You may never have seen behind the consultation room in a veterinary practice.
So take a look at the work vets, nurses and support staff do on the front line every day to look after animals in veterinary practices, hospitals, in the field and on call - so that they receive the best possible care.
Thanks to Molly Case for the poem you have written about our profession.
#careforanimals #veterinaryprofession
Some of us are having much more fun than others with all the rain we have had over the last few days!
If you think you can't make your appointment at any of our surgeries, or you think you may be late due to the flooding in the area, please let one of our reception team know, but most of all be safe.
Whatever you have planned over the weekend be careful and as always should you need us we have a team ready to help.
You can reach our Out Of Hours Team on 01328 851144
Happy Weekend
No Rudy or Mr Grinch today, instead here are their antics as Donnie searched for them.
Until next year you naughty elf.
Merry Christmas
While most of us are familiar with fleas, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange mites, we have not all heard of harvest mites.
They are more common at the end of summer and early autumn.
Find out more about these critters in this blog from The Healthy Pet Club:
www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk/harvest-mites
Did you know that our RVN Leah is also a Qualified Behaviour Practitioner?
Not only is Leah working hard with the rest of the team to give your pets a happy visit to our practices; implementing the use of snuffle mats and LickiMats alongside other aids, to help build confidence in nervous patients and to help long-term patients relax, she can help support your pet's wellbeing in other ways, too.
Contact any of the surgeries if you'd like to speak to Leah, to discuss help with dog reactivity, separation disorders, destructiveness, house soiling, training problems, general nervousness, and nerves at the vets as just a few examples.
Today is World Sleep Day, so tell us, where is your pet’s favourite place to sleep.
And remember wherever your maybe sleeping this weekend, should you need us we have a team ready and waiting to assist.
You can reach our Out Of Hours Team on 01328 851144.
Happy World Sleep Day and Happy Weekend
Zoomies or Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs) are the unmistakable explosions of activity and energy that dogs have. Often with their tail tucked under and with repetitive actions such as spinning. Zoomies are short lived and are usually over as quick as they start, leaving dogs ready for a rest.
Zoomies are usually the result of a build up of excess energy, and while they are more common in puppies and young dogs, senior dogs can still get the zoomies.
Although zoomies are usually a result of excess energy, they can also occur after a bath, after feeding, during a training session or before bed.
Whilst zoomies arent dangerous, sometimes the surrounding area can be, if you think your dog may harm themselves while zooming around indoors try to direct them outside or to a safer area.
If your dog gets the zoomies regularly, it may be a sign that they aren't getting enough exercise. You could try longer walks (age and breed dependant) or playing games or have mini training sessions whilst on walks. At home you could play games or use puzzle feeders to engage your dog mentally which can help to tire them out.
In the colder months, cats have a tendency to spend more time indoors.
When cats spend more time indoors, they tend not to be as active as they are outdoors and so they can put weight on, which can eventually lead to obesity if not careful.
To help prevent the risk of obesity as well as bonding with your cat, here are some games you could try to get your cat moving in the cold and wet months of winter.
🐱Fetch - give it a go, you may be surprised.
🐱Food Play - interactive feeders are ideal to encourage cats to work for their food.
🐱Catnip - this herb belongs to the mint, and widely known for the effects it has on cats.
🐱Chasing Prey - clockwork toys or teasing sticks are a great way for cats to work on their natural hunting instincts.
🐱Hide and seek - hide behind the sofa or a door and get your cat to stalk you.
🐱Ping Pong - throw a ball and see if your cat can catch it or if it bats it back.
🐱Teach them a Trick - walking on the lead, sit up and beg, roll over. If your cat is willing to learn new tricks, your only limitation is your imagination.
Harvest mites are tiny bright orange mites that can cause issues in dogs and cats in late summer and autumn.
When the mites bite they cause intensely itchy and inflamed skin. They are usually found inbetween the toes, on the legs and sometimes on the ears.
Due to their bright colour the mites are easy to see especially if there are lots of mites, making diagnosis relatively easy.
The mites are most active July - November and are found in woodland and grassy areas and will attach themselves to and feed from any animal they come into contact with.
If your dog or cat is treated regularly with flea treatments, it us unlikely that they will catch harvest mites, but it is sensible to stay avoid areas that are known for harvest mites.
For further information on the mites visit
www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk/harvest-mites
Let's talk muzzles.
There is a huge stigma against muzzles, that they are only worn by aggressive dogs. However this is not always the case, they are in fact a useful tool.
Due to the stigma surrounding muzzles, it is often overlooked when teaching puppies life skills.
In the video below Leah with the help of staff dog Echo demonstrates how to make a muzzle a positive experience for you and your dog.
Over the coming weeks, Leah will continue to give help and advise on muzzle training your dog, so should the need arise for your dog to wear a muzzle they will be comfortable and relaxed with wearing one.
Today is the start of rabbit awareness week! We will be covering a range of topics over the next 7 days to spread awareness of the care rabbits deserve!
This year, the focus is on environment, so we will be sharing advice on the best way to house rabbits, indoors and out!
To help spread awareness please like and share our posts to get the message out there!
You can also head over to Rabbit Awareness Week for more tips! The rabbit awareness group have many objectives which we strive to achieve to improve the lives of our furry friends.
To start the week off lets talk about 'The Binky'
Binkying is the amazing acrobatic bunny jump accompanied by twisting the body or kicking the legs.
Rabbits use the binky to communicate that they are feeling very happy and playful and that ‘Life is great!’
Applying spot-on treatments and giving tablets to cats is something that many people struggle with.
In the video below Shannon, one of our ICC (International Cat Care) nurses demonstrates with the help of Mario how to apply spot-on in treatment and give oral tablets.
By using cat friendly handling techniques the whole process of giving monthly parasite control can be stress free.
If you would like additional information on how to medicate your cat, then our nurses are more than happy to assist you.
A happy story to end the week.
Tuesday morning one of the nurses witnessed a kestrel collide with a lorry.
Somehow against all the odds the little kestrel wasn't injured, just stunned and very cold and wet.
After spending the morning in the hospital drying off and warming up he was able to be released back where he was originally found.
He was very pleased to be off free and flying again.
Happy Weekend
Happy Receptionists Day
11th May is the day to celebrate our Receptionists.
They are the first and last people you see when you visit any of the surgeries. Their welcoming smiles help to put worried owners at ease. Today is their day so please join us and saying Thank You to each and everyone of our Receptionists, at Fakenham, Swaffham and Dereham.
THANK YOU!
Behind the scenes
Across all three surgeries we have an array of imaging equipment, the Fakenham surgery however is the only site to have access to different types of 'scopes' they are used to perform 'keyhole' surgery with the use of cameras.
Surgeries using the scopes are less invasive than traditional surgery, meaning recovery time is quicker.
At Fakenham there are four different scopes, all are used for different types of procedures and surgeries.
Arthroscope - used for diagnosis and procedures within the joints.
Laparoscope - used for surgical procedures within the abdominal cavity such spays and biopsies.
Gastroscope - used to visualise and take biopsies and the retrieval of foreign objects within the throat, oesophagus and stomach.
Bronchoscope - much like the gastroscope it is used to visualise, take biopsies and retrieve foreign objects within the airways/lungs
The video below showcases the scopes and some of the instrumentation that is used, as well a few procedures. (Viewer discretion is advised)
In the cases of the gastroscope and bronchoscope, preliminary imaging using xrays and CT were performed first.
Gastroscope: the patient was believed to have swallowed a battery from a hearing aid after it was found on the floor with the battery missing. Xrays were taken to confirm that the patient had indeed swallowed the battery. By using the scope to retrieve the battery, extensive surgery was avoided.
Bronchoscope: the patient had a history of a persistent cough. A CT scan revealed a foreign object in the bronchus, using the bronchoscope a wheat sheaf was removed and the cough resolved.
The video below depicts surgical procedures so viewer discretion is advised.
Happy National Puppy Day
We'd love to see photos of your dogs when they were puppies, so please share them below
When feeding your cat do you just put their food down in bowls?
Have you ever thought about banning food bowls?!
Have you considered interactive feeding?
Interactive feeders are objects which hold food and must be manipulated in different ways to release this food. These help meals last longer, increase physical exertion needed to obtain food, and provide a fun ‘brain-teaser’ for your cat.
Interactive feeders are a brilliant way to slow down eating (essential for those who wolf their food and bring it back up immediately) and have great additional psychological benefits as they mimic natural feeding and hunting behaviours.
You can find many varieties of feeders for dry and wet food that will suit your pets needs.
Fawkes and Viper love their interactive feeders and use them everyday. 😸
Fundraising for charity is something that all members of staff across all three sites are passionate about.
Over the years methods of fundraising have been varied, we have seen:
💰Bake offs
💰Muddy runs
💰Coast to Coast walks
💰Hadrians wall walk
💰Brave the Shave
💰Norfolk Coastal walk
💰Three legged colour run
💰Peddars way walk
💰Gin and Beer it night
To name just a few
Currently Amber, one of our PCAs has taken on The Cold Water Challenge to raise money. The challenge sees her getting into a body of cold water everyday for the month of March.
Well Done Amber, keep going you've got this!
