Posted By: 24 Jun
Stitch the lamb had a bit of an eventful start to life! Moment after he was born he began to eviscerate his intestines through his navel. This as you can imagine is a true emergency. Umbilical defects can be fairly common in ruminants, either as a result of a congenital condition resulting in failure of the body wall closing or as a result of trauma...
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Posted By: 20 Jun
I suspect very few people are aware of the number of feral cat colonies that exist in our area. Many start from abandoned cats or kittens, or from unneutered cats that wander away from home and become lost. Sometimes a well meaning cat owner has allowed his or her pet cat or farm cat to breed, but been unable to find or rehome all of the kittens...
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Posted By: 13 Jun
Rosie is a lovely tortoiseshell female cat (with attitude !). Her owner noticed that she was having difficulty eating and one of her lower canine teeth was at an abnormal angle. On examination it was clear that the tooth was broken and the loose part was removed. The root was still present and, as retained roots can cause pain and infection, Rosie...
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Posted By: 6 Jun
We only get two eyes in life, and when eyes go wrong they can deteriorate rapidly. There are many conditions of the eye in animals, but some are more common than others and one that we see very regularly is ulceration to the external surface of the eye (the cornea). This can be caused by a number of things. One cause would be abnormalities to the...
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Posted By: 30 May
Farm cats are often a common sight amongst working farms – their ratting skills are invaluable at keeping rodent numbers down; a much needed pest control to limit disease, damage and loss of food stocks. Whilst keeping rat numbers low, it is very important to keep cat numbers well controlled also, so all farm cats should be neutered to limit...
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Posted By: 23 May
If you have popped in to Shepton or Wells Vets recently, or follow us on Social Media, then some of you may know that May is National Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month. Every year the British Veterinary Nursing Association dedicates a whole Month on raising awareness of the Veterinary Nursing Profession and what it involves. This...
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Posted By: 16 May
Toffee is a lovely 6 year old female Rhodesian ridgeback x Labrador who was brought into us as an emergency last month. She had been out on a walk with her owners when they suddenly heard a yelp and Toffee ran back over to them limping. When an emergency comes into the practice you are never quite sure with exactly what you will be faced with and...
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Posted By: 9 May
Ear disease is a regularly occurring ailment suffered by our pet dogs, and is one of the most common reasons for a visit to the vets. Treatment and recovery is usually fairly straight forward, often with owners applying daily medicated antibacterial and antifungal drops to their dog’s ears for at least a week. However Pilot the Irish Wolfhound...
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Posted By: 2 May
Very often, when pets are ill, it is immediately apparent. Their worried owners know straightaway that something isn’t right and bring them to see us at the surgery. Sometimes, however, issues can develop so gradually that it is difficult to be sure there is a problem until it is quite advanced, even for the most diligent owners. This was the...
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Posted By: 25 Apr
April is ‘National Pet Month’ and so it seems fitting to discuss new pets and some top tips for keeping our animals happy and healthy throughout their lives. First of all, looking at our own lifestyle, free time, working hours and home environment is of utmost importance, these factors are key influencers for choosing between a cat or...
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Posted By: 18 Apr
Over my years in Veterinary Practice, I’ve seen hundreds of rabbits with all sorts of ailments, major and minor. Some of these are due to infections, some are problems the rabbit was born with, some are linked to an inappropriate diet, and some are just bad luck. But the saddest of all are the illnesses that could have been prevented, and that’s...
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Posted By: 11 Apr
Spring is upon us and the Easter holiday is fast approaching and lots of chocolatey treats will be lining up ready to consume in excess. However humans are not the only ones with a sweet tooth, chocolate toxicity percentages in dogs rise over the Easter period and dogs are usually admitted to induce vomiting (if ingested within the first 3 hours)....
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Posted By: 8 Apr
Here at Shepton and Wells vets we see and treat cats of all different life stages, ranging from kittens to our elderly companions. Each life stage brings different challenges and considerations, none more so than when our feline friends are entering their latter years. We work a lot in partnership with cats protection (CP) who frequently bring in elderly...
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Posted By: 4 Apr
With the new Wells Surgery in full flow, it has been wonderful to see both new and existing clients setting foot into the practice with their pets. Our Nurse Clinics provide a service for patients, from clipping nails, to vaccinations but also for our clients as we can listen and advise them on their pet’s health and wellbeing. My...
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Posted By: 29 Mar
Calcium is known to be an important mineral in the body, for healthy bones as well as nerve and muscle function.The circulating levels for this reason are well controlled, and it can be a real danger if levels drop, but as much loved patterdale cross Nigel experienced, high calcium can also cause its own problems. Nigel is an older chap, and although...
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Posted By: 22 Mar
It’s springtime on the farm, and the idyllic picture of lambs in the fields is starting to appear. It’s also a time when some of our dairy farms calve all their cows, but in fact for most this is an all year round job. New born calves are the future of the dairy herd and farmers know investing in them today will have long-term benefits....
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Posted By: 15 Mar
Toothache in our pets is a difficult one for both owners and vets to assess. Often cats and dogs will still have a hearty appetite and will simply learn to eat around the painful tooth and avoid the crunchy bits, much like you and I. The causes of toothache in cats and dogs most typically are associated with plaque build up which causes an inflammation...
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Posted By: 8 Mar
Logan has had an eventful life – he was rescued from Crete at about 4 months old and landed on his paws with a loving home. We first met him when he was approximately 5 months old and he was very healthy then. His first few months in the UK were uneventful but then he quite quickly became unwell. Initially it looked like he had gastritis (stomach...
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Posted By: 1 Mar
I’d like to say that nothing is a surprise to us in our job – that we always have full knowledge and control of all that is right and wrong with our patients. However, the truth is very different, and the only part of our job that I am now not surprised by is when our patients do things that completely baffle and confuse us. In fact, this...
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Posted By: 22 Feb
When Teg came in to see us at the end of November, it seemed that he was just suffering from a nasty upset tummy. He wasn’t quite himself but there was nothing to make us worry too much about him. He was treated with some paste containing gut-friendly bacteria to try and settle the problem down, but was no better the next day and had started...
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Posted By: 15 Feb
Neutering, or castration for male dogs specifically, is a routine operation carried out regularly at veterinary practices. Castration is usually performed preventatively, to reduce or eliminate the risk of developing testosterone driven diseases, as well as for behavioural reasons and preventing unwanted pregnancies. However this surgery is also a...
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Posted By: 8 Feb
Does your dog get itchy ears? Romeo, pictured here, saw Polly the vet at our Wells practice recently with just that problem, clinically called Otitis Externa. It’s very common in dogs. Sometimes we treat it with antibiotics, but in fact that is far from the first line of treatment. Primary infections in the ears in dogs are actually...
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Posted By: 1 Feb
Emergency surgeries are commonly performed both at our Shepton practice and Wells branch, and are some of the most satisfying treatments we do when the animal operated on recovers and is able to go home, especially following a caesarean when they have puppies or kittens in tow! Equally however, they can also be some of the most disappointing,...
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Posted By: 25 Jan
When a worried owner comes to see us because something is not right with their pet, it can be really rewarding to make an accurate diagnosis, and even more so to correct the problem. We always aim to do both of these if we can. Occasionally, however, we can neither pin down the cause of the problem nor solve it, and yet the outcome is still good. Our...
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Posted By: 11 Jan
Billy is a lovely little West Highland White Terrier cross now just over 2 and a half years old. He is lively and loves life and has no health issues. When he was around 2 years old, however, he developed an itchy bottom which did not settle with supportive treatment. We were suspicious that this was a result of allergic skin disease. Dogs...
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Posted By: 7 Jan
We had an amazing summer, lovely and sunny and very dry. Now that the nights have drawn in and it’s colder, those sunny days seem like a distant memory. It’s easy to forget about summer now that we’re starting to get busy with our winter jobs. Sheep work is very seasonal. For our sheep farmers to get the most out of their...
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Posted By: 27 Dec
Meet Luna, a beautiful tortoiseshell domestic short haired cat, who was adopted by her owners from Happy Landings when she was a kitten, 10 years ago. A few months ago, Luna’s observant owners noticed that she was ravenously hungry all the time and despite this, was rapidly losing weight which prompted them to bring her into the surgery for a...
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Posted By: 20 Dec
Looking at your pet’s poo isn’t always the most glamorous of jobs for you or us, but it can be very important in determining the overall health of their digestive system. Different colours can give an indication if the digestive system is working too quickly, underlying liver or pancreatic disease, if any bleeding is present, and more!...
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Posted By: 17 Dec
In the midst of the festive season, summer holidays may be the last thing on our minds, but it won’t be long before many of us are planning our annual break for 2019. And for many pet owners, a holiday is just not a holiday without the dog or cat. However, with potential changes to pet travel regulations on the horizon, it seems we may need to...
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Posted By: 7 Dec
It was a beautiful, blustery Spring day in Cornwall. My husband and I were walking our Boxer dog along the coast path behind the beach near Padstow. Lots of other families were making the most of the good weather too, and Monster soon found a little Jack Russell terrier to play with. They darted back and forth, one chasing the other, then swapping...
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Posted By: 1 Dec
Elderly cats often need to be cared for and monitored more closely in their twilight years compared to their younger more care free days. When cats reach the milestone of 11 years old, they are classed as a ‘senior’ patient and can be vulnerable to several age related conditions such as hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus,...
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Posted By: 26 Nov
Before bunnies and Guinea pigs became domesticated and were in the wild, they would burrow underground to stay warm with all of their friends and huddle in groups to share body heat. Many of our small furry friends face a cold spell over the winter months alone at the bottom of the garden. There fore we want to share some tips for keeping your...
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Posted By: 23 Nov
Many dogs love to try out all sorts of different things with their mouths and this can often lead to them ingesting substances which shouldn’t be ingested.The most common examples we see include chocolate, onions, toys, socks, plastics, the list goes on….! Cats tend to be a bit more sensible although even so we will occasionally see...
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Posted By: 16 Nov
Chickens can make great pets as well as providing eggs. A small flock of 2 to 10 can easily be kept in even a small garden providing they are not specifically prohibited (as may apply to new housing estates). Providing they have a safe place to nest at night & a secure area to potter around to allow normal behaviour such as pecking and scratching,...
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Posted By: 5 Nov
One thing that certainly appeals about the job of a veterinary surgeon is the varied nature of the role. Just as with any job, there are plenty of routine, day-to-day procedures, but we always know that our day can be turned upside down at any point if something unexpected crops up. This can make the job stressful of course, but also very satisfying...
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Posted By: 1 Nov
As all dog lovers know, no two dogs are the same. In fact, on of the endearing features of the species is that domestic dogs come in so many different shapes and sizes, as well as a huge variation in temperament, coat types and colours. So no matter what your feelings, there is generally a dog, pedigree or cross, to suit you. However, there are often...
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Posted By: 31 Oct
We offer a variety of products to help your pets cope with the fear and anxiety that can be caused by fireworks. Here’s a summary of what is available to you without prescription. If you know your pet is very frightened by fireworks, it might be more appropriate to prescribe him or her a sedative for fireworks night. If in doubt, make an...
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Posted By: 29 Oct
As nights draw in, we look forward to the autumn fun of events like Halloween and Bonfire Night. Early evenings are perfect for these occasions but can be a nightmare for our pets. We have put together a few top tips to help your dogs get through the firework season. There are many products and training methods available which can...
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Posted By: 26 Oct
As the days get shorter and the nights colder, tortoises are slowing down, in some cases they have stopped eating and are already in pre-hibernation wind down. The exceptionally warm weather recently had some of them eating again, delaying the process for a few more weeks. The exceptionally hot Summer has been good for tortoises,...
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Posted By: 19 Oct
Lumps and bumps are a common reason for dog owners to come and see us at the practice. Many dogs live with the odd warty growth or fatty lump for years – we get used to their size and character and check them at each visit. Nevertheless, when an owner discovers a newly appeared lump on their dog it can be a real worry, so they are keen to have...
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Posted By: 12 Oct
This week I was out on a farm, giving some special attention to one of the most important animals on any cattle farm – the bull! Bulls need this special attention, particularly if they reside on beef farms, as once per year they have an incredibly important job to do. They are tasked with getting all of the cows (or as I like to call them,...
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Posted By: 1 Oct
Theo is a 10 year old male neutered Weimaraner. One Friday evening he had enjoyed his dinner as normal but, within a few hours, it became clear that he was feeling really unwell. He was retching and trying to be sick and his abdomen was swelling up. As soon as his owners realised that he was ill, they rang our out of hours service and we immediately...
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Posted By: 28 Sep
When owners need to bring their pets to see us, we know it can be a stressful time. We understand that, in all honesty, our clients would rather not be at the vets with a poorly pet. So we hope these upsetting episodes are single, isolated events that we can make as low-stress as possible and deal with as a one-off. However, the owners of Tashi and...
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Posted By: 21 Sep
The long hot summer heatwave may have caused different reactions among the population earlier in the year, but amongst tortoises, the warm, dry weather provoked a perhaps unexpected response – rampant non-stop breeding behaviour as the conditions were perfect for their reproductive activity. Lady Hamilton the tortoise, or Emma to her friends,...
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Posted By: 14 Sep
Almost all breeds of animals are prone to developing certain conditions throughout their life due to the specific genetics of individual breeds. For example, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels often develop heart murmurs in their old age, and Persian cats may be more likely to develop kidney issues at a young age. The unusually named Nova Scotia Duck Tolling...
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Posted By: 7 Sep
In the everyday life of a small animal vet, “have they eaten anything they shouldn’t have?” and “have any toys or items gone missing from the house?” are very common questions, certainly when dealing with dogs. We find that most dogs fall into one of two main types. There is the first type – highly discerning,...
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Posted By: 31 Aug
Just over one month ago, I embarked on a very exciting journey; a new home, in a new town with a new job at the Vets after quite literally a lifetime in education! Walking to work in glorious Shepton sunshine one Monday morning, I was filled with nervous excitement of what was about to be and eager to get stuck in. Since then I have met and examined...
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Posted By: 24 Aug
[Text Box: The 4 grass seeds removed from Barney’s ear. Notice the long strands which often prevent backwards movement of the seeds.] As all dog and cat owners know, this time of year is rife with potential problems our companions encounter from their outdoor activities. During the summer months when dog walking is at its highest and they are...
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Posted By: 1 Aug
Siamese cats are well known for their chatty personality, with a loud miaow asking for attention and affection as often as possible! So when Crumble the 11 year old Siamese started losing his voice and sparkle during a bout of sickness, everyone was determined to bring it back for him. Unfortunately Crumble was no stranger to illness and had spent...
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Posted By: 1 Apr
Oscar is a rather handsome young Persian and knows it all too well! When he’s not sitting looking pretty he loves nothing more to lie around in the lap of luxury, enjoying the best of a cat’s life. However it came as a shock to him one day when he became ill and was scooped up to be taken into the vets. Oscar ended up with an emergency...
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Posted By: 1 Mar
On the Saturday morning after ‘The Beast from the East’ had hit Somerset, a small team battled their way into the practice, expecting at least a few emergency patients in need of help. One definite emergency was Garfield the cat. Garfield had been off colour for a couple of days and during the last 24 hours had not been seen to urinate...
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Posted By: 1 Jan
As our dogs get older unfortunately we accept they may develop more health problems. Roxy is one such patient. She is a lovely 12 year old Doberman who came to see us almost a year ago now. She is generally a very fit and well girl who looked great for her age. Her owners bought her in when they noticed she was drinking more and generally a bit off...
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Stitch the lamb had a bit of an eventful start to life! Moment after...
I suspect very few people are aware of the number of feral cat colonies...
Rosie is a lovely tortoiseshell female cat (with attitude !). Her...
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