Life at the Dick Vet

Television viewers will get a glimpse of life behind the scenes at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

A five-part STV series will show vets at work at the School’s Hospital for Small Animals, Equine Hospital and Farm Animal Practice.

The fly-on-the-wall documentary - called Vet School - highlights the range of cases seen at the University's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

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Cases treated

The first episode shows Red the horse, a favourite at Gorgie City Farm, who was treated for poisoning caused by ammonia from his own stomach.

Life-saving surgery is carried out on Brodie the cat, with an operation to remove a tumour by his heart.

Other cases in the episode include a chameleon with an eye infection and a dog with a broken leg who refuses to stay still.

Filming

Camera crews spent nearly three months capturing the work that goes on at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

There are five episodes in the series, which shows a wild swan having an endoscopy, a skunk being neutered and surgery on a horse with colic.

This series gives an insight into what goes on behind the scenes to help the varied animals that we see. This could range from checking bearded dragons for dental disease to carrying out surgery on horses.

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

The School has around 700 undergraduates while vets deal with more than 15,000 animal visits each year.

It has a Hospital for Small Animals, which includes an exotic and wildlife ward as well as wards for dogs and cats, an Equine Hospital and a Farm Animal Practice.

Facilities

A new £42 million Vet School building is due to be completed next year, which will provide state of the art facilities for students.

The building forms part of a £100 million development on the Easter Bush site, which will also include a new research building.

A £3 million veterinary cancer centre has also been opened, with a linear accelerator to provide radiotherapy treatment.

Photo credit: Paul Dodds