, fleas will nest in your home, including carpets and bedding.

If left untreated, your pet may suffer from:

Hair loss from relentless scratching and biting
Flea allergic dermatitis - a very sore skin condition resulting from a reaction to the flea saliva
Tapeworm infestation
Anaemia - particularly in puppies and kittens

So don't delay, start your flea prevention today! We have tasty chews for dogs (Nexgard), spot-ons and medicated collars. Ring the clinic today to find the best treatment for your pet.

Troublesome Ticks

The blood sucking tick, commonly found in wooded envrionments, is not just a nuisance; it can pass along potentially fatal disease to both dogs and humans.

It takes 5-6 hours for a tick to become firmly attached and up to 10 days for it to become fully engorged with your pet's blood.

Signs of tick-borne disease may not appear for 7-21 days after a tick bite. Signs to look out for include:

Lameness lasting several days
Swollen joints
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Breathing difficulties

The current warm and damp conditions means grass and flora has grown longer and thicker - the perfect breading ground for ticks!

Norfolk is a high risk area for ticks - find out more at www.bigtickproject.co.uk/about

Many of our flea treatments also protect against ticks. Contact us today to find out more.

Worrisome Worms

There are many different types of worms that can affect your dog or cat. Some may cause only mild illness whereas others can be potentially life threatening and high risk to humans; particularly children and pregnant women.

Worms are picked up by your dog or cat from their outside environment, mainly through the faeces of other animals.

Signs of illness due to worm infestation tend to go unnoticed until the infestation is large (remember a tapeworm can grown up to 10ft in your dog's intestine!) Therefore, we recommend worming your cat or dog once every 3 months.