Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Portsmouth

01/11/2024

🍂 Autumnal Tip 🍂

Before lighting any bonfires, or that pile of garden waste during the winter months ⚠️ Please check for hedgehogs and other wildlife ⚠️

19/10/2024

Nellie was a recent visitor for an orthopaedic procedure on both legs.

Here Nellie is having a checkup with Christiaan, and seems to be healing well.

17/10/2024

Today we celebrate Dan achieving 10 years of service.

He has been an integral part of our nursing team, support all our patients and their owners.

Please join us in celebrating with Dan 🍾

15/10/2024

Joey fell in love with nurse Maddie when he was in for some later therapy ❤️

12/10/2024

08/10/2024

Our Complete Care Plan is a convenient way to spread the cost of preventative care (and get some discounts as well).

If you would like to find out more, why not pop in to speak to a member of the team, or WhatsApp us on 07360 495 281 and one of the team will provide you with more information.

05/10/2024

We’re a team who occasionally let our hair down and during the week we had an amazing practice night out at The Guildhall Village, for a ‘friendly’ practice quiz-night-competition.

Our host Lucy Caboosi was fantastic and we had so many laughs.

03/10/2024

Did you know we hold an RCVS accreditation? But what does that mean I hear you say!

The RCVS Accreditation is a voluntary scheme, which offers reassurance to our customers and patients that we are properly trained, and our facilities have met stringent standards and quality assurance. We undergo inspection at least every 4 years to ensure we have maintained those standards.

01/10/2024

Join us in thanking our amazing reception team for everything they do for our patients and our team. We wouldn’t be the practice we are without them.

28/09/2024

Let us know if you've used our WhatsApp messenger to contact us. We hope you have found this a convenient way to communicate with us, request your orders and book appointments?

25/09/2024

Dolly was a recent visitor as her owners had noticed a problem with her walking.

We identified that Dolly is suffering from patella luxation (kneecap dislocation) but radiographs were recommended to assess for any other changes.

We can see that Dolly’s hips are showing no signs of joint disease, and whilst Dolly may eventually need surgery to resolve her patella luxation, this is being managed with medication and monitored for the moment.

21/09/2024

Here is some great Autumn advice from Animal PoisonLine.

Their number is 01202 509 000.

They offer a telephone advice service so you can check if something your pet has eaten does need veterinary treatment, before paying for a consultation.
Calls are charged.

As we head into the autumn, we receive lots of enquiries regarding acorns and oak trees (Quercus species).

Ingestion of acorns by dogs is common during the autumn months. Following a large, one off ingestion of acorns, vomiting and diarrhoea may occur in dogs, both of which may be bloody. Lethargy, abdominal tenderness and inappetence can also be seen and there is also the risk of gastrointestinal obstruction. There have been reports of kidney and liver damage following substantial or repeat ingestion of both acorns and the plant itself, a scenario more commonly seen in horses and ruminants.

Oak toxicity predominantly affects grazing species such as cattle, horses and sheep, but it can affect dogs and cats too.

Oak toxicity can cause:
❗ Gastrointestinal signs (such as vomiting, diarrhoea, colic)
❗ Inappetence
❗ Gastrointestinal obstruction (particularly if a large number of acorns have been ingested)
❗ Kidney and liver impairment (reported in a small number of cases involving dogs, horses and ruminants)

📞If you suspect your pet has been exposed to oak, call the Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 for advice. Veterinary professionals can call VPIS on 0207 305 5055.

20/09/2024

This lovely older girl has a few aliments but thanks to Dr Christiane, hopefully Jessie J feels some relief from one.

Here you can see the before and after photos of Jessie J’s recent dental procedure.

Did you know that dental procedures are best performed under anaesthesia, to ensure our pets are free from pain and fear whilst the dental is being performed.
Whilst under the anaesthesia we will use a scaler to remove tartar and bacteria from the surface of the teeth, followed by a polisher to smooth the surface and remove any minor abrasions which will discourage plaque and bacteria buildup. We will also X-ray and remove any damaged or exposed teeth, resulting in a happy, healthy mouth.

12/09/2024

We are having problems with our card machines at the moment.

We will be able to accept payment via cash, or via our secure WhatsApp online payment link.

Please speak to reception to find out more.

11/09/2024

Let our nurses help you find the right pet for you and your family.
They can give you information on healthcare and husbandry needs before you make that final decision.

Call us on 023 9265 0655 to book a free nurse consultation.

04/09/2024

We wanted to wish good luck (or hope you had a great first day) to those starting school, going back, moving year or moving school, today or early next week!

Do your pets miss your children when the long summer holidays are over? Why not send us a snap of what they love to do when the kids are at school!

01/09/2024

🐱 Today is ginger cat appreciation day 🐱

Why not share your pictures below?

22/08/2024

Even when you are out and about, you can still contact us to order your next prescription or food, contact us to book a routine appointment, and our convenient WhatsApp service will also provide a secure way to pay online.

Why not save our number today?

20/08/2024

💊 Bank Holiday Orders 💊

Our supplier is closed an additional day over the bank holiday this year, so please place your food and medication orders before end of the day on Wednesday 21 August, to collect before the bank holiday.

Orders placed after this day will not be ready to collect until Wednesday 28 August.

17/08/2024

We’re open today for help and advice.

12/08/2024

**Lost and Found**

We have had this lovely girls with for a couple of days now, found in Cosham. Unfortunately she is chipped by the details are out of date.

If you recognise her please contact the practice.

09/08/2024

Lola is excited to introduce our Complete Care Plan.

This plan offers great discounts on preventative care including vaccinations, flea and worming, and vet consultations. You can choose to pay for the plan as a one off fee, or spread the cost over the year.

To find out more why not speak to a member of the team when you’re next in?

06/08/2024

🩺 Meet the vet team 🩺

Gokhan

Joined the practice in 2024.

Keen interests include general medicine, and viral and bacterial disease management.

03/08/2024

🩺 Meet the vet team 🩺

Claudio

Joined the practice in 2024.

Keen interests include anaesthesia, intensive care and internal medicine.

01/08/2024

🩺 Meet the vet team 🩺

Christiaan

Joined the practice in 2023.

Keen interests include general medicine and small animal surgery.

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.”