Medical Services

One of our vets, Tyler, has undertaken further training to provide veterinary acupuncture. Alongside conventional medicine and surgery, many people are interested in alternative methods of health care and healing for themselves.

Naturally, you might be interested in this for your pet. At ICR we offer integrative veterinary medicine ­ combining acupuncture with conventional medical and surgical therapy for a variety of conditions, including arthritis and chronic joint or back pain.

Your pet’s therapy will be performed by Tyler McNeil, one of our veterinary surgeons who has successfully completed the Western Veterinary Acupuncture foundation course. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting fine needles into the body to help provide pain relief and in some cases help the body to deal with other diseases. It works by stimulating the body’s nervous system to produce natural pain relief and reset the body’s normal functioning. It can be used along­side or as a sole treatment for various painful conditions or certain diseases.

Most animals tolerate acupuncture very well. Occasionally, some individuals will react when the needles are first inserted but once they are in and the animal realises they aren’t painful they will typically relax and in some cases become sedated or sleepy. We ask that you commit to at least four sessions to allow enough time to assess whether they are responding well to the therapy. Typically, animals will be treated weekly for four weeks then the time period between sessions may be increased, depending on the patient’s response. Initial consultations last between 30 and 45 minutes and subsequent visits 15­ to 30 minutes.

Up to 70% of our cats and dogs can have dental problems, which they often hide well. These are best picked up on examination.

Due to the regularity of assessing and treating dental disease we are fully equipped to provide the treatment needed to keep your pet’s mouth healthy and comfortable.

As part of our dentistry service we take dental x­rays for every patient, descale and polish teeth, and perform any necessary extractions.

Our nurse dental clinics are a great way of having your pet’s teeth assessed. Nurses can advise on dental treatment required and also can help teach you how to prevent dental problems, both as young pets and after a treatment.

At ICR Vets we have an extensive range of diagnostic equipment depending on your pet’s needs.

Digital x-ray ensures x-rays are as clear as possible, and enables us to save files to send to experts for assessment if required. We are happy to take x-rays for the BVA Hip and Elbow Scheme if needed.

We have state of the art ultrasound scanners to look at organs in the chest and abdomen, aiding us in taking samples of lesions or fluid, as well as performing procedures such as pregnancy diagnosis (a heart-warming part of the day for us!).

Endoscopy can allow us to use a camera to look at the inside of noses, throats, lungs, stomachs and intestines if needed. Biopsy samples can be taken this way, sometimes removing the need for open surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery is a technique where a small camera is introduced into the abdomen or chest to visualise the internal organs. We use this technique to perform keyhole procedures such as spays, and also to examine organs and take biopsies, for example in pets with liver disease.

Our modern kennel facilities, diligent nursing care, and comprehensive hospitalisation plans ensure that your pet is properly cared for.

If a patient needs to stay with us, our kennel facilities ensure that our patients are as comfortable as possible with the least stress during this period. We have a quiet separate cat ward, which minimises the stress of hospitalisation for our feline patients.

All our in­patients are regularly monitored by a dedicated kennel nurse to check and ensure their comfort during their stay with us. If any patients require feeding during this period they receive high quality veterinary prescription diets, or the food they normally have at home if on a special diet.

For pets staying overnight our night vet and nurse will keep a close eye on them and are in the building all night to quickly respond to any concerns. We do have a few hours ‘lights off’ time for the non-critical patients as sleep is essential for healing, but if a patient needs constant monitoring they will receive this no matter what time of day or night.

Please note, any pet belongings and small pet carriers which are unclaimed, will be kept for one month from the date they were in the surgery. If they are not claimed, they will be given to a local pet charity.

While your pet is with us, either during a consultation or hospitalisation, you might be advised that a sample should be taken.

Often blood and urine samples are analysed in­ house meaning we use blood analysers, our microscope and our expertise to help diagnose any potential problems the very same day. We have a specially trained cytology nurse who can analyse ear and skin swabs as well as samples taken from lumps in house. If needed our specialised veterinary laboratory collect samples from us every day, meaning we get results back as quickly as possible (depending on the test required).

We offer keyhole surgery for a variety of procedures at ICR Vets. Most commonly we will use the equipment to spay our pet dogs and cats, providing a minimally invasive way of neutering with quicker recovery times and significantly reduced pain levels.

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Bone fractures and ligament injuries can be very worrying.

At ICR we have both the experience and expertise to quickly diagnose and treat orthopaedic conditions.

We regularly fix cruciate ligaments in dogs, and if your pet has the misfortune to suffer a fracture we can fix the majority of these in house without the need for referral. For more complex cases we have links with an excellent and trusted advanced orthopaedic surgeon nearby.

Veterinary surgery has come a long way over the last couple of decades and we like to ensure ICR is at the forefront, giving your pet the best chance of treatment and recovery if a complex surgery is required.

Our surgical service encompasses a whole spectrum ­ from neutering male and female pets, to surgery involving the skin, eyes, mouth, paws and all other body organs.

We offer more complex surgery for specific conditions such as Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome in breeds such as Pugs and French Bulldogs.

Abdominal surgery, giving us access to all abdominal organs, can be used for diagnostics of complicated conditions as well as treatment. A common abdominal surgery is one to remove foreign objects that have been swallowed.

Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery is a modern technique in the veterinary world to provide a minimally invasive option instead of open surgery.