Westover Veterinary Centre (Large Animal)

14/06/2026

You'll recognise this face from nursing awareness month, but we'd like to share SQP Molly Papworth was selected by the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) as a case report for National SQP week. Molly is passionate about all things worming and is a huge asset to our SQP team.

We think she sums up the importance of SQPs beautifully:
“Working in a veterinary surgery, I’ve seen firsthand the devastation of losing horses to worm burdens - a tragedy that is entirely preventable. I’m passionate about promoting sustainable worm control to protect our clients' horses from future disease. As a practice committed to reducing our environmental footprint, we know that cutting back on unnecessary treatments is vital for protecting our local ecosystems. Parasite burdens can be fatal, and SQPs play a pivotal role in educating owners on how to prevent and treat infestations, thus improving the health and welfare of their animals. We also work with lots of farmers; parasites can have a huge impact on the productivity of their livestock and therefore be extremely costly to their business.”

Want to know more? Please contact the surgery on 01603 899930

12/06/2026

We think our SQPs are brilliant - and want to share why with you!

As our final post of SQP week, we'd like to thank our fabulous SQPs Sheryl, Liz and Molly for their hard work behind the scenes processing worm egg counts and providing advice to our clients. Click 👍 to let our SQPs know that you value them!

Not only do they hold the required formal qualifications and training, they also receive in-house training to ensure their recommendations are in-line with the most current scientific evidence including resistance patterns.

For bespoke advice you can trust.

11/06/2026

To worm or not to worm? That is the question!

Did you know that 80% of the worm burden of a pasture in carried by only 20% of horses? With the concerning rise in resistance, it is more important than ever to preserve our wormers for the most vulnerable patients. Concerningly, we have been supporting cases in the last year of young horses whose worm burdens show resistance to multiple wormers.

How do we do this?
Testing allows us to target the horses contributing the highest burdens to the pasture, thereby minimising the risk of disease in the equine population as a whole. We would recommend:

- At least three worm egg counts per year (spring, summer and autumn)
- An autumn equisal tapeworm test (tapeworm eggs are like hens teeth in horse droppings - we almost never see them! - we would therefore recommend doing the saliva-based test to detect tapeworm antibodies
- We no longer recommend that all horses receive a winter wormer, instead opting for a risk-based approach.

Tips for a good worm egg count. 5 pinches from different areas in a fresh dropping, exclude the air from the bag/glove, label and transport to Westover ASAP. Worms can hatch from eggs, giving false low results, in as little as five days!

Please note that worm control regimes for donkeys, horses and ponies less than 6 years or more than 20 years are different - please contact us for bespoke advice.

Want to know more? Please contact our office on 01603 899930 or [email protected]

10/06/2026

** A HUGE 'green win' for Westover Large Animal **

We are pleased to announce we have achieved Green Accreditation with the national environmental accreditation scheme, iiE (Investors in the Environment) - the highest level of accreditation possible, and a goal we have been working towards for years!

💚This year we have continued our efforts to be sustainable with the addition of more electric vehicles to our fleet to reduce our carbon emissions.
💚We have also installed solar panels and battery storage to our site to reduce our electricity used from the grid.
💚As a team we have taken part in sustainable activities such as our beach clean, plastic count and recycled waste campaign.
💚We are committed to sustainable procurement where possible and this year have increased our eco-friendly consumables.

At Westover we have six waste streams: medical waste, clinical waste, recycling, plastics, general Waste and food waste. By using different waste streams, we are committed to reducing our landfill contributions.

iiE is an accessible and proven route to help organisations get started on their sustainability journey and make a real impact. It has been running for over 15 years, and in that time has helped hundreds of organisations from all sectors and sizes to improve their environmental performance. The scheme is owned and managed by a sustainability charity.

To find out more about our iiE journey and the accreditation scheme, head to: www.iie.uk.com.

09/06/2026

Every day, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) also known as Animal Medicines Advisors, provide trusted advice on parasite control, worming, flea & tick medicines, nutrition and much more — helping keep your pets, horses and livestock healthy.

Yet many people don’t realise the depth of training and expertise behind the SQP role. SQPs are highly qualified professionals, dedicated to helping owners make the best health and welfare choices for their animals.

That’s exactly why National SQP Week has been launched — to celebrate and recognise their contribution.

08/06/2026

Our new arena has settled in beautifully and is now available to hire!

Please click on the link below for more information ⬇🐎

https://www.westoverlargeanimal.co.uk/arena-booking/

Westover Large Animal Ltd. Independent Equine & Farm Vets Norfolk and North Suffolk. Providing full range of Equine & Farm Veterinary Services.

07/06/2026

Our last post of veterinary nursing awareness month introduces a second new face to our nurse/technician team - say hi to Izzie! Izzie has recently joined the team to allow us to continue providing the high level of patient care you've come to know from Westover vets.

Click ❤ to welcome Izzie to the team!

Izzie grew up in the countryside, owning horses and competing in Pony Club events, where her passion for caring for animals first began. She later joined Redwings Horse Sanctuary, where she helped care for recently rescued horses, further strengthening her interest in equine health and welfare. To gain additional experience working alongside veterinary professionals, she worked as a receptionist at Chapelfield Vets Equine Vets.

Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the countryside with her partner, helping her family on the farm and spending time with friends.

Huge thank you to the owner of this handsome boy, who gave us permission to use his pretty face on our socials!

06/06/2026

On top of nursing awareness month, we are also in the middle of National SQP Week!

We’re proud to support National SQP Week, celebrating the knowledge, passion and dedication of Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) also known as Animal Medicines Advisors, right across the UK. Whether you’re a pet owner, farmer or horse owner, your SQP is here to support you with expert, friendly advice backed by recognised training and accreditation. Let’s spread the word and show our appreciation of this vital role.

05/06/2026

The penultimate profile for our veterinary nursing awareness month is our vet tech Polly. Polly is passionate about all things equine locomotion - lameness, poor performance and rehabilitation. She is a ray of sunshine and bubbly enthusiasm that we cherish!

Click ❤ to continue to let our nursing team know they are valued by our clients. They work so hard for their patients and we simply could not do our work without them!

She joined Westover as a veterinary technician in Autumn 2023, having grown up watching the Westover Vets on her family farm! She has always been fascinated by veterinary work and now loves being part of the team.

Her main interests are equine lameness, performance and the interaction between horse and rider, and she is currently working towards an Equine Physiotherapy diploma. She enjoys gaining valuable skills and knowledge from the Westover team and applying it with a physiotherapy perspective.

When she is not working or studying, she loves showjumping her horse Derg and spending time at the beach with her two dogs Rolo and Twiggy.

Photo posted with the kind permission of this handsome boy's owner!

03/06/2026

It is veterinary nursing awareness month, and we'd like to continue with a profile about our fabulous nurse Heidi. Heidi is a very diligent and caring member of the team, with a lovely way with her patients.

Click ❤ to continue letting our nursing team know how appreciated they are - they are always working quietly in the background to ensure smooth running of patient care.

Heidi has always had an interest in animals and, after completing a week's work experience at Rossdales Equine Hospital, decided that equine veterinary nursing was the career for her! She started as a nursing assistant at Rossdales Equine Hospital, where she trained and qualified as an Equine Veterinary Nurse (REVN), subsequently working there for ten years.

From there she worked in a mixed practice before moving to a very busy equine hospital in Pembrokeshire. She arrived at Westover after marrying her husband, who hails from Norfolk.

She loves all aspects of her job whether it is bandaging, intensive care of a colic or supporting the vets on a day-to-day basis.

In her free time she enjoys being at home with herfamily, and spending time at the Beach hut in Cromer. She also enjoys walking and working her two Springer Spaniels (one of which is pictured!).