Halifax Vets for Pets

31/10/2025

🎃👻 Happy Halloween 🎃👻

It's time for tricks, treats, and a little bit of guinea pig cuteness! 🥦

Whether your furry friends are dressed as witches, pumpkins or superheroes, we'd love to see your Halloween photos! 📷 Share them below and let's spread some spooky cheer!

Remember to keep sweet treats out of reach and offer your pets a safe, healthy treat instead!

If your pet is shy and doesn't like the chaos of Halloween then offer them a safe space at home that they can retreat to. 🙀

30/10/2025

🐾Tess🐾

This beautiful girl came in recently for her spay! She was such a good girl and loved by everyone!

30/10/2025

Calling all clients - our vet practice is taking part in The Animal Medicines Amnesty and we need your support!!

Everyone has a role to both use and dispose of veterinary medicines responsibly to protect pet and human wellbeing, and the health of the environment. That’s why we are taking part in The Animal Medicines Amnesty to make sure unused medicines are disposed of safely. Getting involved is easy. Check to see if you have any out-of-date or unused pet medications at home. If so, simply return them to your veterinary practice for safe disposal. Pet medicines should never be disposed of in household waste as this can contaminate the environment. They shouldn’t be kept for future use on pets either as this can result in dangerous side effects. .

2. What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when germs like bacteria become resistant to the medicines we use to treat infections. AMR means medicines, such as antibiotics, don’t work as well as they should and sometimes, they won’t work at all. AMR makes it harder to fight off diseases and infections, which can make our pets sick for longer. In some cases, a pet may not recover at all.


3. Did you know? Antibiotics are not always the answer
your vet will assess your pet’s condition and recommend the most effective treatment. In some cases, such as cat bite abscesses, kennel cough, acute diarrhoea, and cat flu, antibiotics are often not necessary. This is positive news and means your pet’s condition is unlikely to respond to antibiotics.


4. How to dispose of your unused or out-of-date pet medicines
DO take them back to your vet for safe disposal
DON’T dispose of them in household waste or down the toilet as this can contaminate
the environment.

5. What should you do if you have left over pet medicines?
- Return them to your vet practice for safe disposal. Don’t ever give your pet, or any
other pet, left-over or out of date pet medicines
- Inappropriate disposal of pet medicines could pollute the environment and contaminate waterways

6. The environment is at risk if pet medicines aren’t disposed of properly
Never dispose of unused pet medicines in your household waste as this can pollute the
environment. Always return unused or out of date medicines to your vet for safe disposal


7. What are the impacts if pet medications aren’t used properly or disposed of safely?
Unused or out-of-date pet medicines should never be put in household waste or flushed down the toilet. Any pet medication, if disposed of or used inappropriately, has the potential to contaminate the environment, or harm your pet (or other pets) if kept for future use as it could lead to dangerous side-effects. Some medications like antibiotics, wormers or flea treatments may also lead to the build-up of resistance if used when not really needed – this means that they may not work effectively in the future if your pet needs them.

29/10/2025

The terrible trio came in today as Coco the cavalier was having a nasty looking lump removed from the base of her tail. Of course they had to don some Halloween outfits! Baby Yoda (Luna) was less than impressed. Coco, Luna and Blossom are Veterinary Care Assistant Sam's furry family. 🎃👻🎃

28/10/2025

Our spooky pet of the day, Cobweb. He came in today for castration where our vet Spyros did a not so "tricky" castration. Cobweb recieved a "treat" though, for being such a good boy. 🎃👻🎃

27/10/2025

Please add your Halloween pet photos in the comments below. We will choose our winners on Friday! Remember, any pets who come in to practice this week dressed up, will get a treat too! Pets don't like dressing up? Decorate their carrier or lead, or even post a photo and add spooky emojis 🎃👻🧙‍♀️🕷

27/10/2025

🖤🐾 It's National Black Cat Day 🖤🐾

Black cats are purrfectly wonderful, full of charm, mystery and love! 🌚🌙✨

Let's give them the spotlight they deserve today and celebrate everything that makes them special!

Got a black cat at home? Share their photo in the comments-we can't wait to see them shining eyes and silky coats! 📷

27/10/2025

Stay safe this spooky season!

🎃 Halloween Pet Safety Alert! 🎃

As we head into Halloween, it's important to be mindful of common toxins that can pose risks to our pets. Here are a few to watch out for:

🌟 Glow sticks
Contain a chemical called dibutyl phthalate, which has an unpleasant taste and can cause drooling, vomiting, and skin irritation if ingested or broken open.

🍫 Chocolate
Contains theobromine, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, elevated heart rate, tremors, and even seizures. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is to pets.

🍇 Raisins
Contain tartaric acid, which can cause acute kidney injury — even small amounts can be dangerous for dogs.

🍬 Chewing gum
Often contains xylitol, a sugar substitute that can trigger a dangerous drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and potentially liver failure.

🎃 Pumpkins
While plain, cooked pumpkin is safe in moderation, ingesting raw or moldy pumpkins can cause gastrointestinal upset or expose pets to tremorgenic mycotoxins, which may lead to tremors or seizures.

🕯️ Candles
Not toxic, but if swallowed, they can cause a gastrointestinal obstruction, and hot wax can lead to burns.

🐾 Tip: Keep Halloween treats and decorations out of your pet’s reach, and contact your vet immediately if you suspect they've eaten something they shouldn’t have.

Stay safe and spooky! 👻🐶🐱

26/10/2025

Just some of Friday’s inpatients 💕

Chester (top left) 🤎
Milo (top right) ❤️
Tico (bottom left) 🩶
Zeus (bottom middle) 🖤
Buddy (bottom right) 💙

21/10/2025

🐊🐍🌿 Happy Reptile Awareness Day! 🐊🐍🌿

Today we're celebrating our scaly, shelled and slithery friends! 💚 Reptiles make incredible companions, from curious geckos to gentle tortoises, and they deserve the same love and care as any other pet.

✅ Provide proper heating and lighting
✅ Offer a balanced, species appropriate diet
✅ Schedule regular health checks with a reptile savvy vet or nurse

Let's give these amazing animals the spotlight they deserve today! Share a photo of your reptile friend in the comments, we'd love to see them! 📷

Here is a selection of some of our staff reptiles!

19/10/2025

We have some spooktacular things happening in the practice from Monday 27th to Friday 31st of October.🐾 Please join us with a little lighthearted fun in dressing your pets up for their appointments (only if they're comfortable with this.)🐈‍⬛️ We will have some treats for all who participate! 🧡 Not got an appointment? No problem 🎃 you can post your photos starting Monday 27th October.
We'll also be offering a prize to the best dressed of the week!

10/10/2025

💚🐾 Happy Vet Nurse Day! 🐾💚

Today we’re celebrating our amazing vet nurses — the heart and soul of what we do! 💉🐶🐱

They work so hard behind the scenes (and often on the front lines!) caring for our furry friends with so much love, patience, and skill. From cuddles to surgery, they do it all — and we couldn’t do it without them! 💚

Big shoutout to our incredible team — thank you for everything you do every single day. You make our clinic a brighter, happier place!

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

27/01/2024

Ten-year-old Dutch rabbit Alfie has been visiting vet Kate at Vets4pets Wolverhampton for dental treatment for the last eight years – and she says he's such a loveable character that he's become "part of the family".

He's one of the oldest rabbits treated by Kate and the team, and she says his longevity is down to the care and love he gets from his owner Tracy and her family. Kate said: "Alfie is famous in this practice – everyone knows him. We and his family are dedicated to making sure her little old man is happy. The beautiful thing about being a vet or vet nurse is you build these relationships with the owners and their pets – they become your surrogate pets."

Tracy's been keeping rabbits all her life, and says that having space and routine is key. She said: "Alfie is an old man now and has a routine. He goes into a hutch at night and is let out in the morning. He's out all day and has his favourite spots in the house. We clean him out every day and give him a lot of attention. When he was younger he would follow us around; if I was clearing a cupboard out he would be in the cupboard to help. Now he's old and wants to be warm and watch instead. I can't thank Kate and the practice enough. Kate's been fantastic with him."

26/01/2024

Eight-year-old Winnie the Schnauzer cross is running around like a puppy again thanks to laser treatment and physiotherapy after two successful knee operations at Vets for Pets Basildon.

Worried owner Tracy brought Winnie in to the practice after she collapsed on a walk last year – and the team discovered the cruciate ligament in a knee had ruptured. She’s since had ops on two knees and is on a recovery plan led by vet physiotherapist Izzy.

Tracy said: "Winnie has had a tough year with 15 teeth removed, two cruciate ligament operations and two bouts of pancreatitis but thankfully she's hardy. She’s treated fabulously at the Basildon practice. Izzy is great with her – she totally relaxes in her hands and does little snores with her eyes open. Winnie has a new lease of life again and is running around like a puppy."

Izzy said: "When pets have surgery or injure themselves they move differently which causes them to be sore in other places. Winnie has laser therapy then a massage to help the healing process. Laser treatment is a specialist service that not enough people know about – it can help in so many ways after an operation.”

19/01/2024

The team at Vets4Pets Cramlington say greyhound Frank was "an absolute gentleman" when he came in for some dental work.

Seven-year-old Frank was brought in by owner Harriet to get rid of some plaque which had built up and to treat a gum inflammation. Veterinary nurse Vicki said: "Frank was a very good boy and left with clean, fresh and sparkly teeth. It's so very important to get your dog's teeth checked and we advise pets to have an annual dental check. Eighty per cent of dogs over the age of three have dental disease. Prevention is much better than cure and regular checks and routine cleaning keep your pet's mouth healthier for longer and can help to prevent extensive extractions later in life. We are always happy to offer advice on maintenance and dental care at home such as teeth brushing or dental supplements."

18/01/2024

Veterinary nurse Mel from Vets4Pets Bristol Longwell Green loves cats so much she's helped the practice make a number of improvements to give cats as stress-free an experience as possible when they're brought in.

Mel, who has an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour for Veterinary Professionals, helped introduce facilities like a separate feline waiting area and cattery and the use of quiet clippers – and the practice now has a silver level certificate for being a cat-friendly clinic. She said: "I love dogs but I'm really a cat person. Cats can be misunderstood which can lead to them having quite a stressful life, so if we can make things easier for them and help people understand what cats need then everyone will be happier.

"As animal lovers there's always more to learn and understand about what makes them happy. Enrichment at the home is important for a happy cat – and as cats are naturally solitary animals if you live in a multi-cat household it's important to understand what they need. The rule is to have a resource per cat, plus one spare. So if you have two cats you should have three feeding stations, three litter trays and three scratch posts spread around the house so they have the opportunity to move around to wherever they want to go. Scratching is as natural a thing for cats to do as going out hunting is, so if they're unable to go out it's about providing the chance for them to behave as naturally as possible."

07/01/2024

Four-year-old Sebastian the Jack Russell is back to his usual boisterous self after being treated at Vets4Pets Abingdon for a condition that was causing the knee caps on his back legs to dislocate when he walked.

The condition, known as medial patellar luxation, would cause him to hop or skip when exercising. It's quite common in terriers and small dog breeds, but Sebastian's case was quite severe and he was given surgery by orthopaedic surgeon Joe to deepen the groove his patella runs in on his right hind leg, and also to move and reattach his patellar tendon.

Sebastian is owned by practice vet Hannah who said: "After the operation he just wanted to get back to normal straight away but he couldn't ... and that's where we struggled. He wanted to be out and about, charging around and playing with his toys but he needed to rest." Hannah had to give him medication for six weeks to give his knees time to heal. She said: "He's absolutely fine now – he's fully recovered and running around like a lunatic again!"

05/01/2024

When 11-year-old lurcher Jess was brought into Vets for Pets Leeds Birstall 24/7 Small Animal Hospital on Christmas Eve feeling very poorly with pyometra – a life-threatening uterus infection – the team knew they had to act fast; so vet Emily and nurses JD and Hannah headed straight in to perform emergency surgery on her in the early hours of Christmas morning.

The operation went so well that by lunchtime nurse Krishna was able to call her owner Beth to say she was well enough to come home to recuperate – and Beth made the hour-long drive from her home in Keighley so she could bring Jess home before the family sat down for their Christmas dinner. Beth said: "It was a stressful start to Christmas, as we were worried about Jess because of her age and because she's never had anything wrong with her before. We're so grateful for everything – it was so nice of them to come in on Christmas Day to operate on her, to look after her so well and to get her home on top form. The vets were fantastic from start to finish. Jess is recovering nicely – you can see the happiness is back in her!"

Krishna said: "Our night team always do an amazing job, and performing serious surgery like that at that time of night and on Christmas Day of all days is just brilliant. Jess did amazingly well to bounce back so quickly, and it was amazing being able to call her owners to say that she could come home to spend Christmas with them. It's the sort of call we all love to make, but doing it on Christmas Day was extra nice."