Companion Care Vets Tamworth

04/11/2024

This time of year we get a lot of enquires about missing cats. If your cat was spooked by fireworks and has temporarily lost their sense of direction, the following advice may help!

🐈 If your cat is chipped, ensure the microchip contact details are correct, and inform the chip company of your cat being missing, they flag this on the chip number
🐈 Place a used/dirty bed spread on a high washing line (ask a neighbour, if you have a rotary line) as the scent of you will be picked up on the wind and helps guide cats home
🐈 Place used litter tray outside so their scent helps guide them home too

If your cat hasn’t returned within 24 hours the following extra steps may also help.
🐈 Put up posters or notices in local area/shops as many people will not be on social media
🐈 Place your cats details on local lost and found social media pages and contact all vets in the area; many will have a lost and found log that they will add your details to

04/11/2024

November Winter Tip.

Keeping dogs warm on a walk.

Coats can be useful to help small and thin coated breeds of dogs stay warm. In particular, short-haired or elderly dogs benefit from wearing a coat or sweater.

Hi-vis coats are also useful when walking with your pet in the dark.

04/11/2024

Spooky season is upon us but that doesn't just mean cosy jumpers, hot chocolate with marshmallows and lovely Autumn walks for us, it also means loud firework bangs and bright lights and spooky trick or treat visitors for our pets 👻💀🎆.

If your pet suffers from anxiety at this time of year, you're not alone and there are lots of tools available; from desensitisation tapes and playlists to supportive medications and supplements and practical steps you can take at home to help you and your pets have a happier autumn and winter 🎃🕯.

Contact our friendly Team today to find out how we could help you and your pet have a less stressful season 😊!

03/11/2024

As its the time of year for Conkers and Acorns.
Our dogs become exposed to them both, and both in turn can cause of pets problems.
Please read and share with fellow dog owners, to make them aware.
Conkers. Serious cases of poisoning are rare – ingestion can cause marked gastro-intestinal signs - drooling, retching, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. The conker's case and conkers themselves also present a risk by causing an intestinal blockage. Dogs usually vomit any ingested conkers quickly and treatment to control vomiting may be needed.
Oak/acorns. Exposure to acorns in dogs is common in the autumn and winter months. The toxic ingredient is thought to be tannic acid, which can cause damage to the liver and kidneys. Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea (with or without blood), abdominal pain, inappetance and lethargy. Ingested acorns can also cause an intestinal blockage.
If you suspect your dog has eaten something he/she shouldn’t, Contact the team immediately and also, try and get as much information as possible for the veterinary team – amount ingested, time ingested.

03/11/2024

🎆 Fireworks & Pets: Keep Them Safe 🐾

Fireworks are sure to start soon and they can be scary for our pets. Here's how to help:

1. Safe Space: Set up a quiet, cozy spot indoors.
2. Keep Indoors: Close windows and curtains.
3. Stay Calm: Reassure your pet but try not to over-coddle them.
4. Background Noise: Play music or TV to mask the sounds.
5. ID Tags: Ensure ID tags and microchips are up-to-date in case your pet gets scared and runs away.
6. Vet Advice: Consult your vet for calming options if needed.

Let’s keep our pets safe and comfy! ❤️

03/11/2024

Winter tip.

Provide outdoor pets, such as guinea pigs and rabbits with extra bedding in cold weather and consider
moving their enclosure to a more sheltered location.

03/11/2024

02/11/2024

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🎆

Bonfire night can be scary for some pets, so we have some tips on how to prepare and help to make it as relaxed as possible!

Desensitise: Play firework noises or videos quietly in the background daily while your pet is comfortable and relaxed. If your pet is coping, then slowly increase the volume.

Safe space: Provide your pet with a safe space or den. You can use their favourite area of the house, or an open crate covered by a blanket if they are comfortable with that.

Stay indoors: Keep cats and rabbits indoors overnight. Walk your dogs during the daytime, if that is not possible then have some playtime to help relax them before the fireworks start.

Calm: Use puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, kongs, or lick to help keep your pet calm and relaxed. Consider using calming supplements, sprays, plug-ins etc.

Act normal: If you're calm, then this may help your pet to stay calm too! Try not to fuss them too much when it gets noisy, just remain relaxed.

If you need any further advice or feel your pet needs medication to help keep them calm, then please call 01827 317524 to book an appointment to discuss with one of the vets.

02/11/2024

Dogs & bedding this winter.

Ensure that the bedding is warm and well placed
Bedding is an important part of keeping your pet warm through winter. If they sleep on the ground or somewhere with drafts, place the bed up off the floor. A custom-made bed with cushioned insert, blankets, and old clothing make good, warm bedding.

For old and arthritic pets, consider using a heated bed or memory foam/orthopedic bed.

01/11/2024

November Winter Tip

Exercising pets in cold weather:

While it is important to brave the elements and keep your dog exercised during this cold weather, if there are any frozen ponds, lakes swimming pools in the vicinity of your dog walk then keep them on their leads to prevent them from risking falling through the ice

01/11/2024

Meet handsome Henry.
Puppy Henry was in last week for a nurse appointment with RVN Leanne to have his nails clipped.
How photogenic is he.
Henry was a superstar ✨️ for his nails

31/10/2024

** BONFIRE NIGHT AND FIRE WORKS IS FAST APPROACHING**

are you worried regarding your pet.

Here at companion care we have some medication and tips and tricks to help with anxious situations.

Call the surgery for more information on 01827 317524

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween.
From all at CC Tamworth

Share your pet Halloween picture below.

31/10/2024

Stay safe this Halloween 🎃

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween 🎃

30/10/2024

CALLING ALL CAT OWNERS
** PLEASE SHARE**

Most people are unaware of the danger to pets from antifreeze poisoning.

Ingesting the smallest amount can cause kidney failure and death, especially in cats.

Keep pets safe

Accidental poisonings from spills/leaks, as well as leaking water coolant from cars happen every year, leading to pet death. Regularly check your car to ensure it isn’t leaking water coolant. Take care storing, using and disposing of antifreeze and water coolant. Most accidental deaths are avoidable.

Always keep antifreeze in clearly labelled, robust, sealed containers, away from pets and their environment.

Clean up spills immediately, no matter how small. Ensure pets cannot access the area until it’s clean and safe.

If you suspect your pet’s come into contact with antifreeze, leaked water coolant or if showing any of these symptoms get them to a vet immediately:

Vomiting

Seeming depressed/sleepy

Appearing drunk and uncoordinated

Seizures (fits)

Difficulty breathing

Increased thirst

Increased urination

Signs of antifreeze poisoning can show 30 minutes after ingestion. It can be two/three days before signs of kidney failure are seen.

The sooner your pet receives veterinary treatment, the better their chances of survival.

30/10/2024

29/10/2024

🌟Tuesdays Tips🌟

🔥Bonfire night tips
it is best to get prepared and try to de sensitize our pets to help with fears and phobias🎆🎇

🐾 Top Tips for Preparing for Fireworks 🐾

Lots of animals find fireworks scary. Here are a few ways you can start preparing to help your pet feel calm this firework season:

🌟 Make a safe space - build a den in a quiet part of the house where you can draw curtains, and close windows and doors. Place familiar bedding and play music to block out some noise. Build this space a few weeks before the fireworks start so your pet can get used to using the space. Water and food should be provided near the den. Always ensure there is a way your pet can leave the area if they wish to.

🌟 Play firework noises at a low level throughout the year while monitoring your pet - online videos can be played at a low enough volume so your pet does not become worried or scared by the noise to try and de sensitize them. If your pet shows any signs of distress, stop playing the noises.
Spend time getting your pet used to these noises but never leave them unattended while they are on as not to cause more harm.

🌟 Make arrangements so your pet is not left at home alone.

🌟 Walk your dog early in the day, making sure you return home before the firework starts.

🌟 Lock or block cat flaps to prevent your cat being caught outside overnight.

🌟 Bring your rabbit/guinea pig hutches inside - place a blanket over the hutch to block out flashing lights and noise. Ensure there is always enough ventilation and air around the hutch and remove the cover in the morning.

🌟 If you cannot bring a hutch indoors, provide extra bedding or an extra safe space to hide (e.g. cardboard box with holes that your pet can easily enter/exit).

🌟 Any pet may become destructive, vocal or may not behave as they normally would during periods of heightened stress, DO NOT punish or shout at your pet as this will only make the situation more stressful for your pet.

If your dog or cat is particularly fearful of fireworks, please make an appointment with one of our vets where we can discuss their needs in more detail.

29/10/2024

The clocks have gone back, and the nights are darker, but we still walk our four-legged friends.
Stay safe after dark this winter
Some tips for walking your dog after night falls…..

By 5.30pm (even earlier on a grey day) it will be as dark as if it were 10pm and for those dog owners who take their pets for a quick walk before settling down for the evening knowing how to stay safe is imperative. Here are our top tips for you this season…….

PLAN AHEAD
• Dark can fall quickly at this time of year – if you are leaving home in the light, will it still be so halfway through your walk? Think ahead, dress accordingly, and plan your route with sunset in mind.

• If at all possible, walk with a friend or neighbour.

BE SEEN
• Wear light, bright, or reflective clothing – both you and your dog should follow this rule. Think hi-visability jackets, belts, or armbands for you and leads, coats, or harnesses for your dog.

Glow in the dark collar
• Always walk towards the flow of traffic – this will help you to be aware of what the traffic is doing and will also allow headlights to shine on your high-visability accessories.

BE SAFE
• Try to walk in well lit, busy areas – as a general rule, we would advise you to stick to pathways beside roads that have a gentle flow of traffic.

• Keep your dog on a shorter lead when walking at night and stick to the centre of the pavement. Extending leads aren’t the best way of controlling your dog when walking beside the road, especially not at night.

• Don’t walk with headphones in or chat on your phone– it’s really important to be aware of your surroundings, especially after dark!

• Always tell someone where you are going to be walking and how long you expect to be.

• Take a mobile phone with you in case of emergency.

• If the temperature is really low you might encounter some icy pathways – wear suitable shoes and always clean your dogs paw’s when home from a walk to remove grit that may have been spread on paths to melt ice.

BE RESPONSIBLE
• Remember to respect other members of the public who may be on their way home – keep your dog from jumping up at other people and maintain control of your dog at all times.

• No matter what the time of day, always clean up after your dog!


Pets at Home stock a huge range of gear to help you stay safe, from light up collars to reflective coats and leads, even toys you can see in the dark.

Please share this post on your pages to spread the word about being responsible and safe in the dark!

Stay safe.

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.”