Page 2 - Clinical Connections - Summer 2023

RVC RESEARCH STUDY VETERINARY SERVICES RVC.AC.UK
and uncontrollable diabetes mellitus. following day. Next up comes a period of
Fortunately, with our expert multidisciplinary rest and physical therapy, starting under
team, the RVC is one of the few veterinary the watchful eyes of our nursing team and
services worldwide where this complex physiotherapist before he can continue his
surgery can be offered. rehabilitation at home.
Jeremy’s surgery took most of the day, Friday: A seven-year-old male Border collie,
with a team of vets and nurses from multiple Alf, was referred following a sudden onset
specialist services involved in his care, from of a head tilt and being unable to stand. On
the Anaesthesia and Analgesia team in examination, it was clear to our neurologists
theatre, to our Internal Medicine and ECC that Alf had suffered a very sudden insult
colleagues after surgery. Jeremy recovered to a part of his nervous system involved in
smoothly from his procedure and he will be controlling balance.
observed closely in the coming days as he MRI confirmed that Alf had suffered
adapts to life without his pituitary tumour! a small stroke to the thalamus. In dogs,
whilst most strokes have a good prognosis,
improvement can take time, with physical
therapy key to helping him to walk
again. Luckily, our fantastic nurses and
physiotherapist were on hand to help Alf
begin the road to recovery!
Finally, it is time for the weekend,
when members of our Neurology and
Neurosurgery service will be on call, dealing
with a range of neurological emergencies
Reg in the operating theatre
from the local and wider area. For the
Thursday: Lovely Reg, a nine-year-old remaining team members, it is a welcome
dachshund, presented following several chance to rest and recuperate to be ready
days of back pain and hind limb weakness. for the interesting cases of next week!
Mortimer in hydrotherapy
In chondrodystrophic dog breeds, such as
dachshunds, this is very characteristic for an
intervertebral disc extrusion.
Unfortunately, his ability to walk
deteriorated further and a CT scan of his
spine revealed a large intervertebral disc
extrusion in his lower back.
To relieve the compression of Reg’s
spinal cord, he was taken to theatre where
our skilled neurosurgeons performed a
decompressive hemilaminectomy to remove
the extruded disc.
Reg recovered very well from his surgery
and was already attempting to walk the
Jeremy, who was treated on the Wednesday Alf, who had suffered a stroke

IF YOU EMPLOY AN RVC GRADUATE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!

our feedback is essential in making contact mbailey@rvc.ac.uk to be sent the employment. This has generated much
sure that the RVC continues to online survey. As a thank you, we will enter valuable information and stimulated many
Y equip graduates with the skills you you into a prize draw, with a chance to win a improvements including the development
need, to enable them to be successful in £100 voucher or one of two £50 vouchers! of an RVC Clinical Skills Centre. With your
their profession. For over ten years the Royal Veterinary support we can continue to ensure that our
If you employ an RVC BSc/FdSc Vet College has conducted surveys with graduates have the skills and characteristics
Nursing, BVetMed, BSc/MSci Bioscience or employers of the most recent graduating to enable them to develop and sustain a
Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing year, to find out how well prepared our rewarding professional life.
graduate from the last five years, please graduates are for their first months in
For small animal referrals, please call:
01707 666399
Email:
qmhreception@rvc.ac.uk

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2 Summer 2023