Abbey Veterinary Group

09/07/2025

‼️‼️STRAY CAT
Our Chaddesden branch is currently caring for an adult female tabby who was handed in on 8/7/25. She is not microchipped. She was found on Albert Road, Chaddesden and requires non emergent veterinary care. Please get in contact on 01332 661554 if you think she may be yours. Thank you.

02/07/2025

Our wonderful Deputy Head Nurse, Jelisa, is currently on maternity leave with plans to return back to work in September.

She became a RVN in 2019 and has used her years of knowledge and experience to help maintain gold standard care throughout the clinical team. Jelisa is known at Abbey as our crazy rabbit lady, who loves all things exotic! Some of you may already know Jelisa as one of our weight clinic nurses but outside of this she enjoys discussing life stages and medical nutrition as well as inpatient care.

Outside of work, Jelisa is a busy mum of two and she loves spending time with her young family exploring in their campervan. She's also getting back into rugby after welcoming baby number two just 7 months ago!

We are all counting down the days until she’s back at work💙

01/07/2025

With the weather getting hotter again it’s important that we’re all aware of the risks this can bring to our pets. When taking your dog out of for a walk always check the weather first (use the photo in this post to guide you), take plenty of water, limit walking time and try to find a shaded route.

The risk of your dog getting heatstroke increases if they are obese, a brachycephalic breed, elderly or less than 6 months old.

☀️Tip: The best way to tell if a pavement is too hot for your dog to walk on is to place the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds. If it’s too painful for your hand, then it’s too painful for your dog’s paws.

Remember, a missed walk has never killed but heatstroke can be fatal!

27/06/2025

⭐️RABBIT HOUSING⭐️
The Rabbit Welfare Association of Fund recommends a MINIMUM enclosure size for two bonded rabbits is 3m x 2m x 1m high and that your rabbits have access to their sleeping area, toilet area, and exercise area at all times. This should be one continuous space so your rabbits can run the full 3m length uninterrupted. But remember, this is the minimum requirement. The more space the better for rabbits.

Your rabbits should be able to lie stretched right out and hop at least three times. Their space allows them to display all the great natural behaviours our rabbits have including:
🐰Running
🐰Jumping
🐰Digging
🐰Foraging
🐰Rearing up

For more information please visit the Rabbit Awareness Action Group (WAAG) website where you can find detailed guides on how to correctly house your rabbit.

Rabbits have complex environmental needs and we believe it is important to meet all of these to keep them happy and healthy! Follow our animated guide to fin...

26/06/2025

🐰RABBIT AWARENESS WEEK🐰
Temperatures above 25 degrees are too hot for rabbits and can increase the risk of heatstroke. Keep monitoring the weather and bring your rabbit indoors if the temperatures rise.

Here are some tips for keeping your rabbit cool this summer:

☀️Provide plenty of shade
Move your rabbits’ hutch and run out of direct sunlight – a gazebo or sun sail placed over the hutch can create a shaded area. Wooden hutches can get very hot and should never be left in the sun.

☀️ Offer lots of water
Make sure your rabbit always has plenty of fresh water available. You can add a couple of ice cubes to water dishes to keep the water cool, and offer vegetablessoaked in water to keep your rabbit hydrated.

☀️Place ceramic or slate tiles in their run
Rabbits like to stretch out during hot days to prevent their body from retaining too much heat. Place ceramic or slate tiles in the shade for your rabbit to lie down on, as these will stay cool.

☀️Frozen water bottles
You can also use ice packs or a large bottle of water that has been frozen and wrap it in a tea towel. Place it where your rabbit can lie down. This gives your rabbit the option to lie up against it to keep them cool.

☀️Provide a damp towel
Hanging a damp towel on the rabbit run can provide extra shade, while also creating an evaporative cooling effect. Do not cover the entire run as this will prevent a cooling breeze.

☀️Dampen your rabbit’s ears
Since rabbits lose heat through their ears, you can lightly dampen them to speed up the cooling process. If your rabbit is comfortable with it, you can use a spray bottle to mist their skin, or simply use a wet cloth or your hands to dab their ears.

☀️Groom your rabbit
By grooming your rabbit often, you’ll help them shed excess fur while also strengthening your bond. Long-haired rabbits should be brushed daily, and trimmed by a vet or professional groomer several times a year. Trimming their fur will also make it easier to check your rabbit for fly strike and keep them clean.

25/06/2025

‼️‼️OUR PHONE LINES ARE DOWN AT THE CHELLASTON BRANCH

Unfortunately the phone lines have gone down at our Chellaston surgery. We are working to fix this as soon as we can but until then please call our Chaddesden branch on 01332 661554.

25/06/2025

⭐️VET VISIT TIPS FOR RABBITS⭐️

As prey animals, rabbits can find trips outside their home environment stressful, especially visits to the vet. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to make the experience less daunting for them.

🐇 Choose the Right Carrier
Use a hard, secure carrier with good ventilation. It should be large enough for your rabbit to turn around comfortably but not so big that they feel exposed. A carrier with both a front and top opening is ideal, allowing your rabbit to hop in on their own and enabling easier access for examination if needed.

🐇 Handle with Care
When moving the carrier, always hold it from the base and keep it level to reduce movement and help your rabbit feel secure. Placing a towel or blanket on the bottom adds comfort and stability.

🐇 Familiarise Before the Trip
Introduce the carrier into your rabbits' environment well before the vet visit. Leave it open and place treats or hay inside so they can explore and form a positive association with it.

🐇 Add Familiar Comforts
Include your rabbits’ favourite hay, a familiar toy, and a small container of water in the carrier. These items can help soothe them and encourage natural behaviours like eating or playing.

🐇 Mind the Waiting Room
In the waiting area, place the carrier on a chair or a raised surface so your rabbits aren’t at ground level near unfamiliar dogs. This small change can significantly reduce stress.

🐇 Bring Bonded Pairs Together
If your rabbits are bonded, bring them both — even if only one has the appointment. Being together helps reduce stress and prevents any issues with reintroducing them due to changed scents.

23/06/2025

Alice qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2019 and brings her nursing experience and knowledge into her role as a clinical coach, currently mentoring our lovely student nurses Chloe and Megan.

With a special passion for inpatient care, Alice thrives when caring for our patients especially those who need critical care. She also enjoys nurse consultations, where she gets to meet and help animals of all shapes and sizes!

Outside of work, Alice loves going for walks and spending quality time with her friends and family. At home, her beloved cats keep her on her toes and she wouldn’t have it any other way!💙

20/06/2025

UPDATE: Our phonelines now appear to be back up and working.

‼️‼️OUR PHONE-LINES ARE DOWN
Unfortunately at both our Chaddesden and Chellaston branches we are experiencing a system wide outage. This means that we are unable to answer any calls.

🚨FOR EMERGENCIES PLEASE COME DIRECTLY INTO ONE OF OUR PRACTICES!

17/06/2025

Adorable Emma, an 8-week-old Rottweiler, recently visited our amazing vet Catherine at our Chaddesden branch for her primary vaccinations. She was so relaxed and comfortable during her visit that she even fell asleep on the consult table!We can’t wait to see you back soon for your second vaccination, Emma🤎

16/06/2025

‼️OIL SPILLAGE‼️
We’ve been made aware of a small oil spillage near Marisco Close, Boulton Moor. If you live nearby or know that your cat roams near this area please be vigilant and make sure to check your pet’s paws if they’ve been out and about.

13/06/2025

A lot of you may already recognise our wonderful Registered Veterinary Nurse, Amy who has been with us for an amazing 25 years! She came for work experience as a teenager before deciding she wanted to stay on as an auxiliary nurse and went on to become a RVN in 2004.

She loves all of the animals that come in to us but after owning exotics herself she is particularly passionate about small furries such as hamsters and guinea pigs. You may also recognise her as one of our lovely weight clinic nurses and she has helped lots of our clients with her advice.

Outside of work Amy loves to spends time with her family who keep her very busy. When she gets a moment alone she enjoys immersing herself in a good book💙