A pet brings years of joy, companionship and love. That's why we're happy to think it through with you before you get a dog, cat or other pet. During a consultation, we'll look together at which species — and possibly which breed — best suits your family situation, home and lifestyle.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a pet. Do you have a busy schedule, work irregular hours, or are you often away from home? Then a dog isn't always the most suitable choice. Other species can also make wonderful companions and often require less routine and daily attention.

Your living environment also plays an important role. Not every dog breed feels equally at home in an apartment. Do you have children or regularly have visitors? Then the animal's character and temperament is another important consideration.

Want a cat that lives exclusively indoors? Then it's important to make your home sufficiently cat-friendly. This allows your cat to express her natural behaviour, meet her basic needs and avoid stress.

It's also wise to consider the financial side of owning a pet in advance. The purchase price is often only a small part of the total cost. Food, care, preventive healthcare and veterinary costs are also part of the responsibility that comes with keeping a pet.

After a personal consultation, you'll have a clear picture of all the factors involved in getting a pet. This allows you to make an informed choice and reduces the chance of disappointment later on.

Play is an essential part of life for dogs and cats. It provides relaxation and fun, and also contributes to good physical and mental health. Enough exercise, challenge and interaction helps prevent boredom and unwanted behaviour.

There are plenty of ways for dogs to stay active, such as walking, jogging, scent work, agility, obedience training or even herding sheep. Interactive play with the family also remains important. Playing together strengthens the bond between you and your dog and provides valuable mental stimulation.

When choosing toys, safety is at least as important as fun. Puppies in particular, but also some adult dogs, have a strong urge to chew and destroy things. If pieces of a toy are swallowed, they can irritate the gastrointestinal tract or even cause an intestinal obstruction. Dental injuries and tooth fractures are also common.

Always check whether a toy is sturdy enough and whether parts could come loose or be bitten off. Responsible toys help limit risks and contribute to a safe play environment for your pet. Here too, prevention is better than cure.

Want to spoil your pet in a fun and original way, or offer extra mental challenge? Our practice offers a varied range of responsible toys for dogs and cats.

Did you know?

• Tennis balls have an abrasive surface that can cause significant wear to tooth enamel, making them often less suitable as everyday chew toys for dogs.
• Deer antlers and hard bones are among the most common causes of tooth fractures in dogs.

Behaviour is an important part of your pet's health and wellbeing. That's why, at Iscavets, we have a particular interest in behavioural guidance. We use our expertise not only to make animals feel as comfortable as possible during their vet visit, but also to support owners with behavioural questions and problems.

Not sure about your dog, cat or rabbit's behaviour? Don't hesitate to ask for advice. Some behaviours are normal for a particular species, but can still have a negative effect on living together. Other behaviours may point to stress, fear, frustration or an underlying medical problem. The sooner a problem is addressed, the greater the chance of a successful solution.

You can come to us for advice on a wide range of behavioural questions, such as raising a puppy, house-training problems in cats, unwanted marking behaviour, destructiveness, fearful behaviour or conflicts between animals living together.

To provide practical support alongside our advice, we work together with specialised partners. Our assistants Cat and Améline completed the Connect2Walk training and guide owners who want to learn to walk without pulling on the lead. For more complex behavioural problems, we work closely with behavioural therapist Walter Hens, so we can always offer guidance tailored to your pet.

Together we look for the cause of the behaviour and consider which approach best suits your animal and family situation. Your pet's wellbeing is always our main priority.

Your dog, cat or rabbit is a full member of the family. Naturally, you want your pet to stay healthy, happy and full of life for as long as possible. Preventive healthcare plays an important role in this. Together, we work towards a longer and healthier life for your pet.

During a health check, we look beyond vaccinations alone. We give advice on your pet's general care, such as coat care, ear and eye hygiene, nail care and dental care. We also discuss flea, tick and worm prevention, nutrition, weight and other factors that contribute to good health.

Because every animal is different, we put together an individual healthcare programme together with you. We take into account the species, age, lifestyle and any specific health risks. This way, your pet gets the care it needs, tailored to its own situation.

Animals can't tell us when they're not feeling well. As a result, early health problems sometimes go unnoticed for a long time. During the annual health check, we therefore also screen for possible conditions, so we can detect and treat problems at an early stage.

While the basics of preventive healthcare remain important at every age, the focus areas differ depending on your pet's life stage. That's why we tailor our follow-up to the age and specific needs of each animal.

Good nutrition forms the basis of good health. It not only supports your pet's growth and development, but also contributes to a better quality of life, stronger immunity and a longer life expectancy. It's no coincidence that nutrition is often considered the fifth vital sign.

At the same time, the range of pet food available today is bigger than ever. This makes it hard for many owners to see the wood for the trees. What's more, there are significant quality differences between foods, and certain food choices can carry health risks. The many nutrition trends don't always make it easier to make an informed choice, either.

We're happy to help you choose a food that suits your pet's age, life stage, lifestyle and health. You can also come to us for advice on snacks, chews and other additions to your pet's daily diet.

Our practice offers several ranges of high-quality food for dogs, cats and rabbits:

• Health food
  Food for animals without medical complaints, tailored to their age, life stage and individual health risks.

• Medical food
  Food specially developed to support certain conditions, such as digestive problems, kidney disease, liver conditions, skin problems and other medical complaints.

Together, we'll look at which food best suits your pet's needs, so that nutrition can optimally contribute to a healthy and happy life.

Regular, objective weight monitoring is an important part of preventive healthcare. Because you see your pet every day, small changes are often less noticeable to you. Yet fluctuations in weight can provide valuable information about your animal's health.

In young animals, we monitor not only weight but also the growth curve. It's perfectly fine for a puppy to look a little lean while growing. Growing too fast, on the other hand, can affect the quality of development and contribute to problems such as growing pains and certain forms of dysplasia. Balanced growth is therefore at least as important as sufficient growth.

Excess weight also deserves attention. Being overweight increases the risk of numerous health problems, including diabetes, urinary tract issues, fatty liver disease, joint problems, cruciate ligament tears, reduced fitness and a lower quality of life. Excess weight can also further worsen existing conditions such as osteoarthritis or heart problems. Even the risk during anaesthesia increases.

We always regard being underweight or unexplained weight loss as an important warning sign. It often points to an underlying health problem that needs further investigation.

That's why we weigh your pet at every visit. This allows us to spot deviations early and adjust quickly if needed. In some cases, we suggest a personal weight-management programme. For animals that get their food through our practice, this follow-up is completely free of charge.

A holiday requires some preparation, for your pet too. Will your dog, cat or rabbit travel with you, or stay at home? Both options have their pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your animal's character, needs and wellbeing. One principle always applies: the holiday should be enjoyable and stress-free for your pet as well.

We're happy to help you choose the most suitable option and advise on the practical and medical points to consider.

Taking your pet on holiday? Contact us in good time. Depending on the destination, we'll make sure your pet meets all the legal travel requirements. We'll also look at which preventive measures are needed to protect your animal against parasites and infectious diseases found abroad.

Some of these conditions are difficult to treat and can have serious consequences for your pet's health. A good prevention plan significantly reduces these risks, so you can set off with peace of mind.

Whether your pet travels with you or stays at home, good preparation means more comfort, less stress and a safer holiday for everyone.