Veterinary Services

Pet admissions advice and post op care

Is your pet being admitted to the surgery? 

information for Pet Parents.

We realise it can be a worrying time when your pet is to be admitted for surgery or procedures - we want to assure you we will take every care with them and do everything possible to limit their stress and minimise risk. We will talk to you about what to expect post-op so you can prepare at home, but if you have any specific concerns please do ask, we are always very happy to talk things through. The following is some advice to help things run smoothly on the day.

Preparing for surgery 

Cats and Dogs

Do withhold food overnight prior to admission if requested to do so.
Do keep your cat indoors during the night with a litter tray - try to make the cat carrier experience as stress free as possible by letting your cat get used to it beforehand. The following link gives access to some great videos to help you prepare your cat for travel.  also we recommend a pheromone spray should be used on their travel blanket and we can also pop this in their kennel.

Do allow free access to water until your pet is admitted.

Do allow your dog the opportunity to go to the toilet on the morning of admission prior to your appointment.

Do bring their 'letter from home' - with their personal information, their favourite blanket and toy and also their favourite food - these things will really help us get to know them and care for them in a way that is familiar to them.

Exotics, Birds and Small Mammals

Do not withhold food or water (for any period prior to admission) this is not necessary for small animals and birds

Do let the vet or veterinary nurse know what your pet normally eats and bring a small bag with you if possible. Fresh greens or herbs are best for rabbits and guinea pigs -but  whatever type of pet you have please bring their favourite snacks. Its also a good idea to get them used to their carriers before needed - leaving them in the home environment for the to play in really helps.

Do bring their normal cage and home comforts if you can, this will help them feel safe

Do bring their 'letter from home' with all their personal information, this helps us to care for them

Do bring their bonded friend if possible - many small animals have a bonded partner - we really encourage you to bring them along as this will help them cope with things.
Admissions

Upon arrival please book your pet in at the reception desk - We accept admissions between 8.00am and 10.30am on the day of your pet's procedure/surgery although we prefer appointments to be made before 9.30 where possible. If you have already been issued with a consent form please bring it with you, but if you have lost your consent form we will print you a new one off when you arrive so don't worry. Please do ask any questions at this time, we are happy to talk to you about any concerns you may have.

Pre-medication - In almost all cases you will see a veterinary surgeon before your pet is admitted, they will examine your pet and go through things again, as sometimes a pet's health status will change and we may decide upon a different plan - we will always do what is best for your pet. Depending on procedure a pre-medication will be given.

For most dogs being admitted for general anaesthesia we ask you to wait with them for 10-20 minutes after pre-medication to allow it to take effect.  For dogs that get very excited in the waiting room then it is often best to admit them straight away - or you could sit in a separate room with them - let us know if you would prefer to do this.  Also, if you are pressed for time we can admit your pet to the ward straight after you have seen the vet. Cats are generally admitted following the pre-medication consultation and the nurse will take them through and settle them in to our cat ward.

Worrying about leaving them - Its normal to worry, but be assured our friendly nurses will settle your pet in and make them feel as reassured and as comfortable as possible; every pet is an individual with their own unique personalities and our team will do their utmost to meet their specific needs and limit their stress and upset - most dogs and cats are very calm after their pre-meds and not too worried about things. For rabbits, exotics and small furry friends we have a quiet, separate ward to make them feel at ease.

Estimate of cost - If you haven't already been given an estimate and require one then please do ask the vet during the admit appointment and also ask any other questions you may have. Its also very important to ensure we have a number we can contact you on at all times while your pet is with us. We will usually ask you to give us a call in the afternoon so we can update you on things and make a discharge appointment - but it is equally important we are able to contact you should we need to the whole time your pet is with us.
Leaving the Hospital

After your pet has recovered from their anaesthetic you may receive a call from the veterinary surgeon or ward nurse to update you. If you haven't received a call we request that you call us at about 2pm and the ward nurse will arrange a discharge appointment for you.Your pet will be discharged as soon as the case veterinary surgeon and ward nurse feel that they are recovered enough to go home. Occasionally after longer or more involved surgical procedures or in older or juvenile patients your pet may be required to stay in the hospital for overnight monitoring.

You will have a discharge appointment with a vet or a nurse so feel free to ask any questions you have at this time - You should be provided with a discharge sheet outlining exercise, diet, medication and wound management instructions if you haven't already received one. You should be provided with any medication they require and shown how to administer it - also you may be given a recovery diet to feed them for the next 48 hours.

An appointment should be made at this time for their post-operative check-up within the next day or two. Most animals will be subdued or sleepy for the first 24 hours after anaesthesia and this is normal but the nurse will ask you to call us if you're worried. Some animals, particularly older animals may take a few days until they are fully back to normal depending on the procedure.  It is important to allow them to rest during this period and keep other animals and children away from them.

If you have any concerns at all during this recovery period then please do contact us.
Post-Operative Care

The nurse will give you specific advice tailored for your pet when you collect them -The in-patient care nurse will explain things you need to be aware of in detail depending on your pets procedure - but general  advice will be to keep them calm, quiet and rested, feed them a light meal and keep an eye on their surgical site for any signs of bruising, bleeding or swelling - please contact us immediately if you notice this or if you think they seem unwell or in discomfort. 

You will notice a clipped area on their leg where the intravenous catheter was placed and also a clipped area around any incisions. Some patients can develop irritation where the hair has been removed and may lick excessively. If this is occurring please bring them back to see us so that we can take a look and provide something to ease the symptoms, it could be pain or a reaction causing them to lick. You will usually receive a call from the nurse the next day to check how they are doing, most pets recover nicely without complications, but its important to let us know if you have any concerns.

The incision may have staples, sutures, invisible sutures or a dressing covering it - It is very important that your pet does not interfere with this incision as they can remove sutures by licking or chewing and they will introduce bacteria from their mouth into the incision making infection likely. We have several methods to help prevent your pet bothering the wound site  such as pet shirts and buster collars.

Exercise will be restricted during the recovery period whilst they heal and we will usually advise rest for at least 10 days. Post-operative checks will be performed at 2 days after surgery then as advised by the vet or nurse, depending on the case. These are to check that your pet is recovering nicely and healing as we expect. Stitches or staples will be removed after 10 days or as advised.
If you have any problems or concerns at all please do call us.

Physiotherapy and Arthritis Clinic

Ensuring our patients live their lives as pain free as possible

Over the past few years we have developed an excellent standard of care for our animal patients requiring physical therapies and treatments for osteoarthritis - we run dedicated Arthritis Management clinics, physiotherapy clinics and laser therapy sessions, all have been hugely beneficial to our patients. We also offer the latest, cutting edge treatments and regenerative therapies, please do ask us about them.

Arthritis is a very painful, debilitating condition that sadly many animals can develop; but working together we can put a plan in action for your lovely pets in order to control their pain and improve their health and fitness.

Please do bring them in for an assessment with Peregrine and Dani, the sooner we see them the more successful the outcome but its never too late to try something. We are determined that all our companion animals should live their lives as pain free as possible.

Repeat Prescriptions for Pets

Our repeat prescription service will help you manage your pet's medicines and save you time. Please ask at reception for specific details regarding your own pets medicine.

Written prescriptions are available if appropriate on request - using this form.

Our standard policy for repeat prescription of Prescription Only Medication (POM types) is that our patients needs to be checked by a vet every 3 months once stable.

This interval may be varied at the discretion of the vet based on the individual case and may be increased or decreased, please call to order your repeat prescription so we can advise you.

Drug legislation states we must see your pet for medication check ups -  we need to see them because often conditions vary over time and new drugs or doses may be required - also we will need to check for the development of side effects caused by drug usage. These measures are in place to protect your pet and ensure they are receiving the best level of care.

Please order at least 24 hours before you intend to collect your prescription to give us the time needed to check, order and prepare your prescription.

Pet Emergency and Out of Hours Services

Nights, weekends and bank holidays, we have chosen to partner with Vets Now

We know your pet can become ill or suffer accidents at any time - if you are concerned about your pet in any way out of normal surgery hours, please phone 01246 862266 and listen to the recorded message for emergency advice

End of Life Care

Sadly, this heartbreaking consideration is part of being a pet parent

It is a decision that most pet owners eventually have to face and we are here to provide this very important service when the time has come.  We will help you and your animal companion through this upsetting time with sympathy and understanding.
Taking responsibility for a pain-free, peaceful death is one of the kindest acts a pet parent can do for a much-loved animal friend. We understand how hard this decision has been for you and we will support you and help you through everything.

If you are considering euthanasia of a healthy pet then please talk to us first about the reasons; don't forget that re-homing is an option and we can help. Talk to us about your difficulties – we can assist with solving behavioural problems and we have options for re-homing so can support you with this; please be assured we are ready to help you at this difficult time.

Before coming to a final decision we always advise having a discussion with the vet, particularly if we haven't seen you for a while. Modern veterinary medicine has progressed massively over the decades and what may often be thought of as ‘old age’ can often be manageable, even curable, illnesses -  your pet may be able to go on to have months or years of good quality life with appropriate treatment. Sadly, we realise this may not be the case for some and many pets reach a point when their quality of life has deteriorated so much that a difficult, heart breaking decision has to be made.
How is euthanasia carried out?

It is not something we want to think about but we want you to be prepared. For dogs, cats and rabbits the vet will clip a small area of fur off the front leg (or ear for rabbits) while the nurse holds your pet. A spirit swab will be applied to the clipped area to help us see the vein more easily. The nurse will then ‘raise the vein’ by applying light pressure to your pet’s foreleg (or ear). The vet will then inject an overdose of anaesthetic into the vein. In most cases your pet will be asleep very quickly and heart and brain activity will stop within another few seconds. At this point your pet will have passed away but after a few seconds they may twitch and take a few last breaths, they may also relieve themselves. These are normal signs they have passed away and are to be expected. 
Do I stay with them?  

The nurse will usually hold your pet during euthanasia if that is ok with you. We find that in most cases this allows a more peaceful passing, but of course your pet will want to know you are there, so its fine to be with them, stroke them and talk to them if you wish; this may soothe and reassure them if they are worrying about things. If you are not able to stay with them then that's ok, we will comfort them as though they were our own.

For some types of small animal or birds we may take them into a theatre and give them some anaesthetic gas until they are asleep, this means they will be unaware when we give them their injection and limits their stress and upset.

The decision to stay or leave is for you to decide, it will often depend on how you feel at that moment.  It may be a comfort to you to see that euthanasia is usually quite a quick and gentle process, but try not to feel guilty if you feel unable to stay – it can all be just too much - and if you get very upset then this unfortunately may upset your pet. If you don’t stay but wish to see your pet afterwards and be with them for a while then that is fine too.
What happens afterwards?

You can take your pet home to be buried if you wish, but most people choose to have their pet cremated. The standard cremation is a communal cremation so you will not have their ashes returned. If you wish to have their ashes returned then this is something that we can arrange as a private cremation. There are several options you can consider for ashes to be returned so we will go through these with you when you feel able.

It is entirely natural to feel completely devastated when your beloved companion passes away - they were your best friend and family member and the grief can be overwhelming. Do not worry about showing your emotions, we completely understand your heartbreak - our team have to stay strong for you and your pet but it does make us very sad too, we have all been through it ourselves.

Dealing with grief 

It takes time to start to feel better following the loss of your beloved pet and, although reactions differ, sadness, loneliness and even anger may follow after the initial shock of losing them. Grief affects us in different ways, please try to be with someone at this time and do get in touch if you are struggling to cope or come to terms with things, we will talk things through and try to help however we can. Try not to feel guilt or regret about things – the decision for euthanasia is only ever taken with the strongest love and compassion and with your animal companion's best interests at heart. Be kind to yourself and know that you did everything you could, try to remember them in happy times and take comfort from your treasured memories.
Pet Bereavement Support Service

Sometimes it helps to share your feelings with someone who is trained to help you through things and knows from personal experience how distressing the loss of a pet can be. Pet bereavement councillors will listen with compassion and sympathy and give you advice about how to get through things. 

The Pet Bereavement Support Service is a telephone helpline and email service that offers such support to bereaved pet owners, through a national network of trained volunteer be-frienders. It is provided by the Blue Cross. Telephone: 0800 096 6606 (seven days a week 8.30am-8.30pm)