Growing up in Glasgow, Fiona graduated from the city's veterinary school in 2005 before relocating to Scotland's north-east where she worked as a companion animal and exotic animal vet for several years. A desire to volunteer at a charity vet clinic in a Pacific Island nation brought her to the Southern Hemisphere where she has since settled in New Zealand. Although private practice has been the mainstay of her work, Fiona has continued to support not-for-profits through additional volunteering in a South American vet clinic, and regular voluntary support of a local wildlife hospital alongside becoming a conservation researcher. Through these roles she has developed particular interests in feline behaviour, husbandry and symptom recognition in exotic species, and wildlife rehabilitation and research.
Her clinical articles are edited by David Harris BVSc MRCVS for the UK readership.
Latest articles by Fiona Gilston
The vet says my dog has haemangiosarcoma - what does that mean?
Finding out that a loved one has cancer can be scary and overwhelming. Whether it’s a family member or a beloved pet, a cancer diagnosis can trigger a lot of questions and worries about what is next. Thanks to modern med…
June 17, 2025
How do you treat abscesses in dogs?
Our dogs can get up to all sorts of mischief. Occasionally, this can result in an infection, which may lead to an abscess. How an abscess affects your dog depends on the size and location of the abscess. These factors al…
June 3, 2025
• 21 shares
Why does my cat tap me with their paw?
Anyone who has shared their home with a cat will no doubt have experienced a variety of ways in which their cat communicates with them. One of the common methods your cat may use is a tap from a paw. Your cat’s general b…
February 3, 2025
• 162 shares
What is a Boerboel and do they make good pets?
Although some breeds will always remain popular as pets, others will fall out of favour while newer, more unusual breeds may start to appear. One such breed is the boerboel (pronounced bor-bull), also known as the South…
How to keep a cat indoors safe and happy
In the UK, there are an estimated 12.5 million pet cats, with 26% of UK households having at least one cat. Studies have also suggested that there are an additional 250,000 unowned or feral cats. Urban development and cl…
January 10, 2025
• 80 shares
Where's the best place to put a cat's water bowl?
How much your cat drinks can depend on the food they are given and whether they have an underlying health issue that affects their fluid intake. But it can also be affected by the options for water around the household.