Category: News

A border terrier has undergone lifesaving surgery thanks to a multidisciplinary approach by the specialist-led team here at Willows.

Four-year-old Henry was referred to us after his concerned owners reported his lack of energy and general lethargy, including not even being able to go out for his usual daily walks.

Mark Dunning, head of internal medicine and an RCVS and European Specialist in small animal internal medicine, first saw Henry and found a shunting vessel on an abdominal ultrasound scan which had been performed by our specialist-led imaging team.

Following the discovery, Henry was then seen by Will Robinson, RCVS and European Specialist in small animal surgery, for management of the portosystemic shunt, a condition in which an abnormal blood vessel allows blood to bypass, or shunt, around the liver.

Will said: “A liver shunt occurs when an abnormal connection exists between the portal system, which drains the intestines and some other abdominal organs, and the vena cava or another major vein.

“These conditions can be life-limiting for those dogs affected and, as seen with Henry, can have a severe effect on their day-to-day capabilities.

“Evidence supports that dogs have more of a normal life expectancy with surgical management, compared with medical management, so his owners elected to proceed with surgery.”

Henry was anaesthetised for his surgery by our specialist-led anaesthesia team and taken to theatre, where Will carried out surgery to locate the abnormal vessel which was then closed with a permanent suture.

Will said: “The surgery was successful and Henry recovered well from his procedure. We are pleased to report that he is doing really well at home, is off all medications and his owner’s report he is almost like a puppy again!”

A paralysed puppy that was suffering from a rare life-threatening condition has made a spectacular recovery after 11 days in intensive care and dedicated physiotherapy as part of a truly multidisciplinary approach here at Willows.

Mylo, a two-month-old Sproodle, was admitted to us as an emergency case after becoming paralysed, which included losing the ability to bark, yelp and whimper.

Our Neurologist Resident Rob Clark carried out an examination on Mylo which pointed towards a condition called ‘immune-mediated polyradiculoneuritis’, which was confirmed by a series of complex neurological diagnostic tests.  

Rob explained: “Mylo’s own immune system was attacking his nervous system, leaving him unable to move any of his legs or even lift his head.

“I had to prepare Mylo’s owners for the worst, as polyradiculoneuritis can be life-threatening if it progresses to paralysing the nerves which control breathing.

“The other major problem was that there is no specific medical or surgical treatment for polyradiculoneuritis, so Mylo’s recovery now depended on round-the-clock intensive nursing care and physiotherapy.”

INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Mylo was immediately admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he was closely monitored day and night by our dedicated team.

Rob added: “For patients such as Mylo, we have to watch and wait to see if the nerves start to heal.

Some patients deteriorate and others slowly seem to stabilise and then show signs of improvement.

“The biggest danger was that he may develop secondary complications, such as struggling to breathe or a chest infection, so the ICU team were monitoring Mylo’s vital signs 24/7 and were turning or repositioning him every four hours and propping him upright for any feeding and bathing, as well as playing and interacting with him.

“Another potential complication was that Mylo could suffer long-term mobility issues when he recovered. He was paralysed from the neck down, so he was not moving his legs at all and, as a puppy, he was still in his growing phase.

“Patients who spend so much time without moving can develop a contracture, where the muscles start to contract and pull the legs into a curled-up position, which is irreversible.

“If Mylo did develop a contracture it would mean he wouldn’t be able to walk again and puppies are especially prone to this complication as they are still growing.”

VETERINARY PHYSIOTHERAPY

This is where our expert Veterinary Physiotherapist Emma Box became key to ensuring Mylo avoided a contracture and went on to make a complete recovery.

Emma explained: “An exercise programme is essential to prevent a contracture, so I spent a long time massaging and stretching Mylo’s legs and moving his joints for him.

“Then, as Mylo started to recover, we began a course of rehabilitation. Firstly, we started the process of teaching Mylo how to hold normal positions such as sitting and lying.

“We introduced exercises which involved manually positioning Mylo into a lying or sitting position, and slowly taking support away over time.

“Initially, he didn’t have the strength to hold himself upright, but gradually you would take your hands away and he would hold himself up.

“Once he could hold these positions independently, you use further exercises to challenge his balance a little more – such as moving a treat from side to side and seeing if he can hold the sit or lie without collapsing to the side.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY

“These exercises don’t sound that strenuous but for such a tiny puppy recovering from polyradiculoneuritis they are incredibly challenging.

“Gradually were introduced to encourage him to push himself up into a standing position and try to take steps.

“When Mylo finally went home his owners also had a prescribed exercise plan to perform every four hours. They showed incredible tenacity and resilience with his aftercare and, without their efforts, I don’t think Mylo would have made the recovery he did.

“There were a few setbacks initially as we feared that Mylo had developed a contracture, but eventually, after three long months of gruelling rehabilitation at home and countless trips back to Willows, Mylo is now able to explore the exciting world like a puppy once again!”

Another successful outcome for our multidisciplinary team!

We offer specialist services in anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, clinical nutrition, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery and spinal surgery.

A dedicated pet owner has flown his dog 3,500 miles for a lifesaving heart operation carried out by the world-renowned cardiology team here at Willows.

The pup’s battle for survival began when a routine health check in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), turned into a life-or-death drama after the vet’s examination discovered Snoob, an eight-month-old American Bully, had a strong heart murmur.

Further investigations by a veterinary cardiologist in the UAE revealed the dog was suffering from a potentially fatal birth defect called pulmonic stenosis, which blocks blood flow from the heart into the lungs.

Despite being thousands of miles from home, Snoob was referred to our industry-leading and internally-renowned cardiology team for expert care to treat his ‘broken heart’.

Owner Waddah Moseley, from Abu Dhabi, said: “I’d taken Snoob in from a family who didn’t want him anymore and visited my local vets to update his vaccinations and have a health check.

“I’d only had him a week, and suddenly I heard that he had a big heart murmur and, subsequently, a serious heart problem, so it was all quite a shock.

“We’d bonded very well, though, so I was ready to do anything to make sure he came through all of this ok, even if it all seemed impossible.

“The cardiologist in Dubai said the pulmonary stenosis was treatable but only in the UK. He recommended Willows, saying they were the best in the world.

“A week later, we were there ready for Snoob’s treatment to begin.”

Our world-leading cardiology specialists, Joao Neves, Fabio Sacrinella and clinical director Jon Wray, combined to treat Snoob successfully.

Joao explained: “When Snoob arrived here, we performed an echocardiogram (heart scan) which confirmed the diagnosis of severe pulmonic stenosis, a serious narrowing of one of the valves that control blood flow from the right side of the heart into the lungs.

“This is a congenital disease, meaning that Snoob was born with it, and, unfortunately, there is no cure. However, there are some options to help improve or control the disease.

“Medical treatment with drugs called beta-blockers is usually employed to protect the heart muscle and reduce the occurrence of electrical instability – arrhythmias – and, possibly, sudden death.

“We chose a more definitive treatment to reduce the obstruction with a minimally-invasive procedure called balloon valvuloplasty.

“We made a very small skin incision in the neck and used one of Snoob’s neck veins to advance a long catheter, with a deflated balloon on its tip, into the right side of the heart.

“Once the balloon was at the level of the narrowed pulmonic valve, we inflated the balloon to stretch the valve open to reduce the obstruction and increase blood flow.

“Everything went to plan, and the procedure proved a success. The catheter was then removed, and the skin incision, which was only a couple of centimetres long, was closed with four stitches.

“The improvement was almost immediate, and a post-operative heart scan confirmed a successful outcome, allowing Snoob to be discharged the next day with his recovery at home also very fast, as we expected.”

A delighted Waddah added: “I used to think Snoob was a quiet, calm dog. I have two other dogs, and he was always the last off the sofa when it was time to go out – now he’s the first! “He’s much stronger, active and energetic and has developed a real personality of his own since the treatment. We can’t thank Willows enough. We are so grateful. They were excellent.”

We’re reminding pet owners to be aware of the potential dangers to their animals this festive season.

As you decorate your homes for the festive season, please be mindful of items that can present risks to pets, such as tinsel, sharp tree needles, glass baubles, low-lying fairy lights, mistletoe, Ivy, lilies and poinsettias.

Please share this information to raise awareness among your family and friends.

Two French bulldog brothers suffering from severe pulmonic stenosis have successfully had life-changing surgery here at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service.

Mickey and Stitch were referred to our specialist-led cardiology team here at Willows for treatment of the congenital disease, which is characterised by a narrowing of the pulmonic valve.

The pulmonic valve divides the right ventricle from the pulmonary artery and, when it is open, it allows blood to flow from the heart into the lungs, therefore any narrowing poses potentially fatal consequences if left untreated.

Fabio Sarcinella, a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Cardiology, who joined our cardiology team along with the head of service Simon Swift earlier this year, lead on both cases.

The treatment of choice for severe pulmonic stenosis is a minimally invasive procedure, which is performed by inserting catheters into the heart via a small skin and vessel incision.

The procedure, called a Balloon Valvuloplasty (BVP) is performed under general anaesthetic which allows for the insertion of a ballooned catheter across the pulmonic valve.

Fabio said: “During a BVP procedure, when the balloon is inflated it causes stretching of the narrowed valve, resulting in a better blood flow towards the lungs.

“Mickey and Stitch both underwent successful BVPs on the same day and were very happy to be able to share the same kennel for the night following the procedure!”

Both Mickey and Stitch recovered in our ICU department before being discharged to their grateful owners the following day.

Our internationally-renowned team of cardiology specialists performs around 40 BVPs per year, supported by our excellent cardiology nurses and anaesthesia team.

As the leaves begin to brown and the frost begins to fall, autumn offers us a lovely time of year to wrap up warm and enjoy some walks with our dogs.

However, with shorter days and plunging temperatures, it’s also a time of year to make sure you are well prepared when you’re out and about with your pets.

We’ve put together these handy top tips to keep you and your pet safe this autumn.

There was a double dose of trouble for our soft tissue team after two border terriers were admitted in quick succession, both suffering from a serious gall bladder complaint.

Morgan and Barney were referred to us here at Willows within two weeks of each other displaying identical symptoms – pain, vomiting, and weight loss.

Our soft tissue expert Will Robinson, an RCVS and European Specialist in small animal surgery managed the cases and confirmed the terriers had been stricken with gall bladder mucocele.

Will explained: “This is a complaint caused by a build-up of sludge and mucous within the gall bladder which then extends into the biliary system.

“It’s a serious condition which needs urgent surgery to remove the gall bladder and re-establish bile flow.

“It’s especially dangerous for border terriers, though, as they can have life-threatening problems after surgery, with the mortality rate at around 30 percent in this breed.

“Cases such as this are often some of the most critical patients we see at Willows but with our specialist-led, team approach we hope to provide a good outcome for lots of these patients.

“We knew we had to be extremely careful and diligent and called on the experiences and expertise of our colleagues from the anaesthesia and critical care teams to plan the operation and the recovery.

“Both dogs were thoroughly assessed before surgery, monitored throughout the operation, and as they recovered postoperatively in our intensive care unit, with specific input from our emergency and critical care specialist, Poppy Gant.

“We are pleased to say both dogs recovered well, despite the risks, and were soon discharged back to their homes.

“The owners say both Morgan and Barney are recovering really well and are back into their normal routines. Barney’s owner even went on to say he seems years younger!

“We wish both of them all the best for the future and hope they enjoy their older years in style.”

Barney’s owner Sarah Stanton, from Stratford Upon Avon, said: “We were very upset and very worried. Barney is our first dog and was my present to my husband, Mark, on his 50^th birthday.

“Suddenly, we were being told he was seriously ill, in a lot of pain, and that it was a do or die situation.

“We didn’t know if he’d even survive the operation and even if he did there was the added danger that he would not come through the recovery process.

“We googled Willows and found out it was one of the best small animal hospitals in Europe so that was a real comfort. Will was amazing. He rang us every morning to give us updates and encouragement.

“Thankfully, Barney not only survived, but he’s also now back to his laid-back, easy-going self again and it’s such a joy to have him home. We are so very grateful to Will and Willows.”

Willows offers specialist services in anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, clinical nutrition, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, and spinal surgery.

Continue reading “BETTER IN THAN OUT: LIFESAVING SURGERY ON ONE-HOUR-OLD PUP”

As we head into the autumn and winter months, we want to help dog owners and make them aware of the symptoms of Alabama Rot.

The disease, which originally appeared in the late 1980s, was first detected in the UK in 2012. When it affects the kidneys, it, unfortunately, has a 90 per cent mortality rate.

While the disease remains rare, if a dog is suspected of suffering from Alabama Rot, the best chance of recovery lies with early and intensive management.

Here are a few symptoms associated with Alabama Rot to keep an eye out for…

Symptoms of Alabama Rot

• Sores on the skin, particularly the knee or elbow
• Visible swelling and redness
• Increased thirst and reduced appetite
• Vomiting
• Lethargy

We are delighted to share the fantastic news that Willows have achieved the Investors in the Environment Silver Level award.

Over the last 12 months, led by our Green Giants project team and sponsored by Willows Managing Director Toby Gemmill, we have worked hard to acknowledge our carbon footprint factors and what impact that has to reduce our impact on the planet. As a result, we have set up projects to move to a 100% renewal energy supplier and full LED light conversion for the building. In addition, we have tackled various single-use items such as scrub hats, created extra recycling waste streams and challenged our thinking regarding long-term sustainable initiatives.

Fantastic plans are in place for 2022 to keep pushing the boundaries of what is achievable, so watch this space!