Dr Verity Griffiths is the Senior Director at Southfield Vets in Dorchester, Dorset and looks after a number of our Dorwest Dogs! She also owns 3 Hungarian Vizslak and a Border Terrier as well. Verity both works and shows her dogs and most recently made Ruban up into a Show Champion in 2016.
Are you going to Crufts this year? If so, what do you most look forward to?
Yes I shall be there on Gundog Day with my veteran Hungarian Vizsla bitch, Ulurudawn Clipper. At nearly twelve years old this is most probably going to be her last Crufts. But, what I shall be most looking forward to is spending two nights in the Hilton with my old lady, just her and none of the other dogs. She loves the one to one attention and perhaps the odd special treat.
As for me I love catching up with friends and it has become quite a tradition to share a couple of bottles of fizz with friends from all over the country/world.
Tell us about your gang and what activities you like to do with them?
We have three Hungarian Vizlak and a Border Terrier, Sika. Living with the three gundogs, Sika actually thinks she is one and is very good at pointing along with the HPRs! We have a rescue from Hungary who came over through the charity Vizslamentes with whom I have done a bit of work for and support, Holle is quite ancient and we estimate her to be around 14 years old.
Ulurudawn Clipper (Ochre) will be at Crufts, she got us into showing as she was gunshy and as I work all mine, I proclaimed “what use is she?”! My partner said “she is rather beautiful, why not try showing her” and then it all began! Her son who is a fantastic working dog, Sh Ch Ulurudawn Cardinal Marker (Ruban) sadly can’t come to the party as he is “docked and denied”, having been docked after April 2007. He was made up last year and we hope to achieve a field trial award (to date we have only competed at working tests) so that he can become on of the few full champions in the breed.
As a vet, what are the most important things to keep your dog healthy, happy and content?
To provide a loving home environment with regular routine health care, which includes following a good ecto- and endoparasite control regime. To provide good, balanced nutritional support together with regular exercise to maintain a fit, healthy individual. Nowadays we see a very sad increase in obesity in our patients and this impacts on the health of the individual in so many ways, be it joint issues, diabetes and other medical conditions..
If there is one thing you could get dog owners do better or more regularly, what is it?
Weigh their animal in conjunction with measuring the animal’s body condition score. But, I would also like more dog owners cleaning their pets teeth and trimming their nails. If dogs are used to having these things done, together with having their ears cleaned, when something goes wrong, they are so much easier to examine as well as it having obvious health implications.
If you could recommend one Dorwest product what would it be and why?
Scullcap and Valerian Tablets, I’ve used it in my own dogs at times of stress and anxiety. But not only that we use the Valerian Compound our hospital kennels to chill out our inpatients and it is fantastic!
What is your favourite Crufts memory?
There are so many happy memories over the years but, I think my favourite memory was being watching our Border Terrier’s grandfather, Ch Rossula Magic Borderer Clipstone win BOB in 2009 . This was our first Crufts and we took our Border though she didn’t get placed!
Southfield Vets, Dorchester, Dorset http://www.southfieldvet.co.uk/
‘As offering first class care for all your pets is our aim, we adopt a holistic approach to Veterinary care. We provide many services which offer a comprehensive and complete approach to animal care. Led by our extremely experienced team of veterinary surgeons, we offer an exceptionally high level of consultations and an extensive range of treatments and services.
7 thoughts on "Meet another expert, Verity the Vet and her Vizslak!"
Hi,
Also enquiring about a phantom pregnancy, Georgie was on the raspberry leaf tablets throughout her season as she had a phantom pregnancy last time (this is now her second season) and the vet said it was likely to happen again.
Last time we put her on the galastop and although we had minor side effects it worked and she was back to her usual self by the end of the 5 day course. However, this time she has been through hell whilst on it, completely lost her appetite, even treats! Vomiting, lethargic, not wanting to go for walks at all. All very unlike her. We continued the course as per the vets instructions and finished her 5 day course 4 days ago and she still has all her phantom pregnancy symptoms, to be honest they actually worst then before. She still hasn’t got her appetite back and will leave full meals, doesn’t really want to do anything other then sleep and cuddle and really just isn’t herself. I do not want to put her through another course. Is there anything else I can give her at the moment to help her end this phantom pregnancy?
Hi Sophie, for those that are currently in a phantom pregnancy we would recommend the Pulsatilla 15C to help with the general symptoms, and if she is producing milk then we would also suggest the Urtica Urens 3C as this help to dry up the milk. You can also use the Evening Primrose Oil to help maintain a normal hormonal balance.
Could you please confirm if you had use the Raspberry Leaf tablets this time around? In order to prevent future phantoms or to lessen the severity of the symptoms then it is best to administer the Raspberry Leaf as soon as they come into season and continue for 12 weeks. The Dorwest Team
Hi, we have bred and showed mini longhair dachshunds for many years and have not had too any problems in the past with phantom pregnancies. However, Lola who is now 10 yeas of age,m# has had two litters both consisting of 6 puppies and was a good mum and all the puppies were healthy – one went on to be top winning mini long in the UK in 2013 and Lola herself was top brood bitch for the same year. Sg was always a strong healthy bitch but last christmas she became quite ill and it was some weeks before she recovered from a nasty liver infection. We then had her spayed. Unfortunately, she then developed mastitis despite being spayed and the milk was quite bloody. The was cleared with Galastop. She then developed a number of small mammary tumours all of which were removed and that final operation was about 6 months ago since when she has been well. But now she has developed milk again in two teats – some of the teats on the left side have been removed. This is quite baffling and I would like to find some alternative to Galastop which could be given long term if necessary. She does have Dorwest Milk Thistle daily. Thank you for your assistance.
Hello! To help with Lola and producing milk, we do have a homoeopathic remedy Urtica Urens 3c of which will help to reduce milk production when needed. You should also consider the Evening Primrose Oil as these are known for its ability to maintain a normal hormonal balance 😊 Although these will help with her current symptoms, we would also recommend speaking with your vet due to her previous conditions. The Dorwest Team
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Very interested in alternative medication. Owned Vizsla’s for over 40 yrs now. Young bitch, just 18 months old who has been on Galastop was operated on when she was in season as an emergency in April. Here we are 3 months later and another F Preg. Two days into Galastop she had a fit last Wed. Night at 12.30., lasted just over 7 mins.,, carried on with the medication for further 3 days on Vets advice.. Now off of it, still showing signs of distress, not eating, nesting etc… Our Vet prescribed Diazepam to be administered through back passage if another fit happens lasting more than 2 mins.
This bitch had a large operation in October 2017 to remove part of her Gut, Scan showed blood flowing wrong way to Liver etc.etc. – we were told a very rare operation, only one other known of.
We really do not want her to go back on to Galastop, is there an alternative please which would help her. get through all of the problems we are having.. There seems to be differing opinions on whether Galastop does cause Fits. Thank you for your time in reading this email.
Regards Jill Charman Mrs. New Forest.
Hi Jill, we are so sorry to hear about these hard times. Yes we can help and we recommend for her the Raspberry Leaf Tablets. These are a licensed herbal medicine to be given as an aid in the prevention of a phantom pregnancy. They should be given from the very first sign of season and continued to be given for 12 given. Please feel free to give our product advisor Gemma a call on 01308 897272 and she will be very happy to go through the use of these and any other options we have available. Thank you for your message and we hope to hear from you soon.