The following are just some of the services provided by our practice (click for more information below):
- Surgery
- Hospitalisation
- Radiography
- Laser surgery
- Diagnostic ultrasound
- Endoscopy
- Dentistry
- On-site blood testing
- Electrocardiograms (ECG)
- Blood pressure measurement
- Acupuncture
- Home visit service
- Twenty four hour emergency service
If the operation involves general anaesthesia we take great care to prevent problems and allow a rapid recovery with minimal side effects. The use of multi-parameter monitoring (EtCO2, pulse oximetry, continuous ECG, temp, blood pressure, etc) to monitor our patients under general anaesthesia provides the highest level of safety.
The majority of our patients are discharged on the same day as the operation once we are sure that they are safely recovered from general anaesthesia.
We have full hospitalisation facilities at both surgeries which allow 24 hour care for more seriously ill patients. At Tamworth we have separate dog and cat accommodation to provide a less stressful stay for our in-patients. Electronic infusion pump administration of intravenous fluids to our more sick patients allows more accurate correction of dehydration or more appropriate treatment for circulatory shock.
Our radiograph (X-ray) facilities at both surgeries allow diagnostic imaging for multiple conditions of the bones, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, bladder and digestive tract. This is an invaluable tool. The machine at the Tamworth surgery is a 20KW GE VMX mobile high frequency machine that you would find in many human hospitals (Including Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield). In combination with a modern automatic film processor it can generate a very high standard of picture in all our patients.
We have a 25 watt surgical CO2 laser which is particularly useful for surgery of the soft palate, mouth, nose, eyelids and skin. The laser cuts while coagulating blood vessels and nerves. This ensures less bleeding, pain and swelling at the operation site.
Both our surgeries have diagnostic ultrasound equipment that allows non invasive imaging for conditions of the bladder, uterus, kidneys, liver, stomach, bowel, heart and eyes. These can also be used for pregnancy diagnosis. Our Tamworth surgery has a brand new digital machine from Esaote (MyLab30Vet) with four different probes to suit many different applications. In addition to the standard B- and M-Modes this machine has facilities including, high frame-rate Colour and Power Doppler, Pulsed Wave and directional Continuous Wave Doppler and ECG. This machine is currently used by both the Bristol and Nottingham Veterinary Universities in their specialist referral facilities as it provides superb diagnostic imaging.
We have two fibre optic endoscopes which allow us to visually examine the nose, throat, oesophagus, stomach, upper small intestine, larynx, trachea and the large airways of the lungs of most species. This is a very valuable diagnostic tool.
Dental problems are the most commonly overlooked problem that we see. Many dogs, cats and rabbits are in need of dental work to relieve discomfort or prevent problems. We have an ultrasonic descaler to remove tartar and then we use a rotary polisher to clean the teeth. We also have all the equipment necessary to deal with more serious dental conditions.
Both surgeries have an in-house laboratory which allows us to perform blood tests at the practice and so get the results much quicker than if using an outside service. We normally expect the results within 30 minutes of taking a sample. The most common in-house tests that we perform on blood samples are biochemistry, haematology, electrolyte levels, acid-base status, arterial blood gases and thyroid hormone levels. Some of these tests are used in critical care patients when waiting for an outside laboratory to send back the results would not be a viable option.
We have a 12 channel digital ECG unit which enables a full examination of the electrical activity of the heart to help diagnose and monitor cardiac problems.
We have a Parks Doppler unit which allows the accurate measurement of systolic blood pressure in both dogs and cats. This is an invaluable tool, especially in cats where high blood pressure (hypertension) is a common and often undiagnosed problem. If high blood pressure is left undiscovered it can cause many problems including permanent blindness. Hypertension is also an early indicator of other problems such as renal failure and thyroid hormone disturbances. For these reasons, as in man, regular monitoring of blood pressure is an invaluable preventative health care tool, especially in the older patient.
One of our vets, Julie Green, has an interest in acupuncture. She has had success treating many problems including arthritis and incontinence. If you think you may be interested in giving it a try please call and speak to Julie.
This is a home visit service run by Riversmeet Veterinary Centre which provides premium veterinary care in your own house at a very economical price. A dedicated veterinary ambulance allows us to provide improved veterinary domestic pet care for patients that need or prefer home treatment. For more details see the Home Vet page.
Riversmeet Veterinary Centre provides its own 24 hour emergency service rather than using an "emergency clinic". This means that our clients do not have to travel out of the area when urgent care is most needed. You and your pet will be seen by one of our own Veterinary Surgeons at the surgery in Tamworth. In an emergency please telephone either surgery on 01827 63841 or 01827 720720. There is an additional charge for using this service but the reassurance of knowing that it is available in an emergency provides peace of mind to our clients.
A number of local practices say they offer "24 hour emergency cover". This actually means a stressful and long drive to a distant and expensive emergency clinic e.g. Solihull, Coventry, Great Barr, etc.