The practice offers all the facilities you would expect from a modern veterinary practice, as well as access to a range of specialist services such as orthopaedics, ophthalmology etc. We are also proud to have an on site Pet Physiotherapist, Donna Griffiths, who can help pets with arthritic or stiffness problems as well as assist them regain mobility after surgery (see 'Staff Page')
Consultations
Consultations are by appointment and run from 9.00am - 11.30 am and 2.00pm - 7.00pm Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 1.00pm on Saturdays and 2.00pm - 4.00pm on Sundays. We also have a clinic on most Bank Holidays, please phone for times. Appointments are usually for 10 minutes, but we can extend this if required. An appointment system means that we keep waiting time to a minimum and also that the day is more structured so that you get a better service. Appointments can be made with a specific vet, please request this at the time of making the appointment. Although vets usually do the same clinics each week, owing to holidays, sickness and training, this can change, so always ask first.
Home Visits
If you require a visit then we ask you to telephone in the morning, non urgent visits are usually carried out in the late morning. We will try and fit emergency visits in at other times, but this depends on vet availability. It is worth remembering that we can usually provide better treatment to your pet at the surgery and it is thus beneficial for you to get in to the clinic if at all possible. We have a list of taxi companies that will take pets as well as an animal ambulance that we can send out to bring your pet in to the clinic if required.
Emergencies
We will, of course, see an emergency at any time, but please phone to tell us you are on the way so we can make sure a vet is available. Out of hours, all veterinary clinics are required to provide 24 hour a day, 7 day a week emergency cover for their patients. We do this via a rota share with neighbouring practices. This means that when you telephone us you may be given details of another practice to contact to get care. All the practices we share with are locally based.
Surgery and Hospital
The clinic has full surgical facilities and carries out the majority of procedures on the premises. We will, however, refer cases to local specialist centres when required e.g. spinal or cataract surgery. We like to have pets in between 8.30 am and 9.00am on the day of operation.
We have a dedicated operating theatre with anaestheic monitoring equipment and all the other facilites you would expect from a modern veterinary practice such as Isoflurane anaesthesia, piped oxygen, autoclaved kits and gowns, etc. We have an electrosurgery unit which allows us to perform many operations more quickly and with less need for stitching and a decreased risk of any bleeding.
All pets receive pain relief for the immediate post surgical period and for longer if required. Pets usually go home on the same day, although we have full hospitalisation facilites for all the species we treat if required to stay overnight to keep them warm, comfortable and safe. We have separate dog and cat wards and also an isolation area where pets with infectious diseases can be kept safely.
Repeat Prescriptions
Repeat prescriptions are available to our clients at reception, 24 hr advance telephone notice would be appreciated by the nurses so that your medications can be made up in advance and avoid unnecessary delay. Repeat prescriptions may be requested by e-mail, please wait for either a confirmatory e-mail or phone call that your tablets are made up and ready for collection.
Laboratory Work & Diagnostics
We have in-house laboratory facilites that allow us to do blood, urine and microscopy tests while you wait. This is very useful as it enables us to offer routine pre-anaesthetic blood testing to all pets. We also use an outside laboratory for tests we cannot perform. This laboratory uses a courier service so we can often get these results on a same-day basis.
X-Ray
We also have a dedicated X-ray area and fully automated processing facilities. We can send X rays to specialists for second opinion if we consider it necessary.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound lets us examine the inside of organs by using sound waves. This means that no surgery is involved, it is totally safe and can often be done on the conscious pet. The obvious use for ultrasound is to diagnoses pregnancy, but it can also be used for examining such organs as the liver, kidneys, prostate or heart.
Endoscopy
We have recently invested in a state of the art endoscopy unit. This allows us to look inside an animal with a small camera as well as take samples without the need for major surgery. We can also offer 'pin-hole' surgery on selected cases.
ECG
ECG and Heart Examinations - an ECG machine is used for recording the activity of the heart. We can then assess any problems and get the best treatment. We will sometimes send ECG recordings to be looked at by a specialist cardiologist.
Withy Grove Vets
39 Station Road,
Bamber Bridge,
Preston
PR5 6QR
Tel:01772 330103
Fax:01772 330669
Email Us
Reception is open:
Monday to Friday
8.30am to 8.00pm
Saturday
8.45am to 2.00pm
Sunday
1.30pm to 4.00pm