Highcroft Veterinary Centre - Shirehampton

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

23/04/2026

Early May Bank Holiday 🌸

Please note we are closed on Monday the 4th of May for the bank holiday. We will be open from Tuesday as normal.

One of our other branches, Highcroft Veterinary Centre - Ashton, will be open from 9:00 to 17:00 🕖

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

17/04/2026

Happy Friday from lovely Tia 🥰

Tia came to see one of our nurses this week for her second vaccination, and she was good as gold! 😇

We look forward to seeing her again soon ❤

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

01/04/2026

Easter Bank Holiday opening hours 🐣

Please note that our practice is closed over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (from Friday the 3rd of April onwards - back open from 8:30am on Tuesday the 7th).

Please note the opening hours of our other Highcroft branches 🕖:

Highcroft Veterinary Centre - Ashton 🐾

Friday 3rd April - Open 9:00 - 17:00
Saturday 4th April - Open 8:30 - 12:30
Sunday 5th April - Open 9:00 - 17:00
Monday 6th April - Open 9:00 - 17:00

Highcroft Veterinary Centre - Eastville 🐾

Friday 3rd April - CLOSED
Saturday 4th April - open 8:30 - 12:30
Sunday 5th April - CLOSED
Monday 6th April - CLOSED

If you have an emergency, 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 01172460461 and our reception team will advise you of the next available appointment and answer any questions you may have 📞

01/04/2026

We have had a young female cat handed into the practice. She is manly white with black markings.

She is not microchipped and was found in the Shirehampton area.

Please contact the practice if you believe she is yours, proof of ownership will be required.

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! 📞❤

30/12/2025

We have had an elderly male ginger cat handed into the practice this afternoon.

He was found in the Shirehampton area.

If you believe he could be yours, please contact the practice on 0117 246 0461.