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Independent Small Animal Hospital

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Brave Pet of the Month-Lily!

Posted on 12th December, 2023 by Louise Bebbington12th December, 2023

Lily is a very brave 13-year-old Beagle and a familiar, very well loved face at Hollybank after she spent almost two weeks hospitalised with us earlier this year.

She initially presented to our out-of-hours providers completely unable to use either of her back legs after falling off the sofa at home. After their primary assessment and care, she was referred to see a neurologist for further investigations of her hind limb paralysis; a CT scan was performed which identified severe compression of her spinal cord by multiple slipped discs. The prognosis for this condition can be guarded. Surgery is possible, although, wasn’t thought appropriate in Lily’s case due to her age and other medical history, such as her heart disease. Medical management with strict rest and pain relief is an option, however, this requires both intensive nursing care in the hospital and a lot of time and dedication from the owners once at home. Understandably, this is not always feasible for some patients. Given this, euthanasia is a reasonable consideration for many cases, and this was discussed with Lily’s owners.

Lily’s owners decided to manage her condition medically, so she was transferred to Hollybank for hospitalisation and supportive care. Primarily this consisted of fluid therapy and ongoing pain relief to ensure she was as comfy as possible. Lily was restricted to cage rest to reduce the risk of further injury to her spine and repositioned regularly to avoid pressure sores developing. Our nurses also performed gentle physiotherapy on her back legs to prevent swelling and to reduce joint stiffness. Importantly, Lilly had a urinary catheter placed to empty her bladder for her; this is helpful to aid nursing care in all of our patients that are unable to walk, but particularly in Lily’s case as there was concern about whether she was able to urinate consciously following the damage to her spinal cord.

Within a couple of days, Lily’s comfort improved enough for us to start tapering down some of her pain relief medications. There were also subtle improvements to her hind limb strength, and she was able to stand for short periods when assisted. However, she still had a poor appetite and at this point she developed some diarrhoea. Recumbent patients with diarrhoea present an increased nursing challenge so a probiotic paste was started. Lilly’s owners also brought in some cooked rice for her (which is her favourite!) and she thankfully started to eat much better from then on.

About four days into her hospitalisation, Lily was making attempts to walk with the support of her sling, although she still had a long way to go as her feet kept knuckling with each step and Lily wasn’t able to correct their position to normal. Cheeky Lily then managed to remove her urinary catheter by herself; given the improvement seen to her hind limb strength, we opted not to replace the catheter and monitor to see whether Lily could consciously urinate – which she could!

One morning, about midway through her hospitalisation, Lily was quieter in herself and had a temperature. Lily was a high-risk patient for developing a urinary tract infection (UTI) given her inability to stand unassisted, her diarrhoea and the previous urinary catheter placement, so this was suspected as the underlying cause. Lily was given a 24-hour antibiotic injection while we waited for the results of her urine culture; this would confirm if she truly had a UTI and would also tell us which antibiotics would be best to treat it. A UTI was confirmed so the antibiotics were continued, and Lily quickly started to feel much better.

With Lily’s hind limb mobility and strength improving day by day, we began to start planning her discharge home. Even once discharged, Lily would have a long road to recovery and so it was important that her owners felt comfortable with crate resting, sling walking and massaging Lily’s legs themselves before collecting her. Multiple visits were organised for Lily’s owners with our nurses to provide an opportunity for them to practice the nursing care and physiotherapy required and they took to their new nursing roles really well!

After almost two weeks with us, Lily was making attempts to stand by herself, was starting to wag her tail again and was getting better at placing her feet when walking outside with the sling. Lily was ready to go home!

Six months on and after several weeks of crate rest and many many physio and hydrotherapy sessions later, Lily was continuing to make fantastic progress in her recovery. The hard work, patience and dedication from Lily’s owners over this time really has been so important to her recovery and it is so lovely to see her now, loving off lead exercise and playing with her Mabel and Stanley!

Posted in News

Winter Hazards

Posted on 28th November, 2023 by Louise Bebbington28th November, 2023

Now the evenings are darker and the nights are getting colder, there are a few things for us to consider for our furry friends.

Walking in snow and grit – Once temperatures drop, grit spread on roads can be irritating to paws, so clean dogs paws after walks and be mindful if your cat seems bothered by their paws after they have come in from outdoors.

Walking in the dark – Ensure you and your pooch are well visible when walking in the dark. Consider reflective/ light up clothing and lead/collar, always walk towards oncoming traffic and keep your dog on a short lead when alongside the road.

Keeping warm – elderly or thin pets may struggle to keep warm so a coat can be nice to keep them comfortable outside. It is also important to ensure your cats (and dogs) microchips are up to date in case they get lost seeking warmth elsewhere.

Antifreeze – is highly toxic to dogs and cats. It is really important to store anti-freeze out of their reach and rinse away any spillages. If you know your pet has had access to anti-freeze please contact us immediately. Unfortunately, most of the time we might not be aware of anti-freeze ingestion but the initial signs can include vomiting, wobbliness and weakness.

Small Furries – Rabbits and Guinea Pigs in outside hutches need to be kept warm. Provide extra bedding, insulate hutches whilst making sure they remain well ventilated or bring them inside.

Stressors. The festive season can cause pets stress due to unfamiliar routine or visitors. Ensure they have a quiet area to retreat to if there is too much activity for them and consider using pheromone diffusers or nutraceuticals to ease anxiety

If you have any questions or would like further advise please contact us on 01606 880890 or 01606 717969

Posted in News

What is Cryotherapy?

Posted on 10th November, 2023 by Louise Bebbington10th November, 2023

Cryotherapy refers to a procedure where we use extreme cold temperatures to ‘freeze off’ small skin lesions. The procedure uses Cryogen gases which provide rapid freezing of tissue which damages the associated cells and blood supply.

What are the benefits of cryotherapy?

Most patients tolerate application really well so the procedure can be carried out in conscious patients and little aftercare is required, typically without any need for rest or pain relief. Most dogs will also leave the area alone reducing the likelihood for a medical pet suit or buster collar

What things do we have to consider when assessing patient suitability?

Only benign skin lesions are suitable for freezing. As such, we may suggest sampling the skin lesion first.

The maximum size is approximately 12milimeters wide due to the application method and technique. Even appropriately sized skin lesions, if they are very dense in nature, may require a couple of sessions to ensure we have an effective freeze.

Patient temperament and location of the lesion can also be limiting factors. For example, lesions around the head and face require a more calm and tolerant patient as we have to take measures to cover the eyes.

What to expect at the time of the procedure?

The procedure can take place within a 15-30 minute consultation. Immediately after cryotherapy, the area may be be more red and fragile which can last for a few days.

What to expect after the procedure?

Over the next 7-10 days, the lesion should start to become dry, get smaller and turn black. It will eventually fall off although some patients will get a crusted scab like area first. Underneath, we would expect a rounded area of healthy healing skin. It is important to come back for your post cryotherapy check in order to be sure that the entire lesion has been frozen effectively and that the resulting area is healing well. Permanent hair loss and/or skin and coat colour change are also a possible side effects.

If you are interested and/or have further questions then please contact us on 01606 880890 or 01606 717 969

Posted in News

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Contact Us

Hollybank Veterinary Hospital
584 Chester Road Sandiway
Northwich
CW8 2DX

01606 880890


Hollybank Vets Winnington
39 Walker Road Winnington
Northwich
CW8 4UD

01606 717969

info@hollybankvets.co.uk

Opening Hours

Consultation by appointment only

Sandiway

Monday - Friday

8:00am - 8:00pm

Saturday & Sunday

8:00am - 5:00pm

Winnington

Monday - Friday

8:00am - 7:30pm

small_animal_hospital Print CFC-Gold-logo-for-clinics-2020-Smaller
We are an RCVS Small Animal Hospital, an ISFM Gold Cat Friendly Practice and a RWAF Rabbit Friendly Practice!
Introducing our 'Cat Only Clinics' at Winnington! Introducing our 'Cat Only Clinics' at Winnington! We understand visiting the vets can be stressful so head over to our website to learn why cat only consulting hours are helpful and what times we have available 🐾🐈🩺😼. www.hollybankvets.co.uk
That’s a wrap on Veterinary Nursing Awareness Mo That’s a wrap on Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) 2023!

We have come to the end of VNAM for this year, we hope you have found it interesting hearing from our nurses about what their jobs involve and how they feel empowered, from starting out as students, to having years of experience. Even though VNAM is over our nurses are still working hard behind the scenes with the rest of the Hollybank team to ensure your pets receive the best care possible, we are very proud of each of our nurses and what they bring to the team.

Keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook for further updates and helpful pet care information.

#VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
Meet Holly! (with Diddy the cutie) 😻 Holly join Meet Holly! (with Diddy the cutie) 😻
Holly joined the Hollybank nursing team in February this year after graduating in 2022 and starting her RVN career at a feline only practice. She has a passion for feline nursing and her favourite roles as a nurse include inpatient care and nurse clinics. 😻🐾🐶 
Head to our website to read more about Holly ➡️ (link in bio) 
#VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
Meet Katie and her gorgeous gang! 👋 She joined Meet Katie and her gorgeous gang! 👋 She joined the Hollybank nursing team in August last year as a new grad RVN 🎓🩺 We are very proud of how our new grad nurses have developed their skills since joining the team, especially after a difficult education period throughout lockdown. Head to our website to find out more about Katie's journey to becoming an RVN and why she loves being a veterinary nurse! 😻🐶🐾 (Link in bio) 
#VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
Meet Lucy! (and cuddly Caven) 🐶 Over the next w Meet Lucy! (and cuddly Caven) 🐶
Over the next week we'll be introducing you to some of the newer faces that have joined our nursing team! 
Lucy has been nursing for 10 years and joined Hollybank in April this year. Her passion is medical nursing and nutrition and she loves caring for inpatients. Lucy is looking forward to meeting you all and your lovely pets! 🐶🐾😺 
Head to our website (link in bio) to read more about Lucy! 
#VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
Next up we're hearing from Becky, she carried out Next up we're hearing from Becky, she carried out her sandwich year placement with us as a student nurse and has returned as a qualified RVN! 🩺 🎓 Head to our website to read all about what she's enjoying and the challenges she's faced as a new grad vet nurse! (Link in bio) 😺🐾🐶
@thebvnaltd #VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
This week we are hearing from our Head Nurse Cat! This week we are hearing from our Head Nurse Cat! 😺 Head to our website to see what she has to say about how teaching and mentoring members of our team (particularly our SVNs) is certainly an empowering part of a nurses role. 
www.hollybankvets.co.uk (link in bio)
@thebvnaltd #VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs #hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
We are starting VNAM this month by meeting our won We are starting VNAM this month by meeting our wonderful student veterinary nurses. In photo order, Kiera, Jess and Katie 🩺🩺 Please visit our website to learn about their journeys to becoming fully fledged registered veterinary nurses.🐾🐾 www.hollybankvets.co.uk
Each May we celebrate Veterinary Nursing Awareness Each May we celebrate Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), which was started by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA). The purpose of VNAM is to spread the word to the veterinary profession and pet owners about the importance of the role of the veterinary nurse, and the provision of responsible pet care to the general public. This year the theme is ‘empowerment’ to raise awareness of empowerment within the veterinary nursing profession, and the myriad of jobs nurses have within the veterinary team and wider veterinary profession. 

Here at Hollybank we have 9 Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) and 5 Student Veterinary Nurses (SVNs) who work across both our Sandiway and Winnington practices. Nurses are very much involved in the team effort to provide the best possible care for your pets. A lot of the nurse's roles are behind the scenes, so stay tuned this month to hear from all our nurses about what their jobs involve, what they enjoy about it and how they feel empowered.

#VNAM2023 #WhatVNsDo #EmpowerOurVNs
#hollybankvets #sandiway #winnington
All rabbits can be at risk of flystrike, however r All rabbits can be at risk of flystrike, however rabbits with obesity, open wounds or dirty bottoms (usually due to poor diets) are at very high risk of flystrike. 
A rabbit’s diet should consist of 5% pellets, 85% hay, and 10% greens. Therefore, prevention is better than cure. 
Check your rabbits bottom at least once every day, and if there is any urine or faeces, clean and dry 
the area. Keep the rabbit’s environment clean and dry so that flies aren’t attracted. It is important to 
clean your rabbits’ enclosures regularly especially in summer months to prevent the build up of 
urine which can attract flies. If your rabbit is producing unusually wet faeces, it is important to keep their bottoms clean and contact a vet for treatment, to prevent flystrike. 
** If you find your rabbit has maggots, this is an emergency, and you must get your rabbit seen by a vet immediately. Your rabbit may be in severe pain and shock and will require veterinary treatment.**
Prevention is the best strategy. 
A healthy bun has a healthy bum!
Preventing flystrike this summer.... Flystrike is Preventing flystrike this summer....
Flystrike is a painful condition caused by flies. Some species of fly (such as blue bottles and green
bottles) lay their eggs on rabbit fur, which then hatch into maggots. Maggots then rapidly mature, 
burrow under the skin and eat into the living flesh. 
Flystrike can develop very quickly, and can be fatal if it isn’t treated. 
As we roll into summer, flystrike becomes more likely to occur, as the fly population increases over summer. It is important to note however that flystrike can still occur at any time of the year, and indoor rabbits can still be affected.
Schedule 3 is an amendment of the Veterinary Surge Schedule 3 is an amendment of the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 2002. This amendment is important as it allows RVNs and SVNs to do more in practice following delegation from a veterinary surgeon. RVNs can can perform medical treatment or minor surgery (not entering a body cavity), SVNs can do this too but only under the direction of a vet and are supervised by a vet or RVN #VNAM2022 #whatvnsdo #bvna #vetnurselife
The more modern history of veterinary nursing. Reg The more modern history of veterinary nursing. Registered Veterinary Nurses are still striving to have the title of RVN protected.
1984 – RANA changed to VN as the legal protection statute expired and Veterinary Nurses were titled.
1991 – The Veterinary Surgeons Act Schedule 3 allows VNs to complete more tasks and the RCVS established the VN list. This set the standard for VN formal training. 
2002- The first BSc Hons veterinary nursing students graduate
2007 – The RCVS starts a register of veterinary nurses, marking a large step forward in regulation.
2010 – The RCVS council appoints its first Veterinary Nurse.
2012 – The new code of professional conduct includes a professional declaration for veterinary nurses.
May 2022 – Now, 61 years after first becoming professionally recognised, nurses play a key role in veterinary practice, from monitoring your pets under anaesthesia, to caring for them in hospital to running important laboratory tests and so much more. The profession has grown a lot through time and is sure to progress even more in the future.
#VNAM2022 #whatvnsdo #BVNA
May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month! Hannah May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month! Hannah one of our Student Veterinary Nurses has been researching the history of veterinary nursing.
1925 – Louis Sewell writes of ‘specifically trained canine nurses’ in a distemper hospital in Montpelier Place, Knightsbridge. 
1934 – F.W. Cousens (King George V’s veterinary surgeon) described “the first attempt at training women nurses for dogs in this or any other country” Cousens tried to get the title of ‘canine nurse’ recognised once a person had completed an examination and given a certificate of efficiency, “the council would not entertain the idea… the council will come round to my views, probably sooner than later”.
1947 – Phyllis Peake MRCVS writes in ‘Hobday’s Surgical Diseases of the dog and cat’ that good animal nurses need “a strong vocational call… self-sacrifice, tenderness and the ability to consider the patient as an individual… the certificate of registration could be a sign of competence”.
1961 – The RANA (Registered Animal Nursing Auxiliary) scheme was approved, making veterinary nursing an officially recognised profession. RANA was used as the titles ‘nurse’ and ‘veterinary’ were protected in law.
#VNAM2022 #whatvnsdo #BVNA
Did you know...our pets can suffer from high blood Did you know...our pets can suffer from high blood pressure too? Hypertension can occur for a number of reasons and will need to be monitored closely to prevent organ damage occuring as a result of untreated high blood pressure. This is easily done with blood pressure readers very similar to those doctors and nurses may use on us, to help us get the best readings we usually tend to have our patients in for a few hours to chill out. Here's Quinn being a very good boy for his readings.
Baby David was in for his annual health check and Baby David was in for his annual health check and booster vaccinations today! Michelle the vet checked him over and gave him a full bill of health and he was a true champ 🐶
Bruce is looking forward to the weekend! Swipe for Bruce is looking forward to the weekend! Swipe for jumping joy! ➡️➡️➡️
Each month we have a visiting CT scanner at our Wi Each month we have a visiting CT scanner at our Winnington practice. Merlin relaxed after his sedation medication, had his scan and had cuddles with Becky one of our student veterinary nurses on recovery.
Our patients have lots of monitoring forms to docu Our patients have lots of monitoring forms to document all the medications and nursing care they need
Nipper has been in to be castrated today and he's Nipper has been in to be castrated today and he's been having regular anaesthetic recovery checks with our nurses, they have been monitoring his pain levels, temperature, pulse and breathing rates. He's enjoyed having some cuddles too!
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About Us

Hollybank Veterinary Centre is an approved member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Practice Standards Scheme.

As an accredited practice, we have passed an inspection carried out by an experienced veterinary surgeon focusing on a range of areas, including hygiene, health and safety, clinical governance and the facilities we provide.

Out of hours care

All out of hours emergencies will be directed to a dedicated night vet team at MiNightVet near Chester. This will mean that any overnight emergencies will be seen and treated by a team of vets and nurses who have chosen to dedicate themselves to emergency care and will be available all night.

Our exceptional inpatient care will remain the same. We will continue to be staffed 24/7 by our fabulous Registered Veterinary Nurses, supported by our vets, to provide complete care for any pet hospitalised overnight. Any patients treated at MiNightVet will be transferred back to Hollybank first thing in the morning or as soon as they are fit to travel.

Out of hours care

All out of hours emergencies will be directed to a dedicated night vet team at MiNightVet near Chester. This will mean that any overnight emergencies will be seen and treated by a team of vets and nurses who have chosen to dedicate themselves to emergency care and will be available all night.

Our exceptional inpatient care will remain the same. We will continue to be staffed 24/7 by our fabulous Registered Veterinary Nurses, supported by our vets, to provide complete care for any pet hospitalised overnight. Any patients treated at MiNightVet will be transferred back to Hollybank first thing in the morning or as soon as they are fit to travel.
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