As well as helping in consultations and surgery, our vet nurses also run a variety of clinics and are always on hand to advise owners on their pet’s health and well-being. Head Nurse Charlotte Whalley shares a typical day for the vet nurses in our Community Vet Clinic.
RVN Amy assists the vets as they admit the animals coming in for surgery that day. It is the vet nurses’ job to calculate and prepare the anaesthetic drugs and pain relief injections.
Time for RVN Graham to check on the patients in our hospital ward, administering any medications or treatments and making sure everyone has had their breakdast. Sometimes there is some loud meowing or a bark to let us know they are ready to eat!
Surgery starts and the first patient is brought in. We prepare the animals for surgery and monitor their vital signs while they are under anaesthetic.
Depending on the rota, while some vet nurses are in theatre, others assist in the vaccination clinics. These are held twice a week on a Thursday and Saturday. RVN Demetra wodks alongside vet Emily, preparing the vaccines, helping to carry out health checks and making sure each patient’s medical record is kept up to date.
The animals that have had surgery are monitored during their recovery. As they wake up, we offer them some food. Most patients need to be nil by mouth overnight prior to having an anaesthetic so they are often hungry; others need a little more encouragement to eat!
We always make sure our hospitalised animals get lots of TLC. Keeping our patients comfortable and entertained is an important part of our job and minimising stress will help to promote recovery.
It’s time for a lunch break after a busy morning and a good chance for RVN Kelly to catch up with Josh from our Kennels team who has some news to share about one of our animals who has been happily rehomed.
Patient Tommy has come in for a Nurse Clinic appointment. RVN Pam clips Tommy’s nails and does a weight check, then gives his owner some advice to help with his weight-loss programme.
Felix has been neutered today, and has recovered from the anaesthetic and is ready to go home. RVN Kelly goes through aftercare advice with his owner and check the fit of his cone collar to make sure that he can’t lick his surgical wound.
RVN Graham makes sure that all of the surgical instruments are thoroughly cleaned, air-dried and then sterilised, ready to be used again tomorrow.
RVN Graham checks on the hospitalised patients one last time, then heads home for a well-earned rest. At 7:30pm the vet nurse on late duty will administer any evening medications that are needed before handing over to the night staff, who will keep a close eye on the animals until morning.
Find out more about the services we offer at our Community Vet Clinic services, including all of our Nurse Clinics.
find out moreWorld Spay Day takes place annually on the last Tuesday of February. And while our teams in London, Kabul and…
Read MoreAnimal welfare and veterinary charity Mayhew has today announced that Sherine Wheeler, Chief Executive, will leave the charity at the…
Read More