Scourfield Veterinary Services

12/02/2024

Missing dog from SW18 area - please share!

26/01/2024

The Bully XL will be banned in England from 1st February, so owners must act now. Please follow the advice set out below in DEFRAs latest statement:

XL Bully dogs will be banned in less than one week, as the Government takes action to protect the public.
From the 1st February, anyone found in possession of one of these dangerous dogs, if it is not registered and does not adhere to strict conditions, will face a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
The decision to ban XL Bully comes after a concerning rise in tragic dog attacks and fatalities caused by XL Bully dogs.
In order to safely manage the existing population of these dogs, owners of XL Bully dogs have less than one week to register their dog, if they have not already done so. The registration system for the breed will close at noon on Wednesday 31 January and owners have until then to obtain their certificate in time.
The UK’s Chief Vet is urging any remaining unregistered XL Bully owners not to delay any further and register their dog. Alternatively, the owner can arrange an appointment with their veterinarian for their dog to be put down by 31 January.
By registering their XL Bully, owners will have to comply with restrictions to ensure pets do not pose a danger to the public. This includes having them microchipped, kept on a lead and muzzled when in public and, to make sure these dogs cannot continue breeding, they must also be neutered. For most dogs, this will be by 30 June, and for dogs under one year old, this should be by the end of 2024.
If owners are unsure whether their dog could be classed as an XL Bully, they should check their dog carefully against our guidance and photo examples of XL Bully dogs to help them decide. If someone has a dog that is clearly another established breed, the ban does not apply.
Owners can access the most up to date information on what action they need to take and when on this dedicated page, Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

GOV.UK - The best place to find government services and information.

17/01/2024

All pet cats in England must be microchipped by 10th June 2024.
Microchipping your cat gives them the best chance of being returned to you if they’re lost or stolen. Don’t delay, get your cat chipped today!

02/01/2024

Happy New Year to all of our wonderful clients and pets!

31/10/2023

Happy Halloween! We hope you have a fun evening (and remember to keep all the chocolate out of reach of your furry friends!

31/10/2023

American Bully XLs have now been added to the list of banned breeds in England and Wales. From 1st Feb 2024 it will be illegal to own an American Bully XL, unless the owner has applied for an exemption. They must also be neutered, and be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

The breed has been associated with a number of attacks, but owners insist the dogs are lovable pets.

27/10/2023

It’s National Black Cat Day!
Sadly black cats are often overlooked at rescue centres, and are normally the hardest colour of cat to rehome. Historically they were considered unlucky, and some think they’re less photogenic. We totally disagree - black cats are beautiful! 🐾 🐾

25/12/2022

Merry Christmas to all of our clients and wonderful patients, we hope you have a lovely day celebrating!

20/12/2022

Christmas opening hours:🎄🎅🏽

17/12/2022

13/12/2022

During the Christmas period last year, 4 out of 5 vet practices saw cases of seasonal toxicities in companion animals. Check out the article below for some of the common problems and how to avoid an emergency situation this Christmas.

Animal lovers are being encouraged to keep their pets safe this festive season by pet proofing their Christmas, ensuring anything which may be mistaken for a tasty treat is out of paw’s reach.

28/10/2022

A very warm welcome to our new vet Bryony who has joined us this month.

Bryony has over 10 years’ experience dealing with our furry friends, and we look forward to many of you meeting her soon! 🐾 🐾

27/10/2022

Today is National Black Cat day!
Did you know that sadly black cats spend the longest in rescue centres, and are much harder to rehome? If you’re thinking of a rescue, why not go for a gorgeous black cat - we think they are just as cute as all the others!

29/09/2022

Do you ever feel like your dog can detect your emotions? Well, they can!
A new study has found that dogs are able to detect when their owner is stressed, all by being able to smell the hormonal changes on your breath or sweat. Such amazing animals! 🐶

All of the pooches tested were able to correctly identify stress in sweat and breath samples, even from people they had never met before.

14/09/2022

We will be closed this bank holiday, Monday 19th September to mark the sad passing and state funeral of the Queen.
If you need emergency care for your pet when we are closed, please call the normal number 07827999020 and your call will be answered by our emergency care team, Veteris.

27/08/2022

We are now closed for the bank holiday weekend, and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday. If you need emergency care for your pet over the weekend, please call the normal number (07827999020) to speak with our out of hours cover, Veteris.
Wishing everyone a lovely long weekend! 🐾 🐾

08/08/2022

Happy International Cat Day to all the fine felines out there! Extra cuddles today please 😼😻

19/07/2022

Remember the 5 second tarmac test!
Before walking your dog, place your hand flat on the pavement for 5 seconds. If it’s too hot for you hand, it’s too hot for your dogs paws.

If in doubt, do not walk! Heat stroke and burnt paws are serious problems in hot, sunny temperatures. Our advise for today is not to walk or play with your dog - heat stroke risk is extremely high. Keep them cool, inside or in the shade.

17/06/2022

Please be careful with your dogs today! As temperatures in London reach over 30 degrees, try to minimise the risk of heat stroke.
- Do not walk during the day, go early or late once the sun has gone down
- touch the pavement before you go out, if it’s too hot to hold your hand on for 10 seconds, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws
- have cold fresh water available at all times
- try adding ice cubes into the water bowl to encourage drinking, or feed as treats (some dogs love chewing on ice cubes!)
- soak a towel in cold water and see if your dog will lie on it
- if inside, ventilation is key - open as many doors and windows as you can

31/05/2022

Please keep an eye out for Innsi the Miniature Schnauzer, missing from the SE20 area.

06/05/2022

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have just carried out a study looking at life expectancies in dogs. Looking at a sample of over 30,000 dogs, the average life expectancy of a dog was found to be 11.2 years. Jack Russel terriers were found to live the longest at 12.7 years, while French Bulldogs sadly the shortest at only 4.5 years. Further details can be found here:
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass/news/new-rvc-research-helps-owners-better-understand-the-remaining-life-expectancy-of-dogs

18/02/2022

We are open and working as normal today, albeit looking a little windswept!
London is now on a red alert for wind, so worth taking some precautions to keep your pets safe.

03/02/2022

Controversially, Norway has just banned the breeding of certain dogs, including the British Bulldog and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
The concern is that the breeding of ‘flat faced’ (brachycephalic) dogs can cause numerous health issues, including severe difficulty in breathing, which potential owners are often unaware of.
When deciding on a dog breed, owners should always consider all factors, including breed-related health issues amd the costs involved in fixing them. Ultimately, any decision to improve the welfare of a breed is surely a good idea, controversial or not!

27/01/2022

There are new plans in place which will make it compulsory to microchip all cats by the time they are 20 weeks old. Microchipping cats is the best way to reunite lost/stray cats with their owners and making it compulsory will hopefully prevent cats ending up in rescue centres - approximately 8 out of 10 cats ending up in rescues are not microchipped.
If your cat isn’t chipped yet, please contact us to book this in - it’s quick, simple and can easily be done at home.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cat-microchipping-to-be-made-mandatory

Government to introduce compulsory cat microchipping to help reunite lost and stray pets

29/12/2021

We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! We are open until 4pm today, and here’s a reminder of our upcoming opening hours:
Thurs 30th Dec: 9am - 4pm
Fri 31st Dec: 9am - 2pm
1st Jan to 3rd Jan: closed
Tues 4th Jan: 9am - 5:30pm (back to normal opening hours)

Remember, if you ever need emergency help when we’re closed, call the normal number: 07827999020 to speak to the out of hours team.

25/12/2021

Christmas Opening Hours:
We are now closed for Christmas, re-opening on Wednesday 29th December at 9am. If your pet needs emergency care whilst we’re closed, please call the normal number (07827999020) which is diverted to our emergency care providers, Veteris.

25/12/2021

Wishing all our clients and their pets a very Merry Christmas!

15/12/2021

Please don’t ever buy a puppy or dog that has cropped ears. This cruel, illegal practice involves cutting off the dog’s ears, without anaesthetic or pain relief. It will never be done by a vet as it is illegal (so don’t believe otherwise, no matter what a breeder might tell you!) All because people thinks it looks “cute”.
Breeds commonly effected are Doberman, American Bulldogs and Cane Corsos.

BVA has responded to findings from an investigation into illegal dog breeding fuelled by a demand for designer looks for pets.

24/09/2021

The most gorgeous little and large! Both English Mastiffs, one at 11 years and one at 14 weeks. Pup is already growing quickly and well on her way to adult size…. Most females will end up around 60-70kg when fully grown.