Hook Norton Vets remains open! However, with the current circumstances surrounding coronavirus, some of our small animal services must be altered temporarily. Please find the details below, but do not hesitate to contact us on 01608 730501 if you have any questions.
Recent guidance changes have allowed us to see more patients. Please see the traffic light system below of what our Small Animal Vets are able to treat during this extended lockdown period. All of our vets will continue to use their professional judgment and risk to assess individual cases, keeping clear clinical notes.
WE WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THERE IS NO RELAXATION OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. We will still recommend remote consults in the first instance to assess each patient. No clients will be allowed into the hospital and our branch surgeries still remain closed. We are still operating with a skeleton staff and would like you, where possible, to contact us via email or our online visit request form for non-emergency appointments. This will help to keep our phone lines free for emergencies.
Services we CAN offer include:
• Primary vaccination courses (including 1st-year booster)
• Leptospirosis vaccination (administer additional core components if due at the same time)
• Rabbit vaccinations
• Rabies vaccinations (if required for certification reasons)
• Rabbit neutering
• Dispensing flea and worming treatments
• Microchipping (if the animal is already in the practice for an essential service)
• Severe trauma, eg RTA
• Seizures
• Jaundice
• Pallor
• Significant weakness or collapse
• Cough >one-week duration
• Difficulty breathing
• Dystocia
• Acute severe lameness
• Abdominal swelling
• Significant bleeding
• Retching
• Toxin ingestion (if phone/video triaged as significant)
• Struggling to urinate or defecate
• Excessive urination or thirst
• vomiting and/or diarrhoea, with significant mental depression
• Ongoing treatment and monitoring of Addison’s patients
• Monitoring of unstable diabetics
• Flystrike
• Ileus (small mammals)
• Euthanasia
Services we can REMOTELY ASSESS, in the first instance, via telephone or video consult:
• Neutering – assess domestic situation relating to population control/socialisation need and consider chemical options if appropriate
• Mild trauma, eg nail pulls
• Skin issues, including flea allergic dermatitis
• Anal glands
• Post-op checks
• Repeat prescription checks, if stable
• Vomiting/diarrhoea in a well animal
• Dental complaints
• Lumps
• Wounds
• Non-acute lameness
• Eye complaints
• Anorexia
• Vaginal discharge
• Non-specific lethargy
The following procedures are still suspended under the current guidelines.
• Adult cat vaccinations (unless >15 months since the last vaccine)
• Kennel Cough vaccinations
• Non-essential consults, such as routine nail clips, weight clinics, puppy parties, mid-year health checks
• Routine reproductive work ie artificial insemination
What happens if I have an emergency and need a vet?
Your pet’s welfare is of utmost importance to us and we will still be operating a fully functioning 24/7 emergency service for all of our clients.
If you have an emergency, please contact the practice in the first instance. We will be able to offer you advice or video consultation to assess your pet and make an appropriate plan for them whilst ensuring the safety of you and our staff via social distancing measures.
What constitutes an emergency?
Anything you would call a vet for at the weekend or in the night, including but not limited to:
» Breathing difficulties
» Seizuring
» Trauma, for example, car accidents
» Collapse
» Wounds which continue to bleed
» Ingestion of poisonous or indigestible substances
» Bloat and retching
» Vomiting and diarrhoea accompanied by lethargy and inappetence
» Lameness, where the pet cannot use its leg
» Birthing difficulties
» Eye problems
» Male cats which cannot urinate
» Rabbits which are not eating
Social distancing measures
1) Video consultations. Instead of coming to the practice, all consultations will be via video initially. If we can assess and safely treat your pet without needing you to come into the practice, we will do so. These appointments will be charged at normal consultation rates (£37.60 incl. VAT), and apply to out of hours work as well. You will not be charged again should you be required to come into the practice.
2) Visiting the practice. If you are displaying symptoms or are self-isolating please let us know in advance and if possible make other arrangements for someone else to bring your pet to the vet.
We ask only one person to bring your pet to the vets. We’re operating a system to help reduce face to face contact to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and protect the health of our staff as well as yours. When arriving at the practice, please telephone reception to let them know of your arrival. We ask you to place your pet in the boot (cats/rabbits etc. should be in a basket in the boot, not lose), so our vet or nurse can safely collect him or her and take them into the practice for assessment. Afterward, the vet will discuss the plan with you via telephone and make arrangements with you from there.
At present it is not acceptable for you to enter the building with your pet for any of the assessment or treatment- please look after our team as they try to help you in these difficult circumstances.
3) Cleaning: We maintain very high levels of hygiene at the practice, however during this time, further measures have been taken to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
4) Medication collection: If you need to pick up medications, they will be available to collect from the practice, observing social distancing measures. You will be advised of these at the time of arranging a collection.
5) Delivery: We can now offer delivery of medications for those of you who are unable to leave your house due to coronavirus. Please give us 48hours notice for this service, we will discuss details at the time of arranging this.
Some animals suffer from chronic conditions requiring regular injections for treatment,
these are very important for appropriate management of the condition and will still be offered.
However, routine check-ups and monitoring tests will be postponed if your pet is stable and well.
If your pet with a chronic condition is unwell, please contact the practice for advice.
Routine dental work will not be offered during this time. However, if your animal is in pain or unable to eat due to dental issue please do not hesitate to contact us for advice and appropriate treatment can be offered.
Neutering, anal glands, nail clipping, nurse consultations, and routine non-urgent testing eg BVA hip scoring will not be offered at this time.
Some FAQs
I have a problem with my pet but I’m unsure whether I need a vet visit.
Please call the practice and let us know what symptoms your pet is showing. A vet will then be able to either advise over the telephone or carry out a video consultation using WhatsApp or FaceTime. Video consultations will be charged at £37.60 and these allow us to prescribe medication if appropriate.
I have a pet requiring ongoing care following a procedure or surgery carried out recently. Will this still be possible?
Any ongoing care which is essential to the welfare and must be done by a vet (e.g. dressing changes after surgery, or stitches to be removed) will still be carried out. Please remember to observe social distancing rules whilst at the practice. If you are unwell or self-isolating please let the vet know before you arrive so that we can help you to make other arrangements.
I need veterinary advice for a non-urgent problem
Our vets are now offering video consultations through WhatsApp or FaceTime.
Medication can be prescribed through these means if appropriate and can then be collected by you from a safe place at the practice without the need for you to come into contact with anyone else. You will not be able to come to the practice for a non-urgent problem. Please call the practice if you wish to take advantage of this service.
I need a repeat prescription but my pet has not been seen for over 6 months.
In order to continue prescribing any medication, all pets must have been seen by a vet within the last 6 months. If a prescription check is required this can be carried out by video consultation using WhatsApp or FaceTime. Video prescription check-ups will be charged at £19.94.
The situation with Coronavirus is rapidly changing, as a practice, we always endeavour to keep up to date with government guidelines and advice. Our services as such, are under regular review. If the situation changes, we will update you accordingly. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. Do not hesitate to contact us on 01608 730501 if you have any questions.
