Petcare health services

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are a vital part of your pet’s preventative healthcare plan. We believe prevention is better than cure, which is why it is important to be aware of what vaccinations your pet needs to stay healthy and happy.

Yes, we 100%  recommend that you do!

It is vital to vaccinate your pet against serious and sometimes fatal diseases.

Serious diseases do exist within the pet community, and vaccinating your pet is a way to protect them from such diseases. Not vaccinating your pet puts not only their health and wellbeing at risk, but also pets within the wider community.

Vaccinations start between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks and require a certain course of vaccinations. 

Vaccinations help pet’s build a healthy immune system while they are young, and annual vaccinations help prevent further disease.

The diseases that pets can catch from not being vaccinated pose much worse health implications than the risks associated with the vaccination itself.

It is important to stay on top of your pet’s vaccinations to ensure they are protected. If they fall behind on these then please contact us to have this booked in as soon as possible.

The C5 vaccination is required for admission to our in clinic hospital for non-emergency procedures. It is also required when your dog goes into any boarding facility. It protects against the following fatal pet diseases:

  • Distemper
  • Hepatitis
  • Canine Parvo virus
  • Canine Parainfluenza Virus
  • Bordetella

Additional protection can also be provided for:

  • Corona virus
  • Leptospirosis

The F4 vaccination is required when your cat goes to a catteries facility, and for admission to our clinic hospital for non-emergency procedures. It protects against the following fatal and potentially fatal diseases:

  • Feline Enteritis
  • Feline herpes
  • Feline Calici Virus
  • Feline Rhinotrachetis virus

Additional vaccination protection can also be provided for:

  • Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, Feline Aids)

We vaccinate ferrets for Distemper.

Rabbits are vaccinated against Calicivirus (RHDV). Due to the prevalence of new strains of Calicivirus/RHDV released to decrease the wild rabbit population contact the clinic it is vital to immediately organize vaccination of any new pet rabbits and to ensure vaccination of older rabbits is up-to-date.

RHDV can remain in the environment for an extended period and can be transmitted on objects and via some insects. The following precautions can reduce the risk of infection:

  • Keep your pet rabbit indoors
  • Rabbit-proof your backyard to prevent access by wild rabbits
  • Regularly decontaminate equipment and materials including cages, hutches, bowls
  • Limit contact between and handling of unfamiliar pet rabbits
  • Decontaminate hands, shoes and clothing after handling other than your own rabbits
  • Control fleas
  • Control insects (especially flies) as much as possible both indoors and outdoors
  • Avoid cutting grass and feeding it to rabbits if there is the risk of contamination from wild rabbits

Vet consultations

Our team of experienced vets are able to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding your pet’s health and wellbeing. Our consultations cover a range of health topics to ensure you are informed of the requirements of keeping your furry friend healthy and happy.

Diagnostics

Blood tests are a diagnostic tool we utilise to to diagnose and monitor a range of health conditions. They play a vital role in detecting diseases in the early stages while they are still treatable.

  • To check the effects of long-term medication use
  • Prior to anaesthesia, to reduce any risks, particularly for older pets
  • Senior pets (yearly blood tests can diagnose old age disease while they can still be managed)
  • Diagnosing increased appetite or thirst
  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Diagnosing sudden illness
  • Heartworm testing
  • FIV (Feline Aids testing)
  • Genetic testing. Understanding your dog’s lineage can allow you to know their predisposition to specific conditions

We have our very own biochemistry and haematology blood machines. This means the results will come back quickly and save lives, in the case of emergencies. If required, our vets can also refer your pet to a pathology lab for specific tests.

Healthcare Programs

Our Healthcare programs have been created to make looking after your pet a smooth and easy process. We’re here to help!

Vaccination4Life

Vaccination4Life is a lifetime vaccination plan that saves you up to 75% off the cost of your pet’s vaccinations over time. Vaccinations are vital to keeping your pet healthy and happy, which is why we came up with our Vacc4Life program! A one-off payment of $600 provides your pet with annual boosters and health checks for the rest of their life.

Download our Vaccination4Life brochure here.

Call us today for more information! Alternatively, fill out a form here and we will be in contact with you.

For an extra $50 you can have them included for the rest of your pet’s life.

7 years or younger.

Yes, this works out very cost effective as we vaccinate rabbits every 6 months.

Yes, all vaccines as directed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Guidelines are covered.

Wellness Program

The Wellness Program provides an all-inclusive list of preventative healthcare treatments and services to members for a small fee of $50.00 per month, with a $90 upfront fee. This fee will be direct debited from your account. This is a hassle-free and no stress program designed to benefit the health of your pet.

Read our brochure here for more information!

Call us today for more information! Alternatively, fill out a form here and we will be in contact with you.

Surgery

Your furry friends’ wellbeing is our top priority! We aim for the surgery process to be as smooth and safe as can be.

We take steps to ensure our surgeries run smoothly and safely for your pet by ensuring the below:

  • Dogs and cats are housed in separate areas, to ensure they don’t disturb or frustrate each other
  • Our clinic has separate surgical procedure rooms and operating theatres
  • Our clinic use modern anaesthetic machines, and the safest anaesthetic drugs and gases
  • Your pet’s vital signs are monitored both electronically and by the surgical team, who will be with your pet until he or she has completely recovered from the anaesthetic
  • 

Please note: Late and early pick-up and drop off of your pet is offered, for added convenience.

Our experienced vets perform desexing, soft tissue and orthopaedic procedures.

Desexing
  • Decreased urge to wander, roam or escape
  • Calming influence on behaviour and a reduction in aggressive behaviours
  • No ovarian, uterine or testicular cancer
  • Desexing prevents pyometra-a life-threatening disease in dogs
  • Desexing reduces mammary cancer and prostatic disease
  • Desexing prevents bi-yearly problems associated with on heat females, such as blood staining, male dogs visiting or cats calling
  • Decrease spraying in male cats
  • Decrease cat aggression and associated fighting, abscesses, and FIV

Desexing can be done safely at almost any age, depending on gender, size, health issues, and other factors.    

Young pups and kittens are generally desexed at approximately 4-5 months of age.

For maximum benefit in decreasing mammary tumours, females should be spayed before their first season, which will occur from 5 to 6 months of age.

Soft Tissue

We perform a range of soft tissue procedures at our clinic hospital.

We provide a wide range of soft tissue procedures for animals, including the following:

  • Lump Removals
  • Biopsies
  • Eyelid surgery
  • Exploratory surgery of the abdomen
  • Removal of bladder stones
Orthopaedic

Orthopaedic surgery is surgery for bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and other skeletal structures.

  • fractures of the bones
  • removal of tumours
  • as the treatment for cruciate disease
  • as the treatment for hip dysplasia
Pre-Surgery

Prior to surgery our expert vet team will answer all the questions that you have about your pet’s upcoming surgery. Our team will recommend the appropriate pre-anaesthetic blood tests and fluid therapy which will help your pet have a fast recovery time. 

After Surgery Care

After your pet’s surgery our vet, or another member of the surgery team, will discuss with you how the surgery went and run over important post-surgery care. We will explain how to give your pet the medication it requires and how to best care for your pet in the following days.

Behaviour

It is important to make sure your pet is trained to become a well behaved furry member of society. Knowing your pet’s individual behaviours helps you to train them accordingly.

Yes! Genetics, past experiences and the environment your pet is in can all have an impact on their behavioural patterns.

Be aware of the below behaviours that indicate your pet has behavioural issues:

  • Noise phobias including thunderstorms
  • Separation anxiety or a fear of being left all alone
  • Obsessive compulsive behaviours such as tail chasing or pacing
  • Aggression towards other dogs or people

Nurse Consults

Our expert nurse team will work closely with our vets to offer consultations to cover your pet care needs. They will answer a range of queries or specific concerns you may have about your animal’s health. Topics we cover in our consultations can include preventative care, pet behaviour, surgery, nutrition and other matters depending on your individual pet’s needs. Nurses can perform dental checks, nail clippings and more!

Dental

When it comes to dental care our motto is prevention is better than cure! Just like us humans, our furry friends also require care for their dental health.

Tooth and gum problems in pets

Tooth, gum pain and dental disease can go unnoticed in pets, however it can be just as severe as in humans. It can lead to infection and to dangerous diseases such as kidney and heart disease. 

Dental disease can be noticed if your pet has bad breath. Most animals will continue eating regardless of severe infection and pain, which is why it’s so important to bring your pet into the clinic for regular check-ups. Nurse dental checks are always complimentary! 

Teeth cleaning services

Our team highly recommends a professional dental scale and polish treatment every 6-12 months for pets, even with good home dental care. A general anesthetic is required for this treatment.

Dental diets

Dental diets are formulated dry food that is designed to remove plaque from your pet’s teeth while they are eating. Some also contain toothpaste-like ingredients to target plaque reduction.

Our dental facilities

At Dr Paws Wangaratta we have state of the art dental equipment and everything your pet needs to keep their pearly whites nice and healthy! Our clinic has a dedicated dental area with an ultrasonic cleaner and polisher, along with specialised pet dental equipment.

Preventative care

It is important to prevent future illness for your pet and to not only treat illness when it happens. Preventative care can help achieve a high level of general health for your four legged friend.

Fleas & Intestinal Worms

Intestinal worms and fleas are harmful pet parasites, that can cause disease in both animals and humans. It is very vital to keep your pet’s parasite control up-to-date as a way to protect them and your family.

Fleas

Fleas do not only just bite pets, but can multiply in houses and bite us humans too! In fact, fleas will often spend only a small part of their life-cycle on your pet and more in your house. That is why it is best to treat your home, as well as your pet, when an infestation occurs

Worms

Worms affect the health of your fur friend, and can also transmit to humans, especially young children. Worms can cause serious and permanent illnesses in humans. It is essential to commence a worm control program from the time you take home your new pet to your home.

Heartworm

Heartworm is a type of worm that lives inside a dog’s heart and is spread through mosquitoes. It can be found across all parts of Australia. Heartworm can be potentially fatal and often difficult to treat. A heartworm prevention program should be initiated from the start of your pet’s first round of vaccinations.

Microchipping

Microchipping is one of the best ways to identify your cat or dog, especially if they are lost or stolen. We can microchip your pet at any age and can also help you with council registration. If pets are ever taken to a shelter they will be  scanned to see if they have a microchip. The shelter will then call you directly, to ensure your pet is back with you as soon as possible.

Digital Imaging

Our clinic offers the very latest in diagnostic imaging technologies for your animal, including X-ray and Ultrasound. 

Ultrasound

Our team utilises the benefits of Ultrasound scanning technology. This is a pain free procedure that produces images of the body that allow our vets to have a closer look into the health of your pet.

X-ray

X-rays are not just for broken bones! We often perform x-rays to screen the heart and lungs for disease, while x-rays of the abdomen can help diagnose ingestion of foreign objects and give us vital information about the size and shape of abdominal organs.