Neutering, lumps, soft tissue, orthopaedics, dentals
Surgery and dentistry
Two operating theatres in the barn, a dedicated dental suite and a recovery ward with a nurse on it all day. Neutering, lump removals, abdominal and soft-tissue surgery, fracture repair and cruciate surgery, and the dental work that most pets over five quietly need.
An operation on a pet is an anaesthetic, a surgeon and a nurse watching the monitor, and then a quiet afternoon in a warm kennel with someone checking every ten minutes. We do about forty a week, from routine neuters to cruciate repairs, and the ones we do not do here go to a referral surgeon we know by name.
Admissions are at 8:30 with a pre-anaesthetic check; blood tests beforehand are offered for every animal and recommended for those over seven. Every anaesthetic has a nurse whose only job is monitoring. Pain relief is given before the surgery starts and sent home after it, and you get a call when your pet is awake and a time to collect, usually that afternoon. Stitches out is free, ten days later.
Dental disease is the commonest thing we see in pets over five and the one owners notice least. A dental here is under general anaesthetic with full-mouth x-rays, because two-thirds of the problems are below the gum, and includes any extractions found on the day within the estimate's range. Orthopaedics (fractures, cruciate ligament repair, patella luxation) is done by Owen, who has the certificate in small-animal surgery; complex spinal and neurological cases are referred.
What is included
- Two theatres, a dental suite, a staffed recovery ward
- A nurse monitoring every anaesthetic
- Pre-anaesthetic bloods offered to all, recommended over seven
- Full-mouth dental x-rays as standard
- Orthopaedics by a certificate holder
- Free post-op checks and stitches out
What it costs
Cat neuter from £95, dog neuter from £220 by weight, dental scale and polish from £320 including the anaesthetic and x-rays. Written estimate before admission; home the same day for most. Prices include VAT and every one is on the prices page; the health plan takes 10% off all of them. Emergencies, day or night, are on the emergencies page.
Questions about surgery
When should I neuter my dog?
It depends on the breed and sex, and the advice has changed. Small dogs from six months; large breeds we now suggest waiting until twelve to eighteen months for joint health. We will give you the reasoning for your dog rather than a blanket rule.
Is the anaesthetic risky?
Modern anaesthetics are very safe in a healthy animal: about one in two thousand for dogs and cats. The risk rises with age and illness, which is why we offer the blood test first and why a nurse watches the monitor for the whole procedure.
Will you ring me during the operation?
If we find something that changes the estimate or the plan, yes, before we go on. Otherwise you get a call when your pet is awake, usually by early afternoon.
Register a pet, or book an appointment.
Registration takes five minutes and we request the history from your previous vet. Sick pets are seen the same day, emergencies at once, and out of hours one of our own vets answers 01632 960 813. Every price is on the website.