Vets4Pets Colchester

19/11/2025

Announcement: Temporary change in hours this Saturday🎄

We wanted to let our wonderful clients (and their pets!) know that we’ll be closing a little earlier than usual this Saturday November 22nd for our team’s annual Christmas event. We will be closed from 4pm that day.

There’s no need for concern—just like other practices in the area, we have full emergency cover arranged with Vets Now, so help will be available should your pet need urgent care while we are closed.

*Vets Now Location: Factory Ln, Cattawade Manningtree, CO11 1QL
*Phone number: 01206 355192

Rest assured, we will be back to our regular hours on Sunday 23rd from 8am to 11pm
�Thank you so much for your understanding! 🐾❤️

25/02/2024

When Kelly from our Colton store's Pets Grooming salon discovered a lump on the tail of nine-year-old Rufus she suspected something wasn't right, so alerted his owners Les and Andrea so they could get it checked out. They brought him to Vets for Pets Leeds Colton where it was confirmed he had a cancerous tumour which needed surgery.

Les, who adopted Rufus from Dogs Trust in Leeds as a puppy, said: “Rufus is such a big part of our life; we’re absolutely besotted with him. We probably wouldn’t have noticed the lump if not at the groomers as the tail isn’t somewhere you would usually stroke and feel. Kelly loves Rufus and really looks after him, so we want to say a big thanks for spotting it. Who'd have known what would have happened if she hadn’t noticed.”

Rufus had to have his tail removed, but is now making a good recovery. He's been visiting Kelly for a groom every six weeks for the last three years. She said: “You get to know everything about a dog as you groom them. I’ve discovered similar things before on other dogs so I mentioned it to the owners so they could get it checked out. Dogs are my life and you do worry; I’m so pleased they caught it. Now he’s got a fully docked tail like a little bunny rabbit. It’s lovely and suits him – when he gets washed he wiggles his bum.”

21/02/2024

Arthur's owner Louise says he "looked like a brand-new tortoise" after having his beak filed at Sutton in Ashfield Vets4Pets.

Louise adopted the four-year-old Horsefield Tortoise from a family member in October. Although she has had other pets, Arthur is her first tortoise, so she has been doing some research on how to best care for him.

Louise said: "I noticed Arthur's beak was unusually long, so I brought him in to Vets for Pets; I bring all my pets there. When he came out, I thought 'you beautiful boy, look at you – you look so handsome!"

Vet Steph, who looked after Arthur, says that tortoise beaks continuously grow and normally grind down themselves while they're eating. She said: "Arthur needed a little help as his jaw isn't perfectly aligned; his lower jaw is further out than his top jaw, so I filed it around half a centimetre. He was really good; a real cutie."

18/02/2024

Owner Claire says she couldn't be more grateful to Vets4Pets Hamilton after their quick diagnosis saved the sight of six-year-old Alba.

Claire knew there was something terribly wrong with her miniature dachshund cross when she called her in from the back garden last summer and Alba ran headfirst into a closed patio door. She rushed her to the vets, where investigations led the team to diagnose her with uveitis – an eye condition which causes inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.

Claire said: "It all happened so suddenly; Alba must have heard my voice and guessed where to go. It was quite scary seeing how bad she was. We couldn't be more grateful for the team in Hamilton spotting the uveitis as quickly as they did, otherwise Alba would have gone blind within a matter of days. Their knowledge saved Alba's sight. I still can't believe it happened. It's taken months of treatments, but it's such a relief to have our girl back to being her funny, bossy self."

Vet Neil, one of the team who treated Alba, said: "Alba's pupil was really narrow and wouldn't respond to light properly, which can be a sign of uveitis. Once we had ruled out other conditions, we were able to get her to an eye specialist for ongoing treatment. She's now doing really well."

16/02/2024

Ducky's owner Antonia was in a state of panic when she saw a fox had dug its way into the field where she keeps him – killing two of her other ducks and chickens.

Antonia was about to move her brood into their pen for the evening when she saw what had happened and noticed that Ducky had severe bite wounds under his wing. She rushed him to Vets4Pets Vets Milton Keynes for emergency surgery – and after having his wound stitched up the one-year-old duck is now making a good recovery.

Antonia said: "I was so worried. You don’t often hear of ducks recovering from fox attacks, but there is something about Ducky and the way he was so brave. I'm sure he was protecting a lady duck, as he's a bit of a romantic. It's the first time we've gone to Vets for Pets, and the team were amazing; they've done an incredible job."

Vet Becca, who treated Ducky, said: "He's a really lucky duck, as it was quite a big wound. When he first came in, he was understandably subdued and quiet but when he came back for his stitches to be taken out, he wanted to explore and tuck his head into everyone’s shoulders."

07/02/2024

Well done to the team at Vets4Pets Guildford who've been awarded a silver level certificate for being a rabbit-friendly clinic.

After head veterinary nurse Ella noticed that more customers were bringing in rabbits the practice took a series of steps to give them as stress-free an experience as possible. Ella, who also fosters rescue dogs in her spare time, said: "There was a long list of things that we needed to prove that we did from making sure the rabbits are kept separate from other animals and not booked in at the same time as barking dogs, to providing heated kennels for those who need to stay in, and using special equipment made especially for rabbits."

Practice manager Kevin said: "All of our vets have plenty of experience with rabbits we have some real rabbit geeks here, so it was a big thing to us. There are so many good people in this world and I'm so proud to be around them."

28/01/2024

Beautiful Bear was born deaf, so he's learned to follow his owner Lisa's visual commands.

Lisa, who shops at our Tamworth store – "it's my second home!" – got two-year-old Bear as a kitten and suspected he was deaf when he didn't respond to her voice. She had it confirmed by her vet soon after. She said: "He was very scatty, and scared of people he didn’t recognise. He wasn’t bothered by loud noises like my other cat Emily and when I came home from work he wouldn’t hear the door open.

"He's doing really well though. I try to do some sign language with him – I point at him and do a solid hand sign at him to stop. He picks up on vibrations and scents too. He meows, making a really loud chirping sound which I’ve never heard a cat do before, and he’s always rubbing his head against my legs and following me everywhere. I was advised not to let him out because he wouldn’t hear cars or other dangers, so he comes outside with me every morning to have a sniff around the garden and always comes straight back in." Bear and Lisa's other cat Emily are on Instagram as

27/01/2024

Ten-year-old Dutch rabbit Alfie has been visiting vet Kate at Vets4pets Wolverhampton for dental treatment for the last eight years – and she says he's such a loveable character that he's become "part of the family".

He's one of the oldest rabbits treated by Kate and the team, and she says his longevity is down to the care and love he gets from his owner Tracy and her family. Kate said: "Alfie is famous in this practice – everyone knows him. We and his family are dedicated to making sure her little old man is happy. The beautiful thing about being a vet or vet nurse is you build these relationships with the owners and their pets – they become your surrogate pets."

Tracy's been keeping rabbits all her life, and says that having space and routine is key. She said: "Alfie is an old man now and has a routine. He goes into a hutch at night and is let out in the morning. He's out all day and has his favourite spots in the house. We clean him out every day and give him a lot of attention. When he was younger he would follow us around; if I was clearing a cupboard out he would be in the cupboard to help. Now he's old and wants to be warm and watch instead. I can't thank Kate and the practice enough. Kate's been fantastic with him."

26/01/2024

Eight-year-old Winnie the Schnauzer cross is running around like a puppy again thanks to laser treatment and physiotherapy after two successful knee operations at Vets for Pets Basildon.

Worried owner Tracy brought Winnie in to the practice after she collapsed on a walk last year – and the team discovered the cruciate ligament in a knee had ruptured. She’s since had ops on two knees and is on a recovery plan led by vet physiotherapist Izzy.

Tracy said: "Winnie has had a tough year with 15 teeth removed, two cruciate ligament operations and two bouts of pancreatitis but thankfully she's hardy. She’s treated fabulously at the Basildon practice. Izzy is great with her – she totally relaxes in her hands and does little snores with her eyes open. Winnie has a new lease of life again and is running around like a puppy."

Izzy said: "When pets have surgery or injure themselves they move differently which causes them to be sore in other places. Winnie has laser therapy then a massage to help the healing process. Laser treatment is a specialist service that not enough people know about – it can help in so many ways after an operation.”

19/01/2024

The team at Vets4Pets Cramlington say greyhound Frank was "an absolute gentleman" when he came in for some dental work.

Seven-year-old Frank was brought in by owner Harriet to get rid of some plaque which had built up and to treat a gum inflammation. Veterinary nurse Vicki said: "Frank was a very good boy and left with clean, fresh and sparkly teeth. It's so very important to get your dog's teeth checked and we advise pets to have an annual dental check. Eighty per cent of dogs over the age of three have dental disease. Prevention is much better than cure and regular checks and routine cleaning keep your pet's mouth healthier for longer and can help to prevent extensive extractions later in life. We are always happy to offer advice on maintenance and dental care at home such as teeth brushing or dental supplements."

18/01/2024

Veterinary nurse Mel from Vets4Pets Bristol Longwell Green loves cats so much she's helped the practice make a number of improvements to give cats as stress-free an experience as possible when they're brought in.

Mel, who has an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour for Veterinary Professionals, helped introduce facilities like a separate feline waiting area and cattery and the use of quiet clippers – and the practice now has a silver level certificate for being a cat-friendly clinic. She said: "I love dogs but I'm really a cat person. Cats can be misunderstood which can lead to them having quite a stressful life, so if we can make things easier for them and help people understand what cats need then everyone will be happier.

"As animal lovers there's always more to learn and understand about what makes them happy. Enrichment at the home is important for a happy cat – and as cats are naturally solitary animals if you live in a multi-cat household it's important to understand what they need. The rule is to have a resource per cat, plus one spare. So if you have two cats you should have three feeding stations, three litter trays and three scratch posts spread around the house so they have the opportunity to move around to wherever they want to go. Scratching is as natural a thing for cats to do as going out hunting is, so if they're unable to go out it's about providing the chance for them to behave as naturally as possible."

11/12/2023

We have had a white female cat handed in by a member of the public, found on East Street CO1.

She is microchipped but the contact details are not up to date. If you have lost a white female cat please get in touch on 01206 771984. Proof of ownership will be required.

19/11/2023

We have had a tan staffie (entire male) bought in to our Stanway practice. He is microchipped but the details are not up to date.

He was found outside Stanway secondary school along Winstree Road. Please call our practice on 01206 771984 if he may be yours. Proof of ownership will be required.

13/10/2023

Looking pretty in pink🌸

Meet Pippa🩷 This gorgeous girl visited us for her routine Spay procedure this week.

13/09/2023

As part of our valued client base, we wanted to update you on some changes happening in our protocols.

Due to new legislation from the RCVS (the governing body for all vet practices in the UK), the way we prescribe flea and wormer has to change to adapt to these new guidelines. This means our team need to clinically assess each animal to ensure they can have their parasite treatment going forward. To help us deal with this change, and give us enough time to set up prescriptions, we are asking all clients to please phone at least 7 days before you are due to pick up your flea and wormer.

You will only have to do this once, and then the next time your pet is due flea and wormer, you can just drop in and pick up like normal. Your pet will still have to have been seen in the last 12 months for a clinical examination, keeping up to date with your pet’s annual vaccinations will ensure this is always the case.

For pets under 1 years old, the RCVS legislation states that we need to do a new prescription for each new weight bracket they enter into, so we ask clients with puppies and kittens to book in for a free nurse consultation to pick up their flea and wormer, until the first annual vaccination.

This new guidance is there to ensure responsible antiparasitic use, to reduce resistance and reduce environmental contamination.

This is new legislation that every vet practice in the country must now adhere to. We appreciate your patience and kindness towards our team while we adapt our protocols to the new RCVS legislation, and apologise for any inconvenience.

The full RCVS guidance can be found here https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/under-care-new-guidance/
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/council-supports-practices-in-vmr-compliance-by-delaying/

At its meeting today [7 September 2023], the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) agreed that, in order to help veterinary practices comply with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMRs), it would delay until 12 January 2024 the implementation of the specific part of its new....

03/09/2023

Just a reminder that from 10th June 2024, all pet cats must be microchipped by law, or face a fine of up to £500.

Our Junior Complete Care Plans come with microchipping included, or are just £10 on an adult Care Plan.

Call the practice on 01206 771984 to book your cat in with us!

22/08/2023

Just a reminder that the Cowdray Avenue practice will be closed today due to staff training. We will be back open tomorrow as normal.

If you are on our Complete Care Plan you can pick up your flea and wormer from the Stanway practice.

05/07/2023

Our Complete Care packages have got even better, saving you over £300* on routine health care for your pet!

There are now 3 types of plan, Complete Care Junior, Complete Care and Complete Care Plus.

What's new?
✨ A dedicated Junior programme to cover your new puppy or kitten from their first set of vaccinations all the way through to their first booster. This plan includes two free vet consultations, free microchipping, and three free nurse consults.

✨ The regular Complete Care plan now also includes two free vet consultations, a free urine screen and three free nurse consults.

✨ The introduction of Complete Care Plus. This has been designed for pets that require a little more care, like pets who are older or have long term medical conditions. The Plus plan includes three free vet consultations, a free general health and wellness blood screening, two advanced urine screens and more!

All Care Plans still include year-round flea and wormer, booster vaccinations and discounts on neutering and dental procedures.

If you would like to sign your dog, cat or rabbit up, or would like to discuss what care plan is best for you, feel free to get in touch.
If you already have a care plan with us, your plan will automatically upgrade when it auto renews.

11/05/2023

🐶 It’s Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month! 🐱

Say hello to Shannon, Chantel and Brad! Shannon is one of our lovely RVNs, who graduated as a registered veterinary nurse in 2018 and joined us in 2021. Chantel is one of our talented student veterinary nurses, currently in training to become a fully fledged veterinary nurse! Brad is also one of our awesome RVNs, he’s been with us since 2015! Click each picture to find out more about our nurses 🐾