White Lodge Veterinary Surgery

17/01/2025

Being active with your dog 🐶
We love to see dogs and their owners having fun together, and what better time to pick up a new sport or activity? Whether you choose agility, scentwork, canicross, hoopers or one of the many other activities available, the benefits can include:

Physical exercise - for you and your pet:
- Mental stimulation that challenges your dog’s brain and fulfils their natural instincts
- Strengthening your bond and trust, by sharing experiences and achieving new things together
- Improving your relationship at home - a tired and fulfilled dog is a well behaved dog

Let us know in the comments below what your dog will be getting active in the new year 👇📸

16/01/2025

The most common reason for a re-examination is to determine whether yourpet is actually better. Some problems have an expected course of disease, such as kennel cough, so we may only request a recheck if your pet isn’t better in the usual timeframe 🩺

For other conditions, it can be difficult to tell if they are better or not at home, for example an eye ulcer that needs special stain applying, an ear infection that requires examination with an otoscope or cytology performing, or a urinary tract infection that needs urine testing to check for blood or bacteria.

If we don’t identify that the condition is not resolved, the consequences can include ongoing pain or discomfort for your pet, increased cost overall, and sometimes even permanent damage to the affected body parts.

For more information on why rechecks are important:
vetcollection.co.uk/health/why-rechecks-are-so-important

15/01/2025

15/01/2025

With living costs continuing to be high, insuring your pets is more important than ever.

The pet insurance market can be very overwhelming but it can be made easier by deciding the type of policy that would suit you best to narrow your search.

Depending on the age of your pet and level of cover you would like to protect them with, you can then start considering the different polices for that type of
insurance.

Remember not all pet insurance is the same so it is a good idea to check the cover provided and ask if you will be paying more for claiming.

14/01/2025

Overindulged during the holiday season? As many of us embark on New Year’s resolution diet and fitness regimes, lots of our pets would benefit from accompanying us. It is estimated that up to 65% of dogs and 50% of cats in the UK are obese ⚖️🐾.

Being overweight leaves pets at greater risk of conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and arthritis and studies have shown that it can dramatically reduce their overall life expectancy ❤️.

Find out more about recognising and tackling pet obesity:
vetcollection.co.uk/health/obesity-in-pets

13/01/2025

New year, new pet? The Healthy Pet Club has you covered.
Vaccinations, Parasite control, Health checks, discounts in practice and more!

These benefits are included to give your pet the best start in life and to maintain their health as the years go by.

Find out how to join today:
https://www.vetcollection.co.uk/health-plans-and-products/healthy-pet-club/

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

Walk Your Dog Month 🐶🐾
January marks the beginning of Walk Your Dog Month, designed to encourage dog owners to be more active and ensure their pets get sufficient exercise. It highlights the importance of regular walks for a dog's physical and mental health whilst promoting a healthier lifestyle for pet owners too.

It will not come as a surprise that there are many benefits to regular dog walks:

Physical Health: Prevents obesity and keeps dogs fit. Mental Stimulation: Outdoor walks provide sensory enrichment through smells, sights, and
sounds.
Behaviour Improvement: Exercise can reduce boredom, destructive behaviour and anxiety.
Bonding: Strengthens the relationship between owners and their pets.
Have you enjoyed many winter walks this season? ️ Throughout January we will be sharing many more pet care tips, so do keep an eye on our social media platforms.

09/01/2025

As we move into the colder months of January and February, the chance of snow and ice increases and therefore you may find yourself heading out on a frosty dog walk more often than not! ❄️⛄️

Check out our top tips below on keeping your dog safe when out and about in snow and ice. Remember, if the weather is really bad and you don’t think it is safe to head out, then there is no harm in skipping the odd dog walk and playing games indoors with your canine buddy 🐶.

Salt and grit used for de-icing roads can pose risks to a dog’s paws. It can irritate their paw pads, causing redness, cracking or peeling .

In an attempt to remove the salt, dogs may lick their paws, but this can lead to them
ingesting chemicals that can upset their stomachs or cause more severe issues. Grit
found on the roads sometimes causes micro-cuts and abrasions on paw pads, increasing the chance of infection.

Prevention and Care:
Use dog boots to shield paws from salt and grit.
Apply a paw wax or balm before walks to create a protective barrier.
Rinse and wipe your dog’s paws with warm water and a soft cloth after walks.
Check paws regularly for cuts or signs of irritation.
Trim fur between paw pads to prevent ice and grit accumulation.

First Aid for Irritated Paws:
Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Apply a soothing paw balm or petroleum jelly.

If irritation persists or there are signs of infection (redness, swelling, limping), please call us to book an appointment.

09/01/2025

Has your pet got excess Christmas weight to lose ⚖️? If your pet is overweight, the path to weight loss and a healthy happy pet isn’t always clear. Losing weight can be a challenging and lengthy process, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or confused by conflicting advice.

We are here to help with our weight clinics. Our veterinary nurses can help formulate a personalised plan for your pet, set achievable goals and help you with any setbacks.
Contact us today on 01395 267928 to book your weight clinic appointment.

08/01/2025

Today is National Labrador Day! 🐶🐾 To celebrate we’d love to see some photos
of your gorgeous labs in the comments below...

08/01/2025

Congratulations and well done to Teddy for wining brave pet of the month for December! Teddy was such a star for his bandage changes with the team, after having a lump removed. We are pleased to report Teddy has recovered well and is back to normal exercise 🐾🐶.

Win a prize at the end of each month for the bravest pet 🏆

Has your pet been brave to come in when they really didn’t want to?

Where they very good when they had their blood test?

Did they not grumble this time when having their vaccines?

If so why not nominate them for this wonderful award…
Anyone can enter their pet into the competition. All you have to do is complete one of the forms in reception with a reason why your pet should win, or email a photograph to [email protected]

Good luck!

07/01/2025

There’s a cold snap hitting us here in the UK 🥶 You may need to take some extra steps to help look after your cat during the chilly weather. Check our website for some more tips 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/hazardous-weather/

🐈 If your cat usually has outdoor access, consider having a litter tray indoors because they may avoid venturing out into the cold.

💧If you usually keep a water bowl outside, check that it hasn’t frozen over. Avoid putting chemicals that are poisonous to cats, like Antifreeze, in ponds and water features as cats will often drink from these too.

🐾 Provide indoor enrichment, like puzzle feeders, and play with your cat for a few minutes each day.

🚗 Before starting your car, tap on the hood and check between the tyres to check that a cat isn’t hiding there for some warmth.

03/01/2025

As we move into the colder months of January and February, the chance of snow and ice increases and therefore you may find yourself heading out on a frosty dog walk more often than not! 🌨

Check out our top tips below on keeping your dog safe when out and about in snow and ice. 👇

Remember, if the weather is really bad and you don’t think it is safe to head out, then there is no harm in skipping the odd dog walk and playing games indoors with your canine buddy. 🐶

01/01/2025

New Year’s Day - 1st January 🎇

Wishing all our clients and patients a Happy New Year! Wishing you and your pets health and happiness for the year to come. Where will today take you - and what adventures have you got planned for 2025?

31/12/2024

Happy New Year’s Eve! How are you and your pets welcoming in the New Year? Post your photos below. Here’s to everyone spending New Year’s Eve at home, in their jim-jams, with their pets. 🐶🐱🎆

30/12/2024

Monday 30th December 8am-6.30pm
Tuesday 31st December 8am-5pm
Wednesday 1st January CLOSED
Thursday 2nd January 8am-6.30pm (normal opening hours resume)

In the event of an emergency when we are closed, please call 01395 267928/ 01392 284217 for advice.

28/12/2024

Does your cat love cat nip? Ziggy is enjoying his new home made catnip toy, to help burn some post Christmas calories 🙈! See the previous post below, on how to make it for your cat 🐈