Become A Vet

Alabama Rot, otherwise known as Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy (CRGV), is a serious disease that affects dogs. It damages the blood vessels in the skin and kidneys, which causes sores on the skin and can lead to severe organ dysfunction and ultimately kidney failure. The mortality rate is approximately 90%.

The disease has reportedly affected around 281 dogs in the UK between November 2012 and February 2022.

Although little is known regarding how we can prevent this disease, it is advisable to wash your dogs after particularly wet/muddy walks (especially in woodland).

If you do have any concerns that your dog is showing signs of Alabama Rot, then contact your vet immediately. Remember this is an extremely rare disease but it's good to be aware nonetheless!

Many students ask us whether they should apply to an 'insurance' (non-veterinary) course as part of their UCAS application.

There's no right or wrong answer here! If taking a gap year doesn't appeal to you in the event that you don't get into vet school first time around, then an insurance course could be a good idea. You can apply to Veterinary Medicine as a post-graduate after completing another degree, but do bear in mind this is more expensive and competitive. Feel free to message any time if you need application advice specific to you! 😊

There have been a number of outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of bird flu across the UK - you likely will have heard about this in the news!

The public health risk of bird flu to the general public is very low and spread to humans is rare, but some strains do have the potential to spread to humans so robust systems are in place to detect outbreaks early and take action.

Currently there is no evidence that the strain detected in the UK can spread from person to person, but viruses are constantly evolving so this situation is being closely monitored.

It remains critical that people do not touch sick or dead birds, and that they report any suspected cases to the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency).

Neutering companion animals is an incredibly common surgical procedure in the UK. A 'castration' is the removal of testicles in males, and a spay is the removal of the ovaries +/- uterus in females. This means that they are no longer able to reproduce.

This is often recommended by vets for various health reasons, and to control the population of strays.

Please let us know if you have any questions - the decision to neuter your pet is always a multifactorial one and can be an interesting discussion! 👩‍⚕️

With the UCAS deadline approaching and personal statements being a big focus at the moment, we wanted to make sure you don't forget your SAQs and work experience forms!

The deadline for these depends on the university but could be as early as October 15th, so make sure you check the website of the vet schools you want to apply to find out what's required/when.

As always, DM us if you have any questions at all and check out our website if you'd like extra help with your SAQ or other aspects of the application. Good luck everyone!! 🧠✨

Brachycephalic animals are a hot topic for interview, so we'd advise you to read around the subject and form your own opinion in preparation for discussing this complex issue!

Brachycephalics experience breathing difficulties due to constriction of the nasal cavity and partial obstruction of the pharynx and larynx. Although the muzzle is shortened in these breeds, there is no corresponding decrease in the size of the soft tissue contained in the skull.

There are some serious welfare implications as a result of the above, and humans are directly responsible for the selective breeding of these characteristics.

As vets, we have a duty to care for and protect these animals - we'd love to hear your thoughts!! 🐶

Students sometimes ask us whether dairy or farm work experience is better. Both are fantastic (and very well done if you've organised a placement at either), but it's worth knowing that you'll likely be able to get more 'hands on' with dairy cows.

The reason for this is that dairy cows require more handling for the milking process, and are often more tame as a result. You'll be handling the cows daily on a dairy farm, whereas the beef cows will be much more 'hands off' as they spend their time roaming the fields mostly.

It's also great if you can see a calving too (at either a dairy or beef farm) so keep an eye out for this! 🐮🥛

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an incredibly common health condition affecting various species - it has been estimated by CAM (Canine Arthritis Management) that this affects up to 80% of older dogs.

When arthritis occurs, the normal structures within the joint degenerate. The resultant pain causes reduced usage of the joint and limb, meaning that surrounding muscles/ligaments/tendons become weak. The body then compensates elsewhere, which causes further pain and eventually this pain becomes intensified.

Arthritis sadly cannot be cured and is a progressive disease. However, by diagnosing it early, treating it effectively and putting lifestyle changes into place we can significantly improve the quality of life of affected animals.

There are currently only 10 vet schools in the UK, and you can choose 4 of them as part of your UCAS application. The small number of vet schools is part of the reason why getting into vet school can be so competitive, but that's why we're here to help you!

Currently you can apply to study Veterinary Medicine at Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Glasgow, Nottingham, The Royal Veterinary College (London), Surrey, Harper & Keele and Aberystwyth.

All vet schools are equally well respected in the UK, so it really just comes down to choosing the university that's right for you. As always, feel free to message us if you'd like some advice! 🎓

Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common diseases we see in middle-aged and elderly cats. It occurs when the thyroid gland becomes 'overactive' and produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormone.

The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss (often with an increased appetite) which may be accompanied by vomiting/diarrhoea, increased thirst/urination and hyperactivity/irritability. Sometimes we also see 'goitre' which is a palpable swelling of the thyroid gland detected on physical exam.

Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed using a simple blood test. Thankfully, it is very treatable! This is commonly achieved using medication but dietary modification / surgery / radioactive iodine therapy are all options too.

The way that you should go about organising farm work experience is subtly different from the way you might approach finding work experience at vet practices - rather than sending a formal email, we often find that visiting the farm and/or making a phone call is much more likely to result in success!

Farmers love to have an extra (free) pair of hands, so if you present yourself as someone who's willing to help and can get stuck in then you'll find they're very happy to have you around 🐮🐷🐔