Category: Uncategorized

Rabbit Vaccination Update – Highly Virulent RVHD Strain

Posted on May 6, 2025 by - Uncategorized

Your current yearly vaccination protocol covers for myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD 2. You may or may not be aware that a new strain of RVHD2 that has been detected in the recent months which is highly virulent. This strain has primarily been detected in Europe (Hungary, France, Netherlands and Italy), with over 50% of the cases being confirmed as this new highly virulent strain. The presence of this new strain has not been reported in the UK, however as reported from past experience with previous strains of RVHD it is only a matter of time.

The current yearly vaccination your rabbit gets has not been tested to confirm whether it provides immunity against this new strain. Therefore, a new vaccine has been manufactured for this reason. However it means that your rabbit would now require two vaccinations a year.

In order for us to be able to offer this to our clients and their pets we would need to run a scheduled vaccination session over one morning, which we are proposing to be a Saturday. There are two reasons for this:

1) The new vaccination is currently only available as a multi dose bottle, rather than the single dose vials your rabbit would normally get.

2) The new vaccination once opened must be used within 10 hours.

What is RVHD?

‘Rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease’ can be spread by direct and indirect contact:

  • Direct: coming into contact with infected and potentially unvaccinated rabbits
  • Indirect: coming into contact with infected clothing, kennels, hutches, equipment

Clinical signs:

Unfortunately, the most common sign is sudden death dependent on the strain (RVHD 1 80-90% and RVHD2/variant strain 50-80%). Often there is no indication that your rabbit has been unwell until it is too late.

If they have acquired an acute or subacute form then symptoms are variable: fever, inappetance, neurological symptoms, breathing issues, jaundice, bloody nasal discharge.

Treatment:

There is not specific treatment for this disease, only supportive care for the symptoms. The most effectove way to get on top of this disease is stringent infection control measures, early vaccination in young rabbits and remaining up to date throughout their lifetime.

Frequently asked questions?

My rabbit isn’t due it’s usually vaccination until the summer, should I wait?

The short answer is no. We would advise, as would The Rabbit Welfare Association, to get your rabbits vaccinated against this new strain promptly. This vaccination cannot be given at the same time as the previous vaccination, there should be at least a 2 week period between the two.

My rabbit isn’t up to date on any of their vaccinations, what should I do?

To book an appointment with one of our vets for their vaccinations, please contact us by telephone on 01206 851338, message us on 07360541569 or book your appointment online via our website at https://www.maynevets.co.uk/. 

If your vaccinations are up to date, but you would like to register your interest in the new vaccine, then please contact us at Mayne Vets, once available we will be in touch.

FAQs – why are drugs cheaper online?

Posted on May 6, 2025 by - Uncategorized

We are aware that there is currently an apparent gulf between the cost of medication in veterinary practices compared to online pharmacies.  This can result in clients feeling that their vets are “ripping them off” in some way.  In reality, it is a comparison of two completely different business models. 

At the minute, internet pharmacies can purchase medication in large bulk orders, direct from the drugs companies; have very low staffing and infrastructure costs; and, because they are sending the medication direct to the final user, have fewer regulations monitoring how they get that medication to owners.  In contrast, veterinary practices, especially small independent businesses like ours, are too small to buy direct from the manufacturers and must purchase from a wholesaler.  We do not get the manufacturer discounts that the internet pharmacies and big corporate veterinary clinics receive.  Plus, as we are not the “end user”, the wholesalers must follow much stricter guidance with regards to storage and delivery of the medication to our clinics at a higher cost. 

In addition, veterinary practices have much higher running costs.  The income we generate needs to support reception, nursing and veterinary staff; high maintenance equipment and higher infrastructure costs.  Traditionally, veterinary surgeries have tried to balance the generation of this income evenly across drug sales and consultation prices, but with the introduction of internet pharmacies that is beginning to shift.  In some of the Scandinavian countries, vets no longer dispense anything other than emergency drugs. All other drugs go via prescription from a pharmacy, but to balance that they have had to vastly increase their professional fees to remain viable as a business.  As this system also increases the number of businesses that need to be sustainable between “pet is unwell” to “pet is better”. 

It will be interesting to see how things develop over the next 5-10 years in the UK, there will most likely be a shift in a similar direction over time unless a new model is developed.  In the meantime, we appreciate that veterinary medicine is not cheap and would always recommend pet insurance to help alleviate any concerns.

Titre Testing For Pets

Posted on May 2, 2025 by - Uncategorized

What is “titre testing”?

A titre test involves a taking a blood sample from your pet to assess the level of antibodies present to some of the diseases we routinely vaccinate against. The level of antibodies detected will help us gauge the level of immunity your pet currently has, thus guiding our decision for vaccination or not. Currently this is commercially available at an affordable price for dogs.

What diseases can we test for?

We can test for Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus, three of the diseases we routinely vaccinate for. We cannot test for Leptospirosis as this is a bacterial disease and harder to measure and we don’t routinely test for Parainfluenza virus as immunity to this disease is rarely thought to last longer than a year.

When would we titre test your dog?

Currently the vaccination program of every dog consists of two phases:

  • The “primary vaccination” phase in puppies which covers 2 injections 4 weeks apart and then a third injection one year later at the first year booster.
  • And then a “booster” phase that lasts the remainder of their life.

The “booster phase”:

At Mayne Vets, we rotate this booster phase on a three-year basis. We know that leptospirosis and parainfluenza immunity struggle to last longer than a year, so we continue the immunity to these diseases with a yearly booster, along with kennel cough if needed. However, we also know that immunity to Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus lasts at least three years in most dogs. As such we don’t need to boost the immunity to these dogs until three years after the first year booster, so 4 years old in most cases. Provided your dog has completed the ‘initial vaccination’ phase fully then the first titre test would not be needed until they are 4 years old.

An example of a time line for titre testing:

8 weeks old           1st vaccination (primary course, all diseases)

12 weeks old         2nd vaccination (primary course, all diseases)

1 year old            1 year booster (primary course, all diseases)

2 years old             2 year booster (mini booster, leptospirosis and parainfluenza)

3 years old             3 year booster (mini booster, leptospirosis and parainfluenza)

4 years old             1 year booster OR titre test

How would it work?

Your vet will perform the annual health check and vaccinate for leptospirosis and parainfluenza (plus kennel cough if required) as normal. We would then take a blood sample from your pet and send it to a laboratory to test the levels of antibodies (immunity) for Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus.

You will then be contacted with the blood results and can book a follow up appointment with a registered veterinary nurse for further vaccinations if the immunity result was inadequate. If the blood sample showed the current immunity to be adequate, we would discuss the pros and cons of holding off the follow up vaccine and potentially repeat the titre test the following year until an inadequate test result appeared.

What are the benefits?

Although it has been proven to be clinically safe to follow the base vaccine protocol we run at Mayne Vets, some owners prefer to limit the vaccines used on their pet further by titre testing.

What are the drawbacks?

The main drawback of titre testing is that it can only tell us the level of immunity your pet has on the day of testing. Testing cannot tell us how long that immunity will last and we are therefore unable to guarantee immunity until the next annual booster date.

If your dog does have inadequate immunity to one of the diseases tested then you will need to return to the clinic for a booster vaccination. An additional issue is that we are unable to provide individual vaccines to individual viruses. For example, if your dog’s immunity has dropped for Hepatitis, but not to Parvovirus or Distemper, we can only vaccinate for all three viruses in one multi-dose injection.

If you would like to discuss titre testing you dog further, please feel free to contact us at the clinic.

Anaesthesia and Surgery Risk

Posted on March 25, 2025 by - Uncategorized

We ask that you take the time to read the risks associated with general anaesthesia and surgery prior to your pet being admitted for their procedure.

Please note, we aim to minimise these complications as much as possible.

Pre-operative risks associated with surgery:

Minor side effects:

  • Redness and/or swelling
  • Reaction to the suture material
  • Bruising

Major side effects:

  • Sepsis
  • Hypothermia
  • Minor infection
  • Necessity for a second surgery
  • Bleeding
  • Herniation of the wound
  • Wound breakdown
  • Organ damage and /or trauma
  • Adhesion formation
  • Nerve damage
  • Death

Pre-operative risks associated with anaesthesia:

Potential side effects:

  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Restlessness
  • Drowsiness
  • Sore throat and/or coughing
  • Diarrhoea

Potential complications:

  • Compromised airway (this could be due to a number of reasons, such as: difficulty placing a breathing tube, inflammation of the airway, closure of the airway and/or specific breed related factors)
  • Regurgitation
  • Aspiration of stomach contents
  • Drug Reactions
  • Low blood pressure
  • Heart abnormalities (this could be a drop or elevation of heart rate during the procedure or a development of a murmur or arrhythmia)
  • Hyperthermia
  • Eye trauma
  • Cardiac or respiratory arrest
  • Inability to regain consciousness
  • Organ damage
  • Death

Pre Operation Instructions

Posted on March 25, 2025 by - Uncategorized

The day before your pet’s procedure

Coming in for surgery:

  • Dogs and cats will need to have a late meal of wet or dry food at 10pm, this then needs to be removed at 10:30-11pm at the latest to ensure they are then starved before surgery. Water can be left down overnight, but taken up on the morning of the procedure.
  • Please keep cats indoors overnight with a litter tray so they don’t scavenge for food or hunt.

Coming in for a dental procedure:

  • Ideally, dogs and cats will need to have an small early meal of wet food at 6am, this then needs to be removed at 6:30am to ensure that they are starved before the procedure. Should your dog or cat not eat wet food, then the above instructions apply for feeding at 10pm.

Small Furries:

  • Small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and rats do not need to be starved, feed as normal. Ferrets should have their food withheld 4 hours prior to coming to the clinic.

Brachycephalic Breeds:

  • Certain breeds are more predisposed to gastric reflux, one of our nurses will contact you in advance should this apply and advise on any necessary pre-operative medication.

A veterinary nurse will aim to call you the day before your pet’s surgery to run through the admit form and answer any questions that you may have. This allows us to admit patients promptly on the day.

They will then allocate an admit appointment for the morning of their procedure, between 8:30 – 9:30am.

The day of your pet’s surgery

  • We ask that dogs are clean, have been walked outside and have toileted before coming to the practice.
  • If your pet has any special dietary requirements, such as a sensitive tummy or is raw fed, then please supply this on the day. We are happy for some bedding and toys to be brought in with your pet if you wish.
  • Small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs may bring in a bonded companion for the day. Let our staff know ahead of the procedure. Please bring in their usual diet and greens, as it is important that small animals eat as soon as possible after surgery.
  • We ask that you are contactable throughout the day. These numbers will be confirmed with you. If you are not contactable, then all decision making regarding emergency and additional treatment will be left to the duty vet.
  • A veterinary nurse will call in the afternoon and update you on how your pet is recovering. We will then confirm Stray Rabbit’s home time.
  • Discharge appointments are between 3-6:30pm dependent on the day.  If special requirements are needed, these will need to be arranged prior to or discussed on the day.

Pre Anaesthetic Blood Sample

  • Blood sampling allows us to identify any existing problems which would have an impact on the anaesthetic, such as kidney or liver dysfunction.
  • It allows us to establish normal baseline measurements to refer back to in the future should Stray Rabbit  become unwell.  These baseline measurements are very helpful should there be post-anaesthetic complications.
  • An additional cost of £74.00 applies.

Information on General Anaesthetics and Sedations

  • On admission we will give Stray Rabbit a health check and an intravenous catheter will be placed. We give a small dose of sedative to suppress anxiety and calm them: this dramatically reduces the amount of anaesthetic needed. Pain relief is also administered pre-emptively, dependent on the procedure.

Pain relief: We will most likely prescribe a pain relief, an anti-inflammatory drug for your pet to go home with. This will help reduce pain post-surgery, as well as reducing inflammation around the surgical site. Please let us know if you already have some at home and we can then advise on the correct dosage.

  • Anaesthetic induction: a small dose of short-acting anaesthetic is used to enable us to place an endotracheal tube, which supports the airway during the operation. This induction agent is an intravenous injection of a drug called Propofol.
  • Anaesthesia is maintained with oxygen and a gas called isoflurane. Isoflurane has very high safety margins. A Veterinary Nurse will monitor your pet through their anaesthetic. We use a multi parameter machines to monitor their blood pressure, carbon dioxide and oxygen levels and temperature.
  • Additional pain relief is given to your pet before they go home, if necessary.
  • Once the procedure is over, your pet is transferred into recovery for one-to-one care with a dedicated kennel nurse, who monitors and provides them with some TLC.
  • By carefully balancing the drugs given to your pet, we can ensure the safest and most pain-free operation possible.

Insurance

If your pet’s condition is covered by your insurance policy and you would like us to process a direct claim for the anticipated procedure, please contact the team to let them know. Direct claim requests need to be submitted to our team at a minimum of 7 days before the procedure is performed.  This allows our team time to assess your insurance cover and submit a preauthorisation form to the insurance company where appropriate. You will then be asked to complete a direct claim agreement on the day.

Failure to notify the team of your wishes to settle your balance via direct claim may result in denial of a direct claim request or delay to your pet’s procedure.  

If you are happy to pay the balance for the procedure on the day and for us to then make a subsequent insurance claim on your behalf, please refer to your insurance company as to how claims are processed and bring in a completed insurance claim form if required.  Please be aware this may take up to 7-10 working days to be processed during busier periods.

There is a charge for processing insurance claims and pet owners are liable for any costs incurred for the treatment of their pet if their insurance company denies payment.

Out of Hours and Emergency Care

Out of hours care is provided by Vets Now Colchester. Mayne Vets do not have the facilities in place for hospitalising patients overnight. Veterinary advice can also be sort from Vidivet, exclusively for our clients. Please visit the website for more information: https://www.maynevets.co.uk/24-7-advice/

If you have any questions regarding the operation or information on these sheets please phone the clinic and speak to one of us on 01206 851338.

Hear what our clients have to say…

Posted on January 2, 2025 by - Uncategorized

Case Study One: Morris the British Shorthair

Dental disease is commonly seen in cats when there is an accumulation of plaque and tartar on their teeth, if left overtime this causes damage to the tooth, gums and mouth.

Bringing your pet in for their yearly vaccinations allows for regular health checks and monitoring of certain issues, such as a heart murmur, weight gain and the presence of lumps. It also is a great time for the vet to check your pet’s oral health!

Morris came in for his vaccination in September, he isn’t the most co-operative kitty so had what we call PVP’s onboard (pre visit pharmaceuticals), to make him feel calmer whilst at the vets. It was noticed he had tartar accumulating on his teeth and reddened gums, often called gingivitis. Tartar looks like a hard yellow or brown deposit over the teeth and unfortunately is can’t be removed with most dental products or brushing. Gingivitis can be uncomfortable for our pets, in severe cases they can go off their food. He was recommended to book in for a dental assessment, so that a thorough exam could be performed and x-rays could be taken.

Here’s what Morris’s Mum had to say about his dental treatment plan!

“My 8 year old cat has truly benefited from dental treatment at the Mayne Veterinary Clinic. As always, they went above and beyond both to make him comfortable and keep him calm and to keep me updated and informed. Since his dental treatment, he has more energy and has returned to normal eating habits. Thank you to everyone at the Mayne Veterinary Clinic!“

Case Study Two: Dave the Greyhound

Greyhounds are a breed of dog that are a higher risk of dental disease, along with toy dog breeds, flat faced breeds and spaniels. Age will also impact the incidence of dental disease and so will certain chews increasing the chance of tooth fractures and abscess formation.

As with Morris, Dave was recommended a dental assessment following his yearly vaccination. Following his dental assessment we were able to remove 7 teeth at the same time as they were simple extractions. There are a further 5 teeth that are to be monitored, hopefully with a homecare plan these teeth will be preserved and delay any further dental work for a few years.

To help manage his pain he was administered local anaesthetic blocks and given injectable medications, with oral liquid to be given at home once a day. As part of our post dental package our nursing team are on hand to see your pet for their initial check up after a dental, and to support you and your pet after any dental work has been carried out. Dave was seen 1 month after his dental, following advise to start brushing his teeth there has been a massive improvement in the build up of plaque. We will see him back in 3 months time to monitor for any deterioration.

Here’s what Dave’s Mum had to say about his dental journey with us!

“We are owners of 3 greyhounds who as a breed are known for teeth issues. So when Dave had his yearly check up I asked about his teeth, which we know needed a good clean. Having spoken with the vet we decided to go ahead with his dental treatment, and were told he may need to have a few out and would keep me informed with his dental treatment whilst he was with them.

Once he had a number of teeth removed and the rest cleaned, the followed visits have been great. The first check up, they said he had a bit of plaque build up and if I could brush them, in combination with what other bits I was doing should work. The last visit he had they were very pleased, no build up now and to carry on doing what we are doing!

Dave has one more visit following the dental treatment and I’m sure if our others need dentals done I would not hesitate in getting them booked in”.

Vaccination Protocol Update

Posted on November 27, 2024 by - Uncategorized

As we are approaching the time for your pets booster, we wanted to update you on some changes we have made to our vaccination protocol for dogs. At the Mayne Veterinary Clinic, we are committed to providing the best possible care for your pets, which includes staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine. In this case we are updating the way we protect our dogs against leptospirosis.

What are we changing?

Leptospirosis is a disease that can infect dogs and people and can present in a range of severity from mild disease to fatal infections. We have traditionally vaccinated our dogs against two strains of leptospirosis, but there is growing evidence that there are strains of leptospirosis currently in the UK that are not covered by the current “L2” vaccine. Therefore, following the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, we will be switching our patients over to the more comprehensive “L4” vaccine.

What this means for your pet?

When we see your dog for their booster we will be switching to the L4 version of the vaccine. However, to ensure your dog receives optimal protection, we will need to administer a follow-up vaccine 4 weeks after your pet’s regular booster. This additional dose is crucial for building comprehensive immunity against the expanded range of leptospirosis strains. There will be no additional charge for receiving the follow up vaccine.

Our commitment to you

As always, our team is dedicated to providing compassionate and high-quality care for your pets. We believe this change will significantly enhance the protection we can offer against this potentially serious disease.

If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to address any queries you may have and to ensure the continued well-being of your beloved pet. More information about L4 vaccines can be found by following this link.

Thank you for entrusting us with your pet’s care. We look forward to seeing you and your furry friend at your next appointment.

Warm regards,

The Mayne Veterinary Clinic Team

Veterinary Nurse

Posted on June 7, 2024 by - Uncategorized

We have a position for a part time registered veterinary nurse available at Mayne Vets! Does working part time work fit into your schedule? Are you looking to work at an independent veterinary clinic, who prioritises environmental sustainability and team wellbeing? Are you looking to work for a clinic that values their nurses and utilises their skills and abilities?

Being a 50 minute train ride from London and Stanstead airport and based on the North Essex/Suffolk border, we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and awesome beaches with plenty of travel opportunities and day trips.

However, what really sets out practice aside is the way our team have such a strong influence over how it is run. The best ideas come from the team themselves, so we have well established systems in place for quickly bringing ideas generated into fruition. Our team have freedom to grow their individual roles and the practice in a way that improves their enjoyment of the job. A couple of our nurses have implemented confidence clinics, which we are well known for in the Colchester area. One of our nurses has the driving force, alongside our practice manager, towards our green accreditation and environmental projects. We are keen to support and assist individuals in the development of their nursing roles and career. We have weekly nurse meetings for clinical case discussions, team projects and establishing new ideas and improvements.

A result of team led initiatives in reducing our environmental impact we obtained ‘Green Status‘ from Investors in the Environment, were awarded “Green (small) Practice of the Year Award” in 2024 and the “Champions of Health and Wellness” at The Vet Dynamics Awards in 2022 .

The Role

We are looking for a nurse to work 2-3 days a week (working 7-7.5 hour days) with 1 in 4 Saturdays. Our opening hours are from 8:30am – 6:30pm Monday to Friday and 8:30am – 12:00pm on Saturdays, with OOH veterinary care being provided by Vets Now and the option of Vidivet for veterinary advice to our clients.

We have a high vet to nurse ratio, with 7 RVNS and 1 SVN at the clinic, our nurse consultation length is 20 minutes running clinics from nail clipping and anal gland emptying, to confidence, mobility and dental clinics. Nursing shifts are created in a way that allow for variety, covering theatre and anaesthesia, in patient care, consulting and admin work.

We are offering a banded salary rate (dependent on experience), CPD funded, RCVS and VDS fees paid, private healthcare and travel scheme bonus.

If you would be interested in working at Mayne Vets email Keith at manager@maynevets.co.uk or feel free to call us on 01206 851338 for an informal chat.

Once upon a grass seed…

Posted on August 14, 2023 by - News, Uncategorized

In the summer months we routinely see seeds embedded in between pads, in ears and even up noses. Not a week goes by without an owner phoning to report that their dog has suddenly starting to shake their head after a walk, or that they’ve noticed a swelling in between their toes that their dog just won’t leave alone.

Grass seeds have pointed ends that allow them to easily burrow into a dog’s fur becoming stuck, causing irritation, inflammation and even infection. The team have been keeping a tally this season, and we have so far removed 31 grass seeds.

We have however seen a few challenging cases of late, which proved more troublesome to remove and treat in general practice. We have had to refer these dogs to a specialist centre, and this lovely Springer Spaniel Tilly was in fact one of them! Read on to find out more about Tilly’s story…

Tilly’s Story

Tilly first presented to us at the start of July. She was struggling to chew harder treats and her mouth was very painful. She was prescribed some medication to make her more comfortable and to revisit if the symptoms persisted or worsened. Unfortunately, a few days later, Tilly was no better and she had now developed a swelling on the right side of her forehead above her eye (see pictured below).

Tilly was admitted for further investigations with Charlotte, the vet on surgery that day. Tilly’s eye was examined, but no ‘foreign body’ (a technical term for anything that gets in where it shouldn’t be) was found under her eyelids or around her eye socket. The inside of her mouth was able to be visualised safely whilst she was under general anaesthetic and Charlotte noticed an area at the back of Tilly’s mouth was producing discharge. Often in the presence of a ‘foreign body’, the body will have an inflammatory reaction, causing swelling, pain, heat, redness and discharge, which I’m sure many of you will have seen if your dog has had a grass seed in between their toes before. 

Charlotte went on to perform an ultrasound scan of the swelling above Tilly’s eye and noticed an abnormality of around 1.6cm in length behind the eye. Due to the location of the grass seed being so close to the eye, with a lot of important structures around, it was advised that Tilly go for an emergency referral to the ophthalmology team at Dick White Referrals for treatment.

Tilly’s eye was examined by an ophthalmology specialist, and thankfully her eye was not affected in any way. She underwent an MRI and ultrasound of the swollen area, which confirmed the presence of an abscess, likely due to a migrating grass seed. She was referred internally to the soft tissue department for guided removal of the grass seed by ultrasound.

Here is brave Tilly on the way home once she was discharged from Dick White Referrals, she was feeling a little bit groggy, but hopefully a lot more comfortable! She was restricted to short lead walks only, and had to avoid running and jumping for the next couple of weeks.

Thankfully, Tilly was a star patient and made an amazing recovery, loving life, her fur all grown back, and with her eye looking a bit more normal! It’s amazing the trouble one pesky grass seed can cause!

Christmas Gifts

Posted on December 15, 2021 by - Uncategorized

This time of year is all about spreading love and festive cheer. The team wanted to say a big thank you for all your well wishes, cards and gifts, they are always much appreciated. If there was one thing our team would really love for Christmas, it would be a review if you’ve appreciated the service you have received from us over the years.

We were so touched by the reviews that came through to us earlier in the year and wanted to send a huge thank you to those that left us one.  For those that didn’t receive an email requesting a review or didn’t have time to leave us one, we would be hugely grateful if you would take a few minutes to leave us one now.

As a big thank you please accept this Christmas gift from us (PS please remember pets are for life, not for Christmas)