My cat is too hard to give a worming tablet to, what can I do?

While there are combination flea and worm treatment products available some of these may not provide comprehensive and full coverage. Nexgard Spectra is a more comprehensive spot-on product, covering fleas, ticks, and all intestinal worms. Applied monthly. Our experience within the clinic to date indicates a safe and convenient treatment option.

The other option is to phone and book a nurse consultation for our experienced nurses to apply the treatment.

Should I microchip my cat?

Definitely! Cats love to wander which can lead to them getting lost, or accidentally hit by a vehicle. All cats that we microchip are registered on the National Companion Animal database. This means that if your cat is found and handed in to a vet clinic anywhere in NZ or the SPCA, it will be reunited with you. This information is shared on the New Zealand Companion Animal register: Animal Register NZ

I want to feed my pet the best available food, how do I know what to feed my pet?

There are many professional/premium food formulated by experts to meet your pet's specific needs; These offer better digestibility, and long-term cost-effectiveness against chronic issues. The brands we stock and recommend are Royal Canin or Hill's. These foods often come with palatability and money-back guarantees, ensuring your pet loves their new food. If you are adamant to feed supermarket food at least feed a good nutritious food 2-3 times each week. T/D is good for teeth and a healthy option.

I’m worried about my pets teeth, how can I prevent and minimize dental disease?

Dental Brushing is the gold standard of optimal oral care! Daily brushing with a soft-bristled brush and specialized pet toothpaste is essential for removing plaque and preventing tartar build up. While both dogs and cats benefit from brushing, cats may require more patience and gentle introduction. Gradually increase brushing duration and area, introducing a brush as your pet becomes accustomed. For smaller pets, a finger brush is ideal, while larger dogs require a long-handled, wide brush to reach all areas.

You can also offer dental biscuits Hill's T/D dry food improves oral health for dogs and cats. Its unique kibble design cleans teeth effectively, working like a toothbrush and dental floss to reduce the risk of painful problems. We've witnessed first-hand the difference Hill's T/D makes in pets' lives. Hills also offer a 100% money back guarantee on the palatability.

I am nervous about my pet having surgery, can you tell me more?

At The Vet Centre we care! So if your pet needs to stay with us for the day for surgery or any other reason rest assured they are in good hands. We understand that owners can be anxious leaving their fur baby for the day. To help ease this feeling a photo and update is sent during the day.

Across our clinics, we offer a full range of surgical procedures performed by our skilled and experienced veterinarians, using modern anaesthetic machines, monitoring equipment, and drugs. We offer a large range of operations such as desexing, exploratory surgery, caesareans, lump removals, wound stitches, bone repair, and more.

We have dedicated surgery nurses who monitors your animal the entire time from when they are first anaesthetised to when they are completely awake. The surgical area is designed for the comfort and support of our patients. We provide optimal pain relief for our patients before, during, and after surgery.

All pets are cared for at The Vet Centre with the same high standard of pet health care. Some surgical procedures are relatively straightforward, others more complicated, but rest assured, we will take the time to explain the procedure, including hospital and post-discharge care. If we feel that surgery on your animal is best carried out by specialists, we have access to trusted referral clinics around the country. We will always discuss this option with you if we feel it is appropriate.

With all surgical procedures, we will update you during the day on your pet’s progress – you can either call us or we can make a time to contact you directly. When your pet is picked up, we will discuss their condition with you, and we will often give printed material or other information to help you care for them once back at home.

What vaccinations does my pet need?

My pet is overweight, can you help me with that?

My dog or cat is getting older, how do I ensure he/she is healthy and well?

At The Vet Centre, we want every pet to live a long, happy, and healthy life. As our pets age, we often see age-related diseases and issues start to creep in. Many of these conditions may start to show signs around 7+ years old, although this may be earlier in certain breeds or pets with particular health conditions.

Due to this, we believe it is important to have regular health checks for all senior pets, ideally once every 6 months, to ensure that any signs of change are noticed. One of the best tools we have in monitoring your senior pet’s health as they age is through comprehensive blood and urine testing. We recommend these tests be carried out at least annually to ensure changes are detected early on and have a reminder system to help track this.

Do you offer payment plans?

We do not offer payment plans however we do offer afterpay, this is an app that needs to be downloaded and gone through prior to arriving in the clinic.

We also offer the option of paying prior to coming into the clinic directly to your vet account so you are in credit prior to appointments, any balance must be paid on the day

All visits and surgeries must be paid prior to leaving the clinic

I have another question that hasn’t been answered, what should I do?

Please don’t hesitate to give our friendly staff a call on

092386897 (Pukekohe) or

092359217 (Waiuku) or

092838642 (Pokeno) and we will be happy to help.