Scarsdale Vets Alfreton

22/06/2024

Happy Saturday everyone! ☀️ To add a ray of sunshine to your day, here is Lando! He came to see nurse Izzy this week for his Kennel Cough vaccination, where he was the perfect patient! A tasty treat certainly won him over from the start but he was super happy and confident during his visit which was lovely to see! We encourage any meet and greet here between your dog and our lovely team, to build a positive association with coming to the vets! Even if you're just passing by please feel free to pop in to say hello!

21/06/2024

Bella came in last week to be spayed, and as soon as Alysia gave her a cuddle nurse Izzy thought they matched PERFECTLY! Alysia has recently been on her jollies to Turkey, where she certainly brought back some sunshine, just look at her tan! Izzy had to snap a photo of the pair after noticing both Alysia and Bella were rocking the purple and tanned look!
Bella was a super girl for the team all day, such a gentle lady, and went home later that afternoon. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her again very soon for her post-operative check!

20/06/2024

Meet Albus, a rather handsome Ragdoll who we recently castrated! Albus was with us for the day and was a little charmer! He thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention and did very well throughout his procedure and recovery. Here at Alfreton we are a silver-awarded cat friendly clinic, therefore we strive to keep all patients as calm and happy as possible, and we think Albus demonstrated this well! 😸
Albus was also microchipped to keep in line with the new law for cats! We look forward to seeing Albus again!

10/06/2024

Pet travel! ✈️🚊🚘
This here is Max, a gorgeous Chinchilla Persian who is moving to Monaco this week! Max came in to see vet Anna for his Pet Health Certificate (AHC) which is a legal requirement for any pet travelling outside of the UK. An AHC must be completed by a certified vet and has to be done within 10 days prior to travel, no earlier than this. Max, for example, had his health check and AHC 5 days prior to travelling.
As well as requiring an AHC, there are other rules and regulations you must follow but they vary depending on your destination.

We understand that pet travel can be a real minefield! Therefore, we strongly advise owners to firstly visit the DEFRA website for information on pet travel and the requirements. Here is the link:
https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad
The DEFRA website will give you all necessary information and links to ensure you are following the correct legalities when it comes to pet travel. There are also certified pet travel companies who are specifically there to help with this task but please do your research first to ensure you are using a trusted company.
If you have any other questions or still feel a little lost with it all and would like to talk to us directly, then please don't hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help wherever possible!

*The best advice we can give, PLAN AHEAD! Give yourself plenty of time to organise and not feel the pressure as your travel dates approach!*

We wish Max and his family all the best in their new adventure! 😸

07/06/2024

Here we have the darling Douglas. 🖤 He is a 5 year old Miniature Dachshund who recently stayed with us for a dental procedure. Douglas was showing signs of mouth pain at home and was visually swollen on one side of his face. It was suspected he had a dental abscess. He was placed on an antibiotic course prior to his procedure due to the infection.
Douglas had an impressive tooth root abscess, the biggest both nurse Izzy and vet Anna had ever seen in! Interestingly, at a glance the teeth themselves physically looked strong and normal (apart from some calculus), but within the roots and under the gum-line another story was being told! It's a great example that not all dental disease/issues are visible from the outside, which is something we often come across when carrying out dental procedures. Douglas in fact required 6 extractions after x-rays and close examination of the said teeth showed severe dental disease.
On recovery, Douglas did extremely well but needed extra cuddles to warm him up - nurse Izzy kindly (and eagerly!) obliged.
He will feel so much better now that the pressure and pain of a tooth root abscess is no longer present! His dedicated owners did the right thing by having him checked and by following vet advice to have a dental procedure done. He will be on pain relief, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics until fully healed. We wish him the best at home recovering, and will see him soon for a post-operative check! ❤

27/05/2024

Meet Bertha (left) and Miss Cracker (right)! Two gorgeously well kept ladies who visited Anna for hormone implants. The purpose of the implant is to prevent the egg laying process and is used for hens who struggle with a condition known as 'egg yolk peritonitis (EYP)'. To keep it simple, EYP is when a developing egg does not reach the end stage of development and the yolk quite literally leaks into the abdomen, thus creating an internal infection. Unfortunately, this problem regularly reoccurs for that particular laying hen and can be fatal if left untreated. The implant is effective for around 4-6 months but can vary case by case.
These two rescued battery hens will now be far more comfortable and can enjoy some egg-free months, filled with love and treats from their dedicated owner!

Does your chicken have EYP? Look out for classic symptoms such as a penguin waddle as they move around, they may also be off their food but some hens will continue to eat and seem quite bright. Examine your hens regularly, check for an enlarged abdomen - it will feel quite full and fluid-like, almost like a water balloon, around their back end and between their legs. If you are at all concerned then please call us to arrange a consultation.

24/05/2024

Here we have Watson, a handsome Pointer being anaesthetised for his dental procedure by vet Anna. Watson certainly puts the 'gentle' in gentleman, and was the perfect patient during his stay with us!
We couldn't resist taking a photo of him here ❤
Watson didn't need any extractions, instead he had all of his teeth charted, scaled and polished to keep them healthy for hopefully many more years to come. It is important to maintain good dental hygiene and by acting on it earlier means the level of dental disease is greatly reduced, thus also reducing the risk or amount of extractions later on in life. We will be seeing Watson back for a post-operative check as he also had a small mass removed from his mouth. We looking forward to seeing him again and wish him a comfortable recovery!

13/05/2024

Everyone, meet Luna! Luna is a stunning 10 month old Maine C**n who visited nurse Izzy on Friday for a "pre-neuter check". Izzy ensured that she was fit to have surgery by firstly checking her weight and body condition, confirming whether or not Luna has been or currently in heat and ensuring that overall Luna is a healthy surgical candidate. During this appointment Luna explored the room and found the chase toy so there was no way we weren't going to let her have a play! She was very confident and, I'm sure we can all agree, rather photogenic! 📸
We look forward to seeing Luna again very soon for her surgery!

10/05/2024

This little cutie pie is Tilli! She is a 1&1/2 year old Jack Russell Terrier who recently visited nurse Izzy to have her nails trimmed. As you can see, she was a very happy lady, posing beautifully for her photo and of course got lots of treats for her good manners! Tilli is part of our Pet Health club so has nail trims included in the plan!

08/05/2024

Baby cuteness alert ❤
This little fluffball is Moon, a sweet little baby who visited Anna recently after her owner noticed she seemed a little lethargic and separating herself from the other chicks. Anna checked Moon over and took a full history from her owner. Anna then created a home care plan for the owner to follow, which included some medications, specific feeding instructions and lots of TLC. We hope that little Moon perks up soon!
If you have a chicken, little or large, who is in need of some help then please call us for further advice or to book an appointment.

07/05/2024

Here we have Millie, a beautiful rescue dog from Yappy Ever After who now has a loving home with her new family! Millie recently visited us to be spayed and we cannot express how good she was all day - she was a super star ✨
She was so relaxed during her admit appointment that she even fell asleep! We understand it's hard when your pet doesn't know why they're at the vets and what's happening so we always strive to do our best to make them feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible. Millie did very well during her procedure and went home the same day. We hope she makes a quick recovery and look forward to seeing her again very soon for her post-operative check!

06/05/2024

Happy Birthday Monty, you golden oldie! 🥳 Monty turns 16 this month, which is an outstanding age for his breed! He is one of our regular visitors here at Alfreton as he receives a monthly injection with the nurse to help with his arthritis, along with regular medication check-ups with the vet. Monty is a charming gentleman, always on his best behaviour and LOVES a treat - he's particularly partial to a bit of liver paste! We wish Monty and his family the best birthday, and expect that he will be rather spoiled, quite rightly!

03/05/2024

This gorgeous pair is Guinness (left) and Eve (right). Eve came in for moral support for Guinness who is currently in training due to some reactivity to new environments and people. He is a stunning 8 month old German Shepherd. Guinness is a loving, affectionate boy who just needs some extra reassurance when meeting strangers and visiting new places, so he was partnered up with his other family member, Eve, to help him during his New Pet Check! He did very well in the end, he explored the waiting room, took treats off nurse Izzy and relaxed by the end of his socialisation visit! His owner was happy with his progress and continues to do a great job in desensitising him! We hope to see Guinness and Eve again soon!

Here at Alfreton we really encourage owners to pop by for social visits, even if it's just a quick hello with our friendly CCAs in reception. We strive to make any visit to us as stress free and positive for all pets! If you would like to book in for a desensitisation appointment with nurse Izzy then please call us and we will happily do so!

02/05/2024

This terrific trio, Darcy (left), Amber (middle) and Maisie (right) visited us recently to see nurse Izzy to complete their Kennel Cough vaccination course - the injectable version as opposed to the intra-nasal vaccine. All three ladies were the prefect patients and handled their injections very well! Of course a photo was needed, because how could we not?! ❤
The injectable Kennel Cough vaccination is great for:
- Brachycephalic breeds, such as the Bulldog, Shih Tzu and Pekinese where intranasal is not possible or difficult due to their small nostrils.
- Nervous or aggressive dogs who don't do well with the intranasal version.
- Owners who are immune compromised - the intranasal version can potentially transfer to people given that it is a liquid that is administered into the pet's nostrils, so can be sneezed out. There is no risk of this with the injectable version and is licenced as safe to use around immune compromised people.

We routinely stock the injectable Kennel Cough here at Alfreton, therefore if you are interested in this then please call us so we can give further advice or to book you an appointment 😄

15/04/2024

Meet Valerie! Not only does she have a fabulous name but a fabulous personality to match! Valerie recently visited us for her booster vaccination - yes, vaccinations for a ferret, who'd have thought! We do in fact recommend vaccinations for not only dogs, cats and rabbits but for ferrets too! Like dogs, ferrets can contract distemper, which is transmitted most commonly through respiratory secretions, but can also be transmitted via other bodily fluids such as urine, faeces and vomit. Most ferrets have access to the outdoor world, therefore there are at some risk of contracting the disease.

Valerie received her vaccination with no argument as she was happily distracted by a healthy dose of peanut butter! She also received a full health check, and we are pleased to say she is a picture of health!

If you would like further information on vaccinations for your ferret, or would like to book an appointment, then please call us on 01773 304900 😄

12/04/2024

This adventurous duo is Aelfred and Bellatrix! They are brother and sister, if you can't already tell (we struggled to tell them apart!) who came to us for a full check up, vaccinations and parasite control - their owner set them up on the Pet Health Club so received all of this on the plan! This was their first visit to us and we are very happy to welcome them to the Alfreton family! They were both rather inquisitive, exploring the room and particularly enjoyed the radiator bed. We shall see them back soon for their second vaccinations. What a gorgeous pair! 🐈‍⬛🖤

26/03/2024

💔 We sadly had to say goodbye to a dear pet, Nessa, owned by our wonderful VCA Alysia. Nessa had polycystic ovaries and needed to be spayed in order to remove the problem, however during the operation it was clear that more was going on than initially anticipated and poor Nessa had uterine tumours as well as cysts on her ovaries. As hard as we tried, little Nessa just couldn't pull through on recovery after the surgery and sadly passed away. It was a very hard for all involved, but particularly for Alysia who had a very strong bond with her Nessa. Alysia wanted us to bring awareness to guinea pig owners of polycystic ovaries and uterine tumours as this is extremely common and very likely for females to develop in life, if they are not spayed. Various studies have shown that around 76% of females will develop ovarian cysts between the age of 2-5 years, although they can develop this even earlier in some cases, and there is also evidence to show that almost 100% of entire females will develop this condition in older age! Therefore, it is strongly recommended to have your female guinea pig spayed from 3 months of age. Nessa came to Alysia as an adult from a previous home, which is why she had not yet been spayed. We could not get a photo of the ovarian cyst as it was so large and friable that it burst with the slightest of pressure when exposed. However, you can see the abnormality in her uterus in the photo, compared to that of a normal uterus.

As a team we take any loss very hard, and both Izzy and Anna had never lost a patient from surgery/recovery in their combined experience of almost 30 years! We again pass on our deepest sympathies to Alysia and feel that at the very least we have been able to educate other guinea pig owners on this condition. ❤

25/03/2024

Welcome to the family!! ❤ We would like to introduce two new members to the Alfreton team - Dotty, the Jack Russell Terrier (owned by CCA Wendy) and Lolly, the Whippet (owned by nurse Izzy). These two are similar in age, who have both now received their full vaccination course and will become wonderful friends, we are sure!

22/03/2024

This little queen is Lila! Lila came in yesterday to have her weight checked for her routine parasite control and also to have her sharp claws trimmed down a little. As you can see, she was extremely confident during her visit and took it upon herself to find the best view of the room! She was very well behaved and was a joy to have in! 😺
We are are an ISFM silver-award cat friendly clinic here at Alfreton, and take great pride in this! It always makes us very happy to see cats feeling so relaxed and happy when with us. You can see that Lila's body posture is loose, her ear position is nice and relaxed and her tail is being held in the classic "question mark" position which indicates that she is calm, not distressed. Lila's pupils aren't dilated and her facial expression is soft!
Cats express their emotions in many ways, and some of which can be very subtle, such as pupil dilation - some people may not even notice this, let alone be aware that is can be a sign of stress/anxiety. It's our job as cat owner and professionals to see and acknowledge these visuals and then act accordingly.
If you want any further information about our cat-friendly approach then feel free to chat to one of us here at Alfreton on 01773 304900! 😀

20/02/2024

♥️ National Love Your Pet Day ♥️

Today is National Love Your Pet Day and at Scarsdale Vets we love, not only our pets, but your pets too! And, just like you, we don't limit this to just one day of the year but every day.

However, we're not going to turn down an excuse to give our loved pets an extra squeeze, or treat, or maybe just a few extra minutes of play time today!

So here is a picture (you may recognise) of us with our pets and yours. We used this to celebrate our one year re-opening and it has so many moments and faces we love in it, we're using it again!

We would love to know what are your plans or ideas are to show your pet just how loved they are today.

16/02/2024

😺This little beauty is Luna, a 6 month old British Short Hair, who was recently spayed here at Alfreton. Luna's surgery went very well and she was a dream all day for our clinical staff! She ate as soon as she was able to do so and enjoyed the safety and comfort of the hide provided, so much so that she would purr and headbutt us for fuss but always stayed at least half way inside the hide! It's so important to keep our patients as stress-free and as happy as possible. It really brings a smile to our faces when we can see that they are relaxed!
As you can see, Luna styled (very well I might add!) one of our pet medical shirts that we offer to patients post surgery to prevent wound interference. These are a great alternative to the standard Elizabethan collar (also known as the cone of shame!) as they are far better tolerated by pets.
We shall see Luna soon for a post-operative check to ensure she has healed well with no complications and can give her the all clear!
I think we can agree Luna is rather gorgeous! ❤

If you are looking to have your cat or dog spayed/neutered and would like further information or to book an appointment then please call us on 01773 304900. We would love to hear from you and help wherever possible. We strive for a fear-free experience for both pet and owner so if you are at all worried about the process don't hesitate to ask us as many questions as you wish regarding our fear-free approach!

09/02/2024

It was vaccination day for Trevor! 💉🩺 Trevor is a gorgeous Jack Russell Terrier, who has filled a big hole in his owner's heart after they unfortunately lost their 18 year old West Highland Terrier. He is an extremely happy and loving boy and is clearly very well loved. Trevor was excited to come into the practice today and even showed off his carrying service skills by holding his own vaccination card! His owners have informed us that he loves a trip to the pub and he will even take the money to the barman on his owner's behalf! What a gentleman!

Trevor had a full health check whilst here, along with flea and worm treatment to go home with, all included on his Pet Health Club plan. He was a very good boy and is always a pleasure to see! We love you Trevor ❤

26/01/2024

Happy Friday everyone! 😺 We recently had the pleasure of meeting handsome boys Merlin and Klaus (father of Merlin). Merlin came in for castration and his owner also brought in Klaus,, at the time of collecting Merlin, for a weight and microchip check. It's safe to say that both boys were extremely relaxed here and made themselves at home in Izzy's consult room! They both enjoyed lots of fuss and Klaus proudly claimed the chair as his throne! Both Merlin and Klaus are very healthy, microchipped and castrated!

We look forward to seeing Merlin back for his post-operative check to ensure that he has healed well after his procedure. ❤🩺

17/01/2024

Meet some of our lovely feline patients from our recent Friday "Cat Clinic" morning! Here we have:
😺 Duke - A rather handsome Ragdoll who came in for his vaccinations! Duke is in fact moving to New Zealand very soon and has also been in recently for a blood sample and rabies vaccination in preparation for the move!
😺 Robin - A lovely ginger and white domestic short hair, owned by one of our fabulous CCA's, Wendy. Robin came in for his first vaccination, microchip and health check. He was a very good boy for all of this!
😺 Blue - A gorgeous white domestic short hair with beautiful big blue eyes who came in for a recheck of two wounds. He is doing very well and we hope he fully heals very soon!
😺 Luigi - A beautiful Maine C**n kitten, named by the kids of the household (we love her name!) who came for her first vet visit with us here at Alfreton! She received a "New Pet Check", joined the Pet Health Club and went home with flea and worm treatment!

Our cat clinic mornings are held each Friday from 8:30am - 11:00am. These are opportunistic slots for any cat who are fearful of the general noise and smells of the vets due to the mix of species. Cat clinics are quiet, calm and dog-free!! We have classical music playing in the consultation rooms, calming spay on soft bedding, hides available and also a litter tray for them to freely use if they wish during their appointment! Unless it is an emergency, no dogs are allowed in the building so if you own a dog and wanted to pop by for a non-urgent visit then we kindly ask that you either wait outside or come after 11:30am.

If you are interested in a cat clinic only appointment slot and would like to book in then please call us on 01773 304900. 😀

12/01/2024

You might remember two rather fluffy bear cubs, Harley and Herman, who visited us when they were puppies... Well, look at them now! These boys are all grown up and just look how handsome they are! We can't believe they are now already over a year old! They both came in for a Pet Health Club nurse check-up with Izzy, where they received an overall visual check, weight and body condition check and a discussion on their general health and behaviour to ensure their family are happy with the boys. It's safe to say that both lads got the all clear and were extremely well mannered during their appointment. They were a joy to have in! 😀

08/01/2024

05/01/2024

This handsome boy is Moose! Moose is owned by our nurse, Izzy, and he came in recently for a dental procedure. He is an 8 and a half year old Toy Poodle and has had a dental previously when he was around 4 years old, for just a clean up! This time, however, Moose required extractions as well as a scale and polish. From just looking at his teeth they may not seem too bad to most people but dental disease can cause some painful problems that can't always been seen by just a visual check. Once under anaesthetic, the calculus was cracked off the teeth and each tooth was examined. In Moose's case, there were some incisors that were wobbly with large periodontal pocketing (which is a space between the tooth and the gum line that should be no deeper ideally than a few millimetres), therefore they needed to be removed.

It is so important to keep on top of your pet's dental health as not only can it often cause discomfort and pain if left untreated but it can also lead to other issues such as a build up of bacteria in the blood stream, behavioural changes if they are painful and can limit or stop them from eating normally.

If you are ever unsure about your pet's dental health and want an opinion or advice then you can book in for a FREE dental check with a nurse 😀

21/12/2023

Today we had the joy of welcoming Tom and Jerry to the Scarsdale Alfreton family! This adorable duo came in for their vaccinations and a full health check. They were signed up to the Pet Health Club, walked away with 4 weeks free insurance and a full bill of health! We look forward to seeing them again in 4 weeks time where we will complete their puppy vaccination course, re-weigh and dispense some parasite control! What fluffy cuties!! 🖤🤍

15/12/2023

🦆 Here we have Martha! Martha came to us after her owners noticed she was lame, often dragging her leg. They did the right thing by having Martha checked over by our lovely Anna, who regularly sees chickens and ducks! After a full examination to confirm no obvious fractures, foot infections or other physical abnormalities that could be causing the pain, Anna was suspicious that Martha may have arthritis! Yes, just like dogs and cats, ducks can in fact develop arthritis particularly when they are a heavier set breed like Martha! It is important to check your feathered friends for signs of arthritis such as lameness, stiffness or a reluctance to move as they might usually do so.
"What else can cause lameness?" you may ask! Lameness can be caused by a multitude of problems, here are some examples:
- Internal parasites (it is important to de-worm your poultry)
- A lack of vitamin B
- Bumble foot (or other foot infections)
- Joint inflammation or infection
- Mouldy food carrying mycotoxins
Martha was a lovely, well handled girl who was very well behaved for her appointment! By being so tame it really helped with keeping her stress levels down! Her owners were happy to medicate at home, therefore Anna prescribed some anti-inflammatories and pain relief to ease her discomfort.

FUN FACT: The patchy green discolouration that can develop on a duck's bill (as seen with Martha) can be completely normal. This is often caused by their diet over time and should not be of any concern, however if you notice any irritation, unusual discolouration, raised areas of the bill or other abnormalities then please contact us to arrange a consultation with Anna. 🦆

If you would like any help with husbandry or general care for your chickens or ducks, please feel free to get in touch and we will happily help! 😀 You can call us on 01773 304900.

01/12/2023

Here we have Ralph! A gorgeous little Dachshund puppy who visited us for his second vaccination. Ralph had never been to us before so this was his first visit to meet the team! He was given the room to explore, a puppy pad to use (which he did and looked very proud of himself!) along with lots of fuss and some treats! Ralph's owners signed him up to the Pet Health Club so he could receive the rest of his vaccines through this plan. He also received flea and worm treatment to go home with! Ralph was a very confident, happy little soul who loved to have a cuddle! We look forward to seeing Ralph again soon! ❤