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Monday 8am - 8pm Tuesday 8am - 8pm Wednesday 8am - 8pm Thursday 8am - 8pm Friday 8am - 8pm

Pennine Veterinary Referrals

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Pennine Veterinary Referrals

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Pennine Referrals are an independent referral service dedicated to providing high-quality veterinary care and diagnosis for the local community.

Conveniently located 2 minutes drive from the A1 around 4 miles north of Scotch Corner

02/11/2026

Is your dog dreading bonfire night? Fear of fireworks is very common, and it's a real welfare problem, not just "being silly".

Before the fireworks start:
• Walk your dog in daylight and keep them on the lead
• Close curtains, put the TV or radio on and set up a cosy den they can hide in
• Let them hide if they want to. Don't force them out
• Stay calm and nearby. It's fine to comfort a frightened pet
• Make sure their microchip details are up to date in case they bolt

If your pet panics every year, talk to your vet now. There are medications and behaviour plans that help, but they work best when started early.

Wishing all our patients a quiet weekend.

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween from all of us at Pennine Referrals! 🎃👻

A big thank you to all our referring vets for trusting us with your patients, and to all our patients (and their humans) for being such good sports, costume or no costume.

A quick spooky-season reminder: keep the sweet bowl out of reach of paws. Chocolate, raisins and sugar-free sweets containing xylitol are all toxic to dogs. If your pet gets into the treats, call your vet straight away.

Have a howling good Halloween! 🐾

30/10/2026

For referring vets: cost is often what stops a client accepting a referral. We've tried to take the uncertainty out of it.

• Fixed prices for common procedures, including TPLO, MPL, BOAS, laparoscopic spay, TECA, liver biopsy and perineal hernia repair
• A complication guarantee on TPLO, MPL and certain fractures: no extra cost if revision surgery is needed
• Specialist-led care in orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, neurology and oncology
• Same-day communication and updates throughout the case

We're an independent hospital in Melsonby, near Scotch Corner, serving practices from Newcastle to Ripon and Carlisle to Scarborough.

Full prices: penninereferrals.com/prices-and-surgical-guarantees. Refer on 01748 343 381 or [email protected].

28/10/2026

Bringing your dog home after orthopaedic surgery? The first two weeks set them up for a good recovery.

• Rest is the treatment. Keep them in a small room or crate when you can't supervise.
• Short lead walks only, for toileting, even if they feel well.
• No jumping, stairs or rough play. Use rugs on slippery floors.
• Keep the cone or body suit on so they can't lick the wound.
• Check the wound daily. Call us if you see swelling, discharge or redness.
• Give all medication exactly as prescribed.

It's often harder for owners than for dogs. We'll give you a written plan and are always at the end of the phone with questions.

26/10/2026

For referring vets: a few things make a neurology referral faster and help us plan the right imaging from the start.

Please send:
• Owner videos of episodes, gait or posture (the single most useful thing)
• A timeline: onset, progression and any response to treatment
• Current medications, doses and when they were started
• Recent bloods and any imaging
• Your neuro exam findings, even if they're partial

With MRI, CT and CSF analysis on site, we can usually go from consult to diagnosis in a single visit, and you'll get same-day communication on your case.

Email everything to [email protected], use penninereferrals.com/refer-a-pet-form, or call 01748 343 381 to talk a case through.

23/10/2026

Found a lump on your pet? Most are harmless, but you can't tell by looking or feeling.

A simple rule: if a lump is bigger than a pea, or has been there for a month, ask your vet to check it. A quick needle sample can usually tell us what it is.

Get it checked sooner if a lump:
• Is growing or changing shape
• Feels firm or fixed in place
• Is bleeding, sore or bothering your pet

Caught early, many tumours can be removed completely with surgery. Our oncology and soft tissue surgery teams work together on diagnosis, surgery and reconstruction.

Keep an eye on lumps and bumps, and talk to your vet if you're unsure.

21/10/2026

For referring vets: when an ear has gone beyond medical management, total ear canal ablation with lateral bulla osteotomy (TECA-LBO) can end years of chronic pain.

Consider referral when:
• Otitis keeps relapsing despite good medical management
• The canal is stenosed or calcified
• There's otitis media, a middle-ear polyp or mass
• An ear canal tumour is suspected

We use CT to assess the canal and bulla before surgery and plan the right procedure. TECA is one of our fixed-price operations, so your client knows the full cost up front.

Removing a chronically painful ear canal can transform a dog's quality of life, and we'll talk your client through what to expect, including hearing.

Refer on 01748 343 381, [email protected] or penninereferrals.com/refer-a-pet-form

19/10/2026

Is your Labrador, retriever, Rottweiler or other large-breed puppy limping on a front leg? Elbow dysplasia is one of the most common causes of front-leg lameness in young, growing dogs.

Signs often start between 5 and 12 months old:
• Limping on one or both front legs
• Stiffness after rest that eases with exercise
• Front paws turned outwards
• Reluctance to play or go on long walks

X-rays don't always show the problem. CT and keyhole arthroscopy let us see inside the joint and treat it, often at the same time.

Early diagnosis gives the best chance of slowing arthritis. If your young dog is limping, talk to your vet about a referral.

16/10/2026

Ever wondered what happens when your pet has an MRI scan? Here's a look inside ours.

MRI uses a powerful magnet, not X-rays, to build detailed pictures of the brain, spine, nerves and joints. It shows things X-rays can't, such as a slipped disc pressing on the spinal cord.

Why does my pet need an anaesthetic? The scan needs them to stay completely still. Our Siemens 1.5 Tesla MRI is fast, which keeps anaesthetic time as short as possible.

Having MRI, CT, fluoroscopy and a lab under one roof in Melsonby means many pets are diagnosed and treated on the same day, without a long drive.

We care for pets from Newcastle to Ripon and Carlisle to Scarborough. If your pet needs advanced imaging, ask your vet about referring to us.

14/10/2026

For referring vets: not every luxating patella needs surgery, but some need it sooner than you might think.

Surgery is indicated if there is:
• Grade III and IV luxations
• Grade II with persistent or recurrent lameness
• Young, growing dogs, where luxation can drive progressive limb deformity
• Large breeds and lateral luxations
• Dogs with concurrent cruciate disease
• Revisions or cases not progressing after previous surgery

Where angular or torsional deformity is suspected, we use CT to plan correction precisely.

Our MPL surgery is fixed price and covered by our complication guarantee, which makes the conversation with clients easier.

Refer on 01748 343 381, [email protected] or penninereferrals.com/refer-a-pet-form

Address

Unit 13B Western House Business Park, East Road, Melsonby
Darlington
DL105NF

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 8pm
Tuesday	8am - 8pm
Wednesday	8am - 8pm
Thursday	8am - 8pm
Friday	8am - 8pm

Telephone

+441748343381

Website

http://www.penninereferrals.com/

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