The Countryside Vet

29/06/2024

I am hiring! I am looking for a friendly and organised Veterinary Administrator/ Receptionist to support me and the practice. If you have a love for the countryside and animals, I would like to hear from you! The role is a varied one, so would suit someone who is personable and versatile.
Previous veterinary practice experience (or suitable equivalent) is desirable.

21/02/2024

Went to check out the venue for next Sundays First Aid Course hosted Woodruff Gundogs. Lovely Sussex Barn for this educational and interactive course.

There are only a couple of places left, so to anyone considering it, contact Julie by the end of this week when we will be finalising numbers so that I can order the consumables for our practical session.

09/02/2024

I will be running a FIRST AID COURSE, focused towards working dogs, on Sunday 3rd March. Limited places available. Contact Woodruff Gundogs for more info and bookings.

Places are filling up ( limited to 30 people) on our Working dog First Aid in the Field Course run by The Countryside Vet on Sunday 3rd March .

It is rare for a working gundog to get through its life without a few cuts and minor injuries. Occasionally something more serious happens. But whatever happens, it helps to be prepared and informed.
Join veterinary surgeon Dr Francois du Plessis BSc (Hons)
BVetMed MRCVS- "The Countryside Vet", for a one day course where he will be giving tailored advice on the specific situations our working gundogs face. He will also be providing first aid strategies which you can implement in the field to help manage some of the main injuries before reaching your vet plus looking at the
essential pieces of kit we should be carrying in our veterinary first aid bag .
The course has proved popular with previous attendees ; and once again promises to be very informative with take home information, attendance certification and some hands-on practical opportunities.
Wisborough Green West Sussex The Countryside Vet

11/07/2023

09/06/2023

Caution today with the increasing temperatures, especially with lively dogs, or young/old dogs.

31/05/2023

Meet the adorable Otto! I met him today for his puppy vaccinations. He was extremely relaxed having his health check and vaccines being done in the comfort of his home environment, as you can tell! I look forward to seeing what a handsome chap he grows into!

23/05/2023

At The Countryside Vet, we provide a peaceful and compassionate at-home euthanasia service, in the environment where you and your pet feels comfortable during that very difficult time.

See website or call for more information.
www.thecountrysidevet.co.uk

10/05/2023

What dogs are like! This morning on our walk, I was trying to take a photo of the landscape, and of course the dogs had to be involved! So thought I would share for comic effect!

30/04/2023

Thankfully we are starting to enjoy a few warmer days here across the South Downs and with these warmer days comes the chance of you spotting one of these.

A post you may wish to like and share or tag a dog owning friend.

The Adder is our native cold-blooded snake and easily spotted in various parts of the West Sussex countryside. After surviving through the long cold months, an opportunity of a warm day and a little sunbathe is irresistible and you will often see an adder slithering across a footpath or curled up asleep in the sun. This sunbathe aids the adder to becoming fully active after leaving their safety and shelter of their hibernation den - or what is officially called their 'hibernaculum'. This is likely to be an old fallen tree or a rodent burrow.

The European Adder (Vipera berus) is our only native snake which is venomous and therefore potentially harmful. According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service, most adder bites occur between April and July. Adders are mostly secretive and prefer to avoid contact with other animals and humans, however until their body temperature rises enough they are sluggish and often cannot get out of the way in time when danger approaches. An inquisitive nose sniffing the ground or a paw put down in close proximity can get into trouble if the snake strikes in self defence - most adder bites we see are on the head, neck, lower legs or feet. Unless injured the adder will move away from the scene as quickly as possible so it is only very rare that the snake can be seen and identified.

If you suspect your dog may have been bitten by an adder please ring the team immediately so that we can be prepared to attend to your dog as soon as you arrive. This is a situation where time if off the essence and please may we remind you that our teams at both Storrington and Chichester are happy to see you regardless of which practice you are registered with. You as the owner can make that choice.

Very often you will not be aware that your dog has been bitten. Owners often just report a quick yelp and then it is not until the symptoms start to reveal themselves that an adder bite is suspected.

A few signs to look out for

- very rapid swelling around the area of the bite
- bruising or bleeding where bitten
- weakness and lethargy
- panting
- lameness
- drooling
- vomiting

Your dog may only show one or two of these symptoms but and they almost certainly likely to get progressively worse as time passes. Adder bites are very painful so even the most stoical of dogs will be showing signs of severe discomfort and will not want to be touched around the area of the bite. If left untreated the dog may develop tremors and convulsions, blood clotting disorders and eventually collapse.

The most important tip to remember is not to panic. Try and remain calm and your dog will also remain calm. Stress, excitement and excessive moment can speed up your dogs circulation and therefore spread the toxins. Please do ignore the snake. Remember they are a protected species so harming them is illegal. Resist the temptation to poke the bite area or even apply any form of compress. It will be very painful and your dog will not appreciate your assistance. Simply calmly walk your dog back to the car and call us immediately.

We would like to share a very useful first aid tip. Many of you walk with a doggy bag. By doggy bag we mean a little bag that contains treats, poo bags and such like. A little useful addition during the summer months would be some Piriton antihistamine tablets (chlorphenamine). Whilst this is by NO means enough to treat an adder bite, it would do no harm at all and in fact histamine is released after a bite so it may help a little on the way to us. We would always prefer an owner to keep our number stored on their phone in an emergency and as always we are happy to provide telephone advice, however as a rule of thumb our recommended dose rate of Piriton would be 4mg for a 10kg dog. With smaller dogs we would advise starting with half a tablet. At worst it will cause a little sedation but nothing more.

We hope your dog does not experience an adder bite but as its always best to be informed and prepared we hope this post will provide a little reassurance as to what to do in the event.

Please store our telephone number on your phone under EMERGENCY VET or pick up one of our cards which are kept on the desks. These are nice and small and can be kept in your wallet or phone case.

The numbers to call are
Storrington 01903 746028
Chichester 01243 978800

Remember we are available to anyone who needs us.

29/04/2023

Saw this adorable pair yesterday for their 2nd vaccinations! They were so relaxed having their health checks and injections done at home, which resulted in a much more positive veterinary experience! Give it a week and they will be able to get out properly and start exploring….

26/04/2023

Beautiful early morning walk in the bluebell woods today!
Make sure to take a moment to enjoy the charm of the countryside around us!

19/04/2023

After a busy first couple of weeks, I thought it was time to post a little about us.

The Countryside Vet opened in April by Dr Francois du Plessis MRCVS with a passion for traditional and independent veterinary care. Based in Emsworth, we cover parts of West Sussex, Hampshire & Surrey. We offer additional veterinary service conveniently at your home, with interest & experience in working dogs and behavioural medicine.

Our professional home service is a stress-free alternative for your pet and means they will be in a comfortable and familiar environment.

As an independent mobile vet with a breadth of knowledge and experience; we aim to provide you and your animal with the highest standard of convenient and personalised care.

For a full list of services, and for more information, please see our website (www.thecountrysidevet.co.uk)

08/04/2023

End to a great first week! Thank you to all. Now time for a relaxing Easter! Hope you are all having a fab weekend too!

03/04/2023

… We have lift-off! First day of being officially open and on the road! 😊

31/03/2023

Happy Friday! We are busily getting ready for things to go live on Monday!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

29/03/2023

THE WEBSITE IS NOW LIVE! Check it out!

Independent mobile vet covering West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey; offering a range of additional veterinary service at your home.

28/03/2023

Watch this space….

Details coming soon!