Dick Vet General Practice

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.

Today, on International Dog Day, we are proud to share that our practice and Hospital for Small Animals have been award...
26/08/2025

Today, on International Dog Day, we are proud to share that our practice and Hospital for Small Animals have been awarded Dog Friendly Clinic status!

The accreditation scheme, which only 5% of veterinary clinics in the UK currently hold, is a collaboration between the Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association and assesses how well veterinary clinics and their staff apply dog behaviour principles in practice.

Read more about the steps our practice and hospital have taken to make every canine patient's time with them as comfortable as possible here: https://edin.ac/41Puri8

Having official Dog Friendly status is the latest species-specific accolade our hospital has achieved. It also holds the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF)’s Gold Award for its rabbit-friendly practice and hospital has held Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status since 2013.

Pictured (l-r): Senior Nurse Ward Co-ordinator Christa Dukes, Lead Animal Care Assistant Tasha Cadman and Head of the Hospital’s Behaviour Clinic, Dr Kevin McPeake, along with Senior RVN Emily Gorman (not pictured), lead the Hospital’s initiatives to improve patient-friendly practices.


Dogs Trust
British Veterinary Behaviour Association - BVBA

This kitten, named Édith Piaf after the French singer and lyricist, came to see us on Friday because she had eaten medic...
20/08/2025

This kitten, named Édith Piaf after the French singer and lyricist, came to see us on Friday because she had eaten medicine intended for a dog.

Pets can be seriously harmed if they ingest medication that has not been prescribed for them.

Fortunately, her owners brought her in straight away, and our vets were able to provide urgent treatment and monitoring to ensure that the medication was not absorbed by her body.

Little Edith, pictured here enjoying a light meal before her discharge later the same day, showed no sign of ill effects, thanks to the swift actions of her owners.

It's important to keep all medications out of the reach of your pets. If you think your pet has ingested too much of their own medication or taken medication not meant for them, contact your vet immediately.

On International Cat Day, we are celebrating the fabulous felines in our lives and the love and companionship that they ...
08/08/2025

On International Cat Day, we are celebrating the fabulous felines in our lives and the love and companionship that they show us.

It is no surprise that we love cats here at the Dick Vet. When our vets, vet nurses and animal care assistants aren’t caring for feline patients at our Hospital for Small Animals and General Practice, they enjoy hanging out with their own cats at home. Here are pics of some of our clinical team doing just that.

Let’s spread some love on this special day – we’d love to see pictures of your cat(s) in the comments below.

Today is National Kitten Day – a purrrfect day to celebrate these adorable little furballs. Meet the gorgeous Raya (left...
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

Today is World Chocolate Day, an ideal opportunity to celebrate the humble cacao bean. Adored by millions of people arou...
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.

Happy Birthday to Rosie, one of our feline patients, who turned 18 years old at the weekend. Rosie, nicknamed ‘Super Se...
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].

What we’re reading 📚Lowri, one of the vets at our practice, was introduced to the children’s book ‘Mog’s Bad Thing’ by h...
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 🙂

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

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

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

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

Address

Easter Bush Campus
Edinburgh
EH259RG

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

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