Oxford Cat Clinic welcomes dogs on 20th anniversary
Dr Shivana Seemungal-Dass, Melanie Weatherall, practice manager Joe Weatherall and head nurse Phebie Porter at the newly named Oxford Vet Clinic.
An independent veterinary practice in Oxford is to welcome dogs to its clinic, having exclusively treated cats for 20 years.
The renamed Oxford Vet Clinic, formerly Oxford Cat Clinic, in Marston will now care for cats, dogs and small animals. Its Botley branch will continue to treat cats only.
The expansion coincides with a milestone anniversary, marking 20 years since the practice opened its first premises in Botley.
The Marston branch, which first opened in 2017, has undergone a full refurbishment to mark the new occasion. The layout will ensure it can accept dogs and small animals while continuing to offer a range of cat facilities.
Among the changes is a dedicated waiting room, consulting rooms, a hospital ward and an operating theatre. The practice also hopes to become a gold-certified Cat Friendly Clinic, a top level accreditation already held by its sister practice.
Oxford Vet Clinic has recruited three new veterinary surgeons to its practice: Dr Shivana Seemungal-Dass, Dr Anna Ducos and Dr Matilde Costa Fernandes.
Dr Seemungal-Dass, who has worked at Oxford Cat Clinic as a locum vet since 2022, will lead the Marston team. An experienced veterinary surgeon with a post-graduate certificate in small animal surgery, Dr Seemungal-Dass is pursuing an advanced post-graduate certificate in small animal orthopaedic surgery.
Dr Ducos has a keen interest in neurology and exotics, and is currently pursuing a post-graduate certificate in ophthalmology. Meanwhile Dr Costa Fernandes’ experience lies in wildlife medicine and dermatology.
Melanie Weatherall, who joined as practice manager in 2013, has owned the business with her husband Chris since 2023. The team currently consists of 19 members of staff, including veterinary surgeons, registered veterinary nurses and support staff.
It has plans to hire an additional registered veterinary nurse, a receptionist and a patient care assistant in the next few months.
Ms Weatherall said: “We’ve been caring for cats from across Oxford and beyond for 20 years and have established a superb reputation for our expertise in feline veterinary care. During this time, we’ve regularly been asked if we can treat dogs and other types of pets by clients who wanted to use an independently owned practice in and around Oxford, but found there were very few options available.
“This development has taken a lot of planning and investment, but we had surplus space at Marston which has enabled us to expand without disrupting the services that our cat clients enjoy.
“Crucially, cat owners travel from far and wide to use our services, so Botley will remain cat only and Marston now has a clever layout that enables us to still provide the cat-focused care we’re known for.”
Image © Oxford Vet Clinic
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
