We are very proud to have been awarded Silver Rabbit Friendly Practice status by the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) since 2019. This means that our vets, facilities and clinical protocols have been comprehensively assessed by the rabbit specialist vets at RWAF and that Heathfield Vets … [Read more...] about Rabbit Friendly Practice
Assessing your pet’s quality of life
All owners want their pets to have the best quality of life possible; we want them to be happy, healthy and comfortable. If you are caring for an old, severely ill or terminally ill pet you may be worrying about whether their quality of life has declined and if the time has come to say goodbye. … [Read more...] about Assessing your pet’s quality of life
Antimicrobial resistance
What are antimicrobials? 'Antimicrobials' include antibiotics, antiparasitics, antivirals and antifungals and are essential to the treatment and prevention of the spread of diseases in both animals and humans. What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)? Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability … [Read more...] about Antimicrobial resistance
Phovia Light Therapy
We are very proud to now offer Phovia light therapy at Heathfield Vets, the latest innovation in veterinary dermatology. Phovia is a clinically-proven, two-part system, comprised of a powerful LED lamp that emits a blue light that when it comes in contact with a special chromophore gel applied to … [Read more...] about Phovia Light Therapy
Anaesthesia Q & A
What is general anaesthesia? General anaesthesia (GA) is a loss of consciousness and sensation. This enables us to perform procedures on our patients without them feeling pain or moving around. There are three aims that we have for each general anaesthetic: Unconsciousness Muscle … [Read more...] about Anaesthesia Q & A
Saying Goodbye
Making the decision to say goodbye to your beloved pet is one of the most difficult decisions you will make as an owner. Euthanasia or having a pet 'put to sleep' is often the kindest way to give your pet a dignified passing, without pain and suffering. When is the right time to euthanise my … [Read more...] about Saying Goodbye
Gut Stasis
Gut or gastrointestinal stasis in rabbits is a condition where peristaltic movement (constriction and relaxation) of the gut reduces or completely stops. Bad bacteria can then build up in the gut and this makes the suffering rabbit more reluctant to eat, making the condition worse. In addition, food … [Read more...] about Gut Stasis
Rabbit Bonding
Rabbits are social animals that truly benefit from being bonded in pairs. It is important to them as they are naturally prey animals in the wild; there, they rely on each other for the creation and maintenance of underground burrows, where they spend a lot of their time hiding or socialising. Having … [Read more...] about Rabbit Bonding
Grooming
Rabbits require regular grooming to keep their coat in a good condition and reduce the risk of matting, skin problems and fly strike. As with cats, rabbits can get hairballs if they ingest too much hair. This can be reduced by removing dead hair by grooming. Lastly, regular grooming will help keep … [Read more...] about Grooming
Nutrition
Rabbits are 'hind gut fermenters' that require a fibre-heavy diet. Having this specialised digestive system has its drawbacks. It is very efficient at processing low nutrient food like grass; however, the wrong types of food can throw the digestive system off balance. Too little grass or hay … [Read more...] about Nutrition
