Riverside Vet

12/12/2024

‼️ Staff training ‼️

All of our branches will be closed to non emergencies between 12-3pm today for staff training.

If you need to speak to the emergency vet please call your local branch as normal.

Thank you 🐾

14/11/2024

🎊Retirement 🎊

Next week sees us saying a very emotional farewell to Margaret, receptionist at our Bathgate branch.

Margaret is very much part of the furniture at Riverside having originally joined the practice in 1988 and left in 1995 before returning to the job she loved in 2012 until now.

Margaret has been an integral part of the team having seen many faces come and go over the years. She has now decided that it's time to take her foot off the accelerator a bit and spend some time with her beloved husband Michael and her devoted family.

Margaret says "'It's going to be a very sad day leaving, however I have made some lovely friends from the bathgate clients and their animals and will definitely keep in touch. I wish you all the best!"

We know you will all join us in wishing Margaret a very long and happy retirement, she will be greatly missed by all the staff from over the years, our patients and her clients 💜

14/11/2024

Double success!! Well done everyone 👏

05/11/2024

I'm really hoping it's quiet where you are...this is the time of year owners and people who work with animals truly hate 😭💔

Last minute Top Tips for surviving fireworks 👊🐶✨

✨️ Keep your dog inside ✨️
Last wee's at sunset then keep them inside during the worst of the noise. If they have to go out, keep them on a lead - even in the garden 🌛

✨️ Household noise ✨️
Keep TVs, radios and lights on in all rooms your dog has access to. Put a washing on, load up the dishwasher and do the hoovering and keep the house noisy and bright💡

✨️ Safe space ✨️
Give the option of a safe space or zen den - a table draped with a blanket, the bottom of the wardrobe or a big cardboard box is a great retreat. If your dog is used to being in a crate, cover it and leave it open with blankets inside. Don’t lock your dog in the crate, as this can be even more stressful for them. Give your dog options so they can choose where to hide ⛺

✨️ Enrichment ✨️
Chewing promotes calm! Let your dog chew the night away. Use puzzle games or your recyclable items, roll up a towel or set them all up together and have your dog search for treats in a giant game of hide and seek! Using their brain will help distract from the outside 📦

✨️ Bonfire brew ✨️
Feed a small portion of cooked pasta with your dog's dinner. This carbohydrate meal promotes the 'rest and digest' system - the response that tells the body it is safe to focus on recovery: lowering blood pressure, breathing rate and heart rate - think of that cosy feeling you get after a big carby meal 🥣

✨️ Ear slides ✨️
There are many acupuncture points in the ears and gentle ear strokes can help balance respiration and body temperature as well as helping in cases of shock and anxiety. If your dog chooses to sit with you, offer to give their ears a stroke 🤗

✨️ Comfort your dog ✨️
If your dog wants to, give them a snuggle and a fuss! Comforting your dog will NOT make their fear stronger but actually help reassure them - be your dogs safety net 💖

Coping during a stressful event is a combination approach, we need to try a number of these things together to achieve results 🐾

Wishing you all a safe and relaxing night ❤🐶✨🚫💥

04/11/2024

01/11/2024

29/10/2024

⚠️ This is your 1 week warning ⚠️

Top Tips to prepare for fireworks 👊🐶🚫✨
⁣
🌟 Speak to your vet
There's still time to get some medication in advance of next weekend! Using meds can really help take the edge off of a horrible weekend 💊

🌟 Adaptil (DAP) plug in and collar
Mums communicate with their puppies through natural messages released in the air. These messages helps dogs to feel reassured and relaxed in all challenging situations! Plug in and collar up now 🙏⁣
⁣
🌟 Safe space, den or crate⁣
Create a cosy, safe haven! A little dark den can make the world of difference if something scary happens! Make a blanket forts using sofas, chairs or tables! Give your dog options so they can choose where to hide. Set up your safe space now ⛺ ⁣
⁣
🌟 Enrich! Enrich! Enrich!
Licking, sniffing and chewing promote calm! Prepare Kongs or lickimats! Stock up on long lasting chews! Box fun is brilliant and super noisy to mask sounds! Hide a new toy! Have some 'back up' things prepared in case of unexpected fireworks! Licking, sniffing and chewing will help distract from the outside! Practice this week to build a positive association in advance of when we need it 📦
⁣
🌟 Household Hubbub
Practice having the TV, radios and 'big lights' on in the evenings this week so it's more normal! Put a washing on in the evening too to create vibrations and sounds💡 ⁣

🌟 Practice Routine Changes
This week take your dog for last wee's at sunset then not again until later on to keep them inside during the worst of the noise! This will get them used to waiting on the quiet on the night rather than their usual evening potter! If they have to go out, keep them on a lead, even in the garden in case of unexpected fireworks 🌅
⁣
We need to try a combination of these for success! Wishing you all a safe, relaxing and peaceful time ❤⁣

👊👊👊
⁣

28/10/2024

👶🏼 Baby news 👶🏼

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Charlotte, our fabulous in-house physiotherapist, and her husband Gavin have announced the arrival of their bouncing baby boy on Sunday 6th of October.

Munro made the surprise arrival a wee bit earlier than expected but both Mummy and baby are doing well. He was clearly a bit excited and impatient - we have absolutely no clue where he gets those traits from Charlotte…. 🤔

Welcome to the world little man and welcome to the Riverside team - we can’t wait to meet you 💙

23/10/2024

🐶 Client appeal 🐶

We are in need of some new blankets to help patients keep warm while they are with us. If you have any cosy blankets or sheets/bedding that you no longer use we could make very good use of them.

Unfortunately we are unable to use crocheted or knitted blankets.

Any donations would be very much appreciated and can be handed into any of our branches.

Thank you 🐾

22/10/2024

Thank you to everyone who came along to our fireworks information night last night - hopefully some tips to help keep your furbabies safe and comfortable over the next few weeks.

A special thank you to Ashley and one of our own vets, Melissa, for such a fun but informative session.

If you have any questions about how to help your pet with any anxieties please do get in touch!

21/10/2024

‼️Free tonight ‼️

No need to register, just come along for some great advice!

21/10/2024

‼️ FREE EVENT FOR OWNERS TONIGHT ‼️

Join us tonight to talk about how you can help keep your furbabies safe and comfortable through fireworks.

Hosted by our in-house clinical behaviourist.

18/10/2024

We consider ourselves very lucky to have Ashley working so closely with us at Riverside and to be able to offer her support and services directly to our clients.

Ashley runs a clinic from our Armadale branch on a Saturday morning and can accommodate sessions outwith this.

Getting good quality and safe advice from a qualified behaviourist is so important especially in times when there is little regulation within the behaviour industry.

Ashley is a fountain of knowledge and works very closely with our vets to find a protocol that works for you and your pet.

Come along to meet Ashley at our free session on Monday night for some great advice on how to help keep your pets safe and comfortable throughout firework season.

Well done and thank you for all your help, we look forward to working with you for another year! 🐾

🌟✨️ 1 Year as CCAB ✨️🌟

This time last year I found out some fantastic news...I'd passed my assessment to become a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) 🥳

And what a year its been 😍🌟✨️

❤️ I've been super fortunate to continue to support a whole host of wonderful dogs and their families through behaviour consults at the Behaviour Clinic 🐶

💛 Being a CCAB allows insured owners to claim on their pet insurance for behaviour consult fees, if your policy includes behaviour help, which has enabled more people to get support 😍

🩷 We've hosted FREE muzzle fittings for the most amazing dogs and their blooming fantastic guardians, spreading muzzle positivity far and wide, along with donating almost 70 muzzles to rescues who need them ✨️

💚 I'm delighted to share my little web store is open for all your rainbow training goodies and super snazzy training packs 🌈
www.reachyourpawtential.co.uk/shop

🧡 It probably comes as no surprise...but I love speaking about dogs 😂 so have hosted and spoken at different events and case study nights 🎤

💜 I've supported others on their training and behaviour journeys via mentoring sessions and love seeing people reach their goals 🌟

💙 I'm taking a little break from working in rescue to recharge SO in super crazy biscuits news...I'm now full time self employed, so have even more availability to support you and your perfect pooches 🥳

You can still book all of these services via the website, or by dropping me an email/DM 💻

Can't wait to see what the next year has in store for RYP 😍💜🌟✨️🐾

16/10/2024

Come along to our information night on Monday 21st October for some great tips on how to keep your pets happy and safe through fireworks season.

24/07/2024

❤️ Found kitten ❤️

We have had a young cat/kitten handed into our Bathgate branch today which was picked up in Bridgend, Bathgate.

No microchip and suspected to be too young to be out on its own just yet.

If you think this may be yours please call the practice on 01506 634176

Thanks 🐾

24/07/2024

🌟 Do you have an active sporting dog? Would you like them checked over regularly to prevent injury and improve performance? 🌟

Agility
Canicross
Gundog trials
Flyball

Our physiotherapy team can help! Book a specialist sporting dog musculoskeletal appointment to have a full assessment and advice work up done. We will discuss warm ups, cool downs, stretching, nutrition, conditioning exercises and much more! Using top of the range equipment like a stance analyser and an online video platform to support you in the run up to competition season - we will support you to get them in the best shape they can be for bringing home gold!

Sporting dog physio MSK check - £54.15

For more info email [email protected] or call today to book your slot - 01501 640492