From a grateful owner and a much happier Barley.

K-Laser treatment for Barley, my 12 year old Clumber Spaniel, when his mobility suddenly and drastically declined. Barley had been diagnosed with severe spondylosis, a form of Arthritis of his spine.

It’s important to take care of your dog's oral health – which is why we offer free dental advice and urge you to be vigilant when looking after your dog’s teeth.

Many of you will have already met Sarah and Toby our Animal Care Assistants (ACAs) when you have visited us. Both play an important part within our team, helping to provide you and your pets with the best service and care possible.

Luckily Noosabay Kennels and Cattery are situated less than half a mile from us. We gave them a call and they were brilliant and immediately came to Ollie’s rescue, bringing down their own beautiful black Labrador Sorcha. At only 3 years old Sorcha is young, fit and healthy with a lovely temperament, making her perfectly suitable for a safe donation to help Ollie. She was brilliant and such a well behaved girl throughout, making absolutely no fuss.

Read Storms story and why he is one very lucky boy.

And what to do if you suspect your pet has ingested rat poisoning

Spring not only brings warmer temperatures and gardens coming to life, it can also bring a swathe of unwanted guests… Checking for fleas is all part of owning a pet, advises our head nurse, Estelle.
Fleas are tiny, blood-sucking parasites that jump onto cats, dogs and other pets. They feast on their blood, excrete, mate, and then the females lay eggs at an alarming rate. The eggs aren’t sticky so they often fall off and spread throughout the home.

So what do fleas look like? find out how to check your pet for fleas & flea dirt .

It is rare for apparently healthy animals to be anything other than healthy as they seem, however as Poppy’s story show it can happen…..Her family have allowed us to share her story so that her legacy ‘Poppy’s Plea’ may help others.

Supporting pets with Diabetes can be a daunting prospect

Diabetes is a complex disease that most often develops in older pets. Just like in humans, diabetes in dogs and cats can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms.

However, with careful management, and support from our team this condition doesn’t need to affect their quality of life.

Read some real life stories from clients who have had pets diagnosed with diabetes and have found ways of helping their pets.

Periodontal (gum) disease can lead to tooth loss and affects most cats by the time they are 3 years old. Depending on your cat’s overall health, bacteria from periodontal disease can spread to affect other organs. One of the best ways to help prevent periodontal disease is to brush your cat’s teeth daily, or at least multiple times a week. Cats are never too young to start having their teeth brushed at home; in fact, the younger they are, the better.

It’s thought that thieves in some areas are leaving white chalk marks outside homes to indicate to accomplices which houses have dogs worth stealing.

If like me, you are finding this all very frightening and are looking for ways to make sure this does not happen to you, have a look at some ideas of the kind of things that will help to keep your pet’s safe and what to do if the worst happens.

Our day to day routine may have changed a great deal over the last few weeks but don't forget to carry on looking after your dogs teeth

PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU

For your pets repeat medications, please either order through the Wangford Vets website OR email enquiries@wangfordvetclinic.com

This will help our to team deal with emergencies and continue to provide the best possible care throughout these difficult times.

FOR EMERGENCIES call 01502 578999

With the COVID-19 safety, meaning changes to our practice services and with us being unable to take routine appointments I thought it might be a good time to share some excerpts from our own FIRST AID booklet.

An owner’s holiday here on the beautiful Suffolk coast came to a crashing halt when his beloved dog, Roger, was hit by a car whilst out for his evening walk. The panic-stricken owner obtained our telephone number from local residents and called the Wangford Vets 24 hour emergency service. Roger was brought to the clinic where he was promptly met by our vet Walter and head nurse Estelle.

Hear from one of our special product testers - Peggy

When mum pops one of those chews in her pocket on a walk, I am the most obedient dog ever!

Cosmo is a guinea pig who came to see us because his owner had noticed that he had lost weight recently and he was seeming to be uncomfortable when passing urine, squeaking and arching his back.

Whilst some dogs bounce in the door with tails wagging and can’t wait to see us, it can be a very stressful time for others (as well as their owners) that aren’t quite so keen.

The team at Wangford Vets are determined to make visits to see us as positive as possible and we encourage social visits .

Is it time to put your dog on a new year diet?

Dogs can gain weight for various different reasons, like overeating, too many treats, or an underlining health issue. No matter what the reason is, an overweight dog is never a good thing and should be addressed as soon as possible.
Keep your pets slim and trim for happier, longer lives

Health Risks in Overweight or Obese Dogs
• Damage to joints, bones, and ligaments
• Heart disease and increased blood pressure
• Heart disease and increased blood pressure
• Increased surgical and anaesthetic risk
• Difficulty breathing
• Decreased stamina
• Heat intolerance

Make sure to keep your pets details up to date - and stay together forever.

It’s simple to update the details for your dog’s microchip; you can do it online, by telephone or by post – depending on which database your chip is registered to. There are charges for updating your contact details which will vary across microchip database providers.

Perhaps this year you’ve noticed your furry friends starting to slow down, go a bit grey, and maybe just prefer being indoors.

Just like us, pets do get old, and though that doesn’t mean saying goodbye anytime soon, you may have to think a little differently on how to help your senior pet cope this winter.

With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to deck your halls and make your house look merry.

It’s fun and exciting to get all festive and break out the tree, but it gets a little stressful when you have a four-legged friend or two in your home. Year after year you spend hours making it look perfect, only to turn your back and find your favourite ornaments broken or your whole tree lying across the floor.

Make Black Friday Adopt a Black Cat Day

Through no fault of their own, black cats are overlooked time and time again, as most people tend to choose grey, ginger and tabby coloured cats. Even black kittens are left until last for adoption, while their more colourful siblings are chosen first.
The outlook for a black, adult cat in a rescue centre is therefore bleak. Black & white cats are also very often left waiting much longer than more 'colourful' cats. Some spend many months in rescue, sometimes years, waiting for someone to see past their colour to the super cat inside...

Every dog loves a scratch, yes? Dogs itch, but when is a good scratch actually a bad scratch? Sometimes scratching belies a deeper problem that needs proper attention. Here’s what to look out for to prevent your furry friend from any skin-related stress.

A BBQ smells good to us, but a dog’s sense of smell is significantly more powerful than ours, so they are going to find the smell very appealing as they sit at our feet, patiently waiting for any leftovers that may come their way. .

The danger here is that fatty BBQ foods plus greedy pets could result in a number of problems that could mean a trip to the vets.

Make sure you are ready for the holiday season.

Here is the Wangford Vets’ survival guide to helping you and your pets enjoy a happy, healthy Christmas.

Three month old Indi, a gorgeous little Cocker Spaniel was rushed to the surgery in the early hours of the morning by her worried owners. Indi was showing signs of having ingested some form of toxin, she was collapsed and having seizures.

Find out how we treated her and helped her to a very happy ending.

Why we vaccinate - Prevention is better than cure

Vaccination protects our pets against diseases which are very hard to treat. The important diseases with vaccines available are Canines Distemper, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Adenoviruses, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza virus, Bordetella Bronchiseptica and Rabies. Leptospirosis is spread by rats and found in rivers and streams.

Summertime parties and in particular barbecues can be hazardous for your pets.

The last thing we want to do is be a kill joy but there are a number of summer barbecue hazards that can be easily prevented, and it’s better to be safe than sorry, so we’ve compiled some tips to keep your pets safe, so we can all enjoy this great British summertime tradition.

A frozen filling will provide a cool and even longer-lasting treat that is great especially if your dog needs to be crated when left. It’s also excellent as a cooling and teething treat for puppies.

Is your dog suffering from the heat? Make sure you know the signs of heatstroke and what to do.

Act quickly - heatstroke can be fatal

Anyone who has ever had a missing cat knows how worrying it is, not knowing what has happened.

Most indoor-only cats tend not to travel far. While an adventurous indoor/outdoor cat is more likely to roam, a scared cat may not trust their inner compass, get confused and get lost. Once a cat has wandered out of their comfort zone anything can happen to scare them further: Barking dogs, wildlife, loud traffic noise, teasing school kids, the list is endless.

Losing a pet can be a traumatic experience for any child, Many children love their pets very deeply and some may not even remember a time in their life when the pet wasn’t around.

Most owners agree that their cats dislike visiting the vets.

Anyone who has had the "pleasure" of taking a cat for a vet visit knows that it's no picnic. It usually begins with a wrestling match to get the cat into a carrier. If you manage to survive with only a few scratches, consider yourself lucky

The harvest mite is a small orange colored mite that can cause skin irritation of dogs, cats and other animals.

Harvest mites are mostly a problem in the late summer months. They hatch out from their eggs in grass and other low vegetation and then crawl onto the host animal – your dog or cat!

It’s estimated by veterinary professionals that feeding a dog a balanced diet and keeping his weight down could extend its life by at least two years and dramatically improve their quality of life.

Suffolk has 8 beaches listed where dogs are allowed and a further 5 where dogs are restricted in Suffolk.

There are 1 beaches in Suffolk on which a dog ban is in operation.

Oh the joy of romping on a sandy beach! Splashing in the surf! Wind blowing in your hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand and the cry of gulls! You and your best friend together regardless of weather.
Sounds lovely doesn’t it? And it can be. Most dogs love the beach so make sure you are aware of any potential beach hazards.

Travel sickness can take the fun out of travelling with your pet and can turn a day trip into a stressful and messy experience

If you have a long journey coming up and are dreading the effect it will have on your dog, come and talk to Walter, Boris or Vicki as there are prescription medications available as well as a wide range of herbal remedies

Trips to the vets can be overwhelming for our pets. With lots of unusual smells and uncomfortable prodding the experience can be rather stressful.

We have some handy tips to help make the trip to the vets less scary for your pet

In spite of the recent mild conditions, winter is most definitely on its way, so to help ensure your cats, dogs and other pets are kept safe and healthy, we’ve put together this quick checklist to help you prepare…

When those puppy dog eyes get the better of you and before you know it you’re sharing food with your furry friend.

Do you know how to spot signs of stress in your dog or cat?

It is estimated that 85% of dogs (over five years of age) suffer from gum disease – don’t let your dog become one of them. Follow these four simple steps in our guide to brushing your dog's teeth.

We understand that your pet may be anxious about coming to the vet; we try to help reduce the stress by creating a friendly atmosphere with plenty of treats on hand to reduce their anxieties. We encourage our clients with dogs to come in whenever they are passing just for a fuss and a biscuit.

We are continually surprised by the things dogs will eat. Sadly many dogs will suffer pain, permanent damage to body organs, and, in some cases, fatally from swallowing the wrong thing.

We thought we would put together a list to help you identify the major hazards in your household.

Pets bring us a lot of enjoyment, but there are also times when they can make us worry, especially when they get ill. Veterinary care is improving all the time, with more treatments available than in the past, but these treatments can be expensive and when your pet is ill the last thing you want to think about is money.

Pet insurance can bring real peace of mind, taking the worry out of this stressful situation. Even so, you should be careful to choose the right company and the right policy for your pet, as there can be a wide difference between them, and this is one occasion when you must read the small print.