Northcliff Veterinary Hospital

The first vaccination is usually administered at 6 to 8 weeks of age, followed by boosters at 10 to 12 weeks of age, 14 to 16 weeks of age and 20 weeks of age. 

DEFINITELY!!! It's a once-off fee for the microchip (Virbac Backhome)  and it'll last a lifetime. You can update your details online should they ever change.

Yes, please. Our staff will gladly lend a hand (not literally!) if needed!

Cats can easily get loose from your grip if they're startled by other pets in the waiting-room. Please don't risk it!

We do recommend insurance. Most of our clients utilise products from Medipet or Petsure.

Congratulations on the new addition to your family! There are a number of excellent diets for young pets that we recommend and we stock them all. It's a good idea to bring your new pet in to us for a weigh-in, and one of our receptionists or veterinarians will be able to give you all the advice that you require. If you can't manage a visit, give us a call and we'll advise you as to what diet we think is most suitable for your particular puppy or kitten. 

In our opinion, we think it's best to sterilise cats and dogs at six months of age, before they come into season.

Please ensure that he or she does not eat from 22:00 the night before and does not drink water from 06:00 on the day of the operation. Don't forget to remove your other pets' food too! Hospital admissions take place between 08:00 and 08:30 on the day of the operation.

We are able to admit animals the day before the operation. Please note that there will be a charge for overnight boarding.

When a bitch is in season she has a much higher risk of bleeding during and after the surgery. Other post-op complications are more common too. We recommend that you keep her away from all unsterilized males for 4 to 6 weeks and then bring her in for the spay. Female cats (queens) can usually be spayed while they're in season without any major complications.

You need to wait 14 days before bringing your pet into the practice for us to check the wound and then remove the sutures. Please ensure that during this period of healing your pet doesn't lick or chew out the stitches. If that does happen you'll need to bring your pet in immediately for the vets to examine the wound and determine the best way to treat it.

Your pet isn't old enough to use topical treatments such as Frontline Plus ampoules (for dogs and cats) or oral chewable tablets like Bravecto (for dogs only). However, you can use Frontline Spray on your pet anytime from birth. We recommend that you apply the Frontline Spray onto a cloth and then wipe it over your puppy or kitten.

Please ensure that you treat ALL of your pets (cats and dogs) on your premises for flea problems otherwise the problem won't go away! Depending on age and species, we'll recommend the most effective product for your pet(s) when you visit the practice.

Deworming should be done at least once every 6 months. However, if you have a very active cat that leaves your premises regularly, or if you take your dog(s) for walks where other dogs share the same areas, then deworming once every 3 months is advised.

You can use topical products like Revolution or Advocate to deworm your cat. These are preparations that you put onto your cat's skin instead of attempting to administer tablets orally.

Please call in advance to let us know what medication you'd like to order so that the vets can invoice it out before you arrive. If this is not done and all of the vets are in consultations when you arrive, you'll need to wait for them to finish consulting before they can dispense the items. Depending on the scheduling of the medication you require, certain terms, conditions and limits may apply to your order.

We've observed that most pets on these scheduled medications have markedly improved quality of life, and, in some cases, the progression of the disease is even slowed. Joint disease afflicts mainly older animals, and these patients often have age-related impaired kidney and/or liver function. To reduce the risk of drug-related side-effects, these organ systems need to eliminate the medications' breakdown products efficiently. The quickest, easiest and cheapest way to monitor these organ systems is by performing half-yearly blood tests which enable us to intervene if required. We're able to perform these tests quickly during weekday consulting hours utilising our comprehensive in-house laboratory equipment.

We have an effective anti-fly product called Ex-Spot that is applied topically on your dog(s) to repel the flies.

YES! DON'T DO IT! It's a common misconception that giving a dog a bone is a good treat! Bones often get stuck in the mouth, oesophagus, stomach or intestines and can lead to life-threatening complications! They can also damage your dog's teeth, especially the big molars at the back of the mouth. We stock a variety of popular, safe and healthy chew-toys that you can select from.

No, chocolate is toxic for dogs and cats! Rather give it to your favourite vets. They'll be okay.