PET owners and staff at Paragon Vets have been "wowed" by its impressive new facilities.

The veterinary group's Dalston surgery has undergone a £300,000 refurbishment and now boasts two operating theatres, a large animal facility and an extended laboratory.

Paragon started the refurbishment about eight years ago, with the first part of the build completed in 2011. During the last 18 months the second phase has taken shape and staff are delighted with the results.

Ann Noble, small animal veterinary surgeon, said it has transformed the atmosphere and has create a light, modern space to provide animals with the best possible care.

"It's fantastic," she said. "It's amazing to be in there and using it.

"People just loved it. There has been quite a few comments to say it has been amazing and its nice we have these facilities in this area.

"Everybody has been wowed by it because it just feels really special."

Since the opening, which attracted more than 100 pet owners, staff have shown around those who were unable to make it and are also planning an open day in April.

Helen Wilson said on Facebook: "Thank you for the opportunity to look round what must be one of, if not the best, equipped animal hospitals in the north, designed to reduce stress for the patients, and owners, a knowledgeable team enthusiastic and proud of the care they can offer.

"Hope we don't need to visit anytime soon but it's reassuring to know the amazing facilities and team at Paragon are there with the latest treatments if we do."

Paragon's building Carlisle House was Dalston's former vicarage and had various uses including as a boy’s school and a Masonic Lodge before Paragon moved in in 1994.

The new facilities, which have been described as "world class", will bring a number of benefits to staff and the animals they care for.

Ann said: “It's allowing us to do what we were doing before in a much better way. We were growing out of our old facilities."

A separate cat ward, with plastic rather than metal cat cages, has made a huge difference.It is much better for cats in their care and keeps them calmer during their stay. There are also four cat condos - bigger kennels with more space for cats staying for longer periods of time.

“They are much happier in that environment and we can also use it for rabbits. Dogs in a strange environment can bark and that is quite stressful if you are a cat or a rabbit. That is one of the biggest benefits for the animals," she said.

Paragon already had a laboratory but it was very small and housed a lot of equipment. The new lab provides a better environment for staff to work in and means they can continue to process blood tests and get the results the same day.

Ann added: “Having an in house lab is a massive bonus for us. We could do lots more testing and there is potential to do more than we currently do."

An additional operating theatre means they now have one that can be used for routine surgery and another for more major surgery. There is also a large animal facility, something they had previously been without, which is used to treat farm animals.