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    Chipping your pet

Chipping your pet is a simple procedure in which, using a sturdy needle, a rice grain-sized chip is inserted under the skin in the neck. This chip contains a number that can easily be read at the vet, shelter or animal ambulance with a chip reader. After reading the number, the owner can soon be found via the website, for example.

Dogs

Dogs born in the Netherlands after 1 April 2013 must be microchipped within 7 weeks and registered with a database within 8 weeks. All dogs imported from this date must also be registered within 2 weeks. According to the new decree, the breeder of the dogs must have the chip inserted by a veterinarian or professional chipper and do the initial registration. Dogs from abroad are already chipped to enter the Netherlands.

The buyer of the dog must ask for proof of the chip registration at the time of purchase. Once the dog is owned by the new owner, they must register the chip identification number with their own name and address details within two weeks. Even after that, owners are obliged to report changes such as a move, death or sale of the dog to the database. If they do not do so, they are in violation and risk a fine.

Cats

Chipping cats in the Netherlands will be compulsory. It is important to have your cat chipped and registered. Every year, many cats end up in the shelter. In 2011, 24107 stray cats arrived at the Animal Protection Society's animal shelters alone. Because a large proportion of cats are not microchipped or the registration is not properly maintained, they often cannot be returned to their owners. Only 3373 cats (14%) could be reunited with their owners by the Animal Protection Society! In addition, it is also common for people who find a cat that turns out not to be microchipped to keep the cat themselves. So the total number of lost and never returned cats is even higher.

By getting your cat chipped, registering the chip number and your details with a database and making sure you also update that registration if anything changes, you can ensure that your cat is returned home if it has lost its way. It is also important for cats that normally live indoors to be microchipped and registered.

While the chances of a cat ending up on the street are not high, an escape through a door left open too long or through a window is not impossible. Especially uncastrated animals have a high urge to go outside and will do anything to do so. Once outside, the cat's orientation is much less than that of cats that regularly go outside. So these escaped indoor cats have trouble finding their home again and are highly likely to roam.

Advantages:

• Simple procedure
• Your animal is not affected by a collar around the neck (which can even be dangerous)
• Remains legible for life
• When moving house, it is easy to change your details
• The owner can be traced quickly if the animal runs away
• Mandatory when travelling abroad

Disadvantages:

• Your animal may react slightly to the needle. You may also choose to have your animal chipped during a surgical procedure such as spaying/sterilization, as they will not notice.
• Previously, the chip could sometimes move under the skin, causing it to sit in awkward places. The chip we place does not have this problem.

Do you have any questions following the above information? If so, please contact us.

   Travelling with your pet

If you want to travel with your pet, it is always wise to consult a vet about this. Currently, all dogs and cats for abroad must have a:

• Chip, often a good readable tattoo is also approved
• European passport
• Vaccination against rabies

The vaccination we give is registered for 3 years for countries within the EU. There are some countries that have specific requirements. Some want a health certificate or legalization. A country may also want to know whether the animal has sufficient antibodies against rabies in the blood and/or needs deworming. It is best to contact your vet on time (sometimes several months) if you are going abroad. We can then see what specific rules you need to comply with from that country. Abroad, your animal can contract a number of diseases, including:

Leishmania

Leishmania is a sometimes-fatal disease transmitted by a sand fly. Symptoms fitting the disease are: hair loss especially around the eyes and muzzle, weight loss despite good appetite and inflammation of the skin especially on the head and legs. The disease occurs mainly in Latin America and in all Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco). Sand flies appear mainly at dusk. You can protect your pet against this. There is a collar that works against both ticks and Leishmania. The collar is good for 5-6 months of protection and your animal can swim with it. You can get this collar from us.

Ehrlichia and Babesia

Ehrlichia and Babesia are two parasites that can be transmitted through ticks. Now, this is mainly seen abroad, but unfortunately a few ticks have already been found in the Netherlands carrying these diseases, so it is now being seen more here too. In Ehrlichiosis, the parasites live in white blood cells. Acutely ill animals often have high fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, swollen lymph nodes and bleeding. In Babesiosis, red blood cells are affected. Animals often have high fever, lethargy and pale mucous membranes. The parasites are still sometimes seen together. Since the parasites are transmitted through a tick bite, it is important to protect your animal from ticks. Our preference is the band mentioned above. Drops in the neck can also be chosen, this works against ticks for three to four weeks.

Heartworm

Heartworm (Dirofilaria Immitis): The larva is transmitted by female mosquitoes. The microscopic larvae migrate to the chest cavity and the eventual adult worm often lives in heart and pulmonary arteries. These in turn can produce new larvae. It is a very dangerous parasite that can lead to death. The infection can mainly occur is Spain, Majorca, Canary Islands, Portugal, France, Italy, Corsica, Hungary, Greece and Balkan countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. You can either give your pet drops in the neck that will ensure the mosquito's bite is kept out. The band against ticks and Leishmania also works against the mosquito bite. Finally, you can deworm your pet with a broad spectrum dewormer. The tablet we have is small and easy to give.

Do you have any questions following the above information? If so, please contact us.

Overweight in dogs

We divide the weight of dogs into five categories:

1. Very lean: Ribs and bones are clearly visible and easy to feel, no layer of fat.
2. Underweight: Ribs and bones are visible with minimal layer of fat between skin and bone.
3. Ideal weight: Ribs are not visible but easy to feel.
4. Overweight: Ribs are not visible and difficult to feel due to moderate fat layer.
5. Obese: Ribs are not visible and cannot be felt due to a thick layer of fat.

An overweight animal unfortunately does not fall into category three, but above it. Besides adjusting diet, a few more tips for you are listed below:

• In the morning, weigh the food quantity and divide it among 4 Tupperware containers. This way, everyone in the house knows whether the dog has already eaten. You can use the fourth bowl for rewards/training.
• Give your dog his nutritionally adjusted food amount divided into three portions.
• Do a slalom with your dog between poles. This forces the dog to bend its body, which uses muscles and consumes calories.
• Give one of the portions in a food ball.
• Try hiding one of the portions in a box and let your dog retrieve it from the closed box. Here are some exercise exercises for your dog:
• Walk small laps with your dog regularly. For example, five short laps and one large lap per day.
• Make laps around bollards/light posts with your dog and then always have him/her walk between you and the post. This forces the dog to flex its body, which uses muscles and consumes calories.
• If you train with your dog or want to reward him/her, take this out of Tupperware container number 4.
• During the walk, let the dog sit and go down regularly, this will burn calories. For questions, you can always contact the practice.

Do you have any questions following the above information? If so, please contact us.

Overweight in cats

We divide the weight of cats into five categories:

1. Very lean: Ribs and bones are clearly visible and easy to feel, no layer of fat.
2. Underweight: Ribs and bones are visible with minimal layer of fat between skin and bone.
3. Ideal weight: Ribs are not visible but easy to feel.
4. Overweight: Ribs are not visible and difficult to feel due to moderate fat layer. A slightly hanging layer of fat at the abdomen may be visible.
5. Obese: Ribs are not visible and cannot be felt due to a thick layer of fat. One can see a clearly visible hanging layer of fat on the belly. An overweight cat unfortunately does not fall into category three, but above it.

Apart from adjusting diet, a few more tips for you are listed below:

• In the morning, weigh the food quantity and divide it among four tupperware containers. This way, everyone in the house knows whether cat has already eaten. You can use the fourth bowl for rewards/training.
• If you train your cat or want to reward him/her, take this out of tupperware bowl number 4.
• Give your cat its food amount divided into three portions.
• Give one of the portions in a feeding ball.
• Put one of the portions on top of the scratching post or on the windowsill, the cat now must move before it can eat and thus burns calories first.
• Divide a portion over several locations in the house so the cat has to move for his/her food.
• Try to play with the cat every day, for example with a ball or a plush object on a stick. This way and calories are consumed. Unfortunately, many cats do not play of their own accord. For questions, you can always contact the practice.

Do you have any questions following the above information? If so, please contact us.

Switching the diet

It is necessary for your animal to start eating different food, but how best to get your animal used to this.

For a few days, we will use two bowls of food, one next to the other. Tray 1 contains the food your pet is already familiar with and tray two contains the new food.

• On day 1, put only 70% of the daily amount of the already known food in tray 1.
• In tray 2, place 100% of the daily amount of the new food.
• On day 2, place only 60% of the daily amount, of the already known food in tray 1. In tray 2, place 100% of the daily amount of the new food.
• On day 3, place only 50% of the daily amount, of the already known food in tray 1. In tray 2, place 100% of the daily amount of the new food.

And so on according to the schedule below:

• On day 8, leave tray 1 empty and place only the new food in tray 2.

• On day 9, you can leave out tray 1.

Do you have any questions following the above information? If so, please contact us.