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Well done Swanspool!

David Harris BVSc MRCVS - Monday March 18th, 2019
We were delighted to announce the winner of the Best UK Vets 2019 on Wednesday... but the news doesn't end there, because we also held their official presentation on the same day! Read on for more about it, and some lovely photos!
News and Comment
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Announcing the Best UK Vet 2019…

David Harris BVSc MRCVS - Wednesday March 13th, 2019
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now ready to make the announcement! For 12 months, veterinary practices across the UK have been asking their clients for reviews, good or bad (although hopefully most were good!). These are added up once a year, and the practice with the most 4* and 5* reviews wins an award, which VetHelpDirect sponsors. In addition, there are awards for the runners up, and for certain specific categories - for example, Best Equine Practice, Best Northern Irish and Best Scottish Practice. But it’s the main prize that our practices compete for… Is your practice on the list? Now you can find out, because we can announce that the Best UK Vet 2019 is…
Best UK Vets
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Is ‘Doggy Mouthwash’ Dangerous?

Joe Dunne - Monday February 18th, 2019
There has been a big push in the veterinary world in recent years to try and increase dental hygiene in pets. Vets are encouraging owners more and more to make brushing their dog or cat’s teeth, to remove plaque build-up, part of the daily routine, like you would walking or feeding them. Companies have, of course, jumped on this trend, and developed products designed to improve dental hygiene, including pet toothbrushes, toothpaste, and now ‘doggy mouthwash’. Doggy mouthwash is added to dog and cat water bowls to ‘help fight your pet’s bad breath’. The main ingredients, chlorhexidine and xylitol, are supposed to kill bacteria and reduce plaque, with the advantage being that the liquid can reach where traditional brushing might not. Anecdotal evidence and product reviews indicate these products do help reduce bad breath and keep teeth looking cleaner. However, there’s been a recent hubbub around the inclusion of xylitol in the ingredients.
Dogs
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The Romantic Lives of the Domestic Species

Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS - Wednesday February 13th, 2019
I’m no historian, but rumour has it that the origins of St. Valentine’s day are quite unromantic. Valentine was a Roman guy who helped Christian couples to get married. This was frowned upon in Rome at the time so the Emperor, Claudius Gothicus, had Valentine stoned and beheaded. Anyway, I thought I’d continue this soft, gooey theme and offer you some nuggets of information about the romantic lives of domestic animals. Brace yourselves.....
Behaviour
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Equine Flu Outbreak – what do you need to know?

David Harris BVSc MRCVS - Monday February 11th, 2019
Once again, the UK has been hit by an outbreak of infectious disease - but this time it’s horses that are affected. As a result, the headlines are full of “Horse Flu!!!” stories, racecourses are closed, and some people are recommending horse owners have their horses vaccinations “topped up” to minimise the risk. So what’s going on? How severe is the risk? And what can we do to minimise it?
Horses
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