João, who graduated from Portugal’s Oporto University in 2009, was recruited from the University of Liverpool, where he was a lecturer in Small Animal Cardiology.
Willows Clinical Director Toby Gemmill said: "This is an exciting time for us. As part of our new extension, our state-of-the-art cardiology suite is now open and fully operational, while we have also appointed a hugely knowledgeable and experienced cardiologist to join the team.
"It is further evidence of our continued commitment to invest in top talent and the best facilities so we can provide the highest standards of care and treatment."
João said: "I’m very pleased to have joined a centre of excellence like Willows and to be working in the fantastic new cardiology suite.
"I enjoy all aspects of medical and interventional cardiology but I have a particular interest in feline cardiomyopathies, cardiorenal syndrome and atrial fibrillation."
Ines, who graduated from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain in 2001, has spent the last seven years working at universities in America, Australia and Europe. She undertook her PhD in MR spectroscopy of the brain in dogs at the University of Bern-Zurich in Switzerland. She has a Masters in Radiology from University of Glasgow. She has also worked at the University of Illinois and Sydney University.
Willows clinical director Toby Gemmill said: "Ines is highly qualified and highly regarded, so is a very welcome addition to our talented imaging team. Her experience of working around the world will also be a terrific asset to the practice."
Ines said: "I am very happy and honoured to be joining Willows and to now be part of such a great diagnostic imaging team. "This is a well-known centre of excellence and I’m really looking forward to helping deliver the first class care and treatment that Willows always aims to provide."
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
Shockwave therapy, or Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) to give it its full nomenclature, sends mechanical shock waves into the affected area to stimulate the natural healing process by triggering the body’s own repair mechanisms.
The therapy is being spearheaded at Willows by Kinley Smith (pictured right), an RCVS and European specialist in small animal surgery. He said: "Shockwave therapy is a whole new line of treatment and has proved a spectacular success.
"It’s an excellent technique for dealing with certain orthopaedic conditions and there’s no invasive surgery, no wound to heal and no risk of infection so it really is a win-win-win procedure.
"It is particularly effective in the treatment of ligament and tendon injuries.
"There can be immediate pain relief for the dog; after two weeks we start to see lasting benefits and in four weeks we normally see a clear improvement.
"The added bonuses are we can normally reduce any medication; the dog can enjoy more exercise plus it is not as costly as undergoing an operation.
"Surgery is still essential in some of the more acute, problematic cases but shockwave therapy has been a terrific development in helping us provide an alternative treatment in a lot of soft tissue, muscle and bone conditions."
Davies says pulmonic stenosis is one of the most common congenital heart defects in dogs. In most cases it is caused by a malformation of the pulmonic valve with fusion of the leaflets (type A stenosis) or with the presence of rudimentary valves accompanied by hypoplasia of the annulus (type B stenosis).
Dogs with severe stenosis are at risk of sudden death, heart failure and have a decreased survival time in comparison to normal dogs.
Minimally invasive catheter based procedures (balloon valvuloplasty) have become the treatment of choice for valvular pulmonic stenosis, with good results in most but not all cases. French Bulldogs are predisposed to the condition and tend to not respond to valvuloplasty as well as other dogs.1
In this case, the dog was first referred to Pedro Oliveira, RCVS and European Veterinary Specialist in Small Animal Cardiology at Davies, for treatment of severe pulmonic stenosis.
An echocardiogram confirmed the presence of a type B stenosis accompanied by marked right ventricular hypertrophy and also an atrial septal defect.
A standard balloon valvuloplasty procedure was performed without complications and the dog initially showed improvement (click image right to enlarge). Soon after, however, she began to suffer episodes of weakness and collapse and was readmitted.
An echocardiogram showed that the right ventricular obstruction had worsened.
Pedro said: "Re-stenosis has been reported in up to 16% of cases following balloon valvuloplasty and in this case it was suspected to be due to the formation of scar tissue in the valve leaflets. The pressures inside the right side of the heart were now higher than left allowing blood to flow through the atrial septal defect from the right to the left atrium directly without receiving oxygen from the lungs.
"Whenever Gracie got excited or tried to exercise she would go 'blue' from lack of oxygen and collapse. In fact her quality of life was so poor that euthanasia was suggested at that point. For this reason we decided we should attempt this novel procedure. The only other option would have been open-chest surgery (patch graft) but this held a higher risk of complications during the anaesthesia and even death. Also, the cost of surgery would have been higher than this new option."
Pedro performed the procedure with fellow Davies cardiologist, Jose Matos, while Antonia Mavropoulou guided them using transoesophageal echocardiography.
Under a general anaesthetic the heart structure was assessed using transoesophageal echocardiography and angiography to choose the correct size of the stent for Gracie.
An 8mm wide and 4cm long stainless steel catheter tightly mounted on a balloon was chosen.
This was then positioned across the pulmonic valve and the balloon was expanded forcing the stent to open up to its full size (figure 2B). There was an immediate and significant improvement of blood flow through the stent (figure 2C), the patient recovered well and she was discharged four days later.
Re-examination after three months showed improved flow across the stent and a reversal of the right to left shunting across the atrial septal defect. Gracie stopped experiencing episodes of collapse or cyanosis and is now able to exercise and lead a more normal life.
Pedro said: "This technique has been used in very few cases in the whole world and to the best of our knowledge this is the first time it has been used in the UK.
"It is more technically challenging and costly than a standard ballooning although it may provide an effective, safe, and cheaper alternative to patch graft surgery. In this particular case we feel it made an important difference in terms of quality of life and prognosis for Gracie.
Reference
NDSR’s European Specialist in neurology and neurosurgery Niklas Bergknut is performing the surgery.
He said: "This type of surgery for dogs is not performed in many clinics across the country.
"The pituitary gland is, of course, a very small gland which is very close to the brain, so it requires considerable expertise to perform the operation, followed by a lot of after-care to help the animal recover properly after surgery.
"The pituitary gland produces hormones which are essential for life, so it is then vital to constantly monitor the dog, its blood, hormones and fluid levels both during surgery and for a longer period after surgery.
"Although surgery may be challenging, the aftercare can be even more challenging and requires very skilled internal medicine specialists to manage the patients after surgery.
"Our medics and nurses carry out various blood tests and manage the fluid balance every hour after surgery and all the way through to the dog going home.
"Every department in the hospital has to work closely together to ensure the best possible treatment and the best possible outcome."
Niklas, who learned the technique from Bjorn Meij, Professor of Surgery at the University of Utrecht, described how the operation is performed. He said: "We go in through the mouth, up through the soft palate and into the underside of the cranium. Then you drill a little hole to access the tumour that way.
"It is obviously essential to make sure you are in exactly the right place or the outcome could be disastrous.
"It is also important to operate as early as possible before the tumour gets too big.
"Trying to remove a big tumour is more difficult and holds greater risks because of the damage that can be done to the surrounding brain in attempting to remove the tumour."
Niklas says that if surgery is successful, the results are impressive, with most dogs making a full recovery and not suffering any recurrence of the tumours, a better outcome than treating the dogs with traditional methods such as radiotherapy.
He added: "Removing the tumour like this is the only way of permanently treating tumours of this type. Radiotherapy is very good too but there is a much larger likelihood of the tumour growing back."
For more information, visit www.ndsr.co.uk.
The 18,000 sq ft centre's facilities include a £1 million imaging suite with state-of-the-art MRI and CT scanners, five operating theatres and extensive kennelling facilities and cat wards. It is also equipped with fluoroscopy equipment with additional mobile C-arm, mobile digital radiography, a Phaco machine and Mindray WATO anaesthetic equipment.
A total of up to 80 staff will be employed at Paragon, including up to 18 referral veterinary surgeons and 32 nurses. Treatment will include ophthalmology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, cardiology, neurology, medicine, oncology and dermatology.
The centre, which is part of Dewsbury-based Calder Vets, which has 12 practices across Yorkshire, is being led by managing director Ian Monteith and clinical director Adam Bell.
Adam said: "The opening of Paragon is the culmination of an 18-month project to bring the very best quality referral veterinary centre here to Wakefield.
"We’re delighted to open our doors and the team here at Paragon Veterinary Referrals are totally committed to, and looking forward to, providing excellent care for patients using the latest veterinary techniques."
For more information about the services Paragon will be offering, and for details of the vacancies on offer at the vet centre, as well as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk.
In one case, Tigga, a 17-year-old cat with an itchy and destructive tumour on her nose, was in complete remission within 44 days. In another case, a tumour vanished in a dog where the aim of the treatment was only to shrink the mass before an operation to remove it.
NDSR, which is based in Bletchingley, is the only referral centre in the UK and one of very few in the world offering electrochemotherapy in pets.
Electrochemotherapy is given in two stages.
First, the patient is given a mild dose of intravenous chemotherapy in the normal way and then, using a probe, a precise electrical charge is given to the area on or around the tumour.
This temporarily opens up tiny holes in the cells, big enough to allow the drug to enter, which then close again in microseconds. This means the drug will only attack cancerous cells, unlike normal chemotherapy, which also kills healthy cells.
Gerry Polton, clinical director of oncology at NDSR, said: "Normal chemotherapy works on the principle of being more damaging to cancer than non-cancerous tissue. Some cancers are more resilient, so there are differences in how they respond to treatment, and this can cause more harm to the patient.
"Electrochemotherapy involves clever anatomical targeting of a specific site and is an effective way of protecting healthy cells.
"The results we are seeing in cases like Tigga’s are unprecedented and we are learning about the procedure all the time. We are always looking for better ways of treating cancer without the effect of harming the patient indiscriminately and this has proved to be a very effective way of doing this."
According to NDSR, the results could help inform the development of the targeted treatment in humans, where electrochemotherapy is used in a small number of cases in the NHS.
At present, many clinical trials are carried out on laboratory animals which are bred with no immune system – but dogs have similarities in genetics to humans and have working immune systems, meaning they can provide a more accurate parallel for how the treatment may work in people.
Gerry said: "A pet dog would be a good model for human cancer studies. It's a mammal with a heartbeat, blood supply and working immune system.
"Progress with electrochemotherapy in animals is being made in parallel with progress in electrochemotherapy in the human field, and what we are learning may even inform what is happening in people.
"Electrochemotherapy is a form of treatment which Cancer Research UK describe as 'fairly new' on its website, with limited information about its effectiveness. So maybe something would be gained from learning together."
The award has been granted to only a handful of practices and requires the achievement of high standards of care and a detailed understanding of the species.
Highcroft has three dedicated exotic species veterinary surgeons, including a European small mammal Specialist and four exotic species nurses, who have either obtained or are studying for their City and Guilds Exotic Species Veterinary Nursing Certificate.
The practice has a dedicated exotic species consulting room, waiting room, ward and an operating theatre, containing state-of-the-art equipment.
In addition to treating rabbits, both vets and nurses in the exotic species team lecture widely to promote the importance of providing a high standard of care to rabbits and to ensure that their welfare is optimised.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS heads the exotic species team at Highcroft. A European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, she said: "We are very proud to have been awarded Gold Status by the RWAF. We will continue to enhance the level of care we provide, not just to rabbits but to all exotic species and strive to improve the welfare of all animals under our care, in hospital and at home."
Domingo, pictured on the left with Southfields clinical director Henry L’Eplattenier, will join the Essex referral centre as head of cardiopulmonary service at the start of February.
After qualifying in Zaragoza in his native Spain, Domingo completed an internship and several years in practice in the UK, before joining the University of Bristol small animal hospital as a resident.
He then completed a three-year training programme in small animal internal medicine, followed by a four-year programme in cardiology to become an RCVS diplomate and specialist in veterinary cardiology and small animal internal medicine (ECVIM).
After being appointed as head of cardiology and respiratory medicine at Bristol, Domingo joined Dick White Referrals before his move to Southfields.
Domingo said: "I’m delighted to be joining such a progressive and forward-thinking practice as Southfields. It is clear everyone at the practice is dedicated to continuing its growth and dedication to providing the highest possible level of care."
Southfields’ operations manager Daniel Hogan said: "The arrival of Domingo adds another hugely talented specialist to our growing team of experts. He is, without doubt, at the top of his profession and his passion and dedication are traits which will fit perfectly at Southfields as we continue to grow."
Domingo is also a visiting lecturer in cardiology and respiratory medicine at the Catholic University of Valencia, while he is an active clinical researcher and has published widely in many areas of cardiology and respiratory medicine. His areas of special interest are arrhythmias and interventional cardiology.
For more information about Southfields Veterinary Specialists, go to www.southfields.co.uk.
The practice is one of few in the UK to use radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, which, it says, has an average, a 95% success rate in treating cats with hyperthyroidism.
Stephanie Lalor MRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine at Willows said: "The new therapy is non-invasive and is the gold standard of treatment for cats with hyperthyroidism. It is safe and highly effective and a single injection can be curative. Patients do need to be screened for their suitability and ideally they are treated with medical therapy prior to the RAI.
"Due to the radioactive nature of the treatment, patients must stay with us for 15 days after the injection. Our patients stay in luxury cat condos during their hospitalisation and their day-to-day care is over-seen by our lead radioactive iodine nurse, Vicky Maund."
The new unit is part of a £1 million investment in Willows which includes a dedicated operating theatre for minimally invasive procedures, a range of specialist treatment rooms and more than 40 new kennels.
Toby Gemmill, clinical director at Willows, said: "We are already extremely well placed to offer a wide variety of specialist treatments and this extension has provided us with the space to expand our services further. The new radioactive iodine unit is very exciting and allows us to build on our gold level cat-friendly clinic status."
Brigite said: "We are leading an international multi-centre study to further investigate the impact of this heart disorder on the quality of life and life expectancy of affected dogs.
"This is an extremely important research project, so we need the co-operation of referring vets in the area to send cases to us to be included in the study. Clearly, the more cases we can assess then the more we can learn and the more we can help.
"The hope is this study will revolutionise the way in which this condition is treated in dogs around the world, both improving their day-to-day lives as well as giving them longer at home with their families."
For more information, visit: www.willows.uk.net
A graduate of University College Dublin, Richard started out in first opinion practice after completing an internship at the University of Glasgow.
While studying medicine, Richard researched mast cell tumours in dogs, which led to an MSc in clinical Oncology. He went on to complete a PhD on mast cell tumours at the Royal Veterinary College in 2008.
Richard works with referral oncology patients and clients two days a week at LVS and currently spends the rest of his working week as an oncology consultant for IDEXX Laboratories.
From February, Richard will also be working at Southfield Veterinary Specialists in Laindon, Essex, thereby allowing him to refer oncology patients for radiation therapy at Southfields when necessary.
Richard said: "Having never been comfortable with operating myself, working with a team of this calibre and experience in a welcoming environment within central London was very attractive. It has been a very fulfilling role for me, especially as both our team and the scope of the services we can offer continue to expand.
"Given the high standard of care offered by local vets in the area, the patients referred to LVS are often very challenging. Together with our clients’ high expectations, the service is definitely not run-of-the-mill but all the more rewarding because of that.
"I’m looking forward to bringing my experience in both research and clinical spheres to LVS."
Richard’s main professional interests are mast cell tumours, novel diagnostics and immunotherapeutics, but he is experienced in all aspects of veterinary oncology and can also offer advice about internal medicine cases.
Sylvie, a four-month-old Maine Coon, was referred to NDSR with a loud heart murmur. Scans revealed she was suffering from a severe obstruction on the right side of her heart which was steadily becoming worse.
Her condition, double chambered right ventricle, is very rare and, until now, could only be corrected by open heart surgery. However, NDSR specialist cardiologist João Loureiro believed this would be too much of a risk for frail Sylvie, so he opted for a cutting balloon angioplasty which had never been applied to cats before because their hearts are so small.
He and fellow cardiology specialist Joel Silva carried out the procedure, which involved inserting two balloons on a wire into a vein in Sylvie’s neck and on to her heart. The first had four cutting blades, which were manipulated to score the obstruction before the second was gently inflated in order to relieve it. After the wire and balloons had been removed, the incision in Sylvie’s neck required just two stitches and within 48 hours she was well enough to return home.
A subsequent scan showed the level of obstruction had been reduced from severe to mild and her owner, Dr Bob Baxter, described her as “much more lively”.
João, who has a special interest in the treatment of congenital heart disease in small animals, said the decision to perform the interventional ballooning was made because of the risks of open heart surgery and the recent development of veterinary applications of the cutting balloon technique.
João said: "As Sylvie’s condition was so rare, wider application of the technique is limited in terms of the number of cats which could benefit from it. However, it is extremely relevant to those individuals who are affected and could be of use in the treatment of other, more common, conditions."
Joel said: "Cutting balloon angioplasty is routinely used in human medicine for treating narrowed and stiffened blood vessels and has recently been adapted to treat a heart condition in dogs but we believe this may be the first time it has been used to treat this condition in a cat."
The practice has also strengthened its surgery services with the appointment of Dr Delphine Holopherne-Doran, European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Ivan graduated from Bristol University in 1997. He worked in Hertfordshire before completing a surgical residency under the tutelage of Professor Peter Holt at Bristol University. Ivan has worked in referral centres in the UK and France. He is an RCVS Diplomate in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery and a Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery. Before joining Highcroft, he spent six years working as a senior staff surgeon at Bristol University.
Ed graduated from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in 1996. He worked in a mixed practice in Buckinghamshire before undertaking training positions at the RVC, University of Liverpool and the University of Cambridge. He passed the specialist Diploma examinations of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2003. He has previously been a senior surgeon and member of academic staff at the University of Bristol and has worked in private referral practice.
Delphine graduated from Maisons-Alfort (Paris) Vet School in 1998. After working as an equine vet, where she developed an interest in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, she returned to vet school in Nantes where she ran the Anaesthesia department for 11 years. During this time, she gained a Master’s degree and a PhD in cardiovascular pharmacology and completed a residency, gaining European board certification in anaesthesia and analgesia, which led her to visit and train in universities around the world.
Highcroft Hospital Director Mr Chris Mayers said: “Ivan and Ed bring a wealth of experience in urinary tract surgery and, in particular, in urinary incontinence to Highcroft. The most common presentations are juvenile animals with ectopic ureters or urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (post-spay incontinence). Ivan and Ed offer an innovative, minimally-invasive procedure using cystoscopically-guided laser ablation for patients with intramural ectopic ureters. Interventional radiology techniques are also a major interest for the team providing new, minimally-invasive solutions for intrahepatic shunts. The two surgeons have firmly adopted Subcutaneous Ureteral Bypass Systems (SUBS) in treating cats with ureteral obstruction, typically caused by calculi.
"Delphine adds world-class expertise in anaesthesia and analgesia and is already making a huge contribution to our hospital. With a high degree of skill in managing cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology cases, Delphine boosts our ability to support highly challenging and complex patients. Her knowledge of the use of local and region blocks for treating highly challenging pain cases and the anaesthesia of complex cardiovascular patients provides outstanding care for patients and promotes the highest standard in analgesia."
Highcroft Veterinary Group is based at 615 Wells Road, Whitchurch, Bristol and can be contacted on 01275 832410.
Instead of conducting major open surgery, Chris Shales, an RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, Andrew Kent, a European Specialist in Internal Medicine, and the cardiology team at Willows are using coil embolization, a minimally invasive technique which they say is far safer and less likely to lead to post-operative complications.
The procedure involves threading tiny coils, via the jugular vein, through the venous system and positioning them in the blood vessel that needs to be closed. The coils encourage the blood to form a clot and so, over time, seal the vein.
Chris said: "This procedure of treating intrahepatic portosystemic shunts is associated with a lower risk of mortality and a lower surgical morbidity rate when comparted to open surgery. The overall outcome of the two approaches is similar in terms of reduction of flow through the shunt vessel.
"Access is gained via a small incision in the neck to allow the team to operate on the liver via the jugular vein using fluoroscopy to visualise the placement of a stent within the vena cava and embolization coils within the abnormal vessel.
"Intrahepatic shunts can be extremely challenging for the surgical team to access with the result that standard, open surgical treatment of these abnormal vessels can risk life-threatening complications and animals can require a significant time to recover."
For more information about shunt surgery at Willows, contact Chris Shales or Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialist Andrew Kent on 0121 712 7070 or email enquiries@willows.uk.net.
Photo: Chris Shales, left, with Andrew Kent, centre, and cardiologist Mike Martin ('pass me a gin and tonic, would you').
Headed by Esteban Gonzalez-Gasch, a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, the new department enables the practice to undertake a wide range of complex small animal procedures.
Injuries and conditions treated include fracture fixation, including complex and simple fractures; cruciate disease, including tibial osteotomies and extracapsular repair; arthroscopy; arthrodesis of chronically painful joints; elbow dysplasia; lameness investigation in adults and juveniles; treatment of growth deformities including distraction osteogenesis; osteoarthritis and musculo-skeletal neoplasia.
Esteban, who joined Southfields earlier this year from the leading Spanish veterinary hospital Ars Veterinaria, in Barcelona, said: "These new facilities really do put Southfields at the cutting edge of 21st century veterinary science and practice in the UK."
Southfields is also carrying out a full refurbishment of its existing facilities and recruiting a number of additional specialist veterinary surgeons, nurses and support staff.
Southfields’ operations manager Daniel Hogan said: "This is a very exciting period for us. We are growing in every possible area and working more closely with referring practices to continue to develop our bespoke and exceptional service for patients and clients.
"Our aim is aspiring and simple: to create the very best referral centre possible by bringing together the expertise of the very best of veterinary professionals supported by the very latest in technological innovation."
As well as orthopaedics, the practice accepts referrals in soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, oncology, neurology, feline medicine and cardiology. For more information, go to www.southfields.co.uk.
Massimo (pictured left) qualified from Bologna Vet School in 1990 and spent two decades working as a specialist in veterinary neurology in Italy and Germany, following a three-year residency in neurology and neurosurgery at Bern in Switzerland.He has also spent almost 20 years lecturing at universities in Italy, including ten years as head of neurosurgery and advanced neurology diagnostics.
He said: "During my career I’ve spent short amounts of time in the UK and once I was aware of the opportunity to work with Northwest Veterinary Specialists, I jumped at the chance to move here.
"It has a fantastic reputation in providing the very best care to pets, and the recent investment in state-of-the-art facilities means we can offer the very best service to patients.
"I have a particular interest in continually improving our work around brain and spinal surgery and biopsies, and will be further researching technology and techniques to support treatment of epilepsy in pets."
Luca, who is currently a member of the Examinations Committee of the European College of Veterinary Neurology, also qualified in Italy (in 2007) at the University of Perugia, before moving to England where he completed his internship program in small animal medicine & surgery in 2009. He gained residency at a multi disciplinary referral hospital in the UK and was awarded the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) in 2012.
Luca has authored scientific papers in peer reviewed international journals and he has also been a reviewer for the Journal of Small Animal Practice and for the BMC Veterinary Research.
He said: "We’ll be focusing on changing the way we do neurosurgery to ensure the pets referred to us receive the very best treatment for their condition.
"We often see patients with intervertebral disc disease and epilepsy, and I’m looking to increase work around my main interests, including surgery of the central nervous system and epilepsy."
Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists said: "This year we’ve been making significant investment in our facilities and people, so it’s fantastic to be able to attract two experienced neurology specialists in Luca and Massimo,” said Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists.
"Luca and Massimo’s appointments clearly demonstrate our emphasis on creating teams of experienced and extremely knowledgeable specialists across the centre."
B&W operates an integrated practice based around a multi-disciplinary referral hospital in Breadstone, Gloucestershire, with additional clinics in Cardiff, Gloucestershire and Bristol. The group employs more than 30 veterinary surgeons, including seven diploma holders, and offers a full range of services, including what it says is the most comprehensive equine imaging service in the UK.
Ian Camm, Managing Director of B&W, will continue in the role of Equine Regional Director for the South West at CVS. He said: "We are excited about life within CVS and see many opportunities for our staff both within B&W and within the wider Equine Division at CVS. We look forward to working with the CVS team to realise the potential the partnership offers to members of our team and to further developing B&W as an equine veterinary centre of excellence."
Simon Innes, Chief Executive at CVS, said: "Our Equine Division has grown rapidly over the last 18 months because we offer an ambitious and exciting vision for the future of equine practice. B&W is one of the UK’s premier equine practices and we are delighted to welcome the team to CVS and look forward to working with them to help them build an even more successful future."
The practice has assembled a team of post-graduate certificate holding veterinary surgeons, supporting specialists, nurses and front-of-house staff to offer a comprehensive range of services, including advanced orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery and outpatient diagnostic imaging.
In order to make its service more accessible, the practice has also developed a number of innovative aspects to its service, including a 'fixed price fix', a guaranteed 'same week solution' and an interest-free credit payment option.
Lead veterinary surgeon Ross Allan (pictured right) said: "We consider the launch of Roundhouse Referrals to be one of the most exciting developments in the provision of advanced veterinary services to clients in the West of Scotland for many years.
"While there are existing referral options, we want to remove some of the current challenges that prevent vets and pet owners from accessing these services.
"We all know how frustrating waiting lists can be for vets and their clients, and by creating the 'same week solution' we pledge to arrange an appointment and provide a referral consultation within one week, something we feel will be reassuring to referring vets and clients.
"In addition, we are delighted to improve provision for pet owners with financial restrictions such as low value or no insurance policies. Roundhouse Referrals has been established to address these concerns through the provision of a high quality, highly accessible service and 'same week solution' for referring veterinary practices, and through such services as our 'fixed price fix' and interest free credit.
"Similarly, we are committed to the principle of an easy-to-use service for referring vet and client: price certainty, the personal touch and great communication."
Roundhouse Referrals says it can undertake an extensive range of investigative and surgical orthopaedic procedures including: fracture repair; lameness investigation; growth deformities; arthrodesis; arthroscopic surgery and ligament or tendon injury. Its soft tissue services include: endocrine surgery; ENT; gastrointestinal; hernia surgery; oncological; thoracic; urogenital; vascular; wound management and reconstructive surgeries.
The practice also says it undertakes to work in partnership with referring veterinary practices to provide an easier referral system that will always return satisfied clients to the referring practice.
For further information, contact 0141 649 1316 or visit: www.rhr.vet
Having had a three-month sabbatical working at Fitzpatrick, Jonathan decided to relocate from New Zealand where most recently he'd been Head of the Companion Animal Group at Massey University.
Jonathan said: "My prime passion is working directly with animals and their families in a supportive and exceptional clinical setting. I enjoy pushing boundaries and not accepting the status quo. I want to identify better ways of improving outcomes for patients, and minimising the impact of the disease (or its treatment) on an animal’s quality of life. My sabbatical at Fitzpatrick Referrals exposed me to their tremendous energy and real passion for patient and client care. From the moment the clients walk in the door, I feel there is an embrace that lets people know we truly care and want to do the best for their animal friend. I am looking forward to discovering what we can achieve together. Cancer management is such an important opportunity, with the power to change both animal and human lives positively. The direction and focus of Fitzpatrick Referrals in this area is already incredibly exciting.”
Clinical Director of Oncology and Soft Tissue, Professor Nick Bacon said: "On Jon’s first day of his sabbatical, he jumped right into the team and made an immediate positive impact. He hasn’t looked back. He carries with him such a good energy, which we all absorb and hopefully reflect back. His knowledge of implant design for dealing with defects in the mandible and elsewhere is exceptional and I am looking forward to watching that develop. I am also very pleased that Jon’s wife Sharyn is able to join the team; she is very experienced in the field of advanced imaging in humans, including Fluoroscopy and PET-CT. This is already benefitting our patients as we improve our diagnostic and treatment abilities, and get ready for the future."
Jonathan has active research interests in several clinical areas including soft tissue sarcoma, injection-site sarcoma, endoprosthetics and haemangiosarcoma. He also supports the concept of One Medicine as his PhD research into soft tissue sarcoma, haemangiosarcoma and endoprosthetics has a potential relevance in improving the understanding of treatment paradigms for humans and animals.
Dr Sabela Atencia DVM MVM Dip-ECVIM CA MRCVS is an internal medicine specialist who holds the European Diploma in Small Animal Internal Medicine.
During her research for her Masters degree on muscular dystrophy in the Japanese Spitz breed, she contributed to knowledge of the underlying mutation of the disease, facilitating the development of a genetic test.
Sabela enjoys all aspects of canine and feline Internal Medicine, but is particularly interested in endoscopy, endocrinology and genetics.
Dr Owen Davies MA VetMB MVetMed MANZCVS(SAM) MRCVS, a veterinary medical oncology clinician, holds a Masters degree based on research into canine lymphoma.
Owen is interested in all aspects of medical oncology, especially haematopoietic malignancies, targeted therapy for cancer and paraneoplastic disease. He has recently completed a residency in veterinary oncology at the Royal Veterinary College and has just passed the DACVIM examinations in Oncology.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS is a European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.
She was the first veterinary surgeon to undertake the European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) Residency in Small Mammal Medicine, which she completed at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh.
Elisabetta will lead and further expand the established exotic pet service at the Hospital.
Acting Hospital Director, Professor Stuart Carmichael said: "As we continue to extend the range of services and expertise we offer to our clients, we are delighted to welcome these three distinguished professionals to the team here at Highcroft. They will make a great contribution and it’s great to have them aboard."
Highcroft Veterinary Referrals is based at 615 Wells Road, Whitchurch, Bristol and can be contacted on 01275 832410.
Photo: Left to right: Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli, Dr Owen Davies, Dr Sabela Atencia
Adam, who is one of only 17 ECC Specialists in the UK, will be developing an ECC service at Lumbry Park.
Following graduation and an internship at the Royal Veterinary College, Adam worked in hospital and emergency general practice. He completed his residency in Emergency and Critical Care in 2013 becoming board certified the same year. He also completed a Master’s in Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College.
Adam became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care in 2015. In his most recent role, he was Group Head of Emergency and Intensive Care for four RCVS-Recognised hospitals and branches and oversaw standards of out-of-hours provision to 50+ sites. He also led the development of the first specialist 24-hour veterinary intensive care unit in central London.
Ray Girotti, Hospital Director, said: "Adam will be working with our multi-disciplinary team to offer a dedicated point of contact for emergency referrals, a move which will enhance the provision of critical care for our sickest patients. We are delighted to welcome a Specialist of his calibre to Lumbry Park."
Adam said: "The leadership on all issues relating to patient care shown by CVS’ Clinical Advisory Committee was inspiring and, with its full support, I have been offered an unrivalled opportunity to develop a leading ECC service at Lumbry Park. I’m really looking forward to my new role and to participating on the Clinical Advisory Committee to enhance ECC services right across CVS."
The extension, which is due for completion before the end of the year, will allow the centre to offer a range of new services, including a new radioactive iodine unit for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats, a larger echocardiography suite for cardiac patients, an endoscopy suite, an ophthalmology procedure room, a dedicated operating theatre for minimally invasive procedures and 41 new kennels.
Toby Gemmill, clinical director at Willows, said: "The expansion represents a really exciting time for Willows and has been carefully planned to maximise the space we have available to us.
"We are already extremely well placed to offer a wide variety of specialist treatments and this extension will provide us with the space to build on our gold level cat-friendly clinic status with a radioactive iodine unit for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats, along with dozens of new kennels and range of specialist treatment rooms."
The extension is part of a major investment drive by the Linnaeus Group, of which Willows is a part, which will see it plough around £9 million into its sites across the UK.
Lynne Hill, chief executive of the Linnaeus Group, said: "We are extremely proud of the practices within the group and are fully prepared to support them financially, and in any other way, to ensure they continue to offer the very best facilities and treatment for our clients and patients."
In their report, RCVS assessors highlighted the calm and professional environment at Lumbry Park, which they said, taken together with the enthusiasm of the team provided a very positive overall feel. Its provision of separate dog and cat patient visiting rooms was also singled out as a good use of space and support for clients, especially with the potential for long stay cases.
Lumbry Park Hospital Director Ray Girotti said: "We wanted to participate in the Practice Standards Scheme to benchmark the service we offer to our patients and their owners against the best veterinary hospitals in the country. The whole team has worked together to get us to this stage and we are delighted that our efforts have been recognised by the RCVS with the award of Hospital status."
In 2009, Chiara (pictured right) was the first to be awarded by examination the title of European Veterinary Specialist in Oncology after completing a one-year small animal internship at the University of Glasgow and a three-year residency in internal medicine and oncology at the University of Edinburgh.
Alongside her clinical work, Chiara is an honorary lecturer at the University of Liverpool and a multi-lingual specialist consultant, writer and lecturer at events in the UK and Europe. Her focus is on postgraduate training in small animal oncology and internal medicine and online education of pet owners and animal carers. Chiara is a member of the general and oncology examination committees of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM).
She said: "My aim is to provide veterinarians and owners on a daily basis with the most up-to-date information on cancer diagnosis and treatment options so pets can spend more time with their families whilst protecting their quality of life and preventing suffering."
Samuela is a European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology with a special interest in ocular pathology as well as corneal disease and surgery.
She said: "Working at Willows allows me to be part of a talented and passionate team, and a chance to become the best ophthalmologist I can. Willows offers a very high level of patient care, and working here gives me the opportunity for constant scientific and clinical development."