Vets4Pets Middlesbrough Cleveland Park

04/11/2024

Winter worries ❄️

As we wrap up warm and dig out the wellies and boots ready for the winter walks don’t forget to protect your pets paws too 🐾

Grit and salt used on roads and pavements can irritate your dog’s paws and the skin can become dry, cracked or sore. When your dog comes in from a walk, you can rinse their paws in warm (not hot) water and blot them dry with a towel. You might like to apply a little paw butter or paw balm afterwards, to moisturise them and prevent cracking.

01/11/2024

Remember remember the 5th of November 🎆

As Guy Fawkes Night is fast on the approach it may be an exciting event for us, but it can be a particularly scary time for our pets.

Sound sensitivities, including fireworks, are very common in dogs and while a certain degree of fear is normal, there are ways we can help make them more comfortable by closing blinds, turning the tv volume up or certain medications.

For cats, the problem is often stress caused by changes to their environment or routine, especially when they are used to being outdoors and this changes to being kept in the house more. Provide them with a safe place to hide and don’t create extra fuss.

For rabbits, guinea-pigs and other small furries, you can really help them by making a few simple changes to their environment which will keep them as calm and comfortable as possible. Cover hutches to block noise and bright lights or consider bringing them inside for the evening.

For last minute advice read more here:

https://www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/helping-your-pet-cope-with-firework-season/

01/11/2024

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween from the team at Vets4Pets 🎃👻

28/10/2024

Octobers pet of the month ✨

This month we’re shining the spotlight on Bertie!

Bertie has been working with our behavioural nurse Kerry who’s helping him get used to strangers and build confidence in different situations. He’s come on leaps and bounds in the last couple months and his mum is very proud. 🎉

Is your pet struggling with their behaviour? Give us a call on 01642 431940 to discuss our behaviour clinics

25/10/2024

Halloween fun 🎃👻🐶

In the run up to Halloween we want you to share your pets in their best scary costumes!

Share your photos in the comments below and we will share our favourites this Halloween! 🎃

23/10/2024

🎃⚠️ Take Care this Halloween 🎃 ⚠️

If you enjoy carving pumpkins, make sure you do so out of your pet's reach - pumpkins are a classic element of Halloween, and whilst they are non-toxic, they can cause stomach upsets if large amounts are eaten, so make sure to move pumpkins well out of your pet’s reach 🐾

21/10/2024

⚠️🎃 Take Care this Halloween 🎃 ⚠️

Tis the season to don the costumes and head out collecting lots of tasty treats 🍬 or tricks! 😈

Popular Halloween treats like sweets containing xylitol and chocolate are toxic to pets, so should always be kept well out of reach. If your pet does manage to eat any treats you should contact your vet for advice immediately.

18/10/2024

Remember remember the 5th of November 🎇

If you're unsure whether your rabbit or guinea pig is agitated by the sounds of fireworks, some signs you can look out for include: 🐰 🐹

Stamping their back legs
Restlessness or just staying motionless
Attempting to escape or hide
Aggression
Grinding their teeth
Reduced appetite (this can be very dangerous in rabbits and guinea pigs!)
Change in toileting habits

Ways to help if you think your rabbit or guinea pig is worried during fireworks are;

Bring them indoors where noise can be reduced
Create hiding places or play calming music
Make sure they have a friend to provide support
Distract them with favourite treats or a new toy

16/10/2024

🎃⚠️ Take Care this Halloween 🎃 ⚠️

Candles and decorations can seem like great toys to dogs and cats so keep them up and out of reach to avoid singed whiskers or burned paws or maybe a curious Labrador thinking they make a great snack 🐾

If your child is playing with glowsticks, be sure that your pet doesn’t get a hold of them. The oily liquid found inside glowsticks can cause severe drooling and foaming at the mouth when chewed, therefore it’s imperative you keep them out of reach of your pet.

14/10/2024

Attention Senior Pets we have the deal for you ❗️

Often the first indication your cat is suffering from arthritis is that they seem to be slowing down. In cats, this is often seen as sleeping or resting more. Don’t think of this as just a ‘normal’ old age change – just like us, arthritis affects movement because it is painful 🐈‍⬛

Specific Signs of cat arthritis:
A change in behaviour, especially grumpiness or uncharacteristic aggression towards people and/or other animals
Difficulty or reluctance in jumping up/down or climbing stairs
Difficulty using the litter tray or cat flap which can result in toileting accidents in the house
Sleeping and resting more, often in a different (more easily accessible) place
Overgrown nails
Spending more time alone
Grooming less, resulting in a matted, scruffy coat
Over grooming specific areas (often painful joints)

If this is sounding like your pet, we can now offer your first injection of librela free of charge*

Give us a call on 01642 431940 to chat to the team 📞

*new users of librela only and consultation fee of £49 chargeable to client.

12/10/2024

We are currently experiencing technical difficulty at the practice and are without a card terminal. So are unable to take card payments. Currently we are only able to take cash payments or are asking our clients to pay using our online payments links after their are appointments whilst still on site with us. We thank you for your patience during this time and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

11/10/2024

Remember remember the 5th of November 🎇

While they may not be as vocal as their canine counterparts, cats can still find fireworks scary and stressful. Keep an eye out for signs of stress which include:

Freezing and refusing to move
Staring with their eyes wide and their pupils dilated
Pinning their ears back
Swishing their tail and tucking it around their body
Hair standing on end
Hissing, growling, meowing or yowling
Refusing to use the litter box, and potentially urinating or defecating in places they wouldn’t usually
Acting aggressive, potentially swiping with their claws or biting

Make sure your microchip details are up to date, keep them indoors if possible and provide safe hiding places around your home 🏠

09/10/2024

⚠️🎃 Take Care this Halloween 🎃 ⚠️

It's a good idea to make sure your pet is used to the sounds of people knocking on the door and visiting the house to avoid distressing them. 👻

It’s recommended that you also create a safe space for them to retreat to. Cats love to seek out cosy hiding places, so make sure they have a comfortable, quiet place to go in the house. If your cat is settled, don't try to cuddle them to keep them calm, just leave them where they are comfortable. Keep your dog in a cosy, quiet area of the house away from the door so they can't hear the knocking and regular visitors frequenting the house. 🏠

Make sure collars are worn with ID tags and microchip details up to date should your pet get spooked 😱

07/10/2024

Attention Senior Pets! We have a deal just for you! ❗️

Osteoarthritis, often referred to just as arthritis, is a painful disease caused by wear and tear of a joint. It makes movement difficult and sore. Affected dogs are usually in their middle and senior years but arthritis can be seen in younger dogs, especially those with developmental joint problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia.

Specific signs include:

Difficulty climbing stairs
An overall decrease in activity, especially play
Resting more than usual
Being slow to rise from lying down
Slowing down on walks, or refusing walks
Slow or stiff movements upon waking, after a rest, or in cold weather
Reduced ability to jump up
Reduced ability to bend joints
Licking at a joint

If this is sounding like your pet, we can now offer your first injection of librela free of charge*

Give us a call on 01642 431940 to chat to the team 📞

*new users of librela only and consultation fee of £49 chargeable to client.

04/10/2024

Remember remember the 5th of November 🎇

Sound sensitivities, including fireworks, are very common in dogs and reactions range from mild to extreme. While a certain degree of fear is normal, it becomes distressing for both you and your dog if this fear is or becomes severe. Signs to look out for include:

Ears back
Excessive panting
Drooling
Shaking
Hiding away
Barking excessively
Messing in the house

Ideally, dogs with sound sensitivities need a long-term behaviour modification plan, which includes desensitisation and counterconditioning. For more information, always speak to your vet for advice.

02/10/2024

🍂 ⚠️ Autumn Awareness ⚠️ 🍂

Those cold mornings are definitely setting in 🥶

Frosty mornings and frozen cars mean where all reaching for the de icers and antifreeze. Sadly, antifreeze is hugely toxic to cats, and every year cats across Britain are seriously ill or die from antifreeze poisoning.
The toxic component of antifreeze is called ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol has a sweet taste, which means animals and even children can be drawn to it.
Uncleaned spillages can get on cats’ paws, meaning they ingest the antifreeze as they clean themselves.

Take care to keep pets away from where products are stored and keep them indoors when in use

30/09/2024

✨ Septembers pet of the month ✨

Meet Norville the first of our new pet of the month posts. This guy weighs a massive 61kg and was just the bestest boy making sure he said please for all his treats!

26/09/2024

A ferret has been handed into the practice this morning in poor condition. Found by a member of the public on skippers Lane. If you think this may be yours please contact the practice on 01642 431940 or comment on this post. Thank you.

25/09/2024

Thinking about cutting the grass?
🌱✂️🚫
Think before you do!

Leave it unmown if you can – but if you must mow, check carefully for & other wildlife first, then cut it initially to about a foot tall.

Check again before cutting any lower!

24/09/2024

Unfortunately we have had a deceased entire male tabby cat brought in to practice. No chip or collar believed to be under a year old found in the South Bank area 🐾

If you believe this is your pet please contact the practice on 01642 431940

20/09/2024

🍂⚠️ Autumn Awareness 🍂⚠️

This time of year sees our woodlands in the UK burst in colour and as the cold weather hasn’t quite set in yet they become the perfect setting for a walk with our canine companions.

Are you aware of some common toxins that can cause your pet to become seriously ill? 🤒

🍁 Conkers
🍁 Acorns
🍁 Fallen rotten leaves
🍁 Mushrooms

All of the above can lead to serious gastrointestinal illness, blockages and more…

If you have reason to suspect your pet has ingested any of the above get in touch with us on 01642 431940 ASAP! 🚨

17/09/2024

Sadly we have had a deceased cat brought into practice. A black and white entire male with 4 white socks. No microchip. Found Berwick hills. If you think this may be your cat please contact the practice on 01642 431940.

16/09/2024

🍂 ⚠️ Autumn awareness 🍂⚠️

As the dark nights draw in and we look forward to those cosy evenings, please remember to keep your pets safe when heading out 🐾

When walking your dog in the dark it’s essential that you and your dog are visible. LED collars, leads and harnesses are a great way to ensure your pet can be seen in the dark. Our friends at Pets at Home have a range of reflective products available on their website.

For cats, it's best to keep them indoors during these dark evenings, as they cannot be seen by drivers making traffic accidents a big risk. Neutering may also stop cats roaming from home

14/09/2024

The tiny Cocoa came in for her dental this week 🦷 A few less teeth and breath smelling of watermelons! 🍉

Are you noticing your pet has bad breath? Unsightly tartar or bleeding gums?

Give the practice a call today to discuss dental treatment 👩🏻‍⚕️

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."

03/01/2024

Six-foot-long boa constrictor Astrix was the centre of attention when he called in for a routine "top to tail" health check at Vets4Pets Penzance.

Astrix, who's four, is part of a menagerie of six snakes, bearded dragons and six dogs belonging to veterinary nurse Lowenna, who works at the practice, and her partner Mark. The team looked at Astrix's eyes and mouth and checked his breathing to rule out any respiratory infections and also checked his scales.

Lowenna said: "He got a clean bill of health, he was absolutely fine and everyone had a turn holding him. Asterix is quite reserved, a little bit shy usually. He did really well when he came in as everyone wanted to touch him and he was like 'okay I quite like the attention.' Astrix has got a lovely big set-up at home. He's quite a big boy, weighing in at nearly 10 kilos, so the vivarium is more than seven foot long. We have a reptile room and he has the run of it. He has a large bucket of water too if he ever wants to submerge himself."

02/01/2024

This brave girl is collie-cross Sherpa, who the team at Vets for Pets Livingston say was "impeccably calm" when she was rushed in for emergency injury after hurting her eye in a freak accident.

Sherpa's owner Caroline was taking Sherpa for a walk when Sherpa caught her eye on a stick as she went exploring a bush. She was quickly admitted into surgery where she received X-rays and, after a two-hour procedure by practice owner Dr Adam, aided by nurse Erin, the stick was removed. Adam said: "Sherpa was amazingly tolerant following an extremely random occurrence. It was astonishing." Sherpa didn't lose her sight and is now making a great recovery.

Caroline said: “We were suddenly thrown into the worst living nightmare, it was absolutely horrifying. It’s truly a miracle what Adam and the team achieved from the moment they answered our call for help. They gave us hope."

24/12/2023

This little Christmas cracker is Molly, who survived against the odds and gave birth to three premature puppies after being brought in to Vets for Pets Cirencester as a pregnant stray with severe injuries from a fight with other dogs.

Martina, who owns the practice, said: ”It was really touch and go and we thought Molly might not make it. The team treated mum first, got her on a drip and stabilised her before successfully managing to deliver the puppies – two boys and a girl – by caesarean section."

Molly, who's a Cairn Terrier, and her three pups are recovering well at home with Martina. “As they needed 24/7 care I took them home and emptied the whole spare bedroom so there was a nice, warm and comfortable quiet place for Molly and her puppies. I was attached to her for the first five days – my husband Matt even brought food up to the bedroom for me as I stayed there all the time. It was really hard work but it was all worth it. They’re absolute darlings and doing really well now – mum is already brave enough to go on dog walks.”

Martina says Molly will continue living with her in the future, and the puppies will be adopted when they are stronger.

19/12/2023

This beautiful buzzard is on the mend after undergoing surgery on a broken wing at Vets4Pets Newmarket after he was hit by a car.

A member of the public rescued the buzzard and brought him in to see if the team could help. After a successful operation and five days of recuperation he's ben taken to The Raptor Foundation rehabilitation centre to continue his recovery.

Practice manager Natalie said: "We put him under general anaesthetic and performed orthopaedic surgery. We'll see him again next month to see how he's progressing and then hopefully he'll be released back into the wild. We wish him a speedy recovery as he's such a handsome chap.”