A NEW veterinary service bringing the vet to your pet has started up in Glasgow.

For the first time on Scotland's west coast, Dr Nikki Lough will make house calls only.

The vet claims her new home-based consultations will take the stress out of having a poorly pet - for owner and animal.

Dr Lough said: "Any pet owner knows what it's like: with cats you have to get them into the box and deal with getting to the vet and then deal with the sulking afterwards.

“Some practices are better than others but the idea of taking all that stress out of it is appealing to owners.

“Of course, as this is a new service I don’t know yet how many cats hide under the bed when you get to the house.

“But home visits give me more time for the consultation, as opposed to in a vet’s surgery where you get 10 minutes.

“You’ll get more time, less stress and a better all round experience."

Dr Lough has set up her new travelling practice as part of Paw Squad, a network of 12 around the UK.

There are already two vets based in Edinburgh but this will be a first for the west coast.

Consultations cost £48 as opposed to around £100 for a home visit from a bricks and mortar vet clinic.

Should pets need more advanced diagnostics or surgery then Dr Lough will liaise with a partner practice to make sure the animal has everything it needs.

She added: "Obviously we can't carry x-ray equipment or carry out surgery but I have a partner practice so that if things are more serious then I would work with them.

"Medicine will also be delivered to the owner the next day."

Dr Lough has worked in Australia and New Zealand, having graduated from Glasgow University in 2005.

She is a member of the Australia and New Zealand College of Vet Scientists Feline Medicine Chapter.

As well as seeing cats and dogs, the vet will treat smaller animals too.

She added: “I will do rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters but they’re a bit more transportable so I'm not sure how many calls I will get asking me to visit that kind of animal.

"Pocket pets are easier to move around, after all, so it’s not as difficult to bring them in to a surgery."

Dr Lough's area covers Glasgow, out to Airdrie and down as far as Paisley.

She added: "My colleagues in Edinburgh have been having plenty of calls from owners in Glasgow but they haven't been able to see them.

"So I'm hoping this service will prove popular for pets and their families."

Appointments can be booked at evenings and weekends and consultation time is around 40 to 50 minutes.

For more information see www.pawsquad.com