Nurse Clinics

We have a team of qualified veterinary nurses who run clinics at Forres, Nairn and Lossiemouth surgeries. Nurses are trained to give health advice on specific conditions as follows:

Weight Clinics

Over time we may not notice our pets expanding slowly at the waistline. This can be due to many reasons including neutering, exercising less and medical reasons. Overweight pets are at risk from Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart disease and can age prematurely.

At our Weight Clinics we will give you a clear appraisel of your pet’s body condition and recommend a weight loss plan if required. Our Nursing team will be on hand to support you through this time and provide advice as you require it. The purpose of these clinics is to enable you to keep your pet healthier and active for longer - a worrying 75% of pets are overweight and classed as obese. Is your pet one of these?

Mobility Clinics

As our pets get older they may present with behaviour changes. Dogs can become slow to rise after periods of rest, reluctant to jump in the car or climb stairs and show a change in temperament. Cats may have areas on their back which look like they may have been ‘missed’ when grooming, start to urinate in odd places around the house, be reluctant to jump on furniture and become grumpy when handled.

These pets may well have a mobility problem such as Arthritis. At our clinics, a nurse will be able to identify such problems and will help by advising you on ways to make subtle changes to your daily regime that will help your pet cope with these problems. These changes can often result in being able to reduce the amount of pain relief that many pets require.

Dental Checks

Dental disease is common in dogs and cats. As they are all individuals, different animals need treatment at different frequencies. Some pets require regular dental treatments while others maybe just once in their lifetime. Factors such as diet, breed and the type of toys they play with can play a part. The accumulation of tartar on teeth can smell unpleasant for us but it can also create health issues with your pet. Tooth loss, the spread of bacteria and infection of the gums and jaw bone are all distressing and require lengthy treatment. Our nurses can examine your pet and give you a recommendation to help slow down the need for treatment. Tooth brushing, Enzymatic chews, diets or even booking in for a routine scale & polish before any of the more severe symptoms occur.

Senior Pet Checks

These clinics are designed for pets 8 years and over. The purpose of these checks is to spot any potential health problems at an early stage and to advise you on what signs to look for and what action to take. Diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease are a big worry for clients but if caught early, we can advise on diet changes and refer you to a vet so that, as a practice, we can help you and your pet cope before the disease is too advanced. Once you have made an appointment, a questionnaire will be posted out to you so that you can take your time at home to complete. We also ask that you bring in a fresh urine sample for a free urine analysis. The appointment will last approx 20 minutes. The nurse may need to refer you to a vet if she is concerned about any of your answers. We will try to ensure that you see the vet at the same time as the nurse appointment but, on some occasions, it may be necessary for you to come back to see a vet at a later date.

Post Operation Checks

These clinics are designed for a qualified nurse to examine and give advice after your pet has had an operation. These usually occur about three days after the operation. The nurse will check that the animal has recovered from the general anaesthetic, she will ask a few questions on eating, drinking and pain relief and do a clinical examination of your pet as appropriate. Dressings will be removed and any wounds checked. Depending on the outcome of the check up, a further appointment may be made, either with a nurse or with a vet, as necessary, for the removal of stitches and follow up treatment as required.

Behaviour Advice

The team of qualified veterinary nurses at MCVG are able to give advice and answer questions regarding your cat or dog’s behaviour. We can offer advice on general behavioural issues like unwanted barking, destructive behaviour, house soiling, separation anxiety and more. Some behavioural problems, as well as being a nuisance, can have an underlying health problem. Please make an appointment to speak to a nurse if you have any problems with your pet’s behaviour.

Nutritional Advice

Nutrition is very important throughout your pet’s life, from birth to senior years. Nutritional requirements change throughout life and there are different requirements between different breeds. Nurses are trained to give advice regarding which diet is most suitable for your pet’s needs. These clinics are free and will take approximately 20 minutes. The nurse will monitor weight control and advise on daily feeding requirements.

Nurses can also include advice on prescription diets. These diets are prescribed by a vet, for the specific nutritional requirements of certain illnesses and conditions, such as kidney and liver disease, food allergies and arthritis.?