FAQs

Yes. In order to help our clients plan their day and to keep waiting times to a minimum, we do ask owners to pre book appointments. Emergencies will always be seen as a priority. If you do have an emergency, please ask someone to phone ahead if possible to alert us to your arrival. This allows us to prepare as much as possible behind the scenes and provide the most efficient and tailored treatment for your pets.

Our qualified veterinary nurses have appointments in the morning and afternoon for your convenience. The appointment with a nurse can be used for you the client to discuss any general care questions you may have.

Below are just some of the areas that our qualified nurses can help with:

• Flea and Worming Treatments
• Nutrition
• Care Advice for your new puppy or kitten
• Nail Clipping
• Bereavement Support
• Expressing of Anal Glands
• Weight Management Clinics

It is such an exciting time when an owner brings home a new puppy or kitten, often it is at this time that the questions appear. It is a good idea to make an appointment to bring them down for an immediate health check with one of our Veterinary Surgeon. This gives you the peace of mind that everything is fine or, to be alerted quickly if that is not the case. Once your new arrival has had the all clear on the health front, you can now go into see the veterinary nurse to discuss in detail their on-going care.

Fleas thrive in warm, moist environments. The only food for fleas is the blood from the host animal. There are many species of host animals but the main fleas we deal with are those of the dog and cat variety.

The life cycle of a flea can last from a few weeks to a few months, often making our pet's and our own lives a misery! The saliva of fleas is irritating to your pet and is the cause of all the itching and scratching.

 Although adult fleas prefer to live on the host, the female lays eggs (can be as many as 50 per day) and because these eggs are not sticky, they can fall off onto carpets, bedding etc. The fleas then hatch in the environment and so it is important that we not only treat your pet for fleas, but also the environment that they inhabit.

For more information on the options for flea treatments treating your pet for fleas, please make an appointment with one of our Veterinary Surgeons or our qualified Veterinary Nurses who can help you decide on which product/s would be best for your pet.

At some point during their life worms will affect all dogs and cats. Most puppies are at risk of being born with them and the majority of kittens acquire them shortly after being born.

Worms are endo-parasites meaning that they live inside our cats and dogs and rely on them for their nutrition.

The worms seen in cats and dogs are often found in the intestines or lungs and fall into two groups, roundworms and tapeworms.

There are many different single dose wormers available, please make an appointment with one of our Veterinary Surgeons or our qualified veterinary nurses where we can discuss the best product specifically for you and your pet.

Bad breath or halitosis can be caused by many different medical and dental problems - some of which can be serious. You should make an appointment to visit your Veterinary Surgeon for an examination to determine the cause of any smell of bad breath from your dog.

Bad breath in dogs and cats may be due to dental disorders such as periodontal disease, gingivitis and plaque build-up on the teeth, significant oral cavity disease such as abscesses, sores or ulcers, decaying tissue associated with cancer, and infections. Kidney and other organ system disease and diabetes and other metabolic problems may also cause bad breath.

Although brushing your dog's teeth and control treats are very helpful, if your dog's foul odour is due to plaque build-up, professional dental cleaning by your veterinary team may be necessary.

Brushing your dog's teeth, combined with professional dental cleanings by your veterinary team, form a very important part of maintaining your pet's health. A dog with healthy gums and teeth is more likely to keep it's teeth, continue to eat hard food, and have less breath odour. In addition, dogs that have a consistent dental health regime are less likely to develop bacterial infections of the bloodstream. Bacteria from the teeth are known to colonise the valves of the heart, causing a type of heart disease called bacterial endocarditis.

Dogs, especially smaller breeds, require the same kind of care for their teeth as people do for theirs. It is therefore a good idea to brush your dog's teeth from an early age. Never use human toothpaste, since it contains foaming agents that can cause a dog to vomit if swallowed. Veterinary toothpaste does not contain foaming agents and so a dog may safely swallow it and most dogs love veterinary toothpaste as it comes in a variety of flavours, including poultry and beef.

There are many different types of toothbrushes designed for dogs. Some fit over the finger and are called finger brushes, while others are very long and angled, with a wide brush head. These can be purchased from veterinary surgeons or pet stores. It is possible to use a human toothbrush to brush your dog's teeth, just make sure the bristle is very soft.

Yes. This can be done by one of our qualified veterinary nurses, Monday to Friday and by appointment.

Microchipping is a quick and easy procedure and will help you get your pet back if they happen to go missing. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted under the skin and between the shoulder blades, by either our Veterinary Surgeons or our Veterinary Nurses. Each microchip contains a unique number that corresponds to your specific details and these details are held in a national database that can be contacted 24 hours a day. If found, your pet will then be able to be scanned to check their microchip details and your pet can be returned to you.

Since 2016, microchipping has been a legal requirement throughout the UK in all dogs over 8weeks of age. It is a dog breeder's responsibility to ensure all puppies are microchipped before selling or rehoming them. Breeders must also register their details on the database and their details will be recorded against the puppy's microchip. A person is considered a 'breeder' if they're the owner of a dog that gives birth, whether or not they run a business breeding dogs. It is the new owner's responsibility to update their new puppies microchip details to their own details and keep these up to date for the lifetime of your pet. 

Although not a legal requirement, we strongly recommend getting all cats and other pets microchipped to allow us to reunite you if the worst should happen and they get injured or go missing.

We understand that this is a difficult time for owners. If your pet were to die at home, please telephone the practice and we will arrange a convenient time for you to bring your pet's body to the veterinary centre.

If your pet has to be put to sleep in the practice, there are several options you can choose from and we encourage clients to do whatever feels right for them, it is a very personal choice.

You can ask for:

Home burial, which is subject to local byelaws.

Routine cremation, where your pet is cremated at an approved pet crematorium used by this practice.

Private cremation, where you have your pet's ashes returned to you.

If you choose a private cremation, your pet's ashes can be housed in a variety of receptacles of your choice, please book a free nurse consultation to discuss this in more depth or telephone our reception team if you require further information.