After a lot of hard work from our brilliant nursing team, we are proud to announce that Mount Vets have been awarded the “dog friendly” status from the Dog’s Trust “dog friendly vet clinics” scheme!
We know that leaving your dog with us can be difficult, particularly when they are poorly. Our aim is to make this process easier by demonstrating the steps we have taken to ensure your pet is taken care of to the highest standard.
Cleanliness in the dog ward
Keeping your pet clean and comfortable is a priority for any patient visiting the hospital, whether that is just for the day or for long term poorly patients. All our kennels are easy to clean and disinfect and will be cleaned daily at a minimum and more frequently if needed. Dogs under our care, if fit to are walked out of the kennel into an outdoor, grassy area regularly, meaning they will never go too long without a toilet break. This is also tailored to each patient, as we understand every patient has individual needs, which means they may need to go out more or less frequently. In the case of unwell or non-mobile animals, both urinary and faecal catheters can be placed, helping us to ensure your pet will always have the dignity of being clean.
Comfort in the dog ward
We know we can’t quite reach the comfort of your dog being on the sofa next to you at home, but all our kennels have a deep padded mattress and lots of blankets available which we think is the next best thing. Every dog is placed in a kennel appropriate to their size, with our largest kennel fitting even our Great Danes and Newfoundland patients with ease. Every patient is also welcome to keep an item in their kennel that smells like home, whether this is a toy or mum or dad’s t-shirt.
Reducing stress in the dog ward
Some dogs are not used to a kennel environment and may experience stress when placed in one for the first time. This can be particularly difficult for longer stay patients.
To combat this, we have lots of little comforts that can add up to a very different experience. For example, calming music is always played in the dog ward at a low level (it’s been shown that dogs particularly love reggae!). We also have Adaptil Plug ins to release pheromones to keep your pet calm throughout the day, alongside this we also use Pet Remedy spray on bedding to promote a calming environment for them.
Our kennels are transparent to allow close monitoring for sick patients, but if your pet doesn’t require 24/7 observation, covers can be placed on the doors to give them privacy from the rest of the ward. We know it is easy for dogs to get bored when in kennels, so enrichment activities such as Kong toys, lickimats, slow feeders and other toys are utilised to help combat boredom. If appropriate for longer term patients, they can also be taken for longer walks to give them a chance to exercise as normal.
Lastly, although we know that we can never replace the company you provide for your dog, our nurses and nursing assistants regularly spend one on one time with patients, grooming, petting and comforting them. The benefit of our hospital status also means that we provide out of hours and continual care for all our patients, meaning that your pet will never have to be transferred to another facility for overnight care, removing another potentially stressful intervention. If your dog is still stressed, a vet is available at all hours of the day to prescribe calming and anxiolytic prescription medications.
Reading a dog’s body language is a skill that all our animal handlers are proficient in. At Mount Vets we use only positive reinforcement with praise and treats. Medical procedures are a part of our care, but we endeavour to make these necessary procedures as stress-free as possible.
We’re very proud to add our dog friendly status to our gold cat friendly status, demonstrating our commitment to making vet stays and visits as positive as possible for our patients. You can read more about the Dog’s trust dog friendly vet clinics scheme here.
