Companion Vet Clinic, Balderton: Here to help you keep your pets fit and healthy
While many businesses have had to close their doors in the past year Companion Vet Clinic has been lucky enough to be permitted to stay open as they provide emergency and routine healthcare for our pets.
The clinic on Bullpit Road, Balderton, near St Giles’ Church on Main Street, has been providing this service to the community for more than 30 years. It is equipped to provide full medical and surgical services.
This year, veterinary surgeon Therese Rasback, having worked at the clinic for three years, has been promoted to joint clinical director along with founder Paul Dowie.
Two experienced vet nurses, Emma Jones and Tiffany Hill, have joined the team after career breaks and Rowanne Davis has qualified as a vet nursing assistant.
Days are always interesting for the team. One of the cases they have dealt with was a Labrador that ate a barbecue skewer with chicken attached, which penetrated the stomach and caused peritonitis. However, it was easily removed and the dog made a full recovery.
In another case, a cat was attacked by a dog and had sciatic paresis. Although it was touch and go, he too fully recovered.
Lockdown restrictions have had an impact on many pets’ lives, including falling behind with vaccinations and other routine healthcare.
Therese and Paul recommend everyone should have Routine Healthcare Plan for their pet, covering vaccination protection, flea and tick protection, worming, and a suitable balanced nutrition.
With this in mind, Companion Vet Clinic is offering a full course of vaccinations for the same price as a booster.
Other practical ways to keep your pet healthy is regular worming, which will vary according to lifestyle and area of the country, but should be least four times a year. Hunting cats can be treated once a month.
Ask your vet what they recommend for your pet.
If a dog walks near long grass then the risk of tick exposure is increased. These can be carried by other pets, hedgehogs, deer or sheep and the team recently removed over 40 from one unfortunate hedgehog.
Some flea control products will not provide tick protection.
Thanks to coronavirus restrictions, many pets were not able to socialise, much like ourselves, and pups may have become shy. It is very important to remedy that in a controlled way, and make taking your dog for a walk a pleasure.
Also, since many owners have been at home most of the time, they may have indulged their pet and given too many treats. Excess weight will contribute to arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and much else.
Staff can advise on suitable diets, and this may the single most important preventative measure an owner can make.
During the summer we see more skin allergies in cats and especially in dogs. Paul Dowie regularly sees skin referral cases. Advances in therapies mean these can be controlled more effectively.
Other seasonal problems include dogs getting grass seeds as a foreign body stuck in their ears, especially spaniels, or in paws. Careful examination of your dogs’ feet after a walk in long grass will reduce this risk.
Therese and Paul are both official vets to APHA and can deal with Animal Health Certification now we have left the EU.
The staff at Companion Vet Clinic pride themselves on the continuity of care they can provide. The clinic has excellent diagnostic equipment, including digital radiography, ultrasound ECG and diagnostic blood analysers all on site, which all helps in providing the care our pets deserve.
