Dr Shelagh Pitt BVMS MRCVS

I graduated from Glasgow Vet School way back in the last century, and started work at Anchorage Vets in Acle. Norfolk grabbed me and held onto me - I have lived here ever since and raised my family here in Norwich. Local practices I have worked at include Companion Care Sprowston, Catton, Thorpe and Hellesdon Vets and the Bure Valley branch of Taverham Vets. Most recently I had 6 months at Rackheath vets, but that wasn’t to be, so now I am following my heart and running my own business full time doing Holistic Veterinary work and Peaceful in-Home Euthanasia. I have converted my garage into a tranquil treatment room with ramped access and your pet will be the only one on the premises when you visit. There is parking in my driveway or on the street outside. ​ My interest in Holistic Vetting started when my own lurcher, Penny, became old and painful in about 2011. Conventional medications upset her tummy, so I learned acupuncture for her. It gave her a new lease of life and an extra few years, living until she was 17. I have been practising Vet Acupuncture, mostly for chronic pain, one day a week from home ever since. I wish I had known about acupuncture when my cat became old and stiff. I adopted a retired Greyhound, Jayne, in 2024 who is settling in nicely. ​ I am Western trained in acupuncture, the triad of acupuncture, herbs and nutrition appeals to both my heart and my analytical, critical scientific brain. I sought a course in veterinary herbs in 2018, adding that to my practice. I have built on that knowledge and gained a good understanding of Raw and minimally processed canine and feline nutrition and the myriad of supplements that are marketed to pet owners since then. ​​ I have almost finished a two year long Professional diploma in Zoopharmacognosy - Animal Self Selection of plant extracts (essential oils and dry form) - with Caroline Ingraham, the pioneer of this work. This individualised way of approaching healing is fascinating - every animal has unique metabolism, gut biome and diseases, meaning there is not a one size fits all treatment. The key is knowing what to offer for the animal to then self select. My grounding in Veterinary Herbal Medicine has prepared me well for this new approach. ​ I can guide you on the intricacies of vaccines and titre testing, deworming and worm egg counts. I am well read on other chronic diseases - especially thyroid disease and have read lots of recent research that is emerging around the topic of spaying bitches and castrating dogs…or not. Ovary sparing spay and vasectomy may well be the future. ​ I regularly network with local trainers and behaviourists, who often see an animal presenting with a behaviour or training problem that is actually in pain. I can carry out detailed pain assessments including off lead gait analysis and free-work in my fully fenced garden. The peace of being the only animal on the premises reduces anxiety and adrenaline, which so often masks pain in a veterinary clinic setting. My fingers have located painful areas that have exactly matched the findings on a subsequent MRI scan. ​ I also network with local animal chiropractors, physiotherapists, hydrotherapists and myotherapists and am able to help you choose the most appropriate care package for your pet at that time and stage. ​ Cats are usually very amenable to acupuncture, owners are amazed at how they become calm and sit still accepting the tiny needles really well. Cats are almost always very good acupuncture responders. ​ Seeing my acupuncture clients regularly through the final years of their lives, I came to the realisation that owners worried about the end of life care for their pet, wanting a peaceful ending at home surrounded by familiarity and love. Changing times in the veterinary profession, and scarcity of vets in some areas has made access to home visits in a timely fashion sometimes difficult to obtain. So I decided to make this my specialty. I have jumped through a lot of hoops to be able to offer this service to local pet owners and completed an in depth training course from the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy. I dedicate over an hour to these appointments and always use sedation prior to the final medicine being given, to gently and peacefully end life. Holistic Vet Norfolk can assist you around the decision making about burial or cremation, having personally visited all the local independent pet crematoria in Norfolk. I will make any keepsakes that you would like, from ink paw prints, to nose impressions for making into a keyring/jewellery, to playdoh paw prints. Fur clippings can be left with you in a little bag also. I then leave you with some essential oil blends to help you with your grief and we provide support materials and phone support afterwards to help you travel the path without your beloved pet. When I'm not working with clients or walking the dog, I am running the business, carrying out even more learning, or coaching and rowing on the River Yare. For relaxation I crochet snowflakes or knit socks!