Page 3 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2025

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Care, collaborate and communicate residents share some of their experiences
elcome to the autumn edition of on the programme. Having done my ECC
Clinical Connections. So much residency at the RVC many years ago, I still
W of the success of the veterinary remember many of the wonderful patients
profession and our ability to provide the best I worked with and here each of our current
possible care for our patients and clients is residents outlines a case that they especially
down to the quality of our communication enjoyed working with. Interestingly, both chose
and the strength of our collaborative cases in which collaboration between different
relationships. This spans the training of our veterinary specialties was significant to the
students and teams, to how research is outcomes. As well as being of benefit to patients
conducted to how we share information with and owners, our transdisciplinary approach
clients, professional peers and the wider enhances the training of veterinary specialists
society. and undergraduates alike.
At the RVC we are incredibly appreciative of cases that are The centre pages have an article outlining developments in the
referred to our hospitals by vets across the UK – and sometimes Cardiothoracic Surgery Service, since it was founded 20 years
beyond. We are also extremely grateful for the contribution ago. The addition of that capacity to the RVC’s clinical services
fellow vets make to our clinical research by the sharing of required a considerable amount of cross-disciplinary collaboration
case information. Partnerships in those areas are invaluable and other resources to be in place. For open heart surgery to take
and Clinical Connections was developed to emphasise the place, both the Critical Care Service and Transfusion Medicine
importance of those relationships and share developments and Service had first to be in place. Working with others as part of the
cases of interest to vets and veterinary nurses. development of these teams in the early part of my career was
Since the first London Vet Show, in 2009, the RVC has acted a wonderful experience. Coupled with the depth of clinical and
as an official education partner, working along with the BVA and technical expertise required to undertake the surgical procedures
BVNA to create a programme that offers maximum value to the and associated anaesthesia, our Cardiothoracic Surgery Service
vets and veterinary nurses who attend. As always, several of our is world-leading in every sense – and we look forward to seeing
clinicians will be speaking at this year’s event, which takes place it evolve further.
on November 20th and 21st. Our stand at the show is G45, so Finally, just as Dan Brockman and his team have had valuable
come and speak to our team if you are attending! support and inspiration from a pioneering team in Japan over
The cover story in this issue, about brainstem auditory evoked the decades, the RVC Equine team has benefited from the
response, strongly links to the theme of ‘care, collaborate and experience of a team in Germany to add uniportal endoscopic
communicate.’ One of our final-year BVetMed students spent foraminotomy to the procedures that can be delivered here. The
two weeks of the summer within the RVC’s External Relations new Qalibra Exceed equine CT system, which was installed
department, where she undertook a Veterinary Journalism towards the end of last year, is also key to the equine team being
placement. After some preparatory work, Sadie Mae Mace able to offer this pioneering treatment to horses. The article on
interviewed neurologists and neurosurgeons Abbe Crawford page 8, by Alex Hawkins, discusses the value of the procedure
and Joe Fenn, who shared a case to enhance the article. Sadie and outlines the journey towards being able to offer foraminotomy
chose the placement to support her ambition to communicate to referred horses at the RVC.
with the veterinary profession and beyond about animal health
and welfare during her career. I’m sure she will do a great job –
and we wish her luck with her career! Amanda Boag, Vice Principal (Clinical Services)
On page 4, two of our final year Emergency and Critical Care

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