Parkside Vets - Farms and Smallholders

10/09/2024

PARKSIDE FARMS AND SMALLHOLDERS CLIENT EVENING

We are excited to announce we have the upcoming client
evening for our farm clients, and we would be delighted for you
to attend.

RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN CATTLE - HOW CAN WE PREVENT LOSSES?

Venue: Parkside Vets, 5 Kings Cross Road, Dundee
Date: Wednesday 2nd October 2024
Time: 6.45pm for a 7.15pm start

Refreshments will be provided.

Please contact the large animal office on 01382 811111 by 5.00pm on Friday 27th September to confirm your place.

09/09/2024

STAFF SPOTLIGHT - ANGUS MILNE

How long have you been at Parkside?
I've worked at Parkside for over two and half years now, having recently returned to the practice following a ski season in Canada. I'm looking forward to catching up with clients and revisiting patients from my previous years at Parkside, hopefully only for routine visits!

Favourite part of the job?
Surgery in farm animals is always a great part of the job, especially c-sections in cattle and sheep. Being able to safely deliver a calf or lamb and have a good outcome for both the cow and farm is a great feeling.

Anything about the job that I don't enjoy?
I think a lot of vets would agree that the worst part of the job is euthanasia. It's never a pleasant experience and can be very emotional for everyone involved. Having said that, it is a privilege to be a part of the end of life process, and there is some solace in making the experience as smooth and pain free as possible for everyone involved.

Do you have any animals of your own?
I currently don't have any animals, apart from the wee Parson Russel terrier that lives at home. I don't think pets and travelling to Canada mix very well but I'd definitely like to gain a companion in years to come!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I'd say my favourite thing to do is ski, hence the ski season abroad! Now I'm back in wetter and warmer Scotland I like to spend time with family, including seeing my niece and nephew. I also spend a lot of weekends travelling to Dublin as my girlfriend is from over there, great excuse to watch rugby and drink Guinness!

If you didn't work as a vet, what would your dream job be?
Going with the theme, I'd love to be work as a ski instructor and spend every day on the slopes!

06/09/2024

It's time to consider booking your bulls and tups in for the pre-breeding MOT!

Poor fertility can have a huge impact on your lambing and calving figures, and unfortunately by the time you reach scanning, it is too late to do anything about your herd/flock for this production year!

Preventing issues is always better than trying to deal with the aftermath of an infertile tup or bull.

For further information on this service, please call the office on 01382 811111 and ask to speak to either Nicola or Andrea.

05/09/2024

We are pleased to introduce our new large animal vet, Isabella Uechtritz (or Bella for short!) who has recently started with us and is settling in really well.

Originally from Australia, I studied at the Dick Vet down in Edinburgh and was more than happy to stay in Scotland once I finished up. I'm excited to be joining the Parkside team and am looking forward to meeting our clients and their animals!

What is your favourite part of the job?
Lambing/calving/kidding (or unpacking for our alpaca breeders) season. There's nothing quite like helping a new critter into the world.

What are your special interests?
Herd health planning for all creatures great and small. I'm also keen to learn more about organic and regenerative farming, and the role we can play as vets to help our clients achieve their goals.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
On the weekends I like to make the most of being close to the hills and beaches, enjoying hikes, camping, and the odd wild swim when I'm feeling brave. I also love cooking and have been known to throw together some elaborate baked goods.

If you didn't work as a vet, what would your dream job be?
A scuba diving instructor somewhere warm like the Maldives or Indonesia. Then setting up a bakery on the beach in my retirement.

02/09/2024

Would you like to move your lambing season forwards to earlier in the year or have a shorter lambing period?

This is a procedure adopted by many pedigree sheep breeders to ensure that the lambs are well grown by the time of sales, but it can also help to provide a more reliable lambing period which is useful for the hobby sheep farmers who may have other jobs. Our own Alistair uses some of the methods listed below to try and ensure that his sheep lamb when he is on holiday from the day job!

Most breeds only show oestrus from September onwards in response to the increasing number of hours of darkness, which leads to the secretion of the hormone, melatonin. The peak period generally falls in October or November.

The onset of the breeding season can be manipulated by:
• The tup effect
• Melatonin implants
• Intra-vaginal hormone-releasing devices (e.g. sponges)

The “tup effect” can help to advance the breeding season by about 14 days and involves the use of “teaser” tups to stimulate non-cycling ewes to start ovulating, through exposure to the pheromones produced by male sheep.

Melatonin implants can advance the breeding season by up to 2 months and can also help to improve your scanning percentages, as they increase the rate of ovulation.

Intra-vaginal hormone-releasing devices (e.g. sponges) can advance the breeding season by up to 6 weeks and can synchronise the cycle of your flock, meaning that your lambing period is more predictable.

Remember to consider giving your tups an MOT prior to turning them out with the ewes to maximise your chances of having a successful lambing period!

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact one of our large animal vets on 01382 811111.

20/08/2024

KINGS CROSS ROAD CLOSURE

Kings Cross Road is closed from the Kingsway end and the surgery can only be accessed from the Stack end of Kings Cross Road. If you are travelling to the surgery for an appointment or to collect medication, please allow a little extra time.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

12/08/2024

STAFF SPOTLIGHT - Shannon Stewart

How long have you worked at Parkside Vet Group?
Since December 2019 – prior to that, I worked in a traditional mixed practice in Aberdeenshire for 4 years.

What is your favourite part of the job?
I love 99.9% of my job – I feel incredibly lucky to be able to drive around the countryside doing my dream job with my two canine companions, seeing all of our clients and their animals.

Is there anything about the job that you don't enjoy?
Euthanasia is the obviously difficult part of the job, along with the cases that just don’t pan out the way that you would like them to, no matter how hard you try!

What are your special interests?
I find the obstetrics side of the job really rewarding, in particular the lambings/calvings/kiddings and caesarean sections. I also really enjoy surgery of all types.

Do you have any animals of your own?
I have a Dutch Warmblood X called Tari, two Border Collies called Jack and Ollie and two cats called Snoop and Whiskers.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
My horse and dogs take up the majority of my spare time – I enjoy hacking my horse as he is an OAP now, so we take things a bit slower than we used to (although he doesn’t always agree!). The dogs and I particularly like exploring new walks.

If you didn't work as a vet, what would your dream job be?
Either a detective or a racing car driver, I have been known for my rally driving attempts!!

08/08/2024

STAFF SPOTLIGHT - Alistair Crozier

How long have you worked at Parkside Vet Group?
Since 4th October 2002 - coming up for 22years this Autumn

What is your favourite part of the job?
The friendships with our clients and all types of baby animals (calves, lambs, kids, cria etc)

Is there anything about the job that you don't enjoy?
It’s always hard to discuss and perform euthanasia, i can’t remember an occasion when it wasn’t the right the thing to do for the animal but I’m glad to do it for the animals because there is so much emotion at the time, especially now I’m finding with some animals and owners who I have know for over 2 decades and have a deep personal connection to.

What are your special interests?
Health planning for our farmers and helping our growing small holders and small farmers clients.

Do you have any animals of your own?
I have a flock of 30 traditional blue faced Leicester sheep, 5 Pygmy goats, 4 alpacas, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 25 honey bee hives.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
During the winter I curl for Pitkerro Curling Club, mostly at Forfar Ice Rink, during the summer I’m busy on my small holding with all my animals.

If you didn't work as a vet, what would your dream job be?
A farmer

03/08/2024

Good luck to all of our clients who are competing at Perth Show today!

Hopefully the sun stays out and you all have a fantastic day ☀️

We would love to see any photos of you competing from today or from previous years 🏵️

https://www.facebook.com/perthagriculturalshow

Equestrian and Agricultural Show held on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd August 2024

27/07/2024

Prepare for tupping

Now is the time to start thinking about ram management and getting a date in the diary to give your rams a general MOT.

Good pregnancy rates are only possible with healthy and fertile rams. Fertile rams improve the overall reproductive efficiency of the flock by producing viable lambs in a short period of time.

It is often found that a number of rams are infertile or sub-fertile causing high barren rates, low lambing percentages and long lambing periods. Sadly, by time the obvious signs of infertility are detected, it is too late to provide any benefit to the current reproductive year. Booking your tup in for a breeding soundness exam before they go out with the ewes can help to prevent issues later on.

Examination of the ram will involve a thorough examination to check general body condition score; conformation, dentition; scrotal check and measurement of te**es; examination of prepuce and p***s; semen collection and examination under microscope.

If this is something you would like to arrange - please contact the office on 01382 811111 and arrange a suitable appointment. Breeding soundness exams can be carried out on farm or at the Kings Cross Road surgery.

15/07/2024

Shannon had some lovely patients in at our Kings Cross Road surgery this morning! Aren’t they both just gorgeous?!

Parker (standing) is a Huacaya alpaca and Kia (sitting) is a Suri alpaca.

Kia was feeling a little sleepy following a procedure so he was having a little rest when this photo was taken!

13/07/2024

We would like to wish the very best of luck to our clients competing in the equine or livestock rings today at the Kirriemuir Show . Stock judging will already be well under way🏆🥇🥈🥉🐴🐄🐑🐐. Hoping the sun shines and the showers stay away. 🌤️

https://kirriemuirshow.co.uk/

12/07/2024

Happy news - delighted to share with you all, that Shannon has passed additional studies to gain the RCVS certificate of advanced veterinary practice. I am sure you will all join us with congratulating her. Lots of hard work goes into this extra training whilst working full time. Very well done Shannon. 👏👏

03/07/2024

🐑🐑 ENZOOTIC ABORTION 🐑🐑

Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (or Enzo) is caused by bacteria (Chlamydophila abortus) that can be transmitted from sheep to sheep, particularly at lambing time.

Infected animals are often unknowingly purchased in lamb, and may abort or even carry to term during their first pregnancy. The bacteria is shed in the fluids and placenta, causing contamination of the bedding or pasture in lambing areas. Other ewes can then come into contact with the bacteria due to this contamination, resulting in infection.

However, infected ewes often don't show signs until the following pregnancy. This can then result in "abortion storms", causing high numbers of lamb losses across the flock.

Signs of infection include abortion (often approximately 3 weeks prior to lambing), small poorly formed lambs and inflammation of the placenta.

MSD offer subsidised testing for abortion in ewes (covering Toxo and Enzo) throughout February until June, so it is worth considering testing if there are cases of abortion on your farm.

The best form of protection is to vaccinate all female breeding sheep on farm. The vaccine can be given from 4 months to 4 weeks prior to tupping. Repeat vaccination is recommended every 3-4 years but this depends on management practices and many ewes may only receive one vaccination during their lifetime.

If you would like to discuss flock health planning or vaccinations for your sheep, please contact 01382 811111 and ask to speak to one of our large animal team.

26/06/2024

🐑🐑TOXOPLASMOSIS🐑🐑

Toxoplasmosis (or Toxo) is a major cause of abortion in sheep and the effects of Toxo on a flock can be catastrophic in terms of the volume of lamb losses that can occur.

Signs of Toxo include increased barren ewe rates at scanning, abortions, weak lambs and stillborn lambs.

The Toxo parasite is carried by cats and these are passed in the cat's faeces so it is really important to ensure that all bedding, forage and concentrate feeding cannot be contaminated. Young, widely roaming cats are the most likely to become infected by the parasite, so it is actually beneficial to have a population of older cats on farm to reduce the potential contamination of pasture.

MSD run a scheme to test for cases of abortion throughout February until June each year, subsidising the costs of both Toxoplasmosis and Enzootic Abortion. If you experience any cases of abortion, it is worth bearing this in mind to try and work out what is causing the problem on your farm.

Vaccination against Toxoplasmosis is the best form of prevention, and every ewe should be vaccinated prior to her first mating. The vaccine can be given any time between 4 months an 3 weeks prior to tupping. The peak season for ordering the vaccine is between September and October, so stocks can run very low during this period. To avoid missing out, consider vaccinating earlier in the year to ensure that you can give your flock the best protection possible.

If you have any queries regarding flock health planning or abortion vaccinations, please contact the office on 01382 811111 and ask to speak to one of the large animal team.

24/06/2024

‼️ ROADWORKS AT KINGS CROSS ROUNDABOUT DUNDEE‼️

There are road closures around Kings Cross roundabout (or circle if you’re a Dundee native!) which is making access to the surgery a little tricky if you are travelling via the Kingsway.

If you are planning to visit the surgery, the easiest alternative route is to take the Coupar Angus junction and access Kings Cross Road via either Dunsinane Avenue (through the industrial estate) or Harefield Road (past The Stack).

It is likely that the roadworks will affect us for the next 7-10 days. If you are unsure of the best route to take, please contact the office on 01382 811111 and we can help to guide you.

21/06/2024

Congratulations to Alistair for coming 5th out of a big class of 16 with his tup lamb!! 🏵️🏵️🏵️

20/06/2024

Well done to Alistair for coming third in his fleece class this morning at the Highland 🏵️

20/06/2024

Alistair’s sheep are all settled in at the Highland Show.

Judging will be on Friday, likely around lunchtime so look out for him if you’re around then!

19/06/2024

Good luck to all of our clients who are heading off to the Royal Highland Show this weekend.

Alistair is heading down today with his traditional Blue Faced Leicesters, so hopefully he might see some of you there along the sheep lines!

14/06/2024

https://www.facebook.com/AlythDistrictFarmersShow

We would like to wish the very best of luck to our clients competing in the equine or livestock rings tomorrow at the Alyth Show . 🏆🥇🥈🥉🐴🐄🐑🐐. Please share your photos 😊. Hoping tbe sun shines and the showers stay away. 🌤️

A great day out for all the family, Livestock, Dog Show, Arts & Crafts Food marquees, Entertainment,

09/06/2024

We all had a fantastic day at Angus Show yesterday and we were absolutely delighted to win the prize for the best non-agricultural trade stand!

08/06/2024

We are all set up at Angus Show and looking forward to a great day ahead.

Come along and see our team!

01/06/2024

We are only 7 days away from the Angus Show!

Come along next Saturday to visit our stand and meet our team!

We look forward to seeing you there, fingers crossed for a bonnie day like today 🤞☀️

29/05/2024

‼️ATTENTION ALL FARM AND SMALLHOLDER CLIENTS‼️

We will be opening a bottle of Bravoxin 10 on Friday 31st May and will have some doses available which would be suitable for those with small numbers of animals.

Bravoxin 10 covers against Clostridial diseases which are often fatal if contracted, so they are well worth protecting against.

If you are interested, please contact the office on 01382 811111.

20/05/2024

Well that's another year over for Fife Show and wasn't it a glorious day. The show organisers did an amazing job and I am sure that everyone attending had a fabulous time.

The large animal/equine team certainly did - meeting lots of current clients and hopefully a few new ones too. We had such fun with the children enjoying the activities from milking the cow (still to be named); lambing the sheep; fishing for ducks and painting their own animal sticks.

Here's to 2025 - I wonder what we can do next year ???

18/05/2024

Beautiful morning here at Fife Show - please come and see us atstand 85 for some fun activities and refreshments - see map below ☀️🐑🐮🌞🐴

17/05/2024

🐮🐮Name the Parkside Coo 🐮🐮

Looking forward to attending Fife Show tomorrow - come along and meet the Parkside Coo. She still needs a name so please comment with your best ideas. We will reveal her name after the show.

Lots to do and see and its looking like another lovely day. Please come along to our stand, you will be made most very welcome.

12/05/2024

Such a beautiful day yesterday and we are hoping that next Saturday will be the same, when some of the large animal/equine team will be attending the Fife Show. Whether you are competing or just fancy a day out, please pop along and visit our stand, you will be made very welcome.

https://www.facebook.com/144464285615457?ref=embed_page