Puppy Info Letter - Forrest Hill Veterinary Clinic

PUPPY INFORMATION LETTER
Welcome to Forrest Hill Vet Clinic. Our opening Hours 7 DAYS are Monday to Friday 7.30am to
7.00 pm, Saturday 9am to 5 pm and Sunday 10am to 5 pm
Forrest Hill Vet Clinic has been providing Companion Animal veterinary services and products to
Auckland’s North Shore for over 25 years. Our team of 5 very experienced veterinarians are
supported by 12 fully qualified, caring veterinary nurses. We utilise the latest information,
technology and equipment in the care of your pet. Please phone 4105169 to book an
appointment. We look forward to meeting you and your new puppy
RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS FOR YOUR PUPPY:
Vaccination:
Before we vaccinate your puppy, she or he will be given a thorough health
check. The vaccines we use protect your puppy against Distemper,
Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Leptospirosis and are usually given at 9 and 12
weeks. The Kennel Cough vaccination is also important if your pet is
going to board in kennels or have contact with lots of other dogs. It is recommended that you limit
your puppy’s access to public places until the vaccination programme has been completed. Once
your puppy has been vaccinated she or he will only require an annual booster – we will send you a
reminder when this is due. The cost of these vaccines is $67.50 each. The Coughguard vaccination
is an additional $36.50
Worming:
Puppies require worming every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then monthly until 6 months of
age, then routinely every 3 months. Young animals are born with worms passed from their
mothers in utero therefore pregnant and lactating dogs should be wormed regularly to lower the
number of worms passed to their young. Worming costs can be as little as $1 depending on the
weight of your puppy
Flea Treatment:
The secret of successful flea control is to treat the animal (and if necessary the environment) with
effective products regularly throughout the year. We highly recommend ADVANTAGE and
FRONTLINE. Topical applications are an effective form of flea control for your pet. The
products are totally safe and easy to apply to your pet and provide superior flea control. ONE
FLEA left untreated will quickly escalate into an infestation. Tapeworms can be ingested with
fleas as your puppy cleans itself, so reducing the flea population also reduces tapeworm
infestations. All pets in the household should be treated. Flea treatment costs can be as little
as $9 per month, depending on the weight of your puppy
Puppy Classes:
Puppy classes have been running successfully at the clinic for a number of years now. They are
run by our qualified staff members who enjoy socialising the puppies as well as teaching owners
about health issues, behaviour, first aid, nutrition, toilet training and puppy products. The classes
include a very informative handbook to keep, a free bag of Hills or Eukanuba food, free flea and
worm treatment (worth approximately $50) and, of course, a graduation certificate! At present
the classes are held on a Wednesday night at 7.30pm and run for 4 weeks (great for those with
busy lives!) and cost $110. Contact the clinic for more details or download a registration form
from our website – www.forresthillvet.co.nz

Desexing:
We recommend this procedure is performed between 5 and 6 months of age, but can be done
earlier if the veterinarian thinks it is necessary. Speying prevents your female pup from coming
“on heat” or “in season”. Hence no unwanted puppies. The cost for speying your puppy is
$267.50. Pain relief before the surgery and pain relief medication to go home with is
important and is included in the price. Removal of sutures two weeks later is also included in
the cost. We also recommend giving your puppy intravenous fluids during the surgery to make
her recovery more speedy. There is an additional cost for this of $46. Neutering male puppies
(also called ‘Castration’) will greatly reduce their urge to wander and can lower their aggression
towards other dogs. The cost for neutering your puppy is $159 which includes pain relief
before the surgery, pain relief medication to go home with and removal of sutures
Surgical Admission Instructions:
Your puppy will be admitted between 7.30am – 8.30am on the morning of surgery and receive a
premedication injection which includes pain relief. After surgery, once your puppy is awake, we
will offer food, as this aids recovery. Your puppy will be ready to go home after 2pm. During your
discharge appointment a veterinary nurse will give you full instructions on post-operative care
Microchipping:
Microchipping is now compulsory, so while your puppy is being desexed, it is a good time to
have a microchip inserted. The cost is $60.00 which includes having your puppy’s details
entered on the New Zealand Animal Register. The microchip is about the size of a grain of
rice and will be inserted between the shoulder blades at the base of your dog’s neck. It contains a
number that belongs only to your dog, providing a secure and reliable way of identifying it for the
rest of its life. As with other injections, microchipping is a simple procedure. If your dog gets lost
and picked up by a dog control officer, or injured and taken to a vet, the microchip can be
scanned to find out the number and the owner
Nutrition:
Nutrition for growing puppies is extremely important. Feeding a food with the correct balance of
nutrients and energy can help ensure an appropriate level of calorific intake to ensure correct
skeletal growth and help maintain your puppy’s good body condition. We recommend both
HILLS and EUKANUBA, which are premium foods and contain all essential vitamins and minerals
for your puppy’s good health. The cost per day of feeding your puppy can be as little as $2.00. It
is not necessary to give supplements, calcium or milk if feeding a premium food. Our qualified
veterinary nurses will be happy to discuss your puppy’s needs with you
Insurance:
When you get a new puppy it is an ideal time to think about insurance. There are companies we
recommend who will have a policy to suit you to cover accident/injury and medical expenses.
Talk to our staff about getting a one month free cover note. We would suggest that you
seriously consider taking out pet insurance to cover the eventuality of unexpected veterinary
costs which might well arise at some stage of your pets life
We hope you find this information useful. Feel free to visit our website – www.forresthillvet.co.nz
- for even more information. You can download a New Client Form and a voucher for 10%
discount on your second visit. We are also offering you $10 off your first consultation if you
detach and bring in the voucher below. We look forward to meeting you and your puppy. If you
require any further information, please phone our experienced veterinary nursing staff on
4105169. For after hours accidents and emergencies please phone 4435640.
Regards
From all the Team at Forrest Hill Vets –
Kevin, Mike, Louise, Tiffany, Mark, Kathy, Aimee, Kate, Kate, Jane, Antoinette, Brigitte, Margaret,
Danielle, Kathy, Tania and Anna
FORREST HILL VETERINARY CLINIC
$10 Gift Voucher
Present this voucher at your first consultation or vaccination and
receive $10 off - come and see us soon, please bring this voucher, we look
forward to meeting you and your puppy