Dick Vet General Practice

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Dick Vet General Practice

A first opinion, general practice providing compassionate, high quality care for all your dog or cat

Based within the Hospital for Small Animals on the Easter Bush Campus the Dick Vet General Practice provides a first opinion service for dogs and cats. From routine care such as vaccinations, worming and neutering or advice on diet and travel to investigation and treatment when your pet is unwell, we can help. The practice is staffed by a dedicated team of veterinarians and veterinary nurses. Seve

ral of our staff have interests and further qualifications in particular areas of veterinary medicine. The Dick Vet General Practice is part of the Hospital for Small Animals, so should your pet be unwell and need further treatment or hospitalisation we can quickly and easily refer then into the hospital. Within the Hospital we have comfy wards which are staffed 24 hours a day with separate dog and cat wards to reduce stress. We also have an on site laboratory and diagnostic imaging facilities including ultrasound, xray, CT and MRI as well as specialist colleagues in a wide range of disciplines. Should your pet require more advanced care this can be provided on site.

10/07/2025

Today is National Kitten Day – a purrrfect day to celebrate these adorable little furballs.

Meet the gorgeous Raya (left) and Harper (right), who visited us recently to get their first vaccine.

We love seeing kittens come into our practice for the first time. We advise owners to make an appointment as soon as their kitten has settled into their home, so we can give them a thorough check-up. Our vets can also advise on tailored preventative care, such as parasite control and vaccinations, and answer any concerns owners may have.

It’s great to see kittens frequently in the first few months so we can monitor their growth and development and answer owners’ questions about ongoing health care, such as tooth brushing, nutrition and neutering.

We know that visiting the vets can be upsetting for some cats, so these frequent visits also help the kittens get used to coming into the practice, so they are less fearful as adults.

If you are considering giving a kitten or cat a home, we are very happy to offer advice, including information about the various breeds available. Here are some useful resources: https://icatcare.org/articles/where-to-get-a-cat-or-kitten and https://icatcare.org/articles/inherited-disorders-in-cats

07/07/2025

Today is World Chocolate Day, an ideal opportunity to celebrate the humble cacao bean. Adored by millions of people around the world, chocolate has been found to have a positive impact on human health, as well as being incredibly tasty.

However, chocolate is highly toxic to most animals. This is due to a toxin called theobromine, a chemical used in chocolate manufacture. The compound stimulates the heart and brain and can be life-threatening depending on how much chocolate your pet has eaten and the size of your pet. The type of chocolate that has been ingested is important too; dark chocolate contains more theobromine than milk or white chocolate.

Never feed your pet chocolate, and try and keep your chocolate treats somewhere you know your pets definitely can’t reach.

If you think your pet has eaten chocolate, or is showing signs of theobromine poisoning – muscle stiffness, tremors, vomiting or seizures – please contact us immediately for guidance.

02/07/2025

Happy Birthday to Rosie, one of our feline patients, who turned 18 years old at the weekend.

Rosie, nicknamed ‘Super Senior’ by her owner, continues to live her best life thanks to our vets and nurses and her owner working together to manage her chronic kidney disease.

Rosie’s kidney problems were spotted during routine blood tests. She was introduced to a kidney care food, given medication to manage her blood pressure and, after a consultation with the Feline Medicine Service at our Hospital, was prescribed a phosphorus binder to add to her food.

Like a lot of cats, Rosie can be fussy about her food and switches her diet frequently, so our nutrition nurse Susan worked out her exact calorie intake for the various kidney care foods available, which gave Rosie’s owner options to try.

Now that this chatty cat, who loves to talk and have her paws rubbed, has transitioned fully onto a kidney care diet, her phosphorus levels have stabilised in an ideal range. Her muscle tone, weight and energy levels have also returned to normal for a cat of her age.

Her owner Arlene said: “I am so grateful to Dick Vet General Practice for the continued care they give Rosie. Her vet Lowri treats her as an individual cat with individual needs and always understands and listens to my priorities when it comes to her care. I love that they use a multi-disciplinary approach to her care and Rosie is so happy to come for her monthly check-ups. The team really are the best.”

We know how difficult it is to have a pet with a chronic illness. Managing Rosie’s chronic kidney disease hasn't been easy and her treatment plan has been tweaked over time to fit in with what's right for her and her owner. If you have a pet with a chronic illness and you're struggling, please get in touch. We will always work with you to find a plan that works for you and your pet, to improve everyone's quality of life.

26/06/2025

*LOOKING FOR OWNERS*

A member of the public has handed in a cat found near Easter Howgate farm. The female cat had been hit by a vehicle and had sadly passed away. It is a light grey tabby with a couple of white socks.

It had no microchip or ID.

If you think it may be your cat please phone our reception team on 0131 650 7650 or email [email protected].

18/06/2025

What we’re reading 📚

Lowri, one of the vets at our practice, was introduced to the children’s book ‘Mog’s Bad Thing’ by her niece recently and was keen to share the story, with its veterinary message, with our clients.

“The Mog series of books is a firm favourite in our household but this one was new to me. And as a vet with a special interest in cat medicine, I loved it!

Mog had a bad day. She went out to have a wee but something was wrong. There was a big flappy tent in her garden! She panicked. Then ran around the garden and the house. She needed a wee but didn't know what to do. She did it on the armchair. She was not happy about it, but she didn't have another option. Mog’s owner Mr Thomas was upset to find their favourite armchair covered in smelly cat wee.

But what I love about this book, is we can see why Mog did it from her point of view.”

Weeing - and pooing - in unusual places is a common problem with many causes. If your cat – or dog - is toileting in a way they shouldn't, we can help. Don't suffer the challenges alone. Please get in touch to book an appointment with one of our vets.

It’s also really helpful if you bring a urine sample from your pet with you to your appointment. It's easier than you think - just ask when you call to book 🙂

14/06/2025

Today, on , we celebrate the incredible pets who donate blood and help save the lives of hundreds of other animals every year.

It is vital that dog and cat blood products are available when patients from our practice need an urgent transfusion. Thankfully, we have a team of local lifesaving dog and cat donors who can help. Click on their photos to learn more about them all!

Arlo, Bjorn, Ylva, Leaf and Fender all all pets of staff in our Hospital for Small Animals, and have donated at our regular Pet Blood Bank UK sessions. To learn more about the work of this charity or discover if your dog could be a donor, visit their website.

We also hold a register of local feline blood donors. Panda and Brora are feline companions to Hospital staff and can be called on in an emergency.

We would love to find more lifesaving cats to add to our donor list; can you and your cat help?

Feline blood donor criteria:
• indoor or outdoor cat
• between 1-8 years old
• weigh at least 4kg
• fit and healthy
• calm, friendly temperament
• fully vaccinated
• not on any medication
• able to travel to the Hospital at short notice.

If you would like to know more about registering your cat as a blood donor with us, please contact the Hospital Transfusion Unit via [email protected] or call 0131 650 7650.

11/06/2025

Welcome to the new cohort of final year veterinary students, who have begun their clinical rotations with our practice.

For the next 12 months, over 150 students from the Dick Vet, some of whom are pictured below, will spend time with us, gaining practical experience and consolidating their knowledge in a supportive learning environment, in preparation of joining the workforce following graduation in 2026.

Our practice clients may see some of these students, dressed in burgundy scrubs, in the weeks and months ahead as they work alongside our qualified clinicians; we are grateful to them for helping us train the next generation of vets.

Good luck to all our students in their final year 😀

09/06/2025

June is and aims to raise awareness of the benefits of microchipping pets and keeping the details up to date.

We often have animals that have been found by members of the public handed into our practice, and we appreciate how distressing it can be when a pet goes missing.

Microchipping gives the best chance of a lost or stolen animal being identified and returned to its owner. It is quick and simple and provides permanent identification, unlike collars or tags that can fall off.

Vet practices and animal shelters scan each animal that is handed in to them, and use an online chip checker to find out the owner's details.

Any animal can be microchipped, including cats, rabbits and horses; however in the UK, dogs more than eight weeks old must be microchipped and registered by law. If you live in England, your cat must also be microchipped and registered by the time they’re 20 weeks old.

You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-cat-microchipped

If you move house or change your phone number you must make sure you tell the database you're registered with so that they have your up-to-date contact details.

We offer microchipping at our practice – contact our Client Care team for more information on 0131 650 7650 or email [email protected].

06/06/2025

Summer is our hottest season, when lots of people enjoy spending time outdoors with their family, friends and pets.

But as temperatures rise, our pets are at higher risk of easily overheating, being more susceptible to skin and ear infections and developing heatstroke.

Follow our top tips to beat the heat and keep your pet healthy and happy this summer. Link in the comments below

29/04/2025

Today is World Animal Vaccination Day, a day to highlight the importance of vaccines to protect animals from preventable diseases, ensuring their wellbeing and protecting human health too. They also reduce the need for antibiotics.

Our veterinary practice offers a vaccination service for small animals, as part of a programme of preventative health care.

For more information about the services we offer, visit https://vet.ed.ac.uk/clinical/small/gp/services

26/04/2025

Today is World Veterinary Day, a day to celebrate veterinary surgeons worldwide and thank them for their dedication to animal health and wellbeing.

We have a wonderful team of vets here at the Dick Vet General Practice. They are devoted to the wellbeing of the patients in their care, to educating and mentoring our students, and to advancing knowledge through their research.

22/04/2025

JOB OPPORTUNITY: We are looking for TWO Veterinary Clinicians, one full time and one part time, to join the veterinary team at Dick Vet General Practice.

Based at the Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh, the successful post holders will be responsible for a share of our practice's first opinion feline and canine caseload, clinical undergraduate teaching and support core clinical research activities.

Situated within the Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, our practice has access to state-of-the-art facilities including an on-site MRI facility, CT scanner and a wealth of other diagnostic modalities. In addition to a host of staff benefits, working within an academic environment provides our vets many opportunities for CPD and career progression.

Salary for both roles is £49,559 - 60,907 per annum plus market pay supplement. Salary is pro rata for the part-time, 28 hours a week role.

Applications for the full time, permanent contract close at 23.59 on 29 April 2025. For more information about this position, visit https://edin.ac/4lMS6IC

Applications for the part time, fixed-term contract close at 23.59 on 8 May 2025. For more information about this position, visit https://edin.ac/42SU2Ym

Scottish Veterinary Jobs Alert

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Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 19:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 19:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 19:00
Thursday	09:00 - 19:00
Friday	09:00 - 19:00
Saturday	09:00 - 12:00

Website

https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/services/small-animals/vet-practices/dick-vet-general-practice

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