Specialist vet care

Here at Orchard House Veterinary Centres we try to offer our clients the very best in modern veterinary care. 

Whilst many clinics may use specialist veterinary referral services to refer you to a large animal hospital or referral centre, we will try our best to see your pet in the familiar walls of Orchard House Vets. 

In some cases, if your pet needs extra care, we do offer in house services which include a weekly visit from a veterinary specialist surgeon from Northeast Veterinary Imaging. 

Most people are familiar with the use of ultrasound for pregnancy diagnosis and examinations in people, but it has also become one of the most important tools in veterinary diagnostics in the last 10 years. 

Previously, veterinary professionals would have had to undertake soft tissue surgery to examine and take samples from internal organs. We can now image the abdomen and heart without the need of our surgical and internal medicine team, and can often take samples with non-invasive techniques such as needle biopsy.

We have an on-site small animal ultrasound unit, but for most cases we utilise a referral ultra-sonographer, Sophie Betts from North East Veterinary Imaging. Sophie comes to Hexham weekly, and in an emergency as required.

Endoscopy is an instrument used to examine the interior of the body. Unlike most other medical imaging devices, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ. For instance, at Orchard House we regularly ‘scope’ the airways, the stomach and gut and the inside of the nose. 

Gastroscopy can be used to retrieve “foreign bodies” that have been swallowed, to check for ulcers or tumours or to take biopsies from the inside of the bowel.

At Hexham we have a Digital Radiography Suite that allows us to radiograph even the biggest dog. The images produced are of excellent quality and can instantly be sent when a second opinion is required. 

As well as taking diagnostic radiographs, we regularly X-ray dogs for the British Veterinary Association Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Schemes.

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Will my pet need to be referred elsewhere?

We always do our best to ensure that your pet is treated in house with us as this is an environment that they are more familiar with. However, while we do offer a broad range of specialist vet care services, our priority is always to get your pet the best possible care, and in some cases this can require a referral.

What treatment options do your specialist vet care team offer?

The treatment that your pet requires will depend entirely on the problem that they have. From medicine to surgery, our team is able to give the highest quality treatment to your small animals.

What other services do Orchard House Vets offer?

At Orchard House Vets, we offer a wide range of services including vaccinations, nurturing, and microchipping. We also offer emergency care should your pet need critical care out of hours.

Do you want to learn more about how our veterinary specialists can help your pet?

Contact our team today about specialist vet care!