Botanical Veterinary Care

15/10/2023

Very excited that Amanda will be working with us at The Veterinary Wellness Centre ♥️

So I can now share with you that I will be working with the lovely Dr Miriam Main aka Botanical Veterinary Care at her team at her brand new purpose built practice over at new Craighall from the start of November. (they open on Halloween 👻👻) I will be there on Wednesday for appts, a great addition to what i can offer canine clients. I know Gidey is very excited and is going to come try out the new underwater treadmill.❤️

22/07/2023

From my The Veterinary Wellness Centre page - some egg info!

18/07/2023

I may live in a city now, but I'm a country girl at heart! So I very much enjoyed a lovely drive out to the Scottish Borders today to see a beautiful patient. I had to clear the road of a traffic jam though 🐏!

I couldn't help but admire the fields absolutely full of beautiful Meadowsweet "Queen of the Meadow" (Filipendula ulmaria). This herb has excellent anti-inflammatory effects, particularly on guts and joints. For gastritis, gastric reflux, IBS, ulcers, or any other "sensitive tummy" this beautiful local Scottish herb works wonders. It is especially useful for dogs who would benefit from an NSAID drug, but have vomiting with it - the salicylates in Meadowsweet help joints and settle the tummy. This is one of the ways using whole herbs can sometimes be better than isolating single "active" chemicals (ie drugs).

16/07/2023

Well done to everyone who spotted where our new premises will be!

Please follow our journey towards opening by liking our pages on social media The Veterinary Wellness Centre and checking out our website twc.vet

Don't forget to share the page with anyone who might be interested in holistic, family-run, independent veterinary care ♥️

*EXCITING NEWS!!!*

The proverbial cat is out of the bag! 🐱👜 I am pleased to announce that we now have the keys 🔐 to a fantastic premesis at 73-77 Newcraighall Road and have started converting the building into a truly stunning veterinary practice.

If you are looking for independent, family-run veterinary GP care with holistic medicine, herbal medicine, nutrition, regenerative medicine, hydrotherapy and rehabilitation thoroughly integrated into our treatment plans then check out our website twc.vet

Follow our journey towards opening and find out about our unique ethos and values by following us on social media on instagram, facebook, tiktok and Twitter

Share the love (and our page!) ♥️♥️♥️

10/07/2023

Our latest family member has reminded us that utter chaos comes in teeny tiny fluffy-pointy packages!

Today is National kitten day - so share some photos of your cat when they were a kitten with us 😻

05/07/2023

We are about to announce some very exciting news...... Yes those are keys in my hand 🔑🥳!!.......

But can anyone guess the location of this photo? 🤔

04/07/2023

Thirteen years ago I had a fab day at McEwan Hall and joined this awesome, beautiful and terrifying profession. I had a dream first job - a charity vet clinic in the paradise of the Cook Islands. Since then I have experienced pretty much every type of practice there is, and had some unforgettable experiences. Now is time to take all of that experience and create something truly beautiful

02/07/2023

This morning, after a busy 15 hour night shift, I drove straight over the Forth Road Bridge to deliver this wee chap to a hedgehog rescue centre, after he was attacked by a seagull last night. He is going to need some TLC and physio now that pain relief and antibiotics are taken care of. Fingers crossed he does well!

Veterinary medicine is a vocation more than just a job.... Putting lots of love into every patient can have an emotional, physical and mental toll. Luckily I have a day to rest and recover and enjoy time with my family now - the children will be very excited to see hoglet photos!

🦔♥️

01/07/2023

Acupuncture causes the release of beta-endorphins, which are powerful opiates produced by our own bodies. Some patients become visibly drowsy, totally relaxed, and seem very happy about it!
Gorgeous Hannah is a great example of a "good responder". At the start of a session she is alert and quivering with typical whippety nervous energy, and by the end she is cuddled on the sofa with her teddy getting drowsy!

22/06/2023

I'm enjoying a delicious Ginkgo tincture with tonic (and a sweet geranium leaf), as inspired by excellent herbal vet Anna, a teacher on Longview Veterinary Services herbal course.

As well as being delicious (I may never need gin again!), this is a perfect accompaniment to dinner as a bitter herb. Bitters are the "on" switch to the digestive tract and improve digestion by stimulating the body's digestive juices. Ginkgo also contains potent antioxidants and improves cognitive function!

21/06/2023

This stunning new patient enjoyed chilling out while me and his mum had a good chat!

Jock is a beautiful, bouncy Dobie with nothing really "wrong" with him, but his mum wanted to make sure he was getting the very best in terms of exercise, nutrition, and supplements. He leads a very mentally and physically active lifestyle, and has regular physio sessions with

What a lucky boy to receive so much love and thoughtful care! He was a perfect gent for his exam, too.

17/06/2023

I am enjoying a wonderful weekend at my favourite CPD venue with Longview Veterinary Services - today updating myself on the latest acupuncture and chronic pain research, and tomorrow a whole day on the microbiome. Connecting with other vets, RVNs and nurses and meeting specialists in the field, all at a beautiful and peaceful venue with nourishing food and the best of Scottish flora and fauna Knockderry Country House Hotel

14/06/2023

We are very excited at BVC HQ today as we have brought home our newest family member ♥️. Goose Wayne (named by the kids to match our other cat Bruce) has been lovingly hand reared by BottleBrigade Scotland - Aiding with cleft/fading puppies and kittens Thank you Laura for trusting us with him!

03/06/2023

Another beautiful patient enjoying acupuncture..... If your pet has any pain, please get in touch!

29/04/2023

Happy World Vet Day!

Today I feel hugely grateful for all my colleagues, and to be part of a wonderful profession.

12/04/2023

We love bees! Bilberry is a medicinal tincture we use lots - who knew that bees love it too!

Have you spotted any of these emerging from hibernation?

Bilberry bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in April. A less common species, this bumblebee is mainly found in the north and west of the country, across much of upland Wales, the north and west of England, and Scotland 🐝👑

How to identify a Bilberry bumblebee queen? 👀

🔴 Look for the large red tail extending over half the abdomen
🟡🟡 Two yellow bands at the front and back of the thorax. The second band is thinner
🟡 Has a yellow face
🏔️ Often found at altitudes greater than 300m but can forage at sea level
🏠 Nests are built on the ground, or just below the surface, in tall, tussocky grass
📍 Upland areas like moorlands and mountains, but also grasslands
🌷 A long-tonged bumblebee, its favourite plants include bilberry (hence the name), bird’s foot trefoils, heathers and raspberries

🛡️Show your support with our Bilberry bumblebee pin badge 👉🏼 http://ow.ly/WvGm50NCh9U

12/04/2023

Belated Happy Easter! I hope you are all full of chocolate eggs, and that you managed to keep your pets away from the chocolate and hot cross buns!

Do you do traditional egg rolling? My kids love it (almost as much as the chocolate!). This year we experimented with natural colouring for the eggs: red cabbage and lavender, bilberry tincture and rose petals, and calendula tincture and chamomile. Some very pretty eggs resulted 💙♥️💛

30/03/2023

This lovely lady is not usually a huge fan of injections from vets, but she was an angel for her acupuncture session ❤️

27/03/2023

It is so important that we interact with our cat in ways that are enjoyable for them ❤️

A major cause of stress and stress-related-disease in cats is from unwanted human interactions 😞. Many cats don't enjoy being picked up, dressed in funny clothes, or uninvited petting. However, they can still be lots of fun if we do things on their terms!

Here is Bruce enjoying her own special castle/feeding puzzle made by mini Botanical Vet, 6 year old Matilda. Making puzzles and playing is a great way for children to enjoy having a cat, and for your cat to bond with them 🥰

19/03/2023

Happy mothers day to all the mothers! If the family you love and care for are two-legged or four, this day is to celebrate all that you do for them ❤️

17/03/2023

Today (17th March) is Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day - the patron saint of cats. Gertrude was a mystic, gifted with visions. Her association with cats is linked with her being a protector against mice and rats in the 15th Century, the time of the Black plague, accompanied by her trusty feline friend!

08/03/2023

Happy International Womens Day 2023!

Did you know that the majority of veterinary surgeons and nurses in the UK are female? Despite this, there is still a huge gender pay gap - for some of the large corporate employers over 40%. This is much higher than the UK average across all industries.

It is up to us independent female business owners to continue to fix the industry 💪 and lift each other up.

With that in mind I would like to thank (& most likely embarrass) 3 inspirational veterinary women.


I remember as a nervous school girl seeing practice being taken out on my first call out with the vet (Rona). I was so impressed how she felled a huge bull (with sedation) and gaily set about trimming his feet with a wicked knife while chatting to the farmer and barely breaking a sweat. After that I was truly hooked on vet med - I wanted to be like this superwoman! As a small animal surgeon she was beautiful to watch. She approached everything with a calm, practical, positive approach and for decades opened her home to vet students and kindly shared her knowledge.


Alison Lambert is a true "disruptor" (in a good way!). She has helped hundreds of vets, nurses and receptionists (including me) fall back in love with veterinary medicine. She has helped thousands of clients have a better customer journey and consequently facilitated better care for many thousands of patients. Her sensible, well-researched, inquizitive voice keeps the veterinary industry on its toes and stimulates important conversations. She is incredibly generous with her wealth of knowledge and I'm lucky to count her as a friend


Ruth is not only a very successful vet and business owner, having opened and run multiple practices and one of the best UK buying groups, but she is a great friend too. She is always there to bounce ideas off, have a rant at(!), celebrate or comiserate with! She, like Alison, is also dedicated to helping out other vets and shares her extensive knowledge liberally.

These three trailblazing women create all-important female veterinary role models and I'm so grateful to know them! ❤️

05/03/2023

This lady and her brother were both total dreams for their acupuncture today ❤️ typical of their breed's hardy, spirited yet gentle nature.

Do you know what breed she is?

I will be organising a bespoke herbal recipe for Syn and her brother - horses utilize herbs very well so we use dried herbs and teas rather than tinctures in most cases.

If you would like to try acupuncture or medicinal herbs for your horse, please get in touch [email protected]

03/03/2023

It will come as no surprise that nature and sustainability is very important to us at Botanical Veterinary Care ❤️🌿🌳🌻🌍

This cool new research shows that UK forests lock away twice as much planet-warming carbon as previously thought.

Using lasers and 3D scanning, the study showed that old trees in particular were critical to fighting climate change.

"The value you have in large mature trees is almost incalculable, and so you should avoid losing that at any cost - regardless of how many trees you think about planting."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64028694

03/03/2023

Meet one of our patients: Abbi!

This gorgeous lady (here doing her best Lady and the Tramp impression) responds really well to acupuncture. Her mum told me something I hear quite often - after just one session she started doing little things that her mum had forgotten she used to do..... Her cheeky, playful character was suddenly flourishing!

Very often dogs don't give us big signals that they are in pain or discomfort. It takes vigilant owners like Abbi's mum to notice subtle changes and seek help from someone who can make things better (like me!).

28/02/2023

Visiting New Parks Farm today - some turkey tail mushroom (Coriolus Versicolor) next to an actual turkey 🦃😅

Mushroom spotting is really fun, and great to get the kids involved in nature and thinking about how the plants around us can help us 🌿❤️

26/02/2023

Meadowsweet
This herb can be found growing wild across the UK. You might recognise its sickly-sweet smell, but do you know what a fantastic medicinal herb it is?

It is one of my go-to herbs for flatulence, gastric ulcers, diarrhoea, reflux, liver disease, and cystitis. It also contains salicylic acid, so is a useful antiinflammatory.

Traditionally, in addition to medicinal properties, meadowsweet was used to flavour mead, as a strewing herb (for its disinfectant and insect repellant properties), and in bridal bouquets to bring joy and blessings to the bride.

21/02/2023

You might remember my "gratitude" post a wee while ago..... I'm pleased to give a positive update on this very special boy ❤️

After great collaboration between his owner, Botanical Veterinary Care, his primary care vets and specialist vets gorgeous Joey was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. This condition causes extreme muscle weakness, along with some other hard-to-manage symptoms such as megaoesophagus.

The good news is he has responded brilliantly to both his pharmaceutical treatment and his herbal/holistic treatment. Our nutritional management focuses on mechanical (being upright to eat and afterwards) and high digestibility with dense calories, herbs to optimise digestion, support nerve function and modulate his immune system (myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune condition).

It was absolutely lovely to see him so happy and joyful. I feel privileged to be able to provide the extra support that he needs, and also to spend extra time supporting his owner emotionally and practically with such a tough condition.

We love you Joey!

19/02/2023

Very pleased to be able to offer this new service - offer open for the 2023 midge season (from now until next winter!).

Do you know a horse/pony with sweet itch? This really is a condition that needs an Integrated Care approach - which is our speciality 🥰. In my experience most owners have got environment and topical treatments covered 👍 BUT there is so much more we can do!

Horses are particularly good responders to acupuncture. Although we mostly use acupuncture for pain, it is also very useful at modulating the immune system and to promote wound healing. This makes it the perfect tool to treat sweet itch! 📍

Ideally we perform acupuncture one session 4-6 weeks before midge season, and then repeat as necessary if/when itch levels increase (often only another one or two sessions throughout the year - some respond so well they don't need any)!

Herbs are also underutilised when it comes to sweet itch. As herbivores horses utilise medicinal herbs really well, but the right selection, quality, combination and amount of herbs is key to a successful response. 🌿

We are offering acupuncture to treat your horse's sweet itch at a discounted price for this year, so you can see how well it works for yourself!

A session includes
- questions about your horse's health and lifestyle
- thorough hands-on exam of their musculoskeletal system and skin
- acupuncture
- bespoke recommendation of herbs to feed for the season (and a reputable source for you to buy the herbs)

For this year ONLY at £50 plus visit fee*.

Having managed several ponies with sweet itch myself, I know what a difficult and frustrating condition it is to treat effectively. I'm so glad I have acupuncture as one of my many techniques to help relieve their suffering.

If you want to book or find out more please contact me at [email protected]

*Visit fee can be split if several horses on your yard want to have this treatment at the same time.
EH1-EH26 £20
EH27-EH55 £40
Outside these zones: £70

16/02/2023

Why use Botanical Veterinary Care? Because we love our clients and patients, and they love us ❤️