Acupuncture

Your pet's first acupuncture consultation will usually take 30 minutes to take a full history, treat the animal and discuss aspects of the case. Further consultations are usually about 20 minutes.

Acupoints used by the vet are generally transposed from human acupuncture. We have a skeleton very similar to horses, dogs and cats and so points can be located fairly accurately from species to species. Points can be found all over the body, from the toe to the tip of the nose. They are areas rich in nerve and blood vessel supply but the skin actually looks microscopically different at these foci. Points are distributed along lines of 'energy' called meridians or channels. These energy highways have associations with the organs and are called, for example, the Bladder Vessel, or the Large Intestine Meridian to emphasise some of their uses. When our Vet has taken a history and examined your pet, they will select points that need stimulation.

Stimulation of acupoint sites can be by inserting very thin, one or two inch (2.5cm in cat and dogs to 5cm in horses) sterile, disposable needles through the skin to prompt a response. Needles need to be left in for a variable time and can be stimulated gently by twisting. Once needles are in they are painless. Needles are removed carefully at the end of the session of 10 - 20 mins. Sometimes the needles have worked their way out themselves and are just holding on by the very tip. Most needles will loosen in the skin. This is a good sign and suggests a good response. When we start an animal on a course of acupuncture, the frequency of treatment will depend on the condition, but weekly sessions for 4 - 6 weeks initially is typical. After this time, progress will be assessed and you will be guided as to how to go on from there by your veterinary acupuncturist.

Microchipping

An identichip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, which carries a unique number. The chip is inserted under the skin of the scruff of the neck through a needle, which does not require sedation or anaesthesia. Following placement, the chip will remain active for life and allows the identification of your pet through the use of a handheld scanning device.

Should your pet go missing, the details accessed through the chip can allow them to be reunited with you quickly and easily. While collars and tags are useful, they can be lost or removed and therefore do not offer the permanent form of identification provided by a microchip.

Microchipping is a safe procedure and a European reporting system which monitors reactions to microchip implantation has failed to identify any significant problems.

From the 6th of April 2016 it has been a legal requirement that all dogs in Scotland be identified by a microchip. While the law does not apply to cats, it is still highly recommended that any cat with access to the outdoors also be microchipped. Furthermore, if you intend to travel abroad with your pet, a key requirement of pet travel legislation is that your pet must be identified with a chip.

Following placement of the microchip, it is vital to ensure that you keep your details up to date on the chip database. If you move house or change telephone number, it is important to inform the national database otherwise in the unfortunate event of your pet going missing or becoming involved in an accident, it may not be possible to reach you.

If you would like any further information on microchipping, please contact your local Parkside branch to discuss with a member of our clinical team.

Nurse Clinics

At Parkside, our team of dedicated registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) are on hand to advise you on training, feeding, flea treatments and worming. If it has been advised that your pet would benefit from some weight loss, or they require their nails clipped or sutures removed, we offer daily nurses clinics for your convenience.

In conjunction with your veterinary surgeon, our highly trained nurses can also offer advice and guidance for patients on long term medication, including arthritis and diabetes treatments and for senior patients.

At Parkside, all our clinic nurses are fully qualified professionals, giving you the best care possible. As a nurse-training practice, we can ensure our staff are kept up to date with recent advancements in veterinary medicine. Our RVNs are supported by a team of trainee nurses and surgery assistants.

Travelling with Pets

Important: The rules governing pet travel have changed as of 1st January 2021.

These rules apply to people travelling to and from Great Britain (Scotland, England and Wales) with their pet cats, ferrets or dogs, including assistance dogs. This guidance is only for travel of less than 5 pets and for non-commercial reasons.

The main change for pet travel out of GB is that UK pet passports are no longer valid for travel into the EU. An Animal Health Certificate is now required for each trip to the EU, unless your animal already has a valid non-UK EU passport, issued in an EU country.

Please read our blog post on Post-Brexit Pet Travel for further details on what is required when travelling with your pet:

Prescriptions

To order a repeat prescription, please telephone your local branch to speak to a member of our team.

Please note that if you are not a Parkside client, we cannot supply medicines without a prescription from your regular vet.

Private prescriptions are available on request. Please be aware that a charge is payable for supplying such a prescription.

To allow us to prescribe prescription medicines, your pet must be under our care, which is defined as having been examined by a veterinary surgeon within the previous 6 months. If your pet has not been seen within this period of time, then it is deemed to be no longer under our care and must be examined before more prescription medicines can be prescribed. In some cases, it may be recommended that your pet be examined more regularly e.g. for conditions which may get worse over a shorter period of time or for medications which carry the risk of more serious side effects.

When dispensing medications to treat animals, vets and pharmacists are required by law to prescribe prescription products which are licensed for use in the species in question, where one is available. Due to the stringent licencing regulations, these products unfortunately tend to be more expensive than the generic human counterpart. Where there are no such licensed products available, alternative medications may be used following the guidelines set out in the cascade.

Should you have any queries regarding the frequency of veterinary examinations recommended for your pet or to discuss the prescribing of medications, please contact a member of the Parkside team.

Puppy Parties

At Parkside, we host free puppy parties for young dogs, which provide a great opportunity for them to play and learn how to interact with each other. Up to 2 owners may attend with each pup, giving them the experience of being around a number of people and dogs at the same time. This can help with general socialisation.

Puppy parties are suitable for dogs aged between 9 and 12 weeks of age, and are run on a weekly basis by our dedicated team of nurses and surgery assistants. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and are able to offer advice on training and socialisation in addition to preventative healthcare including teeth brushing, flea control and worming.

Please contact your surgery to book a place at our Puppy Parties.

Senior Health Checks

As our pets get older, they are unfortunately more at risk of developing a number of conditions including dental disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer. However, the early signs of these problems can be easy to miss due to the “suffer in silence” approach which tends to be adopted by our pets. If a veterinary examination is only carried out once a year, diagnosis may be delayed, resulting in a more advanced condition which is harder to treat.

At Parkside, we offer senior health checks to help identify conditions early, which may otherwise progress to cause more serious issues in future. These checks also provide an excellent opportunity to monitor any existing conditions and to answer any questions you may have regarding caring for your pet as they get older. The recommended frequency of these examinations will vary between individuals, depending on factors such as breed, lifestyle and fitness, but typically we find checks at least every 6 months are beneficial.

If you have any questions regarding your pet’s care or would like to arrange a senior health check, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Parkside team.

Orthopaedic Referrals

Parkside vets Stuart Ashworth and Fraser Goldie have undertaken further study to achieve certificates in small animal orthopaedics and small animal surgery respectively. Between them, they have over 30 years experience in this field and are recognised as advanced practitioners by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

In addition to our regular clinical work, Parkside takes referrals from other practices for the treatment of many orthopaedic conditions including fracture repair, stabilisation following cranial cruciate ligament rupture or patella luxation as well as conditions which may benefit from arthroscopic surgery.

Soft-tissue Referrals

Parkside vet Fraser Goldie has undertaken further study to achieve a certificate in small animal surgery and is recognised as an advanced practitioner by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

In addition to our regular clinical work, Parkside takes referrals from other practices for the treatment of many soft tissue conditions including traumatic wound management, hernia repair and neoplasia as well as conditions which may benefit from keyhole surgery such as exploratory laparoscopy and organ biopsy.