Have you ever heard a heartbeat? ❤️
When the heart muscle contracts to pump blood, it makes two distinct sounds – one from the contraction of the atriums, which send blood to the ventricles, and the other, of the ventricles, which send blood to the whole body.
This happens over and over again to keep the blood flowing, between 60 and 160 times per minute in dogs! This is what we call the heart rate.
A heart murmur occurs when a different sound join these two regular beats. This sound can be caused by turbulent blood flow due to a heart problem, changes in blood thickness or can have no apparent cause.
A heart murmur is easy to hear on a physical exam using a stethoscope, and then we can determine the precise cause with a special ultrasound exam called an echocardiography. 🩺
Our routine health consultations are the best way to ensure your pet doesn't have a hidden heart problem, so schedule yours today!
Sustainability is vital for our planet! ♻️ 🌍 Doing what we can to be more sustainable pet owners helps us preserve our natural resources.
Check our video for tips on how to be a more sustainable pet owner. What other suggestions do you have? Let us know! 👇
✨ May is 'Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month'
💊🩺 Every year during the month of May, the veterinary profession proudly celebrates the hard work of all Registered and Student Veterinary Nurses.
💉🩸 Without our team of dedicated RVNs, we wouldn't be able to provide such a high level of compassionate care for our patients.
🧪🐾 Our nurses have a diverse range of skills, abilities, additional qualifications and their own areas of interest - both surgical and medical, and species related.
🐶🐱 Did you know that the professional title of 'Veterinary Nurse' is protected? RVNs are expected to undergo a lengthy training process, pass their theory and practical exams, follow changes to legislation, and remain current with their CPD record.
Which of our nurses does your pet enjoy seeing when they come into practice? Do they have a favourite who gives them extra treats or makes a big fuss of them? Let us know!
#20YearsOfVNAM 💚
A recent law change has introduced mandatory microchipping for cats and owners will have until June 2024 to microchip their cats🐈
We feel this is an amazing step forward for the protection of our beloved feline family members as it helps pets who have been lost or stolen get reunited with their owners.
Is your cat microchipped? If they aren’t yet, or if your contact information is outdated, don’t hesitate to schedule a visit with us!
Do you have a pet first aid kit? Would you know what to do in an emergency? 🤔 These are vital questions for any pet owner!
Take a look at our video and learn the basics of a well-stocked pet first aid kit 🩹 🐾 And if you find yourself facing an urgent situation, call us as soon as you see it so we can help you get your pet to us safely.
What pet insurance can mean for you and your pet. 🩺
It truly is a privilege to own and care for a pet. However, you must consider the different costs when becoming a pet owner.
Even when you have everything planned and budgeted, you cannot predict the future and any unexpected veterinary or pet-related costs that might arise.
COMING SOON TO ARK 🥳
Our PHC plans are changing to include lots of new benefits! The go-live date is Monday 12th February.
Don't worry, our plans will still be available for a variety of pets - including dogs, cats and rabbits 🐶🐱🐰
Updated benefits will cover:
▪️ Vaccines, health checks and parasite treatments,
▪️ Microchipping, nail clips and anal gland expression,
▪️ Discounts on lifestage diets, prescription diets and retail sales,
▪️ Discounts on a number of services and products including wellness screening, neutering, dental procedures, selected long-term medications and much more!
Preventative medicine is much better than the alternative, and could save you hundreds of pounds towards your pet's care.
Speak to a member of staff for more details, or ask to sign-up during your next practice visit 💻
We often get this question: Should I bathe my bunny regularly? 🤔 The answer may surprise you!
Check out our video to know more about the bathing habits of our lovely rabbits and how you can keep your bunnies clean, healthy and stress-free.
In the wild, rabbits spend their time digging, running, jumping, hiding, eating, and socialising with other rabbits. 🐰
Enrichment is all about allowing your bunnies to carry out their natural behaviours by encouraging physical and mental stimulation, which in turn improves their quality of life.
What does your rabbits' environment look like? Show us in the comments! 👇
Are you considering welcoming a new pet into your life? 🤔
We couldn’t be happier for you! Pets are one of life’s greatest joys, so make sure you watch our video for helpful tips on how to give them a great start in life 🥰
We’d love to hear your tips as well – please tell us in the comments ⬇️
There are a number of diseases that can cause nausea and vomiting in dogs, from life-threatening intoxications to something as harmless as motion sickness from car rides.
A frequent cause of sickness that often results in dramatic episodes of vomiting is scavenging behaviour, which is natural to dogs 🐶
Depending on its intensity, duration and cause, vomiting can result in severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which will affect all of your pets’ bodily functions.
So, what can you do in these situations? Watch our video to find out 👀
Watching your pet have a seizure can be very frightening, and owners can be caught off guard when this happens.
Fits can have different presentations ranging from localised tremors to pets losing consciousness, shaking uncontrollably, vocalising, and paddling.
Afterwards, it is normal that they feel disoriented for a while.
If your pet has a fit, please try to remain calm as this will be the only way you can help them.
Wellness Screening 🩺
Did you know❓
Pets age around seven times faster than humans and as they do, they become more susceptible to a variety of health conditions.
A wellness screening is a comprehensive medical MOT for your cat 🐱 or dog 🐶 that can detect health issues and help to give you peace of mind about your pet’s health and wellbeing. Your pet will receive a detailed health check by one of our trained Veterinary Nurses, who can also give tailored lifestyle advice.
The cost of the Wellness Screen is £85, and includes:
🔸 Physical exam
🔸 Complete clinical history
🔸 Comprehensive blood profile - Biochemistry (inc. T4 for cats) & Haematology
🔸 Urinalysis
🔸 Blood pressure
Which animals are suitable?
✅ Clinically healthy cats and dogs - not showing any signs of illness
✅ Seen by a Vet in the practice within 12months
✅ Cats over 7 years
✅ Dogs over 5 years
✅ Giant dog breeds over 3 years
*Wellness screens will only be available at our DRONFIELD branch, and on Monday-Fridays
**If the wellness screen shows any abnormal results, the Veterinary Nurse will contact you to arrange an appointment with a Vet to discuss the next steps, which may include a recommendation for a change of diet, medication or further investigations.
For more information on Wellness Screenings or to book your cat or dog in, please speak to a member of the team! 👩⚕️
#wellnessscreening #seniorpetcare #veterinarynursing #seniordogs #seniorcats
Did you know that there are a number of ocular conditions that can affect our pets? 🤔 👀
These may not only compromise their vision (temporarily or even permanently) but are often painful, so please address them as soon as possible ⚠
Even though eye irritation is usually easy to detect, other signs of ocular disease can be more subtle. Watch our video to get to know them and book an appointment if you recognise any of these in your pet 🐾
#eyedisease #oculardisease #eyecare #petadivce #vetadvice #veterinarypractice #bestcare
Prevention is better than cure! 🩺
Untreated high blood pressure in cats can lead to serious and irreversible damage to the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes, resulting in blindness in some cases.
By being proactive and booking your cat 🐈⬛ in for regular blood pressure checks, they could be avoiding the potentially life threatening consequences of feline hypertension.
#CatBloodPressure #FHAM
It's #FelineHypertensionMonth 🐈 which is why we're spreading awareness of how important it is to know the signs of high blood pressure in your cat.
Quite often, cats will show no noticeable signs of having high blood pressure. Subtle changes in behaviours can be a crucial indicator that something isn't quite right! Blood pressure checks are the best way to diagnose and screen for feline hypertension.
Be sure to book regular checks for your cat.
#CatBloodPressure #FHAM
🐱 Signs of feline hypertension are often invisible and unfortunately, many cats only show signs of hypertension after the disease starts to cause serious damage to their heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.
Make sure your cat is getting their blood pressure checked regularly!
To book an appointment for your cat, call us today ☎️
#CatBloodPressure #FHAM
