Keeping Your Pet Healthy
Established over 100 years ago, Blythman & Partners is one of the region’s leading veterinary practices with eight branches throughout Tyne and Wear.
As one of a limited number of recognised Veterinary Nurse Training Centres, as well as a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons accredited practice, Blythman & Partners offers the best in animal care.
Blythman and Partners offer a wide range of health checkups to ensure that your pet remains happy, healthy, and in top condition.
Best of all, some of these checks are available free of charge, please speak to a member of our team for more details.
If you’re welcoming a furry friend to the family, our free new pet checks can give you peace of mind and your pet a clean bill of health. We also hold free nursing clinics, providing tips and techniques on how to best care for your animals.
For those pets who have had to undergo surgery, we also offer free post-operative checkups, making sure that your pet is well and truly on the mend.
Keep your pet protected from a range of diseases and ailments through Blythman & Partners’ vaccination service.
We also provide a reminder service, so your pet will never miss a vaccination again!
Vaccinations help protect from many infectious diseases and at Blythman and Partners, we’ll tell you when your pet’s annual vaccination is due.
All of our Wellness Plans include annual booster vaccinations and offers are available for new puppies and kittens joining the Wellness Plan for their first vaccination.
Vaccinating your Dog
Dogs receive an annual combined injection which protects them from Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Parvo.
Puppies should have their first vaccination a from 6 weeks old followed by a second vaccine 4 weeks later, then annual vaccines thereafter.
New Dog Leptospirosis Vaccination Guidelines from December 2024
What is Leptospirosis and why should we vaccinate against it?
Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal disease caused by a type of bacteria called Leptospira, which is spread in the urine of infected animals and can live in water or soil for months. Dogs are at higher risk if they live in a farm environment, regularly kill rodents or spend time around slow moving or stagnant water (e.g. river, canals or ponds). Leptospira can enter the body through the nose, mouth or wounds and damages vital organs such as the liver and the kidneys. Leptospirosis is also zoonotic which means it can pass from dogs to humans and cause serious illness.
New Guidelines
Following newly updated World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines we are updating our canine vaccination program to include Canigen® Lepto 4 as Canigen® Lepto 2 is no longer being manufactured and as such is being phased out.
Canigen® Lepto 2 contains 2 strains of leptospire, Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae, which were historically the most common strains seen. However, with increased pet travel and dogs being imported into the UK, other strains are being increasingly seen. Canigen® Lepto 4 contains 4 strains of leptospire, Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis and Grippotyphosa. In Europe, Grippotyphosa in particular has been identified as a major cause of canine leptospirosis.
Puppies and previously unvaccinated or lapsed adult dogs
A course of 2 vaccinations will be needed alongside Canigen DHP (Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus). These will be given 28 days apart and we would recommend booking both appointments together. The first vaccination can be given anywhere from 6 weeks of age and we would encourage this to be done at the earliest opportunity to maximise socialisation of puppies. The second vaccination cannot be given before the age of 10 weeks old and there is a 3 week period following this vaccination before full immunity is achieved. We recommend your puppy does not go on the ground in public places or socialise with dogs of unknown vaccination status until that time period has passed.
If your puppy is between first and second vaccinations and has had Lepto 2 we will vaccinate with Lepto 2 for the second vaccination to ensure that there is no delay in immunity status being reached across all core vaccines. They will receive Lepto 4 at the time of their first annual booster. A second vaccination will then be given 28 days later to cover the additional Leptospirosis strains.
Adult dogs transitioning from Lepto 2 to Lepto 4
Until your dog is due for their annual vaccination you do not need to do anything. We will welcome them as usual for their annual health check with one of our veterinary surgeons and they will receive the Lepto 4 vaccination as part of their usual vaccination schedule. It will be necessary for them to have a second vaccination with Lepto 4 28 days later to give full immunity against the additional Leptospirosis strains covered. We do feel it is important to follow the most up to date scientific information and World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommendations to offer our patients the best medical and preventative healthcare available. We apologise for any inconvenience this additional visit may cause and wish to reassure you that this additional vaccination will be given free of charge.
We recognise that you may have questions regarding this update to our vaccination protocol and we welcome you to get in touch and discuss these with an experienced member of our clinical team.
Kennel cough vaccinations should also be given to protect against some strains of Bordetella and are given via a nasal vaccine squirted down your dog’s nose. This disease is contagious and airborne so we recommend that all dogs are vaccinated annually, not just the ones going into kennels.
Our Wellness Plan includes the benefit of your pet companions’ Annual Vaccinations & Health Check. Ask our team for full details.
Vaccinating your Cat
Cats receive an annual combined injection to protect them from Calici Virus and Herpes Virus (known as cat flu), Feline Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper), and Feline Leukaemia.
Kittens should receive their first vaccination at 9 weeks followed by a second vaccine at 12 weeks old, then annual vaccines thereafter.
Vaccinating your rabbit
Rabbits receive a combined annual vaccination against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic disease (VHD) and VHD2 with the first injection being given from 5 weeks old.
For more details please contact the Gosforth Surgery on 0191 2841711.
It is essential to regularly check for fleas, ticks, and worms on pets due to several reasons.
First and foremost, these parasites can cause significant health issues for both animals and humans. Fleas can transmit diseases like cat scratch fever, tapeworm infection, and flea allergy dermatitis, while ticks can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other tick-borne illnesses. Timely detection and prevention of fleas and ticks are crucial to safeguard the well-being of pets and prevent the spread of such diseases.
Additionally, flea infestations can quickly escalate and spread to other areas of the home, making it challenging to eradicate them.
Therefore, routine inspections and preventative measures such as using flea, tick & worm preventatives are necessary to ensure the health and comfort of pets and their owners
At Blythmans and Partners, we offer fleas, ticks, and worm treatment personalised for your pet. We recommend joining our popular wellness plan as this is included in the package.
For more information, CLICK HERE
Neutering can help remove the risk of various tumours and diseases including feline AIDS and prostatic disease in dogs. It can also reduce unwanted matings, unpleasant behaviours, fighting and urine marking. Female pets are spayed, while male pets are castrated.
What does neutering involve?
When your pet is neutered they will come in as a day patient. The procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic and usually, they go home later that same day.
Neutering your cat
We recommend that your pet cat is spayed or castrated from 5-6 months of age.
Neutering your dog
Pet dogs should be spayed or castrated from 6 months of age and for females ideally before their first season. If your pet has already started to have seasons or you have a large dog breed, then for advice on the best time to book your pet in.
If your dog is castrated, there is less risk of testicular tumours and prostatic disease as well as reduced aggressive behaviour. In females, spaying removes the risk of womb infection (pyometra), and unwanted matings and helps to reduce the risk of urine marking and mammary cancers.
Neutering your rabbit
At Blythman and Partners, we advise that your male pet rabbit is castrated around 3 months of age, while females should be spayed around 4 months of age. This will prevent unwanted matings and reduce the risk of aggression linked to hormones.
Members of our Wellness Plan receive 15% discount off all products and services!
Ensuring that your pet has a healthy diet and maintains an appropriate weight is crucial for their overall well-being and longevity.
To achieve this, consult with Blythman and Partners to receive guidance on your pet’s specific dietary needs based on their age, breed, size, and health condition.
Top tips are:
- to choose high-quality, balanced, and complete pet food suitable for their life stage and species.
- Control portion sizes according to feeding guidelines, adjusting as needed for activity levels.
- Limit treats, opting for healthier options, and provide regular exercise tailored to your pet’s age and breed.
- Monitor weight and body condition, seeking veterinary advice if unsure.
- Avoid feeding human food that may lead to weight gain or nutritional imbalances.
By following these steps, you can ensure your pet’s diet promotes good health and prevents weight issues.
We offer our clients free weight clinics with a Veterinary nurse!
Any questions or concerns, we are more than happy to advise how to get your pet back to a healthy weight.
Blythman and Partners offer a variety of services to keep your pets’ mouth, teeth and gums healthy.
Our treatments can help prevent periodontal disease in your dog, cat or rabbit, while professional polishing and extraction is available across our eight regional branches. Periodontal disease is a very common, preventable disease in dogs, cats and rabbits.
We provide free dental checkups at all of our branches to assess your pets oral hygiene status, offer advice or recommend treatment.
We can offer professional dental cleaning, polishing and tooth extraction at all of our branches.
The Gosforth hospital also has specialist equipment to take dental radiographs prior to dental procedures, aiding assessment, treatment and identifying abnormalities of the oral cavity that may otherwise go undetected.
Members of our Wellness Plan receive 15% discount off all products and services!
Home Visits are available at an additional cost for our registered clients when booked by prior appointment Monday – Friday, 12 -3pm. If your pet needs to be seen quickly then it is preferable to bring your pet to the surgery where we have access to all our facilities.
Please contact the surgery to discuss further.