Southfield was established over 150 years ago for the provision of veterinary services to farm animals. Today the centre offers a combination of traditional values with modern techniques and expertise.

Domestic pets

At Southfield Veterinary Centre we have a dedicated small animal veterinary team with access to a full range of modern facilities. We are a successful veterinary nurse training practice which means all are nurses are qualified or gaining their qualifications.

Pet ownership is a joy and a privilege, and getting the wrong pet for your circumstances can cause a lot of heartache to all involved. Our experience with many breeds of dogs and cats and other species means that we can help advise you on the best choice for your lifestyle.

New puppy and kitten checks for free

We offer a free pet health check for new puppies and kittens immediately after purchase, to ensure they are in the best of health. This is important as some pets may be born with problems which can be discovered at this time. The consultation also gives you the chance to ask about feeding, house-training and other health issues.

Puppy parties

After their first vaccination, all puppies are invited to attend one of our puppy parties run by our nursing team. This is an excellent opportunity to socialise you new pup and also learn more about their essential healthcare. They are great fun, so much so you may spot a vet watching over the counter at the pups as they interact and play with their new buddies!

Vaccination

We recommend that all puppies and kittens are vaccinated to protect them against potentially harmful diseases. For pups the first vaccination can be given between 6 and 8 weeks of age, the second vaccination at 10 weeks old, enabling them to get out and about in the big wide world as soon as possible for socialisation. Kittens can start at 9 weeks of age and the second vaccination is given 3 weeks later. We send reminders out so that you pet is keep up to date after this with an annual booster vaccination. Most boarding kennels now request that your dog is vaccinated against kennel cough. This is given up the nose of your dog and lasts a year. It is advisable that this vaccine is given three weeks prior to your pet going into kennels.

Worming

Cats, dogs and rabbits all carry parasites (worms) which can cause weight loss and other health problems. Some worms can also infect humans, causing illness/blindness in children. We can recommend a regular worming regime together with tablets, pastes or spot-on wormers appropriate for your pet.

Insurance

There is no NHS for pets and with improvements in modern skills and treatments come a greater number of treatment options. This has inevitably increased the cost of certain procedures; this is why as a practice we recommend pet insurance so you don’t have to worry when you pet becomes ill or injured. Direct claims are only available at the discretion of your veterinary surgeon prior to treatment. We have pet insurance leaflets available at reception.

Neutering

There are many health benefits to having young female animals spayed and male animals castrated and it is important that neutering takes place at the right time to maximise these benefits. There are hundreds of unwanted animals already needing homes in rescue centres and neutering your pet can help prevent their numbers growing still further.

If you do wish to breed from you pet, the vets are happy to discuss this with you first. It can be a costly affair and there are lots to consider before embarking on mating. We can help by performing the Kennel Club/BVA hip and elbow scoring, DNA profiling and refer you to an eye specialist for KC/BVA eye testing. Responsible breeding is essential to avoid health problems which may occur in the offspring later in life.

Tail docking

Tail docking is now illegal in England, Scotland and Wales. Since The Docking of Working Dogs’ tails (England) regulations 2007 [Animal Welfare Act 2006, section6], only veterinary surgeons can dock puppies. Any member of the public performing this procedure can be prosecuted under the aforementioned Act. Any animal docked after the introduction of this Act can’t be shown where members of the public pay entry e.g. Crufts, dog shows or any place where people have paid to get in. The pups of proven working dogs can be docked if going to working homes. If you have any questions on this subject please ask to speak to Verity Griffiths.

Dental care

Your pet’s teeth need caring for, just like your own! Tooth decay and gum disease lead to bad breath in pets and can cause pain and suffering- as well as contributing to heart and kidney disease in severe cases. We can advise you on the best method for keeping your pet’s teeth clean, ideally by brushing but sometimes this isn’t accepted so your pet may need a special diet or chews. We offer dental treatment in our dedicated dental suite, your pet will need a light anaesthetic as they won’t just “lie back and open wide!” Rabbits, guinea pigs and other small rodents need dental check too.

Identichipping

It is a legal requirement that all dogs wear a collar (except working dogs) and tag. We suggest that you don’t have your pet’s name engraved on the disc due to the ever increasing numbers of pet thefts. However, we suggest you have an address, contact numbers and you are welcome to put our telephone number on too (Vets 01305 262913) so that if your pet gets lost we can help to reunite you with him/her as soon as possible.

Identichipping is an increasingly popular form of identification, a collar can always be removed or get lost. A small microchip, with a unique code, is injected under your pet’s skin. This is a very quick and relatively painless procedure. The identichips we use are also compliant with the pets passport scheme. Identichipping is not exclusive to dogs and cats, birds, and exotics are often “chipped” too.

Pet Passport Scheme

It is now possible to take your pet abroad to specific countries that are part of the Pet Passport Travel Scheme without the need for your pet to spend 6 months in quarantine. We can help you to organise the necessary paper work for your trips abroad. Your pet will need to be Micro chipped and a rabies vaccination administered. This means that your pet can travel out of the UK, 21 days after the rabies vaccination is administered. When returning home, a visit to a local vet is required for tapeworm treatment 1 to 5 days before you return to the UK. For more information visit www.defra.gov.uk or call the Pet Travel Scheme Helpline on +44(0)870 2411710

The older pet

As your pet grows older, age-related problems such as kidney and heart disease become more likely. Regular check-ups and geriatric blood screening can help us detect changes early so that we can initiate a plan of treatment to help your ageing pet.

Promotions

Watch out for our in-house promotions. From time to time we send out mailshots promoting different aspects of pet healthcare, please support these as they can be of benefit to your pet and to your purse!

Saying goodbye

Sadly even though we can maintain a good quality of life for most elderly and sick patients, treatment options do eventually run out. You can count on our support in making the most compassionate choice for your pet. We are happy to give advice and answer any questions you may have. We can also make all the arrangements necessary to make this sad time pass as smoothly as possible.

If putting your pet to sleep is the outcome which you have decided, we can arrange a quiet and dignified occasion when this can be carried out, either at the surgery or we can come to your home. If burial is not possible then we can arrange cremation for your pet, with the return of their ashes if you wish. The crematorium we use are also happy for you to attend if you wish however, unfortunately they are based in Cambridgeshire so this may not be possible for you as it is a long way to travel.