AN important notice to adopters of cats and dogs:
Health: It should be remembered that if an animal is placed in an unfamiliar environment with a change of diet, company and so on, it is likely to be upset both mentally and physically.
- It will therefore be fairly normal for the animal to have diarrhoea or be fussy with its food to begin with, as it takes time to adjust to its new surroundings.
- If it is an adult and provided that the animal is lively and has no discharge from the eyes or nose, then this is usually not something to be worried about. However, if the animal becomes listless and will not eat, then you should contact your local veterinarian or SPCA (with a vet on site) immediately. It is particularly important to get a young animal treated at once, as young animals can deteriorate rapidly.
Veterinary treatment and inoculations: New owners are strongly advised to register with a veterinarian as soon as possible. The SPCA veterinarian may have vaccinated the animal, but it is advisable to take it for a booster inoculation a month after adoption and ensure that annual vaccinations are maintained after that.
Puppies and kittens cannot be fully vaccinated before 12 weeks and should not go out of your property until this has been undertaken. It is your responsibility to ensure that the second and third vaccination are given to your new pup or kitten. Without these, the young animal is very susceptible to diseases such a parvo-virus, distemper or snuffles.
Keep an eye out for part two of this warning in next week’s Sun.
