Three Months in Marvellous Melksham

Three Months in Marvellous Melksham 

And what a busy three months it has been! In between working tirelessly to protect and improve the physical and mental wellbeing of our primary clients (we’re talking about your wonderful four-legged friends of course), we have been overwhelmed by the support shown from the pet-owning community. We have also squeezed in all sorts of fun extras, such as radio interviews and community events which we’d like to tell you all about. Here is what we have been up to… 

Young animal lovers were invited behind the scenes to ‘play vets’ at Chalkland Vets, Melksham 

They gowned up for surgery, listened to heart beats through a stethoscope, practiced bandaging, looked into pets’ ears, and hunted the sound (hidden in jelly!) using a Doppler device. A great day was had by all, including by our furry actors who enjoyed the extra fuss and attention they received whilst pretending to be patients. You never know, sessions like this might just inspire the next generation of vets and vet nurses and, not least, gives young pet-loving people an insight into what goes into pet care and veterinary treatment. We were oversubscribed with enthusiastic youngsters for this session and have already filled two more dates. Don’t be disheartened if your small pet people missed a slot, watch this space for future opportunities.  

Some of you may have heard Selina, one of our principal vets, ‘starring’ on local radio 

When asked why she wanted to be a vet in the first instance, she reminisced about happy times going out on farm animal calls with her veterinary surgeon father when she was a girl. Observing caesarean sections in cows, and afterwards rubbing the calves down to help them spring to life, was all that was needed to inspire her to follow in her dad’s footsteps. Selina fell in love with rural Wiltshire right from gaining her veterinary qualification and, having spent some time treating street animals and even cheetahs (!) in Dubai, soon realised that small animal practice in Wiltshire was definitely for her. 

Of course, pets remain the central focus for us at Chalklands Vets, and amongst all the fun we’re having, getting to know the community, we continue to dedicate our working lives to them. We are here for your pets in good health, in poor health, in emergencies, and right to the end. We see and treat a vast range of problems many of which are extremely interesting. 

Take Harris, the two-year-old Jack Russell, who came to us limping on her hind leg 

X-rays revealed she had a grade 2 patella luxation. Common in terriers, patella luxation describes the ‘kneecap’ slipping out of a groove in the thigh bone, in which it should remain at all times. This movement destabilises the joint, causing lameness. This lameness can be from slight right up to severe, and surgery is indicated where they are graded as 2/5 or more in terms of severity. Harris did indeed have surgery to realign the patella and deepen the groove in her thigh bone to keep the whole joint stable.  

x-ray images after Harris’ surgery 

Her dedicated owners ensured that she rested well, and having taken her for physio treadmill sessions, Harris is recovering beautifully. 

Lupos, the eleven-year-old yellow Lab was another cute customer  

Fortunately, we were able to make him more comfortable after he came to us with a lump to his upper eyelid which was beginning to rub his cornea. This type of friction is not only irritating but can also become quite sore, and even cause eye ulcers. Our skilled surgeon carefully removed the lump, which was a Meibomian mass, making a huge difference to Lupos’ quality of life.  

Meibomian masses are the most common eyelid tumours in older dogs and tend to appear from the age of eight onwards. Regular vet check-ups for these dogs are vital so that we can pick up and monitor changes in their health, intervening, if necessary, at the most appropriate time.  

Lupos coped well with his anaesthetic. Although he is a golden oldie, age itself is not a disease; when we consider anaesthetising an older pet, we take them as an individual, considering whether they have any health issues that would make anaesthesia too risky. We work closely with owners to determine what is best for their pet because, after all, they know them best.    

All in all, it has been a cracking start for Chalklands Vets, Melksham 

We’re delighted to be bringing our special brand of veterinary care to the animals in your area. We pledge to deliver transparent veterinary care that you can trust, care that is intent on maximising your pet’s health, so that you in turn, can maximise your time spent with these wonderful beings who enrich our lives so profoundly.  

Categorised in: News