Testimonials

Meet Sidney : our superstar senior dog

Case study by Nicole Plows, RVN

Sidney has presented multiple times over the past few years with gastrointestinal issues, commonly diarrhoea. Occasionally this resulted in him being hospitalised. He’s had tests and investigations ruling out neoplasia, endocrine diseases and any other critical conditions. The working diagnosis of Sidney’s chronic diarrhoea is inflammatory bowel disease and chronic enteropathy.

After his last episode of diarrhoea in 2024 and his hospitalisation, I decided to change his diet to Hills GI biome. This was partly to help nourish the gut’s microbiome and sooth the digestive tract but also as a plan to stick on this diet long term to help prevent these bouts of gastrointestinal upset and reduce the probiotic supplements he was having daily.

Sidney also suffers from osteoarthritis. Due to his gastrointestinal issues he can’t tolerate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and therefore he was prescribed monthly Librela injections. Every 3rd injection is done by a veterinary surgeon and the rest are done by the nurses, this give me lots of opportunities to check in with Sidney (and his owner)!

Treatments

A. Monthly Injections

Medication	Dosage/Frequency	Purpose
Librela injection	Monthly	OA pain management
Paracetamol (if needed)		OA pain management

B. Dietary Management

Aspect	Details
Prescription Diet	Hills Gastrointestinal biome, dry kibble and stew
Feeding Routine	Small, frequent meals (3–4 times/day) to reduce GI stress
Treats	Hills Gastrointestinal biome (out of his daily feeding allowance)

Once Sidney started on the Hills GI biome he loved it! Unfortunately, due to his age he has got some dental disease and therefore prefers to have the Hills GI biome stew on top of his GI biome kibble to help soften it. I also decided to swap him onto the biome mini as he seemed to prefer the smaller kibble size and could manage this better. Rather than being fed two bigger meals, I suggested that Sidney has three to four smaller frequent meals to reduce the digestive overload and improve absorption. Sidney is very sensitive to any treats or food other than his biome and therefore I advised his owner to stick to the biome even for his treats.

C. Exercise Regimen

Activity	Frequency/Duration
Controlled walks	2× daily, 10–15 mins
Hydrotherapy	Bi-weekly – low-impact, joint friendly
Avoid	Stairs, slippery surfaces, high-impact play

Although Sidney can’t walk very far, it’s still very important for him to have plenty of mental stimulation to keep his cognitive function active. I suggested that Sidney should have more frequent short walks if he’s tolerating it, I want him to enjoy his walks and keep muscle mass as well as keeping his joints mobile and active. I also recommended to Sidney’s owner that he takes part in hydrotherapy, this is low impact but a great source of exercise and mental stimulation for him. Due to Sidney’s osteoarthritis, I suggested that he avoids stairs, slippery surfaces and lots of vigorous play.

D. Nurse Clinics

Clinic Type	Frequency	Purpose
Weight Clinics	Monthly	Monitor weight and BCS
Mobility Checks	Bi-monthly	OA pain scoring and gait assessments
GI Monitoring	Monthly	Track stools, appetite, tolerance of diet

Weight clinics:

Every month when Sidney comes in to see me I weigh him. I think it’s really important to keep a track on his weight to ensure that he’s not gaining weight which could potentially exacerbate his osteoarthritis. I also like to track is weight to ensure he’s not drastically lost any weight as this could be suggestive of a disease process or incorrect feeding of his GI biome. I check in with his owner about how much she’s feeding him based on his hills quick reco and ensure his weight is stable. Here is his weight graph which is pretty stable.

Sidney’s Recommended Feeding Guide

“I am absolutely delighted with the results of Kayleigh from Station House Vets acupuncture treatments.

After a particularly challenging period with him both ridden and in hand, Chloe (Morton Animal Therapy), Vinnies chiropractor suggested working alongside Kayleigh to see if together they can make progress.

I was sceptical at first but I always try and do my very best for my horses and had nothing to lose. I can’t actually believe after only 2 treatments what a world of difference it’s made to him – and Vinnie absolutely loves the treatment.

The collaboration between Chloe and Kayleigh has been seamless and incredibly effective. My horse’s overall health and well-being have significantly improved, and I can see a remarkable change in his general attitude, mobility and comfort.

I highly recommend both these ladies service for any horse owner looking to enhance their horse’s quality of life. The care and expertise provided have truly been transformative for us.

Vinnie is a totally different horse. Thank you for your outstanding work; Vinnie and I look forward to continuing to work with you both.”

Find out more about the benefits of acupuncture to your horse – click here!

Call the practice on 01653 618303 to discuss acupuncture for your horse with our team.

Meet Junior, our vet Amelia’s horse.

When Amelia purchased Junior she knew he had kissing spine. She x-rayed him as a 4 year old and again at 7 years old. The second x-rays showed some improvement.

As a 7 year old he was given steroid injections in his back which gave him about a 10% improvement.

Junior had an accident cross country and started to lose confidence.

His main symptoms (‘bad’ behaviour) were predominantly on the lunge. He would buck when going into canter, change behind in canter alongside lots of tail swishing.

Last year Amelia started an acupuncture course of 6 sessions once per week. Junior has since moved onto a maintenance programme which progressed from having acupuncture every fortnight, then every month and he now has acupuncture every 6 weeks on average, or as and when the ‘bad’ behaviour on the lunge returns.

Junior has a varied programme of work from lungeing, schooling, hacking, lessons and he also competes.

His regular schooling work has a strict regime:

a good groom to help promote blood circulation
lunge/in-hand work before being ridden which will start with 10 minutes in walk followed by 10 minutes in walk & canter with regular breaks
20-30 minute ridden schooling work

This regime is only for Junior’s schooling work which might be once or twice per week. However, this means that Amelia can keep a close eye on him and when the ‘bad’ behaviour starts again it’s time to book him in for his next acupuncture session.

Junior is doing really well and he’s loving his jumping, thanks to Amelia’s strict routine and his regular acupuncture sessions.

Find out more about the benefits of acupuncture to your horse – click here!

Call the practice on 01653 618303 to discuss acupuncture for your horse with our team.

Alice and Big B tell us their story about how they have managed to overcome big B’s fear of needles, working closely with Catriona and the team at Station House Vets.

My horse Big B has long had a nervous disposition. Visits from the vet, farrier and other equine professionals have been a trigger for her anxiety in the past, in fact any change to her daily routine can often be a cause for her to get upset.

Being nervous, for years Big B required sedation for clipping and dental work, all of which along with her routine vaccinations, involved one of her biggest fears – needles!

I realised I was going to have to do something about this fear when about 6 years ago my previous vet was trying to sedate her for clipping and she knocked him across the stable into the wall with just her head – she is over 18hh and being a shire cross, she is extremely powerful and although not nasty when she is panicking you don’t want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as her spatial awareness goes out the window. The next time the vet returned to see her he was wearing his hard hat and body protector and I knew if I didn’t address it properly it was only going to be a matter of time before me or the vet got hurt.

The first thing I decided to do was to create a routine for B, for anything to do with needles so she knew what to expect and could feel as prepared as possible. I knew she needed to be able to go out as normal on a morning and so I would arrange a time for the vet to come mid morning so she could have some time in her field before hand then come in to her stable in peace. She loves to be scratched and it always calms her down and so basically I would stand and scratch her for about 10 mins before the vet came helping her to relax. Importantly I also needed to remain calm, if I were to get tense then B would immediately know something was wrong and would start to worry, so I found singing or talking to her while waiting helped! I would tell my vet to come to the stable so she didn’t need me to leave her and he would walk in not speaking and just jab her with no faffing or wafting the needle around before hand. This improved the situation, but we would still find she was not totally settled and sometimes she would still jump or shoot up against the wall.

A big turning point was when I took B for a week long holiday where we tried our hand at positive reinforcement training. B absolutely loved this. She is very intelligent, and encouraging her to investigate scary things for herself with no pressure and the option to stop if she wanted really improved our relationship and confidence in each other.

Shortly after this I also moved vets to Station House Vets, Catriona became B’s main vet and this is where the improvement really started. I explained B’s nervousness to Catriona and the big difference was that she also took time to create a relationship with B so that B also began to trust her, not just me. When visiting our yard for other horses, sometimes Catriona would pop and see B in her stable while she was passing, not for a veterinary reason but just to say a quick hello and give her a treat so that she wasn’t always seeing her for something unpleasant.

B is also a frequent visitor to Station House so this has helped! Catriona is very patient and never rushes with B or raises her voice, she talks to her quietly and calmly and after any injection always gives her a treat and a fuss. This year we have been able to jab her just stood outside while chatting – she has come a very long way. It also meant that when she needed to go to Rainbow for lameness investigations, nerve blocks could be carried out with less stress than it would have previously involved, Catriona took the time to speak to the vets at Rainbow and let them know about B’s worry with needles so they too could be prepared.

Working on this also gave me the confidence to tackle other things that B found frightening, I no longer need sedation to clip her, she can be hot shod without panicking and I can worm her without a headcollar. It didn’t happen over night; it was years of patience, routine and reward but the improvement from 8 years ago is huge and I am very grateful to Catriona and the other vets at Station House who have since also had to jab B and followed the same routine to create the calmest environment for B and the safest environment for me and for them!

Meet Rosa and Elspeth.

I brought Rosa our welsh section D 15 year old mare into see Amelia for a lameness work up after a period of time off and treatment didn’t seem to be doing the trick for her. She was still refusing to jump and wasn’t happy in her work.

Rosa is primarily used as a hunter and my mum’s hack.

Amelia worked Rosa up, assessing her thoroughly using the facilities at station house. It was decided that her earlier diagnosis of osteoarthritis was still causing her lameness.

As a next step we opted to use stem cells. Rosa was medicated early July 2021 and after a 8 week rehab programme was sound enough to increase her work load for the first time in over 18 months.

Since treatment Rosa has been able to maintain a high level of work and has hunted regularly throughout the season. She has even restored her love for jumping.

Testimonials

Progesterone testing in dogs

Thinking of breeding your dog? Let us help you get the timing right!

Welcoming a litter of puppies is an exciting time, but when it comes to breeding, timing really is everything! Every bitch is different, and knowing exactly when she’s ready to mate can make all the difference to achieving a successful pregnancy.

That’s where progesterone testing comes in.

What is progesterone testing?
Progesterone is a naturally occurring hormone that rises as your dog approaches ovulation. By measuring the level of progesterone in a small blood sample, we can accurately identify the best time for mating or artificial insemination.

Rather than relying on counting days from the start of the season, progesterone testing gives us a much clearer picture of where your dog is in her cycle.

Why do we recommend it?
Progesterone testing helps to:
🐾 Maximise the chances of a successful mating and pregnancy.
🐾 Reduce unnecessary repeat matings.
🐾 Help if you’re travelling to a stud dog by ensuring you don’t make the journey too early or too late.
🐾 Provide the precise timing needed for chilled or frozen semen inseminations.
🐾 Take the guesswork and uncertainty out of breeding.

What happens during the test?
The test is quick and straightforward. We take a small blood sample, which is analysed here at the practice, meaning we usually have the results within just a few hours.

The first test is often carried out around 7 days after your dog’s season starts, although every dog is different. Depending on the result, we may recommend repeat tests every couple of days until ovulation is confirmed.

We’re Here to Help
Whether you’re planning your dog’s first litter or have bred before, our team is here to support you every step of the way. We’ll explain the results, advise you on the best time for mating, and answer any questions you may have throughout the process.

If you’re thinking about breeding your dog, give us a call as soon as her season begins so we can help you plan the best time to start testing.

Need advice or want to book a progesterone test? Our friendly team is always happy to help.

Updated Equine Wellness Plan now available

We recently introduced our brand new Station House Vets Equine Wellness Plan, designed to make caring for your horse easier and more affordable throughout the year.

Our Equine Wellness Plan includes everything you need to keep your horse healthy and thriving — while saving you money.

NEW! – We have since added in 1 x repeat prescription health check for chronic medications

What’s included:

1x Annual vaccination (equine influenza or equine influenza plus tetanus)
1 x repeat prescription health check for chronic medications
50% off up to two dentals per annum (with or without sedation)
10% off equine wormers purchased from and recommended by us
10% off Equine America and Hestevard supplements purchased from us
10% off chronic medications including Danilon, Equipalazone, Equioxx, Prascend, Ventipulmin, Dilaterol, Subestin
3x faecal worm egg counts
1x resistance worm egg count
1x tapeworm saliva test

£15 per month (additional horses £14/month) or £180 annually — saving you an average of at least £50 a year.

Want to sign up? Complete this short form and we’ll get in touch to get you signed up.

Already on one of our Worm Egg Count Plans?

If you’d like to switch to the new Wellness Plan – click here to complete a short form and we will get in touch and action the switch for you!

It’s our way of helping you plan ahead and ensure your horse receives the best preventative healthcare — from a team you know and trust.

Introducing our equine dental clinics

As vets we get training in equine dentistry during vet school and through continued professional development however there are some cases that we identify can require referral for more complex dental treatment.

We are very fortunate to have equine dental specialists in the local area, who we work closely with to ensure that where appropriate your horse gets the required treatment. These specialists have invested in state of the art equipment, advanced training and have all the necessary skills to provide a complete dental service and carry out the most advanced equine dental procedures available to horses.

For example horses with :

diastema (gaps between teeth) that are proving difficult to manage with conservative approaches
caries (areas of decay) – the horse might benefit from root canal treatment which is a ‘filling’ to help prevent the tooth from developing a tooth root infection or fracture both of which would require the tooth be removed
fractured teeth which are firmly in place or have complex fractures and requiring removal

In addition to continuing to work with local referral hospitals, we can now also offer the opportunity to have these treatments done here at the practice. James Roxburgh and the team at Equine Veterinary Dentist offer pop up clinics across the North of England and their next pop up clinic here at Station House Vets is 10th September 2026.

Most horses have a dental performed by a vet or equine dental technician at least annually, and many on a 6 monthly basis. If you have any concerns about your horse’s teeth, our own vets are happy to come and assess, treat where we can and if needed we can refer you on to a local specialist, or advise when the next pop up clinic is being held here at the practice. We are also proud to work closely with many of the locally registered British Association of Equine Dental Technicians who are also welcome to refer horses with more complex needs direct to the Equine Veterinary Dentist Clinics held at Station House Vets.

Contact our team for more information or to book a dental, or to be included in the next pop up clinic held by EVD, contact us on 01653 618303 or email us at admin@stationhousevets.co.uk

Equine client evening

We are holding our next equine client evening on Tuesday 28th July 2026 and this event will focus on:

Latest learnings and advice on laminitis
Update on equine flu

Date : Tuesday 28th July
Time: 6.30pm – 8.00pm
At: Station House Vets, Welburn

To book your place please complete the form below

Or you can email admin@stationhousevets.co.uk or call us on 01653 618303

The evening will include short presentations from our equine team followed by time for questions and discussion, along with some interactive activities. Refreshments will also be provided.

What will we cover?

how to recognise and reduce the risk of laminitis, practical management tips for at-risk horses and ponies
body condition scoring your horse or pony to help keep them in tip top condition
what owners need to know about the current equine flu situation, including vaccination, biosecurity and when to contact your vet

Who should attend?

Whether you own one horse or pony, manage a busy yard or run an event centre, this will be a useful opportunity to refresh your knowledge, ask questions and meet our equine team.

Rabbit Awareness Week 2026

This week is Rabbit Awareness Week and the team at Burgess Excel have provided us with a wealth of guides to help you look after your bunny.

Click on the image below to go to each guide.

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Care Guide 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Nutrition Guide 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Welfare Checklist 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Dental Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Better Bunnies Programme 2026

Click on the links below for the remaining guides:

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Foraging Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Feeding Plan Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Hop Into Foraging Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Diet Poster 2026

Hill’s Vetshop Online

Did you know that you can purchase your Hill’s petfood, and still get your Station House Vets / Hill’s Loyalty Scheme discount – online via the Hill’s Vetshop Online?

For the convenience of having your Hill’s dog or cat food delivered straight to your door, you can now visit our Station House Vets dedicated area of the Hill’s Vetshop Online.

Benefits of using the Hill’s Vetshop Online

Convenient online ordering 24 hours per day
Competitive pricing
Free home delivery direct to your door
Hill’s Loyalty Scheme still applies
NEW! Subscribe & Save option available offering an additional 10% discount

Accessing the Hill’s Vetshop Online

You have three options for accessing the Station House Vets area of the Hill’s Vetshop Online

Click on the image below
Click on the QR code below
Visit www.hills4me.co.uk and enter the Station House Vets Clinic Code = 18462

Any problems, please call us on 01653 618303 and speak to one of our team, or drop us a WhatsApp message.

Importance of vaccinating your pets

Many owners know to bring their dog or cat for ‘annual jabs’ but most are not sure why, and some are not even sure if this is necessary. In short- it really is!

Vaccinating dogs

Dogs are vaccinated against Canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus ( infectious hepatitis), canine parvovirus and Leptospirosis. For many years we did not see a lot of CDV in the UK due to vaccination but case numbers are rising due to increased numbers of dogs imported into the UK from Eastern Europe. Parvovirus is common in urban areas and causes an often fatal diarrhoea especially in puppies. Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease in humans) is caught from rats, specifically rats urine and is more common in rural areas. Leptosporosis can be passed from an infected dog to a human and is often fatal.

Dogs are also vaccinated against Contagious Canine Cough (kennel cough) this disease causes ill health and is highly contagious but rarely fatal.

Vaccinating cats

Domestic cats are vaccinated against a few nasty cat viruses: calici virus, feline herpes virus (the cat flu virus’s), feline panleukopenia virus and FELV which is cat feline leukaemia virus (common in feral cats and often caught by fighting).

Vaccinating rabbits

Pet rabbits require one vaccination annually to protect against myxomatosis and RDH 1 and 2 (rabbit haemorrhagic disease) all of which can be caught from wild rabbits and are usually fatal. These diseases can be brought into your home or garden from something as simple as walking where wild rabbits have been, so even house rabbits require vaccination. There is also a new strain and therefore a new and additional vaccination – Yurvac – to be given to rabbits annually. (Wellness Plan clients get 25% off this additional vaccination).

Vaccination course for puppies

Vets recommend puppies have a full vaccination course, and the first annual booster vaccination include everything mentioned above . After the first booster vaccination against contagious canine cough and Leptospirosis is required annually and everything else every third year. Contrary to occasional rumours these vaccinations are not harmful and as animals get older they do not build up a resistance to any of these diseases. The vaccination protocols need to be followed to protect your pet. Out of date/lapsed vaccinations can mean you cannot use doggy day care or boarding kennels and can it can invalidate your pet health insurance policy.

Station House Vets Wellness Plan

Don’t forget – we offer our Wellness Plan which includes your annual vaccination and your preventative healthcare for your pets for the year! Find out more now : https://stationhousevets.com/wellness-plan/

Call 01653 618303 now to book in before the end of August – or click here to book your online appointment now.

New Equine Wellness Plan now available

We’re delighted to introduce our brand new Station House Vets Equine Wellness Plan, designed to make caring for your horse easier and more affordable throughout the year.

Our Equine Wellness Plan includes everything you need to keep your horse healthy and thriving — while saving you money.

What’s included:

1x Annual vaccination (equine influenza or equine influenza plus tetanus)
50% off up to two dentals per annum (with or without sedation)
10% off equine wormers purchased from and recommended by us
10% off Equine America and Hestevard supplements purchased from us
10% off chronic medications including Danilon, Equipalazone, Equioxx, Prascend, Ventipulmin, Dilaterol, Subestin
3x faecal worm egg counts
1x resistance worm egg count
1x tapeworm saliva test

£15 per month (additional horses £14/month) or £180 annually — saving you an average of at least £50 a year.

Want to sign up? Complete this short form and we’ll get in touch to get you signed up.

Already on one of our Worm Egg Count Plans?

If you’d like to switch to the new Wellness Plan – click here to complete a short form and we will get in touch and action the switch for you!

It’s our way of helping you plan ahead and ensure your horse receives the best preventative healthcare — from a team you know and trust.

Important Travel Update for Pet Owners

From 22nd April, new rules will come into place for UK residents travelling with their pets to the EU.

What’s changing?
UK residents will no longer be able to travel using an EU-issued pet passport.

What will you need instead?
You will need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for each trip.

These certificates must be issued by an official veterinarian and are valid for a limited time, so planning ahead is essential.

What should you do now?
If you’re planning to travel with your pet, please:

Check whether you are currently using an EU pet passport
Confirm your residency status (UK residents will need an AHC)
Contact us in advance to arrange your Animal Health Certificate

Appointments for AHCs can fill up quickly, especially during busy travel periods—so don’t leave it too late!

If you have any questions or need help preparing for travel, our team is here to help.

Get in touch with us to book your appointment or for more information.

Dogs

Cats

Small Pets

Equine

Blog

Advice & Top Tips

How to videos

Dogs

Cats

Small Pets

Equine

Blog

Advice & Top Tips

How to videos

Testimonials

Meet Sidney : our superstar senior dog

Treatments

A. Monthly Injections

B. Dietary Management

C. Exercise Regimen

D. Nurse Clinics

Sidney’s Recommended Feeding Guide

Alice and Big B tell us their story about how they have managed to overcome big B’s fear of needles, working closely with Catriona and the team at Station House Vets.

Testimonials

Progesterone testing in dogs

Updated Equine Wellness Plan now available

Already on one of our Worm Egg Count Plans?

Introducing our equine dental clinics

Equine client evening

Your Details

Rabbit Awareness Week 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Care Guide 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Nutrition Guide 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Welfare Checklist 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Dental Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Better Bunnies Programme 2026

Click on the links below for the remaining guides:

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Foraging Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Feeding Plan Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Hop Into Foraging Poster 2026

Burgess RAW Excel Rabbit Diet Poster 2026

Hill’s Vetshop Online

Benefits of using the Hill’s Vetshop Online

Accessing the Hill’s Vetshop Online

Importance of vaccinating your pets

Vaccinating dogs

Vaccinating cats

Vaccinating rabbits

Vaccination course for puppies

Station House Vets Wellness Plan

New Equine Wellness Plan now available

Already on one of our Worm Egg Count Plans?

Important Travel Update for Pet Owners

365 days a year, 24 hours per day.