Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Inspiring Vet Care; Southampton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

6.6 weeks holiday

Private medical insurance

Enhanced family leave and pay

BVA membership

RCVS fees

Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes

Retail discounts

Reduced-cost veterinary care

Job summary

inspiring vet care is seeking a Veterinary Surgeon to join our small animal team in Southampton. Our varied GP caseload emphasises building relationships with clients and following patients throughout their journey, with routine first opinion work, some dental cases, and occasional emergencies.

The role offers supportive colleagues, modern facilities, and opportunities to develop certificates or special interests.

Qualifications

• GP caseload experience with small animal patients.
• Strong client communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Work on a varied small animal caseload with cats, dogs and other small companion animals.
• Provide routine first opinion care and dentistry where appropriate; some emergencies may arise.
• Collaborate with a supportive team and pursue certificates or clinical interests as you develop.

Job description

Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Christopher Carter Vets - Southampton

Salary up to £75,000 DOE, up to £5,000 welcome bonus and relocation allowance up to £5,000

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK's number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Christopher Carter Vets - Southampton

Salary up to £75,000 DOE, up to £5,000 welcome bonus and relocation allowance up to £5,000

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK's number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

Christopher Carter Vets, part of ivc, are looking for a Veterinary Surgeon to join our friendly and supportive team. Established for over 45 years, we’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with our clients and the continuity of care we provide to our patients.

A Varied GP Caseload

Our caseload is predominantly cats and dogs, alongside a growing number of rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and even the occasional chicken. There is a slight bias towards consultations, making this a great role for a vet who enjoys getting to know their clients, building lasting relationships and following their patients throughout their journey with us.

There’s plenty of routine first opinion work alongside some emergency cases. We also see a number of dental cases, so an interest in dentistry would be beneficial but not essential.

If consulting is where you really enjoy spending your time, we’re also open to consult-only vets.

A Team That Has Your Back

You’ll be joining a stable team of six vets, eight RVNs and SVNs, three receptionists and our Director of Practice/RVN. We’re a close-knit team who genuinely enjoy working together and supporting one another.

Our experienced nursing team is hands-on and works closely alongside our vets, so you’ll always have plenty of support around you when you need it.

Facilities to Support Your Practice

Based in a converted house just outside Shirley, our practice has an in-house laboratory, X-ray including dental X-ray, ultrasound, ECG, multiparameters and diathermy. We also have great links with our two closest referral hospitals, giving you access to additional support whenever needed.

Develop Your Career With Us

We already have a certificate holder in Small Animal Surgery within the practice and would be happy to support another vet looking to pursue a certificate. Whether you have a particular area you’d like to develop or simply want to continue building your GP experience, we’re happy to support your ambitions.

A Work-Life Balance That Works

This is a full-time role over four days, with 1:4 Saturday mornings (9am-12pm) on a sole-charge basis. We’re also happy to consider part-time applicants working 30+ hours per week.

How We’ll Support You

At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Clear career pathways with progression opportunities across primary care, referral, leadership, and specialist roles
• Funded learning and development including CPD allowance and access to IVC academy training centres & role-relevant courses
• £1,250 annual Care Fund for every vet
• Access to mentors, regional clinical coaches, and peer networks
• Support to develop clinical interests and expand your capabilities
• A collaborative, values-led culture focused on care, community, and continuous improvement

What We Offer Our Team

• 6.6 weeks’ holiday including bank holidays
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced family leave and pay across maternity, paternity, adoption and surrogacy
• BVA membership, VDS cover & RCVS fees
• Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes (eligibility applies)
• Retail discounts and cashback offers
• Reduced-cost veterinary care for your own pets

We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Up to £75,000 pa DOE