The archived sections of this News Section form the basis of the story and history of my Veterinary Practice up until this year. These archives give an insight into how things have changed and developed. We are now the “One Stop Shop” for all your pets’ needs.

We will continue this section now as a dynamic Notice Board to keep you up to date.


As part of our News Section we will periodically keep you posted with interesting cases and the latest developments and news both local and national. Never a day goes by when something exciting (and sometimes sad) happens at the Grangemouth Pet care Centre.


We will also be offering special deals on particular products and services. This year for example in January we offered discount vaccination and in June gave a whooping discount on microchipping.


This month’s interesting case is a warning to cat owners about a problem that I have seen a fair number of times during my career as a small animal pet vet. The case concerns grass.


You will see a picture on the left (enlarge by clicking on the image) of Twinkle , an elderly lady cat who has a fascination for ornamental grass. Twinkle was brought to the surgery in quite a distressed state suffering severe bouts of sneezing, gagging and wretching.


I suspected immediately that there may be something lodged up in the naso-pharynx (the region at the back of the mouth, where there is a division of the channel, coming up the way into the nasal airway and sinuses.


Twinkle was given an anaesthetic so that a proper examination of the back of the throat could be examined. An anaesthetic spray was then used to fully desensitise the fleshy soft palate on the roof of the mouth. After gently pulling back the soft palate I could just see what looked like the end of a green blade of grass. A special pair of very long grabbing forceps (with very fine claspers) were then used to firmly grasp hold of the end of the blade of grass which was very gently extracted from the nasal cavity. The picture says it all.


Twinkle has now made a full recovery.

This was not the first time that Twinkle had got some grass lodged in a similar fashion.

There are many theories as to why animals eat grass but does anyone know the real reason why?

Having happened for the second time in 5 months it was advised that the offending grass plant in the back garden (see picture on the left) should be dug up and removed. .