Dentistry

We consider that preventative dental care and control of tartar formation, before periodontal and gum disease occurs is extremely important in ensuring that your pet maintains good general health. We have a modern dental unit which allows us to efficiently clean teeth and carry out extractions when required.

Diagnostic Laboratory

At Special Friends we have our own in-house IDEXX laboratory equipment which allows us to carry out any necessary biochemistry and blood cell analysis which we use as an aid in medical diagnosis. We are also able to carry out in-house urinanalysis and microscopy. We also use an external Veterinary Laboratory when additional testing or the expert opinion of a clinical pathologist is needed.

Medicine

Our experienced veterinary surgeons and nurses are backed up with very modern diagnostic equipment, an ultrasound scanner, an ECG machine, an efficient “in-house” IDEXX laboratory system and a well stocked pharmacy. This enables us to offer excellent medical facilities to treat your pets.

Weight Control

Obesity is a very common problem in pets today. We provide free weight control advice and clients are welcome to use our waiting room scales at any time to monitor their pet’s weight. We sell high quality diets specifically formulated for weight loss programs.  Please speak to one of our staff if you think your pet needs assistance in controlling their weight.

Microchipping

We recommend that pets are microchipped for identification and when animals are travelling abroad. We have a scanner which we use to check all strays. We encourage you to microchip your pets for identification purposes and making sure any lost pets are quickly reunited with their owners. For this reason, it is vitally important to make sure you keep your contact details current.

Vaccinations

We recommend regular vaccination of cats and dogs and rabbits.  This also gives us the opportunity to examine your pets regularly. The protocol for each pet is tailored to suit each pet’s circumstances. Feel free to ask one of our veterinary surgeons or nurses about your pet’s vaccination program at any time. There is some detailed information provided in the client information sheets - Cat Vaccination and Dog Vaccination.

Surgery & Anaesthesia

In our dedicated, custom-designed operating theatre we use anaesthetic equipment, drugs, and monitoring to ensure the best possible safety for animals under anaesthetic. We use a range of anaesthetic agents, including some designed especially for older animals or those at greater risk. Your pet is constantly monitored by one of our qualified nurses from induction to recovery using modern equipment such as pulse oximeters and ECG.

Orthopaedic Surgery.

John Davies BSc BVM&S Cert SAO MRCVS is our visiting orthopaedic surgeon. He visits the practice regularly to perform specialist bone and joint surgery including: fracture repair, joint stabilisation, cruciate ligament surgery including the ‘gold standard; technique ‘Tibial Plateau Levelling Ostectomy (TPLO), and luxating patellar surgery.
John also provides us with his specialist opinion on orthopaedic X-Rays.

Pre-anaesthetic Blood Testing

We offer the option of pre-anaesthetic blood testing for all procedures requiring a general anaesthesia. We strongly recommend it before the first anaesthetic your pet has, and for all animals over 8 years of age. This is mainly done as a screening test for liver and kidney abnormalities and diabetes.

Radiography and Ultrasound

Our x-ray equipment and developing facilities enable us to quickly carry out a large range of diagnostic x-rays within the practice. We mostly use radiography while investigating, suspected orthopaedic problems and to aid heart, chest, or abdominal diagnosis. We also have recently expanded our imaging facilities to include ultrasound scanning which aids greatly in the diagnosis of chest and abdominal problems and scanning for pregnancy.

Prescription Renewal

For animals on long term medication we provide a repeat prescription service. Please either complete our on-line application or telephone us in advance to have the prescription ready which will reduce the amount of time you may have to wait. Please understand that prescription drugs can only be provided to an animal under a veterinary surgeons direct care and it is our responsibility to ensure that we monitor your pet’s health condition for any changes. For this reason our reception staff must always check with a veterinary surgeon before a prescription is dispensed and we will periodically request that your pet revisits the practice for monitoring of the condition when the vet feels it is appropriate.

You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, Category V , (POM Vs) from Special Friends  OR you can ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another  veterinary surgeon or pharmacy.

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. The general policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescription every 6 months, but this may vary with individual circumstances.

There is a standard charge for re-examination which is currently £22.50

Hospitalisation

We would always prefer to send pets home as soon as possible after treatment, but should the need arise, we have kennel and cat recovery areas with 4 cat cages and 4 dog cages. We have two large walk-in kennels so that we can accommodate even the largest of dogs comfortably. These large kennels can also be split to provide additional kennelling if needed. Our kennel and cat ward areas are brightly decorated and provide a stimulating environment for recovering pets.

PETS Passport

We are able to carry out all the procedures to allow licencing of pets for the PETS Passport Scheme for travel to and from the UK

Follow the link to the official website for more information: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/

Nurse Clinics.

Our team of qualified veterinary nurses are available for FREE nurse clinics by appointment.  Free Dental Checks; Free puppy and kitten health checks; Free weight checks.  We offer free telephone advice regarding worming, flea treatment, diet and general animal health enquiries.