SERVICES - NURSING CARE
Both Morpeth and
Alnwick surgeries are Royal College Approved Training
Centres for veterinary nurses. There are trained nurses at
Ponteland, Alnwick and Morpeth. Our more senior nurses are
in addition Pet Health Counsellors. This gives them the
training to offer FREE advice on topics such as:
· worming
· flea control
· neutering
· geriatric care
· dental care
· special diets e.g. obesity
· puppy care
· kitten care
VACCINATIONS
PUPPIES
can be vaccinated from 6 weeks old. At the initial
consultation they will be given a general health check and
you will have an opportunity to discuss anything you are not
sure about with the vet, or with the pet health counsellor.
Routine cover is for distemper (hardpad), hepatitis,
leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Kennel cough
vaccination is recommended for show dogs, gun dogs and dogs
going to boarding kennels or training classes.
KITTENS
can be vaccinated from 9 weeks old, again please take
the opportunity to raise anything with the vet. Vaccination
cover is available for feline enteritis and flu, leukaemia
and chlamydia.
A primary course for puppies and kittens consists of two
vaccines, 2 to 6 weeks apart. All animals must have an
annual booster, to ensure that pets retain full protection
against these dangerous diseases.
RABBITS
can be vaccinated against myxomatosis and viral
haemorrhagic disease. Please ask for details.
NEUTERING
CATS:
routinely males and females are neutered from 5 to 6
months old.
DOGS:
we prefer to spay at about 6 to 12 months old. If you
are considering castrating your dog, please ask your vet for
advice.
RABBITS AND GUINEA PIGS:
if you are going to keep several animals together, you
may want to consider neutering the males once they have
reached maturity.
PDSA PET AID SCHEME
We participate in this scheme,
administered by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals,
which helps to fund unexpected veterinary fees for people on
low or assisted incomes who live within a specified area.
Please note it is essential to PRE-REGISTER for this. This
involves a veterinary examination to assess the health of
your animal, and any pre-existing conditions may be excluded
from cover under the scheme. Please ask surgery staff for
details.
Assistance will only be offered for treatment of sick or
injured animals. Non-essential treatments and treatments
outwith the scope of PDSA PetAid will have to be paid for by
the client.
In order to offer this facility to as many pet owners as
possible it has been necessary to limit PetAid registration
to only one animal per household.
Successful applicants will be issued with a dated
certificate which will enable them to obtain assistance with
veterinary fees for their named pet only, at their nominated
practice during the validity of that certificate.
CONTINUING
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
We believe that it is essential for our vets to keep
abreast with current developments in the veterinary field in
all species, and we exceed the minimum requirements of the
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in this respect. We
also encourage our staff to attend courses and meetings on
work-related topics where they can further their knowledge
and exchange ideas with others. We all attend day and
weekend courses to keep up to date.
INSURANCE
We strongly advise clients to take out pet insurance,
which is an inexpensive and easy way to meet unexpected
fees. As in human medicine, new techniques and facilities
have dramatically improved standards of veterinary care, but
in some cases at considerable financial cost. As knowledge
in the veterinary field expands, so do the costs of
diagnostic testing and treatment, both medical and surgical.
Insurance will also cover third party liability, an
increasing cause of litigation. We have a comparison of
several different insurance schemes, which the nurses would
be happy to show you.
EXPORTS
All our vets are registered Local Veterinary Inspectors, and
are able to deal with large and small animal exports.
REFERRALS
We are lucky in this area to have a wide variety of
veterinary specialists in various disciplines including
orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dermatology and specialist
surgery. If we feel your animal would benefit from
specialised help, we may suggest referral to one of the
veterinary colleges or to a colleague with a further
qualification.
PRESCRIPTIONS
Prescriptions are available from this practice. You may
obtain relevant veterinary medicinal products from your
veterinary surgeon or ask for a prescription and obtain
these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a
pharmacy.
Your veterinary surgeon may only prescribe relevant
veterinary medicinal products following a clinical
assessment of an animal under his or her care. Animals
requiring repeat prescriptions must be re-examined every 3
months. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal
is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary.
You will be informed, on request, of the price of any
medicine that may be prescribed for your animal.
AT THE END
We are all pet owners ourselves, and acutely aware of
the pain and suffering that the loss of a four legged member
of the family can bring. We are available to discuss the
situation with you; please feel free to come into the
surgery even if it's just for a cup of coffee and a chat.
We use the services of a reputable Pet Crematorium. There
are a range of services available, including the return of
ashes if you so wish.
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