Ashton Veterinary Surgery

30/04/2026

Early May Bank Holiday 🌸

Please note we are open on Monday the 4th of May between 9:00 and 17:00 for the bank holiday 🕖

If you have an emergency, please contact our hospital on 01275832410 📞

28/04/2026

Grass seeds 🌱❗

🔸 Grass seeds are small, pointy seeds attached to long grass stems and they can cause problems to dogs if they end up in their fur during walks 🐾

🔸 Unfortunately grass seeds have very sharp ends, so they can burrow down and pierce the skin, or travel into their ears

Here are some very useful tips on how to deal with grass seeds from Blue Cross, as well as signs that your pet may have a grass seed👇

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/health-and-injuries/grass-seeds-and-dogs

If you are seeing any of these signs, please give us a call 📞

28/04/2026

⚠️ Important update regarding Animal Health Certificates (AHCs) ⚠️

Unfortunately, as of last Wednesday (April 22nd), the rules have changed for owners that currently live in the UK but have an EU pet passport for their dog, cat or ferret to travel to the EU. Please read below 👇

An EU pet passport, issued to, or held by a pet owner who is a resident in GB, will no longer be a valid document for travelling with pets from GB to the EU. This applies to those issued before the 22nd of April 2026 (as well as EU pet passports issued in an EU Member State or Northern Ireland).

We have been advised by the APHA that EU pet passports may now only be issued to owners whose main residence is within the European Union, and cannot be used by people who have holiday homes in the EU, or visit seasonally.

GB residents travelling to the EU with a pet dog, cat or ferret will need to obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for travel from 22 April 2026.

Please read through the information on the government website for further information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-eu-rules-for-pet-travel-for-gb-residents

If you have any questions about the process of booking in for an Animal Health Certificate, please give us a call 📞

We will do our best to accommodate you where we can, but please bear with us during this busy time.

The changes apply to non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets

03/04/2026

Happy Friday and happy Easter weekend from Star! 🥰

Star came to see one of the nurses yesterday for her first Youth Club visit 😆

She was so laid back and she made herself right at home after a few sniffs of the room 😅

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

01/04/2026

Easter Bank Holiday opening hours 🐣🕖:

🔸Friday the 3rd of April - Open 9:00 - 17:00
🔸Saturday the 4th of April- 8:30 - 12:30 (as normal)
🔸Sunday the 5th of April- Open 9:00 - 17:00
🔸Monday the 6th of April - Open 9:00 - 17:00

If you have an emergency outside of these hours, please contact our hospital on 01275832410 📞

01/04/2026

Is your pet’s vaccine overdue? 🩺

Join our vaccine catch-up campaign and we’ll cover the cost of the second of their two vaccinations! 🐶🐱

Vaccinations are an important part of building up your pet’s immune system to keep them safe from serious infectious diseases 🐾

Vaccination appointments also always include a full clinical examination, so are a great opportunity to make sure your pet is in the best health possible ❤️

Call us on 01179530707 and our reception team will advise you of the next available appointment and answer any questions you may have 📞

31/03/2026

Is your pet afraid of the sound of fireworks? 😥🎆

Fortunately, there is plenty of time in between now and firework season to effectively desensitise them (get them used) to the sound, doing so very gradually 🐾

🔷 Start planning now

🐾 The sooner you start preparation the better

🐾 The majority of sound phobias can be treated with patience and hard work

🐾 A good place to start is to try and desensitise your pet to the sounds of fireworks, by playing recordings of them at a volume that is barely audible. If they are paying no attention to it, the volume should be very gradually increased, as long as they are tolerating the higher volume

🐾 This process can take weeks/months, so should be started as soon as possible

Here is a link to some free firework sounds from Dogs Trust 👇

https://soundcloud.com/dogstrust/sets/sound-therapy-sounds-scary

If you are experiencing noise reactivity problems with your pet, they will likely benefit from seeing a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist. If you have any questions about this, don't hesitate to ask your vet 🩺

Here is another useful resources with some tips on how to minimise your pet's stress during fireworks:

https://fabclinicians.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Fireworks-2020-Oct.pdf

Our friendly team of vets and nurses are happy to offer more information and signpost you in the right direction, just give us a call to book an appointment! 📞❤

27/03/2026

Happy Friday from Alfalfa and Gizmo 🥰

This lovely pair came to see one of the nurses yesterday for their first 6 Month Health Check 🩺

They are just over 7 months old, are sisters and are both very sweet, affectionate cats ❤

They enjoyed exploring the consultation room, getting cheek rubs and, of course, having a few treats 🤗

We love to be able to take our time with our patients, giving them their check over whilst enjoying their lovely personalities! 🌟

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

26/03/2026

Are you monitoring your dog’s mobility? 🦮🐾

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs and affects up to 80% of dogs over 8 years old 💔

Although musculoskeletal disease can affect dogs of any age, the early, subtle signs of discomfort are easily missed.

This means that many dogs are in the latter stages of osteoarthritis when they are presented to the vets 🩺

Researchers at The University of Liverpool have developed the DogMA app. A free app that allows owners to track changes in their dog’s mobility over time, identify early signs of musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis, and receive tailored advice on whether to seek veterinary support 🧡

For more information:

🐾Visit the University of Liverpool website here👉 https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/life-course-and-medical-sciences/research/dogma/

🐾Our friendly team of vets and nurses are happy to offer more information regarding arthritis and mobility issues, just give us a call to book an appointment! 📞❤

The Dog Mobility App Grounded in cutting-edge research, the Dog Mobility App (DogMA) offers a user-friendly and accurate way for dog owners to monitor and better understand their dog’s mobility and wellbeing. Background Mobility impairments associated with musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoar...

23/03/2026

Easter Bank Holiday opening hours 🐣

We are pleased to say that we are now open over the Easter weekend 🥳

Please check our opening hours below 🕖:

🔸Friday the 3rd of April - Open 9:00 - 17:00
🔸Saturday the 4th of April- 8:30 - 12:30 (as normal)
🔸Sunday the 5th of April- Open 9:00 - 17:00
🔸Monday the 6th of April - Open 9:00 - 17:00

If you have an emergency outside of these hours, please contact our hospital on 01275832410 📞