Hello

On behalf of the entire team at Malvern Veterinary Hospital we would like to extend a very warm welcome to you and thank you for choosing our hospital for your pets care.

Malvern Vet has been re-awarded ASAVA (Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association) “Hospital of Excellence” Accreditation repeatedly since 1981. Hospital of Excellence status is continuously re-assessed and is presented in recognition of very high standards of diagnostic, surgical, laboratory, and nursing facilities in the practice. There are currently only 14 practices in Victoria that have been awarded this honour so you can rest easy knowing your cat is in good hands.

We’d like to gift you a free toy mouse which can be picked up next time you’re in, just mention it to one of the team and we can get that for you. We also invite you to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts as a fun way to stay in the loop, with helpful information and to see the wonderful pets we have the pleasure of looking after.

Services We Provide:

Malvern Vet Hospital offers a comprehensive range of veterinary and animal health-related services to ensure your animal is in a healthy and peak condition. As an ASAVA-accredited veterinary clinic, we aim to provide the largest range of pet services to our clients. Be it Vaccinations, De-sexing procedures, Ultrasounds, Radiography, Cat boarding, dog and cat grooming, veterinary consultation, microchipping, or managing and diagnosing complicated medical conditions, our highly qualified staff have the expertise to deliver.

Cat Boarding:

Malvern Vet Hospital built a new cattery in 2019. is a favourite with many of our clients and its success is due to the safe environment provided for feline visitors and the peace of mind we offer to cat owners when they are away from home. Our cat boarding facility includes: Cat condos featuring separate litter tray ensuites, 1-2 mezzanine levels, Inter-connecting cages for multiple cats/ longer stays, Air conditioning, Full ventilation extraction system for disease and odour control, large premium cat run suite available featuring multi-level climbing shelving. Houses up to 2 cats (housemates) at a time. They are fed Premium quality Science Diet Indoor food.

To make a booking call through to reception on (03) 9509 7611.

Flea and Worming Mail Out Services:

The hospital also has an automatic mail out system for your cat’s flea and worming treatments every 3 months. It’s super easy and fast to set up. Just a form to fill out and we do the rest. For more information call us on (03) 9509 7611.

Pet Insurance:

Although we do not specifically recommend a particular Pet Insurance Company it is a strong recommendation to have pet insurance. It is peace of mind knowing that if something does happen to your beloved pet you have the ability to do all you can without the financial stress. We recommend doing your research with different companies to find a cover that you are happy with the excess, premiums and type of cover. Here are a few commonly used companies, but there are plenty more to research:

Recommendations for the care of your cat:

Feeding:

To ensure your kitten has the adequate building blocks needed for rapid growth, a diet balanced in calcium, protein, energy, vitamins and minerals is essential. We recommend Hills Science Diet Kitten as it provides all these things and have additional nutrition for healthy teeth, joints and skin. Feeding small meals often to begin with is recommended:

• 4 times daily between the ages of 6 & 12 weeks
• 3 times daily between the ages of 3 & 6 months
• 2 times daily between the ages of 6 & 12 months

For more information: www.hillspet.com.au/science-diet

Vaccinations:

Vaccines are used to introduce your kitten’s immune system to potentially fatal diseases without making them sick, so they can build a natural defense. The main diseases which affect kittens are cat flu and feline enteritis. We recommend the following schedule for all kittens:

• 6-8 weeks: F3 – Feline Panleukopenia virus, Feline Herpes virus and Feline Calicivirus.
• 10-12 weeks: F5 – Feline Panleukopenia virus, Feline Herpes Virus and Feline Calicivirus, Chlamydia, Feline Leukemia (F5) +/- Feline AIDS(F6)
• 14-16 weeks: F5 – Feline Panleukopenia Virus, Feline Herpes Virus and Feline Calicivirus, Chlamydia, Feline Leukemia (F5)+/-Feline AIDS (F6)

Feline AIDS is a debilitating disease similar to human AIDS and is primarily contracted via cat bite and scratch wounds. It is reported that between 9-26% of cats in Victoria have been infected with FIV. There is no treatment or cure but there is a new vaccine available that can aid in the prevention of infection.

All the above vaccines need to be boosted every 12 months for life. Kittens should stay indoors and away from strange cats until 7 days after the final vaccination. They can play with other kittens that you know are vaccinated. This is important for socialization.

Intestinal Parasite Control:

Worms living in your cat’s intestine can deprive them of nutrients as well as causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Worm eggs are everywhere and kittens commonly get a worm infestation from their mothers shortly after birth. Regular worming with an effective “all wormer” will keep your kitten free of worms. We recommend ‘Profender’ which treats all worms of cats, including lungworm. ‘Profender’ is applied topically to the skin behind the head and so is a very easy way to worm your cat. ‘Milbemax’ tablet is also a good worming preventative. We advise the following worming schedule:

• Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then
• at 16 weeks of age, then
• Every 3 months for life.

Flea Prevention:

It’s no secret fleas can be a major discomfort for your pet and cause severe irritation. We recommend using Bravecto three-monthly spot-on. Bravecto also protects against paralysis ticks which can be especially important if you travel into NSW.

You’ll never be able to make your home a fortress against fleas, for this reason we recommend using flea prevention for indoor cats also.

Desexing:

We advise that all cats should be desexed unless they are to be used for breeding. This not only reduces the social and environmental problems of wandering cats and unwanted litters but also helps to reduce behavioural problems such as aggression and urine spraying. Desexing is a day procedure performed under general anaesthetic. For boys, both testicles are removed and there are no stitches. For girls the ovaries and uterus are removed, which involves abdominal surgery and they have intradermal  stitches (within the skin so not exposed)  which do not require removal. Girl cats usually feel back to normal the next day but need to be kept indoors until fully healed.

We recommend desexing at 5 to 6 months of age.

Microchipping:

Microchip identification involves the placement of a small microchip under the skin at the back of the neck. It is coded with a reference number which is linked to your details at a centralized national data base. Your information can be obtained within minutes once your cat (if lost) is presented to a veterinary clinic or pound. The needle used to insert the microchip is a large gauge needle, so we recommend doing this at the same time they are desexed (6 months of age). Although most kittens will come already microchipped from the breeder, you just need to ensure it has been transferred into your name. If your kitten has not been microchipped ensure you have been provided with a source number from the pet exchange registry ( per.animalwelfare.vic.gov.au/ ) or from your breeders place of purchase.

Dental Health:

• Hills prescription T/D is a Complete & balanced nutritional diet which is clinically proven to reduce plaque, stain, & tartar build-up. It has a unique kibble size and shape made up of a special fibre matrix that helps to mechanically clean the teeth as the kibble is eaten. This food should not be started until they are over 1 year old and off kitten food.

• Greenies Dental Chew a day helps clean your cat’s teeth by using his natural chewing action to wipe away plaque and tartar build-up from the surface of the teeth. The chewy and flexible texture allows teeth to sink in with every bite all the way to the gums for more effective cleaning.

• Manually Brushing if you have time is also a great way to maintain a healthy mouth. Starting young and making it a reward based activity can help in introducing this. A finger toothbrush or a soft bristled child’s tooth brush with pet tooth paste as often as possible can help to reduce the bacteria in the mouth reducing plaque build up and dental disease.

Anxiety:

As a pet owner, you want the best for your fur baby. You want them to be healthy- physically and emotionally. Like humans, dogs and cats can experience anxiety for many reasons such as when left at home alone, in a new environment ore when meeting another animal.

• FELIWAY: When a cat feels safe, it rubs its head against objects in its environment, leaving behind substances called facial pheromones. Feliway is a synthetic copy of this facial pheromone. Using Feliway around the home can help reassure and comfort your cat especially during times of change such as being taken from their other and introduced to a new home Just plug in and leave or spray where you want it.

For more information www.feliway.com/au

We thank you again for joining the Malvern Vet Hospital Family and look forward to seeing you and your furry friend next time.

Malvern Vet Hospital

Pet Insurance:

We offer GapOnly ® as a payment service! If your pet has a policy with a GapOnly ® pet insurance partner, for eligible expenses you can access your pet insurance benefit on the spot, and you’ll only pay us the gap (which is the difference between the invoice and the eligible claim benefit under your policy).