The Working Vet

The Working Vet Dedicated to promoting country sports and celebrating the unique bond between gundog and trainer

Pog the Dog's optimism is wearing thin...even the daffodils look miserable! One rain-free day since Game season ended? C...
26/02/2026

Pog the Dog's optimism is wearing thin...even the daffodils look miserable! One rain-free day since Game season ended? Come on, Spring!!

I’ve completed the census tonight ✅ - only took a few minutes even for all 5 dogs. The Kennel Club is collecting data on...
22/02/2026

I’ve completed the census tonight ✅ - only took a few minutes even for all 5 dogs.
The Kennel Club is collecting data on current dog ownership which they will use to help shape future initiatives supporting canine health and welfare 🐾🐾

Thanks to over 100,000 signatures on the petition against it - on 23rd February the government's proposed merger of Sect...
16/02/2026

Thanks to over 100,000 signatures on the petition against it - on 23rd February the government's proposed merger of Section 1 and 2 fi****ms will be debated in Parliament.
On the surface to the "outside" the merger seems to purely have public safety in mind

🌳What’s the difference between Section 1 and Section 2 fi****ms?
Section 1 fi****ms covers rifles and other high powered fi****ms including shotguns that can fire more than 3 cartridges before reloading.
Section 2 fi****ms are shotguns that can fire 3 or less shot cartridges before reloading and have a minimum of 24" barrels.

The difference lies in the fact that for a Section 1 fi****ms licence the holder has to be able to justify each firearm on that licence and is subject to more stringent control of storing ammunition. For a Section 2 licence the holder just needs to be able justify responsibly owning a shotgun.

🌳So why is it important that we have our say within this debate if the government are only concerned with public safety?

To hold either kind of firearm licence, applicants are still subjected to the SAME LEVEL of background, suitability and medical checks.
At the moment the 44 separate police licensing departments are responsible for these checks to be carried out correctly and in the UK where there have been horrific shotgun crimes the problems have been due to failures during these checks.

🌳Why would merging Section 1 and Section 2 licences cause an issue?
Time. Section 1 fi****ms require justification for each and every firearm owned it requires a lot more administrative time and therefore licences will be more difficult, time consuming and costly to deliver on. The police licensing departments are already at full capacity and having to add this additional pressure will cause delays and could potentially lead to errors. These financial and logistical demands will have massive effects on both gun traders, gun owners, gunsmiths, gamekeepers, shooting estates etc with consequential knock on effects on the general rural community and their environmental and conservation efforts associated with game shooting.

The has put forward a different proposal that would have more of a positive impact on public safety with regards to fi****ms.
Improving public safety is “not about alignment, but about how licensing is delivered”. The current process is outdated and has too much margin for error.
They propose a centralised fi****ms licensing body with a central digital database to allow real-time checking of licensing to reduce illegitimate and fraudulent firearm transactions and licensing. Could it also be accessed by GPs so that if there are mental health issues with a patient they can look up if they have a fi****ms certificate and put on an alert for action?

🌳So there is a lot of talk of the detriment to the shooting industry - and this needs to be taken seriously. Aside from the economical impact on Britain we are talking about endangering a highly skilled craft that has an integral part in British history and a sport that teaches its participants restraint, respect, manners and etiquette that are sadly lacking in today’s society. It is my belief that the government’s intention here is to attack a sport and an industry that they do not fully understand and do not wish to try to.

However, it is also a potential that rather than reducing the number of licences and fi****ms in the UK this could actually lead to an increase. For example, a country sportsperson may have a few different shotguns - their clay gun, their game gun, their semi-auto for wildfowling and maybe that antique side by side English made family heirloom that only comes out on fine days but hasn’t missed a beat in its 100 year existence. Each of these guns serve a unique purpose and has a place in the cabinet - instead of getting rid of any of these the applicant will be able to demonstrate a need and justify it. Well…while having to go through the motions for a full Section 1 fi****ms licence, might as well apply for a .22 rimfire for rabbits or target shooting as well - the government could end up with more fi****ms licence holders than ever and still an outdated unmanageable licensing system….i wonder if they have thought about this?

These are just my thoughts - please feel free to comment with yours

The government need to listen to the countryside on this one. Sign the petition here: http://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/750236 and please write to your local MP so we can have our say.

09/02/2026

👀👀Corneal Ulcers 👀👀

I was covering the out of hours for a practice at the weekend and TWO of my call-outs were for dogs with sore eyes due to corneal ulcers.

Corneal ulcers occur when there is damage to the surface of the eye usually due to a foreign body but also can be traumatic e.g. a scratch from a cat, due to eyelid anatomy rubbing on the surface of the eye or poor tear film production (dry eye).

The cornea consists of four main layers - the outer epithelium, the thick stroma, the Descemet's membrane and then the inner endothelium layer.
when we diagnose a corneal ulcer we usually use a dye called fluorescein. This dye will stick to the stroma layer of the cornea and highlight and damage to the epithelium. It doesn't stick to the deeper layers so if the ulcer is obvious but the stain doesn't stick in the middle it's a sign of a deep corneal ulcer.

Deep ulcers take longer and are more prone to complications such as melting or globe rupture than superficial ulcers. Usually superficial ulcers heal well as long as They are treated promptly with the correct medicated and lubricating drops and as long as whatever caused the ulcer is removed.
Sometimes if healing is delayed further procedures such as debriding (removing loose tissue from the edges of the ulcer), grid keratotomies (creating tiny micro scratches over the surface to stimulate healing) or swabs (to culture any bacteria and ensure correct medications are being used) are necessary. Depending on how the ulcer behaves they may need to be repeated.
Vets always ask to see corneal ulcers back after a few days to check they are heading in the right direction. This is because it is so important to act quickly and adapt treatment protocols is the ulcer is not healing as it should. Without this you could end up with chronic scarring or loss of vision that may have been preventable.

So my advice - if your dog is showing signs of eye pain - squinting, discharge, swelling, redness or blue cloudiness get them to the vet pronto! Proactive treatment can save eyes! 👀🐾

08/02/2026

Just to add insult to injury for the dogs - the end of the game season also means time for their annual booster vaccinations and a full MOT. It’s a great time to check them all over for lumps and bumps, listen to the heart and lungs, check their mouth, eyes, ears etc for any concerns

🐾 What do we vaccinate against?🐾
💉Core vaccines for dogs protect against Distemper Hepatitis, Parvovirus (DHP) and Leptospirosis.
💉The DHP protection lasts for a median of 3 years after their first booster vaccination at about 15 months of age and the Leptospirosis protection lasts for 12 months median - hence the annual booster.

🐾Why do we vaccinate?🐾
💉Simply because these diseases are killers. I’m lucky enough to say that during my career I have not seen a case of Canine Distemper virus and nor would I wish to! It is so rare now in the UK because the vast majority of the dog population are protected by vaccination. parvovirus and leptospirosis however are very much still around and vaccinating your dog not only protects them from the clinical signs but also reduces the risk of them shedding virus should they come in to contact with it.

🐾What about vaccine reactions🐾
Any medication (human or animal) can cause a reaction and the reaction can be completely unpredictable. Vaccines interfere with the immune system and therefore reactions can include immune-mediated problems. Fortunately these reactions are reported as

🐾Thought for Thursday🐾Did you know that it is a legal requirement that all dogs are restrained while in a vehicle??🚘 The...
05/02/2026

🐾Thought for Thursday🐾
Did you know that it is a legal requirement that all dogs are restrained while in a vehicle??
🚘 The Highway Code (Rule 57) dictates that all animals should be suitably restrained while in a vehicle and dogs are not allowed to travel on the front seat
🚘 Failure to comply could result in "Driving without due care and attention" and result in a £5000 fine and potentially a court appearance.
🚘 Suitable restraint could be a dog crate, dog guard or seatbelt harness (not on front seat)

💭 Think about it - a small 10kg dog travelling in a car at 20mph can turn into a 200kg missile if you crash or stop abruptly. The heavier your dog or the faster you travel the more force your dog will fly through your car with with potentially devastating consequences for you, your family and other passengers.

🐶

I’ve been thinking lately about how I can do my bit to help normalise game shooting. I’m proud to be a “country girl”, I...
04/02/2026

I’ve been thinking lately about how I can do my bit to help normalise game shooting.
I’m proud to be a “country girl”, I’m proud of my gun dogs, I’m proud of my family eating game and feeling the excitement in my house on a shoot morning from the whole family makes me proud.
And I’m proud to talk about what we do with other like minded people - because, well…that is easy.

I gave a colleague a lift in my car the other day -
“Sorry about the muddy dog smell” I said as she got in the passenger side (it was absolutely lifting 🤢)
“No worries - where did you go with them?”
“Oh just for a walk in the woods”

…and I thought about not saying anything more. I knew she wasn’t a shooter (more of a cat person to be honest!) But then I thought no - if I’m proud of what I do then I need to talk about it and try to educate people who don’t know, and that needs to be one conversation at a time.

Her immediate reaction to me saying that the dogs had been beating on the local shoot was to recoil a little - but she had no idea what it actually involved…so I told her.

I told her about the positive impact on the countryside, the wildlife and nature. I told her about the rearing of the birds, the feeding and care provided. I told her about what happens on the shoot day, how the dogs work and how we take the birds home and eat the freest range meat that you can get.

She may have got out the car thinking I was mad…but on the other hand she may have taken it on board. She might just think about what is actually happening next time she hears shotguns in the distance. That thought of truely free range meat might cross her mind next time she picks up a packet of chicken from the supermarket shelf. And she might tell a friend…

If we don’t have these conversations then people will never hear our side of the story because we all know how loud the “antis” can shout.

Id love to hear how you think we can raise the profile of game shooting in the comments below

🐾🐾Thursday Thought🐾🐾Are you aware that a normal dog requires 50ml of fluids per kilogram of bodyweight within a 24-hour ...
29/01/2026

🐾🐾Thursday Thought🐾🐾

Are you aware that a normal dog requires 50ml of fluids per kilogram of bodyweight within a 24-hour period?
For example: a 20kg dog necessitates 1000ml of fluids daily (50ml x 20kg).

To monitor your dog's water intake:
💦Measure the initial water volume in their bowl in the morning
💦Subtract the remaining amount after 24 hours
💦Don't forget to record and add any top-ups during the day!

Remember this is only an estimate, as your dog may obtain water from other sources e.g. outdoor puddles or wet food.

If your dog consistently exceeds their maintenance volume, it may indicate underlying health issues or even chronic pain, and a veterinary check-up is highly recommended to get to the bottom of it.

28/01/2026

What an end to the season for Pog the Dog! A lot of watching and waiting today, plenty of things to practice and work on, but man I love this dog!!

26/01/2026

👀 What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye is exactly why it sounds like - a lack of tear film production over the surface of the eye. The posh name for it is Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca. If left untreated it is a painful condition that can ultimately lead to blindness.

👀 What are the signs?
Thick mucusy ocular discharge, redness of the whites of the eyes, blueish tinge to surface of the eye (corneal oedema caused by inflammation), squinting, rubbing at eyes. Depending on the cause it can affect either or both eyes.

👀 What are the causes?
The most common cause is an immune mediated destruction of the lacrimal gland - I.e the body’s immune system goes a bit mental and starts attacking the tissues that produce the tear film and destroying them. This reaction could be started by an allergic reaction, an infection or there are some genetic predispositions (Weston’s, American Cocker Spaniels) Other causes can include certain drugs e.g Sulphasalazine or a nerve issue (tends to be one sided)

👀 How is it diagnosed?
Schirmer Tear Test - a strip of special paper is tucked in to the eye lid(as in the photo of a Scottish Terrier patient I tested last week). The tears soak up the strip and bring with it they dye. Less than 10mm in 60 seconds is indicative of Dry Eye.

👀 Is it treatable?
Yes but usually involves managing the symptoms rather than a cure. Medicated drops that suppress the immune system attack is the mainstay of treatment plus lubrication and anti-inflammatory/antibiotic drops as necessary.
For severe cases where medication doesn’t work, there is an operation that transposes the parotid gland (salivary gland) up to the eye to provide lubrication - every time the dog smells food they start crying!!

How has Christmas treated your waistline? Keith the cat has definitely treated himself to some Winter Insulation 🙈This t...
10/01/2023

How has Christmas treated your waistline? Keith the cat has definitely treated himself to some Winter Insulation 🙈
This time of year I spend a lot of time talking with clients about how to get their pets to shift those extra pounds, but with a lot of our working dogs the problem is quite the opposite!
So with February 1st approaching fast, how do we keep condition on our working dogs til the end of the season?

Here are my top tips:
🐾 Keep them warm - conserve their energy and save some kcal in between and after drives. We have Ruff & Tumble dog coats Ruff & Tumble Dog Drying Coats because they are easy to put on, keep them toasty and dry them off at the same time
🐾 Increase their calorie intake - working dog diets are called Working dog for a reason with higher % of good quality protein for muscle and growth support and higher energy concentration.And if they still need a little extra mix in some puppy food too
🐾 Snacks!! I don’t usually train with treats but a few additional calories between drives if they are working really hard can help prevent hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
🐾 Rest - for young and old alike! When we see our dogs enjoying themselves so much in the field it can be really easy to get carried away and work them too hard. Sometimes having a little timeout on the lead can help reset their bodies and minds - over worked muscles and joints are prone to injury and over stimulated brains are prone to “forgetfulness”!

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