The Veterinary Health Centre Ltd

The Veterinary Health Centre Ltd At The Veterinary Health Centre, we aim to promote the health and welfare of your animals

Rolo came in for a weigh and worm, plus a cuddle from Reception Janet 🥰
28/11/2025

Rolo came in for a weigh and worm, plus a cuddle from Reception Janet 🥰

27/11/2025

Nurse Carol - demonstrating how she gives insulin to her diabetic cat, Harry 🐈‍⬛♥️

Miscommunication in vet care ☹️😖 Sometimes owners and vets use the same words, but mean very different things. No-one is...
26/11/2025

Miscommunication in vet care ☹️
😖 Sometimes owners and vets use the same words, but mean very different things. No-one is at fault, but sometimes delicate language and medical language together can get confusing.

🧐 A few examples we come across:

PUT TO SLEEP
This can mean two VERY different things! Sometimes it is used to mean a pet is being anaesthetised for surgery, and can also be used to mean euthanasia.

SEDATION
Doesn’t mean unconsciousness, it means relaxed and sleepy - but still able to feel and respond. This is why more painful procedures require a full general anaesthetic.

ROUTINE PROCEDURE
We might call something routine because we do it often - not because it is minor or risk-free.

NON-URGENT
When we say a problem is not urgent, we mean it can wait to be addressed without worsening rapidly - not that it is unimportant.

NORMAL
Well, what is normal? What is normal for one pet is not normal for another. If anything seems out-of-the-ordinary, please let us know!

😎 Clear communication protects animals and prevents misunderstandings. If you are EVER unsure about what something means please, please, please - just ASK!



📸: Paolo Nicolello

25/11/2025

🥰 Yapping to animals is the best part of the job 🥰

24/11/2025

♥️ Pet care works better when we work TOGETHER!
🥰 Every pet who walks through the door has a team behind them; there’s us - the veterinary team that diagnoses, treats, and monitors. And there’s you, the person who knows your pet better than anyone.

😎 When we combine your knowledge with ours - your pet gets the best of both worlds.

☎️ That is why COMMUNICATION matters! If you are EVER unsure about medication, worried about a symptom, or just can’t make an appointment - please GET IN TOUCH!
You can ring us: 01253 729309 or send us an email: [email protected]

♥️ Teamwork means:
➡️ You tell us what you see at home
➡️ We explain what that could mean
➡️ Together, we make decisions about what to do next

Caring for your pet isn’t something we do FOR you - it’s something we do WITH you 🥰



📸: Ricky C

🤔 How we monitor diabetic pets at home (Hint - we use YOU 🫵)🤓 Managing diabetes doesn’t stop when your pet leaves the cl...
21/11/2025

🤔 How we monitor diabetic pets at home (Hint - we use YOU 🫵)
🤓 Managing diabetes doesn’t stop when your pet leaves the clinic. The most important monitoring happens at home - and it is crucial for keeping them safe and healthy.

❓What we may ask you to do:

🖊️ KEEP A LOG
- record feeding times, portion sizes, and insulin doses. Note any unusual behaviour, accidents, or signs of hypoglycaemia

🩸CHECK BG AT HOME
- we may teach you how to take blood and use a glucometer, or we may apply a CGM

👀WATCH FOR KEY SIGNS
- increased thirst, increased urination, lethargy, sudden weight loss or changes in appetite, vomiting, weakness, or collapse

📆 STAY CONSISTENT
- feeding and insulin schedules should be as regular as possible - never adjust insulin doses yourself, unless we have agreed on a plan

♥️ We will review the data together and tweak treatment if needed. Monitoring at home keeps your pet safe, happy, and stable - and makes adjustments easier and faster.



📸: Ralph Labay

🍔 Diet is crucial! 🥗 Managing diabetes isn’t just about insulin, diet plays a vital role too. The goal is to make blood ...
20/11/2025

🍔 Diet is crucial!
🥗 Managing diabetes isn’t just about insulin, diet plays a vital role too. The goal is to make blood glucose as stable as possible. That means:

➡️ Consistent meal times
➡️ Controlled portions
➡️ Avoiding sudden changes in food type or amount

🐶 FOR DOGS
A high-fibre, complex carbohydrate diet can help to slow glucose absorption.

🐈‍⬛ FOR CATS
A high protein, low carbohydrate diet is often best, especially as many diabetic cats are overweight or previously obese.

❗️Sudden diet changes can destabilise glucose control. Any new food should be introduced gradually, ideally after a discussion with your vet or nurse.



📸: Ashwee

🩸 Glucose curves explained🧐 If your pet has diabetes, you might hear your vet talk about doing a ‘glucose curve’ 💉 A glu...
19/11/2025

🩸 Glucose curves explained
🧐 If your pet has diabetes, you might hear your vet talk about doing a ‘glucose curve’

💉 A glucose curve shows how your pet’s blood sugar changes throughout the day, when they have had food, and insulin.

🤓It helps the vet:
➡️ check the insulin dose is working properly
➡️ see how long each dose lasts
➡️ spot high and low points that may need intervention

❓ How it is done:
➡️ small blood samples are taken every 1-2 hours over a full day
➡️ results are plotted on a graph; this shows the ‘curve’ as it goes up and down
➡️ this information is used to fine-tune the dose safely

🤓 CGMs (Constant Glucose Monitors) like the Freestyle Libre, are becoming more common in diabetes monitoring. These attach to your pet and send readings to your phone.

🟢 BENEFITS
🟢 Less stress - no blood sampling or hospital stays
🟢 More data - readings every few minutes for up to 14 days
🟢 Real-life conditions - out on walks, meals at home

🔴 LIMITATIONS
🔴 Not licensed in pets (off-label use)
🔴 Interstitial glucose readings, not venous blood glucose - this means there is a delay between the CGM and the actual; no good for monitoring rapid changes
🔴 Sometimes they pull them off! 😖



📸: Greg Duprat

18/11/2025

Distract distract distract! Whatever works ♥️

🧐 Diabetes in pets - signs to watch for!☹️ Diabetes doesn’t just affect people; dogs and cats can develop it too, and ca...
17/11/2025

🧐 Diabetes in pets - signs to watch for!
☹️ Diabetes doesn’t just affect people; dogs and cats can develop it too, and catching it early can make a BIG difference.

🔑 Here are the KEY signs to look out for ⬇️

❗️INCREASED THIRST
Your pet may empty the water bowl more often.

❗️FREQUENT URINATION
All that water they drink has to go somewhere! They may start to have accidents indoors, or you may notice a larger puddle in your cat’s tray.

❗️WEIGHT LOSS
Even though their appetite has stayed the same, or increased.

❗️LETHARGY
Sleeping more or seeming less interested in walks or play.

❗️CHANGES IN COAT OR SKIN
Dull coat, flaky skin, or recurring infections.

☎️ If you notice anything like this, book a check-up.
🩸 A simple blood or urine test can confirm if diabetes could be the cause - and treatment is very effective, once diagnosed.



📸: Alex

🏥 First aid for reptiles❗️NOTE: Most reptile illnesses need a vet. First aid is about STABILISATION and MINIMISING STRES...
14/11/2025

🏥 First aid for reptiles
❗️NOTE: Most reptile illnesses need a vet. First aid is about STABILISATION and MINIMISING STRESS.

🥵 🥶 Temperature and environment
- ensure they are at their correct thermoregulation gradient.
- hypothermia (being too cold) slows their immune response.
- hyperthermia (being too hot) can worsen things like dehydration.

💧 Hydration
- offer water; bathing can help reptiles absorb fluids (especially snakes and lizards).
- do not force feed liquids unless trained.

🩸 Clean wounds
- rinse minor wounds with sterile saline, or cooled boiled water.
- avoid creams or antiseptics like iodine or alcohol on delicate skin; they can cause tissue damage.

🏥 Isolation
- sick reptiles should be kept separate from healthy animals to prevent the spread of disease.

🧐 Monitoring
- keep a daily log; appetite, poos, behaviour, skin changes, etc.

🙌 Transport to vet
- warm, secure box with familiar substrate.
- minimise handling to reduce stress.
- bring some of own food in case of hospitalisation.

🦎 The importance of early illness recognition in reptiles.🐍 Reptiles often hide any signs of illness until it is quite a...
13/11/2025

🦎 The importance of early illness recognition in reptiles.
🐍 Reptiles often hide any signs of illness until it is quite advanced. Symptoms may be very subtle - reduced appetite, lethargy, or slight changes in behaviour. Early intervention increases survival chances, and allows for less aggressive treatment.

COMMON SIGNS OF ILLNESS
♥️ Behavioural changes
- lethargy or unusual hiding
- loss of appetite of refusal to eat favourite foods
- uncoordinated movements or tremors
♥️ Physical changes
- retained shed on skin
- wounds, discolourations, or lesions on skin or shell
- swollen eyes or discharge from eyes or mouth
- mouth rot
- wheezing, open-mouth breathing, gaping, bubbles around nose or mouth
- weight loss or gain, swelling, tail-thinning, abnormal lumps
♥️ Excretory changes
- unusual faeces, watery, runny, undigested food
- urate colour changes
- straining or constipation

☎️ Call your vet for advice, or an appointment if you have any worries



📸: Mitosh

Address

4 Greenways
Lytham St Annes
FY83LY

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Saturday 8:30am - 12pm

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