Vets4Pets Blackwood

08/09/2024

To register with us, please call our reception team on 01495 233060 or Message us on 07380317700. We look forward to speaking to you.

07/09/2024

Is your pet part of the monthly care plan?

This helps spread the cost for routine health care such as vaccines, parasite treatment and you also get additional consultations with the vets & nurses.

Pop us a message on what's app for more info ( 07380317700 ) or call into reception any week day before 6pm.

04/09/2024

03/09/2024

Here at Vets4Pets Blackwood we have been lucky enough to care for all types of pets including :-

Bearded dragons, Birds of prey, Boa Constrictors, Budgies, Carpet snakes, Chameleons, Chickens, Chipmunks, Cockatiels, Corn Snakes, Degus, Ducks, Ferrets, Finches, Foxes, Geckos, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Hedgehogs, Hognose Snake, Iguanas, King Snakes, Marmoset monkey, Milk Snakes, Monitor lizards, Parrots, Peacocks, Pythons, Rabbits, Rats, Skunks, Snakes, Spiders, Sugar gliders, Terrapins and Tortoises to name but a few.

At the practice, we have vivariums, bird perches and small animal carriers to look after all your exotic pets should any of them ever need to come in to see us.

17/08/2024

Today is Black Cat Awareness Day! We're excited to share some delightful pictures of our team's chosen black cats. You'll see they're not as unlucky as the myths suggest!

14/08/2024

14/08/2024

Come and join our next river clean session in Blackwood next Friday 23rd August at 10am. 🌊🌿
You don't need any equipment or previous experience to take part. Our friendly team will supply gloves, litter pickers and bags to collect the litter from near and in the river.
You just have you bring yourself!

You'll get the opportunity to do some kick sampling to understand the biodiversity in our rivers and help keep our rivers clean.

It doesn't matter if you don't know anyone, lots of people come alone to our river clean ups and have a great time!

Use What3Words to help you find the group on the day.

14/08/2024

It’s World Lizard Day, so gently bask in the sun, and let’s warm up to find out more about these fascinating creatures!

14/08/2024

🌳🐾 Share Your Pet's Cool & Shady Moments! 🐾🌳

Does your pet love cooling off in the shade or with a splash of water? We want to see it! Whether it's your cat relaxing under a tree, your dog cooling off in the sea or your guinea pig stretched out in the shade, share those 'cool' filled moments with us.

📸 How to Participate:

SNAP - a photo of your pet cooling off.
POST - your pictures on facebook using the hashtag
TELL US - how you help to keep your pet(s) cool in summer.
TAG US - at 'Vets4pets Blackwood' to be featured on our page!
LIKE - Help us choose a winning picture by 'liking' posted pictures

💚 Why Join?
Your pet could be our next star! We will pick the favourite picture and they will be our featured pet for the rest of August.
🌿 Don’t Wait! This summer challenge is fleeting. Show us how your pet stays cool today!

Looking for some tips on how to keep your dogs cool in the heat? Here’s some great advice from the national RSPCA: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/seasonal/summer/dogs  

13/08/2024

If you have messaged us via what's app or sent us an email please bear with us 🙏🏼

It's been extremely busy here both today & yesterday, but we are getting through these messages as quickly as we can.

If you have an urgent query, such as your pet is very unwell then please call us.

13/08/2024

13/08/2024

Ex-military dogs Fazz and Marion are two of the dogs who have been supported by charity Hero Paws – a finalist in the running for the Soldiering On Awards Animal Partnership Award, which is sponsored by Pets at Home.

Hero Paws was founded by former military dog handlers Jaime, Sam and Amber who realised that there was no aftercare or funding available for four-legged heroes when transitioning from military service to home environments. Hero paws - Life AFTER service now provides training and financial support to retired service dogs like Fazz and Marion, pictured. Marion is a failed military police dog who found his new home in 2017, while ex-UK special forces military working dog Fazz moved in with Jaime after his retirement in 2018.

Jaime, who currently has five retired dogs and counting, said: “We support in all areas; it may be financial aid for anything like veterinary, welfare or nutrition, it could just be support and training advice from any of our veterinary team, or it could be a dog that needs rehoming. The most rewarding part of it all is seeing the dogs thrive and seeing them transition into healthy, happy, retired veterans.”

Voting is open until 26th August. You can find out about all three finalists and cast your votes here: https://bit.ly/3SbDYv4

13/08/2024

Abigail, pictured here with assistance dog Aisha, says that a grant awarded to Autism Dogs Charity by the Pets Foundation has allowed them to help 25 more families this year.

Autism Dogs Charity is dedicated to supporting autistic people and their families by providing them with specially trained assistance dogs. The dogs are trained to perform personalised tasks to help their handlers cope with challenges, reduce anxiety and maintain a healthy, happy lifestyle. They say that thanks to a £25,000 grant from Pets Foundation, they can now cover veterinary costs for 25 autism assistance dogs during their critical initial assessment period, meaning more autistic individuals like Abigail can receive support.

Abigail, who became a beneficiary of Autism Dogs Charity in 2017 and has since become its general manager, said: “Having an assistance dog is a large financial investment, but the Pets Foundation funding has made our programme even more accessible without sacrificing quality. It’s really helped us with our mission of helping as many autistic people as possible. Aisha is my second assistance dog, and she's not just my helper - she’s my best friend.”

13/08/2024

Join us in supporting local pets in need, by purchasing one of our food parcels from your nearest pet care centre.

Every parcel purchased goes to a nearby food bank, which supports people and pets when they need it most.

Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/3WoViOG

13/08/2024

Eight-week-old kitten Gomez made an emergency visit to Vets4Pets Blackwood after injuring her leg while showing off her climbing skills on her owners’ curtains.

Owner Jessica had turned her back for a moment when she heard her new kitten howl. She said: “Gomez was climbing down my curtains when she must have slipped. She missed the sofa and went through a tiny gap between that and the windowsill. I instantly knew something was wrong because of the noise she was making.”

Jessica rushed Gomez to the practice where the team quickly x-rayed and bandaged her up. Head nurse Elaine, who looked after Gomez, said: “We couldn’t see an obvious fracture on the x-ray, but we did see that part of Gomez’s leg had become displaced. We put a Robert Jones bandage on Gomez which helps to hold the limb in place to encourage it to heal. Gomez is a very curious little girl, but hopefully she’ll be more careful in future.”

Jessica, who has been busy kitten-proofing her house, said: “I felt helpless seeing Gomez like that, but everyone at Vets for Pets calmed me right down. I just want to say thank you to them, not just for Gomez but for how they treated me too. Gomez is amazing now, although still trying to climb things she shouldn’t.”

07/08/2024

If you have a cat that you let outdoors, there is a high chance that they may wander a little further than planned, especially if un-neutered.

If you're worried that your cat may be missing, here are some tips on how you can help get them home.

06/08/2024

FOUND CAT

Sadly we have had a member of the public bring in a black entire (not castrated) male adult cat brought into us, unfortunately deceased, no microchip. found behind cambrian street in Deri. Please contact the practice on 01495 233060 if you think this little one could be yours.

02/08/2024

Did you know that for just £3 we can deliver your pets Flea & Wormer to your door 🪳🪱

Just drop us a message via What's app or send us an email & this can be arranged.

(As long as your pet has been seen by a vet within the last 12 months & we have an up to date weight)

31/07/2024

Our wildlife are struggling in this hot weather 🥵 Please leave a little dish of fresh water out for them, even during the night 💦

30/07/2024

25/02/2024

When Kelly from our Colton store's Pets Grooming salon discovered a lump on the tail of nine-year-old Rufus she suspected something wasn't right, so alerted his owners Les and Andrea so they could get it checked out. They brought him to Vets for Pets Leeds Colton where it was confirmed he had a cancerous tumour which needed surgery.

Les, who adopted Rufus from Dogs Trust in Leeds as a puppy, said: “Rufus is such a big part of our life; we’re absolutely besotted with him. We probably wouldn’t have noticed the lump if not at the groomers as the tail isn’t somewhere you would usually stroke and feel. Kelly loves Rufus and really looks after him, so we want to say a big thanks for spotting it. Who'd have known what would have happened if she hadn’t noticed.”

Rufus had to have his tail removed, but is now making a good recovery. He's been visiting Kelly for a groom every six weeks for the last three years. She said: “You get to know everything about a dog as you groom them. I’ve discovered similar things before on other dogs so I mentioned it to the owners so they could get it checked out. Dogs are my life and you do worry; I’m so pleased they caught it. Now he’s got a fully docked tail like a little bunny rabbit. It’s lovely and suits him – when he gets washed he wiggles his bum.”

21/02/2024

Arthur's owner Louise says he "looked like a brand-new tortoise" after having his beak filed at Sutton in Ashfield Vets4Pets.

Louise adopted the four-year-old Horsefield Tortoise from a family member in October. Although she has had other pets, Arthur is her first tortoise, so she has been doing some research on how to best care for him.

Louise said: "I noticed Arthur's beak was unusually long, so I brought him in to Vets for Pets; I bring all my pets there. When he came out, I thought 'you beautiful boy, look at you – you look so handsome!"

Vet Steph, who looked after Arthur, says that tortoise beaks continuously grow and normally grind down themselves while they're eating. She said: "Arthur needed a little help as his jaw isn't perfectly aligned; his lower jaw is further out than his top jaw, so I filed it around half a centimetre. He was really good; a real cutie."

18/02/2024

Owner Claire says she couldn't be more grateful to Vets4Pets Hamilton after their quick diagnosis saved the sight of six-year-old Alba.

Claire knew there was something terribly wrong with her miniature dachshund cross when she called her in from the back garden last summer and Alba ran headfirst into a closed patio door. She rushed her to the vets, where investigations led the team to diagnose her with uveitis – an eye condition which causes inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.

Claire said: "It all happened so suddenly; Alba must have heard my voice and guessed where to go. It was quite scary seeing how bad she was. We couldn't be more grateful for the team in Hamilton spotting the uveitis as quickly as they did, otherwise Alba would have gone blind within a matter of days. Their knowledge saved Alba's sight. I still can't believe it happened. It's taken months of treatments, but it's such a relief to have our girl back to being her funny, bossy self."

Vet Neil, one of the team who treated Alba, said: "Alba's pupil was really narrow and wouldn't respond to light properly, which can be a sign of uveitis. Once we had ruled out other conditions, we were able to get her to an eye specialist for ongoing treatment. She's now doing really well."

16/02/2024

Ducky's owner Antonia was in a state of panic when she saw a fox had dug its way into the field where she keeps him – killing two of her other ducks and chickens.

Antonia was about to move her brood into their pen for the evening when she saw what had happened and noticed that Ducky had severe bite wounds under his wing. She rushed him to Vets4Pets Vets Milton Keynes for emergency surgery – and after having his wound stitched up the one-year-old duck is now making a good recovery.

Antonia said: "I was so worried. You don’t often hear of ducks recovering from fox attacks, but there is something about Ducky and the way he was so brave. I'm sure he was protecting a lady duck, as he's a bit of a romantic. It's the first time we've gone to Vets for Pets, and the team were amazing; they've done an incredible job."

Vet Becca, who treated Ducky, said: "He's a really lucky duck, as it was quite a big wound. When he first came in, he was understandably subdued and quiet but when he came back for his stitches to be taken out, he wanted to explore and tuck his head into everyone’s shoulders."

07/02/2024

Well done to the team at Vets4Pets Guildford who've been awarded a silver level certificate for being a rabbit-friendly clinic.

After head veterinary nurse Ella noticed that more customers were bringing in rabbits the practice took a series of steps to give them as stress-free an experience as possible. Ella, who also fosters rescue dogs in her spare time, said: "There was a long list of things that we needed to prove that we did from making sure the rabbits are kept separate from other animals and not booked in at the same time as barking dogs, to providing heated kennels for those who need to stay in, and using special equipment made especially for rabbits."

Practice manager Kevin said: "All of our vets have plenty of experience with rabbits we have some real rabbit geeks here, so it was a big thing to us. There are so many good people in this world and I'm so proud to be around them."

28/01/2024

Beautiful Bear was born deaf, so he's learned to follow his owner Lisa's visual commands.

Lisa, who shops at our Tamworth store – "it's my second home!" – got two-year-old Bear as a kitten and suspected he was deaf when he didn't respond to her voice. She had it confirmed by her vet soon after. She said: "He was very scatty, and scared of people he didn’t recognise. He wasn’t bothered by loud noises like my other cat Emily and when I came home from work he wouldn’t hear the door open.

"He's doing really well though. I try to do some sign language with him – I point at him and do a solid hand sign at him to stop. He picks up on vibrations and scents too. He meows, making a really loud chirping sound which I’ve never heard a cat do before, and he’s always rubbing his head against my legs and following me everywhere. I was advised not to let him out because he wouldn’t hear cars or other dangers, so he comes outside with me every morning to have a sniff around the garden and always comes straight back in." Bear and Lisa's other cat Emily are on Instagram as

27/01/2024

Ten-year-old Dutch rabbit Alfie has been visiting vet Kate at Vets4pets Wolverhampton for dental treatment for the last eight years – and she says he's such a loveable character that he's become "part of the family".

He's one of the oldest rabbits treated by Kate and the team, and she says his longevity is down to the care and love he gets from his owner Tracy and her family. Kate said: "Alfie is famous in this practice – everyone knows him. We and his family are dedicated to making sure her little old man is happy. The beautiful thing about being a vet or vet nurse is you build these relationships with the owners and their pets – they become your surrogate pets."

Tracy's been keeping rabbits all her life, and says that having space and routine is key. She said: "Alfie is an old man now and has a routine. He goes into a hutch at night and is let out in the morning. He's out all day and has his favourite spots in the house. We clean him out every day and give him a lot of attention. When he was younger he would follow us around; if I was clearing a cupboard out he would be in the cupboard to help. Now he's old and wants to be warm and watch instead. I can't thank Kate and the practice enough. Kate's been fantastic with him."

26/01/2024

Eight-year-old Winnie the Schnauzer cross is running around like a puppy again thanks to laser treatment and physiotherapy after two successful knee operations at Vets for Pets Basildon.

Worried owner Tracy brought Winnie in to the practice after she collapsed on a walk last year – and the team discovered the cruciate ligament in a knee had ruptured. She’s since had ops on two knees and is on a recovery plan led by vet physiotherapist Izzy.

Tracy said: "Winnie has had a tough year with 15 teeth removed, two cruciate ligament operations and two bouts of pancreatitis but thankfully she's hardy. She’s treated fabulously at the Basildon practice. Izzy is great with her – she totally relaxes in her hands and does little snores with her eyes open. Winnie has a new lease of life again and is running around like a puppy."

Izzy said: "When pets have surgery or injure themselves they move differently which causes them to be sore in other places. Winnie has laser therapy then a massage to help the healing process. Laser treatment is a specialist service that not enough people know about – it can help in so many ways after an operation.”

18/01/2024

Veterinary nurse Mel from Vets4Pets Bristol Longwell Green loves cats so much she's helped the practice make a number of improvements to give cats as stress-free an experience as possible when they're brought in.

Mel, who has an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour for Veterinary Professionals, helped introduce facilities like a separate feline waiting area and cattery and the use of quiet clippers – and the practice now has a silver level certificate for being a cat-friendly clinic. She said: "I love dogs but I'm really a cat person. Cats can be misunderstood which can lead to them having quite a stressful life, so if we can make things easier for them and help people understand what cats need then everyone will be happier.

"As animal lovers there's always more to learn and understand about what makes them happy. Enrichment at the home is important for a happy cat – and as cats are naturally solitary animals if you live in a multi-cat household it's important to understand what they need. The rule is to have a resource per cat, plus one spare. So if you have two cats you should have three feeding stations, three litter trays and three scratch posts spread around the house so they have the opportunity to move around to wherever they want to go. Scratching is as natural a thing for cats to do as going out hunting is, so if they're unable to go out it's about providing the chance for them to behave as naturally as possible."

07/01/2024

Four-year-old Sebastian the Jack Russell is back to his usual boisterous self after being treated at Vets4Pets Abingdon for a condition that was causing the knee caps on his back legs to dislocate when he walked.

The condition, known as medial patellar luxation, would cause him to hop or skip when exercising. It's quite common in terriers and small dog breeds, but Sebastian's case was quite severe and he was given surgery by orthopaedic surgeon Joe to deepen the groove his patella runs in on his right hind leg, and also to move and reattach his patellar tendon.

Sebastian is owned by practice vet Hannah who said: "After the operation he just wanted to get back to normal straight away but he couldn't ... and that's where we struggled. He wanted to be out and about, charging around and playing with his toys but he needed to rest." Hannah had to give him medication for six weeks to give his knees time to heal. She said: "He's absolutely fine now – he's fully recovered and running around like a lunatic again!"

05/01/2024

When 11-year-old lurcher Jess was brought into Vets for Pets Leeds Birstall 24/7 Small Animal Hospital on Christmas Eve feeling very poorly with pyometra – a life-threatening uterus infection – the team knew they had to act fast; so vet Emily and nurses JD and Hannah headed straight in to perform emergency surgery on her in the early hours of Christmas morning.

The operation went so well that by lunchtime nurse Krishna was able to call her owner Beth to say she was well enough to come home to recuperate – and Beth made the hour-long drive from her home in Keighley so she could bring Jess home before the family sat down for their Christmas dinner. Beth said: "It was a stressful start to Christmas, as we were worried about Jess because of her age and because she's never had anything wrong with her before. We're so grateful for everything – it was so nice of them to come in on Christmas Day to operate on her, to look after her so well and to get her home on top form. The vets were fantastic from start to finish. Jess is recovering nicely – you can see the happiness is back in her!"

Krishna said: "Our night team always do an amazing job, and performing serious surgery like that at that time of night and on Christmas Day of all days is just brilliant. Jess did amazingly well to bounce back so quickly, and it was amazing being able to call her owners to say that she could come home to spend Christmas with them. It's the sort of call we all love to make, but doing it on Christmas Day was extra nice."

03/01/2024

Six-foot-long boa constrictor Astrix was the centre of attention when he called in for a routine "top to tail" health check at Vets4Pets Penzance.

Astrix, who's four, is part of a menagerie of six snakes, bearded dragons and six dogs belonging to veterinary nurse Lowenna, who works at the practice, and her partner Mark. The team looked at Astrix's eyes and mouth and checked his breathing to rule out any respiratory infections and also checked his scales.

Lowenna said: "He got a clean bill of health, he was absolutely fine and everyone had a turn holding him. Asterix is quite reserved, a little bit shy usually. He did really well when he came in as everyone wanted to touch him and he was like 'okay I quite like the attention.' Astrix has got a lovely big set-up at home. He's quite a big boy, weighing in at nearly 10 kilos, so the vivarium is more than seven foot long. We have a reptile room and he has the run of it. He has a large bucket of water too if he ever wants to submerge himself."

02/01/2024

This brave girl is collie-cross Sherpa, who the team at Vets for Pets Livingston say was "impeccably calm" when she was rushed in for emergency injury after hurting her eye in a freak accident.

Sherpa's owner Caroline was taking Sherpa for a walk when Sherpa caught her eye on a stick as she went exploring a bush. She was quickly admitted into surgery where she received X-rays and, after a two-hour procedure by practice owner Dr Adam, aided by nurse Erin, the stick was removed. Adam said: "Sherpa was amazingly tolerant following an extremely random occurrence. It was astonishing." Sherpa didn't lose her sight and is now making a great recovery.

Caroline said: “We were suddenly thrown into the worst living nightmare, it was absolutely horrifying. It’s truly a miracle what Adam and the team achieved from the moment they answered our call for help. They gave us hope."

24/12/2023

This little Christmas cracker is Molly, who survived against the odds and gave birth to three premature puppies after being brought in to Vets for Pets Cirencester as a pregnant stray with severe injuries from a fight with other dogs.

Martina, who owns the practice, said: ”It was really touch and go and we thought Molly might not make it. The team treated mum first, got her on a drip and stabilised her before successfully managing to deliver the puppies – two boys and a girl – by caesarean section."

Molly, who's a Cairn Terrier, and her three pups are recovering well at home with Martina. “As they needed 24/7 care I took them home and emptied the whole spare bedroom so there was a nice, warm and comfortable quiet place for Molly and her puppies. I was attached to her for the first five days – my husband Matt even brought food up to the bedroom for me as I stayed there all the time. It was really hard work but it was all worth it. They’re absolute darlings and doing really well now – mum is already brave enough to go on dog walks.”

Martina says Molly will continue living with her in the future, and the puppies will be adopted when they are stronger.

19/12/2023

This beautiful buzzard is on the mend after undergoing surgery on a broken wing at Vets4Pets Newmarket after he was hit by a car.

A member of the public rescued the buzzard and brought him in to see if the team could help. After a successful operation and five days of recuperation he's ben taken to The Raptor Foundation rehabilitation centre to continue his recovery.

Practice manager Natalie said: "We put him under general anaesthetic and performed orthopaedic surgery. We'll see him again next month to see how he's progressing and then hopefully he'll be released back into the wild. We wish him a speedy recovery as he's such a handsome chap.”