Wessex Veterinary Orthopaedics

05/05/2026

We had the pleasure of meeting Arnie last week for his TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) surgery.🦴

He was an absolute star throughout his visit and incredibly brave. His favourite carrot stayed by his side the entire time, providing a little extra comfort 🥕🐾

We wish Arnie a smooth and steady recovery and look forward to seeing him back to full strength very soon.🐶💖

09/04/2026

Welcome to our Spring Newsletter for veterinary professionals - Congratulations to Heidi who recently passed her ECVS Diploma in Small Animal Surgery https://mailchi.mp/c3d3d7135b29/welcome-to-wessex-veterinary-orthopaedics-12753794

05/04/2026

The Easter Bunny has made a special visit to Wessex Veterinary Orthopaedics! 🐰💛

Just a few of our adorable patients getting ready for Easter… even if the ears are a little too big!

Wishing all our lovely clients a very Happy Easter!🐰🐾

24/03/2026

What a cutie—this independent patient handled his own tour of the practice, lead in mouth… we were just there to supervise! 🐶🐾

12/03/2026

Benny the Chihuahua recently came in to see us after hurting his jaw. When we placed him in the CT scanner, he looked incredibly tiny 🥹

The scan revealed a small fracture on the right side of Benny’s lower jaw. Our surgeon Phil carefully removed a couple of loose baby teeth and repaired the fracture using a very small plate and screws to stabilise the bone while it heals.

Benny did brilliantly during his procedure and is now recovering comfortably with lots of care and cuddles.

Just look how cute he is! 💙

26/02/2026

Recovering never looked so delicious… Megan, our little fluffball, snuggled in a blanket, food everywhere- literally! 💛🐶

23/02/2026

🌟 Meet the Team - Mia! 🌟

We’re excited to officially introduce one of our fantastic Veterinary Nurses.

Although she joined us back in July, we realised we never gave her the spotlight she deserves — and it’s about time! 👏

19/02/2026

Loki loves his favourite toy fox so much he decided to match it! 🐶🦊

14/02/2026

💖 Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖

Wishing all our wonderful clients and their furry companions a day full of love, cuddles, and tail wags! 🐾

Here are a few snaps of our nursing team spreading some extra love to your pups 🥰

Thank you for letting us care for you and your pets every day💕

12/02/2026

This is the lovely Spencer, who recently had bilateral TPLO surgery to repair torn cruciate ligaments in both knees.

Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) is a highly effective and common orthopaedic surgery. The procedure involves making a curved cut in the top of the shin bone (tibia) and rotating the tibial plateau until it’s level, so the femur can no longer slide backward. The bone is then secured in place with a plate and screws to stabilise the knee as seen in the image below.

We’ve seen Spencer for his post-operative check and are so pleased with his recovery! 💙🐾

24/12/2025

We’ve been lucky to treat some very festive reindeers recently! 🦌
Thank you for choosing us to care for your pets.
Wishing our wonderful clients and their furry companions a Merry Christmas from all at Wessex Veterinary Orthopaedics 🎄🎅🏻

04/12/2025

✨ Stanley’s Big Day! ✨

Last week our little superstar Stanley came in for his right BAAALD correction — and what an adventure it’s been!

BAAALD stands for Brachial Antebrachial Angular Limb Deformity, a condition where the forelimb bones grow unevenly, causing the leg to twist. Fixing this doesn’t just improve mobility - it also protects his joints for the future, making this surgery truly life-changing.

To plan everything safely and accurately, Stanley first had radiographs and a high-detail CT scan so we could create a 3D view of his limb. Once the planning was complete, he came back in for his big day.

Veterinary surgeon Phil led the operation, with Vet Nurse Ellie assisting at the table and Vet Nurse Laura monitoring Stanley’s anaesthetic throughout.

The procedure involved making precise cuts to both the radius and ulna, followed by the placement of specially designed plates to realign and stabilise the limb. It’s a complex surgery — but one that delivers incredible results!

And of course, no big day is complete without post-op cuddles. Stanley melted everyone’s hearts the moment he woke up, soaking up love from the nursing team. ❤️

We’re so proud of this brave boy and delighted to have helped set him up for a more comfortable, confident future. We’re wishing him all the best as he continues his recovery.🐾

01/12/2025

December 1st has arrived, and the practice is looking wonderfully festive — our first smiley pup has already claimed a cosy spot beneath the Christmas tree! As we head into the holiday season, our team is truly grateful for the trust you place in us to care for your pets orthopaedic needs. Wishing all our furry friends a warm and healthy month ahead! ❤️

18/11/2025

Lovely Freya came in for her CT scan recently and she absolutely melted our hearts.
Such a beautiful, gentle girl — she was a star from start to finish! And just look at that gorgeous, happy smile! 💙✨

16/10/2025

We’ve been fortunate to have some wonderful students join us for shadowing recently. One of them surprised us with this beautiful painting, and we’re delighted to share her talent with you. 💚🐾

A big thank-you to all the students who’ve spent time with us — your enthusiasm and love for animals truly brighten our days. 🐶🐱💖

01/10/2025

🌟 Happy National Veterinary Receptionist Appreciation Day! 🌟

What better way to celebrate than introducing you all to our incredible receptionist, Gail! 🐾

Gail is the friendly voice on the phone and the welcoming smile at the front desk. Her kindness, patience, and dedication make every visit easier for our furry friends and their humans! ❤️

Join us in celebrating Gail and all the amazing veterinary receptionists out there who make a difference every day!

24/09/2025

🐾✨ What a brave little superstar! ✨🐾

Meet Solo, the cutest Labrador puppy who came to us after suddenly not wanting to use his right front leg. We expected to find one problem… but imagine our surprise when the CT scan revealed injuries in BOTH front elbows! 😲💔

On the right side, Solo had a fracture that needed plates, screws, and a wire to carefully put everything back together.
On the left, we found a hidden fissure (a little crack) that also needed a screw to stop it from breaking in the future.

After some very delicate surgery, Solo’s X-rays showed everything in perfect place and he woke up wagging his tail like the true superstar he is!

He soaked up endless cuddles from all the nurses and we’re so proud of this brave little pup and can’t wait to see him back to zoomies in no time! 💕🐶

05/09/2025

🐾 Purdy in a Pickle! 🐾

Meet Purdy, a gorgeous 4-month-old pup who recently took a tumble down the stairs. A CT scan revealed a left lateral condylar fracture, but thanks to Heidi’s skilled hands, surgery using a transcondylar screw and plate went smoothly and the fracture was successfully repaired.

We’re delighted to share that at her check-up yesterday, Purdy is doing brilliantly! 💕🐶

07/08/2025

🐾 Meet Benny – The sweetest pug with the cheekiest grin!

Benny recently had surgery on both forelimbs to treat osteoarthritis and elbow incongruity, a condition where his elbow joints didn’t align properly, causing pain and stiffness.

Dr. Phil Witte performed a dynamic ulnar osteotomy which involves gently cutting part of the ulna to help the joints realign over time—making movement more comfortable.

Benny’s now recovering beautifully and back to his happy, smiley self! 💙😁

09/07/2025

🐾 Meet Shimla – Our Brave Superstar! 🐾

Shimla had a condition called medial patellar luxation, where the kneecaps slip out of place, causing pain and lameness. In her case, it was more complex due to a femoral bone deformity in both hind limbs.

Thankfully, Veterinary Surgeon Phil and his Assistant, Ellie performed a successful and advanced orthopaedic procedure on both hindlimbs, which involved:

🐾Correcting the femur shape to realign the leg
🐾Deepening the patellar groove so the kneecap stays in place
🐾 Repositioning the tibial tuberosity to improve alignment
🐾 Using interlocking nails for strong, stable healing

This complex surgery helps prevent future dislocations, reduces pain, and gives Shimla a much better chance at an active and comfortable life.

She’s already on the mend, and we’re so proud of her progress. We can’t wait to see her back to her happy, tail-wagging self soon!💕

19/06/2025

Say hello to the lovely Jezza! 🐶💙

This sweet boy came in for his 10-week follow-up after undergoing a total hip replacement (THR) with our skilled vets, Harry and Phil 🩺👨‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

In this procedure, the entire hip joint surface is replaced — the femoral head (the “ball”) is removed and replaced with a metal ball, and the socket (the acetabulum) is resurfaced using a “cup” implant. 🦴⚙️ This creates a smooth, stable joint that helps relieve pain and restore mobility.

We’re happy to report that Jezza is doing really well and we wish him all the best in his future adventures 🐾✨

17/06/2025

https://www.wessexvetortho.com/2025/06/17/outpatient-ct-scanning-you-stay-in-charge/

If you'd like advanced imaging but prefer to manage the case yourself, our outpatient CT scanning service is ideal. We use a 32-slice GE Revolution CT scanner for high-resolution, fast scanning. After the scan, we send the images to a specialist radiologist who reports directly back to you. Turnarou...

04/06/2025

🐾 Meet Ellie! 🐾

We’re excited to officially introduce Ellie, one of our amazing veterinary nurses 🩺💙

Ellie joined our team 3 months ago and has already made a big impact with her compassion, skill, and love for animals.

Please see below for some snapshots of Ellie in action and read more about her journey 🐾

29/05/2025

🐾 Clemmie’s Road to Recovery 🐾

This beautiful girl, Clemmie, recently came to us with fractures in her metatarsal bones — a painful injury that needed surgical intervention. Our Veterinary team placed pins to carefully align the bones along with a dressing to help control swelling and support healing.

She has been an absolute sweetheart throughout her treatment and won the hearts of everyone on our team, charming us all with her sweet nature.

We wish this beautiful girl all the best in her road to recovery!🐾🐈

14/05/2025

Who says recovery can’t be a little fun? 🐶 🐈 Our patients get top-notch care—with a side of creativity! From secure external fixations to colourful bandage art, we make sure every patient heals with both protection and personality! 🎨

18/04/2025

🐣🐾 Happy Easter from all us at Wessex Veterinary Orthopaedics! 🐾🐣

Here are some of our adorable patients all dressed up and ready to celebrate—bringing smiles, wagging tails, and lots of love. Wishing you and your furry family a joyful easter weekend filled with treats, cuddles, and sunshine! 🌸🐰💛

05/03/2025

We would like to introduce the lovely Lucy!🐈

Lucy was referred to us by the team at Cedar Vets for severe left hindlimb lameness.

After the initial consultation with Dr Harry Scott, Lucy was diagnosed with left stifle luxation with multiple ligament injuries. 🦴

These concerns were addressed by application of a laterally placed transarticular external skeletal fixator, to stabilise the stifle as shown in the x-ray image below.

Following the placement, Lucy had re-checks with marginal changes to the fixator which were all successful. Lucy has recently had the fixator removed and we are pleased to announce she is thriving more than ever! 🧡

21/02/2025

Meet the handsome Mowgli!

Mowgli was referred us by Spring Corner Vets with neck pain and low head carriage.

After the initial consultation with Phil, Mowgli was anaesthetised for a CT scan to be performed. The CT scan revealed spinal cord compression caused by an extruded intervertebral disc, as well significant haemorrhage from the ventral sinus. After the CT scan, Mowgli was clipped and prepared for surgery by the nursing team. Mowgli then went straight into theatre where he had a ventral slot procedure to remove the extruded disc material in order to decompress the spinal cord.

Mowgli attended his 4 week post operative recheck appointment yesterday and has made a fantastic recovery!

Mowgli's mum said:
"Mowgli was in so much pain, it was heartbreaking. You put us at ease, with clear, confident, communication - it was so easy to make the right decision. It was quick and efficient, now Mowgli is pain free - you are miracle workers, we would highly recommend you to anyone. He is now back to his happy, positive, full of life self... Thank you so much from all of us"

We are so pleased to see Mowgli has made a full recovery and we hope to see many more pictures of him out enjoying himself again.🐾

19/02/2025

Today is national love your pet day!🐾

Here are a few photos of our nurses own pets.

To celebrate please feel free to comment below with your pets to make each other smile 😀

15/02/2025

A very happy and belated Valentine’s Day from our boy Rex! 💘 Who is showing off his fancy bandage art for the occasion💕

20/11/2024

🐾 Meet our nursing team 💚

Our team of dedicated RVNs are compassionate and committed to providing the very best care for your pets. Each team member has a passion for animal care and welfare and will treat your pet as if they were their own.

Here are some behind the scene photos of our nurses, with your furry friends and a bit of information including their nursing background and experience.

13/11/2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We have received some lovely cards and feedback from clients over the past few months so we would like to take a moment to say thank you to everyone that has supported, referred and trusted us since our opening in June.

Thank you all for referring to us so that we can continue to provide exceptional care to all the patients we see, while maintaining our fixed rate competitive pricing and friendly, personalised service.

09/09/2024

Fred came to us as an emergency last month from Medivet. Fred was admitted to have a CT scan which confirmed IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) and he required surgery that afternoon. Phil performed a hemilaminectomy and Fred made an excellent recovery! The day after surgery he was keen to explore the garden on his gentle walks and was taking treats from us all. We are so pleased Fred's recovery is going well and we are looking forward to seeing his progress at his recheck appointment in a couple of weeks.

Sadly IVDD is common, particularly in dachshunds. If you are concerned about your pet or notice any symptoms including; back or neck pain, inability to stand, trouble walking, knuckling or shaking please contact your vet practice as soon as possible.

02/09/2024

Are you looking for a new challenge?

We have an exciting opportunity for a veterinary nurse to join our independent orthopaedic and spinal surgery referral clinic. Contact us to find out more.

RVN required for new independent specialist orthopaedic and spinal surgery referral clinic on the south coast.

09/08/2024

To arrange an outpatient CT scan, call us on 01202 022994 or complete our online 'Refer a case' form using the link below and we will be in touch with you.

Our prices:
🦴 CT scan single area under sedation - £1,000. This includes VetCT report and day patient hospitalisation.

🦴 CT scan single area under general anaesthesia - £1,300. This includes Vet CT report, general anaesthesia, IV fluids +/- contrast, +/- blood profile, day patient hospitalisation.

🦴 CT scan additional area - £400. This includes VetCT report additional area.

🦴 Enhanced report - £60. Standard VetCT reports take 4 working days. For an enhanced report (2 days) there is an additional charge for each area.

https://www.wessexvetortho.com/veterinary-professionals/refer-a-case/

02/08/2024

A new specialist vet has had a ‘fantastic’ start since opening last month.

31/07/2024

We saw this lovely girl, called Beauty when she was referred to us from Bitterne Vets4Pets as she sadly had multiple metatarsal fractures. Her owners were unsure how she got her injury but she was referred to us to undergo surgery. 🦴
After radiographs were taken, Beauty was taken to surgery where wires and pins were used to reduce and fix the fractures.
She loved some chin and paw rubs during her recovery and we are so pleased to report that she is doing really well at home. 🥰

24/07/2024

Handsome Ziggy was referred to us from Castle Veterinary Clinic, Dorchester and Weymouth because he fractured his talus, the bone that transfers loading from the tibia to the ankle.

During surgery, Phil reduced the fracture and then fixed the head and body of the talus to the calcaneus with pins. He also fixed pins through Ziggy's metatarsals, calcaneus and distal tibia to create an external fixator, to rigidly immobilise the joint and protect it whilst healing. The frame will be removed in 6 weeks.

We saw Ziggy back to have his dressing removed today and are pleased to report that he is doing really well at home! Despite him being a big softy here, he's back to his mischievous ways at home already. We're looking forward to seeing him in a few more weeks to remove the frame.

11/07/2024

15 week old Margo got herself in a muddle while playing in the garden, which resulted in a fractured humerus! 🦴

She had some initial x-rays at Vets4Pets Bournemouth who diagnosed a lateral condylar fracture and referred her to us, at Wessex Veterinary Orthopaedics, for surgery.

After a consultation with specialist orthopaedic surgeon Phil, Margo was admitted for x-rays and surgery where her fracture was repaired with metal plates and screws.

Margo returned to us for a follow up 4 weeks after her operation where we repeated her x-rays to check the fracture site was healing. Everyone was happy to see her back and doing so well! 🐶

07/07/2024

We would like to wish our joint director, surgeon and sprightly septuagenarian Harry Scott a very very happy 70th birthday! 🥳🎈🎉