Vets for Pets Sidcup

06/10/2026

The stray is feeling much better after his trim, as his back was one enormous felted matt 😢 he is very grateful and giving lots of head-buts

05/10/2026

STRAY ❤️ We have had a senior entire male cat handed in, in a bad state found near Tyrrell Avenue welling, not microchipped. Please get in touch if he’s yours.

28/08/2026

While proven supplements for certain health conditions can certainly have health benefits for our pets, it’s important to make sure that product health claims are based on scientific data and not a marketing gimmick

There is no published randomized, controlled trial demonstrating that any probiotic strain reduces clinical severity, pruritus scores, or flare frequency for allergic dogs.

I know that's a strong claim. So let's actually look at what exists.

Study 1: A 2024 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in privately owned dogs with pruritic dermatitis (Honaker et al., 2024, Animals). It showed a significant difference in pruritus and severity scores at week 2 compared to placebo. 👀

But... by the later weeks, that difference lost significance. And the intervention wasn't a single probiotic strain, it was six different strains combined with vitamins, prebiotic fiber, and a postbiotic. There's no way to isolate what, if anything, the probiotic itself was doing in that blend.

Study 2: Two specific probiotic strains tested on their own, Lactococcus cremoris and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (Chen et al., 2025, Animals). But it wasn't randomized, wasn't placebo-controlled, and only 8 dogs completed it. Even in that small, uncontrolled pilot, the actual severity and pruritus scores, CADESI and PVAS, showed no statistically significant improvement.

Study 3, and this is the big one: a 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis pooling 5 studies on probiotics for canine atopic dermatitis. Their conclusion, in their own words: probiotics "did not have significant effects" on CADESI-4 or PVAS scores.

So where that leaves us: no isolated probiotic strain has been shown, in a properly controlled trial, to meaningfully move the needle on how severe an allergic dog's flares are, how itchy they are, or how often they happen.

That doesn't mean probiotics are useless, because we know that gut health matters for general health. But, it is important for me to tell you that a jar of chews with "clinically proven" on the label might not provide the relief your patient, or pet, needs.

BOOKMARK this one. Next time a probiotic supplement claims to fix an allergic dog, this is where to come back to. 🐾

25/08/2026

13/08/2026

⚠️ WARNING: IMAGES OF SURGERY ⚠️

Sometimes being a vet means stepping outside your comfort zone to make sure every species gets the care they deserve! 🐢💚

Meet brave little Zeus, weighing just 64g, who came to Vet Lou with a painful aural abscess.

Although we’d never performed this surgery or anaesthetised a tortoise before, with careful preparation and teamwork we successfully treated Zeus — and he’s now pain-free and infection-free! 🥰

We’re so proud of our team for going the extra mile to care for all species, allowing Zeus to receive treatment locally without the need for a costly journey to an exotic specialist.

Well done, Zeus! 🤩

30/07/2026

STRAY KITTEN found Halfway street Sidcup - not chipped (collar in photo is one we added) please get in touch if yours, proof of ownership required

Update - As no owner came forward he has been neutered, chipped, vaccinated, flea/wormed and found his new home through a rescue

24/07/2026

Honey is still available for adoption through Animal Samaritans! Her two daughters have been snapped up and we would like to find a loving home for a very deserving Mumma 🥰

Adopted

🍯 Meet Honey 🍯

Honey is a beautiful one-year-old domestic long-haired girl who has finally finished raising her babies and is ready for a forever home of her very own.

Honey and her daughters, Sugar and Cinnamon, were found abandoned in a carrier outside the Co-op. Despite everything she had been through, Honey devoted herself completely to caring for her kittens.

When Honey first arrived in foster care, it quickly became clear that she’d spent so much time being a mum that she’d never really had the chance to just be a kitten herself. Watching her discover toys, chase feather wands and learn to play has been a joy.

Honey is a gentle, affectionate girl who loves food, enjoys feather toys and has discovered that flopping onto her back for tummy rubs is one of life’s greatest pleasures! As she continues to grow in confidence, she has all the makings of a wonderful lap cat.

She can be a little nervous when meeting new people, but once she trusts you, she’s incredibly loving. Honey has been wonderfully protective of her daughters and will happily remind other cats not to play too roughly with them! Once she’s in her own home, however, she could happily live with a calm cat or a calm, cat-friendly dog following thoughtful introductions.

🐱 Female, 1 year old
🐱 Could be adopted with her daughters or on her own
👧 Suitable for children of all ages
🐶 Happy with a calm, cat-friendly dog following sensible introductions
🐱 Happy with calm cats following introductions
🏡 Indoor home initially, with safe outdoor access once settled
💊 No known health issues
📍 Welling

Honey has given everything to raising her kittens. Now it’s her turn to be loved, spoiled and cherished as part of a family she can finally call her own. ❤️

Please go to the Animal Samaritans website for an adoption application form.

All our cats are neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, flea and worm treated, and come with five weeks free insurance.

Adoption fee £130

07/07/2026

Worried about giving your pet a cooling mat? There are two main types of pet cooling mats:

1) Water-filled beds – which need to be manually filled with water, and stay cool for an average of 5-7 hours.
2) Pressure activated cooling pads – which work by phase transition and do not require freezing. They are designed to radiate the heat back into the air or floor surface, keeping the animal cool.

Generally, these products are considered non-toxic. The cover is usually a wipe-clean plastic and the phase-changing mats usually contain a gel comprising of sodium sulphate, cellulose and water.

01/07/2026

AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!!

After being found dumped by The Co-op, Head vet Lou has been fostering Honey and her two daughters for the last month. They are now available for rehoming having being spayed, fully vaccinated, flea/worm treated and microchipped thanks to our charity partner Animal Samaritans. Please contact Animal Samaritans for enquiries https://animalsamaritans.org.uk

Update - Kittens rehomed 🥰

26/06/2026

Hard to believe people are still not aware of the dangers of walking dogs in this heat 😢

Today we treated a pug who had been walked by their neighbour at 11:30am in 33°C heat. Sadly, they suffered heatstroke with a temperature of 41.3°C, and severely burnt paw pads from the hot pavement. The owner gave us permission to post for educational purposes.

Heatstroke kills! If your dog is excessively panting, struggling to breathe, drooling, vomiting, collapsing, or seems unusually lethargic, seek veterinary attention immediately.

Please help keep your pets safe this summer by choosing cooler times for walks, or not at all ❤️

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."