Thanks to our heated houses, fleas exist the whole year round. They transmit tapeworms, cause skin irritation and in severe cases, can make your puppy anaemic. We have strong and effective flea killers available, which you can safely use on puppies from the age of 3 days onwards. Please ask us for advice on the best product for you and your puppy.

Worms are parasites which live in a puppy's intestines, affecting how they digest food and how much goodness they can extract from it. They are also contagious for us, especially for children. Therefore, a regular worming regime should be started as soon as you collect your puppy.

We advise starting treatment at 8-9 weeks with a suitable wormer, then continuing monthly from 12 weeks to 6 months, after which three-monthly is usually sufficient. We also recommend protection against lungworm by using spot-on treatment. The appropriate worming regime depends on each individual dog's circumstances and thus should be tailored to your dog's requirements.

During your first visit, our vet will discuss the best worm treatment for your puppy.

For kittens, we advise worming from weaning onwards, every 2 weeks until 8 weeks of age, followed by monthly worming until 6 months of age. An adult cat should be treated for worms every 3-4 months.

We believe strongly that having your dog microchipped will help to ensure a safe return, should they ever become lost or stolen. We can microchip your puppy from an age of 12 weeks and onwards. They'll then be registered with Petlog. You will be sent a certificate confirming your ownership, address and how to amend your details, should you move home.

Depending on the breed, we can neuter your puppy from 6 months onwards. Our vets will discuss it during your visit.

We advise you to neuter your cat, as cats who are not neutered:

• Are more likely to wander and risk having an accident
• Can have up to 3 litters a year
• Can spray indoors to mark their territory
• Can develop certain tumours
• Are more likely to protect their territory or get into fights with other cats - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) are transmitted through fighting.

Male cats should be castrated from 5 months of age. It is a small operation and they can go outside the next day. Female cats should be spayed from 5 months of age. To protect the wound from the operation, they should stay in for 1 week afterwards.