Vets4Pets Sydenham

04/11/2024

🎇Bonfire night tips and tricks🎇
Fireworks can cause stress and anxiety for both you and your pet. While a certain degree of fear is normal, it becomes distressing if this fear is or becomes severe.

Always plan ahead:
🎆 Create a safe den - pets won't understand that fireworks cannot harm them and generally will feel safer when they have a hiding space.
🎆 Provide pets with pheromone support - pheromones are natural chemical ‘signals’ which are secreted by animals to communicate different types of messages to themselves or others.
🎆 When firework night rolls around, ensure all windows and doors are shut, and close the curtains
🎆If you have an outdoor pet, consider bringing them inside for the night.
🎆 NEVER punish your pet for displaying unwanted behaviour as a result of fireworks going off - this will only make them more distressed.

For more guidance, please visit our website.

19/10/2024

Did you know?
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need meat to survive.
They require nutrients that only meat is able to provide and find it difficult to digest plant material well.
Another reason is they are unable to synthesise an essential amino acid called ‘Taurine’. Taurine is specifically found in meat, fish, eggs and liver, and aids in vision, digestion,

Did you know?
Despite popular misconception, cats actually struggle to digest the lactose in milk and it can cause them to have upset tummies.
Water is all your cat actually needs to drink, and this should be provided fresh and always be available.

17/10/2024

We are currently experiencing issues with our phone lines.
Please bare with us while we find a solution.
In the meantime, if you have tried calling with no luck, please email the practice at [email protected]
Or text on
0736 026 7703

Thank you for your understanding

16/10/2024

Several factors can make obesity more likely in your pet. For example:
🟣Breed-certain breeds have a higher risk
⚪️Age-the risk increases with age
🟢Neuter status-neutered pets are more at risk
🟡Sex-apart from older pets, obesity is reported to be more common in females

However, obesity can affect all breeds of pets. It is mainly caused by eating too much or not exercising enough, although some diseases can also cause obesity. This makes it more important to be conscious of the amount of exercise you give your pet as well as the amount you are feeding them, to make it easier for veterinary professional to rule out underlying conditions.

https://www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/pet-nutrition-obesity/ #:~:text=How%20being%20overweight%20affects%20your,younger%20than%20healthy%2Dweight%20pets.

Discover our useful advice articles for keeping your pet in tip top shape. Click here to read our expert advice from the vets and nurses at Vets4Pets.

13/10/2024

🍔October is Pet wellness and obesity month🍔

What issues can obesity cause?
Obesity has been linked to many diseases as it puts strain on your pets, internal systems and organs.

If your pet is overweight or obese, it may increase the chance of your pet developing:
🍰Diabetes
🦵Osteoarthritis and joint pain
🩸High blood pressure
🫀Heart disease
🫁Respiratory difficulties
💩Gastrointestinal problems
💧Urinary bladder stones
❗️Cancer

10/10/2024

Exercise is a great way to help your pet burn extra calories! Benefits include:
🏃🏼‍♂️Help burn calories and maintian/lose weight
🏃🏼‍♀️Helps build lean muscle and lower blood pressure
🏃🏼‍♂️Stimulates the brain to beat boredom
🏃🏼‍♀️Helps maintian a healthy digestive and curculatory system

Exercuse doesnt always need to be in the form of a walk or run. Play time with your pet also allows excess energy to be burnt!

Generally, you should aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day for both dogs and cats.

07/10/2024

Follow the link to our awesome interactive Weight Management page.

Overweight or obese pets are a big problem in the UK. Help keep your pet fit and healthy with this guide on exercise, diet and medication.

04/10/2024

Have you ever heard of Body Condition Scores?

Just like people, dogs, cats and rabbits come in all shapes and sizes, and weight alone is not a good measure to see if your pet is healthy. Body condition scoring is a system developed by vets to help you assess if your dog, cat or rabbit is the correct weight.

Body condition scores mainly involve looking at and feeling the ribs and waist, and guideline charts like those below can help you assess what you are seeing and place your pet on the body condition score scale.

When conducting the scoring, think to yourself:
🐶How easily can i feel my pets ribs?
🐱How prominent is my pets waist?
🐰How obvious is the abdominal tuck?

Please follow the link for a more in depth guide for each specie of pet:

Body condition scoring is a system developed by vets to help you assess if your dog, cat or rabbit is the correct weight.

01/10/2024

🍔October is Pet wellness and obesity month🍔

The nutrition in the food we give our pets support every part of their bodies, allows them to grow and develop, and can even support management of many health conditions.

Did you know overweight pets are more susceptible to a range of associated medical conditions, including osteoarthritis and certain types of cancer? Obese pets typically have a lower quality of life and die younger than their healthy-weight counterparts.

Pets are classed as overweight if they are 10-20% above their ideal weight and obese if they are greater than 20% above their healthy weight.

28/09/2024

🐹 Guinea Pig Awareness Week 🐹
🥬23rd September - 27th September🥬

Fly strike 🪰
Fly strike occurs when flies lay egg on a Guinea Pig, which hatch into maggots and then start to eat the rabbits flesh. This is often fatal due to toxic shock.

They are attracted to the smell of faeces, urine, blood and like damp warm areas.

Preventatives:
🪰 Keep your pet clean and in good health
🪰 Check your Guinea Pigs rear for accumulation of faeces or urine
🪰 Preventative products should be used regularly, particularly throughout fly season
🪰 Ensure their hutch is cleaned regularly
🪰 Keep an eye out for sores or open wounds

For any more advise on Guinea Pig care, please visit:

Learn about guinea pigs, they make fun pets and as they can be kept indoors or out, they suit many home situations. Find out how to keep yours healthy.

26/09/2024

🐹 Guinea Pig Awareness Week 🐹
🥬23rd September - 27th September🥬

Guinea Pig diet
🥦 Approximately 85% of a Guinea Pig diet should be grass/good quality hay, 10% leafy green vegetables and only 5% pellets or nuggets
🫑 Many leafy greens are safe for Guinea Pig consumption, but some are not. Always do your research before introducing new foods to your rabbit
🥒 Hay helps grind down your Guinea Pigs teeth and help to reduce the risk of dental issues
🍓Fruit can also be given as an occasional treat, but avoid citrus fruit completely.

For any more advise on Guinea Pig care, please visit:

Learn about guinea pigs, they make fun pets and as they can be kept indoors or out, they suit many home situations. Find out how to keep yours healthy.

23/09/2024

🐹 Guinea Pig Awareness Week 🐹
🥬23rd September - 27th September🥬

Our theme this year is Nibble, Nourish & Thrive.

Guinea pig housing 🏡
❤️ Guinea Pigs are very social creatures and love to be housed in pairs or small groups
🏞 They can be kept indoors or out, with a garden or with no outside space at all. We recommend having an enclosure of 10 square foot for one or two guinea pigs.
🏃🏼‍♂️ Guinea Pig do like to have space to run, if free access to the garden is not available, a run area is a great, safe option!
🏠 If the hutch is outside, keep it in a sheltered spot free from draughts, but with plenty of ventilation.
🧼 Housing should be spot cleaned daily and deep cleaned weekly
❄️Provide plenty of extra bedding in winter. Hay is good as they can also eat it!

For any more advise on Guinea Pig care, please visit:

Learn about guinea pigs, they make fun pets and as they can be kept indoors or out, they suit many home situations. Find out how to keep yours healthy.

20/09/2024

Why is it important to keep our pets teeth clean?

Plaque on teeth causes gum inflammation (we call this inflammation gingivitis). If your pet has gingivitis, the edges of the gums may look red or darker pink than the rest of the gums and they may bleed when your pet chews on something or has their teeth brushed.

Gradually, the gums shrink back, away from the plaque, but the plaque keeps creeping up towards the gumline. Plaque produces the hard material we call tartar, or dental calculus. The calculus is laid down on the surface of the teeth as the gum recedes and the plaque sits on top of it.

Eventually, the gums recede so much that the attachments between the tooth and its socket break down and this gum disease leads to loose and diseased teeth and a pet in pain and discomfort.

Your vet will check your pet's teeth at their annual health check, however it's a good idea to keep an eye out for signs of dental problems in between visits. The signs to look out for are below:

🦷 Bad breath which can be a sign of periodontal disease
🦷 Red, inflamed or bleeding gums
🦷 Excessive drooling
🦷 Loose teeth
🦷 Build up of tartar (grey/brown substance on the teeth)
🦷 Receding gum line
🦷 Reluctancy to eat
🦷 Behaviour changes such as being less playful or not grooming as much
🦷 Pawing or rubbing their face

18/09/2024

Poor dental hygiene can lead to a number of different health issues including congestive heart failure, kidney/liver disease and periodontists!

Checking your pets teeth is simple and a great way to pick up dental issues.
🦷🦷🦷
Below is a simple how to guide on checking your pets mouth.

If you suspect your pet has dental issues, please call the practice to speak to a member of staff.

Alternatively, our nurses offer dental clinics to provide guidance on daily dental hygiene and tooth brushing.
🦷🦷🦷
Did you know our complete care plans offer discounts off dental treatments?
To use this offer, please let the practice know on your next visit

15/09/2024

Did you know we offer Complete Care for Senior pets?
They’re designed to help you save and spread the cost of routine healthcare with simple monthly direct debits.

This covers all these essentials:
🩷Annual booster vaccination including a health check with your vet
🩷Year round Veterinary prescribed parasite preventative treatment
🩷Three additional consultation with your vet
🩷Six consultations with a nurse, including weight checks and routine nail clips
🩷One annual General health and wellness blood screen
🩷Two advanced urine screens

Plus some extras:
🩷Discount off neutering
🩷Discount of Dental scale and polish
🩷 One additional annual General health and wellness blood screen

If you’d like to sign up to our complete care senior, please contact the practice to book an appointment.

Subject to terms and conditions.

We're all for fabulous felines. So our Complete Care health plan* gives cat owners all the essential routine healthcare they need.

12/09/2024

This is Ollie 💕
Ollie came to the practice today for a dental procedure.
Ollie was such a well behaved boy for our staff and very much enjoyed his chicken lunch after his procedure and all the cuddles he could get.

12/09/2024

There are some questions you can ask yourself if you believe your pet is in pain:
1. Do certain behaviours become common after exercise?
2. Are these behaviours more prominent in the morning or evening?
3. Does your pet react more when you touch a certain area or point on their body?
4. Does your pet seem unsettled or restless?
5. Is your pet gnawing at a particular are or groaning when touched?

If you believe your pet is in pain, please contact the practice with your concerns on 02086591777
Or message the practice on whatsapp on 07360267703

07/09/2024

There are different types of pain that we see in the practice, the two main types being acute and chronic pain.

Acute pain is more recognised by pet parents due to its sudden onset.
It is self limiting and allows us to remove ourselves from painful stimulus to protect your body from further harm.

Chronic pain is a pain that lasts for 3 months or more.
There may be subtle changes in the way your pet moves or behaves but otherwise seem happy. This is commonly seen in osteoarthritis and is picked up on late due to subtle symptoms. This type of pain serves no biological purpose and no recognisable end point.

04/09/2024

September is pain awareness month

Nothing concerns parents more than believing their pet is in pain.

Pain is complex. Pets large, small and all those in between feel pain similar to how we humans experience pain. The only difference being the way we perceive their it and the signs they show us.

Not all pets express pain the same way. Cats especially are very good at making signs of pain disappear, but that does not mean they aren’t.

Common signs of pain include:
🙈Becomign withdrawn or hiding
🗣️Vocalising more
😡Aggitation or aggression
🍜Changes in sleeping or wating habits
👅Licking and grooming the same area (like the feet in dogs with allergies ir arthritis)

If you believe your pet is in pain, please contact the practice with your concerns on 02086591777
Or message the practice on whatsapp on 07360267703

01/09/2024

Whipworm 🎣
Anecdotally, older dogs are more at risk of having a whipworm burden than younger dogs.
Whipworms are endemic to the UK and only infect canines. Adult whipworms live in the large intestine and can reach a maximum of 2-3 inches in length. Their eggs are very hardy, and can survive a wide range of environmental conditions – some reports claim they can survive in the soil for up to seven years!

Many dogs who have whipworms do not show any signs at all, however serious numbers may cause:
🎣Bloody diarrhoea
🎣Anaemia (low blood levels)
🎣Dehydration
🎣Tiredness

Thankfully, although you can’t stop your pet being exposed to whipworm, there are lots of options for preventing an infestation with regular worming treatment and cleaning up after your pet quickly.

If you require a new prescription, please call the practice on 0208 659 1777 and allow 24 hours for your prescription to be fulfilled.

Whipworm can cause problems to arise in dogs, especially senior dogs who are more at risk. Find out more about symptoms and possible treatments here.

29/08/2024

Hookworm 🪝
Hookworms are blood sucking intestinal worms. Small and difficult to spot, in large enough numbers they can suck enough blood to cause serious anaemia, especially in puppies.

There are two types of hookworm seen in the UK. Both can also infect foxes, and in fact a study showed 68% of UK foxes had a hookworm infection, but are less commonly found in our pets.

Hookworms can be passed from mother to puppies either via the placenta before birth, or through the milk. They can also be swallowed from dirt in their larvae stage or through the skin (usually the feet).

Symptoms of intestinal infection may include:
🪝Diarrhoea, possibly with dark faeces
🪝Going off food
🪝Tiredness
🪝Swollen pads
🪝Itchiness
🪝Red spots on the skin
🪝Hair loss in the area

Thankfully, although you can’t stop your pet being exposed to hookworms, there are lots of options for preventing an infestation with regular worming treatment, cleaning up after your pet quickly, make sure to worm pregnant or lactating females and regularly checking paws for irritation.

https://www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/dog-advice/hookworms-and-your-dog/ #:~:text=Hookworms%20are%20a%20small%20type,from%20the%20small%20vessels%20there.

26/08/2024

☀️Bank holiday opening times☀️
Just a reminder that we are open 10am - 3pm here at Vets4Pets Sydenham.

For emergencies outside if this, please contact our out of hours peovider VetsNow Sidcup on 020 8001 1559

23/08/2024

☀️Bank holiday opening times☀️
Our opening times will be slightly different over the bank holiday.
We are open 10am - 3pm here at Vets4Pets Sydenham on Monday 26th August

For emergencies outside if this, please contact our out of hours peovider VetsNow Sidcup on 020 8001 1559

21/08/2024

Heartworm ❤️
Heartworms are thankfully not found in the UK, but are a risk for pets that travel or are adopted from abroad – although cats are at a much lower risk than dogs.
Transmitted by mosquitos, these parasites can cause serious illness and even death.

Heartworms are very thin, thread-worms. You won’t see these worms yourself though, as they live within the right side of the heart, and the main artery leading from the heart to the lungs.

The seriousness of symptoms can directly relate the number of heartworms, how long they have been there and your pets immune system response.

Signs can include:
❤️Coughing
❤️Weight loss
❤️Exercise intolerance
❤️Laboured breathing
❤️ Fluid retention in the tummy

It is important to note that advanced infestations can lead to the blocking of blood flow into the heart, causing death.

Heartworm preventative medication is the best way to protect your pet from contracting heartworm.

If you require a new prescription, please call the practice on 0208 659 1777 and allow 24 hours for your prescription to be fulfilled.

All you need to know about Heartworms care & your dog. Heartworms aren't found in the UK, but they're a serious risk for dogs travelling abroad.

21/08/2024

With the bank holiday Monday around the corner, we would like to make our wonderful clients aware that tomorrow (Thursday 22nd August) will be the last day we are able to order medication.

After this date, normal ordering schedules will resume on Tuesday 27th August.

If you have any queries or need to place an order, please call the practice on 0208 659 1777.
🏥🏥🏥

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.”

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."