Macqueen Vets

23/08/2024

It's a shame the weather didn't really get the memo..

20/08/2024

Bertie came as a referral for us to investigate some swelling in his neck. We are pleased to report he is now recovered, just look at his happy face!

“We can’t thank Carly and the lovely team at Maqueens enough. From my first call with Becky and subsequent consultation with Carly, we felt like we were in the best of hands - really cared for and supported at every step. Thanks to Carly’s assessment and surgical skills removing a foreign body, our beloved dog has made a full recovery. The service and kindness we received means we would always recommend Macqueens - thank you from us and Bertie. x

19/08/2024

MEET THE TEAM MONDAY

Jessica
Lead Receptionist

Everyone will recognize this smiling face!
Jess was employed at Macqueen Vets as a full time receptionist in 2018 and gained the role of Lead receptionist in 2023. Away from the desk, Jess can usually be found in the middle of field admiring tractors 🚜

15/08/2024

Lead Nurse Marie POV: Chutney won’t leave work because she doesn’t think she has had enough treats yet… 😂

12/08/2024

MEET THE TEAM MONDAY

Dr. Carly Smith
BVM BVS CertAVP MRCVS

I graduated from Nottingham University in 2011 since then have worked in small animal practice in Wiltshire, completed a surgical internship at Hamilton Specialist Referrals in High Wycombe and completed a certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice with the University of Liverpool.

I have worked for Macqueen Vets since February 2019. My interests are in both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery and I enjoy the variety of cases seen in both areas. In my spare time, I event my two horses and spend lots of time walking my four dogs.

08/08/2024

06/08/2024

So the kittens had a checkup, now they are 4 weeks old. I'm pleased to say they are all doing well! We came home with some wormer as expected and a manicure! (And possibly some new mums 🤣) Thanks to Macqueen Vets for taking good care of them!

05/08/2024

MEET THE TEAM MONDAY

HEAD REFERRAL VET

Dr. Mario Antignani
DVM CertAVP(ESST) PgC(SAS) MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner In Small Animal Surgery

I graduated in Veterinary Medicine in Perugia, Italy in 2002 and soon moved to Ireland where I worked in a large Referral Hospital, and then as Lead Surgeon in an equine hospital.

In 2013, I achieved the Cert AVP in Equine Soft Tissue Surgery. After a short stint in mixed practice in Italy, I found my preferred habitat in small animal surgery here, in the UK. I have worked at Macqueen Vets since 2017 and achieved the Post Graduate
Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2022.

I am an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery and enjoy every aspect of surgery. I am an approved assessor for the Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading Scheme.

I look forward to welcoming your referrals in my position as Lead Referral Vet. In my spare time I enjoy gardening in my allotment, cycling, and walking in the
glorious Wiltshire countryside with my dog, Fifi.

02/08/2024

🐱Did you know that we offer a CAT ONLY CLINIC?🐱

We offer this clinic to help your cats feel more at ease in a canine free waiting room. You are welcome to help yourself to one of our towels sprayed with Feliway to help relax your cat while waiting and transfer to the consulting room where they will be free to roam.

Dog owners - don't worry! We are still able to see emergency appointments, we will just ask you to wait outside on arrival, and will welcome you through a side door.

30/07/2024

Let’s talk Lipomas!

What are they?
Lipomas are lumps that start in fat cells stored in tissue around the body and are not usually painful. They accumulate more fat as they grow and are more likely in middle-aged to elderly dogs. Sometimes they can become very big as you can see in the second photo. Dogs that are overweight tend to develop larger lumps, however, they may reduce in size if they lose weight.

Are lipomas cancerous?
No, they are benign (non cancerous) lumps, and will not spread through the body in the way a malignant growth can. Some dogs can develop multiple lipomas and these are still not life-threatening. The lumps normally grow in a separate pocket to surrounding tissue, but in rare cases they pe*****te other tissue such as muscle. This is known as an infiltrative lipoma.

In extremely rare cases, lipomas can develop into a malignant growth called a liposarcoma. However, these do not normally spread through the body in the way that other cancers can, though they can be extremely difficult or impossible to surgically remove.

What should I do if I find a lump on my dog?
Book a vet appointment with us. While it is likely that the lump is a harmless lipoma, it’s important to rule out any serious medical conditions. It’s also a good idea to note if your pet shows any pain when touching the mass and any change in appetite or toilet habits.

29/07/2024

MEET THE TEAM MONDAY

HEAD VET
Dr. Aileen Griffin
DrMedVet PgC(SAM) GPCert in CT MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Medicine.

I graduated in 2013 from University in Budapest. In 2014, I completed a rotating internship in the Animal Health Trust. Since 2016, I have been working at Macqueen Veterinary
Centre.

In this time I have completed a certificate in small animal medicine and computed
tomography. I am also passionate about ultrasonography and I have completed
several courses including the advanced abdominal ultrasound course with Improve
International.

In 2023, I was appointed as Head Vet and I can proudly say my
experienced team will look after you, your clients and their pets with compassion
during every step of your journey.

18/07/2024

Are your pets’ preventative treatments up to date?

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to talk to us!

17/07/2024

Did you know that if your cat weighs 4kg and they gain 1kg, they have increased their body weight by 25%?

Though 1kg doesn’t seem like much, if you do the maths, but it would be similar to a 60kg person gaining 15kg 🙀

Excess weight has a number of consequences on our cats’ health, including added stress to their joints, heart, breathing and several changes to their metabolism.

Keeping your cat in a lean body condition is essential for preventing a range of diseases, so if you’re concerned about your cat’s weight, our team is happy to help.

16/07/2024

Guinea pigs deserve an appreciation day because they make such wonderful little pets! Cared for correctly, they can give you over a decade of love and hilarity. 🥰

Show us your cute cavies in the comments and tell us why you chose to welcome guinea pigs into your world! 👇

15/07/2024

If you’ve ever had something stuck in your eye, you know how uncomfortable and painful it can be! Something as tiny as a speck of dust can cause considerable irritation, so imagine something larger and sharper, like a grass seed.

During summer, grass seed problems are common. Due to their arrow-like shape, grass seeds can easily cling to your pets’ fur and even get stuck in their skin, eyes, or nose.

When this happens, you’ll notice:

🐶 Redness and irritation

🐶 Swelling

🐶 Runny eyes

🐶 Discomfort, pain and rubbing the face

If they are not carefully and quickly removed, grass seeds may continue to damage sensitive organs like the eye, or can create opportunities for skin infections.

Always check your dogs after walking in places that might have tall grass, and if you recognise any of the signs, don’t hesitate to book an appointment!

13/07/2024

Learning commands can be extremely useful, even lifesaving at times – recall can prevent pet theft, and ‘drop it’ can keep your pet from inadvertently ingesting something poisonous, for example.

Though some dogs are easy to train, others need a little extra motivation.

What’s the best reward to motivate your dog? Is it food? Praise? Let us know!

12/07/2024

In the wild, though cats are fantastic predators, they are also prey, which means they need to stay vigilant to stay safe. 👀

Having access to high ground can be extremely helpful to keep an eye on their surroundings, which is why cats are such big fans of high shelves or climbing up the curtains.

Does your cat like to perch themselves on top of furniture? Show us!

10/07/2024

Cats can be very picky when it comes to basic life choices, such as the type of food they like and where they like to drink.

Tell us – was it easy for you to understand your cat’s preferences right away, or did it take a bit of trial and error? 😹

07/07/2024

Dogs are typically joyous animals whose energetic mood is easily contagious 😄

Tell us, what would your dog consider to be a perfect day?

🐶 Let us know in the comments ⬇️

06/07/2024

Jogging, swimming, yoga? Let us know in the comment section...🏃‍♀️🏊‍♂️🐾

04/07/2024

Do you know what leporiphobia means? 🤔 Though most of us would agree that bunnies are amongst the cutest creatures known to mankind, but some people are terribly afraid of them! This is known as leporiphobia.

What about you – do you like or do you have rabbits? 🐇

03/07/2024

Attention all dog owners! 🐕 The five-second rule is essential during the hot weather. 👇

Our furry friends have sensitive paw pads that can get burned if the pavement is too hot, so help prevent this problem by:

✋ Placing your hand on the pavement

🐾 Leaving it there for approximately five seconds

♨️ If you can't keep your hand there for that long, it's too hot to go out

And remember, avoid going out on walks with your pets during the hottest hours of the day and ensure they always have fresh water plus comfortable, shaded places to rest.

03/07/2024

Have you seen the brand new discounts that our Healthy Pet Club offers?

🤩Today we are shining the spotlight on our very popular dog and cat club!

https://www.macqueenvets.com/healthy-pets-club/

01/07/2024

In July, we celebrate Sarcoma Awareness Month! 🔬This disease is a type of cancer that can come from many tissues in the body, including bones, skin, tendons, nervous tissue or muscles, and it may not cause any overt signs until late in the process.

There are many ways to treat the various types of sarcomas our furry friends can have, but, as with all cancer problems, the sooner we can start treatment, the better.

Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us if you spot any weird lumps on your pet, especially after an injection, changes in behaviour or anything that concerns you!

30/06/2024

Before you head off to the beach with your four-legged friend, take a look at these beach safety tips we have prepared for you!

🏖 Check your local byelaws and make sure it’s legal to take your dog to the beach

🏖 Avoid the hottest hours of the day, apply pet-friendly sunscreen, have water always available and give your pet access to a shaded area so you can avoid heatstroke or sunburn

🏖 Keeping them on a lead at all times will help avoid any accidents, including swimming out too far

🏖 If your dog swims out too far, do not go after them and instead move to a place they can get to safely and call them or, in case they can’t return, call 999

29/06/2024

Pet owners know that the finest watch cannot compare to a furry friend that wants food in the morning! Not only will they be up at 6am on the dot, they also won’t take no for an answer. 🕖

What time do your pets wake you up? Tell us in the comments!

28/06/2024

Where has the sun gone?

This time last week, Piper was relaxing in the garden after her CT scan.

27/06/2024

Have you spotted or suspect that your pet ate something that might be dangerous? Don’t delay!

Give us a call immediately and we can help you evaluate the situation and decide if you need to bring them in 🐕🐈🐇

26/06/2024

Rabbits 🐇, just like cats and dogs, can suffer from severe, often deadly, infectious diseases that can be prevented with vaccines.

Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic disease are two serious problems that are much harder to treat than they are to prevent. Keep your bunnies safe and in excellent health by ensuring they have their vaccines up to date!

25/06/2024

X-ray and ultrasound are common diagnostic imaging modalities that we have available to help us find your pets’ problems. 🐶🐱

The development of these non-invasive, accessible and reliable techniques has allowed us to diagnose and treat a huge number of important problems such as fractures, cancer or chronic kidney disease, to name a few!

These days we can also rely on fantastic technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised tomography scan (CT), advanced machines that can look at organs that are hard to see with ultrasounds or X-rays (for instance, the brain or some internal organs) with incredible precision.

While these exams can be a bit more expensive, we know they will make all the difference in your pet’s health!