Donaldson's Vets

13/11/2026

🌍💛🧠This , science is proving that being kind releases a massive wave of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, instantly boosting the mood of both the person giving and the person receiving.

But the coolest part? Animals are totally in on it too! 🐾✨
Research shows that empathy and emotional mirroring cross nearly every species boundary:

🐶The Dog Loop: Petting a dog for 30 minutes triggers a massive 300% oxytocin spike for you, and a 150% spike for them.

🐈‍⬛Calm Cats: Being calm around a cat creates a feedback loop. Calm affection lowers your cat's stress, while their purrs lower your own anxiety.

🐭Rat Kisses: In rat society, grooming is how they show deep affection. When a pet rat gently licks or nibbles your fingers, they are treating you like family and welcoming you into their pack!

🐮Gentle Cows: Cows spoken to softly and stroked regularly show lower heart rates and deep relaxation.

Whether you are giving your pet an extra chin scratch, feeding the garden birds,🐦 or just choosing patience in a busy morning queue—your small gestures are sparking positive changes all around you. 🥰

👇 Let’s spread some joy today! 👇
Drop a photo of your furry best friend in the comments, or tell us about a small act of kindness that made your day!

🐾

12/11/2026

⚠ Notice for Mirfield Clients ⚠

Northern Powergrid will be doing work outside the surgery from Friday 13th November to Monday 23rd November.

The car park will remain accessible, and we are open as normal.

Please be aware that there may be some noise disruption

Thank you for your patience while these works take place

10/11/2026

Senior Pet Month 🤎

Managing arthritis early keeps senior pets moving comfortably, protects their joints from further wear, and significantly improves their daily quality of life.

Because osteoarthritis is a progressive disease, a multi-layered treatment plan tailored by your vet offers the best results.

Key Components of Arthritis Management✨

• Pain management options: Prescription medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or newer, targeted therapies (such as monoclonal antibody injections) safely reduce chronic joint inflammation.
• Weight control: Maintaining a lean body weight is critical, as excess pounds place unnecessary stress on aching, compromised joints.
• Tailored exercise plans: Low-impact, consistent activities—like short controlled walks for dogs or gentle indoor play for cats—keep muscles strong and joints lubricated without causing exhaustion.
• Joint support supplements: High-quality supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, or green-lipped mussel help protect joint cartilage and reduce stiffness.
• Alternative therapies: Treatments like veterinary acupuncture, laser therapy, or hydrotherapy can provide additional, drug-free pain relief.

Speak with your vet today for a tailored care plan for your pet 🥰

09/11/2026

Pet Diabetes Month 💙

Is your pet spending more time in the litter box or begging for 2 AM walks? 🚽💦

When it comes to catching pet diabetes early, the single biggest clue isn't how much they drink—it’s how much they p*e.

Spotting an increase in urine volume is the ultimate way to catch metabolic changes before they become a health crisis!

Here is what to look for:
• 🐈 Cats: Massive, heavy urine clumps in the litter box, or suddenly p*eing on rugs because their tray gets saturated too fast.
• 🐕 Dogs: A perfectly house-trained dog suddenly having accidents indoors, or waking you up in the middle of the night to go out.
• 🐹 Small Pets: Cage bedding or litter corners that are completely drenched or feel strangely sticky (due to excess sugar in the urine).

The Good News? 🩺
Catching it at this stage makes management incredibly effective.
A quick, painless urine test at your vet clinic can give you answers in minutes and protect their health for years to come.

08/11/2026

Happy World Radiography Day! 🐾🦴

What a wonderful tribute to the veterinary teams, vet nurses, and tech superstars who work behind the scenes to capture those crucial "bone selfies."

Veterinary radiography truly is a superpower—allowing teams to solve medical mysteries, spot swallowed socks, and check up on tiny hearts and lungs without causing any stress or pain to the patients.

Fun fact: The very first X-ray selfie was taken all the way back in 1895 by Wilhelm Röntgen (it was a hand, not a paw 👋).

Today, we celebrate the machines, skills, and teams that diagnose these images to keep animals healthy and thriving. 💙

05/11/2026

Keep your furry friends safe and sound this Bonfire Night! 🐾🎆

The loud bangs and bright flashes of fireworks can be terrifying for our pets. Use this quick checklist to prep your home and keep them calm before the celebrations begin tonight.

🕒 Early Prep

• Walk & feed early: Get dogs exercised and fed well before sunset so you're safely inside before the noise starts.
• Lock the doors: Close all windows, doors, and cat flaps to prevent any panicked escapes.
• Bring small pets in: Move outdoor hutches (rabbits, guinea pigs) into a garage, shed, or indoors.

🏡 Create a Safe Haven

• Build a cosy den: Set up a quiet hiding spot filled with blankets and toys where they can feel secure.
• Muffle the noise: Close the curtains and turn up the TV or radio to help drown out sudden pops and bangs.
• Keep lights on: Leaving indoor lights on makes outdoor firework flashes much less jarring.

🧘‍♂️ Stay Calm & Reassure

• Act normal: Pets mirror our emotions—staying relaxed tells them there is nothing to fear.
• Let them hide: If your pet prefers to hide down in their safe space, let them stay there. Never force them out.

Give your pets some extra love tonight! ❤️
What are your go-to tips for keeping your pets calm during fireworks?
Drop them in the comments below! 👇

03/11/2026

Senior Pet Month 🤎🧠

Like humans, ageing pets can experience cognitive changes that affect their memory, awareness, and daily habits.

Recognising these behavioural shifts early lets you work with your vet to support your pet's brain health.

Common Signs of Canine/Feline Cognitive Dysfunction
• Confusion or restlessness: Pacing aimlessly, staring at walls, or appearing lost in familiar surroundings.
• Night-time waking: Reversing sleep-wake cycles, leading to vocalising, whining, or wandering during the night.
• Disorientation: Getting "stuck" behind doors, underneath furniture, or in corners, forgetting how to back up.
• Altered interactions: Showing less interest in greeting family members, withdrawing from affection, or becoming unusually clingy.
• House-soiling accidents: Forgetting basic housetraining or litter-box habits despite having physical control.

How to Support Your Pet 🧠
• Consult your vet: Schedule a check-up to rule out hidden physical pain, arthritis, or urinary tract infections, which can mimic cognitive issues.
• Keep routines predictable: Maintain strict schedules for feeding, walking, and bedtime to provide a comforting sense of structure.
• Brain games: Offer gentle mental stimulation, such as puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, or hidden treats, to keep their mind active.
• Environmental cues: Keep furniture in the same place and use nightlights to help your pet safely navigate the house in the dark.
• Medical aids: Ask your vet about specialised diets, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, or prescription medications designed to support brain function.

03/11/2026

Help keep your pet calm this bonfire season 🎆🎇

Calmex is a nutritional calming supplement that helps dogs and cats cope with stress and anxiety caused by fireworks, Bonfire Night, and other loud events.

Calmex Supplements work internally, but you can layer this with external Plug in like Adaptil Diffuser for dogs or a Feliway Diffuser for cats

An ADAPTIL Calm Diffuser works by releasing a synthetic copy of the Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) into your home's air to help comfort and calm your dog.
The FELIWAY Friends (Harmony Pheromone): This copies the Cat Appeasing Pheromone (CAP) naturally produced by a mother cat. It is specifically formulated to reduce tension.

Speak to us today for more information

02/11/2026

🎆🐾 HOW TO HELP YOUR PET FEEL CALMER THIS FIREWORK SEASON 🐾🎆

Fireworks can be exciting for us, but for our pets, the loud bangs, flashes and unexpected noises can be frightening. With a little preparation, there are lots of things you can do to help your pet feel safer and more settled. 💙

🏠 Keep them indoors
Make sure your pet is safely inside before fireworks are likely to start. Check doors, windows and cat flaps are secure.

🛏️ Let them hide
Create a safe, cosy space where your pet can retreat if they feel worried. If they choose to hide, let them. Don’t force them out.

💙 Don’t leave them alone
If possible, stay with your pet during fireworks. Your calm presence can be reassuring.

🌳 Walk during the daytime
Try to exercise dogs earlier in the day, before fireworks begin. Keep dogs on a lead if there is any chance of fireworks starting unexpectedly.

🪟 Close windows & pull the curtains
Reduce the flashes and loud noises coming from outside by closing windows, doors and curtains.

🎵 Play calming music or the TV
Background noise can help mask sudden bangs and create a more peaceful environment.

🧩 Try enrichment games
Food puzzles, lick mats, favourite toys and other enrichment can provide a positive distraction and keep your pet occupied.

🌿 Consider Calmex®
Calmex products can provide additional support for pets who find stressful situations difficult. The diffuser can be used on its own or alongside other Calmex products, such as calming tablets for dogs or calming liquids for cats.

🐾 Think about behaviour support
If your pet is particularly anxious, behaviour classes or support from a qualified behaviour professional can help build confidence and teach you both ways to manage stressful situations.

🎆 Every pet is different. If your pet becomes very frightened or distressed by fireworks, speak to your veterinary team for advice.

Preparing early can make a real difference. 💙

Together, we can help make firework season a little calmer for our four-legged friends. 🐶🐱

01/11/2026

Pet Diabetes Month 💙

Pet Diabetes Month takes place every November to raise awareness about diabetes prevention, early detection, and management in dogs, cats and small animals

In the UK, it affects roughly 1 in 300 dogs and 1 in 200 cats.

It can start with subtle changes that are easy to miss.

Catching it early can add years of happy, healthy memories to your pet’s life!

Keep a close eye out for the "Big 4" Early Warning Signs:

• 💧 The Bottomless Water Bowl: Are you refilling the water dish way more than usual?

• 🚽 Frequent Bathroom Breaks: Is your dog asking to go out at 2 AM, or is your cat's litter tray filling up with heavy, wet clumps faster than normal?

• 🍽️ Always Starving, but Slimming Down: Are they begging for food constantly, yet mysteriously losing weight or muscle?

• 🥱 Suddenly Lazy: Have they swapped their usual playtime or zoomies for endless napping and low energy?

Diabetes is manageable, but early action is everything. If you’ve checked off any of these signs, don't wait—it's time to book a quick check-up and a simple urine/blood test with your vet! 🩺❤️

27/09/2017

Someone's enjoying their training!
Cara popped in for a final tune up before she sets off to the Czech Republic to represent Great Britain at the FCI Agility Championships this weekend.
Good luck Cara from the ARC team!

26/09/2017

11/09/2017

CLIENT NOTICE
Donaldson's are going paperless and we’d like to ask our clients to make sure we have an up to date mobile number and/or email address on file so we’re able to send you reminders about your pet’s healthcare 🐶🐱🐰🐹
These include reminders for booster vaccinations, appointments and medication, helping you to keep up to date!
All our reminders will be sent electronically within a few months and we don’t want you to miss out - so please let us know if your details change 😊
If you want to update your details, you can give your local branch a call or pop in to see us