Kilcoole Vets's home page
  • Call our surgery01 287 4802
  • Out of hours01 260 9920

First Opinion

We offer a range of small animal services

Our Ethos

At Kilcoole Vets we welcome pets of all shapes and sizes. Whether your animal companion is a Labrador or tabby cat, or something more exotic like a guinea pig or bearded dragon, we can’t wait to meet them! We also pride ourselves in a patient and gentle approach, especially for those pets who might be a bit more nervous about their visit to the vets. We aim to provide the best possible care and service to all our patients and their families.

Preventative Healthcare

  • Complimentary Meet & Greet
  • Parasite Treatment and Prevention
  • Vaccinations for dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets
  • Microchipping
  • Neutering
  • Dentistry including dental x-ray
  • Pet Travel
  • Nurse Consultations
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia screening
  • Behaviour management
  • Veterinary Exclusive Life Stage diets

Complimentary Meet & Greet

All new pets are invited to attend a complimentary Meet & Greet visit with one of our nurses. This is a stress-free visit to explore our reception area and consult rooms, and meet some of our team, ensuring their first experience in our clinic is a positive one.  Please ensure to bring along any medical records you have so that our nurse can review them and ensure your pet is up to date with all their preventative healthcare needs.

Parasite Treatment and Prevention

Parasite treatment is important for both the animal and human members of your family. What parasites do we treat for?

  • Worms can affect growth and development of young animals, and cause digestive problems in older animals. Certain types of worms can also be transmitted to and cause health problems in people, particularly young children.
  • Fleas can infest the coats of dogs and cats causing itchy bites and allergic skin reactions, as well as transmitting tapeworm larvae. They can cause very uncomfortable bites on people as well. Thanks to central heating, they can live in your home year-round, particularly in areas like bedding, furniture, and floor crevices.
  • Ticks are often thought of as a seasonal concern, but due to the mild Irish climate, peak tick season here is long, lasting from April through October. Ticks can bite both pets and humans, and transmit potentially serious infections like Lyme’s disease.
  • Our Pawsitive Pet Health Plan includes year-round parasite cover for your dog or cat. Click here for more information!

Vaccinations for dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets

What do we vaccinate against?

Dogs - Core vaccination protects against:

  • Parvovirus
  • Distemper virus
  • Adenovirus
  • Leptospirosis

We also recommend the Kennel Cough vaccine, which covers Parainfluenza virus and Bordetella.

Cats - Core vaccination protects against:

  • Calicivirus
  • Herpesvirus (cat flu)
  • Panleukopaenia virus (similar to Parvo in dogs)

We also recommend vaccination against Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV), especially for outdoor cats.

Rabbits:

  • Myxomatosis
  • Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) 1 & 2

This is especially recommended for rabbits who spend time outdoors.

Ferrets:

  • Distemper virus

 

Primary and Annual Vaccinations for dogs and cats are included at discounted rates in our Pawsitive Pets Health Plan – more details here!

Microchipping

According to Irish law, all dogs must be microchipped and registered with a recognised database by 12 weeks of age, or before any sale or change in ownership.

There is no legal requirement for cats to be microchipped, however we recommend microchipping for all dogs and cats to maximise the chance of being re-united should your pet ever become lost or stolen

What is a microchip and how does it work?

  • A standard microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice, inserted by injection under the skin (like a vaccine)
  • Smaller microchips are available for cats and very small dogs
  • Should your pet ever get lost, the finder can bring them to any vet or rescue who can scan the microchip number. This number can be entered into a database search to pull up your contact information - this is especially important if they happen to need medical attention.
  • A microchip is only as good as the registration information! Don’t forget to update your pet’s registration anytime you move house or change your phone number.

Neutering

We offer neutering for dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Why do we neuter?

  • Spaying females can eliminate their risk of ovarian cancer and pyometra (a life-threatening uterine infection), as well as dramatically reduce their risk of mammary cancers.
  • Castrating males eliminates their risk of testicular cancer, and significantly reduces their risk of prostate enlargement and hernias later in life.
  • Dogs and cats on our Pawsitive Pet Health Plans get a 10% discount on their neutering procedure – more information here!
  • We also offer chemical castration in the form of a hormonal implant placed under the skin for male dogs and ferrets.

Dentistry including dental x-ray

Dentistry is an essential part of preventative healthcare, with up to 80% of dogs and cats suffering from some degree of dental or gum disease by 3 years of age.

  • We offer preventative aids including enzymatic toothpaste, soft toothbrushes, and supplements designed to help soften and reduce tartar
  • For those with more advanced dental disease, we offer a cleaning (descaling) and polishing package (with a 10% discount if your pet is on our Pawsitive Pets Health Plan!), dental x-rays, and extractions if needed.
  • Rabbits can suffer with dental problems too! Their teeth are constantly growing, and need to be worn down with lots of chewing to prevent overgrowth and sharp edges. The best prevention is ensuring they have a good diet with plenty of hay. For those who do have overgrowth or malocclusion, regular dentistry is important to help prevent oral pain, infection, and knock-on problems like gut stasis.

Pet Travel

  • Issuing new EU Pet Passports
  • Rabies vaccinations
  • Pre-travel health checks and worming

Nurse Consultations

Hip and elbow dysplasia screening

Screening for hip and elbow dysplasia.

Behaviour management

Advice and support on behaviour management. 

Veterinary Exclusive Life Stage diets

Advice on food and nutrition for each life stage of your pet.

Illness and Injury

  • Same day vet consultations
  • Digital X-ray
  • Abdominal and Cardiac Ultrasound
  • Electrocardiography (ECG)
  • Rigid endoscopy
  • In-house laboratory including blood testing, urinalysis, and cytology
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring
  • Prescription diets
  • Class IV therapeutic laser
  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment for joint disease
  • Soft tissue surgery
  • Emergency care
  • Separate dog and cat hospital wards
  • Veterinary Council of Ireland Accredited Hospital Status

Referrals

If we can’t do it, we know who can! We have excellent relationships with numerous referral practices to ensure your pet gets the care they need, no matter how advanced or specialised.

Our Pet Advice

The 7 Keys To Fitness for Dogs

The 7 Keys To Fitness for Dogs

Exercise is essential to good health

Your Cat's Vaccinations

Your Cat's Vaccinations

All you need to know about vaccinations

Rabbit Dental Care

Rabbit Dental Care

Good dental care for your rabbit is vital