Expert Vet Services in Stoke-on-Trent

Brian’s CT Scan

The first CT scan we carried out was done on Clive's dog, Brian's, nose. We found a sarcoma in his upper jaw, and successfully removed it. A CT was needed to ensure the surrounding area was in good health.

Vet CT Mouse Trap

At Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd, we have a new piece of equipment imported from the US. It allows us to investigate cats and other small species, who may be in severe respiratory or cardiovascular distress, without having to sedate or anaesthetise them first.

Dyspnoeic cats (cats struggling for breath), may have a plethora of differential diagnosis, which requires different types of medical or surgical management. It is important to find out what is wrong with these patients while stabilising them at the same time. Handling these patients, and clipping them for radiography, ultrasound examinations, or thoracocentesis can send these patients over the edge into respiratory or circulatory failure. With the 'Mouse Trap', it is possible to investigate these patients in an emergency, without causing further distress. This allows the vet and client to make informed decisions about how to proceed with the case. Examinations can be carried out while providing oxygen therapy and intravenous support.

Eye Surgery

Clive Curry, the founding vet at Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd, has a special interest in ophthalmology and experience in dealing with a wide range of ocular conditions. Clive has undertaken several post-graduate certificates in ophthalmology, in addition to investing in state-of-the-art equipment. Clive can offer a full in-house service and performs complex surgeries, including cataract surgery (phacoemulsification).

The services we can offer include:

Keyhole Surgery

At Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd, we have invested in keyhole (or laparoscopic) surgery. There is a movement within the veterinary profession towards non-invasive methods, and we want to be at the forefront of this, offering our clients the best possible service.

Keyhole surgery uses a camera inserted through a tiny hole in the abdomen and another small hole through which an instrument is introduced. Keyhole surgery has revolutionised human medicine since the early ’80s, and we feel that it is time that our animals benefited from these advances.

The main thing that we will be using keyhole surgery for is bitch spays. Our newest vet, Ted, has performed more than one hundred of these operations. He has found the surgery to be less painful for animals, meaning that your dog will be back to normal much quicker, usually by the next day. Your dog’s activity will not need to be restricted at all, compared to 10 days of rest after a conventional spay. The surgery is less invasive, as we only must remove the ovaries and not the uterus. Plus, it is safer as the surgical field is magnified, meaning that it is easier to prevent or stop bleeding.

The equipment needed to perform keyhole surgery has been very expensive to buy, so we will have to charge more compared to a traditional spay. However, for a one-off surgical procedure such as a spay, we think it is important to keep up with the latest developments in medicine.

Benefits of Keyhole Surgery

In conclusion, keyhole surgery is:

If you would like more information regarding keyhole spay, please contact our surgery. This procedure means that your bitch will be up and running the following day! At present, Ted Cutting will be carrying out this procedure at our Endon practice.

Freya Joined the Keyhole Spay Club

The good news is that with this type of spay, Freya was able to get up to her usual mischief in no time. This cut out the prolonged rest period that is required with a traditional spay and is especially great for Freya as she is so playful and full of life! After lots of cuddles from all our nurses, we reluctantly let her owners take her home.

Freya’s proud owner, Wendy Wild, was thrilled with the results. 

"She was ready to play by 9 o'clock the same night! You certainly wouldn't think she had just had an operation. No after effects at all."

If you would like any information about spaying and the different options available, please give us a call during surgery hours.

Cataract Surgery

The term “cataract” refers to opacity within the lens of the eye, which should be clear to allow clear vision. Chemical changes within the lens can cause a loss of clarity, which would first be apparent to the sufferer as a fogginess to the vision, followed by an increasing loss of vision and eventual blindness. To an observer, the lens becomes increasingly milky or blue coloured.

The removal of cataract material within the lens is known as Phacoemulsification, whereby a specialised instrument is inserted into the lens of the eye. It combines ultrasonic energy with flushing saline and suction, to break down and remove the old lens material. A new plastic lens is then inserted into the lens capsule, the eye is flushed, and the corneal incision is sutured closed. This surgery must be undertaken with an operating microscope and requires large amounts of specialist equipment, surgeon training, and experience.

The post-operative care is very involved for patients, as often the eye undergoes a period of glaucoma, or high-pressure within the eye, which can lead to loss of vision. Patients often require lifelong anti-inflammatory eye-drops. We have offered this procedure for cataract sufferers at the practice for the last 5 years. We are happy to discuss expectations and outcomes with any client. As we are a general practice, we endeavour to provide a high standard of care at a reasonable price, which can restore sight to otherwise blind animals.

At Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd, we constantly invest in training and equipment to keep our service up to date. Founding vet, Clive Curry, currently performs our cataract operations and holds post-graduate certificates in the field of veterinary ophthalmology. We have specially trained ophthalmic nurses, Lisa Hawkins RVN (who is currently undertaking a modular course in ophthalmology), and Nicole Leighton RVN, who regularly assist Clive with his ophthalmic surgeries. Clive also undertakes cataract surgeries in other practices, nationally.

Cat-Friendly Clinic

We are proud to announce that Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd has recently received Bronze Cat-Friendly Clinic status at our Endon branch. This is a scheme run by the International Society of Feline Medicine (the veterinary division of International Cat Care), to help veterinary practices cater to the unique needs of cats. We aim to provide an excellent standard of care to all our feline patients, whilst also adhering to the principles of the scheme.

One of the main aims of the scheme is to reduce any stress that cats may experience during a visit to the vets. We vow to handle cats with gentleness and respect, to minimise fear and anxiety during handing, examination, and procedures. We also ensure that cats that need to stay with us in the clinic are hospitalised in a cat-friendly environment.

Plus, we can offer cat-only appointments for nervous cats. If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact the surgery and speak to our Cat-Friendly Advocate, Janet Carroll. Alternatively, please visit www.icatcare.org to find out more.

Janet is our Cat Advocate for the ISFM Cat-Friendly Clinic scheme, ensuring that all cat's needs are met by the practice. We are proud to have a nurse with the ISFM DipFN qualification in our nursing team, and we're sure that our feline patients will appreciate her skills and expertise.

Bringing Your Cat to the Practice

By nature, cats are independent, territorial animals that need to be in control of their surroundings. They are sensitive to different smells, sounds, and sights. All these different senses can make bringing your feline friend to the practice a very stressful experience.

Tips to help reduce stress can include:

When travelling, avoid loud noises such as the radio. Cover the carrier with a blanket or towel during the journey to make them feel calmer. Secure the carrier in the footwell, so that it isn’t likely to move, or hold the carrier carefully and securely to avoid swinging. Finally, take your cat to a veterinary practice that has been recognised as Cat-Friendly, like Willow Veterinary Clinic Ltd.

Arthritis in Cats

Until relatively recently, arthritis in cats was not commonly recognised or treated. Cats are masters at disguising pain, due to their natural survival instinct. However, a recent study showed that 90% of cats, over 12 years of age, had some form of arthritis.

How to tell if your cat is affected:

If you suspect your cat could be arthritic, they must have a full check by a veterinary surgeon, so that treatment and medication can begin.

To help at home:

Introducing Our New Cat-Friendly Ward

We have recently finished our brand-new cat ward in our Endon practice. This is a room that has been designed following the ISFM feline-friendly guidelines, to provide the very best accommodation and stress-free environment for our feline patients.

We have spacious kennels, allowing plenty of room to keep the sleeping, litter, and food/water areas separate. For long-stay patients, we can open a ‘cat flap’ between the kennels, providing double the amount of space. The fronts are made with tinted glass, allowing the patients to watch the goings-on without looking through bars. With the rest of the kennel made from a specialised plastic, this keeps them warmer and without any reflections, which can cause stress.

We have also recently purchased some ‘cat hides’ that allow our patients to hide under them or sit on top, helping them to feel secure and safe.

Not only is this room used for accommodation, but we also take blood samples, perform full clinical examinations, take blood pressures, and take temperatures solely in this room. This also helps our feline patients stay calm and relaxed, as they are kept in one location instead of being moved from room to room.

We understand the importance of providing the best possible care, and we’re always striving to improve our facilities to achieve this.

For help or advice with any feline problems, we provide feline nurse clinics with our cat-friendly nurse, Janet. Please ring the surgery to book an appointment.

Need Help?

Our team can help you with queries regarding our vet services and cat-friendly clinic.