Vets4Pets Farnham

02/11/2024

Remember, remember your pets this November! Although fireworks are fun for us, sound sensitivities are very common in cats, dogs and small furries. Make sure all windows and doors are shut during firework displays and that small furries are brought inside.

Classic FM ‘pet classics’ returns on Saturday 2nd Nov and on Tuesday 5th Nov to help during the busiest days of the season.

See the photo below for some tips on how to keep your pets happy and safe.

Did you know that pheromone products can help your pet stay calm around events like bonfire night?
Visit us in practice or call us on 01252 413673 for more information.

28/10/2024

🕸️👻 🎃 VETS4PETS HALLOWEEN PRACTICE COMPETITION! 🎃👻🕸️

We have entered the Vets4Pets pumpkin carving competition and we need the help of all our lovely clients to help us win! 🥰

Please vote for us below by simply liking this post! 👍🏼

We had a lot of fun creating our pumpkin 🎃

We would really appreciate it if you could please share our post so we can get the most likes! But be sure to like this original post or the likes won’t count!

The vote closes on the 4th November at 4:30pm the post with the most likes will win a prize for their practice 🧡

29/08/2024

Please see photos below for how to remove and prevent ticks.
It’s important that the full tick is removed as this can otherwise lead to complications.
If you are not able to remove the tick yourself please call us on 01252 413673 and we can arrange an appointment for a nurse to remove the tick.

08/08/2024

It is grass seed season again! 🌾

Grass seeds are like tiny arrowheads that can get caught anywhere in your pets but most commonly their paws, eyes, nose or ears. This is an extremely common problem during the summer months especially in breeds with hairy ears and feet such as Cockapoos and Spaniels.

Grass seeds can get stuck in your pet’s coat and from there they can then start to pe*****te the skin.

If your pet gets a grass seed they may show signs of discomfort, often shortly after a walk. Signs depend on where the grass seed is stuck but can include shaking of the head, rubbing of the eyes, chewing of the feet or sudden onset sneezing. Other signs are sudden onset lameness and localised swelling.

To help prevent the risk of grass seeds

Check your dog's feet in between each and every toe, and especially after a walk
Avoid meadows and woodlands where these grasses commonly grow.
You can trim the fur on your pet's paws and around their ears

Call the practice as soon as you suspect a grass seed on 01252 413673

03/08/2024

23/07/2024

A huge congratulations to our student Veterinary Nurse Lily who was entered into the superhero Vet Nurse awards 2024 and came runner up! We are extremely proud to have her in our team 🥰

22/07/2024

We are delighted to inform you our phone lines are now fully up and running, we apologise for any inconvenience ☎️

22/07/2024

‼️Our phone lines are currently down, please bear with us while we get this sorted.
We are actively checking our emails please email us if you have an urgent issue.

[email protected]

If you have a true emergency please make your way to us, and where possible, alert us by email so we are prepared for your arrival.

For routine appointments and medications please call back later.

We will update you as soon as the lines are working again ‼️

26/06/2024

With the hotter weather ☀️, we wanted to remind people of the danger of your pets over heating.

Dogs can not cool themselves down by sweating like we can. They can over heat VERY quickly and this can become a medical emergency🥵

Dogs that are more prone to heat stroke are old dogs, overweight dogs, brachycephalic breeds (flat faced breeds) and puppies. However any dog of any age, breed or fitness can get heat stroke.

NEVER leave your dog in the car, even with the windows cracked open! 🚘❌

These temperatures can also cause serious burns on their pads. If you can’t stand comfortably bare foot for at least 5 seconds then it’s too hot for your dogs paws. 🐾

Keep your pets inside in the cool. Wherever possible bring small animals in or ensure their cage is in the shade. Give them cold fruit and vegetables to help them keep cool.

Ensure all animals have access to lots of fresh water.

Cooling matts are great for keeping your pets cool. Do not cover them with wet towels as this can trap in the heat.

Signs of heat stroke are:
⚠️ Faster, heavier breathing
⚠️ Excessive thirst and drooling
⚠️ Increased heart rate and pulse rate
⚠️ Dark coloured gums/ tounge (red/purple)
⚠️ Glassy eyes
⚠️ Staggering or weakness
⚠️ Seizures
⚠️ Unconsciousness

If you think your pet has heat stroke DO NOT throw cold water on them as this can cause the body to go into shock.

On warm days you can help your dogs by:
✅ Restricting exercise
✅ Make sure they have access to cool, shaded areas
✅ Give them access to fresh water
✅ Walking them first thing in the morning or last thing at night when it's cooler or not walking them at all where possible
✅ If your pet is over weight start them on a weight loss journey

✨Please share this post to raise awareness✨

07/06/2024

‼️Calling all cat owners‼️

DUE TO OUR SUCCESSFUL WALK-IN MICROCHIP CLINCS AN ADDITIONAL DATE HAS BEEN ADDDED

SATURDAY 8TH JUNE - 9AM UNTIL 4.30PM

From the 10th June 2024 it will be a legal requirement for all cats to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age and registered on a compliant database.

If your cat is not microchipped please come along to our walk in microchipping clinic.

Limited time offer of £15 per microchip during these walk in clinics

Please be aware as this is a walk in clinic you might have to wait

These clinics are for microchips only, if you have any other concerns you will need to book a separate vet appointment.

If you are unsure if your cat has a microchip or if the microchip details are up to date please come along to the clinics and the nurses can check this for you

03/06/2024

‼️Calling all cat owners‼️

WALK IN MICROCHIP CLINICS FOR REGISTERED CLIENTS TODAY!

From the 10th June 2024 it will be a legal requirement for all cats to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age and registered on a compliant database.

If your cat is not microchipped please come along to our walk in microchipping clinics.

These clinics will run on
❗️Monday 3rd June - 3pm until 6pm ❗️
❗️Thursday 6th June - 4pm until 5.30pm❗️

Limited time offer of £15 per microchip during these walk in clinics

Please be aware as this is a walk in clinic you might have to wait

These clinics are for microchips only, if you have any other concerns you will need to book a separate vet appointment.

If you are unsure if your cat has a microchip or if the microchip details are up to date please come along to the clinics and the nurses can check this for you

31/05/2024

Meet our Student Veterinary Nurse Lily 🩵

Here is what Lily has to say about working here at Vets4Peys Farnham:

I am a Student Veterinary Nurse and I have been at Vets4Pets Farnham since 2021. I started my apprenticeship in January 2022 and I am close to taking my OSCEs (my final nursing exams) and becoming a qualified nurse. My apprenticeship course is at a college for veterinary nurses and it is 2 and a bit years in length. I enjoy many things such as monitoring anaesthetic and speaking to clients in consultations.
When I first started working here, I knew I wanted to be a veterinary nurse. I have enjoyed working here at vets4pets over the past 3 years.

30/05/2024

Meet our Registered Veterinary Nurse Amelia 🐾

“I’ve always known I’d wanted to work with animals so becoming a Veterinary Nurse seemed the perfect fit. I started my training at university in 2017 for the Veterinary Nursing BSc (Hons) degree and completed all my practical training placements here with Vets4Pets Farnham. My course was 3 years and consisted of both practical training blocks in practice and theory training at university. I qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2020 and officially joined the team of nurses here at Vets4Pets Farnham, I’ve really enjoyed being part of the team for the last 4 years.”

29/05/2024

‼️Calling all cat owners‼️

WALK IN MICROCHIP CLINICS FOR REGISTERED CLIENTS

From the 10th June 2024 it will be a legal requirement for all cats to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age and registered on a compliant database.

If your cat is not microchipped please come along to our walk in microchipping clinics.

These clinics will run on
❗️Monday 3rd June - 3pm until 6pm ❗️
❗️Thursday 6th June - 4pm until 5.30pm❗️

Limited time offer of £15 per microchip during these walk in clinics

Please be aware as this is a walk in clinic you might have to wait

These clinics are for microchips only, if you have any other concerns you will need to book a separate vet appointment.

If you are unsure if your cat has a microchip or if the microchip details are up to date please come along to the clinics and the nurses can check this for you

28/05/2024

Have you ever considered becoming a Registered Veterinary Nurse? 🐶🐱🐭🐰❤️

Here at Vets4Pets Farnham we have a mix of nurses that did their qualifications through a degree at university or through a diploma at college. Both pathways are highly valued and the path you take is based on personal choice.

When studying at university you will be enrolled onto a 3-4 year course. During this time, you split your learning into theory classes and also carry out placements in a practice as a student Veterinary Nurse, either in a solid year or in blocks.

When studying at college you will be enrolled onto an apprenticeship course where you will work in practice as a student Veterinary Nurse and will attend college one day a week. These courses can be between 2 and a half and 3 years in length.

At the end of both courses you carry out your final Veterinary Nursing exams and on passing these you will graduate and then go on the register to become Registered Veterinary Nurse.

If you are considering studying to become a Veterinary Nurse it’s recommended to carry out some work experience to gain a real insight into the role.

20/05/2024

Happy national rescue dog day! ❤️🥰

Rescue dogs are very special and today is all about them! Make sure to give them extra love and treats, or even a new toy!

Please share a photo of your rescue dogs in the comments below and tell us what you love about them.

In our photo you can see a few of our clients and staff rescue dogs, how cute are they and they all have such big personalities!

You can make a positive difference in the lives of rescue dogs every day!

Ways that you can help rescue dogs if you don’t own one is looking into helping your local rescue centres, volunteering, donating or giving them items such as food, toys, blankets and treats. If able, you can adopt or foster and change a rescue dog’s life.

Education is extremely important, everyone needs to understand the importance of kindness, unconditional love and the responsibility of care that comes with owning any animal.

17/05/2024

This week is Mental Health awareness week and we're all aware that it can affect anyone in any walk of life! Join in and help to create a world with good mental health for all 💚

Vets, Vet Nurses, Veterinary care assistants and the practice staff are not immune to having mental health issues.

Working in the veterinary industry is exciting and rewarding however can be challenging both mentally as well as physically.

Many people do not realise the veterinary profession has one of the HIGHEST su***de rates compared to any other profession.

The message is clear - not just for Mental Health Week, but every day - BE KIND, to yourself and each other.

This year’s theme for mental health week is movement and moving more for our mental health. Even a small walk can help clear your mind, it’s so important to get up and about.

13/05/2024

Todays letters are the final letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs. The letters are W, X, Y and Z👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

W is for Worming – Nurses have knowledge of a wide range of worming treatments and can help to advise you on what will best suit you and your pet. 🪱

W is for Wound care – Wound care is a vital role in nursing, nurses will change bandages and dressings post-operatively whether it’s for a routine surgery with small dressings or larger, more invasive wounds/surgeries that require bigger and more absorptive dressings. Nurses are trained to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy wounds and can act accordingly. 🩹

W is for Working out medications – Nurses are able to work out medications for patients, this includes premedication’s that are given before surgery, medications given to inpatients and any medications for owners to take home. 💊💉

X is for X-Rays – Nurses can take x-rays or assist vets with taking x-rays. These are normally done on animals under general anaesthetic. X-rays can be taken for a variety of reasons such as suspected injuries or illnesses. 🩻

Y is for Yearly CPD – To keep up with their qualification nurse need to carry out 15 hours a year of continued professional development (CPD). This ensures they are using the most up to date information and techniques. 📚

Z is for Zoonotic diseases – Nurses learn to safely deal with animals who may have zoonotic diseases, this means the disease can be passed from animals to humans. This involves barrier nursing, wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) and using a separate room (isolation) with separate equipment to reduce the risk to ourselves and other animals. 🦠

10/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are T, U, and V👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

T is for TLC – Nurses love to give your pets TLC and make their trip to the vets as comfortable and positive as possible ❤️

T is for Theatre – Theatre is a main role in nursing and consists of many different aspects. Nurses set up theatre and equipment for surgery and each surgery has a different set off instruments and equipment. Nurses can also assist the vet during surgery, holding or passing instruments they need. Some nurses go on to do a surgical course and can themselves carry out minor non-invasive procedures. Nurses also have the responsibility of cleaning down theatre which is extremely important to stop the risk of infection. 🏥

U is for Ultrasound – Nurses assist the Vets in holding the animals for ultrasounds enabling them to be able to get the best images they can. 🐾

V is for vaccinations – Nurse are able to do 2nd vaccinations for animals who need them. These can be young animals having their first vaccination course or older animals whose vaccinations have lapsed. Nurses will do a check of the animals before administering the vaccinations. 💉

V is for Volunteering – As Nurses you can volunteer in many different places from rescue centres to neutering clinics, as well as working in deprived areas providing the animals with the Veterinary care they would otherwise go without. 🌍

09/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are Q, R, and S👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

Q is for Qualifications – All Registered Veterinary Nurses must have completed a course in order to obtain this title this can either be through college or university. As well as this though there are further qualifications and certificates nurse can complete to further develop their knowledge and skills in practice. 🏅

R is for Reception – Nurses will help wherever needed including reception, they will take phone calls, check clients in for appointments, book appointments and take payments among many other tasks. 💻

R is for Restraint – Vets will often need assistance from nurses to restrain animals in consults. Nurses are trained in how to correctly and safely restrain all types of animals. 💪🏻

S is for Suturing – Suturing wounds and incision sites is a skill all nurses learn whilst they are a student. Nurses are able to do various suture techniques and close various types of wounds. 🪡

S is for Scale and Polish – In order to assist the vets the nurses will often perform the scale and polish aspect of a dental procedure as well as take dental radiographs ready for the vet to then do any extractions required. 🦷

S is for Sterilising – All instruments and equipment used in surgeries and procedures must be sterilised before use in the autoclave. Nurse will clean instruments after use before packing and sterilising them. 🥼

08/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are N, O, and P👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

N is for Nail clips – Nurses routinely do nail clips on cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs but on the odd occasion do ferrets, hamsters and even bearded dragons nails. Nail clipping can be very challenging as animals don’t always like their feet being touched. Nurses can also help teach owners how to clip their pets nails at home. 🐾

O is for Oxygen therapy – Some specific breeds such as Brachycephalic require pre-oxygenation prior to anaesthetics due to their anatomy, therefore nurse will monitor them closely and provide oxygen therapy when they are in for procedures. Vets will also often bring patients in respiratory distress through for nurses to monitor on oxygen. 💙

O is for Observations – Observations are vital in every role nurses have, patients vitals are observed pre, peri and post operatively in consults, theatre and kennels to ensure the patients are stable. 🩺

P is for Pharmacy – Nurses will help in the dispensary to put up medications prescribed by the vets ready for clients to collect. They will also date check and stock rotate to ensure it remains organised and easy to access medications required as well as ensuring nothing goes out of date. 💊

P is for Phone calls – Nurses will often perform triages over the phone to assess how urgently a patient needs to be seen and if first aid could be performed by owners if required. They will also take calls for prescription orders, to book appointments and get updates from patients who have been in for procedures on behalf of the vets. 📞

P is for Post-op checks – While some post-op checks are carried out over the phone nurses will also see patients back to examine their wounds, take a history from the owner, examine the patients themselves to check vitals and also assess their pain. Sometimes patients will also require bandage changes or sutures removals post-operatively which nurses often will do as well. 🏥

07/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are J, K, L and M👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

J is for Juggling – Nurses often have to multitask, they have lots of jobs within the practice and are always on hand to help when ever needed. 🐙

K is for Kennel nurse – There is a dedicated kennel nurse each day, this role is essential in the day to day running of the practice. The kennel nurse will settle your pets into kennels when they arrive, give their pre medications, recover them post-surgery, give any medications needed, monitor pain, observe vital signs, check wounds, monitor fluid therapy, walk dogs outside to go to the toilet, feed them and give lots of TLC! 🥰

K is for Kits – Equipment and surgical kits need to be cleaned after every use. They are cleaned in special disinfectant, dried, wrapped into drapes and packed into autoclave bags and then sterilised in the autoclave. This process removes all bacteria and stops the spread of infections.✂️

L is for Lab technician - Nurses double up as lab technicians, they are able to run bloods on multiple in-house machines, carry out in-house urinalysis and use a microscope. 🦠

M is for Microscopy – Microscopy is a skill nurses learn while training, they are able to identify blood cells, bacteria, urine crystals and parasites. 🔬

M is for Midwife – Nurses help welcome new life into the world, they monitor natural births as well as assist with Caesarean sections and revive the puppies or kittens. ❤️

M is for Microchip – Nurses are trained to implant microchips, they are also able to scan and look up microchip details when lost pets are brought in and reunite them with their families. ✅

06/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are G, H and I👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

‼️Warning photo containing needle and blood‼️

G is for Grooming – Nurses aren’t often professional groomers but have the basic skills to groom an animal when sedation is needed and they can’t be done at the groomers. Nurses can also carry out dematts in consults. ✂️

G is for Glucose curve – Nurses carry out and monitor diabetic animal’s glucose levels. They do this by taking a small prick of blood usually from the ear and use a blood glucose monitoring system to measure the amount of glucose in the blood. This is then recorded on a chart. This is an important role in stabilising and monitoring diabetic patients. ⤵️⤴️

H is for Handling – Nurses are trained to handle all species and breeds, with all different temperaments. This is an extremely important skill as it allows Vets to carry out any examination, sampling or treatment needed as well as keeping the animal, Vet and themselves safe. 🐈🐕‍🦺

H is for Hand feeding – Sometimes, whilst in practice, your pets may need a little bit of encouragement to eat, especially when they are feeling more anxious. Nurses will spend time with your pet creating a bond and tempt them to eat. 🥣

I Is for Intravenous cannula placement - Nurses are trained to place cannulas into animal’s veins, usually into the cephalic or saphenous in cats, dogs and ferrets and into the marginal ear vein in rabbits. This allows direct venous access for emergency situations, for giving medications or for intravenous fluid therapy. This is a skill that nurses learn while they are in their student training. 🩸

I is for Insurance – There is a dedicated team of nurses that process your insurance claims alongside their nursing roles in the practice. They also process pre-authorisations, communicate with insurance companies and are ready to answer any insurance related questions. 📋

03/05/2024

Todays letters in the A-Z of Veterinary nursing skills and jobs are D, E and F 👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏽‍⚕️

D is for Desensitisation – Desensitisation is when clients have the opportunity to bring in their nervous/anxious pets for appointments, this allows 1-2 nurses to create a bond with their animal. We use this time to get them familiar with different pieces of equipment as well as different restraint/handling methods and of course they get lots of treats and fuss! 🥰

D is for Discharges – Discharges are an important part of the day, as this is where the nurses hand back your animals after surgery, ensuring they give you all the important post-operative information. Such as, restricted exercise and wound care. This also allows the nurses to put your minds at ease about the recovery period and offer their help and support. 📋

E is for Emergency triage – Emergency triage is where a nurse takes all the information from the owners and checks all vital signs before the patient goes in to see the vet. This allows the patient to be seen as quickly as possible and for the nurses to give any first aid treatment until a vet becomes available. 🚨

E is for Empathy – Empathy is an extremely important emotion for nurses to express, it allows them to put themselves into a client’s shoes in difficult and sad situations. It also helps them to try and imagine how their patients feel when they are with us and away from their normal environment and their owners. 🤍

F is for Fluid therapy – Fluid therapy is when your pet receives fluids intravenously, this keeps a patients’ blood pressure up whilst under anaesthesia and can also be used to rehydrate them. It is very important for nurses to monitor patients who are receiving fluid therapy throughout the day. Nurses are also able to calculate how much fluid each patient should be receiving. 💧

F Is for First aid – First aid is when treatment is given to prevent suffering, preserve life and prevent the condition from worsening. All nurses are trained to do this and this can be done inside or outside of a veterinary practice. This includes, controlling haemorrhage, giving chest compressions/breaths. ⛑️

F is for Flea treatment advice – Nurses have knowledge of a wide range of flea treatments and can help to advise you on what will best suit you and your pet. 🐾

25/02/2024

When Kelly from our Colton store's Pets Grooming salon discovered a lump on the tail of nine-year-old Rufus she suspected something wasn't right, so alerted his owners Les and Andrea so they could get it checked out. They brought him to Vets for Pets Leeds Colton where it was confirmed he had a cancerous tumour which needed surgery.

Les, who adopted Rufus from Dogs Trust in Leeds as a puppy, said: “Rufus is such a big part of our life; we’re absolutely besotted with him. We probably wouldn’t have noticed the lump if not at the groomers as the tail isn’t somewhere you would usually stroke and feel. Kelly loves Rufus and really looks after him, so we want to say a big thanks for spotting it. Who'd have known what would have happened if she hadn’t noticed.”

Rufus had to have his tail removed, but is now making a good recovery. He's been visiting Kelly for a groom every six weeks for the last three years. She said: “You get to know everything about a dog as you groom them. I’ve discovered similar things before on other dogs so I mentioned it to the owners so they could get it checked out. Dogs are my life and you do worry; I’m so pleased they caught it. Now he’s got a fully docked tail like a little bunny rabbit. It’s lovely and suits him – when he gets washed he wiggles his bum.”

21/02/2024

Arthur's owner Louise says he "looked like a brand-new tortoise" after having his beak filed at Sutton in Ashfield Vets4Pets.

Louise adopted the four-year-old Horsefield Tortoise from a family member in October. Although she has had other pets, Arthur is her first tortoise, so she has been doing some research on how to best care for him.

Louise said: "I noticed Arthur's beak was unusually long, so I brought him in to Vets for Pets; I bring all my pets there. When he came out, I thought 'you beautiful boy, look at you – you look so handsome!"

Vet Steph, who looked after Arthur, says that tortoise beaks continuously grow and normally grind down themselves while they're eating. She said: "Arthur needed a little help as his jaw isn't perfectly aligned; his lower jaw is further out than his top jaw, so I filed it around half a centimetre. He was really good; a real cutie."

18/02/2024

Owner Claire says she couldn't be more grateful to Vets4Pets Hamilton after their quick diagnosis saved the sight of six-year-old Alba.

Claire knew there was something terribly wrong with her miniature dachshund cross when she called her in from the back garden last summer and Alba ran headfirst into a closed patio door. She rushed her to the vets, where investigations led the team to diagnose her with uveitis – an eye condition which causes inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.

Claire said: "It all happened so suddenly; Alba must have heard my voice and guessed where to go. It was quite scary seeing how bad she was. We couldn't be more grateful for the team in Hamilton spotting the uveitis as quickly as they did, otherwise Alba would have gone blind within a matter of days. Their knowledge saved Alba's sight. I still can't believe it happened. It's taken months of treatments, but it's such a relief to have our girl back to being her funny, bossy self."

Vet Neil, one of the team who treated Alba, said: "Alba's pupil was really narrow and wouldn't respond to light properly, which can be a sign of uveitis. Once we had ruled out other conditions, we were able to get her to an eye specialist for ongoing treatment. She's now doing really well."

16/02/2024

Ducky's owner Antonia was in a state of panic when she saw a fox had dug its way into the field where she keeps him – killing two of her other ducks and chickens.

Antonia was about to move her brood into their pen for the evening when she saw what had happened and noticed that Ducky had severe bite wounds under his wing. She rushed him to Vets4Pets Vets Milton Keynes for emergency surgery – and after having his wound stitched up the one-year-old duck is now making a good recovery.

Antonia said: "I was so worried. You don’t often hear of ducks recovering from fox attacks, but there is something about Ducky and the way he was so brave. I'm sure he was protecting a lady duck, as he's a bit of a romantic. It's the first time we've gone to Vets for Pets, and the team were amazing; they've done an incredible job."

Vet Becca, who treated Ducky, said: "He's a really lucky duck, as it was quite a big wound. When he first came in, he was understandably subdued and quiet but when he came back for his stitches to be taken out, he wanted to explore and tuck his head into everyone’s shoulders."

07/02/2024

Well done to the team at Vets4Pets Guildford who've been awarded a silver level certificate for being a rabbit-friendly clinic.

After head veterinary nurse Ella noticed that more customers were bringing in rabbits the practice took a series of steps to give them as stress-free an experience as possible. Ella, who also fosters rescue dogs in her spare time, said: "There was a long list of things that we needed to prove that we did from making sure the rabbits are kept separate from other animals and not booked in at the same time as barking dogs, to providing heated kennels for those who need to stay in, and using special equipment made especially for rabbits."

Practice manager Kevin said: "All of our vets have plenty of experience with rabbits we have some real rabbit geeks here, so it was a big thing to us. There are so many good people in this world and I'm so proud to be around them."

28/01/2024

Beautiful Bear was born deaf, so he's learned to follow his owner Lisa's visual commands.

Lisa, who shops at our Tamworth store – "it's my second home!" – got two-year-old Bear as a kitten and suspected he was deaf when he didn't respond to her voice. She had it confirmed by her vet soon after. She said: "He was very scatty, and scared of people he didn’t recognise. He wasn’t bothered by loud noises like my other cat Emily and when I came home from work he wouldn’t hear the door open.

"He's doing really well though. I try to do some sign language with him – I point at him and do a solid hand sign at him to stop. He picks up on vibrations and scents too. He meows, making a really loud chirping sound which I’ve never heard a cat do before, and he’s always rubbing his head against my legs and following me everywhere. I was advised not to let him out because he wouldn’t hear cars or other dangers, so he comes outside with me every morning to have a sniff around the garden and always comes straight back in." Bear and Lisa's other cat Emily are on Instagram as