The practice has been leading research into the devastating disease since 2012 and has collated information on all confirmed cases across the country.
The disease, which originally appeared in the late 1980s, was first detected in the UK in 2012.
When it affects the kidneys, it has a 90% mortality rate.
The new site offers advice and information, including a live map of confirmed cases across the UK, for both vets and pet owners.
David Walker, American, RCVS and EBVS European specialist in small animal internal medicine, leads the team at Anderson Moores and is the UK’s foremost authority on the disease.
He said: “We have been at the forefront of research into CRGV for almost a decade now and have witnessed first-hand the often-devastating effects of the disease.
“In launching this new website, we aim to inform pet owners and colleagues in the veterinary industry about CRGV.
“We hope the confirmed case map will prove useful.
"Although an environmental trigger has not been definitively proven, the seasonality of the disease makes it eminently possible and the map allows everyone to see the location of confirmed cases.”
So far this year, Anderson Moores has recorded a total of 26 confirmed cases of CRGV.
This number comes on the back of 47 confirmed cases during 2020, 19 cases in 2019 and 18 in 2018.
277 cases have been confirmed since the disease was first recognised in the UK in 2012.
David said: “As we enter the winter months, we want to advise dog owners around the country to remain calm but vigilant and seek advice from their local vets if their dog develops an unexplained skin lesion(s), especially on the leg.
“Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the time of year when cases are most commonly identified – 92% of dogs with the disease are seen between November and May.
"This is understandably a concern for dog owners; however, the disease remains rare.
“If a dog is suspected to be suffering from CRGV, the best chance of recovery probably lies with early and intensive management which may be best provided at a specialist facility.
“Treatment primarily revolves around intensive management of the acute kidney injury and is sadly only successful in around 10% cent of cases.”
Visit https://www.alabama-rot.co.uk .
The new scanner takes scans 50% faster and at a far higher resolution than the outgoing model.
It also boasts a wide bore magnet, simple coil arrangement and large number of channels, which means clinicians can scan different organ systems in patients of all shapes and sizes.
Cave says the new equipment allows it to expand into emerging fields such as cardiac MRI and advanced musculoskeletal imaging.
Tom Cardy, head of neurology, said: “It’s not often in your career you get to work with a truly class-leading piece of equipment such as this.
“The new scanner will greatly improve the patient and client experience we provide. This investment significantly increases the capability of our neurology service and the whole team are excited to get to grips with this amazing piece of kit.”
For more information, visit https://cave-vet-specialists.co.uk.
Photo: L-R Radiographer Tracy Down and imaging nurse Staci Finn
Sabrina joins Fran Taylor-Brown, Simon Bertram and head of service Tom Cardy.
Tom, a European and RCVS specialist in neurology, said Cave is now the biggest specialist-led neurology service in the South West:
“We are very pleased to have Sabrina join the neurology service at Cave, expanding our team to four European and RCVS-recognised specialists in veterinary neurology. This really sets Cave apart from our competitors.
“Sabrina’s arrival, in conjunction with the installation of our new state-of-the-art MRI scanner, means we can see most urgent neurology referrals within 24-48 hours in nearly all cases and increase the number of neurology cases we treat each day.”
Cave’s new £1.2m Phillips Ingenia 1.5T Evolution offers 50% faster scans at a far higher resolution than its previous MRI and shorter general anaesthetics for patients.
It also allows a more detailed and accurate diagnosis of complex neurological conditions.
Tom added: “The MRI scanner is one of the most advanced imaging modalities for the nervous system, providing millimetre-thick cross-sectional images of the brain and spinal cord which is essential for both accurate diagnosis and treatment.
“Having such advanced equipment and facilities plus four recognised specialists means all our clients and their pets will see a vet with the highest level of training in veterinary neurology.
“All of our specialists are happy to discuss challenging cases on the phone with our referring vets and Sabrina's skills and enthusiasm will continue to improve and diversify the service we offer.
https://cave-vet-specialists.co.uk
As part of the redevelopment, kennel capacity will increase from 107 to 197, there'll be a new emergency and critical care hub, sixteen new consult rooms and a new imaging suite with MRI and CT scanners, two ultrasounds and two X-ray machines.
There will also be a 66-seat seminar room.
Work is expected to be completed early next year, and the practice will be recruiting for around 75 new team members to service the expanded centre.
Simon Tappin, clinical director at DWR, said: “This long-awaited expansion will transform our practice, offering even more space and capacity for referrals, brand-new equipment and a seamless experience for our clients.
“It will also bolster our reputation as a training practice, with the expansion of our intern and residency programmes adding to our already-impressive provision in this area."
The practice is also implementing case management changes, with a single point of contact for every client and individual case managers in every discipline.
The traditional reception area is being replaced with a concierge greeting service for clients, with staff on hand to book them in on iPads.
Client care team manager Deborah Bell said: “This is a USP for us and we think it’s an industry first. The idea came from how medical secretaries work in human health.
“When a referring vet calls us, our client care team takes the basic details and passes them on to the case manager for that discipline. They will contact the client, make appointments and meet the client in person on arrival.
“We have 12 case managers for our disciplines at the moment, with the potential to expand. As well as providing a personalised service for our clients, it provides great career progression opportunities for our client care team.”
www.dickwhitereferrals.com
Andrew, who graduated in 2002 from The University of Bristol, started as a farm vet in Devon and Cornwall, which is where he first became interested in cardiology.
He went on to undergo Specialist Training at The University of Edinburgh and then spent four years working in the pharmaceutical industry.
Andrew then spent almost two years as Head of Cardiology at a large referral hospital in Winchester, before leaving to co-found the first ever video consulting platform for pet owners, Pawsquad.
Since then, he has led teams in some of the largest specialist veterinary referral hospitals in Europe.
More recently, Andrew has run his own specialist-led visiting cardiology service, providing clinical consultancy services to 50 veterinary practices across the south of England for the last five years.
Andrew has been an EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Small Animal Cardiology and a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology for 10 years.
At Lumbry Park, Andrew plans to use his new role to provide specialist-led care to pets from across the South of England, and to provide cardiac clinical input for the multi-disciplinary team at Lumbry Park who manage patients with some of the most complex clinical problems in the country.
www.lumbrypark.co.uk
The ophthalmology service, which offers cataract surgery, corrective eyelid surgery and corneal disease management amongst other things, is headed by RCVS and US Ophthalmology Specialist, James Histed (pictured right)
The hospital, which has doubled in size to 30,000ft², now has a purpose-built theatre complex, a new reception and waiting area, 12 additional consulting rooms and a new rehabilitation centre equipped with a water treadmill and a large arena for treatment and gait analysis.
It also has a new lecture theatre where SCVS can deliver its CPD programme and parent company IVC can deliver its intern and residency programme.
The company says that its redevelopment has focused on employee wellbeing, to which end there is a new staff area for the 200-strong team a place to gather, dine and relax.
Kennel space for staff dogs has also been increased to support SCVS’s ‘bring your dog to work’ policy.
The new hospital facility is fully operational and open 24/7 for referrals, supporting colleagues from surrounding vet practices.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
The new service is being headed by Dr Katia Marioni-Henry.
Katia graduated from the University of Parma in 1995 and went on to do a PhD in Clinical Electrodiagnostic at the University of Turin and Scott-Ritchey Research Center in Auburn, Alabama.
Her early career was spent at various American universities, where she became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty in Neurology and finally an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee.
Katia came to the UK to work as a consultant in neurology and neurosurgery for a number of large referral practices, before moving to the University of Edinburgh in 2013, where she started the neurology/neurosurgery service, building it from scratch to a nine-strong team.
Katia said: “This is absolutely the best place to be brought in an emergency, but previously we’d have to refer some cases elsewhere for conditions affecting the brain, peripheral nerves or the spine.
“Now some of these debilitating neurological conditions can be diagnosed and treated rapidly here without having to transport the animal.”
“With our CT scanner, for example, we can diagnose slipped discs quickly, especially in small breeds, and treat them surgically.
“And we can use it for brain scans if there is trauma or if we suspect a tumour or severe inflammation in the brain.
“We can do a lumbar tap to rule out inflammation of the central nervous system either on infectious or immune-mediated basis.”
The service will be run by Dr Eloise Quince BVetMed CertAVP(SAM-F) PgCertVPS MANZCVS MRCVS and Dr Kate Allgood BVetMed CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS.
The practice says radioactive iodine therapy is the treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats as it provides a permanent cure in up to 95% of cases.
It is administered by an iodine injection under the skin in a specialised unit by a trained vet and nurse.
The practice says a benefit of RI is that it treats ‘ectopic tissue’ that may be present outside of the thyroid gland, for example in the chest, which is not treated by surgical methods of thyroid removal.
Normal thyroid tissue is also spared, so that there is normal thyroid function post-treatment.
Though some blood tests need to be taken post-treatment, there is no need for ongoing blood samples and the monitoring of the thyroid function once successful treatment has occurred.
Elissa Norman, Clinical Director, who initially developed the idea for the iodine unit said: “The iodine unit first started as a scribble on a piece of paper and a dream of our team back in 2017 and it has taken a huge amount of dedication and effort from a large team of people to get to the point of opening in 2023.
"Radioactive iodine offers a lifetime cure for our hyperthyroid cats and we are delighted to be able to bring this service to the cats of East Anglia.”
To refer a cat patient, vets should email iodine@veterinary-hospital.co.uk.
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."
Dr Guillaume Leblond, an American specialist in veterinary neurology at NDSR said: “Traditionally, bone cement has been used to provide support and stabilisation when treating veterinary spinal instability cases.
“Polyaxial pedicle screws have proven a very reliable and efficient way of treating such spinal problems in human medicine.
“These special screws can be inserted in the vertebrae and connected to strong metal rods instead of bone cement and we’re now very excited to be offering this new service to our patients.
“The main advantage to this cutting-edge procedure is its flexibility.
"Once cement is set in place it is obviously very hard to move, manipulate or remove should you need to adjust or correct.
“With the metal rod and screw system, it is more adaptable and you can adjust it far more easily and quickly.
“It may also be less prone to infection compared to cement, which has been known to harbour bacteria sometimes causing infections several years after the surgery.
"Another hope we have for this system is that it will be less prone to failure compared to cement, especially on extended stabilisation constructs.
Guillaume added: “The neurology team at NDSR has been training in applying this new system as soon as it became available and we have already used it to treat two dogs, both of them having surgery on the same day.
“One was a golden retriever treated by my colleagues Rodolfo Cappello (head of neurology) and Natalie West (neurology resident), and the other was a whippet under my care.
"They were two very different sizes of dog but both operations went well.
“We are grateful to OrthomedTM, the company manufacturing the stabilization system, provided all necessary details to plan the surgeries as precisely as possible.
“We also collaborated with Vet3DTM to create patient specific 3D printed guides to ensure the precise placement of screws and it proved a great solution in both cases.”
“Admittedly, it is still early days for the introduction of this new spinal stabilisation system but we are optimistic it will prove a significant advancement in treating many spinal problems.”
www.ndsr.co.uk
The practice's first residents are Sara Cermeno Fernandez and Lucy Venman (pictured right), who began their programmes last month after completing successful internships.
Cave’s clinical director Nele Van den Steen, an RCVS and European specialist in internal medicine, said: “We are naturally very pleased to have achieved this milestone and are delighted to get started, with our first residents Sara and Lucy continuing their career development with us.
“To be approved for a residency programme, you have to show you can support the caseload required and provide the training which the residents will need.
“So, this accreditation shows we have the integrity and the capacity to support the programme, which is a notable achievement and a ringing endorsement of our work here at Cave.”
For more information, visit cave-vet-specialists.co.uk.
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."
Andra-Elena Enache and Savina Gogova join the head of service Richard Everson, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist, to form one of the strongest ophthalmology teams in the UK.
Richard said: “It is fabulous that Andra and Savina were both successful in their specialist examinations.
“Of course, we already knew their expertise but passing the examination requires not just an unparalleled knowledge of their subject but also the constitution that allows them to prove their knowledge, skills and professionalism in the crucible of the examination environment.
“For both Andra and Savina to pass at the first time of asking is remarkable and just confirms their brilliance. It’s also a big boost for NDSR.
“Having three internationally-recognised specialists in ophthalmology in one hospital makes the service so much more resilient; for example, we will never have to close due to annual leave or lecturing commitments.
“This strength in depth means we really can offer the best possible service to our referring vets and poorly pets.”
For more information, visit: www.ndsr.co.uk.
The company says the Elekta Infinity linear accelerator is the only one of its kind for pets in England.
It features a multi-leaf collimator for very accurate shaping of the radiation beam and a six-degrees-of-freedom couch top designed so the patient can be positioned to reduce or eliminate radiation doses to critical organs.
CVS says the new machine will allow the centre to offer cutting edge treatments such as stereotactic radiation therapy, where high dose rates of focused beams are delivered with high precision over a shortened treatment course.
This, the company claims, will mean fewer, shorter sessions, fewer side effects and the best possible chance of improved outcomes for the animal.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our new hospital will be at the forefront of cancer care in animals.
“The linear accelerator is state of the art, and allows us to offer advanced, image-guided radiation treatments - for example intensity-modulated or stereotactic radiation therapy.
"The advantage to these treatments is that they will allow a more “hard-hitting” treatment of the tumour, with greater safety for the patient’s healthy tissue.
"It will draw many tumours into the realm of treatability.”
Based at Central Park, Avonmouth, Bristol Vet Specialists referral hospital is due for completion this Autumn.
His most recent case was five-year-old bulldog called Jesse.
Guillaume said: "Jesse was suffering from both atlantoaxial instability and a spinal arachnoid diverticulum in the thoracic spine.
“As a result of the two conditions, he had lost a lot of mobility and was dragging his hind legs behind him.
“We decided it was best to carry out two separate operations, prioritising the surgery to tackle the atlantoaxial instability as that was potentially life-threatening.
“I used a new technique for this, adopting a dorsal approach, which involves an insertion through the top of the neck when normally this type of surgery is generally performed ventrally, through the bottom of the neck.
“We have had great success with this approach so far.
"The normal mortality rate is between 5 to 10%, however, we have now done 20 of these procedures together with colleagues, all of which have been successful.
“The main advantage of the technique is it likely reduces the risk of complications, which is why I prefer it.
“With the ventral approach you go through the soft tissue and nerves in the neck which brings the risk of vomiting, regurgitation, megaesophagus, swelling and even tracheal injury.” =
Guillaume has co-authored a publication on the dorsal surgical technique which can be found at: https://doi.org/10.3390/life11101039
VetCT says the app, which offers round the clock, rapid access to specialist support, aims to bridge the existing gap for those clinical cases where specialist input is desired, but for which full referral may not be ideal or possible.
It is also hoped that the new service will reduce the amount of time that GPs currently have to spend seeking further clinical advice, currently estimated at 10 hours per week, and reduce the amount of advice that Specialists currently give for free, estimated at 5 hours per week.
Using the app, GPs can send all the relevant information for the consultation, including the history, test results, videos and photos to Diploma-holding specialists across the entire range of specialties, direct from their mobile phone.
They can then choose whether to get an immediate call-back or text chat, a written report or a virtual appointment.
Victoria Johnson, co-Director, said: “Our mission is to help every vet be the best and feel their best every day. Behind the app we have a committed team of over 50 employed specialists, plus 100 radiologists and a full customer support team ready to respond to enquiries.
"All our specialists also work in clinical roles and previously have worked in first opinion practice, and we have so much respect for the challenges our general practitioner colleagues face.
"We want to make their lives that little bit easier, supporting them – with empathy – in giving the best care to complex cases where referral may not be an option.
"We also want to provide pet owners with access to specialist care for their pets, where cost or travel may preclude them from seeing a specialist at a referral centre.”
In addition to the consultation fee, there's an annual practice membership fee of £200 which is reduced for locum vets. VetCT says practices may choose to charge fees on to clients, or some practices may decide to absorb the costs for the support value it offers their clinicians.
VetCT says it will also gifting additional credits to help support vets who may benefit from a helping hand, such as those returning from extended leave, moving to different species areas, or new graduates.
The service is designed to complement existing specialist services. Victoria added: “We recognise the vital importance of physical referrals, and this service in no way replaces that. Indeed, we have started to see evidence that using the app will lead to more patients getting physically referred for the right reasons, at the right time, with the right information.
"However, we also know that many vets and specialists are under huge time pressure. Many specialists felt they were unable to do a good job of dealing with advice queries alongside their busy day job – much as they wanted to help. We hope this app relieves the pressure for both parties, provides fast, exceptional and supportive specialist advice, and increases the number of pets and owners who can benefit from specialist input."
The new app, which will be available for both IOS and Android, will launch at BSAVA Congress 2021, with pre-registration available prior to the launch on 25th March.
To discuss rates and credit options, email: info@vet-com.com.
One of the most significant changes has been the introduction of video consultations which have allowed clinicians to continue to see patients in need whilst maintaining social distancing.
At the start of lockdown, Davies split many of its service teams into two, which alternate weekly between consulting remotely from home and operating on-site.
The practice says that continual communication between the two teams has enabled the efficient triage of referred cases, whilst the ongoing management of less urgent cases is discussed with clients and referring vets until the patient can be seen on site.
Davies says the new system has been particularly effective for its orthopaedics service, which has seen an increasing demand for video consultations.
Jan Janovec, European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and Head of orthopaedics said: "Every challenge is an opportunity. The current adverse circumstances are forcing us to re-evaluate the ways we have traditionally worked, and I believe that this “audit” will result in new and better ways of delivering care to our patients.
“Despite lockdown cats continue to explore outdoors and get injured and dogs continue to chase squirrels and birds! Puppies and small dogs continue to get sat on or stepped on by their family members and so they keep us busy mending broken legs, fixing dislocated joints, and so on.”
Once lockdown has ended Jan says that he and his team intend to review what they have learnt and re-evaluate all aspects of the orthopaedic service process to make the clinician, client, patient and referring vet interactions even better.
Sheila Wills BSc BVetMed CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS, specialist in internal medicine, has joined Wey Referrals, the Surrey-based multi-disciplinary veterinary referral practice.
Professor John Innes, Referral Director at CVS (of which Wey Referrals is a part) said: "We are delighted to welcome Sheila to our specialist team at Wey Referrals. Her experience and knowledge will further strengthen the service we offer and her appointment is another important step in the development of our referral team in the South East. Attracting the highest calibre talent is important to CVS because we want to build a referral team, whose members are not only clinically excellent but who also possess first rate communication and inter-personal skills."
Sheila said: "I am excited to be joining the CVS specialist team and look forward to working with like-minded colleagues who are passionate and dedicated to providing the highest level of patient care and client communication. I am delighted to be able to offer a specialist internal medicine service in both feline and canine medicine and look forward to offering a comprehensive service to CVS clients and expanding the internal medicine service further in the future."
Sheila graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998 and spent five years in small animal practice before undertaking an FAB Residency in Feline Medicine at the University of Bristol.
Shortly after her residency, she was appointed Head of Small Animal Medicine and the Feline Centre at the Animal Health Trust where she was based for two years before moving to a major veterinary laboratory in December 2009. She recently returned to the University of Bristol as a teaching fellow in feline medicine.
Sheila acquired her ECVIM Diploma in Internal Medicine in September 2010 and is a Recognised European Veterinary Specialist in Internal Medicine. She became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine in March 2012 and enjoys all aspects of feline medicine with a specialist interest in feline renal and ureteric disease. She is a member of the ICC Feline Expert Panel and an editorial board member for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
CVS Group has announced that European internal medicine specialist Caroline Kisielewicz MVB CertSAM DipECVIM-CA is joining ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists with effect from 1 October 2014.
Caroline Kisielewicz graduated from University College, Dublin in 2006 and, after working in first opinion small animal practice for two years, completed an ECVIM-residency training programme at the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Glasgow in February 2013.
Most recently she has been working at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals at the Royal Veterinary College. She is interested in all aspects of small animal internal medicine, particularly emergency medicine, transfusion medicine, immune-mediated diseases and endocrine diseases.
CVS Referral Director, Professor John Innes said: "We are delighted to welcome Caroline to our specialist team at ChesterGates. She is a rising star in internal medicine and I believe it is a measure of CVS' growing reputation for offering a diverse range of career options that we are attracting some of the strongest talent from the specialist vet pool.
"Caroline joins Ellie Mardell and Chris Saul here at ChesterGates to help us to offer an even more comprehensive and user-friendly internal medicine service."
Caroline said: "I was keen to join this excellent multi-disciplinary specialist referral hospital with its dynamic, friendly and close-knit team. Working at ChesterGates gives me the opportunity to provide the highest standard and quality of care and treatment for my patients, clients and their referring vets."
The sessions will be delivered by Andrew Kent, clinical director at Blaise and a small animal internal medicine specialist, Lara Dempsey, head of soft tissue surgery, Jacques Ferrerira, head of anaesthesia, Mike Farrell, head of orthopaedic surgery, and neurology clinician, Emma Suiter (pictured).
The talks will cover:
Client communication will also be covered, together with some orthopaedics for those with an interest in that area.
Andy said: “We’re building an incredible team at Blaise and are very excited at the prospect of sharing the specialist knowledge that our clinicians have with our wider veterinary community.
"Treating liver conditions can be incredibly complex and our educational programme presents an unrivalled opportunity to deep dive into this part of an animal’s body and how best to approach it.”
Tickets are available for £48 from https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/Delivering-the-Best, with all profits going to the charity StreetVet.
Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital in Longbridge is IVC’s first purpose-built pet hospital and will be open to accept referral patients from November 2023.
www.blaise-referrals.com
http://herbertsyard.com
Visitors will be given a behind-the-scenes look and have the opportunity to chat with Specialist surgeons Andy Moores and Chris Jordan.
Andy said: “We have had a fantastic first six months, and to say thank you to those who have referred cases to us, and to show off our facilities to those who haven’t seen the clinic, we are thrilled to be holding an open evening.
"I’m looking forward to providing tours of the clinic and having a chance to talk to vets about our services and how we can help.”
All veterinary professionals and their families, and pet owners are welcome.
The clinic is situated just off the M3 and 30 minutes from the M25, in the village of Upton Grey, near Basingstoke.
To register your interest and book a place at the open day please contact Marie at Marie@mooresortho.com or 01256 632100.
The procedure involves introducing a catheter through the jugular, then using fluoroscopy and transoesophageal echocardiography to guide it from the right atrium through to the left side of the heart to relieve abnormal high pressures in the left atrium.
Willows says it is one of only a few centres across Europe equipped to carry out the procedure and that typically, patients who undergo TSP can be discharged from hospital the day after surgery.
Fabio Sarcinella (pictured right), an RCVS and European specialist in small animal cardiology at Willows, said: “Early clinical evaluation of the TSP procedure in humans over the last few years has shown improved quality of life and reduced clinical signs in patients with heart failure.
“The procedure has also been associated with low-risk and a meaningful drop in left atrial pressure of the affected patients.”
Fabio added: “As well as being minimally invasive, the improvement in heart chamber pressures via TSP often allows for a reduction in the dose of water tablets which are used to control the heart failure signs in the lungs.
"Lowering the dose reduces the risk of side effects related to these drugs such as kidney failure.”
Willows says TSP is most commonly used for left atrial decompression in dogs with heart failure and concurrent renal disease or that have advanced heart failure but continue to have symptoms despite optimal medical treatment.
www.willows.uk.net
Anne is originally from New York City and obtained her veterinary degree from Purdue University in 2011.
She completed her rotating internship at Louisiana State University, followed by two research fellowships at Michigan State University and Nihon University.
She then completed her residency at the RVC, before achieving diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology) in 2017.
Anne's interests include treatment and management of congestive heart failure, feline cardiomyopathy and cardiac interventions.
She said: “I’m delighted to be joining the cardiology team at DWR at a very exciting time, supporting the recently-launched open-heart surgery service.
“We’re one of very few hospitals in the world to be able to offer this treatment, so being a part of this is a great challenge, both personally and professionally.”
For more information visit www.dickwhitereferrals.com
Cave Veterinary Specialists, a referral centre based near Taunton, Somerset, has announced the launch of a significantly extended neurology and neurosurgery service.
The centre now has three new international specialists in the field: Salih Eminaga (DVM GPCert (SAS) DipECVN MRCVS and European Veterinary Specialist in Neurology); Philip Strom (DVM, DACVR, MRCVS, American Specialist in Diagnostic Imaging) and Fernando Liste-Burillo (DVM, MSc, PhD) - Diagnostic Imager.
In addition, Cave has invested in a new 1.5 Tesla high field MRI system.
Tom Cave, the co-owner of Cave Veterinary Specialists said: "Demand for our neurology and neurosurgery service has continued to grow over the past 12 months but accepting emergency cases could be challenging with visiting MR imaging for brains and spines only available once or twice a week.
"Now that we have acquired our own on-site high field veterinary specific MR scanner we can expand to provide what we have wanted to do: a 24/7 neurology and neurosurgery service led by a European specialist in neurology and supported by recognised specialists in diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia, and our superb nursing team. All these components are required to successfully support patients particularly those that undergo brain and spinal surgery.
"Having a multidiscipline team that also covers orthopaedic surgery, soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, and oncology means we can also provide the highest level of care for patients with multiple problems such as trauma cases."
The extended neurology and neurosurgery service will be able to accept referrals or advise on cases including:
For more information, visit: http://www.cave-vet-specialists.co.uk
The new hospital, which is led by a large team of internationally-renowned Specialists, supported by residents, interns and registered veterinary nurses, will over time employ over 100 veterinary professionals.
CVS says the site will offer the latest technology and treatments in all small animal disciplines including: general surgery, orthopaedics, neurology and neurosurgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology, dermatology, oncology and dentistry, as well as dedicated anaesthesia, analgesia, diagnostic imaging and intensive care departments.
There will be a multi-disciplinary approach, with a team around every patient, to ensure the best outcome for the animal.
CVS says BVS's oncology department, with its stereotactic linear accelerator for radiotherapy, will offer most advanced cancer treatment for cats and dogs in Europe.
The site also has the latest CT and MRI scanners and a separate feline unit.
On arrival, clients are taken to a special customer experience zone by a dedicated client liaison officer to ensure their pet is comfortable and they are fully informed about their procedure.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our advanced facilities and eminent colleagues will mean we can provide the best animal care to pet owners across the South West, and we have invested in cutting-edge technology to bring cancer treatment in pets to the next level.
"So we know that this site will become as a centre of excellence in the veterinary world.”
https://www.bristolvetspecialists.co.uk