Wards Veterinary Centre

21/06/2024

Meet Bailey 💛

Bailey's owner adopted him recently and straight away noticed something wasn't quite right as he had a strange smell coming from his mouth. Suspecting an issue with his teeth, she booked him in for a check with our vets who scheduled him for a dental 🦷 🪥

Poor Bailey had advanced dental disease on one side of his mouth, causing him discomfort and difficulty eating and playing with his toys.
Unfortunately the teeth that you can see in the photo were too damaged to save, but his other teeth were more healthy and were scaled and polished to remove build up and tartar. Bailey has now been started on regular dental care at home and can eat normally and play with his toys 🥳

Dental care is vitally important for pets, and disease can be prevented by regular toothbrushing. However, just like us, a bit of tartar can build up and can cause severe problems if not addressed - early intervention to scale and polish teeth can remove buildup and prevent it from progressing.

If you would like to discuss your pets dental hygiene, please phone to book in for an appointment 📞

18/06/2024

Blister pack recycling ♻️💊

We can now recycle your blister packs from your medications (even your human ones!) just bring them into us at your next visit and give them to our reception team to recycle 🌍💚

15/06/2024

20/05/2024

Microchip discount reminder‼️

Remember Calli? The cat who was found after 2 months of being missing, thanks to her microchip 😻

Because of her we are running a microchip discount from May - July, at £20 rather than £30, book your appointment online now or by phoning us 01343 544811 📞

✨TOP TIP - the pet health club is a monthly payment plan which covers yearly vaccines, flea tick and worm treatment plus many more benefits including a FREE microchip - if this would suit you better head over to our website for more info and to sign up ✨

Microchip promotion 🐈

Calli was brought into us earlier this week as she was suspected to have strayed from home. We scanned her for a microchip and thankfully she had one, which meant we were able to phone the owner and it turns out Calli had been missing for 2 months! She has now been reunited with her owner 🥰

If Calli didn’t have a microchip we wouldn’t have been able to reunite her with her owner this quickly or potentially at all. This shows how important it is to microchip your cat!

Thankfully Calli was safe and well but we also have a number of cats brought into us who have been in a road traffic accident and we are unable to reunite them with their owner as they are not chipped 😔

Because of this we would like to run a promotion for £10 off microchips (£20 rather than £30) for the months of May, June and July 🎉

Please phone to book your appointment 01343 544811 📞

15/05/2024

Did you see our post on Monday about baby birds? 🐣

These were the owl babies we had handed in to us 🥰 thankfully neither of them were injured and now being cared for by New Arc Wildlife Rescue 💚

13/05/2024

Found a baby bird? 🐣

We have had a couple young owls brought into us recently so wanted to post a reminder from the SSPCA:

“It can be tempting to want to help a young bird who may look helpless and we know people have the best intentions at heart but this is natural and their parents will be looking over them nearby. Most young birds will leave the nest once fully feathered, but unable to fly.

If a bird is in a potentially dangerous place such as a busy path or near a road then we would suggest moving it to a safe place nearby, [10-20ft away] where the parents can still hear their young.

If, after watching from a safe distance, you still believe the fledgling has been abandoned then please contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999 for advice.”

Equally, if the fledging appears injured we are also more than happy to see them and we appreciate how caring our clients are towards wildlife, but sometimes it is normal for them to be out of the nest as they learn to fly 💚

07/05/2024

In May we celebrate Veterinary Nursing Awareness month. At Wards, we are proud to train and employ Registered Veterinary Nurses who work incredibly hard in all areas of the practice, using their knowledge and skills to bring excellent care to your pets 🐕😺🐾

06/05/2024

✨Welcoming new clients✨

As of today, 6th May, we are now able to take on more clients 🥳

You can register online at www.wardsvets.co.uk/register-your-pet

Please be aware your registrations may take up to a week to process but once it is complete you will receive a confirmation email 💌

29/04/2024

🏥 Launch Day 📞

As of today, all out of hours calls will be directed to Highland Vet Emergencies. If you need to contact us, please use our regular daytime contact number 01343 544811 and your call will be seamlessly redirected to the team at Highland Vet Emergencies, who will be ready to assist you and will remain on-site with your pet all night.

Highland Vet Emergencies, situated at Culduthel Avenue, Inverness, IV2 6JG, within the same premises as Highland Vet Referrals, will now serve as your contact point for veterinary assistance during nights and weekends when your daytime practice is closed.

23/04/2024

🏥 Out of Hours Location 📍

Highland Vet Emergencies can be found at Culduthel Avenue, Inverness, IV2 6JG. During the day, the clinic is run as Highland Vet Referrals. But come nightfall, we will be shifting gears to become your reliable emergency service, delivering unwavering care for your pet during their time of need.

Highland Vet Emergencies has partnered with local practices to devise a solution, ensuring the best care for your pets even when our doors are closed. Using Highland Vet Emergencies means your pet will receive round-the-clock attention from a skilled team of on-site vets and nurses, fully prepared and equipped to address any emergencies 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

19/04/2024

🏥 Out of Hours Service❗️

Our Highland Vet Emergencies is a newly established after-hours care provider, resulting from a collaborative effort among several reputable veterinary practices in the Highland & Moray region.

Wards Vets, Inshes Vets, Easter Ross Vets, and Crown Vets have joined forces, along with a dedicated night team of vets and nurses, to introduce a much-needed emergency and after-hours service, the first of its kind in our region.

By entrusting Highland Vet Emergencies to cover our out-of-hours service, we can ensure that we continue to provide the best care for your pet whenever you need us, as well as ensuring a balanced work environment for our clinical teams.

Highland Vet Emergencies launches on Monday, April 29th, 2024. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements 📣

17/04/2024

Weigh in Wednesday ⚖️

Joey has reached his ideal weight! 😻🏆

Joey has been on a diet for the past year and has lost 3.65kg, that’s almost the size of an average cat 🙀

He is bigger than average meaning he is now at his ideal weight and perfect body condition score 💚

Does your cat need to lose weight? Phone us and book a free weight clinic consult with a nurse 👩🏼‍⚕️

04/04/2024

You are so very welcome, thank you for your kind words and we are so sorry again for your loss of Simon ❤️

Veterinary teams often get a bad rap and in my humble opinion, don't deserve it and certainly don't get enough credit for the work that they do, the care that give, or the little extras which gives comfort to their patients owners.

I despise vet bashing! Granted, there are incidents which occur which is worthy of letting others know, but for the most part vet bashing (imo) isn't warranted or fair.

The job vet teams do is incredibly difficult. Both physically, mentally and emotionally. It's not a job that many of us could do.

This morning I received the paw prints and quills from my vet team, along with the ashes, of Simon, my pet AP Hedgehog who I lost recently. It broke me. But I'm fully aware that which ever nurse took those prints, and quills, simply for my comfort, would have done so with tears in her or his eyes. It wouldn't have been a pleasurable task. They would have felt the emotion and sadness and then immediately afterwards would have had to wipe their tears and put a smile on their face ready for their next patient. I know I couldn't do that.

The job of a Veterinary Team is remarkably difficult. So please, show kindness to them. Let them know you appreciate them. And don't bash them.

I have 2 vet teams. And I couldn't be without either. They've saved my animals lives, they've taken my animals pain away, made my animals well again, been a shoulder to cry on when I needed it, and have given my beloved animal friends the dignified end they deserve when they needed it.

To Wards Veterinary Centre and Westport Veterinary Clinic - Linlithgow. I appreciate you and thank you and all you have done for my animals and me. ❤️

And to all the other Veterinary pro's out there. Keep doing the amazing work that you do. THANK YOU!

29/03/2024

Microchip promotion 🐈

Calli was brought into us earlier this week as she was suspected to have strayed from home. We scanned her for a microchip and thankfully she had one, which meant we were able to phone the owner and it turns out Calli had been missing for 2 months! She has now been reunited with her owner 🥰

If Calli didn’t have a microchip we wouldn’t have been able to reunite her with her owner this quickly or potentially at all. This shows how important it is to microchip your cat!

Thankfully Calli was safe and well but we also have a number of cats brought into us who have been in a road traffic accident and we are unable to reunite them with their owner as they are not chipped 😔

Because of this we would like to run a promotion for £10 off microchips (£20 rather than £30) for the months of May, June and July 🎉

Please phone to book your appointment 01343 544811 📞

14/02/2024

Happy Valentines Day from Bess! 💖

Bess is a 3 month old border collie in for her flea, tick and wormer included in her pet health club, isn’t she adorable 😍

01/02/2024

Sadly we have had a cat brought in to us that has been hit by a car. Unfortunately the cat has not made it but we'd like to track down the owner if possible. It is a large female, mostly black with a white bib, white belly and white tips on front feet. No collar or microchip.
She was found in the Roseisle area.

19/01/2024

***Important notice***
Please be aware that we are having some electrical issues due to a leak. We are trying hard to get this sorted out but we are having to make some changes to the way we work. Please only call with urgent requirements. We are still seeing our pre-booked appointments where we can.
We apologise for any inconvenience.
Thank you for your patience

28/12/2023

Sadly we have had a cat brought into us this afternoon that is in a very critical condition. It is a grey and white neutered male, he has white feet and a white ring at the end of his tail. No collar or microchip. He was found by a member of the public near Golf View Crescent in New Elgin. If you think this may be your cat please get in touch on 01343 544811 ASAP. Thank you

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas from all of us at Wards! 🎄💚

21/12/2023

CLOSED‼️

We will be closed today 12pm - 2.30pm TODAY (Thursday 21st)

So you will be unable to pick up food or medications at this time but otherwise we are open as normal until the end of the week :

Thursday 8.30am-12pm/2.30pm-6.30pm
Friday 8.30am - 6.30pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

We are available at any time for emergencies on our usual number 01343 544811 📞

20/12/2023

Non-edible Christmas Dangers‼️⚠️🎄

These may not be edible to you or I but our pets think they are!
🔸Fairy lights
🔸Toys and batteries
🔸Snow globes and anti-freeze
🔸Poinsettia, Mistletoe and Holly
🔸Christmas trees
🔸Tinsel and tree decorations

Below the images describe what you should do if your pet decides to eat/chew any of these items ⚠️

19/12/2023

Food Christmas Dangers for your Pet‼️⚠️🎄

Many of these items are edible for us but not for our pets:
🔸Chocolate
🔸Onions, garlic and leek
🔸Christmas pudding and mince pies
🔸Alcohol

We wouldn’t consider cooked bones edible but our cats and dogs do!

The images below advise on what to do if your pet manages to eat any of these ⚠️

18/12/2023

Festive open times 🕰️🎄🎆

23rd December 9am - 1pm

24th December CLOSED
25th December CLOSED
26th December CLOSED

27th December 8.30am - 6.30pm
28th December 8.30am - 6.30pm
29th December 8.30am - 6.30pm
30th December 9am - 1pm

31st December CLOSED
1st January CLOSED
2nd January CLOSED

3rd January 8.30am - 6.30pm

15/12/2023

Remember to order your pets medication and food before Santa comes‼️🎄🎅

Please make all orders as soon as possible by phoning us and leaving a message on our voicemail service or speaking to us directly 😊

Last opportunity to order
Medication: Wednesday 20th December
Food: Thursday 21st December

We then won’t receive any more orders until Thursday 28th December.

Food can also be ordered from our website and delivered straight to your door 🚚

23/11/2023

Has your pet been naughty or nice this year?!

Comment with a photo of your pet telling us what mischief they have been up 😈 or why they have been an angel 😇

The photos will be printed and put on our naughty or nice display board at reception 💚

01/11/2023

Fireworks Tips🎆✨

1. Pheromones 💨

These are sprays, diffusers and collars which release chemicals that act as invisible communication (our pets produce these naturally when communicating with each other!)

By diffusing these pheromones we can communicate stress relief cues to our pets 🙌

Adaptil is for dogs 🐶
Feliway is for cats 🐱
Pet remedy is for all species 🐶🐱🐰🐹🐴
And I'm sure there are many other brands out there these are just examples!

They can be purchased from us or online 📞💻

2. Anti-anxiety medication/prescription drugs 💊

Some anti-anxiety medication can bought over the counter without seeing a vet and some need to be prescribed 👩‍⚕️

If these anti-anxiety medications don't work or only work a small amount and your pet shows severe anxiety during the fireworks stronger medications can be prescribed to be given on its own or in combination. In this case your pet will definitely need to have been seen by the vet recently 🩺 These drugs can be much quicker acting and have a sedative effect 😴

If you've discovered an anti-anxiety medication that works for your pet we'd love to hear from you! 💬

3. Thundershirt 🐶🐱

These are suites that are put on to your pet in a way that provides gentle, constant pressure to calm a variety of anxiety types including:
🎆🌩️Loud noises
😿 Separation
🚗 Travel
👩‍⚕️ Vet visits

It is meant to resemble swaddling an infant or a hug 🥰

Thundershirt by Thunderworks recommend using them in combination with pheromones and/or anti-anxiety medication 💨💊

Other wearables that can bought include "quiet ears" (not by the same company) which are anything from heavy duty expensive ear protection or knitted snoods that can reduce the amount of noise being heard by your pet 💥

We recommend introducing either of these wearables in a positive way prior to fireworks so that they create a positive association with them, rather than anticipating that something bad is about to happen. Maybe before dinner, out on a walk or whilst getting treats 🙌

If you have any experience with either of these wearables we'd love to hear from you! 💬

3. Distraction and a den ⛺

Using distractions such as toys, treat dispensers such as slow feeders or a kong can help take their mind off of the fireworks while they're happening 🎇

Creating a den with a crate and blanket over it, using a cat carrier or putting up a small tent and making them really cosy with blankets, treats and favourite toys 🥰 Again we'd recommend getting them set up now prior to fireworks and allowing free access in and out of them so that they don't feel trapped.

Calming music can be a good distraction for all pets. Classic FM dedicate their evenings the weekend of fireworks to calming music for pets and other music platforms have an abundance of playlists 🎶

Hopefully these tips in combination with others help to make fireworks less stressful and a bit more bearable for our pets 💚

31/10/2023

Happy Howl-oween from Wards! 🎃

We hope you and your pet enjoy the seasonal treats 🧡

We’d love to see your Halloween pet photos 👻

26/10/2023

Happy pumpkin day 🎃🧡

Did you know that cats and dogs can eat pumpkin as a healthy treat?

A raw pumpkin needs to be baked but they can eat tinned pumpkin straight from the tin 🎃 They can even eat the seeds!

Pumpkin has several health benefits:
🔸 Contains vitamin C which is good for joint health
🔸 High in zinc which promotes a healthy coat
🔸 A good source of fibre for good digestive health

BUT avoid pumpkin pie mix due to the high sugar content ‼️

Seeds should be fed one by one or crushed to avoid being choked on and a very minimal amount given to puppies as it can cause an upset stomach and diarrhoea 💩

And as with all treats, we would recommend only giving a small amount at a time for a balanced diet, especially if your pet hasn’t had it before 😊