Dovecote Veterinary Hospital

🚀 FIREWORK SEASON IS ALMOST HERE 🚀
Many dogs and cats can be scared of the loud bangs and even the smell of fireworks so putting your pets needs first is a must 😍 Make sure there is a safe place where your pets can go if they are worried and anxious and plenty of distractions to help take their minds off the noise 😀 Don't forget any pets who live outdoors they can also become scared so bringing them indoors for a nice cosy warm evening may be a brilliant idea. ... There are many different calming remedies available at the practice to help over this stressful period and anyone seeking advice about these or any other advice regarding the firework season may contact the practice during our opening hours Monday to Friday 9am until 6.30pm and Saturday morning 9.30am until 11am
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Most people think all we do is cuddle puppies all day well this week we have 😍😍
Heres Maverick a 6month old GSD puppy who broke his femur he's been a star patient and a gentle giant with all the staff
Ozzie the pug whose been a poorly boy but is now back to doing typical pug zoomies around the kennels 🤣🤣
... And finally Betsie who also had a broken leg but at the tibia 😭 she enjoyed nothing more than being snuggled up with one of the nurses 😍😍😍
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🐈🐈🐶🐶Our dermatologist Kate sees many itchy patients and this is commonly due to allergies. These allergies can be very mild or severe resulting in hair loss and very unhappy pets. IDAT ( intradermal allergy testing ) is a series of allergens which are injected alongside a control within the layers of the skin. Once the allergens are injected they are left to develop then measured against the control. If they are larger than the control or looking red and angry this indicated what the patient is sensitive or allergic too 🐶🐶🐈🐈

😍😍🐶🐶This absolutely beauty is Amber, she decided she wanted to help the receptionists today when she came for a socialisation visit. She also practiced sitting on the scales like a good girl to get her used to it for future visits. 🐶🐶😍😍
Many animals don't like their vist to the vets so positive association with the staff is a great idea 😀 Nurse clinics are a great way to help and for clients to ask for advice on issues such as weight, nutrition or socialization of young animals.

URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! currently at priory veterinary hospital in Beeston if you think this is your cat please call 0115 9430898

Every one meet Thomas our new resident neurologist 😀 Thomas graduated from Nottingham university in 2016 were he then went on to complete and internship at the university of Saskatchewan in Canada and then a neurology internship at the animal health trust. He has a very keen interest in the management of epileptic seizures as well as inflammatory and neuromuscular conditions. In his spare time he loves to spend time travelling and spending quality time with his family and friends. Thomas is fitting in well with the ever growing Dovecote family and we wish him all the luck with his residency 😀😀

We had a lovey visit from Budley the Newfoundland today. He popped into the surgery to visit Carol to have some Physio.

We have had 2 very special patients this week at dovecote meet Ivor ( black lab ) and Calley ( golden lab ) these absolutely cuties are guide dogs 😍 they both came to see our soft tissue surgeon Rob
Ivor is only a baby at just over a year old he came to us for portosystemic shunt surgery. This is because his portal vein partially bypasses his liver causing a shunt and this made Ivor very poorly but as you can see he's bounced back after the surgery and is back to being a bouncy happy puppy 😀
Calley is an older girl at 8 years old she came to us to have some lumps removed from her side 😀 she is a little less lively and enjoys her naps and cuddles 😍

The Dovecote team would like to wish Andrew & Alison a very happy retirement! After 36 years it is definitely time to sit back and enjoy yourselves! The practice will not be the same without you!

This lovely cat was found in castle donington yesterday evening on breedon on the hill and was taken to priory veterinary group does Any one recognise this kitty ? 🐈🐈

👨‍⚕️Castle Doningtons answer to the supervet Mark Lowrie has only gone and won the award for the favourite associate staff member voted for by the students of Nottingham vet school 😀 huge congratulations well deserved 👨‍⚕️ #legendlowrie 🎉🎉🎈🎈

Another great service provided by our physiotherapist Carol is the laser therapy treatment which is used to help eleviate pain through reducing inflammation. The laser therapy can also be very useful for wound healing. Carol may suggest to use such equipment in your physiotherapy sessions so here is a few photos of it in action 😀

As many of our patients at Dovecote Veterinary Hospital require further rehabilitation when discharged from our hospital we are really pleased that we can provide this service with our practice physiotherapy Carol. Carol offers appointments on a Tuesday, Thursday evening and a Friday. Here is a video of one of our regular water babies Schlooby using the hydroptherapy tank to make the most of the water assisting him to get back on his feet 😀 As he is very vocal when in the tank we provide him with a ball to keep him entertained 🤣 🐶🐶🐶

This little cutie is called Oscar, he has been visiting us to have some imaging done today.... Think somebody enjoyed his dinner!

Just look at that face 😍😍 this adorable puppy is Teddy who came to see us yesterday with an instability in his carpus causing his paw to turn slightly outwards 🙁 Teddy had a general anaesthetic to CT and Xray the joint to check there was no damage and then a cast placed over the joint to help support it when walking He was an absolute dream patient who lapped up all the cuddles from the nurses, cos let's face it he recieved plenty of them 😍🐶

🐶🐶 Say hello to the handsome Bear 🐶🐶
He stole the hearts of all the nurses when he came in for his cruciate surgery yesterday such a gentle giant and took everything in his stride 😍
Bear had TPLO surgery (Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy) this is a surgery to stabilise the stifle joint following the rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament.
... The surgery went well for Bear and fingers crossed for a speedy recovery 😀
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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOGS SAFE IN THIS HEAT !!!!
As the temperature is rising make sure your dogs are cool, plenty of water and limited exercise When out walking make sure there is plenty of shade and water for your dogs as their temperatures rise very quickly just 1 degree over normal can be fatal 😭😭😭 Make sure the ground isn't too warm for your furbabies feet 😀

Budley came in to see us because he had started to have difficulty in walking in that he would collapse occasionally on his right front and back legs. On examination we had concern that he had a problem with his spinal cord in the neck and an MRI scan confirmed he had wobbler syndrome. Wobbler syndrome, also known as Cervical spondylomyelopathy ( CSM ), can happen in young and old large or giant breed dogs. CSM can be due to disc compression or due to an overgrowth of the bon...e. Budleys wobblers was caused by the overgrowth of the bone between the 5th/6th and the 7th/8th cervical vertebrae. Budley had surgery to remove this bony growth this surgery was called a hemilaminectomy. This surgery can cause a lot of swelling post surgery from fluid build up so drains were put in Budleys wounds to stop this swelling they worked wonders and after 2 days these were removed. Budley was an absolute star patient and he was so willing to get up and out so with lots physio and plenty of TLC Budley was able to go home after 3 days 😀 We all wish him all the best such a handsome boy with lots of love to give 😍😍
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Whole team were welcoming and made myself and my cat feel very comfortable! Mark Lowrie is fantastic!! Thank you for coping with me as a worried owner!

Took my 6yr old lab in yesterday for CT Scan and they performed an arthroscopy straight away after finding a small bone spur on his front elbow. Hopefully he’ll be bounding around again in a few weeks time �

The staff were lovely, caring and patient and kind (he has a few stress issues - hates slippy floors) and kept me well informed throughout the day. Lovely hospital - thank you for making it a little less stressful xx

Savaloy arrived at Dovcote at 10am yesterday after a referral from my own vets, regarding a luxating patellar and a bow in her legs! It was my understanding that she required a CT scan and surgery would be performed! After the initial consultation with Andrew, he didn’t believe Savaloy needed surgery but would perform a CT scan and take it from there.

After along wait and playing eye spy in the car for 6 hours it was finally time to collect my baby! Andrew shared his knowledge and experience and went through everything, using the CT scans and joint replicas.

Surgery wasn’t needed (at this stage) ..... my own vet was all for invasive surgery!



Finally I had a detailed explanation of Savaloy’s condition by a man who had Savaloy’s health and well-being as priority, not by a practice that just saw £££££ signs!



The only slight disappointment I had was that I had to wait 20 minutes after my arranged appointment to see Andrew, which is no biggie but at the time when you’ve waited six hours another 20 minutes was a lifetime!



I would highly recommend this practice, not because Andrew told me no surgery was required but because Savaloy was priority and not money!

The knowledge shared was clear, precise and in a language I could understand!



Thank you to the team at Dovecote for taking care of my world yesterday!

Our 1st visit today, we were made to feel welcome and our appointment was informative. And thorough and all options were explained. Our puppy George had a CT scan, MRI and Spinal tap. He was well looked after and we were able to take him home the same day. Thank you for making our visit not a scary experience. No doubt we will be back several more times.

My puppy Elsa was referred to Dovecote's last May after going lame, at our first appointment we left her to have X-rays on her hip and spine area we were then given the bad news that she had severe hip dysphasia in both hips the worse that our local vets had ever seen in a puppy so young. I then had to make a decision on whether or not to have the surgery. I was told that if I decided on complete hip replacement i had to be sit until Elsa had grown some more and was a year old. In October 2016 Andrew Robinson and his team replaced her first hip and we carefully nursed her back to health it was a complete success. In March of this year she went in for her second hip replacement, this was a more difficult operation and Elsa was very poorly afterwards and for 5 days she just lay down not wanting to move. Which is totally out of character, she finally picked up and has today been for her 3 week check up and Andrew is very pleased with the results of her operation, she is going back in May for post operative X-rays and will then hopefully be discharged. I cannot thank Andrew Robinson and his team enough for all their hard work, care and compassion love king after my beautiful fur baby and giving her the opportunity to live a happy pain free life.

My miniature dachshund Schlooby was referred to Dovecote’s after he suddenly lost the use of his back legs. Mark looked after us and performed the surgery to remove Schlooby’s herniated disc and I can’t thank him enough for his hard work, it’s a long way to go yet with recovery but without Mark it could have been a different story. I received regular updates of Schlooby’s progress whilst he was staying in the hospital which helped keep my mind at ease as I was worried sick! Mark and the rest of the team are worth their weight in gold for the work they do, Dovecote’s is Castle Donington’s very own supervet!

My dog was referred from my vets due to sudden onset of jerking movements. It is expensive but worth every penny. Sergio was the neurologist that saw my dog and it was apparent straight away how much he cared. He and the team looked after and provided the most excellent care. I can not recommend them enough and saying thank you doesn’t seem enough xx

My beloved pooch Scooby was referred to Dovecote in March We found him completely off his legs late one night and was rushed into Chine House with suspected stroke. He was then referred in the morning to Andrew where he had a MRI scan which showed his spinal cord had leaked fluid After 5 nights in the brilliant care of this hospital we decided to bring him home as Scooby was very upset where he made great recovery and started to walk after 10 days I can not thank enough Andrew and his team for their outstanding care. I can happily report that Scooby is once again running around my pub garden with his brother & sister.

Last Friday I had to bring Roxy in for emergency treatment as she had been attacked by another dog whilst out walking. Im pleased to say that she has recovered well, thanks to all your help in putting her back together. I'm taking Roxy to have her staples out today at her own vets. So again thank you so very much, you were all so kind in her and mine, hour of need. ♡

Jarvis our 4 year old Cocker Spaniel has just been discharged today following his review after spinal surgery (his second operation last time in Liverpool who are also excellent but not good journey wise particularly in winter ) . Dovecote have been fantastic ,Sergio the neurologist has the patience of a saint ( our dog is particularly challenging) . Grateful thanks to all the team at Dovecote for all your care and support in getting Jarvis back on his feet .

I was referred to Dovecotes when my cat, MinnieMinx, needed to have her ear canal removed due to persistent and repeated, anti-biotic resistant infections. First visit was for a CT scan and biopsy, the results of which came back negative for cancer, thankfully. The op was scheduled with Rob, she had an overnight stay and we picked her up the next evening. She had to wear the collar until the stitches were removed and she coped surprisingly well. I'd expected her to be unhappy about it and the fact she couldn't go out. Her stitches were removed by our vet and she's recovered well. Thankyou.

I was referred to Dovecotes when my Labradoodle lost the ability to move his rear legs all of a sudden and was rapidly going down hill as it progressed through his body. Mark assessed him immediately and gave me the diagnosis of Idiopathic Polyradiculoneuritis and so was hospitalised straight away whilst he fought for his life. 5 days later I was lucky enough to collect Dexter to start his recovery to walk again. I cannot thank the Team enough with special mentions to both Mark and Becky who kept me updated at all times, you saved Dexters life and for that I feel extremely lucky and privileged. I could not recommend highly enough. Thank you

I can't thank all the staff at Dovecote enough...our lovely Freddie, a Cross Bichon, was admitted last Friday with GME....After being in isolation and on Chemotherapy, medication and lots of TLC he has now returned home and is doing so well at the moment...a special thank you to all the veterinary nurses who looked after Freddie and kept me well informed of Freddie's progress daily and to Mike the vet who has been marvellous... We really thought we were going to lose him at one point as he seemed so poorly ....you all do a fantastic job and would recommend Dovecote any day x

From when we first arrived for a consultation with Mark we felt very comfortable that our dog Ralph was in safe hands he made us aware of everything that would be done and was in constant contact with us at every point he said he would be, received a phone call after Ralph’s mri scan with results and how he was doing and then a phone call again after his surgery both times from Mark himself

From the moment we walked in the door we felt at home. The receptionists were welcoming & made us feel at ease even though we were nervous as anything. Mike Targett was brilliant & we felt relaxed straight away. Thank you to all the staff, we are extremely grateful for you looking after Scruffers whilst he had his MRI. Money well spent. We look forward to our ongoing relationship :)

Bailey our chocolate lab was referred to Dovecote Veterinary Hospital after having two seizures. Looked after by Mike Targett we cannot thank them enough for their care and expertise. He helped us feel at ease with the situation. Mike took as much time as we needed to explain procedures and potential outcomes etc. 100% would recommend Dovecote to anyone needing investigations and treatment for their loved furry ones. The centre itself is clean and bright, with welcoming staff. Thank you! �

An absolutely fantastic veterinary hospital!



We were recommended Dovecote by our local vet when our labrador Jack ruptured his CCL. He had TPLO surgery with Bruce, and after a long 8 weeks of rest he had his follow up X-ray today and has been discharged as the operation has been successful. The whole experience from start to finish in this difficult time for us has been made as easy and as comfortable as it could be for Jack by Dovecote. They have repeatedly been more than helpful and friendly with us and Bruce has put up with my 1000 questions in a very patient and informative manner! I hope we don't have to see you soon.... but if we do I know we would be in the best possible care! Thank you from all of us! X

After having a horrible time with my local vet, I was told there was only one operation for my 15 week old chihuahua (external plates) for his broken leg, which would probably not work and would then they would need to amputate, I brought him to dovecotes for a second opinion and a better chance, they have done a completely different operation (internal screws and plate), I can not thank them enough as pablo means everything to me, the operation went well and he now has 8 weeks of recovery, couldn't ask for a more friendly loving practice, thank you to all the staff who have looked after him and a big thank you to Bruce who operated on him ����������

After fearing the worst when my parson Russell terrier went completely off his legs I'm now over the moon that the surgery and treatment that Robbie received means he is making wonderful progress. Thanks to everyone involved in his care. I reall can't thank Andrew and all the staff enough