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Veterinary surgeons in South Derbyshire
This list is not exhaustive, and inclusion on it does not imply recommendation by South Derbyshire District Council.
Beech Veterinary Surgery
41 Beech Avenue
Willington
Tel: 01283 704768
Cooper and Partners
95 High Street
Repton
Tel: 01283 704067
(Surgeries in Tutbury and Uttoxeter)
D C Woodward
3 Burton Road
Woodville
Tel: 01283 210858
(Main surgery in Ashby-De-La-Zouch, branch surgery in Measham)
S J Mckay
Waterloo House
West Street
Swadlincote
Tel: 01283 213707
Castle Farm
Castle Street
Melbourne
Tel: 01332 863732
(Surgery in Ashby-De-La-Zouch)
Other veterinary surgeons in the surrounding area
Springwood Veterinary Group
90 Spring Terrace Road
Stapenhill
Tel: 01283 568162
(Branch surgeries in Stretton and Barton-Under-Needwood)
Jamie Winstone
30 Horninglow Road North
Burton On Trent
Tel: 01283 541608
The Veterinary Centre
2-4 Curzon Street
Burton On Trent
Tel: 01283 535040
(Surgery at Yoxall)
Cockburns Veterinary Group
London Road
Coalville
Tel: 01530 836654
Pet Passports
The lives of many pet owners changed in the year 2000 with the long-awaited reformation of British quarantine laws.
After years of campaigning by the RSPCA, together with Passports for Pets and Vets in Support of Change, the Government has decided to introduce pet passports - a new system for many dogs and cats coming into the UK.
A pilot scheme was launched in February 2000 and the full scheme will be implemented about a year later. The compulsory six months in solitary confinement will be a thing of the past as certain animals will be able to travel to and from the UK with their owners.
Which animals?
The pilot scheme allows dogs and cats with pet passports to travel to and from the UK from western Europe only. Your veterinary surgeon (vet) will be able to provide advice.
Entering the UK
The pilot scheme allows you to bring cats and dogs with pet passports into the UK via the following registered ports:
- Heathrow
- Dover / Folkestone
- Portsmouth
- Eurotunnel
Taking your pet on holiday
To qualify for exemption from quarantine, cats and dogs entering the UK from abroad must have a pet passport. To get a pet passport they must have been:
- microchipped
- vaccinated against rabies and blood-tested to ensure the vaccine has worked
- treated against ticks and parasites before returning to the UK
- resident in a qualifying country for six months
Microchipping
Your pet must be fitted with a microchip to identify it. There is no specific microchip that must be used, however the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) strongly recommends fitting one that conforms to ISO specification 11784, or to annex A to 11785.
If your pet has a microchip which does not conform to ISO specifications, the person responsible for it must provide a - compatible reader to enable officials to scan the microchip. Some older models of microchip may be acceptable - contact MAFF for advice.
A microchip must be fitted before the animal is vaccinated to enable the veterinary surgeon (vet) undertaking the vaccination to record the microchip number and other details - including the animal's age - on the record of vaccination.
Vaccination
The animal must be at least 12 weeks old before it is vaccinated. It can be vaccinated any time after the microchip has been fitted.
After vaccination the animal must be blood-tested to show it has a sufficient level of rabies antibodies. This blood test be carried out at one of 11 government-approved A list is available from MAFF.
The ideal time to carry out this blood test is 30 days after vaccination.
Even if your animal has already been vaccinated against rabies. if it is not microchipped or there is no record of the microchip number on the vaccination record, it must be microchipped then re-vaccinated.
Consult your vet for information on the use and number of vaccines and the timing of blood tests.
Parasite and tick treatment
Any animal coming into the UK must get a health certificate issued by an authorized vet 24-48 hours before beginning the journey back to this country. At the same time the vet must treat the animal for ticks and tapeworms with an authorized drug.
This veterinary health check is extremely important because there are some parasites, picked up by animals, that are to humans.
What about travel arrangements for my pet?
- Always check with the travel agent/tour operator to make your pets can be accommodated during your and at your destination. During the pilot scheme, pre-booking on boats and trains will be essential.
- Travelling with your pet - points to remember
- Don't leave your pet in a vehicle on a warm day
- If your pet is prone to travel sickness or anxiety contact your vet before setting out, who will prescribe medication
- Keep your dog on a lead at all times when in public places
- Make provisions for the temperature change in other countries
- Quarantine will still be necessary for all animals coming into the UK from many countries in North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe
- The Government estimates a pet passport will cost around £200 -around ten percent of the cost of paying for quarantine. In addition, travel operators are likely to charge pet owners a premium.
- For more information on pet passports, contact the RSPCA
You and your dog
Here are a few suggestions to ensure you develop the right kind of relationship with your dog and get things off to a good start.
- A dog is a pack animal and regards everyone in the home as part of the pack, animals and humans alike, so it is important that your new pet learns his place in the pecking order. If he (or she) does not, then he will become confused and strain the start of a lifelong friendship.
- The best place for your dog in his new pack is at the bottom of the pecking order, ie all humans (including children) are the boss or the 'top dog' in your pet's eyes. This state of affairs is quite easy to achieve as long as you follow these golden rules:
- Ground rules need to be implemented straight away otherwise your dog will only obey instructions when he wants to and ignore them if he does not like the idea. Worse still, a dominant dog can respond with aggression when forced to do something he does not want to do. Always ensure your dog sleeps on the floor or in his own bed, never on the furniture or the bed you sleep in. Ideally, place the bed in an area where the dog can rest undisturbed. If your dog refuses to get off the furniture when told, make sure he wears a house-line or lead when you are able to supervise him. This enables you to pull the dog down off the furniture without risk to yourself.
- When feeding your dog, always ensure he is fed after everyone else. In your dog's eyes, whoever eats first is the top dog, so if he always has to wait until you have eaten, he will always look to you as the boss. If this is impractical, vary the times that you feed your dog, but always sit down and eat something in front of your dog first. This can be as little as a biscuit. Following this rule will make the dog less inclined to beg at the table as well. Feeding time is also a good time for basic training; make them sit before getting the food, leading on to making them wait until told when to eat, is all good obedience training. In a household with young children, it is often helpful to let the children feed the dog as this will increase their social standing in the dog's eyes making the dog behave better with the children.
- A dog will play games for fun, but he will also learn from games who is the strongest. To a dog, whoever wins is the dominant or top dog. The most important game to win is any tug of war with an object -direct trial of strength. Any toy used in games must be back in the owner's hand at the end of the play. If not, the dog will read the score as a canine victory, and behave accordingly. Avoid at all times wrestling with your dog, as he will invariably beat you, and it tends to make them aggressive.
- Many dogs will become very excitable when introduced into a new home, while some will be quite scared at the sudden change. To help your pet adjust to his new surroundings, encourage your pet to be calm and relaxed; do not force a frightened dog to do something against his will, gently coax him instead. If the dog is too excitable, speak calmly, and if that does not help, give him no attention for a while, this will have the calming effect desired.
- Never leave your dog unsupervised with small children - even if he appears to be of sound temperament. Keep your dog on the lead for at least the first week, and especially keep him under control in public. When you let him off the lead for the first time, do so in an enclosed space so that if he will not return when you call him, he cannot run away or be injured and must eventually return to you. Never punish your dog for running off and always reward him for coming to you, no matter how long he takes.
- No doubt our new four footed friend will occasionally be responsible for various misdemeanours that are unacceptable to us. For any dog, the most effective punishment is to ignore the dog completely. Physical punishment will generally make your new dog frightened of you and may even encourage him to be aggressive. Your dog will never set out to deliberately annoy you, so try not to get angry at him. It is more effective to consistently reward good behaviour than punish 'bad' behaviour.
- When leaving your dog unattended at home, it is often best to put the dog in a fairly indestructible environment in case of separation anxiety. Do not make a big fuss before leaving, as it will only excite the dog; it is better to ignore the dog for a couple of minutes before departure. On return, be a little aloof with the dog for a few minutes before fussing over him or her. This will teach our canine friend that attention is only given when you decide, and not when you return home. It will help to calm the dog as the time for your return approaches.
If you follow these rules, your dog will be a joy to own, and he will be happier, as he has a clear message from you as to who is the boss.
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