Vets for Pets Newtownabbey

09/07/2026

12th July Bank Holiday Hours:
Closed Sunday, Open Monday 13th
We'll only have one vet available on Tuesday, so rather than leave yous two days without us and potentially Tuesday get a bit nuts, we'll be there for you on Monday 9am to 5/6pm 👍

07/06/2026

Update 4 of 5... Near done! Also it's the last one about boring 'stuff', we'll finish with the team.

We've had a refresh of our laboratory equipment, updating our haematology machine, biochemistry and adding an automatic urinalysis machine.
The first two enhance the abilities of previous ones, but the Sedivue adds new in-house ability to automatically analyse urine samples, counting and identifying cells, crystals and bacteria. It's already helped confirm bacteria in a few cases without having to send away, that didn't present as a typical bacterial cystitis.
Lastly, and to be fair a while back, we upgraded to a high end ultrasound machine. Just like your smartphone camera has come on leaps and bounds from the earlier ones, it gives higher detail images allowing Rebecca in particular get more clarity on smaller structures. It adds colour Doppler settings too which allows us to 'see' blood flow inside organs and lumps.
All these upgrades are to enable us to better diagnose and treat your pets. No prices have risen for the new equipment. It's just us trying to provide as good a service as we can, faster and more accurately.

18/05/2026

Update three: we've also invested in a new dental x-ray setup.
This was also partly forced by the old processor breaking as we used to have an adaptor plate that could do dental x-rays through the big machine.
It's better tuned to dental x-rays; so you get the nice images in the first/seventh picture showing what was seemingly normal premolar teeth externally bar a notch cavity and a small spot of gum redness - but below the gumline is a different story, it's actually badly deformed due to a condition in cats called FORL.
This allows for better decision making for your pets.

10/05/2026

Update number two: we have a nice new wireless digital x-ray system.
To be fair, this was largely forced upon us after our previous processor broke down for good.
It replaces 3 portable digital plates that had to be fed into the processor and wait for them to develop, with one wireless plate. It means we can take x-rays one after another much faster and so reducing the time your pet is sedated/anaesthetised.
Images are crisper and easier to show you what's going on inside your pet. From the older days of having x-ray film, needing a dark room with a red light; digital removes a bunch of barriers to good quality x-rays, and I suppose it's a microcosm of how fast the modern world moves and develops. Mind you, we're still waiting on those x-ray glasses from the joke shop coming to fruition 🥸

05/05/2026

So you wait all year for a Facebook update from V4P Newtownabbey, and then a few come along at once....
We have been quietly adding to, and upgrading some of our equipment to improve our services to your pet;
First up is our new K-Laser.
It's a medical grade therapeutic laser with a broad range of uses, but we find it most noticeably helpful for joint and tendon issues where the blood supply is lower and I feel it's best effects come into play.
FAQ's are available here : https://www.klaser.co.uk/faq
K laser is the only Class IV laser approved by NICE for the NHS. It's higher power than class IIIb means shorter treatment times to give the required 'dose', so we can target multiple areas during a consultation as needed.
Rebecca's own Sawyer is modelling the eye protector doggles, and laser therapy has seen him largely come off his oral medications. Sawyer has elbow dysplasia and has needed surgery at a young age to help correct a step defect, and the laser is greatly reducing his need for ongoing meds.
The legendary Wesley is demonstrating how relaxing it is, it just gives a gentle heat sensation. It reduces post surgical inflammation and pain, and speeds healing.
In the human world, Rafa Nadal had his own while competing, and Arthur's patellar tendonitis seems cured with it's help.
Single sessions are priced at £20, or a package of 6 for £90. Often it's best to do 2 sessions a week for 3 weeks to get started, then can be reduced to as little as once monthly. (A vet consult may be needed at first to discuss applications for any cases not under active care)

26/03/2026

Just so you know, we will be closed on the next two Sundays, 29th March and 5th April.

The latter is Easter Sunday so that's one of the 5 bank holidays we take, and this weekend all our vets and locums are unavailable. Apologies for that.
Vets Now Belfast will be there both Sundays providing our out-of-hours cover.
On the bright side, clocks go forward on Sunday, and we will be open on Easter Monday so it's not too long a gap at any point.

02/01/2026

Happy New Year from us all here at Newtownabbey.
Many thanks for your support as always.
After a few days break over Christmas, that's us back at it seven days a week again right through until Easter Sunday.
Not sure about looking forward to endless possibilities like my uncle in Kerry posted, hard enough for some people to choose what to eat/wear as it is! (unless you're a Labrador you'll eat anything)

17/11/2025

One of our own rang the bells last week to signal the end of 6 months of chemotherapy for Lymphoma. We'd rather he didn't have to in the first place, but here's hoping for a long long remission for Thor. He was a star throughout, taking it in his stride with no adverse effects.

20/07/2025

Our company cousins Vets4pets Lisburn Longstone, owned by vet Anna, have invested in an interesting device as an alternate screening tool for lumps and bumps.
Sometimes we'll investigate via a Fine Needle Aspirate and send off for Cytology analysis, sometimes we'll go straight to Surgery.
A few of you have already opted for the needle free screening tool just down the road which if the machine deems is benign, it should be 98% chance that it is indeed nothing to worry about. Anna and team will give you a printout and email a copy to us.
The science minded amongst you can read more at https://www.ht-vet.com/technology/

20/06/2025

Turns out even in NI its warm enough this morning for heat stroke, maybe skip most dog walks today and tomorrow....

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

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."