High Peak vets Knox & Devlin focuses on small animals

Vet introduces longer opening hours to help local pet owners during lockdown

The team of highly dedicated and experienced veterinary surgeons and vet nurses at the High Peak practice is now exclusively caring for small animals throughout the area, with their two sister practices delivering expert advice and care for farm animals and horses.

Horses will now be cared for by Epona Equine Vets, an equine-only practice run by Simon Pollard that offers an enhanced level of service dealing with purely equine veterinary surgeons, both during normal working hours and out of hours. And all farm work is now being carried out by the team’s colleagues at Cheshire Farm Vets, including out-of-hours emergency work.

Knox & Devlin’s practice manager Pauline Smith says the decision has been taken so that they can have specialist teams given expert care for every animal sector.

Got a new pandemic pup or kitten? This vet can answer all your queries.

“One of the trends we noticing is the rise in people getting puppies and kittens during lockdown, and we have a dedicated team who can deliver expert small animal advice.”

The price of buying a puppy has almost quadrupled for some breeds, which has sadly sparked a surge in dog thefts across the UK – including the theft of 30 dogs in Derbyshire in 2020. Derbyshire police officers have urged dog owners to be vigilant, and Mrs Smith said it was vital that owners took good care of their new canine companions.

“It’s important that people are aware of the risks out there and take every step to look after their dogs,” she explained.

The vets practice will be able to chip your new pup, making it easier to trace ownership in the event of them going missing.

With Easter just around the corner, care should also be taken to keep chocolate out of reach of your four-legged friend: chocolate can be poisonous to dogs so be vigilant and hide those chocolate treats, as any amount is potentially harmful to your dog.

During the current lockdown, the Bridge Street clinic has been open for longer hours to offer greater flexibility for local pet owners, who are unable to enter the clinic with their faithful friends. Knox & Devlin is open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 8.30am to 1.45pm, though due to government rules appointments need to be made and you may need to wait outside.

The only exception to the no-owners rule is for pre-booked euthanasia, when two people are allowed to be with their pet. As well as end-of-life care and support, Knox & Devlin also provide pet bereavement support for those in need. In special circumstances, home visits may be available for pets or owners who cannot get into the practice.

Out of hours, care is provided via a vet in Macclesfield. You simply call the usual Knox & Devlin number and your call will be diverted.

Knox & Devlin provide pet insurance for any unexpected veterinary treatment should your pet become ill or is injured. The team recommends having a good pet insurance policy in place which allows you to concentrate on what’s best for your pets without having to worry about the financial burden of unexpected vet bills. The practice offers MiPet Cover pet insurance policies cover dogs and cats from eight weeks of age.

For all your small animal needs, including advice on caring for new pets and details on pet insurance, microchipping and much more, visit https://knoxanddevlinvets.co.uk/ to find out more.