Dog Friendly Clinic

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We are proud to announce that Hollybank Vets Winnington has been accredited as a Dog Friendly Clinic!

The Dog Friendly Clinic Scheme has been set up by Dogs Trust and The British Veterinary Behaviour Association to help vet clinics and owners make every dog’s veterinary experience the best possible.

The Dog Friendly Clinic scheme helps practice staff develop dog behaviour knowledge and skills so they can recognise and address early signs of anxiety and improve the welfare of dogs whilst in the clinic.

To find out more, and how you can help your dog have a better trip to the vets, visit www.dogfriendlyclinic.org.uk

How we became Dog Friendly!

As a practice we have had to show we meet certain requirements to become a dog friendly clinic. The whole team is involved with making your dogs visit a positive one – vets, nurses and receptionists!

Firstly, it’s important to recognise that dogs can be affected by their experience in the reception area. Along with our separate dog specific waiting area, our receptionists will be on hand to ensure your dog gets the right experience for them. Our receptionists will greet you and your dog, if they are keen, with treats and a fuss however we do understand that not all dogs are happiest when they come to the vets so if they would prefer less interaction and to wait in a quieter area then we will also facilitate this.

The handling of your dog can also have an impact on their visit and we will always be gentle with your pets. Stress and pain can influence a dogs behaviour so if they are not feeling very well, you may notice they are not acting their usual self. They may be more worried, shy or even be less tolerant of being touched and examined so we need to take this into consideration. The majority of consultations will require physical interaction. A considerate, slow approach will help dogs to feel safe and minimise distress. The interpretation of the dog’s body language will also help the staff to understand how a dog is reacting to a situation.

If your dog needed to be hospitalised, whether that be for one day for a procedure or for longer if they are needing overnight care, then it is important we utilise dog friendly methods to ensure they feel safe during their stay. Our kennels have been designed to be as stress free as possible, no two kennels face each other so dogs cannot make eye contact. The kennels are made comfy with bedding, blankets and our nurses care for them, taking them out to the toilet and providing TLC with personalised and regularly reviewed patient care plans.

If your dog does get very stressed and worried coming to the vets, then there are things we can do to help including anxiolytic medications and socialisation clinics. Our socialisation clinics are designed to get your dog more used to the practice environment and experience happy visits with us so that when they do come for a vet appointment, they have a positive association with us.

Look out for an upcoming post regarding our socialisation clinics and featuring some star patients!

Brave Pet of the Month…Bear!

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The Case of The Missing Sock

Meet Bear, a 6-year-old Sprocker, who came to us in February after he started vomiting, had a reduced appetite and a general lack of energy – something very unusual for this normally bouncy dog. Bear’s owner mentioned that he would not be surprised if he has scavenged something.

Upon clinical examination, Bear was quieter than usual but had normal vitals. However, Bear seemed uncomfortable when we palpated his abdomen, raising concerns about a foreign body in his digestive tract. After discussing his options, Bear was given an injection to help control nausea and reduce his abdominal pain, with plans to reassess him the following day.

The next day, Bear was no longer vomiting, but he remained lethargic and had no interest in food. Given his ongoing symptoms, we decided to perform an abdominal ultrasound. The results were concerning with multiple abnormalities throughout his gastrointestinal tract and the vet was mostly worried about a foreign body obstruction. Based on the ultrasound findings and Bear’s clinical signs, the decision was made to move forward with surgery.

Surgical exploration revealed a surprising culprit—a long thermal sock that had become lodged in Bear’s stomach and extended into his small intestine. Unfortunately, the sock had caused significant inflammation in Bear’s intestines, and there was a small tear where the foreign body had traumatized the area.

We were able to remove the sock safely in multiple pieces using a series of carefully placed incisions. The tear in Bear’s small intestine was repaired, and the abdomen was thoroughly flushed to remove any contaminants. There was a risk of wound breakdown post operatively due to the extent of inflammation and Bear could develop peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining)

After surgery, Bear received close monitoring and continued pain relief, fluids, anti-nausea medication and gut motility stimulants. Within just 24 hours, Bear started wagging his tail and even started eating small amounts of food. This was a remarkable turnaround, especially considering his condition before surgery.

However, around 46 hours post-op, Bear developed a high fever. Given the risk of peritonitis, we performed another abdominal scan. Thankfully, no significant increase in fluid was found, so we started Bear on antibiotics as a precaution. The owners received the happy news that Bear could be discharged and monitored closely at home with us on hand, if needed.

Bear was happily loving the TLC from his owner; however, he was not out of the woods yet as six days post-surgery, Bear developed some inflammatory fluid leakage from the surgical wound. This was managed by regularly washing and drying the area, allowing the fluid to drain safely. Fortunately, no signs of infection were observed, and the wound healed without complication.

Bear is now back to his cheerful, energetic self, and the mystery of the missing sock has been solved! We are thrilled with Bear’s recovery and grateful that his owner trusted us with his care.

Spotlight on Clinical Coaching: Aimee and Amy

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Aimee has been an RVN at Hollybank since 2015 and holds a certificate in emergency and critical care. Aimee is Amy’s clinical coach, and has guided her through nearly a year of her teaching. Amy is an SVN and will be training with us until July, when the next group of students will come and the teaching starts all over again!

Aimee

As a clinical coach I oversee the training of student veterinary nurses (SVN) whilst they are on their placement year with us here at Hollybank. I am responsible for an SVN and I oversee their training including demonstrating how to perform tasks and ultimately determining whether they are competent in this area.  

We do this using the Nursing Progress Log (NPL) where students need to record experiences they have had across a wide range of tasks which includes communication, handling, infection control, laboratory techniques, diagnostic imaging and anaesthesia. Once the student feels they have shown themselves to be competent, I then assess their experiences and observe them performing the task to decide whether I agree. 

We have regular tutorials during which time we can work on areas the student may be struggling in, and make a plan going forwards for which tasks they should work on next. We update the other clinical coaches with the areas the student may need assistance with so that as a team we are able to support the students as much as possible.

I enjoy being a clinical coach because I like seeing the students progress from the start of their placements where they are new and just beginning their practical learning to when they have finished their NPL and they are ready to do their final part of university before becoming fully fledged RVNs. I find it very rewarding, and I found that my own confidence and skills in my role as an RVN improved when I took on the role of clinical coach in 2017.

SVN Amy, with RVN Aimee, her clinical coach

Amy

Since last July, I have been on my sandwich year placement as a student veterinary nurse with Harper Adams University. From starting my placement in July 2024 I feel I have progressed hugely, not only with my nursing skills, but also my own confidence has grown exponentially.

I am currently nearing the end of my placement and completing my Nursing Progress Log (NPL) to track SVN’s learning and self-progression. Upon the beginning of my placement, the thought of only having a year to complete the 78 tasks on the NPL was extremely daunting and many times, I doubted my capabilities as to whether I would be able to perform some of the tasks (particularly consults and anaesthetics). However, with the support of the whole of the Hollybank team; and in particular my clinical coach Aimee who has been there to support and guide me the whole way through via encouragement and regular tutorial sessions, I am nearing that 100% completion required.

The NPL also allows regular self-progression reflection tasks allowing you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Looking back from my initial assessment, I can already see how far I have progressed in my clinical abilities and my confidence- towards clients, the rest of the team, and in myself. My confidence continues to grow each day and I now love carrying out consultations and meeting clients and their adorable pets!

Whilst I still have a lot to learn and I love the industry I work in, I am excited to see my progression continue in the years to come when I qualify as an RVN.