Animal Ark Veterinary Centre

24/10/2026

23/10/2026

🐾💚 PATIENT OF THE WEEK — PENÉLOPE! 💚🐾

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on the sweetest little superstar… Penelope! 🌟🐱

Penelope is a gorgeous 5-year-and-2-month-old tortie who was recently seen by our team for a cystotomy.

Now, Penelope is a very shy girl, so being in hospital and having lots of new people around wasn’t exactly her idea of a perfect day! 🥺 But despite being nervous, she was an absolute superstar throughout her treatment. ⭐️

She showed us just how brave those little tortie hearts can be! 💕

We’re so proud of you, Penelope! 🥰🐾

🩺 But what exactly is a cystotomy?

A cystotomy is a surgical procedure where a veterinary surgeon makes an opening into the urinary bladder.

It can be performed for a number of reasons, including removing bladder stones (uroliths), retrieving material from the bladder, or taking samples to help investigate urinary problems.

Bladder stones and other urinary issues can sometimes cause symptoms such as:

🚽 Straining or repeatedly trying to urinate
💧 Passing only small amounts of urine
🩸 Blood in the urine
😿 Signs of discomfort when urinating
🧼 Urinating outside the litter tray
👅 Excessive licking around the urinary area

A really important point for cat owners: if your cat is repeatedly straining to urinate but producing little or no urine, this can be an emergency, particularly in male cats. A blocked bladder can become life-threatening very quickly and requires urgent veterinary attention. 🚨

Thankfully, with appropriate investigation and treatment, many cats go on to recover very well — just like our brave girl Penelope. 💚

So here’s to Penelope, our Patient of the Week! 👑🐱

Shy? Yes.
Brave? Absolutely.
Superstar? 100%! 🌟

We’re so pleased with how wonderfully she handled her treatment. 💚

22/10/2026

🐾 Gentle Giant! 🐾

Meet Fluffy, a gorgeous 2-year-old Maine C**n who certainly lives up to the name! 😻

This not-so-little man weighs in at a whopping 7.10kg and recently joined us at Animal Ark for his very first visit, where he was seen by Dr Luis.

Fluffy was incredibly well behaved throughout his visit, and the whole team are already looking forward to seeing this gentle giant again for many more visits to come. 💙🐾

Would you like to register your pet with Animal Ark?

You can visit our website to register online, but if, like us, you enjoy a more personal experience, simply give us a call on 020 8599 8544 and one of our friendly team members will be happy to help you get registered.

We look forward to welcoming you and your furry family members to Animal Ark! 🐶🐱❤️

21/10/2026

We are always delighted to see Honey Boo again! 🐾💕

We’ve shared Honey Boo’s story with you before. She was never a fan of coming to the vets, and even a routine visit for her vaccinations could be incredibly stressful for both Honey Boo and her owner, making those visits near on impossible.

That was until Honey Boo and her owners were wooed by Dr Luis! 🥰

Dr Luis always takes the time to build trust with Honey Boo, allowing her to go at her own pace and making sure she feels as comfortable and safe as possible. This gentle approach has also given her owner the confidence to bring her in when she needs us.

Today, Honey Boo came in for her routine annual health check and vaccination — and we are delighted to say her visit was a great success! 🎉

Every positive experience helps to build Honey Boo’s confidence and, just as importantly, her owner’s confidence too. And, of course, Dr Luis and the whole team are always delighted to see her! ❤️

🐾 A little reminder about nervous pets

If your pet finds visits to the vets stressful, you’re certainly not alone. Fear and anxiety can make even routine examinations feel overwhelming.

There are lots of things we can do to help:
✨ Allowing extra time and avoiding rushing your pet
✨ Letting them approach and explore at their own pace
✨ Using treats and positive rewards to create good associations
✨ Handling gently and calmly
✨ Where appropriate, discussing pre-visit calming medication with your vet
✨ Building up positive experiences with short, happy visits where possible

The aim isn’t simply to get through the appointment — it’s to help your pet learn that coming to the vets can be a safe and positive experience.

So, if your pet is nervous about visiting us, please let our team know when booking. We can work with you to make their visit as stress-free as possible. 💕🐶🐱

Well done, Honey Boo — we’re already looking forward to seeing you again! 🥰🐾

20/10/2026

🐾 VIP Member Prem 💙✨

Meet the gorgeous Prem, our 8-year-10-month-old White German Shepherd, who recently came to see Dr Maria after developing an infected cyst.

While Prem was here, he also collected his flea and worming treatment for the next 3 months — and this is where being a VIP member really pays off! 🐾💙

As part of his VIP Health Plan, Prem received his flea and worming treatment included in his plan, plus he and his owner enjoyed 10% off the rest of his treatment. 🎉

💙 What’s included in our VIP Health Plan?

🪱 Year-round flea & worming treatment
💉 Annual vaccinations
🐾 Microchipping included
💙 10% off services across all DNA sites
🥣 30% off Hill’s & Royal Canin food
🏠 Convenient home delivery
✨ Plus lots more!

🎁 CURRENT VIP PROMOTION 🎁

There’s never been a better time to join!

New VIP members over 9 months old can receive 6 MONTHS OF HOME DELIVERY FREE! 🏠💙

Whether you have a young puppy, a playful kitten or a more mature furry friend, our VIP Health Plan is designed to make keeping them happy, healthy and protected a little easier. 🐶🐱

A huge well done to Prem — you were an absolute superstar! ⭐️🐾

Ask our team today how you can join our VIP Health Plan and start enjoying the perks! 💙

19/10/2026

🐾 Meet Holly! 💚

This gorgeous girl is our 5-year-old Cockerpoo, who came to visit us for X-rays to investigate some hind-limb lameness.

But Holly had one very important thing with her… 🥰 her own customised blanket! 🧸💚

Having a familiar blanket, toy or favourite comfort item can make such a difference when pets are visiting the practice. New sights, smells and sounds can be a little overwhelming, so bringing something that smells like home can help them feel safe, settled and comfortable. 🐶

And just look at those eyes… we think Holly was doing a pretty good job of melting everyone’s hearts while she waited! 💕

We’re keeping our paws crossed for this lovely girl and hope she’ll soon be back to her happy, bouncy self. 🐾

Does your pet have a favourite blanket, toy or comfort item? Tell us about them in the comments! 👇💚

🐾

16/10/2026

🐾💚 A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PATIENT OF THE WEEK! 💚🐾

Everyone, please join us in congratulating Flo! 🥳🐱

At just 5 months old, this gorgeous little grey tabby has completely stolen our hearts! 😻💚

Flo has been such a sweet little patient and we’re so proud to have her as our Patient of the Week! 🌟

Give Flo some love in the comments and help us celebrate our little superstar! 🥰🐾

Congratulations, Flo! 💚🎉
🐾

15/10/2026

🐾💙 MEET VIP MEMBER BEAN! 💙🐾

Just look at this handsome boy! 😍 Bean is a 1 year and 3 month old Black Scottish Fold who recently popped in for his annual vaccinations, flea and worming treatments — all included as part of his VIP Health Plan! ✨

Being a VIP member certainly has its perks! 🥰

With our VIP Health Plan, Bean and his family can enjoy fantastic benefits including:

🪱 Year-round flea & worming treatment
💉 Annual vaccinations
🐾 Microchipping included
💙 10% off all services across all DNA sites
🥣 30% off Hill’s & Royal Canin food
🏠 Convenient home delivery
✨ Plus lots more!

And there’s even more reason to join… 🎉

🏠💙 CURRENT VIP PROMOTION 💙🏠

New members over 9 months old can receive 6 MONTHS OF HOME DELIVERY FREE when they join our VIP Health Plan! 🎁

Whether you have a young kitten or a more mature furry friend, our VIP Health Plan can make keeping them happy, healthy and protected that little bit easier. 🐱🐶💙

A huge well done to Bean — you were an absolute superstar! ⭐️🐾