Archive for the ‘Ashford Vets’ Category
April 22nd, 2010 | 
Author: Cinque Port Vets Ashford have 6 clinics in Kent, including one in Kingsnorth. Between the 6 clinics they cover small animals as well as large animals including farm animals and horses. The Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre was founded in 2001 and has expanded since then to provide extensive modern facilities. It focuses on small domestic animals.
Standard consultations at the Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre are usually 10 minutes, although longer ones can be available. Standard and longer consultations are both by appointment only, although of course staff will make the effort to see you in an emergency and same day appointments are often available. Home visits can sometimes be arranged but it should be remembered that only limited assistance can be given in your home so it is better to take your pet to the surgery if possible.
Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre has up to date equipment and offers a large number of services. General consultations, health checks, vaccinations, neutering, dentistry, general surgery, microchipping and flea, worm and tick treatments are all carried out on site. Euthanasia can be carried out on site or in your home. Diagnostic procedures are also covered at this surgery, including BVA hip and elbow schemes X-rays, ultrasound scanning, and in-house blood and urine testing. There is also a visiting ophthalmology referral clinician.
Other services available at this practice include homeopathy and acupuncture. These have both been indicated to help some illnesses in animals. For further details, see http://www.natural-animal-health.co.uk/Homeopathy.htm and http://www.natural-animal-health.co.uk/Acupuncture.htm.
Apart from these alternative therapies, and dealing with general health problems, Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre also offers puppy parties. These are meetings where customers bring puppies to socialise with each other. This helps clients and their dogs learn to behave with other dogs, and can be great fun for both puppies and humans!
Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre can also carry out the procedures needed to issue pet passports. The process includes blood tests, vaccinations, microchipping and issuing certificates. You will need a pet passport if you want to travel through certain European countries without having to put your pet into quarantine but not all veterinary surgeries are authorised to issue them.
As well as providing medical services, the Veterinary Centre offers a range of health care and prescription foods for sale. Advice is always available on diet and illness prevention for your pets.
Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre has free parking outside and it is open Monday to Friday 08:30 – 19:00. The consultation hours are:
Monday to Friday 09:00 – 11:00 16:00 – 19:00
Saturday 09:00 – 12:30 14:00 – 16:00
Sunday 10:30 – 11:30
An emergency service is available, and details of the duty vet can be obtained by telephoning the surgery. You may need to travel to a surgery other than your usual one.
The Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre can provide full details of charges for consultations, procedures and other products and services
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Qualifications needed to become a vet
To become a vet, one needs more than a profound love of animals, although its importance cannot be discounted. After all, a vet spends most of his career caring for our four-legged (and some two-legged) friends. However, just affection won’t help serve animals when their health or lives are at stake. After all, a vet is responsible for the prevention of disease and for the medical and surgical treatment of animals, and it requires a lot of training and hard work to gain this expertise.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the governing body of vets in the country. Under the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966, with certain minor exceptions, only a registered veterinary surgeon is permitted to diagnose and treat injuries and ailments of animals. In order to be granted membership of the RCVS, an aspiring vet will have to go to university and take a veterinary degree. The UK universities offering veterinary degrees approved by the RCVS are Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Cambridge, Edinburgh and London (the Royal Veterinary College).
The courses are usually five years in length (six years at some schools). The Nottingham University has also started a new veterinary school. Applications are made through the Universities & College Admissions Service (UCAS). There are also a number of overseas degrees from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa which are approved by RCVS. Graduates from North American schools accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association can also apply for membership to the RCVS. Holders of many European degrees are also eligible to register with RCVS if they are EU citizens.
Seats at the veterinary degree courses are highly sought after and have stringent requirements for admission. These include a strong academic record as represented by the following:
A Levels
Biology must usually be offered at A level. The requirement for other subjects varies a little from university to university, but either one or two subjects from Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics should be offered. Some universities may accept a third A level in a non-science subject, but it must be an academically sound subject. The minimum grades generally expected are two A’s and a B, though some schools will require three grade A’s.
AS Levels
Some universities accept AS levels, but specific requirements can vary. Sometimes, two AS levels will be accepted instead of one A level, except in Chemistry where a full A level is usually required.
SCE Highers
Chemistry must be offered as well as two subjects from Biology, Physics or Mathematics. The grades generally expected are AAABB.
Advanced Highers
Applicants are normally advised to proceed to the Sixth Year and include CSYS Chemistry and Biology or Physics in their subjects.
GCSE
The applicant must meet the general entrance requirements of the university. Most universities require an applicant to have at least a grade C pass in English Language, Mathematics and Science, and many will expect A grades at GCSE. Where A level Biology or Physics is not offered, the candidate must have a good pass in that subject at GCSE level.
Vocational Qualifications
Applicants with certain vocational qualifications relevant to the study area, such as the BTEC Diploma in Animal Science, with distinction grades, may be considered by certain schools.
In addition to academic excellence, the admission committees lay great stress on practical work experience. The applicant must show his interest in this field by prior work at a veterinary practice or a similar establishment, handling pets and farm animals. However, work experience cannot substitute academic credentials but can add to them.
Once the applicant receives his degree and registers with the RCVS, he can practise in the country as a qualified vet. If he wants to specialise in any particular field, further study is required to gain an additional diploma.
A veterinary surgeon or vet is responsible for the prevention of disease and for the medical and surgical treatment of animals including household pets, zoo animals, farm animals and horses. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the governing body of the profession in the United Kingdom. Under the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966, with certain minor exceptions, only a registered veterinary surgeon is permitted to diagnose and treat the injuries and ailments of animals.
To become a vet, one must have, first and foremost, a tremendous love of animals. After all, your entire career will be spent caring for them. Secondly, it requires an enormous sense of responsibility, as befits a profession where life and death decisions have to be taken. Thirdly, to become a vet, you must be extremely good in studies, especially the science subjects. Since any medical profession requires the practitioner to memorise prodigious amounts of information and recall them as and when required, while at the same time deciding on the correct course of treatment that may spell the difference between life and death, the importance of academic intelligence cannot be discounted.
Fourthly, a vet must be a good communicator. Animals have owners, and it is as important to communicate with them as with the animals under treatment. Finally, you need to be willing to learn. Veterinary science, like any other medical science, is virtually limitless. There are new treatments being discovered every year, new discoveries being made, constantly expanding the frontiers of knowledge. Moreover, with the richness of the animal kingdom, there are often exotic animals whose physiology is unknown to the vet accustomed to dealing with common animals. Therefore, a vet must never stop learning.
The academic acumen of an aspiring vet is tested during application to a course in veterinary science, the degree being compulsory for the aformentioned registration with the RCVS. You need to have a degree from one of the six colleges approved by the RCVS, at universities in Bristol, Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Liverpool and London. Admission requirements are strict, and you will probably require a strong academic record evinced by the following credentials in your record:
- Biology ‘A’ Level, as well as one or two from Physics, Chemistry and Maths.
- Grades at ‘A’ Level, two A’s and a B, or, in some cases, three A’s.
- Alternatively, a distinction in BTEC Diploma in Animal Science may be considered.
Additionally, you need to have considerable hands-on experience working with animals to be considered for admission to the course.
After successfully completing the course and getting your degree, you need to register with the RCVS, following which you can practise in the UK. You are also eligible to add the letters MRCVS, standing for Member of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, after your name. If you want to specialise in any particular field, you can study and obtain additional diplomas on the subject area. Soft tissue, orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat and dermatology are some common areas of specialisation for small animal practice. Other options include equine veterinary practice, mixed practice, zoo animals, food-producing animals, wildlife, research and genetics.
Eureka Veterinary Centre is a new veterinary establishment that provides vet services to Ashford, Kennington, Charing, Challock, Hothfield, Chilham, Brook, Willesborough, Boughton Aluph, Boughton Lees, Eastwell, Westwell, Chart, Wye and the surrounding areas in Kent. The centre promises to “treat your pets as if they were our own and promise to give them the lifelong care and love they deserve.” Its services include 24 hr emergency call out, surgery and dentistry, pet health and food products and consultations.
Eureka Veterinary Centre has a modern operation theatre, two dental units, excellent imaging facilities in X-ray and ultrasound, blood pressure screening and blood transfusion facilities and a fully-equipped in-house laboratory that can perform complex blood and urine analyses. It is headed by veterinarian Andrew Rawlins who has been in this field since 1989. He had originally worked at the Wigmore Veterinary Centre, and after moving to management opened Eureka in 2009. Margaret Cnatalska is another vet who practises at the centre. Other staff include registered nurse Ellie Clare and auxilliary nurse Sophie Taylor.
The centre’s business hours are as follows:
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 – 12.00am
Sunday Closed
Consulting hours
Monday 9.00am – 11.00am / 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Tuesday 9.00am – 11.00am / 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Wednesday 9.00am – 11.00am / 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Thursday 9.00am – 11.00am / 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Friday 9.00am – 11.00am / 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Saturday 9.00am – 11.00am
Sunday Closed
Eureka Veterinary Centre runs a unique promotional campaign where existing customers can benefit by referring friends to the practice. Moreover, these friends who use Eureka’s services will also be eligible for a £7.50 discount a veterinary consultation, vaccination or surgical procedure. After the new customer pays, the referring customer will get a credit of £7.50 on his or her account that can be used against any future expenses at Eureka. An existing customer will be credited £7.50 for EACH and EVERY new client introduced that pays for a veterinary consultation, vaccination or surgical procedure. Additionally, in April and May 2010, Eureka is offering 20% off neutering for all dogs and 10% off for cats, rabbits and small furries.
About Montgomery Veterinary Clinic
The town of Ashford in the English county of Kent takes its motto “With a stronger faith” from the lines above written by once-resident Richard Lovelace who gained fame in the 17th century as a poet of repute. The modern-day town of 60,000 is famous for its agricultural market and has emerged as an important European communications centre in recent times. The quintessential modern town with all the modern facilities and services, Ashford’s pet lovers have a lot of alternatives as far as their veterinarian needs are concerned. The Montgomary Veterinary Clinic at Evegate Business Centre on Station Road is one such prominent establishment.
The Montgomery Clinic may be a small practice run by a husband and wife team, but it provides a level of personal and personalised care that is unparalleled. The clinic offers a very wide range of up to date equipment and a full pet health care service, including emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With this clinic, the pet owner can have direct interactions with the doctor, something that is not always possible at the larger establishments.
The clinic’s normal operating hours are:
Monday – Friday : 9 AM- 7 PM
Saturday : 10 AM-12 PM
Sunday : 10 AM-11 AM
The Montgomery Clinic is currently running a promotion where a customer walking in with a flyer (available at local shops and newspapers) can avail of a 10% discount on the first consultation. It also provides free local deliveries of pet food and a cat-only clinic on Tuesdays.
The Montgomery Clinic is headed by the husband-wife pair of Clive Munns and Jane Hopper. Both of them are ardent animal lovers and enjoy spending time with their patients. Clive was born in Surrey but grew up and studied in South Africa, returning to England in 2002 and setting up his practice. In addition to his South African degree, Clive has gained a a further qualification in small animal medicine and is currently enrolled in a Certificate of Zoological Medicine. He has worked in Kenya, Indonesia and India among other places.
His wife Jane was born in Canterbury and graduated from Cambridge University in 2002. She left private practice after four years for a full-time job as a zoo veterinarian, and is currently engaged there. Although she is a partner in the practice, she spends most of her time at the zoo but is available to consult on exotic animal cases as she has a specialist vet qualification in zoo and exotic animals. The clinic staff also includes Leah Dale, a qualified nurse, and veterinarian Colin Armstrong who works Fridays. Rosemary Munns doubles up as the receptionist and practice manager.
Ashford in Kent, famous throughout the United Kingdom for its agricultural market and once voted the fourth best place to live in in the country, has a lot going for it, not least its position of importance at the centre of five railway lines. Now, with the recent opening of the International Passenger Station, Ashford is an important European communications centre with new railway lines direct to London and the Channel Tunnel. With a population of around 60,000, the town is well served by several professional services in the area. For the pet lovers, the Barrow Hill Veterinary Hospital is one such facility.
The Barrow Hill practice has its presence at three locations in Kent, with the main centre being at Ashford. The fully-equipped hospital at Ashford is the town’s only hospital standard practice, independently inspected by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and awarded its highest classification (Tier III) for a veterinary practice. The New Romney branch has been open since 1970 and the latest branch opened in Hythe in 2006. Both of these surgeries are fully equipped to deal with routine procedures, giving customers the convenience of medical care in the proximity while at the same time providing access to the hospital for more complex cases.
The Barrow Hill Veterinary Hospital is located in a spacious, air-conditioned building with ample free parking for the customers. The hospital staff includes a large number of experienced and qualified veterinarians and nurses, all competent general practitioners but also specializing in their own areas of special interest, including all aspects of internal medicine, cardiology, radiology, soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery. The facilities are available 24X7; nurses care for the patients all through the night, vets are on call all through the night. As the hospital says with pride, “we wont send you elsewhere when you need us most”.
Other than Sunday which is kept reserved for emergency appointments, the hospital is open throughout the week for consultation. The consulting hours are as follows:
Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 12:30 PM and 2 PM to 8 PM
Saturday : 9 AM – 12:30 PM and 2 PM to 4 PM
There are certain aspects of the Barrow practice that distinguish it from other veterinary establishments. One is the spacious reception area partitioned into two segments so that cats and dogs, not the best of friends at the best of times, can wait separately before consultations. It also stocks a wide range of prescription diets for specific conditions and a selection of accessories and treats. The dedicated operating theatres constitute another distinguishing feature. Since they are used only for surgery, they can be kept in a high state of cleanliness and readiness necessary for the maintenance of a sterile environment. The highly computerized environment, which allows for the storage and retrieval of pet records at the push of buttons, is another attraction of the practice.
In a nutshell, the Barrow Hill Veterinary Hospital offers:
• 24 hour on-site emergency service
• Pet passports
• House visits during normal hours
• Same day appointments
• Evening surgeries to 8 PM five days a week
• Consultations on Saturday
• Dedicated operating facilities
• Radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy
• Fully air-conditioned hospitalisation facilities
• On site laboratory for fast results
About Peter Edgar Veterinary Surgery
Ashford, a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England, has the distinction of being voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. Home of the famous 17th century poet Richard Lovelace, the town has adopted its motto “With stronger faith” from a line in his poem “To Lucasta, Going to the Warres”. Home to around 60,000 inhabitants, the town’s pets and animal lovers are ably served by a number of competent veterinarians in the area. Peter Edgar of 20 Kennington Road, Willesborough, is one of them.
The establishment, reachable at the number 01233 610610, describes itself as “a small animal vets in Ashford, caring for cats, dogs, rabbits & reptiles. plus the occasional chicken & ducks!” Other than Sunday when it is closed, it is open every day of the week from eight in the morning to seven-thirty in the evening. The resident team has more than 20 years of veterinary and orthopaedic experience in handling animals, and is well-equipped with x-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy dentals and laboratory facilities right on site.
The practice runs special promotions from time to time. Presently, it is offering microchip with any vaccine at only £10.00, 10% off kennel cough with any vaccine and free dry eye test. Breeds like the West Highland White, the Cocker Spaniel, the Cavalier King Charles, the Shih-tzu, the Bull Dog and the Pug are especially vulnerable to the dry eye affliction. This free test can help detect this painful but treatable condition.
In the event of an emergency, Peter Edgar Veterinary Surgery advises the customer to telephone immediately to get an appointment on a priority basis. The customer should stress on the importance of the call, clarifying that the matter is not routine. The customer is requested to follow the establishment’s guidance for emergency arrangements during evenings and week-ends by calling the practice and following the instructions over the phone.
Other facilities include pet passports, acupuncture, puppy parties and weight clinics. If you want to have your cat or dog groomed, the Peter Edgar establishment offers that service as well. Grooming sessions include bathing and drying, hand scissoring, clipping, de-matting and hand stripping. There are special discounts available for three and more pets. The establishment also sells baby powder cologne, brushes, combs, toys and food at the reception. Customers have the option of obtaining free quotes on treatment over the phone or in person, and can pay with any kind of instrument, including cash, cheques, credit cards, debit cards, charge cards, etc.
The Peter Edgar Veterinary Surgery Team headed by veterinarian Peter Edgar also consists of the following individuals:
| Vivienne Chessell | Veterinarian |
| Kathy Edgar | Practice Manager |
| Tania Benson | Registered Veterinarian Nurse |
| Vicky Balinas | Registered Veterinarian Nurse |
| Nicola Roberts | Registered Veterinarian Nurse |
| Helen Lee | Trainee Nurse |
| Lisa Howard | Trainee Nurse |
| Sarah Strong | Trainee Nurse |
| Holly Wright | Trainee Nurse |
| Jan Bracey | Receptionist |
| Dawn Curd | Receptionist |
| Sheila Seager | Receptionist |
About Companion Care Vets
These lines were written by once Ashford resident Richard Lovelace who gained fame as a poet in the 17th century. Ashford then was a quaint little town surrounded by the villages Bockhanger, Kennington, Sevington, Singleton, and Willesborough. Modern Ashford in Kent has expanded to include all surrounding habitations, becoming an important market town and European communications center ideally situated at the confluence of five railway lines. Ashford’s 60,000 odd inhabitants don’t lack for any of the modern amenities of life, and this includes professional pet care and veterinary services.
Companion Care Ashford is one such establishment. Originally beginning as an independent vet network, Companion Care was bought in 2001 by the award-winning retailer Pets at Home. Since then the company has opened 50 veterinary practices, most of them within the stores themselves. Each practice is co-owned by Vet Directors, highly skilled veterinarians many of whom also have specialised areas of work. They keep in touch over the shared network of Companion Care and benefit from each others’ expertise. Moreover, customers can benefit from joint promotions run by both the businesses.
Companion Care Ashford is headed by veterinarian Cormac Higgins, ably supported by veterinarian Sharon Magnier, veterinary nurse Rebecca Fox, assistant nurses Phillipa Sherlock and Grace Davies, and receptionists Helen Buttle and Pao Shang. The practice offers the following facilities:
> 24-hour emergency service
> Fully-equipped operating theatre
> X-ray, biochemistry and haemotology
> Hospital ward and isolation unit
> Dentistry
> Insurance facilities
The establishment is open 7 days a week, with the normal working hours being:
> Monday to Friday : 9 AM to 7 PM
> Saturday : 9 AM to 6 PM
> Sunday : 10 AM to 4 PM
Companion Care Ashford offers a gamut of promotions for its customers. They are:
> Pet MOT Pass for older pets that entitles customers to a 10% discount throughout the year
> Pedigree Pass giving 10% off on Wednesdays for senior citizen customers
> Puppy and kitten packages with free Hill’s pet food, a measuring cup and a 10% off voucher from Pets at Home
> Save£Sound giving reduced drug prices for pets on long-term medications
> Special discounts for National Health Service (NHS) professionals
> £30 of Hill’s premium pet food vouchers with annual booster vaccinations
> Total Parasite Control offering free tapeworm control with every 6 pipettes of regular monthly spot on treatment
Companion Care Ashford makes a £5 donation to charity Dogs for the Disabled for any new customer. The charity trains assistance dogs to help disabled children and adults lead a fuller, more independent life. Companion Care accepts cash and all major debit/credit cards; however, cheques are not accepted.