North Park Veterinary Group

20/06/2025

Morning,
We still have a neutered male cat with us in our Okehampton surgery. Does anyone recognise him?
Please contact us if you do.

19/06/2025

Hello,
Has anyone lost a Neutered Ginger male cat?
We've had one handed in to our Okehampton Surgery.

17/06/2025

Hot Forecast Due 🌅 Met Office Heat will build through the week. On Wednesday the highest temperatures values in the UK are expected to be around 27ºC.

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

13/06/2025

🐾 June is National Adopt a Cat Month! 🐱💛
Thinking of adding a furry friend to your family? Now’s the purr-fect time! Shelters and charities such as cats protection are full of adorable cats and kittens waiting for their forever homes. Meet Gwyn and Taz, both adopted and rescued cats living with 2 of our amazing staff members 🤎

We work closely with lots of charities to help cat welfare as every cat deserves a loving family. Our wonderful team at North Park are always at the end of the phone for advice regarding adoption and cat health.

11/06/2025

Our wonderful SVN Charlotte celebrated her 18th birthday on Sunday! She had an amazing weekend and is celebrating with work colleagues this week 🩵

06/06/2025

Our nurses have decided to raise funds and awareness for the Rabbit Association and Fund by completing the “Jump through June” challenge. Our nurses will be taking it in turns to complete 100 skips each day! Keep your eyes peeled for more information regarding the RWAF and the amazing work they do, with updates of our nurses progress! To support the nurses, any donations to the charity are appreciated! https://www.justgiving.com/team/northpark?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=CL

05/06/2025

30/05/2025

As we approach the end of Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month, our nurses have summarised a few of the many jobs and responsibilities they do. Thank you to all wonderful veterinary nurses for all their hard work and dedication!

29/05/2025

If you have an appointment at our North Tawton surgery today, please allow extra time for your journey. The top of Fore Street is closed today and there are traffic lights by the New Inn at Sampford Courtney.

28/05/2025

Has anyone lost a male entire tabby and white cat today from the Thornton Cross area, as he was brought in after being hit by a car. Thank you.

26/05/2025

🩺🐾Veterinary nursing awareness month 🐾🩺

Meet Esmee! Esmee is our amazing Animal Care Assistant who qualified in 2025. She begins her Veterinary Nursing course in September 2025!

“My favourite part of Nursing is inpatient care and getting to build strong bonds with patients while they are hospitalised and on the road to recovery”

Fun fact: Esmee has the cutest puppy Rowan who comes to work every day to help the team!

25/05/2025

🩺🐾Veterinary nursing awareness month 🐾🩺

Meet Charlotte! Charlotte joined the team in 2023 and gained her animal nursing assistant (ANA) qualification. She then went straight on to start her Veterinary Nursing qualification at Bicton College.

“My favourite part of Veterinary Nursing is inpatient care, especially making a bond with the patients, then seeing the smiles they bring to their families when walking out the door”

Fun fact: Charlotte has an adorable cocker spaniel puppy (in photo!) whom she is training to work on pheasants out in the fields!