6:30am. Out of bed! Time to feed her own pets: 3 Dogs, 6 cats, 2 bunnies, and a pair of ponies. Plus, 100 fish in the garden pond.

7:30am. A good vet is a problem solver. Animal patients don't talk and can't tell you where it hurts. So Paula starts her problem solving day with a crossword puzzle and a little sudoko over a light breakfast. “You're never really off duty, especially when it comes to difficult cases. You're always analyzing in the back of your mind, thinking of different approaches to a problem, finding ways to restore health to your patients.” Paula points out.

8:30am. Paula arrives at the surgery and checks her patients with the nurse. She checks for any notes left by the night-duty vet. Paula explains: “We do all of our own night duty. It's shared out between the vets who work at Hollyoak.” In doing so, she is bucking the current trend in the profession that sees owners travel to a central emergency facility for any night or weekend emergencies. Paula added: “We don't want our clients to drive extra miles with a very sick animal. It's important to limit stress in emergency situations – both for the animal and for their owners. We know our patients and their histories. We have the equipment, the expertise and all of the patient records at hand. If it costs us a little sleep, we can rest knowing that we are there for our patients when they need us most. “

9:00am It's time for morning consultations. Many are for vaccinations, boosters, worming and flea treatment. A dog comes in with a torn ligament in his knee and he is booked in for an operation tomorrow.

10:30am Time for a quick tea break while checking the results from Hollyoak's in-house laboratory.

11:00am Operations begin. All of the patients have been given a sedative with pain relief to relax them prior to receiving a general anesthetic for surgery. The first two are routine procedures. One is a lump removal from an elderly dog. This will be sent to a specialist laboratory for a pathologist to examine. We'll get a report back in a few days, then decide on further treatment if needed. The second 'op' is a cat spay. "These are everyday procedures for us, but still a time of anxiety for the owner. We never forget this, and all patients receive our best care no matter how major or minor the operation" , Paula adds.

Noon The next operation is more complicated. A 'westie' called James has been vomiting for several days and is now thin and weak. Blood tests originally led to a diagnosis of kidney failure. Standard treatments didn't improve his condition, so his owner brought him to Paula for a second opinion. One of a vet's best tools are an experienced pair of hands and Paula feels a foreign body in the gut. "It's got to come out." James' vomiting is a reaction to a blockage in his intestine. An hour and a half later the plastic monster head is removed along with a damaged section of gut which was about to rupture. It probably would have killed him.

2:00pm Time for lunch while waiting for James to wake up from his anesthetic. A check of the computer diary shows there's an interview at 2:30pm. A local girl is applying for work experience. Paula will ask why she wants to work with animals and wonders if there's a future vet in the making. She has a smile on her face – probably thinking about her first interview as a schoolgirl at the local vet surgery.

2:15pm Call owner to report that James is awake. The surgery has been successful! He is lying comfortably on a heated bed, and if all goes well he will be back home tomorrow.

3:30pm Meeting with a drug company representative who goes through a new line of medications that promise a quicker recovery for several common illnesses. Paula gets regular updates on new medications and procedures.

4:00pm Evening consultations begin. One is a lovely male cat named 'Sam'. His owner brought him in two weeks ago when he was suddenly unable to use his back legs. An examination and x-ray showed there was no injury to the bone structure as may have occurred in a road accident. His legs were very cold with no pulse detectable so the diagnosis was a blood clot preventing proper circulation. A course of clot busting medications was prescribed. It was nice to see him walking around again. He's still slightly wobbly but he can get around and jump up to the window sill to watch the outside world go by.

6:30pm End of surgery and time to 'relax' and check tomorrow's diary. 'Mr. Biggles', a big white rabbit, has a common problem. Rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout the animal’s life. Sometimes they don't meet at the right angle to wear down and sharp 'spurs' develop which cut the mouth. The bunny stops eating and deteriorates very quickly. His owner, who works at Vision Park, will drop him off in the morning and pick him up after work. Paula said: “I made sure Hollyoak had the newest and best dental equipment I could find. Sound teeth are essential for good animal health and longevity”.

7:00pm Tonight is Paula's turn for night duty. Calls can come in at any time – emergencies don't keep to normal business hours. Sometimes, it's just advice that's needed by an anxious pet owner. Sometimes it's a life or death emergency at 3am. Hopefully tonight will be quiet. Whatever the hour, she and her staff are ready. "It's our job!"