• Dry dog food is in the tub on the table. If you run out, you may use TVG dog food located in reception. Please inform a Vet Nurse as soon as possible so they can remove it from stock.
  • Tinned food is stored in the cupboard above the sink (opened supplies may be found in the fridge).
  • Dog bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink.
  • Each patient will have a hospital sheet. Use this sheet to log as much information as possible, including:
    • Times of care
    • Output (e.g., urine, feces)
    • Demeanor
    • Appetite
  • You are responsible for ensuring that all dogs are taken out for toilet breaks frequently over the weekend and from 6pm Monday – Friday when the nurses finish their shifts. Please use slip leads at all times (located on the door to the dog run).
  • Poo bags are located on the kennel table, and all waste should be disposed of in the wheelie bins outside in the car park.
  • A medication sheet will accompany the hospital sheet. This indicates the medications the patient requires and the times they need to be administered. Please tick the boxes on the medication sheet after giving the patient their medication.
  • The Kennels Whiteboard lists inpatients and their medications. This list is accurate as of the last Vet Nurse’s update but will be subject to change during out of hours.
  • New Patients (Out of Hours): If you see any new patients out of hours, please complete a hospital sheet as much as possible for them with the duty vet.
  • Where possible, injections will be drawn up for patients and will be labelled in the boxes on the ward table (or on the shelf in the cattery)
  • Patients on IV Fluid Therapy: Patients receiving IV fluid therapy require more frequent toilet breaks.
    If a drip line stops running, it may need flushing. Follow these steps:

    • IV Line Flushing Guidelines:
      1. Collect the following supplies:
        • A 2ml syringe and green needle (from the prep room supplies).
        • Heparin flush (100ml bottle), located in the upper left side of the cupboard to the right of the sink.
        • Tape and scissors (found in the drawers to the right of the sink: scissors = top drawer; tape = third drawer).
      2. Turn off the drip giving set.
      3. Draw up 2ml of heparin flush.
        • If the giving set has an injection port, use it.
        • If there is no injection port, carefully remove the layers of tape to access the catheter port.
          • Note: Removing tape can easily dislodge the catheter, so proceed gently.
          • Claire (Vet) prefers using the 60 drops/ml giving set, which lacks an injection port and requires flushing directly through the catheter hub.
      4. Flush the line:
        • Use the port or catheter to gently push the flush through.
        • If using an injection port, pinch the line between the port and the patient to prevent backflow of heparin into the IV bag.
        • Apply light pressure if necessary to clear blockages.
      5. Pop the drip back on to see if it’s flowing ok (it should be now!) and re-tape the line to secure if necessary.
  • Kennel Cleaning: for the smaller kennels, use the pre-mixed Trigene spray bottle (disinfectant) located on the sink. Paper and clean bedding are stored above the kennels. For walk-in kennels, prepare a bucket of Trigene solution by adding 2 pumps of Trigene to ½ bucket of hot water. Use the scrubber/scraper on the wall at the end of the kennels to clean thoroughly.

  • Cat Food: Both wet and dry cat food, along with bowls, are stored under the sink.
  • Litter Trays: Litter trays are in the first set of under-cupboards, with litter stored in a large bin behind the door.
  • Papers and Vet Beds: These are also located in the under-cupboards.
  • Trigene Spray: A Trigene spray for cleaning can be found near the sink area.

All food and water bottles are found in the cattery – either in the drawer or the cupboard at the sink.

  • All patients in the isolation ward must be treated using barrier nursing to prevent any cross-contamination.
  • This ward has its own dedicated cleaning supplies, including a bucket, cloth, and scrubber, which must only be used in this area.
  • Gloves are available on the shelf in the isolation ward.
  • Disposable aprons can be found under the sink in the prep room, if needed.
  • The bin within the ward is for isolation use only.
  • Please wash thoroughly after caring for patients that may be infectious.

  • Sharps bins are located in each ward and are for the disposal of needles only.
  • Syringes should be placed in the large yellow bin near the scales in the prep room.
  • Any blood or soiled materials should be disposed of in the clinical waste bin. This is the other large yellow bin in the prep room (the one with a bin liner inside).
  • Controlled drugs are handled by veterinary surgeons and nurses only. If you have any questions, please speak to a member of the team.

  • Keeping laundry piles up to date is a big help. We have an industrial washer and dryer located at the end of the corridor.
  • To use the washing machine:
    1. Add a scoop of washing powder to the front-right compartment.
    2. Add a dash of fabric conditioner to the back-left compartment.
    3. Close the door and press Start.
  • To use the dryer: we use the section of the timer dial that sits between 3pm and 8pm (if looking at a clock face). Turn the dial to the desired time, close the door, and push the dial inward to start.
  • Once washed and dried, clean laundry can be left in piles at the laundry area for nurses to sort.
  • For waterproof items, use washing powder only (no fabric conditioner) and hang to dry—do not use the tumble dryer!