News Round Up 2017

Chocolate

Onions, garlic & leeks

Dried fruit & grapes (including mince pies/

Christmas cake)

Rodent poison

Batteries

Team news…

New arrivals…

We welcomed Dr Rosanna

Hancock and Dr Chiew

Ting Ng to the practice, as

well

as our

new

student nurses: Ami

Vallerine Lucy

Marheineke, and Emma

Daynes.

This year also saw us putting a brand new

reception team in place, with Lorraine Sharp

and Abi

Nell

joining

us to

meet and

greet

you all

and help to ensure your visit to us runs as

smoothly as possible.

Congratulations and well done to…

Our Domestic

Assistant Sue Kelley,

who notched up 25

years at Mill House,

whilst both our

Dispensary Assistant

Salli Skinner and

Senior RVN Sam

Richardson have

celebrated 10 years

and 15 years

respectively with us.

We also promoted

RVN Vikki Strangeman

to a Senior Veterinary

Nurse role, whilst our

nurses; Lauren Bray,

Emma Pigott,

Catherine Carter and

Rachael Burridge are

now registered as

RVNs with the Royal

College of Veterinary Surgeons, having passed

their exams in 2016.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas Thank you for your loyalty and support during this year. As usual, we are donating

our Christmas card money to the local RSPCA rehoming unit. Here’s to a happy and

healthy New Year and we look forward to seeing you and your pets in 2018!

It’s official…we’re outstanding! We were delighted to announce this year that we have been awarded the highest

rating in the Practice Standards Scheme run by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. We were

awarded ‘Outstanding’ in all the categories assessed, which were:

• Emergency and critical care

• Consultation service

• Team and professional responsibility

Having previously been awarded the same highest rating for :

• Client experience

• Diagnostic services (Imaging, Laboratory and Clinical Pathology)

• In-patient service

This now makes us one of only two practices in the country to have been awarded ‘Outstanding’ in

all the available catagories. We are so proud of the team who not only impressed the assessors

with their knowledge, but also demonstrated how client-focussed we really are.

Have you joined our Pet Health Club?

Our Pet Health Club is going from strength to strength with new members joining daily. With

monthly payments starting from just £7.80 for rabbits and £12.50 for cats and dogs, it makes

perfect sense. It’s a preventative health scheme that helps to keep your pet and your finances

healthy! This is what’s included:

• Vaccination Course or Booster and Kennel Cough Vaccination

• 2nd Health Check with your vet at 6 months, post vaccination

• All year Flea and Worm treatment

• Cost price food

• Urine testing and nail clipping at booster vaccination and 6 month check

• Microchip or £10.00 voucher to spend on pet products (one per plan)

You get 10% off dentistry, pet passport consultations and our pet products in reception. As if all of

that isn’t enough… we also give you 20% off selected lifetime care medications and pet neutering,

so if you haven’t already joined, then why not give us a call to arrange your Pet Health Club plan.

Beware of Christmas treats…

With Christmas and New Year fast approaching, it’s a good time to remember to keep a watchful

eye on your pet as your home becomes full of everything festive! Below are items known to be

harmful to our pets. If you think your pet has eaten any of these, contact us immediately. We are

here on site 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Macadamias, walnuts, pecans and other nuts

Antifreeze

Xylitol sweeteners

Silica gel packs

Lilies, poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and rosemary

Yeast & dough

PAGE 2 EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

Congratulations and well done to…

Dr Sarah

Colegrave was

awarded a

Distinction in the

BSAVA

Postgraduate

Certificate in

Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, and Dr

Michael Morter also received a Distinction in

the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small

Animal Ophthalmology.

Dr Judy Mosedale, who

heard that after 4 years

of hard studying, she’d

passed her BSAVA Post

Graduate Certificate in

Small Animal Medicine (PGCertSAM) – with a

Distinction! She can now apply for Advanced

Practioner Status.

Wedding Bells…..

Vet Emma Dobson married Sam Peacock in a

beautiful ceremony in

the summer.

More recently, Nurse

Denika Brooker

married Dave

Gascoyne ,

and student nurse

Emma Mandy

married Ollie

Daynes

…and Bouncing

Babies

Congratulations

were in order as

several beautiful

babies were born to

our Mill House team this year:

Nurses Denika Gascoyne, Liz Callaby, Mel Mace

welcomed Ezra, Georgia May and Megan

respectively.

Matt Sopp, our Accounts Administrator

became a

father to

Evelyn

(left), and

Dr

Michael

Morter

has also

become a father with the arrival of baby Finley.

Joshua got his wires crossed…

Early in the New Year, Joshua was rushed

in to see us after his owners found him in

the garden with wire tightly wound

around his foot. He had caught his foot

in the wire and the more he struggled,

the tighter the wire became. His foot was

too sore for us to examine while he was awake, so he needed an anaesthetic to have the wire

removed. He woke up a much happier boy!

Chips is all white! Last year, Chips underwent dental treatment which included some

extractions. He visited earlier in the year to show off his pearly whites! Chips

loves having his teeth brushed so much that he tells his owners every day

that they need doing! He is 10 years young, which just goes to prove you

cancancancan teach an old dog new tricks!! Well done Chips!

Golly and his glands In the early Spring, we met Golly, a very handsome 13 year young

collie, who came to see us for some dental work. His pre-operative

blood test showed a high calcium level. This causes an increased

thirst and can lead to kidney failure, so we started a diagnostic

hunt for the cause of the hypercalcaemia. An ultrasound scan

revealed enlarged parathyroid glands. These control the body's

calcium levels. Dr Sarah Colegrave performed some intricate

surgery to remove the enlarged glands and we are pleased to

report that both Golly's calcium level and water intake are now back to normal.

Bella’s a beauty now… This is Bella who was referred to see our Veterinary

Dermatologist Alison Shearer at the end of April. She was

being cared for by Suffolk Animal Rescue & had developed a

nasty skin condition which made her feel very itchy. Destined

to go to a foster home, Alison felt that it would be very

difficult for them to give her

the time-consuming

treatment she needed, so Bella went home with Alison! The

whole family have helped to bath Bella daily & give her all the

other treatments she needed. There were other causes of Bella’s

problem. It was clear from her odour that infection was playing a

role, so regular baths were needed to remove bacteria. Bella also

had skin scrapes, biopsies and intradermal skin testing to identify

any underlying allergies. Her main condition was found to be a

flea allergy so infection control and effective flea treatment have led to her improved looks! This

super little dog is now enjoying a virtually itch-free life with Alison where she gets lots of hugs,

walks and play-time. A happy ending if ever there was one!

Roxy’s weighty issue is no more… Meet Roxy - back in February she tipped the scales at 31kg. Her owner came to see RVN Sophie for

a chat about her weight and ways to manage it. Since then she has lost a whopping 5kg. With a lot

of dedication from her owner, putting Roxy through doggy boot camp, dietary management and

regular weigh-ins, she is at her target weight and doesn't she look fabulous! Well done Roxy and

Roxy's mum!

PAGE 3 EMPLYEE NEWSLETTER

New Puppy Socialisation Classes

We re-launched our very

popular Puppy Playgroup

classes with our new Puppy

Socialisation Classes. These

now run over 5 weeks rather

than 4 weeks with the classes

lasting 45 minutes each time.

New Pet Onesies! Another new

launch for us this

year is our fabulous

Mill House branded

recovery shirts. We

are delighted with

these and here is

handsome Balou

modelling one for

us, following his

operation to have a nasty bladder stone removed.

Smokey Paws After our successful campaign last year, we

officially handed over the six sets of pet oxygen

masks in the

summer. Three

sets have been

given to King’s

Lynn Fire Station,

one to

Dersingham, one

to Terrington

and one to

Downham

Market fire stations.

Fire training

Mill House takes

the safety of

both clients and

employees very

seriously and as

such arranged

for us all to have

some very

interesting and important fire training. We all came

away confident that we knew what to do in the

event of a fire. Our photo shows Senior RVN Mel

Mace in action!

Community visits

We have been very busy this year out and about in

the King’s Lynn area. It was lovely to see so many of

you and to meet clients old and new.

We visited Little Bunnies nursery and also

Whitefriars school to give some fun and

informative talks and were delighted to be able to

give surgery and hospital tours to the 21st London

Road Scouts, the 12th King’s Lynn Beaver Scouts,

the Guides and the 29th King’s Lynn Reffley

Brownies.

We also attended several careers fairs at

Springwood High School and were at careers fairs

held at Terrington High School and the Peele

School in Long Sutton.

We took the Mill House stand to South Wootton

Fete, Watlington Village Fete and Shouldham

Village Fun Day where we judged and provided

the prizes for the dog shows.

We were also at Hillington Square Fete and

judged the dog show that ran alongside the

Dersingham Fun Day which we also sponsored.

Arthur’s Irritation Meet Arthur, a very handsome 10 month old Maine Coon, already

weighing in at 7.7kg! Arthur had his lower eyelids ‘turned out’ to make

him more comfortable. The operation was carried out by our

Ophthalmology Certificate holder, Dr Michael Morter, who said

‘Entropion is a folding inwards of the

eyelids, which can cause irritation and

damage to the eye, through hairs

rubbing on its surface. While there are

several causes, it most commonly

occurs as a result of persistent eye discomfort, causing them to

‘scrunch up’ their eyelids, which eventually becomes permanent.’

Happily, Arthur’s eyelids are now back to normal and he is a very happy (and beautiful!) Maine

Coon. Here he is recovering from surgery.

The power of the microchip During the summer, we were absolutely delighted to be able to reunite

Paddy with his owner. Paddy had been missing for two years when he

was handed in to us as a stray. Luckily, Paddy was microchipped so once

we had scanned him, we were able to contact his owner, who

understandably was over the moon to have him back. Welcome home

Paddy. This highlights the importance of microchipping your pet and

registering the chip on to a national database. It really increases the

chance of reuniting a lost pet with its owner.

A ‘seedy’ story…

Poor Clunkers came to see us with a nasty swollen toe. On

investigating under anaesthetic, Dr Rosanna Hancock found

several grass seeds. Happily, Clunkers is feeling much better

now and well on the way to a full recovery.

Firework phobia?

Firework season is upon us again and it seems to

become longer every year. We advise that you

prepare your pet for fireworks early if they are afraid

of them. The RSPCA estimates that over 80,000 pets

are affected across the UK and this figure doesn’t take

into account livestock, horses and wildlife.

Here are our Top Tips:

• Prepare a ‘den’ well in advance, in a favourite room or under a bed, with lots of blankets or

old clothes.

• Install an Adaptil or Feliway diffuser close to

the den. These products have a calming

influence on your pet. Ideally, this should be

switched on 24 hours a day from 2 weeks

before to 2 weeks after fireworks are

expected.

• Allow your pet to choose where they wish

to be during the fireworks.

• Provide comfort if they seek it but don’t force it if your pet chooses to be alone.

Can your dog help? The University of Cambridge are running a study about dogs and their attitude to food and would

love to hear from you. Funded by Dogs Trust, they are extending research into genetic factors

which make dogs hungry. Canine obesity is on the rise so further research is needed to understand

and tackle this problem. Last year their researchers identified the gene that makes many Labradors

have a huge love for food and would now like to further this to include all other breeds. If you'd like

to know more, simply visit their website www.godogs.org.uk/can-your-dog-help/

PAGE 4 EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

Helping the RVNs of tomorrow

We were thrilled to receive this Certificate from

the College of West Anglia. We take our

workplace learning placements very seriously and

are very proud to support the College with this

vital learning stream.

Festive Bake Corner With these delicious and nutritious

treats, you needn’t worry about your

four legged family members being

left out during the Christmas and New

Year celebrations!

Apple carrot treats for dogs

• 150g of whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or

gluten free flour

• 150g of grated carrots

• 1 egg

• 75g unsweetened apple

sauce

• Preheat oven 180°C.

Mix ingredients together

until dough forms. Roll dough into small balls

and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment

paper. Press dough down slightly so the biscuits

are about 1/4 inch thick. Bake until golden brown

and let cool on a wire rack If the dough is really

sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour. 1/2

teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to

help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.

Homemade cat treats

• 75g wholewheat flour

• 75g powdered milk

• 75g tuna in oil

• 1 egg

• 120ml cup water

Mix the flour and milk.

In a separate bowl, smash up

the chunks of tuna and add the egg. Add this mix

to the flour mix.

Add water a little at a time until it makes a sticky

dough. Place small spoonfuls on a greased

baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake at 180°C

for about 20-25

minutes.

And finally…

We would like to thank

all of you who visited us

during THAT week in

August when we were

all learning how to use our new computer system.

Thank you for being so patient both over the

phone and in the practice. Hopefully you will all

see the benefits of our new system which makes

everything quicker and easier for you!

Our Puppies of the month Every month we draw from all the completed puppy group surveys for that month to find our

Puppy of the Month who is then featured on our Facebook page and website blog. Here are some

of the gorgeous puppies who were featured this year!

Pet Winter Survival Guide Our pets are unaccustomed to spending lengthy amounts of time outside

in the snow or if the temperature is below freezing, so below we’ve listed a few of our top tips!

Dogs

• If walking in the dark, stay safe by always wearing reflective clothing. Take a torch with you and

keep your dog on a lead whenever you are near traffic.

• Ice and salted pavements can irritate dogs’ paws, so be sure to wash them after walks where the

roads have been gritted – lifting their paws or refusing to walk could be a sign that their feet are

hurt or cold.

• Breeds that don’t have a lot of fur, e.g. Greyhounds, feel the cold more than other breeds, so a

jumper or a coat will help them to deal with the change in weather.

Cats

• Cats tend to hide to keep warm as the temperatures drop, so try and keep an eye on where they

hide. They can become trapped in sheds or garages, or more dangerously, in car engines.

• If temperatures drop dramatically, try to keep your cats indoors, as they can develop

hypothermia and frostbite in extreme cold.

Smaller Animals

• Smaller animals are particularly vulnerable to the cold, so ensure hutches are positioned so that

rain and snow can’t blow in, and partially cover them with a blanket.

• If the weather forecast is particularly bad, you may like to consider moving your pets’ hutch into

an unused garage or shed.

• They also require extra calories to keep them warm, so be sure to give them extra hay and pet

food – and remember to keep an eye on their water, in case it freezes.

Christmas and New Year opening hours During the holiday period, please be reassured that if you need help we will always be available

with our own vet and nurse on duty at all times. Our opening hours over the holiday are:

DecemberDecemberDecemberDecember 2017201720172017

Friday 22nd 8.30am - 6.30pm

Saturday 23rd 8.30am – 12.30 then Emergency Service

Sunday 24th Christmas Eve Emergency Service

Monday 25th Christmas Day Emergency Service

Tuesday 26th Bank Holiday Emergency Service

Wednesday 27th 8.30am - 6.30pm

Thursday 28th 8.30am - 6.30pm

Friday 29th 8.30am - 6.30pm

Saturday 30th 8.30am - 12.30 then Emergency Service

January January January January 2018201820182018

Sunday 31st New Year’s Eve Emergency Service

Monday 1st New Year’s Day Emergency Service

Tuesday 2nd 8.30am – 6.30pm

Please check that you will have enough medication, food and other supplies for the holiday period. We

recommend ordering before 3pm on Wednesday 20th December for collection before Christmas and before

3pm on Wednesday 27th December for collection before the New Year.

Hear the news as it happens! Check our website www.millhousevets.co.uk or find us at www.facebook.com/millhousevets

or follow us on twitter @MillHouseVets