Please use the following links to good websites offering advice on the diagnosis, treatment and management of some important conditions.

Flea treatment advice

Worming for cats and dogs

Management of diabetes in cats and dogs

Heart disease in the dog

Kidney disease in the cat

The Passport for Pets Scheme (Updated March 2006)

This scheme was introduced to allow cats and dogs (and ferrets) to return to the UK via nominated ports of entry, after visiting certain countries, without the requirement to spend six months in quarantine. There is a growing list of countries which qualify for the scheme. These can be found on the DEFRA web site.

The requirements for individual pets are as follows: 1) an identity microchip, 2) vaccination against rabies, 3) a positive blood test for anti-rabies titre, 4) a passport issued by a DEFRA registered veterinary surgeon.

The microchip must be inserted before vaccination, but can be done at the same consultation and can be given at the same time as the regular boosters.

The blood test should be taken 3 weeks after the vaccination. Some countries request a second test after 6 months (eg Sweden) but it has been shown that this test is not reliable and the optimum time is 3 weeks after the injection. Occasionally a test will show a failed result. This will mean a second vaccination and a second blood test - both these procedures will incur additional costs. We have had only 2 failed tests out of 102 - less than 2%. Both of these failed tests were easily explained - in one case the owner waited 6 months for the blood test and the other had an orthopaedic surgery complication at the time of vaccination! Your pet can have 2 vaccinations at a 2-3 week interval and then the blood test 3 weeks later!

On receiving a positive result from the laboratory (this can take 2-4 weeks), the Passport will be issued. This contains details of the owner, the pet, vaccination history, microchip number, test results, worming and flea treatment certification and health examination reports. It is very important to note that your pet will not be allowed back into the UK until 6 months have passed from the date of blood sampling. You are free to take your pet abroad before this date but your pet is not allowed back until after this date.

Please refer to our fees page for the prices for the procedures involved.

Your pet will require to be treated for ticks and tapeworms, with certification in the passport, by a vet in outside the UK in the period 24-48 hours of your return to the UK.

It is important to make sure that your Passport is valid - if it is not your pet will spend 6 months in quarantine. The commonest reasons for failure to gain entry back into the UK are: expired passport, the microchip failing to read properly and failing to get certified treatment for ticks and worms within the specified period. The latter scenario will mean you will have to stay abroad for an extra day, the former will mean that your pet will be quarantined for 6 months. It is possible to hire or buy microchip readers.

In the UK the period between rabies vaccination is no more than 3 years (Intervet's Nobivac Rabies - other vaccines last 2 years!). If you qualify as resident in a foreign country (eg if you live in France for more than 3 months per year), then you will be required to fulfill the vaccine regulations of that country. This usually means annual injections.

The Passport does not expire if you have the rabies boosters done within 3 years (see paragraph above). There is no need for further blood tests. If you allow the booster due date to pass (even by one day), your pet will require another vaccination and another blood test. The blood test will involve extra cost.

It is very important to consider the diseases which your pet could acquire while abroad. Most of these are caught via biting insects (ticks, sand flies and mosquitos). We strongly recommend that you give your pet treatment /prevention for these diseases before you leave the UK and during the time you are abroad as well as at the statutary time before returning to the UK. Available products include the Scalibor Collar, Advantix and Frontline.

Fees and prices clarity policy.

We have published a complete list of all the drugs we stock on this web site, showing the price to you. We have no hidden charges for drugs (ie no dispensing fee). Our injectable drugs have an in-built injection fee - see below. The waiting room has a list of our Top Ten POMs (a statuatory requirement!). Our general policy over the last, and next, few years is one of reducing the price of drugs, but to increase our professional fees. This is in line with the recent Competition Commission Report, the Order of the Office of Fair Trading and as a result of the Marsh Report.

Automatic fees.

All injectable drugs are disposed of 28 days after first opening. This has meant an increase of expenditure on drugs for the practice. We have been doing this since the start of 2003. The table below shows the value of the discarded drugs over the years. We recoup this loss by charging an extra £3.00 per injection for drugs for which a full bottle is not used within 28 days. Injectables with the 28-day-rule applied are charged out at £5.97 plus VAT (excluding the drug cost). There is no automatic (hidden) fee with drugs - a fee which some practices call a dispensing fee or a medicines arrangement fee.

SNIPPETS

December 2006

As you may have noticed from ths web site, we reduced the price of drugs last January. Drug companies continue to increase the cost to us (see column on the left) - sometimes more often than once a year. We are under pressure to keep our drug prices down despite this. Our professional fees went up in January - look out for another rise in January 2007 to buffer the presssure from drug companies.

November 2006

Viruses - now then! Most of us protect our animals with regular vaccinations and our computers with anti-virus programmes. Two weeks ago, our computer system was infected with a near-fatal virus which bypassed our excellent and up to date vaccination programme. So, even with the best protection available, our pet system became very ill - imagine how bad it would have been with NO protection!

October 2006

During a very busy Saturday morning surgery, a well known client brought in a cat he had found near the Esso petrol station. Luckily the cat had an identity microchip and we were able to contact the owner immediately - in Horsepath on the east side of Oxford! The cat was back home again within 90 minutes (it took the driver an hour to find us - he had to be directed here by his passenger on the phone to us!!). The morals of the story: 1) check your car for cats before you leave home and 2) get your cat microchipped!

September 2006

If you were consulting with your doctor, your lawyer or your dentist (or any professional ) would you answer your mobile phone? I wouldn't. If you answer yours in my consulting room and carry on a conversation, your consultation will be terminated without further discussion and you will be "told off" when you finish - so effectively in fact, that not only will you feel reluctant to do it again, but you will be so miffed you will probably change vets. Be warned - I don't care about that!

August 2006

Some vets specialise in narrow subjects - ophthalmology and dentistry for example. They spend their entire working career studying and maintaining their knowledge to ensure they retain the tag "specialist." They invest in thousands of pounds worth of equipment. It is great to have them there to "fall back on." They need to be paid for their years of dedication and investement. Please consider these facts when you are advised that your pet requires a referral to a specialist.

July 2006

Another very busy month at the jvc. We would be very grateful if you would all keep your appointments. This is especially important when we are busy. What do think we should charge for missed appointments, if anything? Please let us know by email: info@caringinpractice.com

June 2006

Lots of operations were performed at the jvc this month. We referred only one - a puppy with 2 broken legs. This cost the owners over £6000 - they had insurance cover for £2000.

May 2006

Search the web for pet insurance. If you use the web search engines sites to search for products then the cheapest will be the first on the list. Just remember to read the small print!

April 2006

Two minutes could cost you £60. A stray dog was brought into the surgery - we phoned the dog warden who arrived 2 hours later. As the dog was climbing into the back of the van to be taken to the kennel, his owner arrived to claim him. Two minutes later and....

The dog now has a microchip and a collar with an an identitiy tag. The collar and tag are LEGAL REQUIREMENTS!!

March 2006

We send out nearly 1000 (one thousand!) reminders every month. Most of these are for wormers, flea products and vaccines. In the 14 years we have been doing this we have had four complaints - all from one client! We have had others politely request that they would prefer not to be on our mailing list - if you would prefer not to receive reminders please email us accordingly.

PS The otter which underwent emergency surgery (see January Snippet) was released back into its own territory after convalescing at Tiggwinkles.

Febuary 2006

Medicines4yourpet.com has recently started trading on the internet. Please take a look - the prices are similar to those you will find at the JVC (ie very low!). If you would like to buy your pet's medicines in the comfort of your own home then please give it a go!

January 2006

The local RSPCA officer recently presented us with a first. She brought us an injured otter which had been hit by a car. There was no external injury but severe internal blood loss. After stabilising her, Mr Jackson operated to remove a ruptured spleen. The operation took only 17 minutes - the use of a dual stapler/cutter meant that dealing with large blood vessels was very quick and efficient. The otter recovered well and was rehabilitated at Tiggywinkles. Did you know that the body temperature of an otter rises with shock? Ice packs and cold water was part of the emergency treatment!

PS we did this surgery for £50.