For Emergencies:
Written by the Bridge Referrals Kennel Nursing Team
While every day is different, this article reflects the shared experiences of our kennel nurses and the dedication they bring to caring for our patients around the clock.
My alarm goes off at 6:00am and, by 7:30am, I’m walking through the hospital doors, coffee in hand and ready for another busy day in kennels. Before I even put my bag away, I can already hear the morning chorus beginning – and hope I’ve remembered my earplugs! Dogs are barking for breakfast, tails are thumping against kennel doors, and the occasional dramatic patient is demanding immediate attention.
The first job of the day is getting a handover from the night team and checking on all our inpatients. We move from kennel to kennel, greeting each patient and assessing how they have done overnight. Some are bright and waggy, delighted to see us. Others are recovering from major surgery and need a gentler approach. It’s always rewarding when a patient that looked uncomfortable the night before is standing up, eating breakfast, wagging their tail, or purring at you.
Morning cuddles for Lily during her stay with us! 🩷
Breakfast time is organised chaos. There are special diets, feeding tubes, appetite stimulants, hand-feeding nervous patients, and convincing stubborn dogs that yes, chicken really is delicious. Some patients inhale their food in seconds, while others stare at us as if we’ve personally offended them by offering breakfast at all.
Throughout the morning, the kennels are a hive of activity. We administer medications and fluid therapy, place IV cannulas, take blood samples, monitor post-operative patients, provide physiotherapy for spinal patients, change bedding, walk those able to go outside, and offer plenty of cuddles and reassurance. Referral cases can be complex, so careful monitoring is essential.
Some of our nurses preparing medications for patients!
One of the best parts of the job is seeing patients improve. Watching a dog take its first comfortable steps after orthopaedic surgery, or seeing an anxious patient finally relax enough to nap or eat, makes all the hard work worthwhile. There’s a special satisfaction in knowing you’ve helped them through some of their toughest days.
Of course, it’s not all purring, wagging tails, and happy endings.
Sometimes patients are frightened, painful, or frustrated. We often get covered in drool, urine, diarrhoea – or all three – before lunchtime. There are days when a patient refuses every type of food we can think of, despite our best efforts and a supermarket’s worth of tempting treats.
Jax cuddled up with his teddy during his recovery! 💙
The emotional side can be difficult too. Some patients deteriorate unexpectedly and their owners receive news they hoped would never hear. Some patients spend days or even weeks in hospital, and during that time we develop deep bonds with them. Unfortunately, those relationships don’t always have happy endings.
All of my nurse friends have at least one patient they could tell you about – one that touched their heart and broke it at the same time, and whom they’ll never forget. As nurses, we often support both animals and their families through incredibly challenging situations. Those moments stay with you.
Tilly receiving some cuddles ahead of her discharge! 🩷
By the afternoon, we’re balancing treatments, admissions, discharges, phone updates, and ensuring every patient remains comfortable and clean. There is always another medication due, another set of observations to complete, or another patient needing attention.
Then there are the moments that make everyone smile – a Labrador trying to sit on your lap despite weighing 35 kilograms, a nervous cat finally accepting a Lick-e-Lix treat, or a patient so excited for their walk that they practically walk you instead.
Hazel enjoying her Lickelix! 🩷
As night approaches, we prepare our patients for the night shift. Detailed notes and handovers are essential. Every medication, appetite change, toilet habit, and behavioural observation is communicated so the night nurses can continue care seamlessly.
When I finally leave at the end of the day, I’m usually tired, sometimes physically and mentally exhausted, and occasionally covered in hair and slobber. Yet I leave knowing that every patient was cared for, comforted, and advocated for throughout the day.
Referral nursing in kennels can be messy, demanding, emotional, and unpredictable. But it is also full of resilience, teamwork, recovery stories, and countless wagging tails. For all the difficult moments, there is nothing quite like helping a patient feel better and seeing them reunited with their family.
And tomorrow, I’ll do it all again. ❤️🐾
One of our patients Kes, being reunited with his owner! 💙🐾
