Windrush Vet

30/05/2024

Great news for horses and their dental care in the hills. Thanks Dr Simone for taking on more clients whilst I get to spend precious time with my beautiful baby boy 😊 🐴 🦷

09/03/2024

Dr Bec has been so wrapped up in being mum to her beautiful baby boy Jake for weeks now she forgot to update you all.

Introducing Jake Thomas Verrall, born Jan 18th at 4.22kg via c-section. We are home and doing fabulously 🤩

I do hope you will all forgive me for being unavailable as a vet as I take this time out to focus on Jake and this amazing journey of motherhood 🥰

24/12/2023

Dr Bec would like to wish her clients a very Merry Christmas and here’s to a happy and healthy New Year!!

Windrush Vet is now closed as I am on extended maternity leave awaiting arrival of our bubs in next few weeks 🤰Will let you all know how we are doing in the new year.

Thank you to all my wonderful clients for all your support and allowing me to look after your animals again this year 💜 🐴 🐮 🐑 🐶

Merry Christmas 🎄

05/11/2023

My final visit to these gorgeous horses for their annual dental check before starting my maternity leave end of this week. Have been doing their teeth for the last 4 years and watched them grow and mature into these calm beautiful horses. Everyone walked onto the dental crush with no hesitation this year - a credit to Mel at WalkSublime for her patience, training and understanding. Regular dental care definitely pays off with little Koszi the brumby (now standing at 13’3 hands) having his slight parrot mouth nearly corrected over the last few years.

Dr Bec only has a couple days of large animal vet work left this week before she is going on extended maternity leave. Please contact other local vet clinics in the hills for any of your equine dental needs going forward.

30/08/2023

Dr Bec (and husband Pete) are excited to announce they are expecting a baby early next year.

What does this mean for vet work? I am planning to continue with dental work until the end of November.

I have spoken to local clinics throughout the hills for both large animal and equine, all are available to help with your veterinary needs and routine dentistry when I am unavailable from the end of the year.

Get in touch to book in your equine dentistry appointments as I’m booking up fast.

15/08/2023

Dr Bec was recently interviewed by ABC for an article about equine vet shortages and the need for a work-life balance. Dr Olivier from Roseworthy covered more about the challenges faced by our equine vet industry.
Thank you to Sienna, the Arab cross mare for being the star patient of the day for her dental with Windrush Vet.

The vet shortage, particularly in regional areas, is well documented — and equine veterinarians are warning of a looming crisis.

30/05/2023

A big thank you to Dr Georgie from Kingston Veterinary Clinic who came out to the farm last week when I was unable to pull a breached calf from this cow (turns out my hands still not 100% for some of these vet duties). Calf was well and truly twisted and difficult to get out even by caesarian. Dr Georgie did fabulous job, ending up stitching cow closed in the dark by torch light with plenty of mosquitoes keeping us company! Good new is that mumma cow is healing well and back out eating hay like nothing happened!!
Thank you Kingston Vets for coming all this way and fitting us in last week, and thank you to their clients that got shuffled around a bit on that day!

14/05/2023

Happy Mother’s Day to every mum today (including those with fur babies). Have an absolute wonderful day 💜 💐 🐴 🐶

Big shout out to my mum for looking after my fur (and feathered) babies when I’m away on farm each week ❤️

19/04/2023

A reminder that this rain brings risk for colics as horses tend to pick up more sand/dirt when eating the short fresh green grass. Providing access to good quality hay and using psyllium as a sand flush can definitely help. In Stanley's case this morning we did a paraffin oil drench with some extra water and electrolytes to rehydrate him plus some pain relief to help him feel more comfortable. So far it sounds like he is feeling much happier!

It’s not all living the dream.

Stanley was a bit under the weather this morning, with a tummy upset. Windrush Vet has once again worked her magic, and he seems to be on the mend now.

14/04/2023

Had an audience today for our dentals up in Kangarilla. Just a couple koalas “playing” up in the tree. Missed the pretty amazing shot where one was hanging by one hand, he made a good recovery and just stayed hanging around upside down!

22/12/2022

Dr Bec would like to wish her clients a very Merry Christmas. Windrush Vet is closed from Friday 23rd Dec and I’m back on duty Thursday 29th Dec.

Thank you for all your support and allowing me to look after your animals this year. Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year.

12/11/2022

Just to show the benefit of good sedation and oral exam with a light and mirror: this pony has a very sharp point (enamel that’s grown in this case with no opposing wear). Much more comfortable after reducing these points, he had one on each side. (Sorry it’s not zoomed in to show it after rasping as clearly as seen in first photo)

18/09/2022

Windrush Vet Dental Day is nearly here. Held twice a year to keep your horses teeth happy and healthy. So I ask the same question each time: Is your horse due a visit to the dentist? Are they up to date with their vaccinations, worming or due a faecal egg count?
Dr Bec from Windrush Vet will be available by appointment on Thursday 13th October 9am to 5pm with her mobile dental crush at the Strathalbyn Adult Riding Club grounds. The club grounds have day yards available for your horses if needed. Appointment spots limited so please ring Bec on 0418 726 220 to book your horse in.
Services offered on the day include:
• Dental (oral exam and routine rasp with sedation)
• Vaccinations
• Worming or Faecal Egg Counts
• Microchipping
• Sheath cleaning
• Free weight check
Discount on all dentals, full payment due on the day

16/09/2022

Dr Bec just checking in 😊

Some of you may have found it difficult to reach me on certain days, just letting you all know I’m back on track after another successful hand surgery, but I have reduced my vet days to 3 days a week.

I am currently working 3 full days up in the hills for routine dentals and other farm animal vet work. I am now working 2 days a week on our family farm (non-vet work) down south of Meningie so on these days am unavailable for visits due to the distance.

I am not currently offering an after-hour service but will continue to provide my routine vet services for all your equine dental and production/farm animal needs. For true emergencies on days that I am unavailable please contact another vet of your preference.

A busy and wet winter has meant lots of rescheduled dentals due to this ongoing rain, but Spring hopefully means catch up time for all the dental check-ups.

For those I have not yet been in contact with please call or message to book in your annual dental check ups. The next dental day is October 13th at the Strath Adult Riding Club (a post with details on that to come)

Photo of my beautiful heeler pup 'BJ' – because he’s too cute not to share 😊

31/05/2022

🛑 Dr Bec will be unavailable for routine vet consultations from June 2nd until early July due to another hand surgery 🤚

🐴 🦷 If you have not received your dental reminder and your horse is due for their dental please send an email or text message and I will book you in for next month when I’m back on duty.

🚨 For all veterinary emergencies in the next month please contact another vet of your preference.

💊 For any routine medication orders please contact Dr Bec via email or text message.

29/04/2022

What better way to start a Friday morning… coffee then cuddles with these cute puppies for their vaccinations and microchips with Cute Country Cavoodles

11/04/2022

NEW FLASH: Dr Bec is getting married next week!!!💍 😍

I am working until this Thursday 14th April then back on duty Wednesday 27th April. 🐎🐄

For all veterinary emergencies🚨 in this time please contact another vet of your preference. For all routine calls please note I will return your calls/messages when I am back on duty on Wednesday 27th April.

Thank you and stay safe over the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends 🙂 🐰 🇦🇺

04/02/2022

Dr Bec is nearly booked up for February with dentals. If your horses are due please get in touch to make an appointment for their dental check. March is filling up fast! Pic of my purple trailer with some pretty purple flowers on this glorious blue sky day!

27/01/2022

Surgery day for a couple of colts (and Dr Bec finally remembered to ask for some pics of herself in action - thanks Denise for the photography!) I feel I might be looking way too happy at the end of his surgery but both boys got the thumbs up for being so well behaved and they are both recovering well post op.

23/12/2021

Dr Bec would like to thank all her clients for their support (and patience as she recovered from her hand surgery) in the last 12 months. Wishing everyone and their animals a very happy and healthy Christmas 🎄Stay safe over the holidays. Please note Dr Bec is back on duty Wed 29th Dec.

21/12/2021

I havnt posted in a while so thought I’d share an interesting case I saw yesterday in a 3 year old filly. She has a severe parrot mouth, with a couple of missing teeth.

Parrot mouth (overbite) results from bottom jaw (mandible) being too short or upper jaw (maxilla) being too long. Horses teeth continue to erupt for most of their lives so the incisor teeth at the front can become elongated as they have nothing to wear against in severe cases like this.
Longer lower incisors can cause trauma to the palate (roof) of the horses mouth.

Other dental issues occur in the molars (cheek) teeth as the position of the jaws mean they are not aligned and don’t wear evenly. We can get tall teeth and very sharp points plus diastemas (gaps) between teeth where feed can pack in leading to periodontal disease.

More regular dental check ups are needed in cases like this to keep the horse comfortable. This filly is going for dental X-rays to determine the position of her adult incisor roots (they have not all erupted yet due to her age but she is also missing some of her normal (deciduous)baby teeth.

Her other issue is severe gum ulceration from grass seeds. These were picked/flushed out and she has been moved off this paddock. A reminder to check your horses mouth for grass seed as the grasses dry off in summer.

09/11/2021

Please note Windrush Vet Dental Day has been rescheduled until Thursday 18th Nov. Call Dr Bec on 0418 726 220 if you’d like to book in your horse for dental check up.

09/11/2021

Dr Bec would like to give a HUGE shout out to this man.. her dad Peter !!! He came out on the weekend to help me retrieve my dental crush after the winch stopped working. And then he fitted a new winch in time so I wasn’t late for my Monday dentals 🤩 thanks Dad 😀

22/10/2021

Yesterday’s patient of the day was dear little Bernie the donkey. Bernie is an older boy with some well worn teeth; seen here for his 6month dental check up we are happy to say he’s gained weight since his last dental visit and with improved nutrition tailored to his teeth & lifestyle. A reminder that our older horses (and donkeys) still need dental visits to ensure they are comfortable and it’s a great time to discuss nutrition or any other concerns you have.

06/10/2021

Dr Bec would like to thank all of her clients for their patience and understanding as she was recovering from hand surgery. She is back at work and catching up on overdue dentals. If your horse is due their dental check and you haven’t yet received a dental reminder please contact Windrush Vet to arrange a visit time 🐴 🦷 🐴

05/10/2021

Taking routine blood samples from adult goats today and I learnt not to kneel down too long or these cuties take that as an invitation to jump up 🐐 😊 with Hillview Miniature Goats

07/09/2021

Freda the young Saanen goat had a fractured infected premolar tooth removed today. Dr Bec, who is use to performing her dentals on standing patients in the mobile dental crush, today found her surgery table was the ground (we did use the crush/scales to weigh our tiny patient who was just 20kg). The sign may say equine dentistry but happy to help all size farm animals. Freda was up from her anaesthetic and happily munching on grass this afternoon.

02/09/2021

Frank the goat was more than happy to follow his owner onto the mobile dental crush to be weighed, as long as there was food involved :)

01/07/2021

Little Kat came to have her sore eye looked at recently by Dr Bec. It was inflamed and irritated due to a condition called entropian.

Entropian is when the eyelids roll in, causing the lashes and fleece to rub on the surface of the eye. This can lead to inflammation, weeping, redness around the eye, severe ulceration of the eyeball and in chronic cases even blindness.

Often lambs will grow out of it in their first few days but in Kat’s case she wasn’t responding to anti inflammatory meds and eye cream so she came for a visit to be reassessed. Tacking sutures were placed to hold the eyelid out to prevent irritation and allow ulcers to heal.

These usually stay in place for a couple weeks (along with anti inflammatory injections and an antibiotic eye ointment to help heal the corneal tissue).

Kat was such a good patient, with a little bit of local anaesthetic under the eyelid and she just sat in her carer’s lap and allowed me to help her.

17/05/2021

Dr Bec will be unavailable for routine vet consultations from July 1st til mid August due to a surgery. If your horse is due it’s dental check during July or August please contact Windrush Vet to arrange a visit before the end of June or for later in August.