Mid Sussex Vets

04/01/2024

Let the ultimate debate for pet owners begin: if you had to choose, would you say you’re 🐶 or 😺 ? Tell us in the comments!

03/01/2024

The Petplan Veterinary Awards are back, and their nominations are now open until the 15th of January 2024!

With your vote, you can help us participate in one or several of these categories:

🐾 Practice of the year

🐾 Vet of the year

🐾 Vet nurse of the year

🐾 Practice manager of the year

🐾 Practice support staff of the year

Nominations are open, so don’t forget to vote on 🔗 https://www.petplan.co.uk/about-petplan/vets/awards/

01/01/2024

“For this new year, I will…” is what many of us are saying during January, so we would like to suggest some resolutions that include your pets:

🐈 I will schedule all of their vital preventative care, such as annual vaccines, regular parasite treatments and vet check-ups

🐕 I will see where I can upgrade their living spaces and provide accommodations for my pets with special needs

🐇 I will commit to spending quality time with them and enjoy our special time together!

Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below! 🐾 📅

31/12/2023

Rats should be offered as much stimulation as possible. They are clever little creatures that are often referred to as small dogs! They are clever, friendly and intuitive. One way in which you can give them stimulation is through their diet. 🐀

Rats enjoy pretty much any food, from fruits and vegetables to dried pasta. Show us the buffet that you have prepared for your rats in the comments below. 👇

28/12/2023

How much do you enjoy taking your dog out on a walk? 🐕

Here are our top safety tips!

🐾 Harness + lead always – opt for a harness instead of a collar, which can slip off easily

🐾 Identification – keep a tag with your contacts on their collar, and ensure their microchip information is up to date

🐾 Reflective materials – these are your best allies for low visibility conditions

What else would you add?

22/12/2023

Cats can be very picky when it comes to basic life choices, such as the type of food they like and where they like to drink.

Tell us – was it easy for you to understand your cat’s preferences right away, or did it take a bit of trial and error? 😹

20/12/2023

Christmas is almost here! 🎅 Many owners know that treats with chocolate, raisins or sweeteners can be very dangerous for pets, but how can we make this time special for them as well?

One of the best ways is to take a little time to make some pet treats to spice up the party 🐕🐈. You can make these with simple, everyday ingredients like flour, xylitol-free peanut butter, lean meat, bananas, low-sodium broth or oatmeal.

Share your best homemade pet-friendly treat recipes with us, and don’t forget to include your furry friend’s reviews!

19/12/2023

Who agrees? 🥰

16/12/2023

In the wild, though cats are fantastic predators, they are also prey, which means they need to stay vigilant to stay safe. 👀

Having access to high ground can be extremely helpful to keep an eye on their surroundings, which is why cats are such big fans of high shelves or climbing up the curtains.

Does your cat like to perch themselves on top of furniture? Show us!

13/12/2023

Did you know? Tell us in the comments below!

10/12/2023

Surgery is an essential part of everyday veterinary practice, and it can serve different purposes:

🐾 Disease prevention, such as neutering

🐾 Treatment, such as the removal of a mass

🐾 And even diagnostic, such as an exploratory laparotomy and biopsy

Although surgery carries some risks, some techniques are less invasive than others. This is the case of laparoscopic surgery, also known as keyhole surgery.

With the use of specialised equipment and instruments, surgical procedures can be carried out through small incisions of just a few centimetres.

This makes procedures faster, with anaesthesia times reduced, minimising the overall risks of the procedures.

Healing is also simpler as surgical incisions are very small, allowing for maximum comfort during your pet’s recovery.

If you’d like to find out more about keyhole surgery, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team!

07/12/2023

Have you ever heard a heartbeat? ❤️

When the heart muscle contracts to pump blood, it makes two distinct sounds – one from the contraction of the atriums, which send blood to the ventricles, and the other, of the ventricles, which send blood to the whole body.

This happens over and over again to keep the blood flowing, between 60 and 160 times per minute in dogs! This is what we call the heart rate.

A heart murmur occurs when a different sound join these two regular beats. This sound can be caused by turbulent blood flow due to a heart problem, changes in blood thickness or can have no apparent cause.

A heart murmur is easy to hear on a physical exam using a stethoscope, and then we can determine the precise cause with a special ultrasound exam called an echocardiography. 🩺

Our routine health consultations are the best way to ensure your pet doesn't have a hidden heart problem, so schedule yours today!

05/12/2023

We will be closing at 6.30pm on Wednesday 6th December, Thursday 7th December and Friday 8th December due to the Ditchling Road being closed from 7pm on these days.
Our out of hours provider PETS will be contactable from 6.30pm should you need them in an emergency.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

04/12/2023

Please share to let anyone who might need a listening ear know that you are there.

30/11/2023

Rabbits 🐇, just like cats and dogs, can suffer from severe, often deadly, infectious diseases that can be prevented with vaccines.

Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic disease are two serious problems that are much harder to treat than they are to prevent. Keep your bunnies safe and in excellent health by ensuring they have their vaccines up to date!

27/11/2023

Have you checked to see if your small furries are weather-ready for the coming winter? 🐰🤔

Despite their lush fur, they feel the cold in the same way as dogs or cats. As they live in relatively enclosed spaces, they also do not have any way to escape excessive freezing temperatures, icy rain or strong wind if they're housed outdoors.

Take a look at our checklist below and make sure your bunnies' home is in top shape for the winter:

❄ If you have outdoor hutches, check for any problems with insulation and provide extra bedding for small furries that like to burrow, such as rabbits.

❄ Ensure fresh water is always available and that it gets frozen at no part of the day.

❄ Don't forget to check if the indoor pets' room is also cosy.

What else do you do to prepare for the cold weather? Let us know! 👇

27/11/2023

It's not everyday you get a shopping bag with a puppy in it 💕💕
Winston came for his second vaccine today so hopefully he will be carrying the shopping instead, next time he comes in! 😁

24/11/2023

Tell us your top tips too…

22/11/2023

Did you know our team is constantly learning new skills and seeking further training? 🤔

We are committed to giving you and your pets the best care possible, which means we strive to continuously improve our knowledge and we allocate plenty of hours per year in training sessions, seminars, congresses and other amazing learning opportunities!

16/11/2023

What other animal group names can you think of? 🐾

13/11/2023

Have you spotted or suspect that your pet ate something that might be dangerous? Don’t delay!

Give us a call immediately and we can help you evaluate the situation and decide if you need to bring them in 🐕🐈🐇

12/11/2023

10/11/2023

Earaches aren’t just bothersome,

👉 If your pet has recurrent ear problems (also called otitis), this usually means there’s a larger problem causing it!

Owners of dogs with large, floppy ears will know that these pets are prone to getting infections or excessive inflammation, but cats can also suffer from persistent ear problems, especially due to mites, fungi or allergic disease. Whatever the cause, it’s sure to mean an uncomfortable time for your pet!

It’s important to understand why your pet is suffering from recurrent otitis. Not only are they painful, regardless of cause, but infections can migrate further into the ear, and damage their hearing or even affect neurological functions, like balance or head movement.

If you’re concerned about your pet’s ear and hearing health, we are here for you! Contact us today 🩺

07/11/2023

Older pets are amazing company! There are many advantages to adopting an older dog 🐶 or cat 🐈 such as:
🐾 What you see is what you get, so no surprise growth spurts or significant body changes:
🐾 They are house-trained, usually love taking it easy, and their personality is already fully developed;
🐾 As they are less likely to be adopted, you’d be helping a pet in need and getting a fantastic buddy!

07/11/2023

We will not have access to emails from 4pm today (7th November) until 8am tomorrow morning. If your query is urgent, please call us on 01444 363636. Thanks 😁

06/11/2023

We know the new XL Bully law will be causing worry and
uncertainty to our clients who own them. So, let’s talk…

Q: When does the law come into effect?
A: Breeding, selling, advertising, rehoming, abandoning, and
allowing an XL Bully dog to stray will be illegal from 31st
December 2023.

Q: What else changes after 31st December 2023?
A: Your dog must be muzzled and kept on a lead in public,
microchipped and neutering planned and booked by June or
December 2024 depending on the age of your dog (check
government guidance). You will also need insurance against
them injuring people or property.

Q: What about the February deadline?
A: It will be illegal to own an XL Bully dog if you haven’t
registered them on the Index of Exempted Dogs from 1st
February 2024.

Q: What are the consequences of not abiding by the laws?
A: Owners without a Certificate of Exemption face a criminal
record and an unlimited fine if they are found to be in
possession of an XL Bully type, and their dog could be seized.
If you have any concerns about this, please reach out to the
team.

Please make sure you read the full guidance for owners
from the government here - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prepare-for-the-ban-on-xl-bully-dogs

04/11/2023

First meetings are so important! We want to know how this fateful meeting went 🐾 🧑 Sometimes it’s love at first sight, and sometimes, it might take a couple of times to realise they are your forever pet.

How did it go? Tell us in the comments!

31/10/2023

No matter if you’ve had a pet from day 1, as an older child or even as a grown adult, our first pet always changes our lives!

🐾 Tell us about them in the comments below!

31/10/2023

Happy Halloween 🎃
Do you have any Halloween photos of your pets? We would love to see them 😁

27/10/2023

With Halloween almost here, make sure you keep an eye out for these common pet hazards:

🍫 Don’t forget chocolate and assorted goodies are likely to contain toxic substances to our pets, like xylitol (a common sweetener), caffeine or theobromine

👻 If you’re planning on putting a costume on your pet, make sure that they are happy and it doesn’t hinder their movements, vision, breathing or comfort

🎃 Keep in mind that it can get noisy and busy fast, which your pet might not appreciate, so give them a place where they can hide if they want to

How are you and your furry friends planning on celebrating Halloween this year? Tell us all about it below! 👇

25/10/2023

Let’s talk about going to the pet dentist! 🦷 How often do you bring your pets for a routine dental exam?

Dental and periodontal disease are extremely common in pets! If left untreated, these can:
🐾 Cause a lot of pain,
🐾 Lead to loss of teeth;
🐾 Cause infections to spread to other organs like the heart.

You can avoid this with a good daily tooth cleaning routine, treats that help with tartar build-up, and regular visits to us for a comprehensive oral exam and deep clean.

Worried about your furry friend’s dental health? Don’t hesitate to give us a call! 📲

22/10/2023

A recent law change has introduced mandatory microchipping for cats and owners will have until June 2024 to microchip their cats🐈

We feel this is an amazing step forward for the protection of our beloved feline family members as it helps pets who have been lost or stolen get reunited with their owners.

Is your cat microchipped? If they aren’t yet, or if your contact information is outdated, don’t hesitate to schedule a visit with us!

19/10/2023

Did you know that a lot of pets loving coming to the vet? 🩺 While it can be an understandably stressful time, there are several things you can do to make visits a little better.

Try integrating their crates into everyday life, so they can see it as a place of comfort and not just stress. You can also take them on fun car outings in order to reduce anxiety with travel, letting them arrive at our practice much more comfortably!

What other things would you recommend? Let us know 👇

16/10/2023

If your puppy is from a specific breed, predicting what they will look like as adults is usually simple but for all other owners, this might be a bit of a surprise!

Have you ever been surprised? Show us their before and after photos 🐾

10/10/2023

Bringing in a new furry family member when you already have other pets can be a tricky situation! 🐕 🐈 It’s important to give your pets time to acclimatis e and get to know each other without being in permanent direct contact, for instance, with the help of a fence or seeing each other from different rooms.

Have you introduced new pets to your home? Tell us how it went! 👇

07/10/2023

Many pets love a good challenge and pet food puzzles are a great way to introduce fun mental stimulation, especially to food motivated pets or pets who struggle with eating too fast.

There are a ton of snuffle mats, stuffed toys and puzzle feeders that we are sure your pets will enjoy!

05/10/2023

Fireworks season is fast approaching 🧨, and many pets become highly anxious and distressed by the loud bangs and whizzes.

We often recommend behaviour modification techniques in order to give your furry friends long-term relief, however, these take time to be effective and should be started a few months before fireworks season. Some more immediate options to help your pets cope include putting soothing pheromones around the house or creating a nice den for them to hide in.

If your pet is afraid of fireworks and this is usually a difficult period for them, do not hesitate to give us a call!

05/10/2023

Oscar the goodest of boys came in to collect his prize today ❤️
He is so very handsome!

19/09/2023

Deciding to neuter your pet can be challenging, as many factors influence this decision.

It is important that you base your decision on reliable information, though, so we’re going to debunk some common myths associated with this procedure 👇