Vets4Pets Morpeth

07/10/2025

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Important article and info for anyone going through the process of importing a dog from Romania, and those looking into the process.

In answer to some of our questions regarding the news on mandatory pre-import testing for Brucella Canis for all commercial dog imports from Romania into Great Britain.

From 7 October 2025, new rules will require mandatory pre-import testing for Brucella Canis for all commercial dog imports from Romania into Great Britain.

Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-urged-to-buy-pets-from-reputable-sources

Yesterday, we considered:

➡️What are classed as 'commercial dog imports'?
➡️What about the illegal trade?
➡️What about the sensitivity and specificity of tests available?
➡️ What about seroconversion and last exposure?

Here's what we have found so far:

From 7 October 2025, dogs commercially imported from Romania must have a negative Brucella canis test result.

➡️Which dogs must be tested before import?

The rules relating to Brucella canis apply to the commercial import of dogs into Great Britain, if they originate in or are dispatched from Romania.

You must follow commercial import rules if there will be a sale or transfer of ownership (including to rehome rescue animals).

Pet owners must also follow commercial import rules to travel with more than 5 dogs (unless they are attending a competition, show, sporting event or related training).

➡️Sending samples to Great Britain

An authorised veterinarian in Romania must take a sample and send it to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in Great Britain for testing, prior to import.

When completing the form, you must select 2 tests: Brucella canis ELISA and Brucella canis SAT.

➡️Getting test results

APHA laboratory reports with the test results are sent by email.

Both tests must be negative. The dog can then enter Great Britain no later than 30 calendar days from when the blood sample was taken. To enter at a later date, a new test is required.

If either test result is positive, you cannot import the dog.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/brucella-canis-testing-dogs-before-import

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/6-october-2025-brucella-canis-testing-requirements-for-commercially-imported-dogs-from-romania

Want to know more about Brucella Canis?

The article below aims to support the veterinary profession, the public and dog rescue organisations in our attempts to manage, test and recognise the disease in small animal practice.

In the UK in 2021 Public Health England released a Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance HAIRS risk statement that noted since summer 2020 there has been an unexpectedly high number of reports of Brucella canis infection in dogs, mostly directly imported into the UK from Eastern Europe.

Brucella canis spreads predominantly via reproductive fluids. The risk of spread is particularly high if a pregnant bitch aborts a litter of puppies. Neutered dogs therefore pose a lower risk of transmission, but it does not eliminate risk. The disease can also be spread via blood, urine and saliva. People living with an infected pet will have prolonged exposure to these fluids and may therefore be more at risk if in regular and direct contact with the infected dog. Those working with bodily fluids may also be higher risk, such as laboratory workers, veterinary professionals and kennel professionals.

Read the article in full to understand more about the disease, and how you can reduce the risk whilst managing these patients in practice, and continue to provide outstanding veterinary care whilst protecting your team.

But remember, the most important option is not fuelling illegal puppy and dog trading in the first place.

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/brucellosis-canis-in-the-uk-an-overview

01/10/2025

🌟 Reception Team Appreciation Post 🌟

Today is Veterinary Receptionist Appreciation Day and we want to take a moment to recognise the incredible work our veterinary reception team does every single day!

They’re the warm welcome at the door, the friendly voices on the phone, and the helping hands that help to keep everything running smoothly. Their hard work never stops.

Thank you for your patience, kindness, and dedication to both our clients and their beloved pets. Our practice wouldn’t be the same without you! 🐶🐱🐾

28/09/2025

This little lady had been badly attacked by a dog.

We are helping Blyth Wildlife Rescue to get her back to health. She appears to be a famous fox around the Percy Main area and is loved by the community who would really like to see her back in the area.

If anyone could even spare £1 for this fabulous charity to keep doing the great work they do, it would be very much appreciated.

The organisation runs entirely on donations, and as you might imagine their overheads and costs are many and expensive.

Please help us help the charity get this beautiful animal back to the community that care about her.

Thank you 🙏

For those concerned about the fox seen frequenting areas around Percy Main over the last week, we are pleased to report we managed to locate and capture the fox yesterday afternoon.

After numerous sightings and visiting several sites in the local area, we eventually managed to locate the fox on the grounds of a school, where she was secured and taken back to the centre for immediate first aid.

The fox’s wounds are quite extensive with maggots and infection present throughout. Once stabilised, she was then taken to Vets4Pets Morpeth for further work under sedation.

The fox is now back in our care at the centre and will be due for more surgery under sedation over the coming days.

We are thankful for the public’s support with sightings over the last few days and the kind words of concern for the fox’s welfare.

To contribute towards the rehabilitation and veterinary costs for the fox and all of the charity’s other work, please consider a donation today to help with our work! 🤎

23/09/2025

💊💊Prescription Reminder💊💊

Please allow 7 working days when ordering repeat prescriptions, this gives our team time to process your request, order stock if needed, and ensure everything is checked and ready.

💊 Medication Reviews

By law, all pets on long-term medication must have regular reviews:
• Most conditions: every 6 months
• Some conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart disease): every 3 months

We’ll keep you updated! Prescription bags will include notes when a review is due, and we’ll also let you know if there are any changes to your pet’s medication.

💊 Medication Appearance

Sometimes tablets or packaging may look different, this is usually because we’ve sourced them from a different supplier, but they’re the same medicine.

We’ll always include a note in the package if anything has changed.

💊 How to order
• WhatsApp: 07782 585629
• Email: [email protected]

Thank you for helping us keep your pets safe and healthy!!

Your V4P Morpeth Team
🐾 ❤️ 🐾

13/09/2025

🚫 Zero Tolerance Policy 🚫

At Vets4Pets Morpeth we are here because we love animals and care deeply about our clients and their pets. Our whole team works hard every single day to provide the best service we can.

However, we must be clear: we will not tolerate aggressive behaviour, threats, or abuse towards our staff.

If this occurs, you will be:
• Asked to leave immediately
• Declined treatment
• Banned from both the clinic and the Pets at Home store

We know that sometimes things don’t go as expected, and you may feel upset or frustrated.
That’s OK, we are always happy to talk things through and find a solution together. But this must be done with politeness and respect.

Please remember, we’re all here for the same reason: to care for your pets. Let’s work together to keep our clinic a safe and supportive place for everyone.

01/09/2025

🐾 Meet Jennifer, our New Vet at Vets4Pets Morpeth! 🐾

We’re delighted to welcome Jennifer to our growing team!

Jennifer qualified as a Veterinarian at the Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. She and her husband, Glenn, have recently moved to the UK with their three much-loved cats – Rydia, Sadie and Steve 🐱🐱🐱.

She brings with her a special interest in feline medicine, soft tissue surgery, and fear-free techniques, and is really excited to start meeting our clients (and of course their pets!) here in Morpeth.

Please join us in giving Jennifer a warm welcome to the team, we can’t wait for you and your pets to meet her!

31/08/2025

🐾 Exciting News at Vets4Pets Morpeth! 🐾

We’re thrilled to welcome Peter Gilmore RVN BSc (Hons) to our team! Many of you may know Peter from Vets4Pets North Tyneside, where he is a registered veterinary nurse with a degree in Animal Behaviour.

Peter will now be offering specialist behaviour consultations here at Morpeth, helping pets and their families with everything from training challenges to anxiety and more complex behaviour issues.

Not only that, but Peter will also be mentoring our nurse Katie, who has a real passion for behaviour work and will soon be starting her own behaviour qualification. We’re so excited to support Katie on this journey and proud to be growing this service for our clients.

Watch Peter’s video here and see his adorable assistant, Zea. They come as a package deal and she is absolutely wonderful at helping other dogs.

To book a behaviour consultation with Peter, just give us a call or drop us a message our team will be happy to help.

These appointments will be available two Thursdays a month (subject to availability), but Peter can also see you at North Tyneside in urgent cases if needed.

Call us on - 01670 500670
WhatsApp on - 07782585629
Email on - [email protected]

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18/08/2025

**Request for donations**

We are running low on blankets for our lovely inpatients and would be incredibly grateful for any donations. We are currently well stocked with towels etc but blankets would be gratefully received. Thank you 🙏 💕

13/08/2025

****REUNITED****

🐢 TORTOISE FOUND 🐢

We have had a tortoise handed in at the practice. If anyone is missing a tortoise please give us a call.

01670 500670

04/08/2025

‼️Local Parvovirus Alert – Please Read & Share ‼️

We are sadly seeing a number of very sick puppies with parvovirus in our local area. This disease is extremely contagious and often fatal, and we are urging all pet owners and potential puppy buyers to take extra care.

What you need to know:

▪️Do NOT buy puppies from the backs of cars, car parks, or outbuildings where you cannot see the litter with their mother.

▪️If the environment looks unclean or the puppies appear unwell, please walk away.

▪️The sellers are believed to be from this area. If you have any information, please report it to the RSPCA or the police, we must break this cycle.

▪️Parvo treatment is costly and can take up to 14 days of intensive care.

▪️First opinion GP practices like ours do not have the facilities or staff to hospitalise parvo cases and treatment usually requires referral to a 24-hour hospital, which is expensive.

▪️Home management is rarely an option.

▪️ Vaccinate your puppies and follow your vet’s advice on the correct vaccine schedule.

▪️Do not walk unvaccinated puppies or allow them to mix with other dogs whose vaccination status you do not know.

▪️Watch for symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea (often bloody), lethargy, or refusal to eat, and seek veterinary help immediately if you are concerned.

We know how heartbreaking this is, we’ve seen it firsthand this past week. Please help us break the cycle, protect your pets, and keep our community safe.

If you are unsure about vaccinations or need advice, our team is here to help:

📞 01670 500670
📧 [email protected]

Please share this to help raise awareness, it could save a puppy’s life. 🐾

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."