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If you are looking to book a cat vaccination, please be aware that there is an ongoing shortage of some cat vaccines affecting all UK Veterinary practices. Find out more here.

Our Services

Get to understand how we can help your pet with our affordable veterinary services

Vaccinations, Health Checks & Consultations

We follow the British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s guidelines on vaccination. All pets receive a full clinical examination prior to their vaccination. We send postal reminders for your convenience for all pets registering for vaccination at the practice.

Please ensure that if your pet visits a kennels or cattery that their vaccinations are kept up to date as if they lapse your pet may not be eligible to enter kennels. Vaccination over many years has seen a dramatic fall in and the control of many fatal and distressing diseases in our pets and it is important that we all try to maintain this freedom from disease for our pets.

Dogs

We vaccinate against:

  • Distemper
  • Hepatitis
  • Parvo
  • Leptospirosis

Puppies are vaccinated at 8 and 10 weeks of age and thereafter annually. We also strongly advise vaccinating your pet with additional protection against kennel cough (infectious bronchitis). This is an intranasal vaccine (that is a very small quantity of liquid is inserted into one nostril providing annual protection). We are seeing increasing numbers of kennel cough cases recently and would strongly advise this additional protection even if your dog does not go into kennels.

Not all diseases require to be vaccinated against annually. The vet can explain this to you at the time of your pet’s healthcheck.
 

Cats

We vaccinate against:

  • Cat Flu
  • Enteritis
  • Feline Leukaemia

Kittens are vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks and thereafter annually according to their needs


Rabbits

We vaccinate rabbits annually with the latest vaccine available against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease. Both these diseases are typically fatal and responsible for regrettable plagues in the wild rabbit populations in the UK.

We recommend rabbits have a 6 monthly health check as they are very prone to dental and digestive problems associated with a domesticated lifestyle.

Dental Health

We have a high standard of dental equipment, much like human dental surgeons have but modified to suit the mouths of the pet species we deal with.

Dental health is as important for your pet as it is for you. As it is generally extremely rare that pets have their teeth cleaned by their owners, accumulations of plaque and tartar build up on the teeth leading to gum disease. This is as a result of the action of bacteria in the mouth, which ultimately leads to inflammation of the gums and infection. The result of this is foul breath and deterioration in the quality of the gums. Bleeding gums result and the bacteria make their way into the bloodstream from where they lodge themselves in the heart valves, kidneys, liver and joints of your pet.

Gum disease is rarely painful unless it is accompanied by tooth decay and therefore a lot of pets experience no discomfort, not letting their owners know they have a problem. However the bacteria are still causing the damage to the body, causing early aging of the major important organs.

Maintaining a healthy mouth will see your pet live a longer and healthier life.

There are many options available to reduce the build up of plaque and tartar in your pet’s mouth but if these have already developed it may be necessary for your pet to have his/her teeth scaled and polished and any diseased teeth extracted.

Diseased teeth as a result of gum disease are better off extracted even if they appear to cause your pet no discomfort.

Owners comment very often on how much better their pet is following dentistry as a result of a reduction in mouth infection.

Our nurses provide a free dental consultation to assess your pet and offer advice. Our vets will evaluate your pet’s teeth at any examination.

Dental procedures involving scaling, polishing and extraction require your pet to undergo a full general anaesthetic.

Please call the surgery if you would like to arrange a dental health check with one of our vets or nurses.

Microchipping

It is the responsibility of every pet owner to ensure that their pet carries a means of identification in the event of getting lost or straying. Microchipping your pet provides permanent identification for life. This should not be considered a substitute for a collar and tag which is a legal requirement. A microchip is  an additional means of identification, which of course your pet cannot lose!

A microchip is the first necessary step in getting your pet a passport for travel abroad. The microchip is placed quickly and easily beneath the skin of the back of the neck, like a routine injection. One of our nurses or vets can provide this service in a routine consultation.

Each microchip carries a unique code, which is registered with a national database, which will hold your contact details. Veterinary practices, pet rescue organisations, the local council dog wardens and the police have special scanners used to detect the microchip code. The database is contactable 24 hours day 365 days of the year. It is essential that if your contact details change that you notify the national database immediately.

Parasites

We offer a wide range of options for the treatment and prevention of external and internals parasites. We like to consider the individual needs of each patient and their circumstances and risks when it comes to parasite control.

There are non prescription products available to purchase over the counter or from our on-line store but we do need to have examined your pet in order for the prescription products to be dispensed. Please ring for an appointment for your pet with a vet or nurse to discuss the most convenient and appropriate parasite prevention plan.

Fleas
We have topical spot on treatments both prescription and non prescription as well as oral preparations for dogs. As well as topicals we have a 6 monthly injectable product available for cat flea prevention. Rabbit and small mammal treatment and preventative products are also available.

Ticks
These potential disease carrying parasites are a risk to your pet. Please call for advice or make an appointment to discuss the best method of prevention.

Worms
There are many types of worms that can infest our pets. Some of these are not only unpleasant and unhealthy for your pet but can also harm humans. This is why it is so vitally important that your pet is wormed at appropriate intervals and with an effective product. The effectiveness of products against parasites is the subject of much research and we ensure we keep up to date with the latest and most effective products. Please ring us for advice or make an appointment to see one of our nurses.

Radiography, Ultrasound & ECG

Making a diagnosis about why a pet is ill, or establishing exactly what injury they have sustained, is a process involving a skilled and thorough clinical examination as well as the possible employment of tests and diagnostic investigations to complete a full picture from which a conclusion can be drawn. A treatment plan can then be formulated once a diagnosis has been reached.

At our surgery we can perform X-rays, ultrasound examinations and ECG’s. Such procedures may involve the need to sedate or anaesthetise your pet for health and safety reasons and to reduce stress to the patient. In order to perform procedures efficiently and to obtain the best information from the procedure it is important that our patients are relaxed.The vet will discuss and explain what will happen if your pet is admitted to the hospital for any investigations.

British veterinary Association (BVA) Hip and Elbow X ray Scoring Scheme

We can take the required X rays to qualify for scoring under this scheme.

Hip dysplasia (HD) is a genetically transmitted condition, but environmental factors may influence the final score achieved. The main purposes of the HD scheme are the examination of x rays (radiographs) of the hips of dogs and the issue of a certificate in respect of that examination. The examination is conducted by the evaluation of a radiograph for any anatomical and pathological changes indicative of hip dysplasia and a score is recorded. The score and its relation to the average score for the breed, is intended to assist dog breeders in their selection of breeding stock. Breeders wishing to reduce the risk of HD should select their breeding stock (both dogs and bitches) only from animals with hip scores WELL BELOW the breed’s average score (also called the breed mean score).

Elbow dysplasia (ED) is a common multifactorial condition manifesting as a variety of decvelopmental disorders of the dog’s elbow leading to painful and lifelong osetoarthritis of the elbow joint(s). The disease has a strong genetic component and therefore screening of dogs’ elbows by radiography and grading the changes will help breeders to select the most suitable dogs for breeding. It is also important to monitor ED in the progeny of breeding stock. Many irresponsible breeders choose not to have their breeding stock and progeny tested for HD and ED. Many breeds are susceptible to ED but there is a higher incidence in certain breeds:

Basset Hound, Burnese Mountain dog, English Mastiff, German Shepherd Dog, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Newfoundland, Retriever (Golden), Retriever (Labrador) and Rottweiler.

It is recommended that breeders wishing to reduce the risk of elbow dysplasia should select their breeding stock (both dogs and bitches) only from animals with overall elbow grades of 0 or 1. Lameness is not a good indicator of elbow status and many dogs with ED do not show signs of lameness (sub-clinical ED). Dogs with sub-clinical ED are more likley to produce clinically affected (lame) progeny than dogs with normal elbows.

The X rays for both HD and ED can be taken at the same time and submitted together to the BVA panel for scoring. The Guidelines for taking these X rays are very specific.

In-House Laboratory

We are proud to offer the most up to date in house laboratory equipment

We have state of the art blood testing machines that analyse your pet’s blood, including the red and white cells, and the many biochemical measurements that can be made on blood. We will have the results from many of these tests within 15 minutes of taking the sample.

We also perform tests on urine, skin, hair and faeces as part of our diagnostic procedures. The results of these tests help to formulate a picture of your pet’s health and assist in diagnostic decisions.

We also have an overnight courier service carrying samples to our external laboratory experts should we need to perform additional tests. In many cases, results of blood tests from the external laboratory will be with us within 24 hours and are electronically downloaded directly into your pet’s clinical records.

We will always discuss with you why we feel laboratory tests will be helpful in reaching a decision about the best way forward for your pet. We will offer you the option to decide what you would like us to proceed with. We understand that laboratory tests add to the cost of treatment and will not recommend any tests unless they are entirely necessary in establishing a diagnosis. A normal test result is a very helpful piece of information to have as it serves to rule out many things. It can be frustrating for everyone when a diagnosis is not straight forward as we want to get your pet better as soon as we can and with the least possible inconvenience to you and your pet.

Our vets will contact you with the results of any tests at the very earliest opportunity. Our internal communication system ensures that the vet is notified immediately when a result is available.

Nurse Clinics

Our registered qualified veterinary nurses are fully equipped with a wealth of clinical knowledge, understanding and kindness. They have undergone extensive training and we have chosen them for their many years of experience working in small animal practice.

Appointments can be booked with them to consult on weight control issues, parasite control, dental health, microchipping and Diabetes. The nurses also examine many of our post-operative patients for their interim check ups. The nurses may recommend your pet has an appointment with the vet should they feel this is necessary.

Many of our nurse consultations are complimentary and free of charge, but certain appointments do incur a professional fee. Please call the surgery to find out prices.

Veterinary Pharmacy

The responsible use of Veterinary medicines for therapeutic and prophylactic (preventative) reasons is one of the major skills of a Veterinary Surgeon and crucial to animal welfare and the maintenance of public health.

Veterinary Surgeons should prescribe responsibly and with due regard to the health and welfare of an animal.

Prescription only medicines must be prescribed by a Veterinary Surgeon, who must first carry out a clinical assessment of the animal under his/her care.

Our pharmacy at Hook Veterinary Centre has been inspected by the RCVS and we adhere to the strict Veterinary Medicines Directorate guidelines for registered veterinary pharmacies.

We have strict rules in place to ensure the safe dispensing of medicines from our premises. We keep up to date with the latest available drugs and products for offering your pets the best and most appropriate medicines.

We ask you to give us a minimum of 24 hours notice (preferably 48 hours) when ordering medication for your pet. This includes prescription parasite control products as these have to be authorised by one of our vets. A lot of medicines we hold in stock but some medicines require to be specially ordered in.

We will always try to notify you as soon as possible if there is likley to be a delay in supply.

Please always read the labels and any enclosed leaflets before use.

Please follow the vet’s advice regarding administration of prescribed medication. If you have concerns about your pet’s medication please contact the surgery for advice.

Always complete the full course of medication your vet has prescribed.

Do not change the dose or frequency of administration without consulting one of our vets first. Your pet’s response to a course of treatment is extremely important to the vet treating your pet. It is important that we see your pet if the response to a medication is not what the vet expected.

The development and spread of antimicrobial resistance is a global public health problem that is affected by the use of antibiotics and antiparasitic products in both humans and animals. We follow British Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines on the responsible and safe choice of these drugs in treating your pets in order to minimise the development of drug resistance.

Surgical Procedures

Our operating theatre is equipped to enable us to perform a wide range of sterile surgical procedures.

These include elective procedures such as neutering (spays and castrations), through to gastro-intestinal surgery, tumour removals orthopaedic operations and traumatic injuries.

After admission to hospital, your pet will undergo a pre-anaesthetic assessment before being given pre-medications appropriate to their needs (sedation and pain relief) prior to their operation.

We have a ‘calm, no stress’ policy at our surgery. Pets coming in for operations may be new to the experience and we endeavour at all times to make their day as acceptable to them as possible with kindness, quiet words of reassurance and plenty of ‘TLC’. As pet owners ourselves we fully appreciate the worry of leaving them. If you are especially worried that your pet may have fear or aggression tendencies please tell us in advance so we are able to make provision for this and plan to minimise the stress further.

Pet owners are required to sign a consent form giving the vet permission to perform the operation. Please ensure you are clear about any procedure your pet will be having and ask if you require additional clarification from the vet.

We will ask you if you would like us to run an optional pre-operative blood test on your dog or cat. This blood test screens for signs of kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes mellitus and anaemia and helps us to minimise the risks of anaesthesia and surgery.

We strongly recommend this test for pets over 8 years old.

Home Visits

We understand that at certain times a home visit by one of our vets may be what you feel is best for your pet. This can be arranged. Please give us as much notice as possible and we will endeavour to accommodate you at a convenient time.

Home visits are normally arranged during a morning or into the early afternoon until 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, there are certain times in the working day when a visit may not be possible but we will always do our best if it is possible.

In certain circumstances, a home visit can be the best option for your pet but in most cases we are better able to examine your pet at the surgery where we have all the back up and equipment we might need.

Please ask to discuss this with a member of the team if you have any questions. Contact us here.