Inpatient Care At Acorn House
At Acorn House Veterinary Hospital we are able to care for our patients 24 hours a day using our own premises and our own veterinary and nursing team.
Accommodation
We have 5 completely separate wards on site. These are:
- Main dog ward
- Main cat ward
- Exotics ward (for small pets including rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice)
- Isolation dog ward (with separate outdoor exercise area and independent drainage system)
- Isolation cat ward
Our dog ward consists of 21 kennels of varying sizes. Two of these kennels are extremely large walk-in kennels. Patients are provided with a soft, warm Vetbed to lie on, with additional blankets and mats/ cushions/ body supports provided as required depending on individual patients’ needs. The dogs have access to a private garden for exercise and toiletting. This garden is fully enclosed, so off-lead exercise is provided if appropriate.
Our cat ward contains standard-sized kennels for day cases and large, extended kennels for cats staying in overnight. The larger kennels contain igloo style beds so that shy cats can hide away but also have an uncovered resting area with a soft Vetbed to lie on. A large litter tray is provided and emptied completely whenever it is soiled. We use Vet’s Choice litter as standard, but are happy for clients to bring in their cat’s usual litter if preferred. The cattery is designed so that cats are not able to see other cats during their stay, as cats can be very intimidated by other cats staring in at them whilst they recover!
Our exotics ward contains a range of kennels and cages appropriate for the varying needs of pets using this area. It is completely separate from both the cat and dog wards, so there are no concerns regarding prey species seeing, smelling or hearing potential predators.
Feeding
We stock a wide range of food including Hills, Royal Canin, Chappie, Purina, Pedigree, Felix and Whiskas. We cook fresh chicken and fish on a daily basis, and also have tinned tuna and salmon for cats that need a little more tempting. For small furries we stock the Burgess range of hays, dried grasses and pellets, and a variety of vegetables/ leafy greens. We also have a safe garden to allow us to forage for dandelion leaves for our inpatients! On admission, we will confirm with you what your pet is usually fed on and if your pet requires a special diet that we do not stock, of course you are welcome to supply us with their usual diet.
Intensive care
Our dog and cat kennels can be connected immediately to a piped oxygen supply if required for animals with breathing difficulties. Heat mats are used to provide additional warming for mobile patients and a warmed air blanket is available for immobile patients as they recover from anaesthesia or illness. All pets receiving intravenous fluids are connected to an infusion pump so that doses can be delivered precisely and safely.
Nursing care
Acorn House has a nurse on site 24 hours a day. The nurse will continue to feed, water, exercise and keep the patients clean overnight, but there is always plenty of time for cuddles, grooming and play too! Patients that stay in with us over a weekend or for several days often become very special to us and are missed by the team when they finally return home.
The nurse remains on the ward until midnight, when a rest break is taken. Patients requiring intravenous fluids, oxygen, pain relief, or other medication and monitoring receive further checks at 3am and 7am as a minimum. Patients that are simply boarding with us are checked at midnight and 7am as a minimum.
Veterinary care
At Acorn House one of our usual veterinary surgeons is available for the on call nurse 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The duty veterinary surgeon usually leaves the practice at 8-9pm and returns at 8am the next day. The duty veterinary surgeon carries out an assessment of all patients before leaving and confirms the overnight nursing plan with the nurse. The duty nurse will contact the veterinary surgeon immediately if she/he has any concerns regarding the inpatients overnight, so that the vet can return to the practice to provide assistance.
