FAQ

Absolutely! Since animals can’t can’t tell you what’s wrong or how much it hurts, it’s important to take cues from their behaviour. Dogs and cats are experts at masking pain, so if you sense something is wrong, it is usually worse than you think.

Phoning in for an appointment is always best. This cuts your waiting time to a minimum.

Many cats do not enjoy cages, car rides, strange people and strange smells. Aggressive cats in the clinic are either stressed or sore. We want to make sure that our cat patients get the best care possible which means reducing stress and seeing them regularly.

Having the cage left at home and open with a nice bed in it can help your cat think of it more as a bed than a trap. Regularly putting treats in the cage will also help. Feliway pheromone sprays can significantly reduce stress and can be sprayed onto a tag on your cat’s cage or the bedding in the cage (make sure to let it air out first).

When it comes to getting them into the car covering the cage with a thin sheet may help reduce their stress. For the cats that stress out a lot we can prescribe medications to be given before their visit that have a huge effect on reducing stress.

Once you get to the clinic make sure to either sit with your cat in the Cat Corner or using the special hiding box there and blankets to keep them relaxed.

The entry-level costs of a consultation, vaccinations and routine surgery are similar to other South Island practices. What happens next reflects the level of care you wish us to provide. However there are corners that we won’t cut, where patient safety or pain would be an issue. Costs vary depending on what procedures your pet is having and what size they are. Please phone or email us for an estimate.

Unfortunately, we do not – we do work with a number of companies that offer credit and make the process very simple.

Yes, depending on the time of night and your pet’s requirements. The extra cost depends on the time of the call, how long it takes, and whether a nurse needs to be called in. The initial callout fee is $138.20.

It is to your benefit to pay your account at the time of service, so that you can collect your Petcare Rewards™. If you can’t pay at the time, arrangements must be made prior to the appointment. Interest is charged at 36% p.a. (calculated daily and charged monthly). It is cheaper to use your credit card (this way you can also claim your PetCare Rewards™).

Female cats: we recommend de-sexing at 4 to 5 months old. This is because some female kittens come into season quite early and can be a few weeks pregnant by the time they are 6 months of age. Male cats: we recommend 4-5 months too. We prefer to neuter them before roaming gets them into trouble! Female dogs: we recommend spaying before they reach puberty and have their first ‘heat’ period. This can occur anytime between 8-13 months so we advise spaying at 5-6 months of age. Male dogs: we recommend neutering to reduce inter-male dominance aggression and behaviors, decreased roaming, and masturbatory behaviours. For most dogs these behaviours do not become an issue until after 1 year of age. Testosterone has considerable influence in developing strong bones so we recommend delaying neutering until after a year of age unless there are behavioural concerns. In some breeds delaying neutering decreases the incidence of some cancers. Neutering does promote a eunuchoid syndrome with an increased tendency for fat deposition and obesity. This does have a health cost. Discuss the appropriate age for neutering with our veterinary team. No one recommendation suits all dogs. There is NO upper limit on age. It is NOT necessary for a female to reproduce before spaying.

The best option is to contact the SPCA to discuss what options are available.