Facilities
Anaesthesia
Anaesthetics drugs allow us to temporarily reduce an animal’s consciousness so that otherwise painful procedures can be performed without the animal feeling pain or distress.
Because we have access to a range of different anaesthetic drugs and equipment, we are able to tailor each anaesthetic regime to the individual animal, regardless of breed and size, thereby increasing animal safety. Our nurses also help to provide excellent post-operative care until each animal is fully awake and ready to go home. Laboratory We are equipped with all the essential tools you may expect in a modern veterinary practice; Microscopy to analyse urine samples for cells and crystals, skin scrapes for ectoparasites, joint fluids for bacteria. Centrifuge to check red blood cell levels, and prepare samples for other tests. In-house blood analyser to perform biochemistry analysis e.g. liver and kidney assessments. These allow us to perform onsite analysis of a variety of samples, providing rapid results and allowing prompt and appropriate treatment regimes to be devised. The equipment also allows us to carry out a number of tests at any time of the day or night, when commercial labs may be closed, and so we are able to offer a truly 24 hours a day service to our clients. Many other samples are sent to commercial laboratories for more specialised tests to help us diagnose and manage a range of conditions that wouldn’t have been possible only a short number of years ago.
Medicine
Every animal that is seen by one of our vets is examined thoroughly and has a detailed history taken as standard. This allows our team of vets to detect and construct a detailed list of any problems your pet may be having, and formulate a plan as to how best to investigate and hopefully treat any problems found. We have various resources available to assist such as blood sampling, urine analysis and imaging machines which allow us to quickly and competently undertake the best course of action for your pet.
At Abbey vets we are fortunate enough to have both fully qualified and training nurses present at our practices. This training provides them with essential skills and understanding of veterinary medicine, which in turn means the best level of care for our patients. Nurses Our nurses are a truly invaluable resource; not only are they capable of assisting with operations, performing health checks, and providing excellent patient care, they also monitor anaesthetics, drips, provide dietary and nutritional advice, as well as assisting with the day-to-day running of the practice, helping us operate smoothly and efficiently.
Radiology
This is an essential part of any veterinary practice. Using x-rays we are able to quickly obtain images of animals’ bones and the internal body organs, which are often vital for the successful diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of many medical and surgical conditions. Because radiographic images can only be taken when the animal is completely still, and often involves unusual positioning, most radiology requires that some form of sedative or anaesthetic agent be used on patients to facilitate this, as we are not permitted to routinely hold animals while exposures are being taken, as stipulated by law.
Surgery
We have a well equipped operating theatre and skilled surgical staff allowing us to successfully perform a large variety of different operations. We are happy to neuter a variety of species, and also have the ability to undertake less routine procedures ranging from lump removal in a hamster to fracture fixation in a Great Dane. Despite the facilities and skills we possess, occasions do arise where difficult cases may need referral to specialist centres, and we are fortunate enough to have a number of excellent specialists available to us. We are also happy to refer any cases to other veterinary surgeons at the owner’s request.
Ultrasound
Ultrasonography allows us to perform a variety of different investigative procedures ranging from pregnancy diagnosis to detailed imaging of internal organs e.g. examination of the heart and kidneys. These are non-invasive, pain free procedures which in a lot of cases can be performed fully conscious, removing the need and risk of any form of anaesthetic, but which provide the clinician with lots of vital information.
