E-vets Borders, Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Service

11/08/2025

‼️FOUND‼️
Stray cat - male neutered, mature, ginger, friendly, found near the ice rink in Kelso.

He currently is safe and stable at e-vets, Galashiels and is undergoing treatment for a minor wound.

Please phone ☎️ the surgery on 01896753759 (option 1) if you think he may be yours, proof of ownership will be required.

25/07/2025

Border Union Show weekend!!!! If you're enjoying a fantastic day out at the popular annual agricultural show in Kelso this weekend, why not stop by and give our day team pals of Galedin Vets a visit? They're around by the cattle pens! (And rumour has it they have lots of free goodies 👀☕️🍾😁)

13/07/2025

Unfortunately a young cat was found deceased near Lindean. It is a male entire (not neutered) tabby kitten approximately 4 months old with no microchip.

If you think you might know this kitten, please phone E-vets/Galedin Galashiels at 01896 753759

11/07/2025

With the heatwave in full swing and set to last over the weekend we wanted to make owners aware of the signs of heatstroke and let you know what to do if you suspect your dog has heatstroke.

⚠️Don't take the risk. A dog has never died from missing a walk, but a dog has died from one walk in the heat ⚠️

Signs of heatstroke include -
🌡 Excessively panting
🌡 Collapse
🌡 Vomiting and/or Diarrhoea
🌡 Lethargy
🌡 Dark red or pale gums
🌡 Staggering/uncoordinated movements
🌡Seizures

If you are worried your pet may have heatstroke, do not place them in a hot car and drive to the vets. Firstly cool your pet by soaking them with cold running water; this does not have to be freezing, as long as it is colder than your pet. Ensure your car is cool before driving to the practice.

*Do not wrap them in wet towels as this can trap heat in*

💧 WET THEN VET 💧

How can heatstroke be avoided ❓
🐾 Only walk your dogs early morning or evening to avoid the high temperatures.
🐾 Always ensure they have access to water and shade.
🐾 Choose to walk in areas where they have access to water to cool off.
🐾 Use cooling matts or vests
🐾 Don't leave your dog in hot cars, even with the windows down!
🐾 Don't let your pet lie in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. This includes indoors!

If you are worried your pet may have heatstroke, please contact your local branch AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!☎️

11/07/2025

‼️update - reunited‼️

Clovenfords - near Whytebank Farm Cottages

Please phone 📞 01896753759 if you recognise him.

21/06/2025

A break in the sticky muggy heat of the weekend has arrived and it put on quite a light show for our staff tonight!

We hope everyone is staying safe and dry, and the pets aren't too scared from the passing rumbles from the sky.

20/06/2025

As we enjoy the sunshine and warmth, a reminder to be mindful of our pets. If you're worried your dog has heat stroke, always always always phone your vet, cool them down by continuously pouring on them cold (yes, COLD) water, and take them straight to the vets!

Heat stroke can be fatal even hours after the incident if left untreated, so please be extra careful with your furry friends today and tomorrow!

A quick reminder that no dog died from missing a walk, but many dogs have died as a result of being exercised in hot weather!

I've treated many dogs with heat stroke and it is often fatal, which is heartbreaking for the owners.

Dogs really struggle in the heat - they cannot sweat so they cool themselves down by panting.

☀️ Dogs die quickly in hot cars - even if they're only left for a few minutes!

☀️Dogs often get heat stroke on hot walks

☀️Animals can get heatstroke if they have no access to cool water

10 times as many dogs present for veterinary care for heatstroke after being exercised in hot weather than present following being entrapped in a car.

Flat-faced breeds such as pugs or French bulldogs are at an even bigger risk of heatstroke.

❌Do not leave animals in hot cars
❌ Ensure they aren't locked in rooms with no ventilation
❌ Provide access to plenty of cool, clean water
❌Do not exercise in the heat

If a dog is collapsed from heatstroke you should:

✅ Bring your dog inside into a shady, well ventilated, cool room
✅Call your local vets and follow their instructions
✅Cool them down by pouring cold water on them
✅ Offer them a small drink of cool water, don't allow they to lap up huge quantities at once in case they vomit
✅ Travel to the vets in a cold, air-conditioned car

There's loads more useful info on preventing and treating heatstroke at Veterinary Voices UK!

15/06/2025

"That's me!" Vet Rebecca is all set up and ready to help any dogs in need at the Border Union Championship Dog Show in Kelso! The rest of the E-vets team is, of course, still ready in Galashiels for everyone else in the area as normal, and for any more serious cases needing referred from the show 🐶

14/06/2025

Post-op surgical complications: Rare, but always possible.

Meet Oreo: In Oreo’s mischievous kitten ways, he had eaten bits of a duvet cover, and the fabric had gotten stuck in his intestines! Galedin day team rushed him to emergency
surgery and removed the offending cloth, and Oreo made a fantastic recovery. He was doing excellent at home for 6 days before suddenly waking up from a nap screaming in pain.

His owners quickly brought him down to us at E-vets, where vet Rebecca determined
the intestines appeared to be blocked again, causing Oreo to go into shock. It was clear
that the only chance to save Oreo’s life was a second surgery.

During surgery, we learned that Oreo had developed 2 complications: 1) scar tissue
within his abdomen, which is expected after any abdominal surgery but very rarely
causes problems, and 2) part of the abdominal wall hadn’t healed properly causing a small hernia. It is suspected that his intestines got twisted around scar tissue or stuck in the hernia.

There was thankfully no permanent damage to the intestines, so the scar tissue was
removed and the hernia repaired so there weren’t any more gaps that intestines might get stuck in. Oreo was very slow to recover, but by morning Oreo pulled out yet another
miracle and was up, purring, and demanding head boops! Oreo is now home almost
fully healed, back to his normal self, living his best kitten life.

Nothing went wrong during Oreo’s 1st surgery, and Oreo’s owners did everything right during his recovery. He was just an unfortunate reminder that complications are a possibility with any surgery, and that the risks don’t stop once they’re at home.

Catching these complications early is the most important factor, so be sure you attend all post-op checkup appointments for your pets after a surgery. And if you’re ever
worried that something isn’t right during a pet’s recovery, don't hesitate to phone your
vets to check!

08/06/2025

Spring is finishing up and summer is (theoretically) here in the Scottish Borders, and that means it's fledgling season!!! The baby birds are grown up enough to want to leave their nests, but some try before they're quite ready and instead fall to the ground.

If you see one of these fledglings on the ground, our advice is to《✋️🛑leave them be🛑✋️》!!!

Mama bird usually knows exactly where her chicks have ended up and will keep an eye on them until they finally learn to fly fly away. If they're in an unsafe place like a road or well trodden path, then you can gently encourage them to a safer space, however do this without touching them as handling by humans can often be harmful in spite of the kindest of intentions.

If you see a visibly injured wild animal that you are especially concerned about, then give your local SPCA a call for advice before touching the animal.

When in doubt, let nature do nature!

Sir Popcorn pictured here was a fledgling pigeon who had gotten himself into an extra pickle with a head injury, so the SPCA brought him to us for a fly by visit for pain relief before taking him to a rescue better equipped for long term care.

21/05/2025

We’ve all been enjoying the rare Scottish sun and warmth the last couple weeks, and so have our outdoor feline friends. Unfortunately, this does mean an increased risk of danger to cats, particularly from cars.

Tom we suspect is one of those unfortunate victims. He came home from his daily adventures to shock his owners with blood on his face and neck, struggling to breathe properly, weak, and his skin making a cling-film like crunching feeling when pet. Tom was rushed to us where vet Vicky found air had leaked out of his lungs into his chest cavity (a pneumothorax), causing his lungs to compress and not be able to fill properly. This air had also leaked under his skin, causing his skin to blow up like a balloon 🎈 causing the crinkling feeling/noise (subcutaneous emphysema). Tom's xrays are shared in this post, the circled/highlighted areas being the air where it isn't meant to be! 😱

A temporary draining system was set up which allowed Vicky to remove 600ml of air from his chest! His lungs were immediately thankful for the breathing room, and his breathing became much less laboured and his heart pumping more effectively. With a bit more time of careful monitoring and pain relief, Tom was a bit bruised and battered but quickly made an amazing recovery, rolling around in the kennel asking for pets and attention within 24 hours!

Tom is now at home finishing his recovery, seeking gaps in doors and windows to escape from his bed rest to continue to enjoy the glorious sunshine outside.

If you have a cat that loves the outdoors, we understand that it’s nigh impossible to keep them happily shut inside. But please be aware of the risks especially from cars, check your feline friend over carefully after each of their wanders, and ensure they are microchipped with up-to-date contact details in case they are found injured and brought to the vets by a good samaritan.

17/05/2025

May Eurovision 2025 tonight make as good television as bugs out the window do for one of our staff kittens!

We hope your animals don't interrupt your viewings tonight with any dramatic performances of their own, but if they do, don't worry, our dedicated emergency vet and vet nurse are still here to help if you need them! 😸