Disciplines

Our cardiology service is led by the Heart Vets cardiology team including Anna Beber and Fiona Glen. 

We offer a 24-hour emergency service, supported by our team of qualified and experienced nurses at our fully equipped hospital in Stinchcombe (with colour flow Doppler ultrasound, Holter monitors, Radiotelemetry and digital ECG equipment). Our services are not limited to the investigations below therefore please feel free to contact us to discuss additional procedures.

At Vale Referrals, we have the capabilities and equipment to diagnose patients quickly and effectively by using ultrasound, endoscopy, x-ray and our on-site CT scanner.

Outpatient CT referrals

We are pleased to announce that we are offer a 32-slice CT scanning service in our purpose-built CT building.

Advantages of CT over traditional x-ray

The CT scanner generates a high-speed 3D image, which allows for more detailed interpretation when compared to a traditional 2D image (where problems in visualising a 3D object in a 2D image are common). A 32-slice CT scan provides much more detail than a traditional X-ray. This detail allows for better diagnosis and treatment planning by our vets.

What conditions is it commonly used for?

• Elbow and joint assessments
• Ear disease
• Ocular disease
• Nasal problems
• Lung and chest problem
• Neoplasia (cancer) and metastatic disease diagnosis
• Spinal problems
• Porto-systemic shunts
• Complex fracture assessments

Refer an outpatient CT case

Our Internal Medicine referral service is led by Myra Stevenson, supported by Lucie Goodwin, Sian Blakey, Vaclav Ceplecha and Phil Fox-Manning, along with our team of interns and nurses.

Our Internal Medicine team see a diverse range of non-surgical cases (including patients who present with vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, anaemia and pyrexia of unknown origin). 

We offer a 24-hour emergency service, supported by our team of interns and nurses at our fully equipped hospital in Stinchcombe (with ultrasound, CT and endoscopy facilities).

Our services are not limited to the above therefore please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

We offer a multi-disciplinary approach to Oncology, offering a range of diagnostic and treatment options.

As always at Vale Referrals, we pride ourselves on offering an appropriate and affordable service. Treatment options can be tailored to the patient’s needs and the owner’s means and we will offer support and communication to both the referring vet and their client.

Diagnosis

We have access to a range of advanced diagnostic tools, and the expertise to interpret the results. This allows us to assess, stage and grade disease before advising on treatment.

We will use a combination of the following:

• Digital Radiography and Advanced Imaging including CT
• Abdominal and thoracic ultrasound, including ultrasound guided fine needle aspirates and trucut biopsy
• Laparoscopic assisted biopsy (liver, multi-organ)
• Video cystoscopy and biopsy for bladder neoplasia
• Video rhinoscopy combined with CT for nasal mass biopsy
• Surgical biopsy

Treatment

Chemotherapy:

Options can be tailored to the patient’s condition using standard protocols and newer chemotherapeutic agents.

• CHOP/COP/Single agent therapy, tailored to the individual patient with lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia
• Adjunctive therapy for osteosarcoma, mast cell tumours, thyroid carcinomas

Oncological surgery

Our surgical team work closely with our internal medicine team in cases that require surgery or require oncological input after surgery.

Common oncological surgeries include:

• Thoracic oncological surgery (lung lobe resection for primary lung neoplasia, rib resection for thoracic wall tumours, thymoma removal)
• Mast cell tumour resection and reconstruction for large mast cell tumours
• Soft tissue sarcoma removal and skin reconstruction
• Abdominal oncological surgery (liver lobe resection for primary liver tumours, splenectomy, intestinal resection and anastomosis, bladder wall neoplasia)
• Head and neck oncological surgery (thyroid carcinoma resection, parathyroidectomy, local lymph node resection)
• Skin reconstruction after oncological surgery (advancement flaps, axial pattern flaps, skin grafts)
• Limb amputation (osteosarcoma)

Our Ophthalmology referral service is headed by Brian Patterson BVM&S Cert VOphthal MRCVS, an Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Ophthalmology.

Brian was awarded the RCVS Certificate in Ophthalmology in 2002 while a resident at the Weipers Centre, University of Glasgow. As a full time veterinary ophthalmologist, Brian has been involved in teaching at the University of Bristol (2010-2012) and has lectured both nationally and internationally.

Services

• Free telemedicine service
• Cataract evaluation and treatment including removal by phacoemulsification with lens replacement
• Multimodal management of non-healing corneal ulcers
• Oculoplastic surgery – including diamond eye and brow suspension surgeries
• Management of challenging dry eye cases including parotid duct transposition surgery
• Micro surgical facilities allowing advanced vision sparing surgeries such as corneo-conjunctival transposition (CCT)
• Thermokeratoplasty in cases of endothelial decompensation
• Lens luxation management including small incision lens phacoaspiration
• Sudden blindness investigations including electroretinography
• Surgical and laser interventions in selected cases of glaucoma

We offer a range of pet wellness services, including:

• Bowen therapy
• Home exercises
• Canine Merishia Massage
• Reiki

Find out more

Our soft tissue surgery referral service is led by Michal Vlasin and Dave Lewis, along with our team of residents, interns and nurses.

Vale Referrals has a dedicated theatre for their soft tissue surgery, comprehensively equipped for anaesthesia and patient monitoring. Routine surgeries carried out include thoracic and abdominal surgery, as well as ear, nose and throat and oncologic and reconstructive surgery.

We regularly perform the following procedures:

Ear Nose & Throat

• Aspergillosis treatment
• Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome-surgery for stenotic nares / elongated soft palate
• Nasal Discharge investigations / Laryngeal Paralysis-Tieback surgery
• Stick injuries
• Cleft Palate/Oronasal Fistulae surgery
• Salivary Mucocoeles
• Total Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy (dogs)
• Ventral Bulla Osteotomy (cats) Lateral Wall Resection

Thoracic

• Thoracotomy
• Vascular Ring Anomalies
• PDA surgery
• Lung Lobectomy
• Pericardial Strip Pneumothorax / Pleural Effusion investigation – Pyothorax, Chylothorax
• Chest Wall Tumours, Chest wall Reconstruction
• Ruptured Diaphragm
• Peritoneopericardial Diaphragmatic Hernia

Oncology

• Oncological investigation and surgery
• Mandibulectomies
• Maxillectomies

Urinary

• Colposuspension / Urethropexy
• Ectopic Ureter surgery
• Perineal Urethrostomy
• Urethral blockage and FLUTD (cats)
• Nephrectomy/Renal Biopsy

Abdominal

• All aspects of Gastrointestinal surgery
• Acute Abdomen cases / Peritonitis
• GDV / Gastropexy / Placement “PEG” tubes
• Liver Biopsy / Liver Lobectomy
• Cholecystectomy / Cholecystoduodenostomy
• Splenectomy
• Prostatic investigations/surgery
• Perineal Ruptures Wound Management and reconstruction / Skin Grafts Migrating foreign bodies / discharging sinus investigation
• Wound Management and reconstruction / Skin Grafts
• Migrating foreign bodies / discharging sinus investigation

As a practice we offer a 24 hour emergency service, supported by our team of interns and nurses at our fully equipped hospital in Stinchcombe. Our services are not limited to the above therefore, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.