Advice
- Home
- Advice
Welcome to our advice page
Below you will find a list of general advice on a range of subjects. However, if you need further advice on any of the subjects listed or you can not find the information you need; please contact us. See our Contact page for more details.
Once your puppy is 8 weeks old, they can have their first vaccinations – these are called the primary course.
This consists of two or three injections, given 2 – 4 weeks apart, based on whether its the L2 or L4 vaccine. We recommend L2 for our area.
Puppies should have their first vaccination while they are still with their breeder. Not all vaccines are compatible. We use Nobivac from MSD. If a different vaccine has been used for your puppies 1st vaccination, please call us first to double check compatibility.
Our vet will check your puppy over before administering any vaccines, to make sure there are no clinical reasons not to give the vaccine – such as a puppy already fighting an active infection who would need to recover from this beforehand.
The only vaccination not given by injection is kennel cough. This is given via the nasal route – a squirt up the nose!
Once the primary course is complete, your puppy will need a yearly booster injection.
You will be given a puppy vaccination record card (If starting from 1st vaccination or weren’t given one by the breeder) and a yearly reminder will be emailed to you.
Until your puppy’s vaccination course is complete and active (between 7-10 days), they should not go to outside public areas, or any garden where an unvaccinated dog or rat may have been. But during this time it is still important that your puppy starts learning how to socialise (that is, being familiar with a range of situations and experiences, and how to make friends with other dogs and people).
After your puppy’s primary vaccination course is complete, they will need a BOOSTER injection EVERY year.
Your dog will be vaccinated against the following diseases:
Parvovirus
Parvovirus is a highly infectious disease that is often fatal and is very costly to treat. It is spread through contaminated faeces from infected dogs, and can remain active in the environment for anything up to nine months. The virus causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea which leads to a dog or puppy becoming very weak and dehydrated. It may also lead to permanent heart damage.
Canine Distemper
This highly contagious virus is spread by an infected dog’s saliva and occasionally urine, and is normally contracted through direct contact. Initial symptoms include fever, eye and nose discharge, poor appetite and coughing. As the disease progresses, it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and the skin on the paw pads to become hardened (hence its second name Hard Pad). In later stages, the central nervous system can be affected, causing symptoms such as seizures, limb weakness and imbalance. Serious cases can be fatal, and if a dog recovers it may suffer fits and ongoing health problems. There is no medicinal cure, only prevention.
Leptospirosis
This is a serious, life-threatening disease which can progress quickly and lead to organ failure. It is spread through the urine of infected animals, which can contaminate water or soil. The disease enters the body through the eyes, nose, mouth or broken skin. Symptoms include excessive thirst, fever, vomiting, muscle pain, liver and kidney failure. The disease can be successfully treated if diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are made in the very early stages.
The disease can also infect humans.
Canine Hepatitis
This is a viral disease with two strains, the first of which causes hepatitis, an infection of the liver. The second strain causes a respiratory illness which is a type of kennel cough. In both cases the disease is transmitted through saliva, urine, faeces, blood or nasal discharge of infected dogs and the virus can survive for many months.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is not usually dangerous, but can be a nuisance. Some of the viruses which can contribute to kennel cough are included in a dog’s core vaccines, but the actual cause is a bacterium, and a separate vaccination is available for this. It’s likely that you’ll need this if your dog is going into kennels. It has to be given into the nose and is only protective for six months.
Rabies
Although rabies is not a required vaccine for dogs in the UK, it is if you’re planning on taking your dog on holiday with you to another EU country. Your dog will need to be at least 12 weeks old and already microchipped to have the jab. The injection is a requirement, among others, of getting a Pet Passport, which allows you to take your dog to another EU country and bring them back to the UK.
Which vaccines are given will depend on your dog’s general health and the prevalence of disease current in the area.
For instance, the leptospirosis vaccine needs to be given every year but parvovirus and distemper may only be needed every three years.
Your dog’s vaccination record card will be updated and a yearly reminder will be emailed to you.
We offer a monthly payment plan to help you spread the cost of these vaccinations along with other essential health care preventatives. See our Pet Care Plan page for more details.
Once your kitten is 8 - 9 weeks old, they can have their first vaccinations – these are called the primary course.
This consists two injections, given 3 - 4 weeks apart (kittens must be over 12 weeks old to receive their 2nd vaccination).
Our vet will check your kitten over before administering any vaccines, to make sure there are no clinical reasons not to give the vaccine – such as a kitten already fighting any active infection would need to recover from this before being given a vaccination.
Once the primary course is complete, your kitten will need a yearly booster injection.
You will be given a kitten vaccination record card and a yearly reminder will be emailed to you.
Kittens should be kept away from other cats and stay indoors for 10-14 days after the second vaccination is given, to ensure maximum protection.
We offer a monthly payment plan to help you spread the cost of these vaccinations along with other essential health care preventatives. See our Pet Care Plan page for more details.
After your kitten’s primary vaccination course is complete, they will need a BOOSTER injection EVERY year.
Your cat will be vaccinated against the following diseases:
Feline Enteritis
Feline infectious enteritis is a disease caused when cats become infected with feline parvovirus. It spreads easily in unhygienic conditions and is sadly often fatal, with unvaccinated kittens being most at risk. Not all infected cats show symptoms, but those that do may vomit, become unable to eat or drink, and have watery diarrhoea.
Feline Influenza
Also know as Cat flu, it is like a human flu – it can cause a runny nose and eyes, and a sore throat. Other symptoms include aches and pains in the muscles and joints, mouth ulcers, dribbling, sneezing, loss of voice and fever. Cat flu is not usually serious in healthy adult cats, although they can be quite ill. However it can be serious, even fatal, in kittens, and in adult cats with other serious underlying illnesses.
Feline Leukaemia Virus
Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is an incurable viral infection that eventually produces fatal illness in cats which become permanently infected. It is estimated that one to two per cent of cats in Britain are permanently infected, and the majority die within four years of FeLV detection.
Your cat’s vaccination record card will be updated and a yearly reminder will be emailed to you.
We offer a monthly payment plan to help you spread the cost of these vaccinations along with other essential health care preventatives. See our Pet Care Plan page for more details.
Your rabbit can be vaccinated from 7 weeks old and consists of just one injection. Immunity takes three weeks to develop.
Your rabbit needs vaccinating against the following:
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a virus spread by blood-sucking insects such as fleas, mites or mosquitoes, and it’s widespread in British wild rabbits. It can also be spread by contact between infected rabbits, and via contaminated objects or the environment, such as bedding, hutches, grass, feed bowls, carriers, clothing, shoes and so on.
Symptoms
It can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear. Early symptoms include puffy swellings around the face, ears and or eyes, which can cause blindness. The swellings can also affect the anus and or genitals. This often progresses to a high fever, and eating and drinking becomes increasingly difficult. Occasionally myxomatosis is more prolonged and multiple lumps appear.
Outcome
Unfortunately, the disease is often fatal, usually killing the rabbit within 10-14 days. There’s no specific treatment, and unfortunately, recovery is rare. This means that putting the rabbit to sleep is often the kindest option when they become infected. Regular vaccines are therefore essential. Although the vaccine does not prevent transmission in all cases, vaccinated rabbits experience milder forms of the disease and recovery rates are good if you get them to the vet quickly.
Rabbit (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (R(V)HD)
Rabbit (Viral) Haemorrhagic Disease is widespread in Britain’s wild rabbits. It’s extremely serious, causing high fever, internal bleeding and liver disease. The disease doesn’t affect rabbits under six weeks, but causes severe disease in older rabbits. Like myxomatosis, it spreads by rabbit-to-rabbit contact, through contaminated objects or environments, and via insects. Unfortunately, the disease is almost always fatal.
Pet rabbits with this disease are often found dead with blood-stained fluid at their mouth and nose, or there may be no visible signs, with the cause of death only confirmed by post-mortem. There’s no effective treatment, so vaccination is essential.
Rabbit (Viral) Haemorrhagic Disease 2 (R(V)HD2)
R(V)HD2 was first detected in France in 2010 and has been in the UK since 2013, with confirmed cases seen across the country. R(V)HD2 has a lower mortality rate than R(V)HD, but often the only sign seen is sudden death.
It spreads in the same way as R(V)HD1, but rabbits of all ages can be affected. There’s no specific treatment, and although some rabbits can recover from infection, it’s fatal in many cases. Vaccination is therefore essential.
Our vet will check your rabbit over before administering any vaccines, to make sure there are no clinical reasons not to give the vaccine – such as a rabbit already fighting any active infection would need to recover from this before being given a vaccination.
Once the primary course is complete, your rabbit will need a yearly booster injection.
You will be given a rabbit vaccination record card and a yearly reminder will be emailed to you.
Neutering is when a male or female dog has a surgical procedure to prevent them from reproducing.
For male dogs it’s called castration. Our vet removes both testicles which takes away the main source of the male hormone, testosterone.
For female dogs it’s called spaying. Our vet removes both the ovaries and the uterus. This means the female is unable to become pregnant.
The benefits:
Neutering reduces the risk of cancer.
For females the risk of ovarian cancer is completely removed.
Also when female dogs are spayed young, it greatly reduces the risk of developing mammary cancer.
It removes the risk of uterine infection.
In female dogs an infection of the womb (called a pyometra) is a serious risk. Most cases have to be treated surgically, and the infection can be fatal.
Spaying completely removes the risk of your dog developing a pyometra.
It removes the risk of unwanted puppies.
Pregnancy is a risk to your dog, and can also come with a large financial cost.
It removes the risk of phantom pregnancy.
While not life-threatening, a phantom pregnancy can alter your dog’s behaviour, and an ongoing or recurrent phantom pregnancy may need our vets help to stop as well as potentially leading to other medical problems.
For males, cancer of the testicles is completely removed and castration significantly reduces the risk of developing prostate disease.
Neutering also helps reduce the drive to roam. This drive can lead to road traffic accidents and loss.
Reducing this drive helps protect your dog.
What age should I neuter my dog?
We recommend castrating your dog from around 6 months of age. However we recommend that they are showing some signs of hormonal behaviour, for example: cocking their leg when urinating. Castration before skeletal maturate may be contentious but is not proven to have any detrimental effects on development. Delaying neutering too long may allow some behaviours which are testosterone-driven to become learned, and therefore more difficult to eradicate.
We recommend that bitches are spayed either before or after their first season. If you do not intend to breed your dog, it is important to spay before their second season starts, thus eliminating completely the risk of developing mammary tumours.
We ask you wait 3 months from when her season ended and book in a milk check with one of our nurses.
If you prefer your bitch to be spayed pre season, we recommend about 4-5 months of age.
What happens on the day?
Neutering involves a general anaesthetic.
Please see our per-operation advice tab for what to do before bringing your dog in for their operation.
On the day your dog will come into the practice in the morning, stay for the day to have the operation, and will stay overnight at no extra cost to ensure that they have a complete nights rest under our care. They will be reunited with you the following morning.
Although all surgical procedures come with some risk, neutering is the most common procedure performed by our vets, and the techniques are very safe.
What happens after?
All surgical procedures can be uncomfortable however recovery from neutering is usually very quick. In most cases dogs are on their feet within a few hours of the procedure.
It can take time for the surgery site to fully heal, this is usually under ten days.
Keeping the site area clean, and making sure your dog cannot lick the area, will allow the natural healing process to take place as quickly as possible.
Neutering is when a male or female cat has a surgical procedure to prevent them from reproducing.
In males, we remove the testicles as this is the main source of the hormone testosterone, so levels of this hormone fall after the surgery.
In females we perform an ovariohysterectomy (removal of both ovaries and uterus).
Once spayed, your cat will no longer be able to fall pregnant, and will also not have any seasons.
The Benefits:
For females its stops her from developing cancer of the womb or ovaries.
It prevents pyometra which is a serious and potentially life-threatening womb infection.
It prevents unwanted pregnancies. Female cats can become pregnant all year long.
It will stop her from coming into ‘heat’ seasonally between February to September, which can cause behavioural changes and stress for you cat.
Females also attract unneutered males with associated problems of spraying, fighting and by making wailing noises.
For males it will make him less likely to fight other cats which will reduce his chances of getting feline AIDS (FIV) as it is spread through cat bites.
He will be less likely to roam and go missing. He will be less likely to spray urine in your home and his urine won’t smell as strongly as an unneutered male cat.
He should be less likely to have aggressive behaviour problems associated with testosterone.
What age should I neuter my cat?
We recommend both male and female cats are neutered before 4 months old as this is the age when females can become pregnant from and males become sexually mature soon after this age. We can neuter your kitten from as young as 10 weeks old between their first and second vaccination (however for males it depends if the testicles have descended or not), the benefit to this is that they are much calmer and aren’t jumping around. Also it affects them much less and are often feeling better quicker.
What happens on the day?
Neutering involves a general anaesthetic.
Please see our pre-operation advice tab for what to do before bringing your cat in for their operation.
On the day your cat will come into the practice in the morning, stay for the day to have the operation, and male cats will be reunited with you the same day.
We hospitalise female cats overnight at no extra charge to ensure that they have a complete nights rest under our care. They will be reunited with you the following morning.
Although all surgical procedures come with some risk, neutering is the most common procedure performed by our vets, and the techniques are very safe.
Neutering cats is also a relatively quick procedure, especially males, which helps keep the risk low.
All surgical procedures can be uncomfortable however recovery from neutering is usually very quick. In most cases cats are on their feet within a few hours of the procedure.
What happens after?
We will provide your cat with pain-relief drugs for the procedure itself, and throughout recovery while necessary. Some cats may be subdued for a day or two following the procedure. They may appear drowsy or a little wobbly that evening, but most cats are back to their normal selves within a few days.
Full recovery, including skin healing, is generally under ten days for females and under 5 days for males.
Keeping the site area clean, and making sure your cat cannot lick the area, will allow the natural healing process to take place as quickly as possible.
Cats should be kept inside during recovery and our vet will recommend when they can go back outdoors at the post-operative check.
Rabbits are very social animals therefore it’s so important that they live with at least one other rabbit so they don’t get lonely.
Neutered male and female rabbits can live together happily without producing any unwanted litters.
Neutering can also help rabbits of the same gender live together without any behavioural problems caused by their hormones.
The Benefits:
Stops unwanted pregnancies.
Pregnancy isn’t easy and rabbits do not get the emotional reward like humans.
Rabbits can have multiple litters per year and both the pregnancy and the birth carry risks for your rabbit and her kittens.
Unneutered female rabbits often develop false pregnancies, which can cause extreme hormonal behaviour such as aggression towards their owners or other rabbits.
Neutering improves socialisation as rabbits need companionship from other rabbits.
Male and female pairings generally work best therefore neutering is so important.
It lessens the risk of cancer. Unfortunately, female rabbits are very likely to develop uterine (womb) cancers relatively early in life.
They can also develop womb infections, or other cancers such as mammary cancer.
Neutering when young greatly reduces the chances of these happening.
Neutered rabbits are less temperamental and generally easier to handle, which is especially important if you have children.
Also neutered rabbits are much less likely to exhibit marking behaviours.
What age should I neuter my rabbit?
Male rabbits can be castrated as early as 10-12 weeks, once his testicles have descended.
Female rabbits can be neutered at 16 weeks old, as long as she is healthy and weighs at least 1kg.
Please discuss your neutering plan with our vet, as we will take into account the age and neutering status of any other rabbits that you own.
What happens on the day?
Neutering involves a general anaesthetic.
Please see our pre-operation advice tab before bringing your rabbit in for their operation.
Your rabbit will come into the clinic in the morning, stay for the day to have the operation, and in most cases will be reunited with you the same day.
Although all surgical procedures come with some risk, neutering is the most common procedure performed by our vets and the techniques are very safe.
What happens after?
Although all surgical procedures can be uncomfortable, recovery from neutering is usually very quick. In most cases rabbits are on their feet within a few hours of the procedure.
They will be given pain-relief drugs for the procedure itself, and throughout recovery.
Some rabbits may be subdued for a day or so following the procedure, and may appear drowsy or a little wobbly that evening, but most rabbits are back to normal within a few days.
It is very important to keep up with the pain relief that our vet has provided for your rabbit as sometimes them being in pain can cause them to stop eating.
This slows down their guts, and can lead to a potentially life-threatening problems.
Your rabbit will be encouraged to start eating as soon as they wake up. We recommend bringing in their favourite food to have when they wake up.
Full recovery, including skin healing, is generally under ten days.
Keeping the site area clean will allow the natural healing process to take place as quickly as possible.
Rabbits should be kept inside during recovery on clean, dry bedding that won’t stick to or irritate the surgical site area.
Our vet will recommend when they can go back to their normal housing at their post-operative check, but this is usually within a week of the operation.
Male rabbits must be kept separated from any unneutered female rabbits for at least a month after their operation as they can still be fertile for up to four weeks after castration – some sperm can remain in the genital tract.
Fleas are small insects that can travel large distances by jumping.
For fleas to survive they must feast on warm blood and they aren’t fussy! Most household pets can be bitten by fleas, and unfortunately us humans can to!
There are over 2000 species of fleas however only two are common here in the UK; cat fleas and dog fleas.
Most flea infestations are cat fleas, but as both species bite any warm-blooded animals it doesn’t matter which species of flea is in your home and on your dog.
What age should my pet start having flea treatment and how often?
Flea protection comes in many forms, including pills, spot-ons and collars.
We recommend the use of Bravecto for dogs.
Bravecto can be given to puppies from 8 weeks of age weighing at least 2kg.
Bravecto is given every 3 months in a form of a tasty chew. It also protects against ticks.
Younger and lighter dogs can still receive flea treatment, our vet will discuss the best options with you.
There are many other forms of flea preventative treatments such as pills, other spot ons and collars.
Many of the flea treatments also cover your dog for a range of other parasites as well, giving you peace of mind.
Please discuss the best option for your pet with our vet.
Help keep your pet fit and healthy by making them a VIP.
Sign up for our Pet Care Plan and your pet will never miss a prevention treatment.
For more information, visit our Pet Care Plan Page.
Fleas are small insects that can travel large distances by jumping.
For fleas to survive they must feast on warm blood and they aren’t fussy! Most household pets can be bitten by fleas, and unfortunately us humans can to!
There are over 2000 species of fleas however only two are common here in the UK; cat fleas and dog fleas.
Most flea infestations are cat fleas, but as both species bite any warm-blooded animals it doesn’t matter which species of flea is in your home and on your cat.
What age should my cat start having flea treatment and how often?
Flea protection comes in many forms, including pills, spot-ons and collars.
We recommend the use of Bravecto for cats.
Bravecto can be given to kittens from 9 weeks of age and weighing at least 1.2kg.
Bravecto is given every 3 months by way of a spot on treatment. It also protects against ticks.
Younger and lighter cats can still receive flea treatment, our vet will discuss the best options with you.
There are many other forms of flea preventative treatments such as pills, other spot ons and collars.
Many of the flea treatments also cover your cat for a range of other parasites as well, giving you peace of mind.
Please discuss the best option for your pet with our vet.
Please note:
You should never use a dog flea treatment on your cat, as they can contain permethrin which is extremely toxic to cats and can result in death. Always make sure you are applying an appropriate cat product.
Help keep your pet fit and healthy by making them a VIP.
Sign up for our Pet Care Plan and your pet will never miss a prevention treatment.
For more information, visit our Pet Care Plan page.
It is very important to keep up with your dogs worm prevention treatments as worms can cause your dog suffering, illness and even death.
There are six types of worm that generally affect dogs: Heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, whipworm and lungworm.
We recommend the use of Milprazon for adult dogs which is in tablet form. Your adult dog should receive this worm prevention treatment every 3 months (more often if they are scavengers).
For puppies under the of 8 weeks, we recommend they receive a two weekly dose of Panacur paste. This often goes down well as a tasty treat.
Help keep your pet fit and healthy by making them a VIP.
Sign up for our Pet Care Plan and your pet will never miss a prevention treatment.
For more information, visit our Pet Care Plan page.
There are five types of worm that generally affect cats: Roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, whipworm and lungworm.
We recommend the use of Milprazon for adult cats which is in tablet form.
Your adult cat (over 6 months of age) should receive this worm prevention treatment every 3 months (more often if they are hunters).
Until your cat is 6 months old, we recommend they receive a monthly dose of this worm prevention treatment
Kittens under 3 weeks of age are recommended to receive a two weekly dose of Panacur paste. This often goes down well as a tasty treat.
Help keep your pet fit and healthy by making them a VIP.
Sign up for our Pet Care Plan and your pet will never miss a prevention treatment.
For more information visit our Pet Care Plan page.
- No food from 10pm the night before the procedure
- They can have water up until they come in
- Please let us know if they are unwell before bringing them in (vomiting/ diarrhoea) as this may mean we need to postpone their operation
- Please take them out for a walk to urinate and defecate in the morning
- Give medication as normal if the patient needs it for blood pressure, the heart, endocrine diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, cushing’s)
- No food from 10pm the night before the procedure
- They can have water up until they come in
- Please let us know if they are unwell before bringing them in (vomiting/ diarrhoea) as this may mean we need to postpone their operation
- Please keep them indoors overnight to make sure they do not find food elsewhere or can’t be caught in morning
- Give medication as normal if the patient needs it for blood pressure, the heart, endocrine diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, cushing’s)
- Please feed and water them as normal (It is very important that they keep eating and drinking)
- Please bring in some of their own food for us to offer to them once they have woken up after their procedure.
- No exercising, going up and down stairs, jumping on and off furniture
- Only out for short toilet walks – They MUST be kept on the lead
- Please keep the wound site dry, they must NOT lick or scratch the area
- Please keep an eye on the wound site for any inflammation
- Please keep their buster collar or bodysuit on at ALL times
- They will need a post-op check with our nurse – 3 days after surgery
- 10 days post-op we will need to remove the dressing from the site
- They may need a 14 days post-op to remove any intradermal sutures and have a final check
- Please finish the course of any medication prescribed
- If any bandages tear, rip or fall off before the patient is due a check, please let us know – Do NOT try to re-dress these yourselves
- No exercising, going up and down stairs, jumping on and off furniture
- Please keep them indoors overnight (if they have been discharged on the same day of the procedure) as they may still be drowsy
- Spayed cats should be kept in until sutures are removed
- Please keep the wound site dry, they must NOT lick or scratch the area
- Please keep an eye on the wound site for any inflammation
- Please keep their buster collar or bodysuit on at ALL times
- They will need a post-op check with our nurse – 3 days after surgery
- 10 days post-op we will need to remove the dressing from the site
- They may need a 14 days post-op to remove any intradermal sutures and have a final check
- Please finish the course of any medication prescribed
- If any bandages tear, rip or fall off before the patient is due a check, please let us know – Do NOT try to re-dress these yourselves
We offer six monthly dental checks with one of our experienced Registered Veterinary Nurses however if your pet is experiencing difficulty in eating or has sore, red or swollen gums then please book an appointment to see one of our vets who can assist with any issues your pet has.
Under our Pet Care Plan (PCP) membership scheme your pet will automatically benefit from 6 monthly examinations that include dental health checks.
We recommend that you introduce your pet to regular teeth brushing on a daily or weekly basis from an early age to limit any progression of dental diseases as they get older.
If regular brushing is not an option then there are a number of dental diets available, please discuss these with our vet so they can recommend which is most suitable for your pet.
For pets that already have established dental disease, an examination under anaesthesia is recommended.
This will include a scale and polish, a set of standard dental radiographs and extractions if required.
Please call us to talk to our vets or nurses for further advice.
Microchipping is quick and easy to get done, and it will help you get your pet back if they go missing.
If a pet is found after going missing, it can be scanned at any vet practice, local authority and other animal welfare organisations. If a microchip is found they will contact the national 24 hour databases to finder the owner’s details. The owner can then be contacted and reunited with their pet.
Therefore it is very important to keep these details up to date.
It’s now a legal requirement to have any dog over the age of eight weeks microchipped in England and Wales.
It is a dog breeder’s responsibility to ensure puppies are microchipped before selling them. Puppies cannot be sold until they’re eight weeks old, and they must be microchipped before you can buy them.
Breeders must also register their details on the database, and their details will be recorded against the microchip for the life of the dog. A person is considered to be a ‘breeder’ if they’re the owner of a dog that gives birth, whether or not they run a business breeding dogs.
Although microchipping is quick and easy, it can be uncomfortable for your pet. Where possible, we recommend them to be microchipped when they are neutered.
To have your pet microchipped:
Please call our reception team to book an appointment with one of our vets.
Our receptionist will take your details to register the microchip. Your details will be logged with Indentichip under your pets microchip number. (If you need to make any changes in the future to these details such as your address, please call them to make the amendments. A small charge is normal for this.)
We advise not to rub or touch the site area until a scab has formed.
Although you do not need pet insurance to receive our veterinary services, we recommend that our clients take out appropriate pet insurance for the pet with a reputable insurer. We do not provide pet insurance or arrange pet insurance for clients.
How it works?
Pet insurance provides cover for veterinary fees in the event that your pet becomes injured or unwell.
There are many pet insurance companies available, with many different levels of cover and policies to choose from. Insurance companies will cover most accidents and illnesses. It’s important you read the policy terms and conditions. Preventative treatment (such as vaccinations & flea and worm treatment) is not covered by insurance companies.
To help spread the cost of preventative treatment, we provide our own Pet Care Plan. See here for more details.
As a veterinary practice, we are unable to recommend any one individual insurance company.
Other benefits:
Pet insurance is mainly to provide cover for veterinary fees if your pet is injured or becomes ill. However, other benefits may include:
- Third party liability cover if your pet injures someone or damages someone else’s property
- Covering the cost you paid for your pet if they become lost, stolen, or die as a result of injury or illness
- Paying the costs of pet sitting should you have to go into hospital for emergency medical treatment
- Paying the cost of your holiday if it’s cancelled due to your pet needing emergency surgery close to the date you were due to leave
- Paying the cost of emergency veterinary treatment for your pet if you take them abroad under the Pet Travel Scheme
Policy types and cover vary between insurance companies.
We recommend choosing a Lifelong Cover Policy.
Lifelong policies provide cover that ‘refills’ each time the policy renews. As such, these policies provide ongoing cover for long-term conditions. Benefit limits can be ‘per condition’ or an annual amount for all conditions.
Important Information:
Most insurance companies will not cover any pre-existing conditions, whether treatment was required or not.
If you make a claim with one insurance company and cancel this policy to change to a different insurance company, the new company will usually exclude that condition and any previous noted conditions from your new policy.
It is better to find an insurance company that you wish to stay with throughout your pet’s life.
Some insurance policies will add automatic exclusions for specific breed-associated conditions. Please read the terms and conditions for each policy before you sign up to them.
Most insurance policies will deduct a policy excess. A policy excess is the amount you pay towards each condition per policy year.
How to claim:
We can process a claim for you at no charge to yourself but please be advised that a £31.75 admin charge will occur to claims dating back more than 3 months, due to the extra work involved.
We only deal with indirect claims. This is where you pay your invoices and your insurance company reimburses you directly.
To process a claim we will need:
- Full payment of your invoice(s)
- The policy excess payment which must be paid by you
- The claim form must be signed by the policy holder
- Sections of the claim form that the policy holder is required to complete must be filled out correctly
- A completed claim form for each condition you wish to claim for
- If your insurer asks you to complete your claim online, what we need from you will be greatly simplified. Please note the process may differ between insurers
We will then complete the claim form and have the vet in charge of the case sign it. We will attach the pets clinical history along with a copy of any payments you’ve made. We will also provide any information that has been requested by the insurer during the processing of the claim e.g. blood results, x-rays, etc.
We aim to send it promptly to the insurer by post or electronically.
Protocol for Clients wanting to travel to the EU
The following are MUST HAVE requirements for any clients wishing to take their pets to the EU:
1. A valid and working microchip
2. A valid Rabies vaccination
• If your pet has not had any rabies vaccinations, or has not been re-vaccinated within the allotted time, your pet will need to have a primary vaccination course.
We as a practice advise that 2 vaccines are administered 2 week apart from each other. You will then have to wait 21 days after the second vaccination has been given before you will be allowed to travel.
• Rabies Courses cost £95.54 inc VAT for both injections, a booster every 3 years will cost £67.50 inc VAT
3. An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an Official Veterinarian or a Pet Passport that has been issued within the EU
• Your pet will need to have a full health check with an OV no more than 10 days prior to travel to the EU. During this appointment the microchip will also be checked to ensure it is still working.
Please bring with you proof of the rabies vaccinations that have been given and proof of micro-chipping, as these will need to be copied to be attached to the AHC (either in a vaccination card or an old Passport)
The AHC will take roughly 24 hours to complete, as we need to ensure that all the details are correct.
AHCs are then valid for 4 months onward travel within the EU and re-entry back into the UK.
• The cost of the Health check and QAHC for Quarry House Vets clients is £167.52 inc VAT for 1 pet. (then £43.39 per pet up to a total of 5 pets on 1 AHC).
For non clients this will cost £188.27 inc VAT (then £64.14 per pet up to a total of 5 pets on 1 AHC).
4. Treatment against Tapeworms should you be traveling to:
1. Finland
2. Ireland
3. Malta
4. Northern Ireland
5. Norway
• The Tapeworm treatment should be given no more than 5 days and no less than 24 hours prior to travel.
Tapeworm treatment may be required for re-entry back into the UK.
Up to a maximum of 5 pets can be placed onto 1 AHC.
Should you wish to bring more than 5 pets with you, you will be required to show proof that those pets are traveling to participate in a Sporting event / competition / show.
You should also check you Destination Country’s Embassy for any other requirements that may need to be met prior to travel.
A Rabies Titre Blood test is not required, however if you would like to have this test done, then please ensure that it is done 21 days after any rabies vaccine, and 3 months prior to travel.
Protocol for Clients wanting to travel to a Non EU Country
Clients who wish to travel to a Non-EU country need to check the entry requirements prior to travel.
Pets still need to have a valid, working Microchip and an Export Health Certificate (EHC), an Export Application form (EXA) will also need to be completed.
In order to check the requirements, clients need to do the following:
1. Follow this link, which will take you to the Gov.UK Website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-an-export-health-certificate
2. Scroll down the page until you see a hyperlink called “Apply for an EHC” and click the text
3. Then click the top hyperlink which says “Search for your animal or product”
4. Type your destination country into the search bar and check the box next to it to highlight that
country
5. Click the drop-down box which says Commodity Type and check the box next to Pets
6. The middle of the page should have a link that will say something like “Export cats and dogs to
_____: Certificate ____”
This will then give you all the entry requirements to bring your pet into that country and how to
apply for the necessary paperwork.
The EHC will still need to be signed by an Official Veterinarian prior to travel.
Garden Birds
If you find an injured adult or baby bird please visit the RSPB website for advice on what to do.
Other Wildlife
If you see any wildlife that you suspect to be injured, watch it to see how badly hurt it is before deciding to bring it to our vets or a wildlife rehabilitator.
Please call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 for a log number BEFORE bringing any injured wildlife to us.
How to handle injured wildlife:
- only lift a wild animal if you’re sure that you can do so without risk to yourself or others.
- Keep it away from your face, as it may bite or scratch.
- If possible wear gloves to protect yourself and them from harm and specially with oiled wildlife as pollutants can be hazardous.
- Wash your hands after handling any animals.
- Be careful in dangerous locations, such as a busy road.
If you feel it’s safe to catch and handle the animal, then put on some suitable gloves and place it into a secure cardboard box with ventilation holes, with a towel or newspaper for bedding.
Keep the animal quiet and bring it to us (please call first to make sure that we can take and treat the animal)
If you see any of these animals injured, keep a safe distance, don’t handle and don’t transport:
- Deer
- Seal
- Wild boar
- Otter
- Badger
- Fox
- Snake
- Bird of prey (including owls)
- Swan
- Goose
- Heron
- Gull
We understand how difficult it is to say goodbye to your much loved pet.
We hope the below information will help you and your family understand your pet’s end-of-life journey and that we can be of reassurance and comfort to you and your family at this emotional time.
Sadly, few of our pets pass peacefully away in their sleep. Therefore, we all wish to do the right thing at the right time, fulfilling our responsibility and commitment in your pet’s final days. The term we use is euthanasia but often we refer to it as putting to sleep.
After you have discussed things with your family and one of our vets, and having decided that the time has come, you can contact us and make an appointment.
What will happen when I ring to book the appointment?
- Our receptionist will book you a 30 minute appointment for the end of morning or afternoon consults (last appointment before morning surgery or last appointment before close). This is to ensure the practice is at it’s quietest.
- Home Visits: We can arrange for the appointment to be performed in the comfort of your own home however additional charges will apply and certain times of day may be restricted. A home visit involves a vet and a nurse visiting your home. When they have put your pet to sleep, they will either take your pet back to the surgery for cremation or leave them with you to bury at home.
- Our receptionist will discuss the options available to you regarding your pets body (see below for the options). You are welcome to let them know then or at your appointment.
- Our receptionist will also discuss prices and payment options with you to limit any upset at your appointment.
When you arrive for your appointment:
- You will be asked to complete the PTS Consent Form.
- Payment is usually taken. We generally take payment on arrival, before the appointment. This is to avoid causing you any further distress after your pet has passed away; You are then free to leave when ready and won’t receive an invoice at a later date which we understand can cause upset.
- Our receptionist will guide you to a quiet area of the waiting room.
- Our team will have consult room 2 set up ready for you and your pet. There will be a soft blanket on the consult table to ensure your pet is comfortable and a box of tissues will be in reaching distance if you should need them.
- All staff present will be made aware of the appointment to ensure noise and disruption is kept to a minimum.
- Our vet will discuss what will happen and how euthanasia works.
- You (and your family) will be given as much private time as you need with your pet to say goodbye .
- Once your pet has passed you are welcome to stay with them for as long as you require.
- Once ready, a team member will guide you out via the side door (so you don’t have to walk though the reception area).
What happens afterwards?
There are several options available for your pet. Our team will discuss these with you when making the appointment. You can choose from:
- Home Burial: You can take your pet’s body home and bury it.
- Routine Cremation: This is the cheapest and most common option. Your pet will be cremated with others therefore you do not get the ashes back.
- Individual Cremation Scatter Pouch: Your pet will be cremated singly and their ashes are returned to you in a Scatter Pouch.
- Individual Cremation Bio Box: Your pet will be cremated singly and their ashes are returned to you in a Bio Box. This is a circular cardboard tube with a pretty forest scene.
- Individual Cremation Urn: Your pet will be cremated singly and their ashes are returned to you in a terracotta clay urn.
- Individual Cremation Casket: Your pet will be cremated singly and their ashes are returned to you in a casket. This is a dark oak box with a personalised brass name plaque.
PLEASE NOTE: All options come in Small, Medium, Large or Giant. Unfortunately prices do increase with size. Individual Cremations Scatter Pouch, Bio Box and Urn are all the same price.
Coping with the loss
We all deal with grief in different ways. When grieving for a much-loved pet, you or your family members may experience a range of emotions from shock, denial, disbelief and, very often, guilt. Should you wish to talk to any of our team, we can help offer you support and advice.
If, after reading the above, you still have questions, we are more than happy to help. Please contact us.
There are also organisations that can provide further help and support such as The Ralph Site and The Blue Cross. They also offer special books to help your children understand the loss of their pets.
