Salt House Veterinary Centre

16/02/2025

We don’t routinely see chickens but we know a lot of our clients keep them.

The entire UK is now under bird flu regulation which mean that you must now keep your chickens (or ducks or other birds) indoors.

You CAN let them outside if they are in a run or enclosure that is netted in such a way that wild birds cannot get into the enclosure but it might be sensible to add a cover (clear plastic sheeting will do) to the roof to protect them from wild bird droppings.

The virus that causes bird flu can stay infectious in faeces, carcases and feathers for around 50 days. It can stay infectious for even longer in wet conditions and standing water so please make sure all areas are cleaned thoroughly before letting your birds into outdoor runs.

Keep those chooks safe!!

You can find the official government advice here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-flu-avian-influenza-housing-your-birds-safely

15/02/2025

Please be aware we’ve had some issues with our phone lines this morning which have now be resolved. If you’ve been trying to get through to us, please try again and one of the team will be able to assist. Thank you for your understanding.

30/01/2025

This male cat (not neutered and not chipped) was brought in to us today as a stray. He was found in Winsford on Grampian Way.

If you recognise him, please call us on 01606516627. He’s very friendly but a little shy and needs to go back home!

29/11/2024

It’s Christmas Tree time at St Chad’s church again! There are some stunning trees and some very clever ones too! This is our 3rd year and they just get better every time!

14/11/2024

We stock Protexin products, sourced directly from them or via our licensed wholesaler.

Please see below for a statement from them regarding fake products available online.

05/11/2024

A number of our clients give their pets joint supplements to help with their mobility.

If your pet is on Yumove Senior, (and you buy it from Amazon) please see the attached statement issued by Lintbells, the manufacturers of Yumove, regarding counterfeit product that has been sold online via the Amazon Marketplace platform.

It is incredibly rare for fake products to make it to market, but this case shows it is absolutely possible.

We understand that the cost of supplements like this can be very expensive but please only purchase from reputable sources, which can include your veterinary practice or online pharmacies.

Whilst Amazon is a well known retailer they do allow third party sales through their site, which is how this sort of problem can arise.

If you have queries, and sourced your product online, please contact Lintbells directly.

01/11/2024

Many humans love fireworks at this time of year, but many animals do not. Help make it less frightening for animals by:

Going to an organised event rather than having your own at home, and reduce the number of fireworks disturbing animals.

Only setting fireworks off on or around traditional celebration dates (Diwali, Bonfire Night, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year). Pet owners will already know to expect fireworks then and should have prepared accordingly to help their animals cope.

If you do decide to have fireworks at home you can buy low-noise versions, and let your neighbours know well in advance so animals (including horses and livestock) can be prepared.

Don’t set off fireworks near livestock, as frightened animals - especially horses - can injure themselves.

Fireworks can also disturb wildlife so steer clear of known habitats like lakes with waterfowl and trees with roosting birds.

Check bonfires for wildlife before lighting as animals like hedgehogs may be hibernating in them.

And if your pets are badly affected please call us if they may need medical help. Please note that many of the most effective drugs can only be prescribed legally if your pet has been seen by our vets recently so you may be asked to come in for an appointment.

30/10/2024

Happy Halloween!

Keep your pets happy and safe this halloween!

🎃 Move candle-lit pumpkins away from pets not only could they be knocked over and cause a fire but eating the raw pumpkin or the candle could cause blockages or tummy upsets!

🎃 Keep Halloween treats out of paws’ reach! We all know about chocolate toxicity but sugary sweets and treats can cause tummy trouble!

🎃 Hang Halloween decorations out of pets’ reach.

🎃 Walk dogs before dark, as excited noisy people in costumes can be scary!

🎃 Don’t dress up your pets, it’s fun for us but not fun for them! (Our picture is AI)

Have fun!

23/09/2024

Very proud to announce that we’ve been awarded Silver Rabbit Friendly Status by the_rabbit_welfare_association

This means that we provide a high standard of veterinary care to our rabbit patients both in terms of our procedures and protocols as well as our level of care to any rabbits we keep in the clinic!

12/08/2024

Update on neutering support from Cats Protection:

The National Subsidised Neutering Scheme (NSNS), which enabled eligible clients to have their cat neutered and microchipped for a contribution of £10 per cat, has been suspended due to unprecedented demand until at least the end of 2024.

We used up our stock of NSNS vouchers a few weeks ago, so unfortunately we are unable to support this scheme until at least the end of the year.

In the meantime, we are happy to accept neutering contribution vouchers issued by local Cats Protection branches as part payment towards the standard cost of cat neutering.

Please contact the nearest branch, Warrington Cat Centre, on 0300 12 06 12 to confirm eligibility and, if applicable, obtain a hard-copy voucher.

If you’ve obtained a voucher, please let us know when booking your cat in for neutering, along with the voucher value.

05/08/2024

We have had 2 stray cats brought in to us in the last week:

1- young adult short haired black male cat, no collar and no microchip, no white markings. Very shy but not feral. Found near Station Road.

2- elderly tortoiseshell tabby short haired female cat, again no collar and no microchip. Found near Weaver Street.

Please contact us if you think one of these cats may be yours.

(Obviously this is not a picture of either of them!)

25/05/2024

We hope everyone is having an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend. We are now closed until Tuesday morning (8.30am) and the team are having a well-earned breather.

Don’t worry, though, if you’re one of our registered clients and have any questions about your pet over the weekend, you can still access 24/7 veterinary support via the VidiVet app. Download the VidiVet app, ask a question at any time of day or night, and you’ll receive a prompt video reply from a vet explaining what your next steps should be, whether you need an appointment and how urgent it is. Please visit the Out Of Hours section of our website for further information.

In the case of an emergency, please seek in-person veterinary care right away from our emergency out-of-hours provider, MiNightVet, who can be reached by calling our usual number – 01606 516627 – and following the recorded instructions.

27/03/2024

This bank holiday weekend, we will be closed on Friday and Monday but open as normal on Saturday morning.

Don’t worry, if you have any questions about your pet over the weekend, you can still access 24/7 veterinary support via VidiVet, as a Salt House Veterinary Centre client.

Using the VidiVet app, ask a question at any time of day or night and you’ll receive a prompt video reply from a vet explaining what your next steps should be, whether you need an appointment and how urgent it is.

In the case of an emergency, please seek in-person veterinary care right away with our emergency out-of-hour provider, MiNightVet by calling our regular number (01606 516627) and wait to be transferred.

Have a lovely long weekend!

14/03/2024

The cut-off point for dogs aged below seven months on 31 January 2023 has been extended to 30 June 2025 “following engagement with veterinary industry”, announces the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Dates for neutering older dogs remain the same.

Defra announces neutering cut-off point for canines aged below seven months on 31 January 2023 has been extended to 30 June 2025 “following engagement with

11/03/2024

Is your cat microchipped? This June it will become a legal requirement for all cats to be microchipped!

Book in by calling 01606 516627

10/03/2024

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there!

We hope you are all being spoiled, whether you have human babies or fur babies (or both!)

06/02/2024

XL Bully owners we have TWO great pieces of news for you.

Sadly it’s not that the ban has been overturned, but hopefully you all now have your exemption certificate applied for and you have 3rd party liability insurance.

1: NEUTERING

We can now apply for funding assistance for neutering if you are struggling to find the money to pay. There are eligibility criteria but if you qualify then the cost you will need to pay is dramatically reduced. Please contact us for further details.

2: VET FEES INSURANCE

You may be worried that you cannot find any vet fees insurance for your bullybaby, as most insurance companies are not offering cover, or your existing policy may have been cancelled by your insurer.

We have heard today that Agria can now offer a policy for lifetime vet fee cover! (3rd party cover is not included so you would still need dogs trust membership for that).

You cannot find this cover on their website but you can call them on 03330 30 10 00 and they will set it up for you.

29/01/2024

The deadline for exemption amnesty for XL Bully type dogs is January 31st.

If you intend to exempt your dog, do not miss this deadline. Our recommendation is not to leave it until last minute. If you plan to exempt your dog, please complete your application ASAP.

- You do not need proof of neutering to complete your exemption application.
- The legislation does state dogs will be able to be removed at a later date (but not how)
- The age of your dog makes no difference.
- What is written on the microchip regarding breed makes no difference

While we have helped with financial aid for many exemption requests, we have run on the kindness of donors. Much of our funding was utilised early on. If you are hoping for financial assistance you are welcome to join the queue by emailing us but we strongly recommend you try family, friends etc than rely on community funding.

Please do not leave your application until last minute. As per the freedom of information request, many applications are being returned due to errors. If you plan to exempt, if you can, do not wait.

Lacey and Sophie.
The Bully Boardroom