We were on “Big Dog Britain” on Channel 4 doing what we’re good at and scanning an Irish wolfhound’s heart. Thank you Little Gem TV for inviting us to be part of the show – we had lots of fun!
This is a lovely story about a Basset hound born with an extra vessel which should have closed at birth but didn’t (called a patent ductus arteriosus, or “PDA”). Florence the Basset had successful keyhole surgery due to collaboration between Dr Liz Bode and I, plus all of the staff at ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists. We wish Florence all the best following her interventional surgery. She is clearly a much loved pet and should now have a very good quality of life due to the team work and collaboration between specialists. Florence was a very well behaved patient too!
Well done to Dr Sarah Helps for winning the Kennel Club Breed Health Coordinator Award 2020! Dr Sarah Helps has been imperative behind the Deerhound research projects which are still ongoing and this was a well deserved win. In addition, Dr Helps and I made it in the The Kennel Gazette (see photo)!
It seems strange that the building used for the London Vet Show last November which I was delighted to have been invited to speak in, has now been converted to the NHS Nightingale hospital. Here is a photo of Darcy Adin and I at The ExCel, London. I was honoured to have been speaking alongside Darcy about the new loop diuretic torasemide as well as other feline cardiology topics too.
I was honoured to have been invited by CEVA as a scientific adviser to their meeting in Paris earlier this year. They announced that they are launching newly licensed loop diuretic “Isemid” which contains torasemide this year. Another great alternative to furosemide for the treatment of dogs with heart failure – thank you CEVA. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear the views of various world-renowned cardiologists and I was grateful to have been part of this scientific discussion.
You heard it here first!
I’m very excited to be “streaming live” on Youtube on the 30th January. Having been asked to speak about mitral valve disease in dogs (myths and modern treatments), I’m pleased that CEVA have decided to share the live event on their Youtube page so that all veterinary staff can see and hear the presentation from the comfort of their own home (or work)!
I was honoured to have been invited to a Bulldog Breed Club meeting today to discuss heart testing in Bulldogs. During the talk, I showed breeders the VCS heart test certificate which is issued following an examination by a veterinary cardiologist (the list of people who can heart test can be found here; http://www.vet-cardio.co.uk/). We discussed the diseases pulmonic stenosis, dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which cardiologists in the UK diagnose in Bulldogs. Encouraging heart testing may help prevent heart disease in all breeds of dogs and cats.
I am delighted to have been invited to a working party event at Vetoquinol’s Head Office with a small number of cardiologists selected to discuss the use of the new diuretic Torasemide in dogs. We are looking forward to the gathered materials being distributed to veterinary surgeons in general practice to aid learning and to help first-opinion vets decide when to prescribe Torasemide.
RCVS Specialist status in Veterinary Cardiology is not easily achieved as it requires individuals to publish widely in their field (amongst other requirements). Over the last 2 years, Emily has been keeping ahead with research and has published the following scientific manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals:
“An update on canine cardiomyopathies – is it all in the genes?”
The Journal of Small Animal Practice 2018-04
“Serum cardiac troponin I concentrations in dogs with generalised seizures”
The Journal of Small Animal Practice 2017-10
“Serum cardiac troponin I in canine syncope and seizures”
Journal of Veterinary Cardiology 2017-02
Shady, a male 8 year 8 month old domestic shorthair cat, was examined and found to have a slow heart rate (80 beats/minute). The normal heart rate in a cat should be 160-240 beats/minute. Shady had a rhythm abnormality called 3rd degree AV block (also called “complete heart block”), which meant there was a block in the transmission of impulses from the normal pacemaker in his heart (situated at the top of the heart) down to the bottom of his heart (to the ventricles). An “escape” rhythm was keeping Shady alive which originated from the bottom of the heart.
The slow heart rate caused Shady to be very lethargic; this, in addition to his chronic bladder issues, potentially requiring frequent general anaesthetics, led the owner to elect for Shady to have a pacemaker fitted. The pacemaker would ensure that, should the “escape” rhythm fail, Shady’s heart would not stop. In addition it meant that Shady would be able to increase his heart rate to higher than 80 beats/minute during exercise, giving him more energy (due to the increased blood and oxygen pumped around his body). Catherine Sturgeon, from Visiting Vet Specialists (http://www.visitingvetspecialists.co.uk), and Carl Bradbrook, from Acevets (http://www.acevets.co.uk/about), were called in for the operation.
Catherine (specialist soft tissue surgeon), Carl (specialist anaesthetist) and I worked together as a team to implant the pacemaker. The intricate operation was a success and Shady took it all in his stride. Recent interrogation of Shady’s pacemaker showed that Shady could (with the help of the pacemaker) increase his heart rate to 130 beats/minute during periods of activity. In fact, if Shady was feeling incredibly active, his heart rate could increase to 185 beats/minute. The owner also reported that Shady appeared to have a lot more energy and was more playful.
To read more about Shady, click on: http://m.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/14456182.Timperley_cat_fitted_with_pacemaker_in_rare_op/
Shady made the ITV news too: http://www.itv.com/news/granada/update/2016-05-03/video-tiny-pacemaker-is-keeping-cat-alive/
