9 Sept 2021
Cambridgeshire animal hospital has acquired new heart and lung machine that will allow it to join only a few sites worldwide offering the treatment option in small animals.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
A Cambridgeshire animal hospital is set to become one of only a few sites worldwide to offer open-heart surgery in small animals due to new equipment.
Thanks to the acquisition of a new heart and lung machine, Dick White Referrals will be able to begin offering the new treatment to small animals beginning in the autumn.
The service will be established and led by head of cardiac surgery Poppy Bristow and head of cardiology Anne Kurosawa, who have both performed heart surgery on more than 100 dogs.
Dr Bristow said: “There are hardly any other centres in the world offering this type of surgery, especially with this level of expertise that comes from the collective team we have gathered at DWR.
“Mitral valve disease is the most common heart condition in dogs and sadly, many dogs die every year as there are very few options for treatment. To be able to offer surgery to more dogs and their owners is really exciting.
“DWR is the perfect environment for this pioneering programme, due to the state-of-the-art equipment and depth of expertise on hand to support this life-saving initiative.”
Rob Foale, clinical director at Dick White Referrals, added: “It’s a hugely significant step for us to be launching this service, drawing on Poppy’s expertise in this field.
“We’re also starting our own blood transfusion service to complement the launch, as the pandemic has led to a huge drop in pet blood donations.
“Our blood bank will run alongside the national Pet Blood Bank charity, which supplies blood to veterinary practices across the UK and does a fantastic job.”
