When your pet comes to stay with us...

Our two cat wards are kept quiet and separate from our dog wards. These rooms are well ventilated and have gas central heating to ensure your cat remains comfortable. The two wards are separated by a giant fish tank. This provides natural light to the wards and also some gentle visual stimulation for the in-patients staying there.

Where we think it beneficial to the cats, we may put a radio on quietly in the corner of the room to provide some gentle comfort. Cats may be admitted to us for a variety of ailments. Many require intensive care and careful monitoring: electronic fluid pumps are available on every kennel for fluid therapy alongside other monitoring and treatment equipment. All our kennels are larger than average size and some have separate compartments to allow cats to have separate eating and toileting areas. There are also two walk-in cat kennels which allow patients more room to move around and play when they are able.

Our kennels are formica-laminated wood to provide an easily cleaned and disinfected surface that is warmer and less noisy than traditional stainless steel kennels. All kennels are provided with a clean Vetbed for each patient with more or less bedding given according to their needs or wants. We have a variety of cat litters available to accommodate the toileting preferences of different individuals.

Our dog wards comprise walk-in kennels of differing sizes along with smaller kennels for toy breeds. The larger kennelsare beneficial to all our patients, but particularly large breed dogs and dogs that have to stay with us for prolonged periods

We have a fenced exercise area in the garden behind the kennels as well as the benefit of over an acre of practice grounds for lead walking. Often, our long-term patients show significant elevation of spirits after a trundle around the garden in the sunshine.

All our patients have Vetbeds to line the floor of their kennel, plus more or less bedding according to each animal's wants or requirements. Often, very large dogs that usually live outside, choose to move their beds to one side and lie on the bare floor. We make sure that they have the option of the beds but if they want a bare floor we will keep a close eye on them to make sure they do not develop any pressure sores or stiffness problems and will take action to prevent such problems occurring. Sometimes, patients may be recumbent after extensive surgery or injury and are unable to move themselves. These patients are gently turned every few hours to keep their circulation moving around the whole body and to keep their lungs working properly. We have large, water-proof covered foam bedding that fits the entire kennel floor, wall to wall, to ensure that pressure sores do not develop in these patients and so that they remain comfortable during convalescence.

Your pet's treatment programme is decided on by the veterinary surgeon or specialist you have seen here. To assist them and to provide five-star care and attention during their stay we have a team of experienced and dedicated nurses and nursing assistants.

Our nurses are divided into medical, surgical and ophthalmic teams but all are focussed on providing communication across the disciplines to ensure your pets' every need is met and close observation is paid to any changes in their condition.

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Critical care facilities

Injury, disease and / or failing body systems can make it difficult for some patients to breathe in enough oxygen from room air. We have an oxygen kennel in the treatment room as well as a mobile incubator with oxygen tent facility suitable for cats and small dogs.

Our on-site oxygen generator enables us to provide continuous flow-by oxygen therapy to larger dogs whilst in the comfort of their own kennels. The "Warm Touch" patient warming system consists of disposable paper blankets that are filled with circulating warm air. They are used in human hospitals and we use them here for maintaining body heat in anaesthetised and critical care patients.

If your pet is going to have a general anaesthetic or an abdominal ultrasound scan, we will request that they are not fed for 6-12 hours. You may do this at home or sometimes we may arrange for this to happen whilst they are staying with us. If your pet is staying with us for a while, you may want to bring their own food with them. Alternatively, we will provide food from the Hills or Iams Veterinary ranges.

For many procedures, particularly eye surgery, your specialist will provide you with medications to give to your pet at home prior to being admitted to hospital. Please make sure that you give these medications as directed and bring them in with you when your pet is admitted. Also, if you know your animal is going to be staying with us, please bring in their usual medication if they are already on any. This is especially important if your pet is a diabetic on insulin.

It can be very useful for us to know what your pet normally eats and when, as we may need to encourage them to eat. You are welcome to bring your pet's own food, blanket and toys in with them as this can provide some emotional comfort. We need you to tell us if your dog has any special dietary requirements and it would be wise to bring some of his normal food with you if this is the case. We would also like to know how much, how often and at what time of day you feed your dog, particularly if he is a diabetic.

Some dogs will have preferences about where they will go to the toilet. Please also mention if your dog requires certain commands or conditions to encourage him to empty bladder and bowels.

It is always a worrying time when your pet is in hospital and we fully understand that every owner wants to be kept informed of their pet's progress. We aim to call you every morning to let you know how they were overnight and every evening to keep you abreast of progress made during the day. These calls are usually made by the nurses. Your veterinary specialist will also keep in touch with you on a daily basis to keep you updated as to clinical progress and to make sure you are consulted before any new procedures are carried out for your pet.

If you wish to contact North Kent Referrals yourself, please ring our telephone number between 8am and 6pm. After 6pm, you can leave a message on our answer-phone. We do not leave the building at this time - indeed, theatre may still be busy for hours to come and we have both late shift nurses and dedicated night nurses to ensure that your pet is cared for, treated and observed around the clock. Our night shifts are true shifts, and staff do not sleep during their shift-this means that treatments can be tailored to the absolute best requirements of patients and attention is available 24 hours a day. Such attention includes giving treatments; assessing pain relief requirements; taking measurements , for example, blood pressure; or simply going out to the toilet, whether this is required at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, or 3 o'clock in the morning!

Sometimes, our patients may be kept in hospital for several days. Please speak to a member of staff if you would like to arrange to visit your pet in hospital during this time. Many patients do benefit from being visited by their families although in some circumstances it may not be helpful. The vet and nurse looking after your pet will let you know if they think it may not be appropriate, but we will never prevent a visit taking place.