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.

Services

What can we do for you and your pet?

  • Services
  • Senior Clinics
  • Cat Friendly Clinic
  • FREE Blood Pressure Clinics for Cats
  • Community Nursing
  • Puppy Socialisation
  • Blood Tests
  • Medication & Prescriptions
  • Lab Samples
  • Insurance Claims
  • Dental Staging Guide
  • Weight Management

Services

  • Vaccinations
  • Microchipping
  • Neutering
  • X-rays and ultrasonography
  • Dental and surgical theatres
  • Dental X-ray
  • Nurse clinics
  • On-site laboratory
  • Large, free car park
  • Pet food and pet products for sale
  • Separate cat and dog waiting areas
  • Experienced, qualified vets
  • Open 7 days a week, with dedicated out-of-hours via VetsNow
  • Registered veterinary nurses
  • 15 minute appointments
  • Visiting specialists
  • Community Veterinary Nursing Service
  • ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic Award (Silver)
  • RWAF Rabbit Friendly Clinic Award (Silver)
  • RCVS Accredited Small Animal Practice
  • Tonometry for measuring eye pressure
  • Preventative healthcare plan (Pet Health Club)
  • Exotics savvy vet (birds, reptiles, small mammals)
  • Animal Health/Export Certification

Senior Clinics

Caring for your pet in their Golden Years

Just like us, your pet’s health will start to deteriorate as he/she ages. This may be observed in numerous ways, such as changes in:

  • His/her behaviour and mentation (cognitive dysfunction)
  • Body condition (either storing more body fat, or losing it, as well as muscle mass)
  • Coat, skin, and claw condition
  • Stiffness and reduce mobility (often related to osteoarthritis problems)
  • Bowel and urinary tract function, and loss of control
  • Oral health and dental disease
  • Eye health and a reduction in vision (blindness)
  • His/her ability to hear (deafness)
  • Organ function, such as kidneys, liver, and heart
  • The development of skin and subcutaneous masses and tumours
  • Breathing and other respiratory problems
  • Cardiovascular function
  • Appetite (increased with conditions such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism, and decreased with hypothyroidism, for example)
  • Urogenital health, such as prostatic disease (male dogs) or uterine disease (most commonly Pyometra, in unspayed female dogs and cats)

Early detection of these changes gives us the best opportunity to manage them promptly and appropriately, which in turn may improve your pet’s quality of life and promote longevity. 

The best way to achieve this is by performing a thorough and complete history and physical examination, in addition to clinical screenings.

Clinical screenings help establish baselines for future comparison, and detect subclinical abnormalities at a time when preventative and therapeutic intervention may have the most benefit.  In addition, subtle changes in laboratory test results may give an early indication of the presence of diseases developing. 

Detection of early disease in a healthy-appearing individual, is going to be much more successful in its management than detection of a disease in its latter stages, in a sick pet.

Senior Health Assessment

To prioritise the needs of our Golden Oldies, we have developed a Senior Health Assessment Package. This clinical screening and examination package is available for all middle-aged patients and above. For the sake of argument, we have designated this as 8 years old or above. Senior patients are those that have reached the last 25% of their expected lifespan.

As part of the package, your pet will receive:

  • A full clinical examination with one of our vets, as well as a thorough history by the Vet or a Nurse
  • Blood pressure measurement
  • Full in-house urinalysis and microscopy, specific gravity using refractometer, the detection of microalbumin, and protein: creatinine ratio measurement (culture and sensitivity, if indicated on account of these results, will be chargeable as extra following your consent to proceed)
  • Complete in-house blood count and biochemistry (including SDMA, urea, creatinine, TT4, potassium and other electrolytes, protein measurement, bilirubin, liver enzymes, total calcium, and glucose) as part of our Internal Senior Profile
  • Cystocentesis included at no extra charge, if this sampling method is required (for cats)
  • Schirmer Tear Testing (for dogs) - to assess for the presence of Dry Eye
  • Body weight, body condition, and muscle condition assessment

You will also receive:

  • A complete REPORT of our findings 
  • And a recommended treatment and management PLAN going forwards, to ensure the best possible care and quality of life for your pet

(Please note that treatments and/or recommended diets are not included as part of this package).

So don’t delay, and book your pet in today!  After all, none of us are getting any younger!

Please complete our Senior Clinic Questionnaire before your appointment.

Read more about Senior Clinics on our FAQ page.

Cat Friendly Clinic

1. Booking appointments

  • Book cats in the Cat Clinic if possible (weekdays 2-3pm).
  • Or else book at the beginning or end of a consultation period, so that the waiting room is not as busy or full.

2. Waiting to be seen

  • We have separate cat and dog waiting areas.
  • The cat barrier in the waiting room helps shield cats from dogs.
  • We have provided Cat Stands for clients to place their cat baskets on. This allows the cat to sit higher up, which increases their sense of security and well-being.
  • There are blankets available so that cat baskets can be covered whilst they wait, which further reduces their anxiety and stress.
  • Clients with cats should be invited to wait in a free consulting room if there are boisterous and barking dogs in reception.

3. In the consultation room

  • We are trained to handle cats in a friendly and sensitive manner, which means we avoid scruffing at all costs.
  • Cats are encouraged to wander around the consultation room to acclimatise to the surroundings and environment
  • Treats are on hand to make the visit a positive experience for our feline patients.
  • Feline pheromone spray (Feliway®) is sprayed to help relax anxious or nervous cats.
  • Cat carriers that have a detachable lid or those that can be fully unzipped are recommended, to avoid having to tip cats out and risk adding to their stress.

4. Hospitilisation

  • We have separate cat kennels away from dogs.
  • Our aim is to make each cat’s stay as comfortable as possible. Ask the client;
  • What is your cat’s normal food? Can you bring some in for when they recover?
  • Do they have a preferred cat litter? Sand, compressed paper, etc.
  • What type of bowl do they eat and drink from at home? Is it metal, ceramic, deep, shallow, etc.
  • Finally, we have recently invested in dental radiography. This is vital when performing dentistry on cats to avoid missing disease that is occurring below the gum line, at root level.

FREE Blood Pressure Clinics for Cats

As a Feline Friendly Practice (ISFM Silver Award), we’re committed to providing the best care for our feline patients, including providing their owners with key lifestage and preventative care recommendations.

An important disease to be aware of is hypertension (high blood pressure), and the risks it poses to cats. As with people, there are no visible outward signs, and so hypertension can go undiagnosed for a long period of time. The disease is sometimes referred to as a ‘silent killer’, as it may remain undetected before symptoms suddenly appear, and with severe consequences.

As in people, the risks of hypertension increase with age and with concurrent diseases, such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid).

However, with regular health checks and blood pressure monitoring, hypertension can be diagnosed early. Treatment can then be started to control it, and prevent the damaging effects sustained by high blood pressure on the eyes (retinae), brain, and kidneys.

Diagnosis and management results in a better quality of life for your cat, which often means a longer life, too.

It’s estimated that 1 in 5 cats above the age of 9 years old will develop hypertension, with some developing it earlier than this.

To avoid the disease going undetected, all cats over the age of 7 years should have their blood pressure measured at least once a year. Even younger cats (aged 3-6 years) benefit from having their blood pressure measured annually, to provide a baseline of normal for that individual, against which measurements taken when older can be compared. Plus, if measured from a young age, then it’s something that they will be well-accustomed to by the time they reach the critical age threshold of 9 years old.

To help in this endeavour, we offer a FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC with our nursing team, held during our Cat Friendly Hour (2-3pm, each weekday).

Measurements are by appointment only.

Please speak to one of our vets or nurses if you’re a cat owner, and would like to book your cat in for his/her blood pressure to be measured. Measuring blood pressure is easy, quick, and completely painless. It only takes a few minutes, and is extremely well tolerated by most cats.

Measuring blood pressure is easy, quick, and completely painless. It only takes a few minutes, and is extremely well tolerated by most cats.

For more information on hypertension in cats, please check out the following peer-reviewed websites:

  1. https://www.catbloodpressure.com
  2. https://www.amodeus.vet/uk/feline-hypertension

Community Nursing

In an effort to cater for all of our patients (as well as their owners!) we are pleased to offer a Community Veterinary Nursing Service (CVNS).

CVNS Features:

  • Consultations for specific procedures performed in the comfort of your home by one of our Registered Veterinary Nurses.
  • Available Tuesdays and Thursdays, at a mutually convenient time scheduled in advance (other days possible depending on surgery commitments and staffing levels).
  • Specific procedures including (but not limited to);
  • Advice on introducing your new kitten or puppy to your home
  • Assessment of your garden to help identify any hidden dangers
  • Nail clipping
  • Anal gland expression
  • Administration of medication prescribed by us (oral, injectable, or topical)
  • Post-operative check-ups
  • Ear cleaning
  • Clipping of isolated matts from compliant patients
  • Bathing your pet with medicated shampoo prescribed by us
  • Collection and/or delivery after surgery
  • Dressing checks and re-bandaging if applicable
  • Second vaccinations
  • Blood pressure measurements
  • Urine and/or blood sample collection as directed by the vet
  • Blood glucose checks
  • Intraocular pressure measurement
  • Physiotherapy and senior pet care advice specific to your home
  • Weight clinics and dietary advice
  • Application of flea and/or worming treatment provided by us
  • Discussions prior to euthanasia appointments and/or bereavement support
  • Food and/or medication delivery

Cost

  • £17 surcharge in addition to the standard fee for the specific procedure.
  • 20% surcharge discount for Pet Health Club members.
  • Payment in cash at time of visit, or in advance at time of booking.

Helping you and your pets on-site and within the community!

Puppy Socialisation

On the first Tuesday of each month, we run a puppy socialisation evening. These are held from 7pm, and involve our nurses and Jez Firth, an experienced animal behaviourist who we are lucky enough to have in our local area.  

During these sessions, Jez provides valuable information to help you and your puppy cope with your first weeks together and beyond, in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Our nurse will also provide your puppy with a one-on-one examination and desensitisation session, and will happily answer any medical questions that you may have.  

To cover Jez’s time, the cost is £15 per puppy. Puppies should have received their first vaccination before attending, and should be no older than 14 weeks of age. Maximum of 6 puppies per session.

If you would like any further information on these sessions, or would like to book your puppy in to the next one, then please speak to a member of staff. All of our contact information can be found here.

Click here to view a short action video of one of our puppy sessions in progress!

Jez has provided us with the following information about himself:

Hello, my name is Jez Frith and I run the Animal Behaviour Clinic, helping dog owners across the North West deal with both behavioural and training issues. I have worked with owners and their dogs for the past 20 years, since graduating from university having studied Animal Behaviour. Working on a one to one basis, generally in the clients own home, I help owners to understand why their dog demonstrates a given behaviour, how it has developed then explaining and demonstrating an appropriate, positively reinforced training routine to develop a desired outcome. Over 20 years I have worked with a vast range of dog breeds with an even wider range of behavioural issues and training needs, whether it be an 8-week old puppy needing house training or a 12-year old Labrador showing aggression to the post man - I am here to help.
Many behavioural issues are attributed to a lack puppy socialization and basic training; this was when in consultation with a number of vet practices that we developed a puppy socialisation class. These are one off sessions that inform owners about the importance of puppy socialisation, the do’s and don’ts and how to deal with issues should they arise, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
I am always happy to chat about any behavioural issue or training requirements you may have. Click here to view my website.

Blood Tests

  • Sedation and general anaesthesia should not be undertaken lightly.
  • Anaesthetic agents are metabolised by the liver, excreted by the kidneys, and reduce vital signs such as heart and respiratory rate, and blood pressure.
  • Therefore, the more that is known about your pet’s health and organ function the better.
  • This is because having this information helps us to select the safest anaesthetic protocol for your pet, and allows us to uncover hidden illnesses not apparent on the clinical exam.  
  • Such illnesses could compromise your pet’s health once sedated or anaesthetised, and we do not want to take any unnecessary or life-threatening risks.
  • Anaemia, early liver or kidney failure, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, infections, heart disease, and pancreatitis are all part of a long list of diseases that can impact on the safety of an anaesthetic, as well as on a patient’s recovery.
  • This is not a scare tactic – it is a fact.
  • We owe it to you and your pet to ensure that all procedures that we put them through are as safe as possible.  
  • Knowing their blood parameters helps us a great deal with this.
  • Normal results are our favourite type of result, as these allow us to proceed with confidence.
  • Such results also provide an ideal baseline reference from which future results can be compared.
  • That is why even testing younger patients is advisable, as we then have on file what is normal for your particular pet.
  • If results are abnormal then these will be discussed with you before proceeding, and the option of additional safety measures considered (e.g. IV fluids, or a review of the initial planned sedation/anaesthetic protocol), or further investigations might be recommended to investigate severely abnormal results.
  • If you would like any further information or guidance on the above, then please discuss these with a clinical member of staff (vet or nurse). All of our contact information can be found here.

Medication & Prescriptions

Purchasing from the practice

  • Recommended when treating acute, short-term illnesses, and when the start of treatment is required immediately.
  • Guarantees that the correct medication is dispensed, and at the correct dose.
  • Allows us to discuss with you in person how to administer the medication, and even show you what the dose correlates to on the syringe (in the case of liquid medications), or how much to apply (in the case of topical creams and lotions).
  • Supports the practice and allows investments to be made towards staff, equipment, and the clinic building – all of which mean better care for your pet, and a better service for you! 
  • Sales of medications allow us to maintain surgical and investigation fees at as reasonable a price as possible. Without these sales, then our prices would have to be significantly increased in order to cover our daily running costs.
  • Requires a check-up with one of our vets a minimum of every 6 months, where chronic medications are concerned.
  • When ordering repeat medications, please order by 1pm (weekdays) for next day delivery. Please note that out of stock items will need to be ordered from our wholesaler (weekday deliveries on Wednesdays and Fridays only). Special veterinary items and controlled drugs take longer (5-7 working days). So, to avoid disappointment, please order well in advance.
  • Patients on our Pet Health Club benefit from 10% off the purchase of Pet Shop Products, and 20% off selected Lifetime Care Medications. Many products also come with manufacturer Loyalty Schemes, when purchased from the practice.  

Order your repeat prescription online here

Purchasing from an external pharmacy

  • Requires a written prescription from us, for which we require 48 hours’ notice.
  • Incurs a written prescription fee for the first medication requested. 
  • Subsequent medications ordered at the same time as the first medication, each incur an additional fee, which is 50% that of the first medication fee. 
  • If a subsequent medication is ordered on a separate day, then the first medication fee applies. 
  • The maximal interval between Prescription Reviews is 6-months (for chronic medications), or 12-months (for flea and/or worming preparations).
  • This is to ensure that the medications which we are prescribing to your pet are not causing harm, and that doses do not need to be adjusted. 
  • Each fee is valid until the date of prescription expiry, as authorised by the prescribing vet.  This is likely to be dictated by your pet’s underlying disease and health status, in accordance with the frequency of check-ups recommended by the vet (Prescription Reviews).  
  • In many cases, monitoring blood and/or urine tests will be required at the time of Prescription Reviews, so that the effects of drugs on your pet’s vital organs can be assessed.  This is recommended to improve the health and lifespan of your pet, and to prevent any unnecessary risks being taken.  
  • It is illegal to buy a Prescription Only Medication without a prescription. Pharmacies that claim no prescription is required are breaking the law, and so are you if you proceed with the purchase.  As such, the Veterinary Medicine Directorate may seek prosecution.  
  • In the case of more than one pet requiring a written prescription, then a first medication fee applies for each pet.  Please be cautious when purchasing medications on line, as not all sellers supply legitimate products. We can advise on reputable UK-based on line pharmacies.
  • Extended expiry date intervals on written prescriptions (if applicable) shall resume following completion of the Prescription Review. 
  • In the case of overdue Prescription Reviews, then written prescriptions will only be valid for 1 month, with each incurring a written prescription fee(s). 
  • Our standard consultation fee applies for Prescription Reviews, and additional tests are charged on top of this.  These fees do not include the written prescription fee(s). 
  • Note that reputable sellers will be aware of your need for a prescription and the fact that you will have been charged for this, so their medication price will be set with this in mind. Postage and packing fees may also apply. Therefore, what appears to be a substantial difference in price initially, may not be so significant once these added fees are taken in to account.
  • For controlled drugs (e.g. Epiphen, gabapentin) the legal maximum permissible amount to be dispensed is one month. Furthermore, these prescriptions cannot be emailed. The hardcopy must be posted, and in this instance we shall prepare/sign/stamp the prescription for you to collect from the practice and post yourself. A single prescription fee every 6 months per drug is applicable.

Lab Samples

In-house laboratory features;

•   We have a well-equipped laboratory on-site, allowing us to perform microscopy, urinalysis, haematology, and biochemistry.  We also have separate analysers for measurement of blood glucose, lactate, and clotting times (APPT and PT), as well as SNAP tests for specific diseases including pancreatitis, feline AIDS and leukaemia viruses, and canine parvovirus.

•   In-house analysers allow us to obtain results very rapidly, and these will be reported within 24 hours of sampling. 

•   These tests can be run every day of the week.

External laboratory features;

•   More specific blood and urine tests, as well as in-depth cytology, culture and sensitivity, and histopathology are performed using an external lab (Idexx), based in Yorkshire. 

•   Samples are collected each weekday evening (weather permitting!) by an overnight courier.

•   Results are processed with variable turnaround times depending on the requested test.  This can vary from 1 day to 3-4 weeks.  Additionally, some tests are only performed on certain days of the week (e.g. canine/feline proBNP). 

•   Your pet’s vet will indicate when results are to be expected. 

Interpretation and reporting of results;

•   Once results are received, for both in-house and external samples, then your pet’s vet will call you to discuss them with you.  Please ensure that we have your correct contact details in order for them to do this. 

•   If you haven’t heard back from the vet within the estimated turnaround time, then please call to request a telephone appointment, and they will call you back when available.

•   Please note that results may not be sent through from the lab until the end of the day (6pm). 

•   Additionally, due to our evening consultation times and vets dealing with other patients, your pet’s vet may not be able to ring you until the end of their working day (7pm), or potentially the following day if they are dealing with an emergency. 

•   In the case of complex results or late receipt, then the vet may prefer to email you their interpretation with a copy of the results, as well as the recommended plan going forward.  Consequently, please also ensure that we have your email address on file.

Read more about Lab Samples on our FAQs page!

Insurance Claims

Please be aware that as of April 1st 2018 we shall be introducing an administration fee for all new Direct Insurance Claims. This is required due to the extra workload involved in processing these claims.

One admin fee will be charged for every new condition claimed per policy year, and ongoing charges relating to this claim can then continue to be processed direct with your pet’s insurance provider.

Please note that in order for us to offer you payment by Direct Claim, then the following criteria must be met for the initial outstanding amount;

  • You have paid your excess.
  • The remaining balance is >£100.
  • Your pet is not insured with E&L.
  • You have given permission to your pet's insurance provider to speak to us.
  • You have read and signed our Direct Claim Agreement Form.
  • You have provided us with two completed and signed Insurance Claim Forms.

Our Direct Insurance admin fee does not apply to pets who are members of our Pet Health Club – PHC Members benefit from a 100% discount!

Please ask if you have any questions.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Dental Staging Guide

Weight Management

Helping you to keep your pet(s) healthy is our aim! 

Two important aspects of this are diet and exercise. 

For multiple reasons, excessive body weight is very common amongst the UK pet population. However, achieving and maintaining a lean body weight has many health benefits for your pet. These include improved mobility and reduced impact on their joints, reduced risks of diabetes and pancreatitis, and improve heart function, to name but a few.

There are certain factors which contribute to your pet’s likelihood to gain weight, including neutering and ageing. Seasonality can also play a role in weight gain, as exercise often takes a back seat during the shorter and colder winter months.

But you don’t have to battle this complex mine field on your own. We’re here to help!

Introducing … our Nurse 'Weight Clinic’ package!

Our nurse-led Weight Clinic package is held over a period of six months.

First Appointment (all those involved in caring for your pet are encouraged to attend!):

  • Extended 30-minute appointment, to include;
  • Detailed diet and lifestyle questionnaire for your pet
  • Examination and body measurements of your pet
  • Establishment of your pet’s current body condition score
  • Plan of targets together
  • Calculation of daily costs of feeding recommended diet
  • Discussion of calorie content of certain treats, and how these will affect your pet’s progress
  • Day One photographs, so that we can fully appreciate their progress over the 6-month period

Subsequent Appointments x 5 (one per month):

  • Double nurse appointment (20-minutes)
  • Weigh-in and taking measurements
  • Discussion of any issues that you’re having, either with their diet or exercise (or both!) 
  • Repeat photographs to document all your hard work!

What does it cost?

The cost of the clinic is £60.00, payable at the time of your pet’s first appointment.

Duration is six-months (one visit per month). 

At the end of this period, should your pet require ongoing weight management, then you can purchase another six-months Weight Clinic package. 

The face value of this number of nurse consultations is £200!

To be eligible for the clinic and these subsidised consult fees, you must buy your pet’s food from us, and agree to the terms and conditions of the clinic by signing our ’Weight Clinic Consent Form’.

An additional saving, if you are a member of our Pet Health Club, is that all recommended food is available to you at COST PRICE! Loyalty schemes on recommended food are also available.

Please complete our Weight Clinic Questionnaire prior to your consultation.

Time To Say Goodbye

Information, advice and support to help during this very difficult time.

 

We're also a Platinum accredited practice in terms of dealing with pet bereavement, as awarded by Compassion Understood. 

 

Find Vets - Compassion Understood

Find out more here