Services

Learn more about the services we provide at our veterinary practice in Ashbourne

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Services at Blenheim Vets

At Blenheim Vets we aim to keep your pet healthy and well throughout its life. From advice for your new pet to health clinics for senior pets, we will help to keep your pet in the very best of health throughout its life.

Our Pet Health Club helps you to plan the routine care for your pet and help you to save money.

Our 24 hour emergency service is run by Vets Now who specialise in out of hours care giving your the reassurance that your pet will get the care they need, whatever the time.

  • Consultations
  • Nurse Clinics
  • Surgery
  • Acupuncture
  • Ophthalmology
  • Dentistry
  • In-House Laboratory
  • Animal Health Certificates
  • Home Visits
  • Order Food and Medications
  • Cat Only Clinics
  • Cat Lifestyle Clinics
  • Pet Bereavement Clinic

Consultations

Consultations

Consultations are available throughout the day by appointment only.   Our routine appointments are 15 minutes in length and can be booked online or by telephoning one of our receptionists on 01335 342111

At your appointment you will see an experienced Veterinary Practitioner who will listen to your concerns, assess your pet fully and discuss a treatment or management plan that is suitable for both you and your pet.

In the event of more investigations being required, we will arrange a second appointment or hospital visit to undertake these.
 

 

Nurse Clinics

Nurse Clinics

We have an experienced team of clinic nurses working at Blenheim vets who can help you to keep your pet fit and healthy.

Our nurses offer advice on a wide range of pet healthcare issues and can advise on flea and worming treatment - booking is essential.

They will often be your point of contact if your pet had been discharged from our hospital as our nurses carry out post-operative checks and suture removal (post surgery)

Nursing clinic services include:

-        2nd vaccination

-        Clipping claws

-        Sexing of animals

-        Identichip placement

-        Re-dressing of wounds

-        Weight advice

-        Dietary advice

-        Blood pressure monitoring

-        Adolescent check

-        Puppy socialisation

-        Puppy/kitten care

-        Behavioural advice

-        Senior pet care

-        Ear cleaning

-        Cat lifestyle clinics

Click here to book an appointment

Surgery

Soft Tissue and Orthopeadic Surgery

Our modern surgical facilties enable us to carry out many different types of operations, in custom built surgical suites. On top of our diagnostic facilties, this assists us in manintaing a high level of surgical success stories. Additionally, we offer an in-house referral service with Peak Referrals performing highly specialised procedures such as cruciate repair, complicated fracture repair, all at the surgery, which would otherwise need to be referred elsewhere.

Routine Surgery

We also offer a range of routine surgical procedures.

Acupuncture

Dr Adam Durkin runs pain management clinics where he uses acupuncture along with conventional treatments to either increase the efficacy of pain relief or reduce the amount of medication required.

Acupuncture: Acupunture has evolved from the ancient art of placing needles into special locations on the body to alleviate pain, improve recovery rates and increase resistance to disease.

The needles work through the nervous system, blocking the pain messages and encouraging the brain and central nervous system to produce more of the body’s natural pain killers. In conditions that are not painful, acupuncture may help to reset the body’s normal functioning.

Download our commonly asked questions leaflet for more information.

If you would like further information on whether acupuncture is appropriate for your pet please contact the practice on 01335 342111.

Ophthalmology

Unfortunately in-house ophthalmology referrals are no longer available.

Dentistry

Dentistry

Dental disease is the most frequently seen health problem in pet animals.

At least 7 out of 10 dogs and cats over the age of 3 years have dental health problems.

The most common conditions seen are periodontal disease (gum disease), tooth resorption (in cats) and fractured teeth. Dental disease in rabbits is also a very frequent problem.

Dental disease is often painful and can be very debilitating. It can be the cause of and is often associated with significant poor health.

At Blenheim our team of veterinary professionals can advise on dental health and treat problems when needed. Please bring your pet to see us if you have concerns about their teeth.

Dental procedures are frequently advised and we use ultrasonic scaling and polishing equipment to enable us to carry out dental hygiene procedures as well as high speed drill units to facilitate with extractions. In order to perform a dental procedure effectively in our pets a general anaesthetic is required.

If you think your pet is suffering from dental health problems an appointment with one of our many experienced veterinary surgeons should be made. 

The ideal way to look after your pet’s teeth is to brush them with a soft pet toothbrush and animal toothpaste at least 1-2 times a week (more frequently if possible).  In the absence of tooth-brushing there are several things you can do to maintain your pet’s dental health. Feeding complete dental diets on a daily basis to form at least 30% of their food intake will help to reduce plaque and tartar build up and reduce the need for dental scale and polish procedures.

We also have regular nurse clinics where you can see a Veterinary Nurse for dental advice.

In-House Laboratory

In-House Laboratory

Our in-house laboratory enables us to process the majority of samples taken the very same day. We are able to analyse haematology and biochemistry blood samples, complete urine analysis and identify a wide variety of parasites - naming just a few tests.

Animal Health Certificates

Animal Health Certificates

Are you travelling to the EU with your pet this year? If so, since the Brexit change Pet Passports are no longer viable for travel and have been replaced with an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). This is a Certificate that will allow you travel to the EU with your pet and we can provide this for you. To help with completion of the full form we ask for your help to ensure that we don't take up too much of your valuable time before travel.

If you wish to arrange for an AHC please follow these steps:

Contact our Reception team by telephone on 01335 342111 or by email at appts@blenheimvets.com and one of our team will send you a two-page document by email and ask you to complete this and return it to them.

Please note all of the following:

  • Your name and address will be pre-populated on this form and you will need to advise us of your point of entry into the EU and any countries that you will be travelling through along with your pet’s species, sex, colour, breed, microchip number and date of birth.
  • This form must be completed and returned to us within two working days of receipt and once we have it back at the practice you will be contacted to arrange a consult with your pet, for the vet to complete the full and final version. This appointment must be made within 10 days of travel and will be a 30- to 45-minute appointment and you will go away with the full completed AHC so that you are all set for travel.
  • The owner or person travelling must be present at this appointment to sign the AHC.
  • Please note that Rabies vaccinations must also be up to date and needs to be administered at least 21 days before an AHC can be issued.
  • Should you be travelling anywhere further afield than the EU please visit the relevant Government websites for further information.

If you have any questions or wish to know prices please do not hesitate to contact our Reception team.

Home Visits

Home Visits

We appreciate that there are circumstances where you may wish for a home visit and we are more than happy to make visits to your pets in your home when required. We ask that you give us notice to fit these into the working day and ask that, where possible, you call us first thing in the morning to enable us to accommodate this.

In the event of an emergency it is always better for your pet to be seen at the practice wherever possible and we encourage you to drive, get a lift or taxi to the practice in order that your pet can receive immediate and appropriate veterinary attention.

 Should you need to speak with us, please contact us on 01335 342111

Order Food and Medications

Repeat Prescriptions

To improve our service to clients and to avoid long waiting times, we would kindly ask if owners could order repeat prescriptions for their pets 24 hours in advance so they may be dispensed and checked.

Please note, drugs that require ordering are normally in the next day with the exception of Fridays; orders placed on Friday are not with us until the following Monday.

Order a Repeat Prescription

If your pet needs long-term medication, you may benefit from becoming a member of Pet Health Club. Amongst the many benefits, we offer a 20% discount off long-term medication for members of the Pet Health Club.

Cat Only Clinics

Introducing our new cat only clinics - Enabling your cat to receive care in surroundings where they feel comfortable. 

Our cat only clinics (every Thursday 2-4pm) ensure that your feline friend receives the treatment they need in an environment they find comfortable.

** Book your appointment **

We recognise that cats have unique needs and we are adapting our surgery surroundings and practices to cater for them. Our goal is to use feline-friendly handling techniques in order to:

  • Reduce fear and pain for your cat
  • Reduce anxiety for you, the client
  • Reinforce veterinarian-client-cat bond, trust and confidence, and therefore better lifelong medical care for your cat

Our consultations are 15 minutes long as standard.  Here at Blenheim we know how important your pets are, we don’t want you to feel rushed and we want your pet to feel as relaxed and happy as possible here. The extra time in consults lets us get to know your pet, you and any problems you may have.

Our hospitalisation facilities and equipment are suitable for a wide range of species including our feline friends and we provide lots of comfortable bedding and boxes for your cat to hide in during their stay.

*Preparing you and your cat for the veterinary visit

Taking the time to accustom your kitten or cat to travel and handling can reduce the stress of veterinary visits throughout your cats’ life. We aim to work with you to develop strategies to prepare cats for positive veterinary experience.

- Cat Lifestyle Clinics

These nursing clinics are free of charge and take place during our cat only clinics time slots. They offer an opportunity to ensure your kitten/cat is in their optimum health at every stage of their life, as well as providing an opportunity for positive handing, helping familiarise your pet with different people and a variety of positive situations. 

- Rehearse Clinical Examination

Learn to do procedures at home using calm praise and pairing these procedures with positive reinforcement, such as food and other rewards such as play, catnip or massaging the neck or chin. Useful procedures to get your cat used to at home include handing the paws and looking into the ears to prepare for ear exams and allow claw clipping as well as opening the mouth in association with the delivery of a tasty treat in preparation for oral examinations, administering oral medication or tooth brushing

  - Adapt cats to carriers

Click here to read our article about adapting cats to cat carriers.  https://www.blenheimvets.com/pet-advice/carrier-training-your-cat

  • Familiar Items – Bring items that carry a familiar scent for the cat, such as favourite bedding or toys.
  • Let Us Know your Cat’s Behaviour – Notify us in advance if your cat may be easily upset. This will allow us to prepare and make extra provisions, such as moving the cat to the examination room immediately or having treats and toys available to distract the cat.  The veterinary team are happy to provide flexibility and choice, tailoring the appointment to each individual client and cat, as appropriate.

Cat Lifestyle Clinics

Introducing the Cat Care for Life Programme here at Blenheim Vets. At Blenheim we aim to keep up to date with developments and our primary goal is to keep your pets happy and healthy.

What is the cat care for life programme?

Working to the Internal Society for Feline medicine (ISFM) template, we at Blenheim are proud to begin our own ‘Cat Care for Life Program.

Cats age at a different rate to people and dogs and a cats’ life can be separated into different ‘life stages’:

  • Kitten: Birth to 6 months
  • Junior: 7 months to 2 years
  • Adult: 3 years to 6 years
  • Mature: 7 years to 10 years
  • Senior: 11 years to 14 years
  • Super Senior: - 15 years +

Each life stage has a different and specific needs and requirements to keep your cat in the best possible health.

Why should you and your cat join our cat care for life programme?

Joining the programme is free and will include a consultation with the nurse. The clinics can include (but are not restricted too the following checks:

  • Nurse examination
  • Blood pressure measurement
  • Blood sampling
  • Urine checks
  • Weight and nutrition advice
  • Parasite control
  • Behavioural advice
  • … and many more

The nurse can advise and help with any questions you may have and can recommend any further testing (payable at the time) and/or referral to the veterinary team if needed.

Pet Bereavement Clinic

Making a euthanasia appointment is never easy and that is why, here at Blenheim, we have developed our very own Pet Bereavement Service, enabling us to support you and your pet when the time comes to say goodbye. The service is headed by Chrissie, one of our senior veterinary nurses who gained her Pet Bereavement Counsellor Diploma at the beginning of 2021.

What can I expect from a Pet Bereavement appointment?

These consultations are available for those clients who feel that their pet is at the end stages of their life and would like support in planning and preparing for their pet’s euthanasia, as well as those clients who may have already lost a pet and are struggling to cope.

If you feel the time is right to say goodbye to your pet there are some things that can be helpful for you to consider before you make the call, and these are all things which can be talked through during your consultation with Chrissie. The consultation can be tailored to your needs but commonly may include the following;

  • Will you be taking your pet to the veterinary practice or would you like a home visit?
  • Is there a particular vet or nurse that you would like to carry out the euthanasia or be there with you?
  • Do you know yet what you will want to do with your pet’s body?
  • Will your children accompany you to the appointment?
  • Is a friend or relative available to come with you?
  • Would you prefer to wait in the car until the vet calls you in?
  • How and when will you want to settle your vet bill for the euthanasia or any afterlife care such as cremation? Some clients prefer to pay in advance so that you do not have to deal with payment when you’re upset.

If you feel you would benefit from an appointment with a Pet Bereavement service please speak to your vet or reception - 01335 342111

Video Consults

Video Consults

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Pet Nutrition

Pet Nutrition

Our guidance to the optimal diet for your pet.

Offers

Offers

Fantastic offers from Blenheim Vets.