Posted By: 16 Oct
Just like that we are into the autumn months! This time of year can bring some anxiety to households with firework displays, cold, dark evenings and with lots of festive treats hanging around the house. We Vets and Nurses are here all year round to give advice to our clients and their pets, and with the nights drawing in, we like to make sure...
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Posted By: 9 Oct
This week’s story started nearly two years ago. In fact, 11 year old Golden Retriever Tao has been a regular face at the practice ever since he was a bouncy 8 week-old puppy, visiting for his yearly vaccinations, health checks and the odd minor health complaint. These visits tended to be straightforward as Tao was generally a very happy and healthy...
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Posted By: 2 Oct
This magnificent lady is Purdie. Incredibly, she has been diabetic for over nine years. Her owner manages this at home with injections of insulin twice daily, and we see Purdie for regular checks. Recently, she came to see me for a check up and her owner asked me to check her teeth as she had noticed that Purdie was just swallowing her dry food,...
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Posted By: 25 Sep
On the 6th of March little did I know I had just had my last ever day at university. Less than two weeks later, whilst on a placement with Shepton Vets we were informed of the universities closure due to Covid19. As lockdown progressed it was clear that we would not be returning, and so the last of our university rotation teaching became online. For...
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Posted By: 18 Sep
As humans, we are aware of the very real threat of breast cancers, and the need to check regularly for lumps that may appear in breast tissue. But as pet owners we also need to be aware of checking our female dogs’ mammary glands for masses, especially if they have not been neutered or were neutered later in life. Tag’s owner fortunately...
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Posted By: 11 Sep
Eye issues are something we see all the time at both of our practices, with none more dramatic than when Ace was brought into our Wells branch one evening. Ace is a lovely (if not a bit wriggly!) French bulldog who had been having eye drops from his previous vets for 1-2 weeks to treat an ulcer on his eye. It was reportedly getting better however...
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Posted By: 4 Sep
Last Tuesday evening, while checking our little flock of Jacobs’ sheep, my budding smallholder husband and I noticed that one of this year’s lambs was apart from the rest. Knowing that sheep tend to follow each other closely, like, well, sheep, we went to investigate. At first glance there was nothing amiss, but we had a good look around...
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Posted By: 28 Aug
Five month old Rosco was only doing what puppies do best, sniffing around and trying out anything that he could find. Unfortunately, Rosco came across some sultanas, and thinking that they smelt quite interesting, he quickly chewed and swallowed them. Whilst sultanas, raisins and grapes might seem like a reasonably healthy snack for us humans, the...
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Posted By: 21 Aug
Having your pet go missing is one of the worst things that can happen to you as a pet owner. Just imagine how that feels, when days become weeks, months and then years. Not every missing story has a happy ending; but this week we were privileged to be part of one with Buddy – 6 years later! Microchipping is one of the most important things you...
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Posted By: 7 Aug
It is grass seed season currently and these barbed rice-like shaped structures can be pretty pesky causing problems all over the place with our hairy 4 legged friends! Bonnie is a lovely and very well behaved Collie who came in for her annual booster and health check in July. Her owner’s mentioned she had a sore and squinty eye since...
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Posted By: 31 Jul
Cats love to groom. They don’t just enjoy it though, they need to, in order to keep their hair from matting and their coat in good shape. For this reason long haired cats especially can be prone to hairballs. Often owners will find an unpleasant wet ball of hair delivered onto the doormat in the morning, but in Aslan’s case an extra large...
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Posted By: 17 Jul
Fearne is a lovely little 2 year old whippet who came to the practice during the lockdown period with a primary complaint of reducing mobility and reduced ability to exercise. She is normally a very bouncy and lively dog and like any whippet extremely quick once she gets going. Her owners had noticed a change that started mildly around the time lockdown...
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Posted By: 10 Jul
When Bea was collected from a rescue centre eight years ago, she really fell on her feet. Her gentle, sweet nature made her the perfect companion for her new owners who have given her a fantastic, loving home. We see her quite regularly to monitor an ongoing condition, but she came in twice last year with episodes of vomiting, and being miserable...
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Posted By: 3 Jul
Vets are here for your pets when they’re ill, but what about our wildlife? The RSPCA are available to attend and provide help, though they can be in high demand. There are several wildlife rescue centres that have dedicated vets or nurses connected to them, dotted around the south west that can be within an hours’ drive too. However...
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Posted By: 19 Jun
The story of Saddleback for any of you active on our community social media page will be a very familiar one, with his name being derived from the unique markings on his back. He has become a feline celebrity with quite the following since his disappearance earlier last month when he was missing for 11days before eventually being found by a nearby...
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Posted By: 5 Jun
Marvin, or Marvin the Marvellous to give him is full name, is a 6 year old Havana that is a bit of a local character. Naturally curious in nature, Marvin is known to many of the neighbours due to his inquisitive tendencies and ability to make himself comfortable where ever he should decide to visit. However, he always returns home where, at least...
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Posted By: 29 May
Sometimes things are not as they seem the first time an animal is brought into a vets. On occasion, vets can give a good guess as to the potential diagnosis before an animal walks through the door, based on symptoms and a history over the phone. However, sometimes like in Sam the border collie’s situation, the most obvious answer isn’t...
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Posted By: 22 May
In the last few months everyone here at Shepton and Wells Vets has been adapting to life under lockdown. There has been a huge change in our daily way of life but there is one cohort who is probably enjoying the change – your pets! Well, the dogs at least… Many of us are spending more time with our animals than ever before and I wanted...
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Posted By: 15 May
We are very pleased to bring you an update about our practice procedures during the Covid 19 lockdown, and let you know that we will be providing some routine pet vaccination appointments from Wednesday 20th May. Over the last six weeks of lockdown we’ve had to make some changes to the way we work at the practice. In order...
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In the current climate, I feel that we are all somewhat hyperaware of coughing, but fear not, this isn’t an article about Coronavirus! Today we are discussing the case of Alfie, a 12 year old Lakeland cross Jack Russell Terrier, who had been violently coughing. Alfie’s owners booked a telephone consultation to avoid unnecessary travel to...
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Posted By: 8 May
In the current climate, I feel that we are all somewhat hyperaware of coughing, but fear not, this isn’t an article about Coronavirus! Today we are discussing the case of Alfie, a 12 year old Lakeland cross Jack Russell Terrier, who had been violently coughing. Alfie’s owners booked a telephone consultation to avoid unnecessary travel to...
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Posted By: 1 May
Urinary issues are common amongst tom cats, but can be more than just an irritating inconvenience, and in fact may end up with the life threatening consequence of a ‘blocked’ bladder. These health problems can be recurrent, as moggy cat Badger’s owners know too well – unfortunately he is not the first cat they’ve owned...
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Posted By: 24 Apr
Weighing in at 2.5kg each, Sasha and Sophie the 9 month old Maltese Terriers are small in size but big in character. Despite their fine and delicate features the two of them love to bustle around and play rough and tumble, much to the concern of their doting owners who are continuously worried about them. In general all has been fine but on one...
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Posted By: 17 Apr
Bear is a gorgeous 2 year old dog who presented to Izzy at the start of February 2020 with acute onset difficulty urinating. On examination it soon became clear Bear was very tense, rigid and unable to move his body normally. In addition to this, he also had ‘pricked ears’, a ‘sardonic grin’, hyper-salivation and...
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Posted By: 10 Apr
Lots of people might think that life as a farm vet is a bit lonely; a lot of time spent on the road and going out at all hours of the night but actually I find it’s quite the opposite and this article is all about why working alone is all about teamwork. Firstly we work in a big and bustling practice made up of 13 farm vets, 3 TB testers,...
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Posted By: 3 Apr
The names of some diseases can be quite misleading – sometimes all may not be as it seems with a diagnosis. That was the case with Gary the 8 year old moggie, who turned out to have contracted an uncommon skin condition called cowpox, probably from a rat! There can’t be many cats up and down the country that come to the name ‘Gary’...
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Posted By: 27 Mar
Some of the most common signs we see in our patients are vomiting and diarrhoea, each of which can be caused by a huge number of things. Most commonly simple inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract is present, often caused by infections (mostly viral). As a general approach, if an animal is well in themselves then the underlying issue is likely...
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Posted By: 20 Mar
One damp Friday afternoon in February, Bruce the Jack Russell Terrier was out and about exploring in the garden when his nose caught a good scent, he started digging and came across a long lost rawhide chew! Filled with what we can only assume was eager joy he swallowed it whole before his owner was able to retrieve it from him. His owner, very aware...
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Posted By: 13 Mar
Occasionally we end up experiencing the practice from the other side of the consulting room table. When our own pets are ill, our veterinary knowledge helps, of course, but we also feel all the same worry and distress as any other owner. I recently experienced this as one of our beloved family cats, Jinx, was unwell. Although they are unrelated,...
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Posted By: 6 Mar
Many years ago, when I was a student at Bristol University Vet School, a wise professor used to tell us, “When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, but don’t forget the zebra”. Another professor might say, “Common Conditions Happen Commonly”, but I think the zebra quote is more memorable. The point is, when we...
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Posted By: 28 Feb
Benbow is a gorgeous 4 year old male neutered ‘Goldendoodle’ and client of ours who presented to Izzy in late November with a 4 day history of not being his normal self, a bit down in the dumps with a reduced appetite and excessive smelly dribbling! There was discussion as to whether he had been poisoned, a common concern for owners. ...
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Posted By: 7 Feb
It’s not everyday of the week that I am presented with an injured goose, but part of being a vet here in rural Somerset means that we are constantly presented with new, interesting and slightly obscurer animals than your average. On a Friday afternoon, Little Rog, a 4 year old female Goose was rushed into Wells Vets with a large wound to the...
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Posted By: 31 Jan
It’s not just dogs, cats and rabbits at the vets – there are a large number of rodents owned in the UK, and this covers a large array of species. Rats, mice and guinea pigs are common rodents seen in vet practices, but there are an emerging number of other species, from hamsters and gerbils to chinchillas, to the inquisitive degu. Degus...
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Posted By: 23 Jan
Lambing season is upon us again. It is a busy and exciting time of year for sheep farmers and vets alike. I work as a farm vet but also have a small flock of sheep of my own. I love lambing time; being there to watch new-born lambs arrive in the world, stand up on their shaking legs and go looking for milk is one of my favourite things. Sheep...
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Posted By: 17 Jan
My article this week is from a slightly more personal point of view, as the dog that presented to me was one of my Nan’s 2 West Highland White Terriers – Ruby and Pearl. It is well known that WHWT’s are prone to developing skin allergies however luckily neither Ruby nor Pearl had seemed to suffer much from this throughout their...
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Posted By: 10 Jan
Spaying female dogs is an important component of responsible dog ownership and forms a large part of our routine surgery day to day at the vets. We spay dogs for several reasons; for the physical health benefits and for behavioural benefits too. Spaying before the 2nd season dramatically reduces the incidence of mammary cancers, and it also prevents...
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Posted By: 3 Jan
Dragons aren’t just a myth; they live amongst us, and require veterinary treatment too – bearded dragons, that is. These reptiles are one of the most popular exotic pets, and are probably the most common lizard presented to veterinary practice. Like all reptiles, bearded dragons have complex needs, and require a lot of time, money and dedication...
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Posted By: 27 Dec
Pepsi is an 8 and a half year old female Pug who was seen by us as the last appointment during a busy Thursday evening surgery. She had been seen by another Veterinary practice near Yeovil where the owners would normally take her as she had developed gagging/retching type symptoms, especially after attempting to eat food. She was initially treated...
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Posted By: 20 Dec
One morning back in August, Jackson’s owners noticed that all was not well with him. In spite of the fact that he was eating and fairly perky, he was blinking frequently and holding his eyes closed much of the time. They brought him straight in to us. Now, some dogs can be understandably reluctant to have their eyes checked, particularly when...
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Posted By: 13 Dec
On a quiet day in late September, we had an unexpected arrival at Wells surgery. A kitten had been found in a flowerpot in a ditch, well away from any human habitation. Her rescuer explained there were feral cats in the area, and he suspected she was one of them. Our Veterinary Nurse, Natalie, quickly took her in to get her warm and...
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Posted By: 6 Dec
This week it's all about responsible dog ownership, but with a bit of a twist! We revisit a classic, cautionary message that may seem like old news but is actually just as important today as it's always been. As a vet working in a busy practice in such a dog-loving area, many people think that I must spend most of my time cuddling cute puppies....
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Posted By: 29 Nov
Dogs can eat all sorts – and this can often mean a trip to the vets, sometimes requiring a surgery if whatever has been eaten has then become stuck. What is more unusual is a greedy cat that will eat anything, edible or not. This is a description of Misty, the three year old moggy who doesn’t care what she has a nibble at! Unfortunately,...
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Posted By: 22 Nov
Even if you are not very familiar with cows, you are probably aware of the fact they have four stomachs. Ruminants have multiple stomachs to make them more effective at getting nutrients from food products that we humans would be unable to digest. They are highly efficient digesters! Diary cattle are working very hard shortly after they have had...
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Posted By: 15 Nov
Dog owners are now familiar with the law that dogs must be microchipped, but cat owners are missing the benefits of microchipping their cats; it may not be the law but it is even more important in cats as they don’t generally wear any identification. This is a tale of two black and white cats that both went missing within days of each other....
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Posted By: 8 Nov
With increasing numbers of cars on the road and high density cat populations in built up areas, road traffic accidents, or RTAs involving cats are unfortunately a common occurrence and seem to be on the rise. With the speed that cars travel, even at residential speed limits, a collision with a cat can cause a severe amount of damage, and is often fatal. Cats...
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Posted By: 7 Nov
One thing I’ve learnt doing this job is that the problem isn’t always immediately on the first examination. Sometimes symptoms can be subtle and not always evident when we, as vets, get to examine a patient. However, owners know their beloved pets and if they tell us something isn’t right, then we ignore this at our peril. This was...
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Posted By: 1 Nov
Very often, in veterinary medicine, we’re dealing with the unknown, making decisions without all the information. We discuss the likelihood of various scenarios with a worried owner to guide our choices, and we have wished countless times for the ability to predict the future. A recent patient, Jack, was a great example of this. Jack is a...
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Posted By: 18 Oct
During a busy morning at the surgery, we expect to see a lot of cats and dogs visiting, but we usually have a few other species as well: - mammals, reptiles and birds. Since the rise in popularity of keeping ‘backyard hens’ they are quite frequent visitors. Hens have super personalities, they are friendly and chatty as well as...
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Posted By: 11 Oct
Bruno is a lively and lovely 6 month old English Bull Terrier. He is known for chewing sticks but his owners were not aware just how many other things he had chewed ! Whilst he was playing he was seen to swallow a bright red foam rubber ball whole. The ball was large enough to obstruct the outflow from his stomach or, if it had gone in to his intestines,...
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Posted By: 4 Oct
Amputation of a limb isn’t an option that owners want to have to consider for their dogs, but sometimes unfortunately some diseases leave owners and vets with little option. When it comes between losing a leg or extending life, this often helps owners come to a decision on the surgery, whilst it is also worth noting that a lot of dogs can cope...
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Posted By: 20 Sep
ong summer days bring additional joy to a dog walk. Springer Spaniel Seth had been out for a lovely sunny walk with his other canine pals when he suddenly cried out and was persistently bothering his ear. All night long he was scratching at it and despite his owners best efforts to calm him down, they couldn’t, nor could they see what the problem...
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Posted By: 6 Sep
Daisy is a lovely friendly 3 year old Spanish Water dog. She has always been quieter than her ‘sister’ Poppy and, particularly since being neutered, her owners have struggled with her expanding waistline. We try to assess a pet’s weight every time we see them. Being underweight can be a sign of underfeeding, parasites or underlying...
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Posted By: 30 Aug
Skin. It’s that time of year again when about a third of our consults are skin related, primarily itchy skin, with common sites being ears and paws. The causes of this often come down to a handful of common conditions – fleas, mites, allergic/sensitive skin (called allergic dermatitis) and other conditions such as fungal infections inc....
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Posted By: 16 Aug
Whenever you get a new puppy or kitten it is fascinating introducing them to their new home and watching as they go through a range of emotions. Initially they may be wary and apprehensive about fully exploring their new environment. However, as their confidence builds, it’s not long before they are tearing around the house and maybe...
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Posted By: 9 Aug
Cat fights are common in built up areas when a high density of cats are found in a relatively small area. ‘Entire’, or non-neutered, male cats are especially territorial and will fight between each other very commonly over resources like land, food and female cats. They also tend to stray further afield, encountering more cats. Meep was...
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Posted By: 1 Aug
When you’re a 10 month old Cocker Spaniel puppy, exploring the world with your nose and your mouth, anything could be a source of food even when maybe it shouldn’t be! Winston’s owners grew concerned one morning after he vomited and appeared to be uncontrollably tremoring. He had been his normal puppy self earlier that day and...
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Posted By: 19 Jul
Being Veterinary surgeons we get to deal with both pleasant experiences, like playing with puppies/kittens/bunnies, and in some cases unpleasant experiences such as smelly bodily excretions. It is not unusual for us therefore to have to examine your pets faeces or urine to give us a clue as to what might be causing them to be poorly. In this case...
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Posted By: 5 Jul
Taking on a new kitten is an exciting experience, and can also be a busy time too. There are lots of things to think about, not least all the routine check-ups and visits to the vets. Usually these are planned for and can be scheduled at convenient times, with a bit preparation. This was not the case however for Bob. Bob’s new owners adored...
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Just like that we are into the autumn months! This time of year can...
This magnificent lady is Purdie. Incredibly, she has been diabetic...
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