Parkside Vets - Farms and Smallholders

07/10/2025

"A horn too close, a risky bend,
So we gave this lad a careful mend.
Now he’s lopsided, yes it’s true,
But he sees the world in a clearer view! "🐑👀

This handsome Valais Blacknose had a horn growing at an awkward angle, pressing close to his eye and putting it at risk. After a careful trim, he’s now a little lopsided — but he can see much more clearly, and his eye is safe from harm.

03/10/2025

Case Spotlight – Hernia Repair

Back in April two of our vets, Nicola and Andrea, performed a hernia repair on this wee calf. His owner had noticed a large swelling at his navel, on palpation it was not found to be hard like navel ill but rather it seemed to disappear! Umbilical hernias can vary in size and severity but do carry risks of complications if left untreated – the main one being parts of the gut coming through the hernia and their blood supply becoming compromised, this is obviously very serious for the animal and could be fatal.

The surgery was performed on farm, using intravenous medications to provide anaesthesia and pain relief, with antibiotics given for a few days post-op to reduce the risk of infection. The hernia defect was repaired in a sterile manner. Within minutes of finishing the surgery the wee man was up on his feet posing for a photo, a couple weeks later was able to be put out to the hill and to this day is doing well. We got a photo update in August and pleased to report he’s doing well!

30/09/2025

Pneumonia

With the nights drawing in and summer saying farewell, it’s getting to that time of year again where we must start looking forward to housing and the trouble that can come with it! Pneumonia is a major issue in youngstock, both from a welfare/health point of view but also economically. With subclinical cases causing more losses than you might realise, and permanent damage causing lasting effects, pneumonia is definitely something worth trying to prevent!

Vaccinations can play a huge role in this – there are lots of different options so give us a call and we can chat through what might be most useful for your individual herd. Remember we want to vaccinate before periods of stress, so the immune system is primed and ready.

That being said, it is essential we don’t try to use vaccines as an alternative to good husbandry practices – the vaccines can only do so much! Good ventilation, minimising stress, ensuring clean dry housing, good colostrum management, reduced mixing of different groups, all go a long way in managing this multifactorial disease.

As always, our dedicated team of large animal vets are here to help, so please give us a call on 01382 811111 if you have any questions!

15/09/2025

CPD Adventures for Shannon!

Last week, Shannon—one of large animal vets—headed down to Birmingham for some Continued Professional Development (CPD).

As part of the RCVS requirements, vets must complete at least 35 hours of CPD each year to keep their skills sharp and their knowledge up to date.

While there, Shannon encountered a couple of rather unusual coos… not quite the kind she’s used to seeing around our Parkside clients 👀🐮

We’re proud of our team’s commitment to lifelong learning and delivering the best care to all creatures—great and small.

12/09/2025

🐏 Have You Booked Your Ram Yet? Time Is Running Out!

We’ve already seen a great response to our ram fertility checks—but if you haven’t booked yours yet, now’s the time!
💡 Why it matters:
• S***m production takes 6–7 weeks—so what you do now affects lambing success.
• Subfertile rams can cost you in missed pregnancies and poor lambing rates.
🧪 What we offer:
• Full breeding soundness exam
• Semen evaluation
• Nutritional advice tailored to your flock
🧂 Top Tip: Start high-zinc mineral licks and conditioning feed now to boost fertility and stamina.

📞 Call us today or message us to secure your appointment before tupping season kicks off!

10/09/2025

🐑🐓 Calling All Smallholders & Farm Clients! 🐄🐖
Whether you’ve got a few hens, a handful of sheep, or a growing herd — we’re here to support you! 🩺💚
✅ Routine health checks
✅ Vaccinations & parasite control
✅ Herd & flock health planning
✅ Advice on nutrition, housing & welfare
✅ Emergency care when you need it most
Our experienced farm team understands the needs of smallholders and hobby farmers. Friendly, practical advice — just a phone call away!
📞 Give us a ring (01382 811111) or pop in for a chat.

05/09/2025

🦠 Bluetongue Virus Update – What You Need to Know Before Buying Stock

From 21st September, new movement rules come into effect for Bluetongue Virus (BTV-3). While cooler Scottish weather may limit the virus’s lifecycle this autumn, the risk doesn’t disappear — especially if infected animals are brought onto farm.

👉 Recommendation: Only buy animals that are fully vaccinated against BTV-3.

✅ If the animal is pregnant, ideally it should have been vaccinated before conception.

📍Why it matters:

Infected animals may not show signs immediately.

They could carry the virus into next season, creating problems for your herd or flock down the line.

Let’s keep things safe and simple — vaccination is the best line of defence.

📎https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bluetongue-latest-situation

If you’re unsure about vaccination status or movement rules, please phone the large animal office on 01382 811111. . We’re here to help.

Overview of current bluetongue cases, risk level, vaccinations and restrictions.

02/09/2025

🐑 Store Lambs Arriving? 🩺

Keep your flock safe and lambs healthy with these essentials:
🔒 Quarantine – Isolate for 3–4 weeks. No contact with your main flock.
💉 Treat Early – Worm with two products, treat for scab, lice & fluke.
👣 Foot Care – Footbath regularly, check for lameness & infections.
🧪 Monitor Health – Watch for iceberg diseases, test for trace elements if growth is slow.
📋 Plan Ahead – Set up a worming & vaccination schedule with your vet.
Healthy lambs = better growth & returns. 🐏💪

29/08/2025

🐄 Cattle at Grass – Late Summer Watchlist 🌿

As grass quality dips, keep an eye on:

🔍 Parasites – Worm burdens can spike. Faecal egg counts help guide treatment.
🌾 Nutrition – Supplement if growth slows. Monitor weight gains.
🧪 Health – Watch for signs of pneumonia, scours, and joint issues.
📋 Biosecurity – Review herd health plans and disease contingency protocols.

Work with your vet to stay ahead of seasonal risks. Healthy pasture, healthy cattle! 💪

28/08/2025

🪶 Do You Keep Chickens in Scotland? 🐔

Whether you have a backyard flock or run a commercial poultry operation, you must register your birds on the Scottish Kept Bird Register.

This is a legal requirement introduced to help monitor and protect Scotland’s bird population—especially during outbreaks of avian diseases like bird flu. Registration is free, quick, and easy, and applies to all types of kept birds, including chickens, ducks, geese, racing pigeons, and more.

📍 For more information:- https://keptbirdregister.service.gov.scot

Let’s keep Scotland’s birds safe and healthy! 🐣

26/08/2025

Ewe Fertility

As we know ewes are short day breeders – they need it to be dark in the afternoons for the reproductive hormones to do their job. However, did you know there are a few things we can do to manipulate these hormones in order to advance the breeding season, or to synchronise your ewes.

From using teasers, to melatonin implants, or progesterone releasing devices (such as CIDR or sponges) - there are lots of different protocols that can help tighten up your lambing period or bring the breeding season forward.

If you are interested in how we influence fertility, please contact the office on 01382 811111 or email [email protected]