Hospitalisation
Sometimes your pet may have to stay in hospital for treatment. We understand that this can be a worrying time for owners, and try to make your dog’s stay in our hospital as comfortable and as stress-free as possible.
Our spacious dedicated Dog Ward has a variety of different sized kennels to suit your pet. We also have Isolation facilities which are separate from our other wards, used to house animals with infectious diseases which may spread to other pets or humans. As they are self contained, our staff can barrier nurse the patient to prevent transmission to others. For critically-ill patients, we have temperature controlled oxygen cages which allow the administration of oxygen without stress to the patient.
Whilst in hospital, your dog’s needs will be looked after by our dedicated hospital nursing staff, working closely with the vet in charge of your pet’s case. Clinical rounds are carried out daily at 9.00pm, with the vet and nursing staff looking at each patient and planning its treatment for the day. You will usually be updated about your dog’s progress after morning rounds, and if required, updates may be given throughout the day.
Your dog may be fed a ‘prescription diet’ during hospitalisation, this is food that has been specially prepared to help with some diseases and conditions. If this is not necessary then we will feed a lifestage diet such as Hills Science Plan. For those patients that have not been interested in food recently or are fussy eaters, we will offer tempting treats such as steamed chicken breast. If your pet is on a particular type of food then please let us know so we can maintain the normal feeding regime. You may wish to bring something from home to make your dog more at ease whilst staying with us, eg. A favourite blanket or toy.
When animals are admitted to hospital, they are generally not feeling themselves and will require less exercise. However where appropriate, they may be given the opportunity to ‘stretch their legs’under supervision in the dog ward, or be taken outside for walks.
Our visiting times are between 3.00pm and 6.00 pm on weekdays, and 3.00pm to 5pm on weekends. Please discuss with us if you require an exception – we will always try to arrange something to suit your needs. Although your dog will usually be very happy to see you, it can also be upsetting for both pet and owner if they are not ready to go home with you. There are some cases when visitation may not be appropriate, for example after surgery when your dog will need some quiet, undisturbed time to recover.
At this time we are not a 24-hour hospital, and if necessary, we may advise you to transfer your pet to a hospital with 24-hour facilities.