How much pain is considered acceptable? As veterinary surgeons we are taught that with regard to our patients we should "Do them no harm". Yet the very act of any surgery causes some degree of discomfort: if that surgery is perceived to provide an ov...
It is estimated that around 55,000 human deaths occur each year worldwide as a result of rabies. The vast majority (>90%) arise as a result of being bitten by an infected dog and the last recorded human fatality in the UK was in May 2012. The pati...
It was just as my consultation with "Jack's" owners was coming to an end. We had established through a fine needle biopsy that a lump they had discovered was a benign fatty tumour and not something of any great concern. Then, just as they were walkin...
A question often posed by my clients at Fairfield is "When will I know it is the right time to have my pet "Put to sleep?" A question which can be very difficult to answer given the vast number of different scenarios affecting both patient and owner....
I will often try to explain to owners when their pet is unwell that the treatment we provide, whether medical or surgical, is all about trying to create an environment where the patient can heal itself. The concept of altering an unhealthy environmen...
The principal benefit from buying a Pedigree puppy is that you should have a fairly good idea of what it will eventually look like and to a less extent how it should behave. Anyone contemplating spending their money this way should try to do some res...
I have often been rewarded over the years for my magical powers of healing, usually with the " Scottish water of life" for it's own medicinal properties. All too often the healing process for which I have been wrongly associated has largely been the ...
It always seems to surprise people how common "arthritis" is in the canine population particularly young dogs. Osteoarthritis is accepted as a "wear and tear" process in humans that culminates in a stiff and painful condition after 50 or possibly 60 ...
Many clients are astonished when they realise that their pet has exactly the same disease that occurs in humans. Given that as mammals we are all produced from a very similar "blue print" then it is not that suprising that we share very similar desig...
Everyone is entitled to an opinion...........apparently! Whilst in matters of art and the appreciation of music I entirely agree but when it comes to medical and veterinary matters the weight of an opinion usually matters a great deal. I have been re...
I think it is fair to say that we don't always get what we deserve in life. Some malevolent individuals I have met somehow manage to escape the consequences of their actions, (at present), whilst others who should be rewarded for their decency and st...
Greyhounds are the olympic athletes of the canine world. Unlike so many pedigree breeds where the principal selection criteria for breeding has been how a dog may look, greyhounds have been selected on their ability to function. That requirement to p...
"Jack" first came to see us at Fairfield as a second opinion from another practice. The treatment he had been receiving didn't seem to be doing the trick. "Jack" had a badly swollen, inflamed toe with a rather nasty discharge at the base of his claw....
Nothing in life is ever guaranteed. Consequently, there is a significant responsibility on the shoulders of veterinary surgeons when trying to predict the outcome of a particular disease or treatment for their patients. This is especially true when d...
Most people will recognise the difficulty we have as veterinary surgeons in diagnosing problems without the patient's direct input! Consequently, we rely heavily on the owners testimony to alert us to a potential disease but also with the use of our ...
It is sometimes hard to understand what motivates dogs to devour some of the things that end up in their gastrointestinal tract. It is even harder to explain, when what they have consumed is potentially life threatening but that is exactly what "Marl...
"Lily" the bulldog, had been treated at another veterinary practice for cystitis. Failure to respond to treatment had resulted in "Lily's" owners seeking another opinion. As is often the case, it isn't usually the fault of the medication. Antibiotics...
"Tallulah" is a young Pug x Pekingese who was brought to me one evening soon after her owners had noticed that she had unexpectedly "bumped into" their other dog whilst out exercising. Clearly there appeared to be visual difficulties and I immediatel...
What would you be prepared to sacrifice if the reward was a cure for your cancer? A very difficult dilemma or a straightforward decision? When it comes to our pets the owners have to make those decisions on their behalf. The principal advantage is th...
When my colleague "Will" was presented with "Rosie" by her owners, it didn't take too long to appreciate that her problems were not straightforward. When a previously healthy and robust "Staffie" loses a 1/4 of her bodyweight as a result of diarrhoea...
