Downs Link Veterinary Surgery

12/06/2026

💚💚 Grace's Follow-Up Visit 💚💚

Some of you may remember Grace, our lovely 16-year-old Ragdoll cross, who recently visited us for a much-needed de-matting procedure.

We're pleased to report that Grace returned this week for her vaccination and is doing very well.

Her new haircut is helping keep her comfortable, and she was bright, alert and enjoying plenty of fuss from the team during her visit.

As cats get older, grooming themselves can become more difficult due to arthritis, reduced mobility or other age-related changes. Regular checks at home can help spot mats early before they become uncomfortable.

It's always lovely to see our patients back looking happy and feeling much more comfortable. Keep enjoying your retirement years, Grace! 🐱💚

11/06/2026

🎉 We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Southwater Academies Summer Fair this Saturday! 🎉

Come along and say hello to the team from Downslink Veterinary Surgery. Mandy (Practice Manager), Jo (Lead Nurse) and Ben (Veterinary Surgeon) will be there throughout the afternoon.

Whether you'd like to ask us a question, meet the team, or simply stop by for a chat, we'd love to see you. 🐾💚

There will be plenty of fun for the whole family, including inflatables, face painting, games, food stalls and much more.

📍 Southwater Junior Academy 📅 Saturday 13th June ⏰ 12pm–4pm
We hope to see lots of familiar faces there! 💚🐶🐱

✨𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 - 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲✨

We are delighted to announce that At Home Estate and Lettings Agency and About Mortgages will be the headline sponsors of this year’s Southwater Infant & Junior Academies Summer Fair 2026.

📌Southwater Junior Academy
📅 Saturday 13th June
⏰ 12-4pm

Interested in being involved?
📩Email [email protected] to apply!

11/06/2026

💚💚💚 Meet Louie 💚💚💚

Louie, a 5½-year-old Terrier, recently came to see us after a game of fetch went a little wrong. 🎾

While chasing a ball, Louie fractured one of his incisors and traumatised a neighbouring incisor, leaving it mobile and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, both teeth needed to be removed to prevent ongoing pain and future problems.

Thankfully, dogs adapt incredibly well to missing incisors, and Louie recovered smoothly from his procedure.

We hope you're feeling much more comfortable now, Louie! 🐾

💚💚💚

10/06/2026

🦷 Alan's Dental Adventure 🦷

Alan, a 10-month-old crossbreed, recently visited us after a fractured upper cheek tooth was identified.

Although he is still very young, dental fractures can expose the sensitive inner structures of the tooth, allowing bacteria to enter and travel down into the root. Dental radiographs revealed a significant area of bone loss around the root tip (the dark circled area), consistent with a tooth root abscess.

As the tooth was no longer healthy, it was extracted to remove the source of infection and prevent ongoing discomfort.

The good news is that Alan recovered well from his procedure and is now on the road to a much more comfortable mouth. 🐾💚

This case is a great reminder that even young dogs can develop painful dental disease, particularly following tooth fractures. If you notice a chipped, worn or discoloured tooth, it's always worth having it checked.

09/06/2026

🐾 Frankie's big day! 🐾

Frankie, a nearly 2-year-old Siberian cat, visited us today for his neutering procedure.

Neutering helps prevent unwanted litters and can reduce the risk of certain health and behavioural problems later in life. It's one of the most common procedures we perform and most cats are back to their usual selves very quickly.

Frankie was a lovely patient throughout the day and recovered well from his anaesthetic before heading home for some well-earned rest and cuddles.

We hope you're feeling back to your mischievous self soon, Frankie! 💚🐱

08/06/2026

🐾 Teddy's grass seed adventure! 🌾

Teddy, a 2-year-old Lagotto, came to see us with an acutely painful paw and limp. On examination, there was only a small draining tract between the toes, but grass seeds are notorious for causing these tiny openings while hiding deeper within the tissues.

Because Teddy was such a good patient, we were able to investigate the area under local anaesthetic. After carefully exploring the tract, we found and removed the offending grass seed.

Grass seeds may be small, but they can cause significant pain and inflammation, and if left untreated can continue to migrate through tissues leading to ongoing infection and discomfort.

Thankfully Teddy's seed was found and removed promptly, and he was much more comfortable afterwards.

As summer approaches, keep an eye out for sudden paw licking, limping, swelling between the toes, or small draining holes in the skin, particularly in breeds with dense or curly coats.

Well done Teddy – you were a very brave boy! 🐶💚

05/06/2026

💚 Duke 💚

Nearly 8-year-old Duke, originally from Greece, visited us for a dental procedure this week. Due to feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), he required extraction of his remaining 11 teeth along with several retained root remnants.

FCGS is a condition where cats develop severe inflammation within the mouth, thought to be caused by an inappropriate immune response to plaque and other oral triggers. For many cats, full-mouth or near full-mouth extractions can significantly improve comfort and quality of life.

While many cats respond very well following dental extractions, some may still require ongoing medical management with treatments such as anti-inflammatory medication, pain relief or immunomodulatory therapy.

We wish Duke a smooth recovery at home and hope he enjoys a much more comfortable future. 💚🐱

04/06/2026

💚💚 Honey 💚💚

This beautiful 10-year-old domestic longhair came in to see us for a dental procedure during which dental x-rays revealed a resorptive lesion affecting one of her teeth.

To help keep Honey comfortable and healthy, the affected tooth was removed, and she recovered very well from her anaesthetic. 🐱

We think Honey's expression in the photo says it all – perhaps she's wondering where all the fuss was about! 😄

Wishing Honey a speedy recovery and plenty of well-earned cuddles at home. 💚

03/06/2026

💚💚💚 Bella 💚💚💚

A big well done to Bella, an 8-year-old crossbreed, who visited us for a dental procedure this week.

After a thorough assessment and dental X-rays, Bella had an impressive 32 teeth removed to help improve her oral health and quality of life. While it sounds like a lot, dogs cope remarkably well without diseased teeth and are often much happier once everything has healed.

Bella was an absolute star throughout her procedure and recovery, and we're pleased to say she is now back home with her family for plenty of rest, cuddles and soft food.

We wish Bella a smooth recovery and look forward to hearing how she's getting on! 💚🐾

02/06/2026

Poor Henry! 💚

This adorable 9 week old Golden Retriever managed to chew part of his crate and unfortunately fractured two of his baby premolar teeth in the process. 🦷

Dental x-rays showed fractures involving the front (rostral) roots of the affected premolars, highlighted by the circled areas on the radiograph. At this age, one of the biggest considerations is protecting the developing adult teeth sitting just beneath the baby teeth, so great care was needed during surgery to avoid damaging the permanent tooth buds while removing the fractured roots and loose bone fragments.

Following careful surgery and smoothing of the damaged bone, Henry recovered very well from his anaesthetic and was soon back to being a very brave little puppy 🐾

Wishing Henry a smooth recovery — and hopefully a few less attempts at crate redesign in future! 💚