Ginger the guinea pig and his itchy guinea wig
“He is scratching himself to pieces!” Ginger and Snowy were a pair of much loved guinea pig brothers. They belonged to Mrs Mitcham, a lady who was very attached to them. She had initially believed that Snowy had been biting Ginger. But with some careful monitoring of the hutch, she had not in fact noticed […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy – You never stop learning as a Vet, and sometimes new information can help you save a pet’s life
One of the things that I really love about my job is that I never stop learning new stuff. But one thing I really hate is seeing an animal suffering, most especially being eaten alive by maggots – that makes my skin crawl too in sympathy. Maggots are particularly a problem at this time of […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Being the vet on duty at night is not easy! It’s hard to gather your wits when you have been woken from a deep sleep by the emergency phone. You need to sound caring, professional and in control, which is not always straight-forward when the person at the other end is panicking. When I was […]
My path to Finals: Part two
Last week I wrote about the commitment I had made to attempt to become a veterinary surgeon. I had spent ten years of my life sacrificing all fun to achieve my dream to join this amazing profession. At last it was nearly over: just the Finals to face. I had studied every day, seven days […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Fireworks can send your pet up the wall – so give The Mewes Vets a call! As I’m sure you’re aware, all pets have different personality traits that make us love them as a part of the family. Some pets can be cheeky and bound around confidently, and some pets are quieter and have a […]
Don’t make a ‘dog’s dinner’ out of your dog’s diet: How to tell if your pet is the right weight
“Am I feeding him the right amount?” I get asked this question a great deal in the consulting room, so I know that it is something that pet owners are constantly anxious about. At the Mewes Vets we have now been a Royal Canin © Approved Weight Management Clinic for well over a year. This […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Many people aren’t keen on foxes, but sometimes they just need a little TLC too As a newly qualified Vet I had to follow my boss’ rules. She was a chicken keeper, so to her all foxes were vermin. She told us stories about how a fox would creep into her chicken coop at night […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Good things might come in small packages, but that doesn’t make them easy to operate on! Today I was asked to spay two sister mini rabbits. Each weighed just over 1kg. It is incredibly important to me that every patient of mine gets the same high level of care and the same rights to good […]
This is a great time of year to find a new kitten
Cats prefer to breed in the spring, so kittens are likely to be available in every rescue centre right now. Try contacting the Paws and Claws Animal Rescue Service (The Mewes Vets’ chosen charity of 2017), Raystede, the Cats Protection or the RSPCA if you and your family are ready to give a forever home […]
Claws for paws: nails for doors. Watch where you keep your nails!
I’ve got this thing about sharp nails. It’s not a phobia exactly, but I am a bit obsessive about not leaving them lying around. It might have something to do with an early experience I had as a young Vet working in Burgess Hill. We received a phone call towards the end of the day […]
Rabbit Awareness Week and what you should be aware of
This week is Rabbit Awareness Week, RAW. RAW is organised by a coalition of experts, organisations and welfare charities who have come together with a mission to improve rabbit welfare. I am particularly thrilled that this year RAW are focussing on a message that I have been banging on about since I was a young […]
The Every day dangers for our feline friends
As I walk my dog along the pavements I am constantly surprised about the number of rubber bands I spot. Could it be that the postmen are unaware how dangerous these are to cats, dogs and wildlife? Or are they just too busy to care? Young animals will pick things up and play with them […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Danger on the Downs: don’t let those beautiful views distract you from your safety This is a lovely time of year for hacking on the Downs. The heat of the summer is behind us, and so are the accompanying flies and sweat. And the cloying mud and finger numbing cold are yet to come. But […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Look after your pet’s pearly whites this National Pet Smile Month “Yuk! Jazzie, your breath stinks!” I was trying to have a lie-in one quiet Sunday morning, but my husband had left a door open, allowing my 2 year old Labrador Jazzie to sneak in illegally. At least she hadn’t leapt onto the bed! Poor […]
Genetics of the gentle giant
One day, I was shadowing a very experienced Vet, Mr. Grigsby, and his patient was a Great Dane called Samson. Great Danes are the ultimate gentle giant. This one was no exception, but he had lost the gorgeous beauty we associate with a Dane. Samson’s back sagged, his bones were showing, his head drooped and […]
Special Offer: Fixed Price Dentistry for your Dog in February
On a wet Sunday in November I was busy learning how to improve my dental extraction skills. My entire team attend lectures and courses regularly, and this winter we have been focussing on dentistry. To better help our patients every year, we are constantly learning and updating our skills. We invested in brand new dental […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy – Don’t forget to make sure your pet is properly taken care of if you’re off on holiday this summer!
It’s the summer holidays – time for many of us to seek a little sunshine, but what about our pets? Many of us pet owners have to depend on catteries, kennels, pet sitters or boarders to help us out for holidays and busy days. There are now plenty of options, and we keep a list […]
Jumping isn’t just for the horses at the Royal Windsor Horse Show
Back in the late 80’s I was a Vet student and a referee at the Royal Windsor Horse Show every May. The marathon was part of a 3 day trial for drivers and their horses. It involves a 2-3 hour drive to test the horses’ endurance, followed by a series of complicated obstacles to be […]
Cat hyperthyroidism: the signs, the symptoms and the staff
A really good veterinary nurse is brilliant. They help me in so many ways, and become very familiar with the patients, owners and types of condition that we see most often. So when one of my five Registered Veterinary Nurses says to me I think this cat might have developed hyperthryroidism, I know to trust […]
Caring for your dogs this Easter, and caring for bunnies in the past
The Easter bunny will be visiting many homes in Mid Sussex this weekend, I imagine, bringing along many a chocolatey treat that can sadly be harmful to our canine pets. As the Easter bunny visits, please be careful, dogs have great chocolate-seeking noses, but get really sick if they eat too much, so keep them […]
Press Release: Annual Cuckoo Fayre may be last of its kind
If you want to read more please see link to the Mid Sussex times online feed.Read More…
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Starting to lose your ‘get up and go’? The same thing might be happening to Fido… I have reached the age now when, as my friends lovingly predicted, “Ah! That’s when you start to feel the aches and pains!” I’ve always shunned any idea that this was going to happen to me, but oh dear, […]
Cat Bite Abscess and World Antibiotic Awareness Week
“Careful: she bit me when I touched her there!” Cassie was hunched up, and became anxious when I tried to touch her left hind leg. Her claws were a little shredded, and she was running a slight temperature. When I ran my fingers gently through her coat I identified a swelling over the back of […]
Julia’s Weekly Column for the Middy!
Donkeys in the Desert This Christmas Eve I would like to share a story with you about some donkeys from my holiday in Morocco, an Islamic country. I was fascinated to see donkeys being ridden, carrying burdens or drawing carts. They were very obviously an important part of the local economy, and as such every […]
