I am not sure how the higher educational system works in the UK, so my idea may not work. However, is there anything like a community college where you could take a few classes, maybe things like anatomy or biology to get your feet wet and see how things go? I know there are city colleges and community colleges in the US that let you sign up for one or two classes.

Best of luck. My ex studied to be a vet technician, which sounds like the equivalent in this country. He combined that with a dog grooming course which made him well positioned to find work at vet clinics that also offered grooming services.