DS McGregor and Partners

So this practice is amazing - there are 7 vets and a full-time wonderful staff and they are all fabulous. Because there are usually 4+ vets on at a time (at least it seems to be that way the past week) there is heaps of stuff going on at a time, and they are truly mixed practice, with 2 vets doing strictly large animals, and the others doing both. And I do mean both. One might do small animal consults that morning then take care of a sick calf that afternoon. Someone else might be out on large animal consults all day, whereas another vet will be doing surgery. So as a student visiting I just pick which vet/case I want to see or be around that day.

So the past 4 days I've gotten to: help with a caesarean on a cow, preg test a cow, give physical exams on dogs, give injections on dogs, watch acupuncture on a dog, assist in euthanasia, help write out a horse's passport, do ultrasound on a dog's abdomen, read radiographs, check out a calf with diarrhoea, take blood samples, read a blood smear, see how to put in a catheter and drip line for a calf, and a cat, other things I've forgotten, and lots and lots of observing and questioning and explaining. And for whatever reason when these vets question me I don't feel threatened or freak out like in an exam scenario, I feel at ease enough to think and have a go. Sometimes I'm spot on, other times I'm woefully off, but it's okay :) All of the farmers have been incredibly friendly as well, and most of the pet owners. I know this practice has a lot of students, and everyone else seems quite unsurprised and keen to know what my story is, particularly when they realize I'm an American studying in Australia, who grew up in Indonesia! haha, I get a lot of questions with that!

So if you're ever in the very northern tip of mainland Britain and require veterinary services, DS McGregor and Partners is the vet place for you! (literally, it's the only practice in the area, so it's such a great thing that they're awesome) and if you're a vet student and looking for a great mixed practice in a particularly lovely part of the world, then shout them an email.