Whenever reception is open, irrespective of consulting times, you are welcome to drop in. Whether it is to make purchases from our extensive range of diets and pet health products, check your pet’s weight or merely say hello, we are always glad to see you.

Our canine patients are less apprehensive about attending for a health check or treatment if they have previously made our acquaintance and been offered a small treat. Our surgery is a centre where there are full facilities ­ surgical, medical and health care products designed to keep your pet as healthy as possible.

Our dispensary stocks thousands of items ranging from medicines to prescription diets and pet care products. If any item is not immediately available, twice weekly deliveries from our wholesaler means that it can be obtained within a couple of days, or even sooner if the need is urgent.

Virtually all of our medicines, including the more effective wormers and anti-flea preparations, are subject to legal control which states that we are allowed to prescribe only for animals under our care. This means that we need to make regular health checks on all our patients.

For those on long-term medication, in order to safeguard the welfare of your pet as well as fulfil our legal obligations regarding the dispensing of medicines, we will need to review general health and assess the response to medication periodically. The intervals between re-examinations will vary with the individual case, and once a patient is stable we will happily dispense further medication on request until the next re-examination is due.

Lay staff are not allowed to dispense medicines and a vet may not be available if you arrive at the surgery without prior notice, so please order by phone, allowing several days before the current supply runs out. Obviously, if you are concerned about your pet’s progress at any time, please contact the surgery for advice.

Safety, with regard to both patient and owner, is of prime concern. Please read any instructions on dispensed items before you leave the surgery, so that queries can be dealt with immediately. All tablets, except those already foil wrapped, are dispensed in child-proof containers unless you request otherwise. However, please take care and keep all medicines well out of the reach of children. It is sensible to wash your hands after handling any medication and we advise wearing disposable gloves when applying any ointment or shampoo.

When it comes to taking medicines, we are well aware that some animals may not co-operate. If you know that your pet falls into this category, we will be happy to suggest other treatment options - a long-acting injection or administration of tablets at one of our nurse clinics might be possible.