If you are looking to book a cat vaccination, please be aware that there is an ongoing shortage of some cat vaccines affecting all UK Veterinary practices. Find out more here.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

  • If your pet has an emergency during our normal opening hours (8:30am – 6:15pm), please call the practice and we will advise you what to do next. (MD 01630 652935, NP 01952 820222)

    If your pet has an emergency when we are closed, please call our usual number and your call will be diverted to our emergency provider, VetsNow, for emergency advice and treatment at their clinic. You can also contact Vets Now directly on 01952 253 963.

    Please see our ‘Out of Hours’ section for more information on this.

  • Microchipping your pet is a permanent method of identification. It involves implanting a small microchip (the size of a grain of rice) under the skin at the back of the neck, a very quick procedure that is very similar to an injection. When this microchip is read by a special reader, the unique number is linked to your details on a database.

    This is invaluable if your pet ever goes missing and required if you ever wanted to travel abroad with your pet. By 2016 microchipping will be a legal requirement.

    It can be performed during a consultation or any other procedure at only £15.

  • We recommend that your dog has their kennel cough vaccine at least two weeks before they go into kennels. It is always best to contact the kennels where your dog is staying, to ask what time frame they require as every establishment is different.

  • A puppy should have its first vaccination at 8 weeks of age and a kitten at 9 weeks of age. When a puppy/kitten is born they have certain levels of antibodies in their systems which has been passed through to them by their mothers milk.

    At 8/9 weeks of age the levels of antibodies starts to decline which is why animals have a vaccination here to boost them back up. They will then need another vaccination at 12 weeks of age.
     

  • This depends on which product you use. We have flea spot on treatments for dogs and cats that can be applied monthly or tablets (for dogs only) that last for three months.

    Worming tablets can be given every three months for adult dogs and cats. If your cat or dog is particularly good at hunting you can worm them monthly. We recommend that you regularly treat your pets to prevent the infestation of fleas and ticks.

  • We can neuter cats from five months old. We always recommend that the vet checks them over first if they have not seen the cat before. This is to ensure that they are fit and healthy.
     
    Male dogs can be neutered from six months of age depending on their size and breed. Nowadays, we prefer to assess each male dog individually to decide when is the most appropriate time to consider neutering.  Please discuss this with one of our vets to assess what is best for your dog.

    Female dogs can be neutered at six months of age before they come in to season for the first time or three months after they have had a season. Again, please discuss this with one of our vets to assess what is best for your bitch.

  • Neutering is performed under a general anaestethic. This means that they are unconscious and cannot feel any pain. Drugs are used to induce anaesthesia and provide pain relief. Very rarely an individual can react in an abnormal way to a medication given. To reduce this risk we offer a pre-anaesthetic blood test to check your pet’s health and we provide a fluid drip to help your pet cope with the anaesthetic.

  • When you book in for your pet to be neutered the staff will run you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

    We ask that you don’t feed your pet from 10pm the night before the operation. This is to ensure that they have an empty stomach to avoid them vomiting under the anaesthetic. You can leave their water down over night but take it away from them when you get up in the morning.

    When you come into the vets and check in, the nurse will call you in to admit your pet. They will run through the operation and answer any questions you may have. They will ask if your pet is on any medication and when they last ate. The nurse will then take your pet through to the dog/cat wards where they will settle them in and make sure that they are comfortable. When the vet is ready to start operating they will give the animal a general anaesthetic to make them go to sleep so they are unconscious. The vet will then start operating while the vet nurse monitors their breathing and heart rate.

    Once the operation is complete they will take them back to the ward to recover from the anaesthetic. After they wake up the vet or nurse will call you to let you know how everything went and what time you can come and collect them.

  • This is a free nurse appointment to monitor your pet’s recovery and to check that they are back to their normal self.

  • Neutering is the surgical and irreversible removal of the reproductive organs. For a female this is called a spay and for a male this is called a castration.
    A spay is an ovariohysterectomy (removing both the ovaries and the uterus) and a castration is removing the testicles.

  • The main reason for neutering is to prevent breeding. Neutering can reduce the likelihood of some types of cancer (e.g. mammary tumours) or infection (e.g. pyometra). It can also help control some unwanted sexual behaviours. If you are unsure about whether to neuter your pets please ask to speak to a vet for advice. We are are here to help.

  • Neutering is considered a routine and safe procedure. The risks are small but do include- wound infection, wound breakdown or haemorrhage. We reduce this risk by performing all our operations in a sterile environment and monitor your pet during the operation and when they wake up.