Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

Totton Vets is searching for an experienced veterinary surgeon to join their growing small animal practice in Hampshire. This is a daytime-only role with a 4-day week and just one in four Saturday mornings (9 am–12 pm)—giving you genuine work-life balance and freedom to enjoy your weekends. You’ll work alongside Judith, an Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery with postgraduate qualifications in emergency medicine, soft tissue surgery, and orthopaedics, plus a dedicated team of nurses with over 50 years of combined experience.

The practice has built a reputation for accepting referrals and managing complex cases, including advanced soft tissue surgeries and orthopaedic work. With an exotic interest (Judith holds a degree in Zoology), you’ll encounter an interesting and varied caseload—from routine consultations to raccoons and skunks. The practice is perfectly positioned on the edge of the New Forest, just west of Southampton, offering a great location for those who love the outdoors.

Your schedule is designed for sustainability: morning consultations (9 am–12 pm), operations (11 am–2 pm), a proper lunch break, afternoon consultations from 3 pm, and home by 6:30 pm. With no out-of-hours duties, your evenings and most weekends are genuinely yours.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide small animal consultations and routine surgical procedures within a supportive team environment
• Manage occasional sole charge shifts with confidence, supported by Judith’s expertise and the wider team
• Contribute to the practice’s referral work, particularly in areas of orthopaedics or advanced soft tissue surgery
• Build and develop clinical interests—whether in medical cases, imaging, cardiology, or exotic species—with full practice support and investment in CPD
• Work collaboratively with an experienced RVN team (including Head Nurse Dawn and RVN Debbie) and support student nurses in a designated Nurse Training Practice
• Deliver quality patient care aligned with the practice’s reputation for excellence and community focus

Requirements

• Qualified veterinary surgeon (MRCVS) with confident consulting and surgical skills
• Comfortable with occasional sole charge work
• Experienced vet ready to take the next step in your career
• Medical bias or keen interest in imaging or cardiology highly desirable (but not essential)
• Passion for exotics a bonus—but not required if your focus lies elsewhere
• Willingness to grow clinically within a supportive, invested practice environment

Benefits

• Salary: £45,000–£65,000 depending on experience
• 5 weeks’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Generous CPD allowance with certificate support to advance your professional qualifications
• RCVS, VDS, and BVA fees paid in full
• Annual car park pass provided
• Life assurance (4× salary)
• Exclusive discounts at Pets at Home, Groom Room, and Vet Group
• 4-day working week with genuine work-life balance
• No out-of-hours duties—evenings and most weekends free

About the Practice

Vets4Pets Totton was established 7 years ago with a mission to be part of the local community, and it has achieved strong client retention as a result. The practice operates under Pets at Home management guidance but retains full autonomy over day-to-day clinical work, drawing on 30 years of experience across its leadership. The team is genuinely collaborative: Judith (Practice Owner and Advanced Practitioner), experienced full-time vet support, regular locum Roxanne, Head Nurse Dawn, RVNs Debbie and Erin (who holds a Zoology degree), VCAs Katie and Ellie (beginning nurse training in September), and a three-person reception team.

The practice is well-equipped with ASIF kit, air drill, BOAS surgery instrumentation, dental X-ray, ultrasound, Tonopen, and a multiparameter monitor. It benefits from peripatetic orthopaedic surgeons (including RATA) for in-house treatment and maintains relationships with local specialist referral centres. As a designated Nurse Training Practice, Totton Vets actively invests in staff development and mentorship. The location—edge of the New Forest, near Southampton and the coast—offers an enviable balance of professional opportunity and lifestyle.