Dereham Vets

29/05/2026

It’s the fourth and final week of our Vet Nurse Awareness Month series. We hope you’ve enjoyed this insight into what it takes to become a veterinary nurse, along with a behind-the-scenes look at life in practice. 😍

This week’s theme is 'passion', and what better way to celebrate it than by showcasing one of our student veterinary nurses, Amy. She began her training in September and is developing her skills here in practice, alongside attending college. 💚

Passion is at the heart of every great nurse. We asked Amy what passion means to her and how she brings it into her role:

"My passion for veterinary nursing comes from knowing that even the smallest actions can make a huge difference to an animal’s wellbeing and an owner’s peace of mind. From holding wriggly puppies for their first vaccinations to supporting pets and their owners through some of their hardest days, every part of the role feels meaningful. I love the variety that comes with vet nursing; scrubbing into theatre, monitoring anaesthetics, caring for patients on the wards and helping to keep everything running smoothly. Being able to combine compassion, practical skills and teamwork to care for patients through every stage of their journey is something I never take for granted.

So much of what veterinary nurses do goes unnoticed, but the level of care and compassion never changes. Our patients are someone’s whole world, and being trusted to help care for them, in both the good moments and the difficult ones, is a privilege. I’m passionate about advocating for animals who cannot speak for themselves and although the role can be challenging, every recovery, wagging tail and small win makes it all worthwhile. Even on the busiest or hardest days, knowing I can help make an animal more comfortable or reassure an owner, reminds me exactly why I chose veterinary nursing." 🐾

Amy has put together a video to give you a glimpse into her day-to-day life as she trains to become a registered veterinary nurse. 🩺

22/05/2026

It’s week three of our Vet Nurse Awareness Month series and this time we’re shining a light on the importance of empathy. 💚

We’re also delighted to introduce Lisa, our new Head Nurse. 👋

We asked Lisa to share her thoughts on how empathy is shown in our practice, and here’s what she had to say:

"This Vet Nurse Month we celebrate the incredible empathy that us RVN's bring to every moment; comforting anxious pets, supporting families who may be worried and showing care that far exceeds our medical skill. Our compassion turns clinics into safe havens and transforms difficult days into moments of hope.

Empathy looks like:
- Gentle calming of nervous pets.
- Listening with patience to worried owners.
- Staying with a patient through their recovery and comforting them.
- Supporting our team mates on tough days with understanding and encouragement."

15/05/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came to see us at Dereham Day last Saturday. We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did! 💚

It was wonderful to see so many of you having fun with our hook-a-duck game, practising bandaging skills, and dressing up as vets in surgical gowns. 🩺🐾

Good luck to everyone who entered our raffle, the winner has now been contacted so don’t forget to check your voicemail… you could be our lucky winner! 🏆

If you snapped a photo with our Dereham Vets photo board, we’d love to see them! Why not share them in the comments below. 📸

And a special thank you to Lexi at Treefrog LTD for taking some lovely photos of our team during the morning. 🥰

12/05/2026

We’re delighted to share this lovely post about Archie, a four-year-old black Labrador who recently visited us out of hours. 🐶

A huge thank you to his owner at Walkies Dog Behaviour & Training for sharing their kind words and experience. We’re so pleased to hear Archie is recovering well and back to his happy self! 🥰💚

A bit of a different post today…

We spent £550 at the vets last night with Archie (thankfully, we’re insured).

And it got me thinking — what did that actually buy?

It bought a vet who took the time to speak to us on the phone first, before deciding Archie really did need to be seen that evening.

It bought someone who then travelled half an hour from home, late at night, to meet us — with a nurse also called out to support.

We were greeted with calm, kindness, and reassurance when we were worried.

She was thorough. She explained what she was checking, what she was ruling out, and why.

She was open about costs.

She gave us time.

And most importantly — she gave us peace of mind, and complete confidence that Archie was in safe, capable hands.

We talk a lot about the cost of vet care…

But moments like this are a good reminder of the value behind it.

When your dog needs help, you’re not just paying for treatment —
you’re paying for knowledge, experience, compassion, and someone who shows up when it matters most.

And honestly… that peace of mind is priceless 🤍

Thank you to the team at Dereham Vets for taking such good care of him.

08/05/2026

We're looking forward to attending Dereham Day tomorrow 10am-4pm. Please come and say hello! 👋😁

01/05/2026

💛🐾 May is Vet Nurse Awareness Month! 🐾💛

This is all about recognising the vital role veterinary nurses play in animal health and welfare, and the amazing support they provide to owners every single day. 🥰

This year’s theme, 'Compassion and Empathy', perfectly reflects the heart of vet nursing. Throughout May, we’ll be shining a spotlight not only on our incredible team, but on vet nurses everywhere. Their dedication, skill and hard work so often happens behind the scenes, and we’re excited to celebrate them. 🌟

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a variety of posts to showcase what vet nurses do, how they got to where they are, and the passion and commitment it takes to both train and thrive in this profession. 🩺

We’re starting with compassion; highlighting the care and understanding vet nurses show every day, not only to their patients but to their owners too. 🤗

Check out our post explaining how vet nurses become vet nurses, and discover just how hard our nurses work to do what they do every day! 🤩

Their skill and compassion never go unnoticed, thank you for everything you do! 💚

24/04/2026

Meet Harper 🐾

Harper is a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever who came to us after her owner noticed some worrying changes. Harper had stopped eating, was drinking and urinating excessively, and seemed very lethargic.

After a full examination and ultrasound scan with our vet Ginny, Harper was diagnosed with a pyometra. A pyometra is a serious bacterial infection of the uterus that causes it to fill with pus. This condition is most common in older unspayed females and can quickly become life-threatening, so urgent treatment is essential.

Once Harper was stabilised, our vet Emily and nurse Cayley took her into surgery to perform an ovariohysterectomy (removal of the ovaries and uterus). She needed close monitoring and supportive care afterwards, but we’re so pleased to say she made a full recovery.
Her owner tells us she’s now doing brilliantly, which is exactly what we love to hear! 💚

If you’d like to see more, we’ve shared an unblurred image of the infected uterus removed during surgery in the comments. 🔍

🚨 WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT 🚨

17/04/2026

Meet Wisp! 🐭✨

Wisp is a 1-year-old rat who recently visited our vets Sotiroula and Stephie, for his castration. We don’t often see rats for neutering here at Dereham Vets, so we couldn’t resist sharing his story with you all!

We typically recommend castrating male rats between 4–6 months of age. The procedure is generally more straightforward than spaying females and, as well as preventing unwanted litters, it can reduce the risk of testicular cancer (which is relatively common in rats). Neutering may also help minimise hormone-driven behaviours such as mounting, urine marking and aggression. This often results in a calmer, easier-to-handle companion. 🤩

Rat castration is more delicate than a routine cat or dog neutering. It requires specialised techniques to minimise the risk of complications such as hernias or infection, and anaesthesia can be more challenging due to their small size. One advantage however is that rats do not need to be fasted before surgery, as they cannot vomit and they often recover very quickly! 💉

Wisp came in with one of his cage mates to keep him company throughout the day. We’re happy to report that he was a perfect patient and is healing beautifully. 😍

Take a look at the adorable group photo his owner shared of Wisp and all his friends! 🐀💚

10/04/2026

We’re pleased to introduce Eden, our Animal Nursing Assistant. 🤩