Cardiff PDSA Pet Hospital

28/07/2024

It’s National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day! 🐾

Today we celebrate and promote the wonderful bond between humans and animals. There are events running throughout the day so be sure to check out their page.

Our 2024 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report states that 91% of pet owners agree that owning a pet improves their life 💗

We would love to hear what impact an animal has had on your life, let us know in the comments.

[Visual description: Black and brown spaniel, Teddy, on holiday at the seaside with his owner, Paul. They are both happily looking at the camera with the sea, boats and houses in the background.]

21/06/2024

We would just like to thank Mrs Julie Murphy for her wonderful donation to our hospital; Mrs Murphy hosted a fundraising event at her local labour club and managed to raise a staggering amount which she very kindly donated to us.

We as a charity receive no government funding and its costs over £80 million a year to run our 49 Pet hospitals across the country. So fundraising events such as this really do make a difference to how we can treat those pets in need.

If you’d like to read the full story, visit https://www.pdsa.org.uk/press-office/latest-news/fundraising-nan-raises-2-000-for-pdsa-in-memory-of-dog

Or if you’d like to find more information about fundraising yourself please visit our website

A 62-year-old nan from Newport has raised £2,000 for leading vet charity, PDSA, in memory of her dog, who was sadly put to sleep last year.

03/12/2023

Happy 10th birthday to Cardiff Pet Hospital! 🏥🎉

The hospital on Nettlefold Road first opened its doors in 2013, and since then, the devoted team have been a vital lifeline, helping hundreds of thousands of locals and their poorly pets 👏🐾

In 2022 alone, the team saw more than 10,900 pets – that’s an average of 120 pets a day 😲

Student Veterinary Nurse, Mike Connor, said: “The whole team is absolutely delighted to be celebrating 10 wonderful years treating the pets of Cardiff from our site on Nettlefold Road. Working at PDSA is always interesting and rewarding. It’s safe to say no two days are the same! We’ve had everything from dogs swallowing things they shouldn’t to cats involved in road traffic accidents and much, much more. But, our incredible team, who work day in day out to take care of pet patients and clients, are always here no matter what comes through the door.” 🧑‍⚕️❤️‍🩹

Thank you to those that have supported locally to get us here, and all of our amazing team members past and present. Here’s to the next 10 years!

29/11/2023

With the government announcing that the American XL Bully dog breed is to be banned at the end of the year owners will need to comply with the legislation that is currently in place for other breeds. This may include:
-Neutering your dog
-Microchipping your dog
- Muzzling your dog when in public, including whilst it’s in the car
-Having your dog covered by liability insurance.
To find out more about the PDSA’s stance on banning dog breeds, read our official statement on https://www.pdsa.org.uk/our-statements/our-position-on-the-dangerous-dogs-act-1991?alias=dangerousdogsact.

Our position on the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991)

22/11/2023

With the the American XL Bully breed being added to the dangerous dogs list, one of the requirements for owners with the breed is that they will need to be muzzled in public.

Muzzles have a variety of uses not just the negative connotations often associated, these include:
-Helping prevent dogs eating things they shouldn’t
-Helping them prepare for procedures at the vets
-Preventing injuries with a nervous dog.

When choosing a muzzle, it’s important to make sure:
-It fits comfortably and doesn’t come off easily.
-It allows your dog to open their mouth to pant and drink.
-It allows excellent airflow so your dog doesn’t overheat while wearing it.
-It’s made of a durable material that won’t break.

It’s Always introduce a muzzle in a positive way, so your dog is confident and happy wearing it.
Muzzle training should be done at your dog’s pace, in several short sessions over a few weeks.
For more information about muzzles visit our website

Muzzle training should be done at your dog’s pace, in several short sessions over a few weeks.

15/11/2023

With the government introducing the American XL Bully breed to the dangerous dogs list, one of the requirements for owners with the breed is that they will need to be muzzled in public.

It’s important to muzzle-train your dog using rewards to ensure they think of it positively. Don't be tempted to skip training and simply put the muzzle on your dog - this is likely to scare them and make it progressively harder to put it on each time you try.

Introduce the muzzle - Positively introduce the muzzle by placing it on the floor with ‘high value’ (yummy) treats in and around it.
- Give them their meals next to the muzzle for a few days.

Nose in the muzzle - Once your dog is comfortable with the sight of their muzzle (i.e. they don’t react, or react positively to it), start encouraging them to put their nose into it by giving them treats through the gaps.
Start with gaps close to the entrance, then gradually move the treats further into the muzzle until your dog is happy to take one from the end.

Hold the straps - Start holding (but not fastening) the muzzle straps behind your dog’s ears and give them a treat.
Hold them for just a few seconds before gradually building up.
Repeat until your dog is totally comfortable having the straps held behind their ears.
If your dog shakes the muzzle off, don't tell them off. Go back a step, take the training a bit more slowly, and remain patient.

Leave the muzzle on - Fasten the muzzle and give your dog a treat. As soon as they have finished their treat, take the muzzle off.
Repeat this process, gradually increasing how long your dog wears the muzzle for each time.
Try a little walk around the house/garden together with the muzzle on.
Remove it if they seem stressed at any point.

Keep making it a positive experience with regular treats and rewards and keep practising!

For more information on how to muzzle train your pet visit

Muzzle training should be done at your dog’s pace, in several short sessions over a few weeks.

14/11/2023

Today is 💙 Following a period of weight loss, our adorable pet patient, Luna, was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus in May 2022. She's a regular furry face at our Oldbury Pet Hospital for her check-ups and blood tests to make sure that she's staying happy and healthy 🏥🐾

Diabetes is a condition that develops when a dog can’t produce enough insulin to control their blood sugar level. This causes their levels to become dangerously high 😟 It’s usually caused when the body attacks and destroys its own insulin producing cells (mistaking them for something else), but can also sometimes develop after suffering from pancreatitis.

Symptoms of Diabetes to look out for include increased thirst and hunger, peeing more, weight loss and low energy ⚠️ If you notice your dog suffering with these symptoms, you should get in touch with your vet. Diabetes is an extremely serious condition that needs lifelong treatment and a lot of commitment. Without treatment, it can often lead to death for our furry friends 😢

In 2022 we treated over 2,800 diabetic pets across our 48 Pet Hospitals in the UK. Read our Vets' guide to spotting, treating and ongoing care tips for diabetes in dogs: http://pdsa.me/470v

08/11/2023

Since our last post we have been receiving your donations to the hospital and are so thankful to those who have helped out.

03/11/2023

If anyone would like to donate anything to the hospital, we are running low on wet cat food and would greatly appreciate any donations to the hospital. Thank you

13/09/2023

Parvovirus is a virus that causes severe illness and death in dogs. It damages the lining of the intestines, causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea. It also attacks infection-fighting cells inside the bone marrow, which weakens the immune system making it very difficult for dogs to recover. Parvovirus is especially serious in unvaccinated dogs and puppies less than six months old because their immune systems aren’t as well developed and so are less able to fight the virus.

The best and only way to prevent parvovirus infection is by vaccinating your dog regularly. They will need two to three parvovirus vaccines while they are a puppy, then boosters regularly throughout the rest of their life.

Contact your local vets to see if vaccinations are within their scope of service, if they are not then you will be able to get the vaccinations at another local practice.

30/08/2023

If your pet is under our care and is currently being treated with medication, it’s important that the course of medication is fully completed to ensure that your pet gets the best treatment they need.

This however sometimes may mean that your pet needs more medication; to ensure that there is enough time to process a medication request we ask that you contact us in advance. Ideally contacting us when there is 10-14 days before the medication runs out will allows us time to arrange an appointment if needed or prepare the prescription.
The easiest way to order your pet’s repeat prescription is at

Repeat Prescription Order Form

26/07/2023

Did you know that regular worming treatment can prevent your pet from getting worms?

Worms are parasites that live in your pets body, their are many types of worms that can affect your pets the most common being tapeworm, round worm and lungworm.

Worms aren’t just a problem for pets, they can pose a risk to humans aswell. Some of these worms can prove dangerous to children and pregnant women.

Although you can’t stop your pets from picking up worms, you can prevent them causing problems through regular treatment.

For more information on worming your pets please visit https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/preventing-worms or contact your local vets.

How to prevent your pet from getting worms, and what to do if they have them.

19/07/2023

Is your pet up to date with flea treatment?

Although fleas are present all year round; fleas are especially a problem during the summer months. It’s much easier to prevent an infestation than it is to treat one.

In the worst cases, fleas can make your pets very sick. Fleas feed on your pet’s blood so a very young, old or unwell pet can become dangerously anaemic if they become heavily infested with fleas.

For more information on how to prevent your pets from getting fleas please visit https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/preventing-fleas or contact your local vets.

How to prevent your pet from getting fleas, and what to do if they have them.

12/07/2023

Is your cat microchipped?

Although it’s not a legal requirement as of yet, it’s strongly advised to get your cat microchipped before they start going out to ensure that if they get lost and are picked up by a member of the public they can be returned safely to their owner.

If your cat is microchipped, it’s worth contacting the microchip company to ensure that your details are kept up to date especially if you change phone numbers, email address or a change in your home address.

This ensures that if your cat goes missing, is stolen or injured, you can be contacted and your pet safely returned to you.

05/07/2023

Are you aware that it’s a legal requirement to have your dog microchipped?

Once your puppy reaches 8 weeks old ,it is a legal requirement to have them microchipped and registered to one of the UK government approved databases.

Microchipping helps reunite pets who have become lost, stolen or injured animals to their owners as quickly as possible.

If your dog is microchipped, it’s worth remembering to update your details with the microchip company anytime your personal details may change wether this is a contact number, email address or home address if you have moved recently.

This way your dog can be reunited with you if they were to go missing.

28/06/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.

Rabbits are at a particular risk of heat stroke because of their dense fur and are incapable of sweating or panting.

If your rabbit starts displaying signs such as open mouth breathing, blood appearing from their nose, mouth or bottom, shaking and tremors or develops seizures.
Contact a vets immediately!

For more information on heatstroke in pets visit
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/first-aid-for-heatstroke

21/06/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.

Wild rabbits are quite often keep themselves cool during the day by hiding in their burrows during the hottest time of the day and coming out during the cooler periods. It’s important to provide a similar environment to prevent heatstroke.

Provide plenty of shade and ventilation using natural materials such as branches, leaves or sodden shelters. Avoid using plastics as they trap the heat.

Give them access to plenty of water to drink.

Trying to keep their environmental temperature to 18-20°C, this can be done by providing a cool space for them by adding a bottle of water that has been frozen and wrapped in a cloth and placing it in an area within their living space.

For more information on heatstroke in pets visit
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/first-aid-for-heatstroke

14/06/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.

Cats are very prone to getting heatstroke especially breeds with long fur, flat faced breeds such as Persians and cats with underlying heart and lung disease.

If your cat displays any signs of open mouth breathing/panting, confusion, weakness, wobbliness and collapse or seizure episodes contact a vet’s immediately and start first aid!

Move them to a shaded area, try keep them calm, create a light breeze by turning a fan on and lie them down on a cooled wet towel.

Try to avoid covering them in a wet towel as this can trap the heat!

For more information on heatstroke in pets visit
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/first-aid-for-heatstroke

07/06/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.

Today we will be looking at how to prevent our feline family members from getting heatstroke.
•Make sure they have access to shade and water at all times
•Always check sheds, greenhouses, conservatories and cars before shutting them
•Never leave your cat in a hot room, or somewhere with poor ventilation
•Never leave your cat in a car on a warm day – not even for a few minutes or with the windows open
•Avoid travelling with your cat when it’s hot
•Keep them a healthy weight

For more information on heatstroke in pets visit
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/first-aid-for-heatstroke

31/05/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.

Some symptoms of heat stroke can include vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive panting, hot to the touch and sometimes a seizure episode.

If any of these symptoms are present you need to contact the vet immediately!
Then in the meantime try and keep your dog cool by moving them to a cooled, shaded area. Try offering them water and creating a breeze to help cool them down but it’s important to get to your vet as soon as possible.

For more information about heat stroke in your pets visit

Read our vets' advice on what to do if your pet has heatstroke.

24/05/2023

Whilst the warm weather might bring some fun in the sun for the family, our four legged friends do not cope so well with the hot weather.
Today we are going to look at how to prevent heatstroke in your dog.
1: Only go for a walk once the temperature has cooled
2. Encourage supervised water play
3. Consider clipping their fur
4. Provide them with shade and plenty of water
5. No unnecessary car travel and never leave them in a car
6. Be extra careful and vigilant with flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs and pugs

You can read more about heat stroke in your pets on our website at
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/other-veterinary-advice/first-aid-for-heatstroke

If you feel that your pet is suffering with heat stroke please contact your vet immediately!

17/04/2023

17/04/2023

17/04/2023