Services

Our five wards are centrally heated day and night. All pets are given soft Vetbeds to lie on and receive personal nursing care. Cats and rabbits have their own separate wards, as we understand that they can be worried by noise and the presence of dogs. We have large kennels for giant breeds and incubators and warm air beds for small and intensive care patients. Pheromone diffusers are used constantly to provide a calm atmosphere. We are an accredited and inspected RCVS Hospital, meaning that our standard of care meets the requirements of our regulatory body at the highest level.  Nursing staff are on the premises at all times.

You are very welcome to visit your pet and discuss progress as often as you wish, and we will make every effort to make your pet’s stay as comfortable as possible. We understand how worrying it is to leave your pet, so do ask any questions as they arise and let us know of your pets’ likes and dislikes.

Many rescue centres will have a lost/found database, where they can register your details and keep them in case a match is found. Some local centres are listed below, or try an online search engine, ask around, look in local newspapers for alternative options.

RSPCA Eau Brink, King’s Lynn

• 01553 618889
• Open 11am-3pm daily, closed Wednesdays

RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre, March

• 0300 123 0726
• Open every day 11am-3:30pm

Cats Protection, Downham Market

• 01366 382311
• Open 11am-3pm, closed Tuesdays

Dogs Trust, Snetterton

• 0303 003 0000
• Phone lines open every day between 8:30am-5pm

Pets Reunited

https://www.petsreunited.com

Offer free registration and have a huge online database where you can register your lost pet, as well as search through the ‘found’ pets listed in your area. They will also generate and email you a ‘lost’ poster, for free, that you can print and pin up around your local area.

Animal Search UK

https://animalsearchuk.co.uk

Offer free registration and have a huge online database where you can register your lost pet, as well as search through the ‘found’ pets listed in your area. They will also notify you with new updates in your area regarding lost/found pets.

*Consultations are by appointment, to reduce waiting times and stress to our patients. Sick patients are always seen the same day, and we have no waiting lists for any procedures. Surgery times are 8.30am – 6.30pm Monday-Friday and 8.00am-12:30pm Saturdays

Click here for more about Cat Friendly Practice.

A lower re-examination fee for the same condition applies for 8 weeks following the first consultation.

Our Pet Health Club offers you huge savings across the year, to keep your pet and your finances in tip-top condition. For more information on the savings and benefit’s speak to a member of our team today, or visit our Pet Health Club page.

* Missed Appointments - We reserve the right to apply a charge for part or all of any missed appointments where we do not receive advance notice that you are unable to attend. 

This will place a ‘red-flag’ on your pet’s microchip record, meaning anyone that searches the microchip number such as a vet or dog-warden can see that he/she has been reported as lost.

This will stop someone being able to try and change the details on your pets’ microchip while they are lost.

This is also a good opportunity to ensure your contact details are up to date should someone find your pet and try to contact you.

Some common UK microchip databases and their telephone numbers are listed below:

• PetLog- 01296 336579
• PETrac - 0800 652 8977
• Identibase - 01904 487600
• PetIdentity UK - 0800 975 1960
• SmartTrace - 01208 420999
• National Veterinary Database - 0330 123 9924
• Protected Pet - 0844 414 2262
• Animal Tracker - 01279 219777

​P​lease also remember to update them if your pet becomes found again.

We are very proud of our dental facilities, which mean we can easily x-ray your pet’s mouth before and after procedures for a thorough assessment of the teeth, as recommended by veterinary dental specialists.  Often, pets have hidden areas of infection, tooth root loss or damage to the base of the tooth (neck lesions) which may be impossible to see without an X-ray.

Pain relief and comfort are paramount, we use dental nerve blocks to make our patients as comfortable and painless as we can.  All of our patients will need a general anaesthetic for dental extractions and scaling, we use the same monitoring that we use in theatre for maximum safety.

Keeping your pet’s mouth healthy is an important part of general health care, as well as keeping their breath sweet!  Our qualified Vet Nurses will demonstrate the importance of regular brushing and help you with how to brush, what to use and the best food and treats to maintain healthy teeth. They also offer regular dental checks, and we sell everything here that you need.  Book an appointment and make your pet smile!

You can save 10% on dentistry simply by joining our Pet Health Club. Click here to find out more.

Getting to the bottom of your pet’s problem quickly is vital at any time of day or night.  Our diagnostic lab upstairs has a range of advanced equipment for blood testing. We are able to examine your pets' blood cells, look for markers of medical problems such as kidney and liver disease and measure blood gases and ionised calcium, important for critical care and cancer patients. 

We frequently perform cytology examinations which helps us plan surgical treatment. Small needle samples can often be taken which we scan in-house with our cytology scanner, allowing us to identify anomalies before surgical intervention. We have the option to access expert veterinary consultants around the world to obtain fast reports on specialised cases for our critical patients.

Urine tests are offered free at booster vaccination, we can also look at skin, hair and faecal samples.

We use externally validated quality assurance systems to quality control our machines, keeping them in tip-top condition to aid the treatment of your pet. 

Our Pet Health Club offers you huge savings across the year, to keep your pet and your finances in tip-top condition. Click here to see what you could save.

Call us on 01553 771457 to file a ‘lost report’ with a member of our friendly team. This will be kept on our system for 3 months to check against should we have any ‘found’ pets brought in to the practice.

If your pet has been injured or taken ill, they may have been taken to a local vet so it is always worth giving any in the area a call.

Check local social media groups as these can be a valuable source of possible sightings and spread the word about your missing pet.

Share on social media sites.

Put up posters in shops, pubs, vets, notice boards, etc in the area local to where your pet went missing. Remember to put them in plastic sleeves so they are protected from the rain.

As mentioned previously, PetsReunited will create a poster free of charge after you register your pet on their site. Battersea Dog and Cat rescue have a link on their website to create a ‘missing poster’ that you can print as many times as you like.

We are happy to visit pets at home, but we cannot bring all our surgery equipment with us, and some patients are more difficult to handle at home as they are protecting you. If transport is a problem, we have a list of taxi companies willing to transport pets. Please contact us for more information. If you do need a visit, please book it before 9:30 am.

From the age of 7 onwards, our pets begin to age and this is when they can develop all sorts of health issues, such as

• Kidney or liver disease
• Canine dementia
• Dental problems
• Arthritis
• Raised cholesterol levels

In our Golden Oldies Health and Wellness Clinic you will receive a 30 minute consultation with one of our Registered Veterinary Nurses, this will include:

• A dental check
• Advice on feeding, joint supplements and dental care
• You will benefit from reduced cost diagnostic tests – including geriatric blood screen, thyroid screen (cats), blood pressure and urine analysis
• Our nurse will also interpret your answers from the senior pet questionnaire below
• An opportunity to talk about any concerns you may have for your pet

This is a preventative health care consultation.  If your pet is unwell, please make an appointment with one of our veterinary surgeons.

Before your visit, complete and submit our cat or dog questionnaire ready for interpretation.

We offer a 10% discount on all geriatric screening to members of our Pet Health Club. Click here to find out more.

Ensure to check, and check again, areas around the home that they could be hiding.

Search areas you would normally take your pet for a walk, or if you’ve moved house ask around your old address.

Take items from home with you as they will carry a familiar scent, and these or sounds (squeakers from toys/whistles) may entice your pet out from it’s hiding place.

Food can be used to encourage your pet to come to you.

Ask your neighbours to check sheds/garages and other outbuildings in case your pet has become trapped. If there are local building sites or workers, ask them to have a look around also.

If you suspect your pet has been stolen, report it to the police on a non-emergency line.

Our Consulting Nurses are all qualified and registered experienced vet nurses. Telephone for an appointment to see them – they will give you the most up to date advice for your pet. Seeing one of the nurses is a great way to ensure your new pet, or faithful companion is in top condition, they are a fountain of knowledge on lifestyle advice.

The following clinic appointments are free of charge:

• Advice before choosing a new pet
• New puppy and kitten checks and advice
• Monthly puppy and kitten development and weight checks
• Pet Nutrition

To find out more about our Clinics, simply click here.

Operations are performed under strict sterile conditions in theatre, with full monitoring by a professional nurse during the operation and recovery period. Modern anaesthetics are very safe, but we offer blood tests before surgery to detect any problems which may increase the anaesthetic risk.

We also perform keyhole (laparoscopy) surgery, and we are delighted to offer this gold standard option for a speedier recovery for your pet – please ask for details of laparoscopic bitch spays and other procedures.

There is much more information about anaesthetics and common procedures, such as neutering (female spays and male castrations) in our Advice FAQ section.

Dr. Michael Morter obtained his Post Graduate Certificate in Small Animal Ophthalmology in 2017 from the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and Nottingham Trent University.  He is also an Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Ophthalmology.

At Mill House, we offer a dedicated ophthalmology service for our clients and we welcome cases referred to us by another veterinary surgeon.

Services

Full ophthalmic examination including use of specialised equipment such as tonometry, slit lamp biomicroscopy and ultrasonography.

More advanced treatment and surgery for conditions such as corneal ulcers, eyelid lumps and prolapse of the nictitans gland (‘cherry eye’) and entropion (inward folding of the eyelids).

WHEN WE ARE OPEN

Accidents and emergencies – we are always here when you need us!

If your pet has an emergency during our normal opening hours, please call the practice 01553 771457 and we will advise you what to do next.

WHEN WE ARE CLOSED

Accidents and emergencies –  Partnered with Vets Now to help your pets when they need it!

If your pet has an emergency when we are CLOSED we have partnered with Vets Now one of the leading providers of emergency veterinary care in the UK. Vets Now operate from the same premises and you will see many of the familiar vets and nurses you are used to seeing. Vets Now have access to your pets medical records so in the event of an emergency we can ensure they get the best care possible.

In the event of an emergency please call Vets Now on 01553 340469 to speak to one of the Vets Now team.

Please allow 7 working days for repeat prescription orders to be ready for collection in practice. 

Repeat prescriptions can be ordered by email, post or phone. 

Prescriptions are available from this practice.  You may obtain medicines from ourselves or ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy.  A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or if immediate treatment is necessary.  A fee of £33.00 incl. VAT is charged for each prescription.

We may prescribe medicines only following a clinical assessment of an animal under our care, and must prescribe only the minimum amount necessary for the treatment of the case.  You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be prescribed for your animal.

The general policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescriptions for medicines at least every six months, but more frequent checks may be needed for many cases.   A lower re-examination fee applies for 2 months following the initial consultation, after which the standard consultation fee is £67.00 applies. 

Taking your pet abroad or preparing to move away with your pet or export an animal from the UK?

Jumping through all the legal hoops and certification correctly can be very daunting. There are also additional risks to your pet from parasites and diseases that can be encountered abroad that are not in the UK. For more information on the parasites, diseases and recommended treatments of the country or region you are travelling to we recommend you visit the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites Map (ESCCAP) here.

An appointment with one of our OV certified vets will help you go through all of the requirements to travel abroad and will help you plan the process. The rules have changed post BREXIT and the requirements vary depending on where you are travelling to. We would recommend downloading and reading our travel clinic leaflet here before you go.

You can save 10% on the cost of Animal Health Certficates by joining our Pet Health Club. Click here to find out more

Definitions of dog, cat and ferret are now provided to prevent the transport of wild animals. Owners of Bengal and Savannah cats and Wolfdogs will need to consult AVHLA.

We would recommend calling for an appointment with one of our OV certified vets in good time to discuss all of the requirements as travel abroad can involve some lengthy preparations.

Being well informed is vital, it is your own responsibility to ensure that you comply with all requirements and regulations for each country you visit but we will be here to help you navigate these requirements.  More information can be found via the links below:

Further information

PETS (Pet Travel Scheme) Helpline: 0370 241 1710, email pettravel@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk or the DEFRA website.

Our modern digital radiography suite is available for use 24 hours a day. Our powerful x-ray machine can image any pet from a small reptile or bird to the largest St Bernard.

Because we see so many chest cases, our machine has to be capable of taking very fast exposures. The x-ray table has specific attachments for accurate positioning which is so important for examinations such as films taken for the BVA/Kennel Club Hip Dysplasia Scheme.

To comply with Health and Safety Regulations, patients are not held for x-rays, and so films are usually taken under anaesthetic or sedation, unless this would be life-threatening. Accurate positioning is vital for high quality diagnostic films. Do talk to us about sedation for routine x-rays such as for the BVA/ Kennel Club Hip Dysplasia Scheme. Unlike a human hospital, there are no waiting lists for operations or x-rays, so if your pet requires an x-ray, we can usually offer an appointment within a week or two of our recommendation.

Mill House Referrals Imaging Service

In addition to digital x-ray and ultrasonography, we now have a Siemens CT scanner on site.

We carry out our CT scans under anaesthetic or sedation and your pet can come home the same day.

A CT scan has a number of advantages over x-rays.

1) It gives much more detailed information, for example nodules in the lungs are picked up much earlier on CT scan (when they are 1-2mm) compared with x-rays when they need to be much larger for detection (5-7mm).

2) Images can be generated very quickly reducing the anaesthetic or sedation time

3) 3D images can be generated and it eliminates superimposition

4) Very small differences in density can be differentiated on CT leading to superior quality images.

We are able to report back CT images with 4-6 hours for an emergency. The standard turnaround time is 4 working days.

We will often use a contrast agent when we are scanning to improve the soft tissue detail. In most cases this is very safe but if your pet has underlying heart or kidney disease we may advise that we do not perform contrast studies.

What conditions is CT commonly used for?

• Elbow and joint assessments
• Ear disease
• Ocular disease
• Nasal problems
• Lung and chest problems
• Screening patients for spread of cancer
• Spinal problems
• Complex fracture assessments

Wellness Screening is recommended in healthy adult cats over the age of 7 and dogs over the age of 5 (over 3 in giant breeds), that are not currently showing any signs of illness or disease. The service is a comprehensive medical MOT which aids in the early detection of disease and helps them to live happier and healthier lives. Your pet will receive a detailed health check from one of our trained veterinary nurses who are also able to give you tailored lifestyle advice.

For more information see here.