Beardsen 0141 942 7070
Dumbarton 01389 765555
Muirhead 0141 465 8800
Glenbrae Vet's home page
Beardsen 0141 942 7070
Dumbarton 01389 765555
Muirhead 0141 465 8800

Nursing clinics

We aim to assist our owners from your first visit with your pet

Nursing clinics

We aim to assist our owners from your first visit with your pet

At Glenbrae your pets are in very safe hands. Our nurses are all qualified and registered Veterinary Nurses. They provide a fun and relaxed environment to discuss your pets home and healthcare.
If your pets have to stay or come and visit us the nurses look after their well being as if they are their own.
You can book to see one of our nurses for any of the following and much more.

  • Dental Care
  • Dressing changes
  • Free Weight Clinics
  • Geriatric Club
  • Microchipping
  • Nail Clipping
  • Puppy and Kitten Club
  • Puppy Parties

Dental Care

Preventative homecare is crucial in the battle against feline/canine oral disease but with so many product on the market which is the right one for you?

Brushing your pet’s teeth is by far the most beneficial homecare regime. Teeth should be brushed at least once a day as plaque can calcify in as little as 48 hours and can then start causing gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) which then progresses to periodontal disease. Calcified plaque causes the unsightly tartar you see on your pet’s teeth and causes a rough surface where more plaque can attach and the vicious cycle begins. Ideally we want to remove the plaque before this happens and this is done by brushing, similar to how you brush your own teeth.

Check List

  • Finger toothbrush
  • Pet toothbrush
  • ​Doggy or kitty toothpaste (no fluoride, and meaty flavoured)
  • Read or watch how to brush
  • One pet would be useful

READ HOW TO BRUSH

Our Veterinary Nurses will be happy to give your pet a free dental check and go over the best possible treatments for them.

CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT!

So why do we care so much?

Periodontal disease can progress very quickly and can lead from gingivitis (where it is only affecting the gums) to periodontitis and spread to infect other structures of the tooth such as the supporting ligament and even bone. This can result in a substantial amount of pain for your pet and can eventually lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is irreversible and in the majority of cases tooth extraction is the only option. As our patients are not the most obliging, treatment must be carried out under General Anaesthetic. If left untreated, periodontitis has been shown to lead to problems relating to the heart, liver, kidneys and even respiratory problems.

Dressing changes

If your pet requires a dressing there is no need to worry.

We will talk you through how to take care of it. You will also have an appointment arranged for 3-4 days after the dressing has been placed.

During this appointment a registered veterinary nurse will assess your pet as done in all post operation check-ups. The dressing will be removed and the wound will be cleaned and checked to ensure the area is healing well, from here an assessment will be made on whether another dressing is required and the most suitable type of dressing required (most wounds will require 3 to 4 dressings).
It is always best to bring your pet in to have a dressing applied to ensure the wound is healing and also because it can be tricky to get the correct tension on the bandage, with many incorrect bandages causing further problems or simply falling off.

However we understand you may not always be close at hand to the surgery especially in an emergency situation and in these cases it is worth while learning how to apply a temporary dressing.

Have a look at the video on what you will require and a guide on placing a foot bandage.

Free Weight Clinics

Our experienced team of veterinary nurses run successful weight clinics and are here to help keep your pet in great shape.

You can make an appointment to come and get your pet (cat, dog, rabbit guinea pig etc) weighed. Our nurse will advise you on what your pet’s weight should be.

If your pet is overweight:

The nurse will discuss what you feed your pet, which will include everything they get on a daily basis. The most common reason is over feeding and not enough exercise.

The most effective way to diet your pet is to use a multi modal approach tailored by our qualified staff to encourage healthy weight loss. This ensures your pet is not being under fed or missing out on key nutrients. The diet works as it is low in fat and high in fibre so your pet feels fuller. It is supplemented with L-carnitine to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass for healthy weight loss.

We will calculate how much to feed your pet per day.

This must be weighed out accurately and we encourage that you feed smaller meals 2 or 3  times daily. No milk or treats are the key to the diet working. You will be told the expected weight loss per week and the approximate amount of weeks this will take.

We will make a return appointment in 2 weeks to ensure your pet is adjusting to their new food. Follow up appointments thereafter will be made every 4 weeks. We will chart your pet’s progress. For dogs we will measure around their neck, chest and abdomen to help monitor them.

Sometimes if pets are being over fed, cutting back on tit bits and the amount fed can make pets lose weight. Increasing exercise also helps. Cats are slightly more difficult to diet especially those that go outdoors. They may hunt and go around the neighborhood telling anyone that will entertain them, how starving they are! We can still make suggestions and help you with these problems.

The support is there for you when you need it.

Remember we are all pet owners and fully understand the challenges you will face. It is so rewarding for us when pet's do lose the weight and start to look and feel better. Knowing that we have helped to increase a pets life time is great. Obesity can shorten your pet's life and can cause diabetes, joint problems and heart and lung conditions to name just a few.

Geriatric Club

Our older pets give us lots of love and companionship – in return we care for their needs to the best of our ability, hoping to give them the best quality of life possible, and prolong their life.

Pets are considered elderly from about the age of 8 years, and it is from that age that their needs change.

These clinics are to make owners aware of problems that can occur in mature animals. They are aimed at early detection of disease, illness or pain.

At 7+ years of age, we will organise to have regular examinations of your pet and discuss aspects of nutrition and exercise requirements in the older pet.

As your pet gets older we will then have an opportunity to monitor disease and illness via physical examination, blood sampling and blood pressure checks. 

What happens in the clinics?​

First of all your pet will be given a thorough physical examination to include:

  • Ears
  • Eyes
  • Teeth
  • Skin
  • Nails
  • Weight checks
  • Nutrition

Vaccinations, worming and diet advice can be discussed at length by any of the qualified Veterinary Nurses or Veterinary Surgeons.

Added extras your pet could benefit from……​

(full estimates will be given for any work requested or required)​

Urinalysis

We request that you bring along a fresh urine sample to the clinic, which we can test in our laboratory. The sample is best collected first thing in the morning, and male dogs tend to make it slightly easier for us than females! If you use a long shallow dish and quietly pop it under your pet while it urinates, it should be nice and easy.

Parameters tested with urinalysis can indicate problems such as Urinary Tract Infections, Diabetes Mellitus and early kidney problems.

Biochemistry

A physical examination can give an assessment of your pets’ basic general health. It is easy to forget that our pets’ internal organs are also beginning to change, and one easy blood sample can give important information on :

  • Heart
  • Lungs
  • Liver
  • Stomach
  • Pancreas
  • Kidney function

Microchipping

An implanted microchip is a permanent way of identifying your pet should they get lost or stolen

The microchip is implanted under the skin at the back of the neck. All lost pets which are brought into veterinary practices, police stations and animal shelters are scanned. If there is a microchip present your pet’s personal identification number will be displayed and the UK database will be contacted to allow your pet to be reunited. It is very important all personal details given when registering your pets microchip are kept up to date to allow for you to be contacted quickly.

Scottish law states that all dogs must be microchipped by 8 weeks of age.

Nail Clipping

Clipping your pet’s nails can be tricky, we are here to help.

 Thats why the nurses at Glenbrae Veterinary Clinics are here to lend a hand.

Keeping your pet’s nails neat and tidy is very important to help prevent breaks, tears, ingrown nails and to keep your pet as comfortable as possible.

Nail clippers which are designed specifically for trimming your pets nails are used. The nails are clipped to just before the quick.

Nails clippers can be purchased from our clinics.

Arrange an appointment with one of the nurses and we will be happy to show you what to do.

Puppy and Kitten Club

Here at Glenbrae vet clinics we know the importance of making sure our puppies and kittens have everything they need as they grow into adults

For this reason we provide FREE monthly puppy and kitten checks with our registered veterinary nurses.

At these clinics your puppy or kitten will receive a head to tail examination including ears, eyes, mouth, skin, and nails. We also check to ensure male dogs have both testicles decended as this could cause problems later in life. At these clinics it is our chance to guide you through any problems you may be having. We will discuss with you nutrition, flea/ worming treatment, neutering and behaviour to name a few. We will also take a weight from your pet to ensure they are growing at a healthy rate and so we can dispense flea and worming treatment as appropriate.

At this point we will discuss our Complete Health Care Plan designed to spread the cost of all your routine treatment and save money in the process. These clinics are a great opportunity to get your puppy or kitten used to the practice and for us to help you as your new pet grows.

We are here to make sure you get the most out of this wonderful time with your puppy or kitten, so if there’s anything at all you need we are here to help.

Puppy Parties

We offer puppy training classes to all puppies following their first vaccinations.

This small group and controlled environment gives your puppy a chance to socialise with other puppies the same age.

Our instructor will go through the basic training and our classes are lots of fun for you and your puppy.

Register now to give your puppy the best start and help you on the road to having an obedient and well socialised best friend.

Don’t worry if you are not yet part of the Glenbrae family, everyone is welcome.