Microchips are an indelible form of identification for your pet, placed under the skin via a large bore needle. Around the size of a grain of rice, your name, address and contact details are stored on a central data base, linked by the long number in the chip found by scanning. All animals are recommended to have microchips placed when travelling, though they are also important to help identify your pet if they get lost. Unfortunately standard microchips cannot be ‘tracked’ at present, though the technology is currently being developed to make ‘tracking’ your lost pet in the future a reality.”

From the 6th of April 2016, all dogs must be microchipped and registered to an approved database by the time they are 8 weeks old.

Companion animals can get worms by eating raw meat or any prey which are infected. Many puppies and kittens are born with intestinal worms, passed from mother to offspring. Contact with faeces can also lead to a worm infestation, whilst round worms are passed via fleas.

It is recommended that dogs and cats are treated for worms four times a year, affecting many stages of the lifecycle and avoiding re-infection. Intestinal worms can cause diarrhoea, weight loss and some can even be transferred to humans, so ensure that your pet is wormed regularly.

As fleas are amazing jumpers, they hop from grass or other animals onto our pets for a quick meal. Causing our pets to itch, flea infestations can lead to more serious skin conditions. Controlling them involves not only treating your pet with topical flea treatments every month, but also treating your environment. There are a number of medications to help treat your pet, though the products sold by vets are prescription only, hence more powerful and ultimately more effective.

Pet foods can be judged similarly to human foods, with few exceptions to the rule, you get what you pay for. Many diets are complete foods (nothing else needs to be fed to your pet), though check that they are produced by a reputable company and properly balanced with vitamins and minerals for optimum health. Your vet should always be the first port of call when choosing a diet for your pet, to ensure their nutritional requirements are met during each phase of their lives. Special prescription diets also exist which help manage many medical conditions, these foods are only available from veterinary clinics with the proper advice.

Microchips are an indelible form of identification for your pet, placed under the skin via a large bore needle. Around the size of a grain of rice, your name, address and contact details are stored on a central data base, linked by the long number in the chip found by scanning. All animals are recommended to have microchips placed when travelling, though they are also important to help identify your pet if they get lost. Unfortunately standard microchips cannot be ‘tracked’ at present, though the technology is currently being developed to make ‘tracking’ your lost pet in the future a reality.

YES – vaccinations give your pet protection against potentially life threatening illnesses. Administered yearly as an injection under the skin, these visits also allow your vet to check over your aging dog for any signs of illness or disease. As your dog gets older, his immune system becomes weaker and he is more susceptible to infections as a result. With benefits far outweighing any mild adverse effects, vaccinations are recommended annually to keep you aging pet safe.

NO – this is an old wives tail and totally untrue. The Algarve has a huge problem with unwanted and stray cats and dogs, contributed to by the fact that many animals are not neutered. Spaying and castrating helps reduce many behavioural problems, whilst decreasing the prevalence of many types of cancer and infection. It is recommended that female cats and dogs have one season/heat before spaying, cats are neutered around six months and dogs are generally neutered at 9-12months of age depending on size.

Bad breath (halitosis) is caused mainly by an accumulation of plaque and bacteria along the gumline, though it can also be a sign of certain diseases. If your pet suffers with bad breath, visit your vet to have his/her teeth checked. Dental procedures sometimes need to be performed under anaesthetic to remove tartar build-up, others treated simply by teaching you how to brush your pets teeth. Poor oral and dental hygiene can not only lead to tooth loss and pain, but also cause disease of the liver, kidneys or even heart. Daily use of special doggy toothpaste with brushing, or dental chews are a great way to keep your dogs teeth clean and banish bad breath.