Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
A new deadly disease is rapidly reducing the rabbit population There is a new disease affecting rabbits, and it appears to be spreading faster than the rabbit population. Known as RVHD2, the disease is a deadly strain of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD), which the current UK rabbit vaccine does not protect against. At The Mewes […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy – The Shepherdess, The Lady & The Escapees – Part 1
As a teenager I dreamt of owning my own horse, and later that dream evolved into becoming a horse vet. To this end I spent as much of my free time as I could around stables when I was growing up, even though I never did acquire a pony of my own. I think back […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy – Being a Vet was an obvious career choice for me, from a very young age!
“B’aint you the young maid that loves the babbies?” I blushed with pleasure at being singled out from my annoying siblings. We were making our annual visit to a farm, which I adored for its kittens, puppies and so on. Yes, it seems that even at eight years old, I was already destined for a […]
A tale of a Tyke and some well-placed euphemisms
“Oh my God! Is that all you?” Tyke, a Jack Russell Terrier of tremendous character and enthusiasm was in trouble. His owner was just starting out in life, and adored him. She arrived freshly made up, with a jaunty blond ponytail, a casually fashionable outfit and high heels. Tyke looked like he came from a […]
Are you wondering what to do this weekend?
As a local Vet, I love getting out to meet other pet lovers in my spare time, and this weekend I have two events to enjoy. Perhaps you could join us? On Saturday, The Mewes Vets team are running the fun Dog Show at the Bolnore Village Summer Fete. This will be our second year […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Are your dog’s microchip details up to date? New legislation becoming effective on 1st April will make it an offence to not have your dog microchipped. Additionally, you must ensure your contact details are correct: outdated information could incur another fine. We have attended many events recently such as the Plumpton College Open Day, the […]
From little tabbies to ferocious lions, felines suffer from tooth pain too
As a kid my favourite outing was to the Safari Park. My Mum would whip us through the animal areas as fast as possible, not being very keen on animals, but I treasured every second of every encounter. One special day we were parked up in the lion enclosure, watching the lions sun themselves in […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Fireworks can send your pet up the wall – so give The Mewes Vets a call! In my first few veterinary years, most of my canine patients showed at least some fear of being put onto the table. Many now beg to come up for their treats! It’s amazing what 15 minute appointments allow me to […]
For some rabbits, the Easter bunny is not so funny
Are you lucky enough to own a pet rabbit? This is the time of year, as spring gets its grip, that we start to think about all of the little tasks that rabbit owners need to be doing ready for another spring and summer of letting their rabbit outside. It’s time to check the run […]
Come to our Christmas Party on December 2nd and raise funds for charity
In the run up to Christmas in my first term at Cambridge, I was invited to a port and Stilton party. I did think twice about going. I knew I couldn’t look at a piece of blue cheese, let alone eat it, and I had a feeling that I wouldn’t fancy the port either. But […]
Join us at our Christmas party and support abandoned and homeless cats this winter
My whole team are lovely, and Trainee Veterinary Nurse Lisa is no exception. She has been volunteering on a weekly basis with local charity Paws and Claws for years. It was partly this experience with animals that got her the job with us, and the opportunity to follow her dream and train as a Veterinary […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
In the veterinary world, communication is essential not just between staff teams but between vets and owners too I sometimes worry about clients understanding me. Much of my role is to communicate what I know about a pet’s issues and illness to its owner, so that they can support and nurse them back to health. […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
An apple a day is not the Labrador way When a dog feels sick, they can look absolutely wretched. And Ernie looked wretched. Normally a bouncy and inquisitive Labrador, he arrived at the Clinic with no energy. I got none of my usual greeting – no waggy tail, no snuggles. He had made several efforts […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy – The Shepherdess, The Lady & The Escapees – Part 2
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK I was a humble groom on a Lord’s estate in Wales. My friend the shepherdess, Nicky, was away for the evening, the sheep were out and a member of the family of the house might appear at any moment. This was over 30 years ago – no convenient mobile phones back […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Bringing your cat to the vet doesn’t have to be a stressful experience with our new cat-only clinics! This National Pet Month, The Mewes Vets are launching a new unique service: the first Cat Only Clinics in Mid Sussex. Cat owners often comment about how stressful it is to bring their feline friends into the […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Is your pet the next Miss January or Mr October? Two months ago I was at Chelwood Gate enjoying the splendid Summer Fun Day at the Cats Protection National Cat Rescue Centre. It struck me that this is the only outdoors event of all those that The Mewes Vets attended in the last 12 months […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Our new trophy is proudly displayed with our Customer Service Award (and Julia’s Lifetime Achievement Award) in Reception Right now I could not be more proud of my team! We agreed together back in July that we would attempt to become the first vets in the area to achieve ROYAL CANIN® Approved Weight Management Centre […]
Mewes Memories: surveying camel poo at the zoo
Holidays from Vet School are a time to gain practical experience. In the summer after my second year, I had been incredibly fortunate to land some weeks observing the care of the animals at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Better still, I was offered onsite accommodation. I shared the student digs with several others, and the […]
Amputation of a hind leg in standard Poodle & your last chance to enter our Pet Portrait Competition
I met my first canine amputee when I was a third year student. As an apricot Standard Poodle, Stanley had a natural grace and dignity hard to match. His chin was always up, and he seemed to survey his world from a superior position. The first time I met him he was lame on his […]
Learning your Liebfraumilch from your Laurent-Perrier
Recently I saw my only son off to University for the first time.During the first week I waited expectantly for the first call: “Mum, please can I have some more money….?” Eventually it came, but not in the expected form. He had created a little budget and worked out his likely costs, less his student loan […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Alternative medicine can have incredible benefits where conventional medicine may not be able to help As it is National Pet Month, I want to celebrate a special friend and the resolution of a problem with one of his special dogs. Shadow is a fabulous fluffy white German Shepherd, with a temperament as soft as his […]
Why Did an Expectant Cow Make Me Sh-udder at Vet School?
Anything I do, I do it to the very best of my ability. But back in vet school, it was necessary to acquire skills that sometimes seemed as if they were always going to be just out of reach. One of these talents was the ability to detect very early pregnancy in a cow. In […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
There’s no room for dropped stitches when you’re working ona poorly pet! I spent six years at University learning how to be a valuable member of my profession. Much of that time was spent studying sometimes fairly dry theoretical topics such as Pathophysiology and Biochemistry. But occasionally, especially in the later years, I escaped the […]
Julia’s Weekly Column For The Middy
Our Pyramid of Care is built to support ageing pets just when they need it They say you know you are middle-aged when you sigh just after you have sat down. Or is it when you wince as you get up? Perhaps doing both is focusing my mind on arthritis and mobility issues in my […]
