Adelaide Veterinary Specialist & Referral Centre

07/05/2024

Welcome back Dr. Meyers!

🦁🌿 Guess who's back from his wild safari adventure? Our very own surgeon, Dr. Bruce Meyers, fresh off dodging lions and negotiating with elephants (well, maybe not negotiating, but definitely admiring)!

Bruce took a well-deserved break in South Africa with his family and is now back at AAERC (our sister clinic), ready to care for our furry friends of the tamer variety —and perhaps share a few tales from his own jungle escapades!
🐘🌴

Contact our sister clinic AAERC

☎8371 0333
📍119 Anzac Hwy, Kurralta Park SA 5037

26/12/2023

Here at AVSARC and AAERC we have to get creative with our bandaging! Bessie is a 9 year old Toy Poodle who was seen by our dermatology department due to her chronic ear infections. It was recommended she receive a bilateral Total Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy to remove her ear canals and middle ear. She was referred to our surgery department who performed both surgical removals in one sitting. Bessie made a great recovery, and while her hearing may be gone so is her chronic pain and discomfort, and she is much happier for it. Thank you to Bessie’s and referring vet for sending us this case, we are glad we could make a difference to Bessie’s comfort and health.

20/12/2023

Would you believe this 8 year old Border Collie had spinal surgery two weeks ago?


Ollie presented to the Adelaide Animal Emergency and Referral Centre after his owners noticed he had reduced function of his back legs and pain around his lower back after sideswiping a wall cornering too fast . He was referred to the surgery department for further imaging and assessment. Dr. Bruce Meyers arranged for a contrast CT which showed an acute traumatic disc extrusion located between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae. A disc extrusion happens when part of the disc fails and is displaced into the spinal canal compressing the spinal cord resulting in varying degrees of sensory and motor function .In Ollie’s case, a large haematoma (localised bleeding outside of the blood vessels) was also found. This required a very intricate and precise surgery to remove the disc matter and replace with a fat graft. Ollie was in great hands with Dr Meyers who has performed this procedure extensively and made a remarkable recovery. He can now spend Christmas pain free and mobile with his family…just stay away from the Christmas pudding Ollie!

13/11/2023

Who said “stirrups” were only for horses!

Our most recent Surgery Rounds presented by Dr Bruce Meyers and Team Leader Rhonda Ponder was warmly received by our talented attendees. It was a fun filled informative evening covering the finer details on applying Modified Robert Jones bandages.

Interested in joining us next time? Our Surgery Rounds feature every month or so on a different topic, get in touch to see what is coming up next!

08/11/2023

Meet Matilda! A seven year old Spoodle who is a devoted assistance dog to her doting mum.

Matilda was seen initially by our Dermatology department with a history of chronic ear infections affecting the outer and middle ear. She subsequently began to suffer from vestibular syndrome and an associated head tilt. The loss of balance cause by this very debilitating and painful condition often lead to her falling over. Chronic ear infections may be hard to control and in some cases the only viable treatment plan is to remove the entire ear canal and middle ear, in a surgery commonly referred to as TECABO or Total Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy.

This was performed by our referral surgeon, Dr Bruce Meyers and his surgical team. We recently saw Matilda for her suture removal and not only has she made a great recovery but her head tilt has significantly improved and her mum feels she has a new lease on life! She now can enjoy running down at the beach and playing with her fur friend at home without the worry of pain and inflammation in her ear.

Thankyou to Matilda’s mum and her regular vet for the referral of this case. We are so happy to hear how well she is going.

12/10/2023

Congratulations to our Surgical Team Leader Rhonda Ponder for winning Veterinary Nurse of the year! You’re a superstar ⭐️

🎉 **Congratulations to Rhonda-Anne Ponder: 2023 Veterinary Nurse/Technician of the Year!** 🎉

It is with great excitement that we announce Rhonda Ponder as the well-deserved recipient of the 2023 Veterinary Nurse/Technician of the Year Award! 🐾

Rhonda's journey through the veterinary field has been nothing short of remarkable. Her tireless commitment to the well-being of animals and her contributions to the veterinary community have truly set her apart.

Read more about Rhonda here: https://www.vnca.asn.au/about-veterinary-nursing/vet-nurse-of-the-year/

29/09/2023

Come visit us at PetBarn Mile End this Saturday between 9am - 1pm to talk to our veterinary staff.

Ask a question about your furry family member, have a chat about the amazing services we offer and pick up a goodie bag! Look forward to seeing you there!

21/09/2023

Come see us at PetBarn Mile End this Saturday to ask a nurse any questions about your furry friend and hear about the amazing services we offer!

20/09/2023

Meet our Surgeon - Dr Bruce Meyers?! 🩺👨‍⚕️

His interests lie particularly in the fields of orthopaedics, neurosurgery, soft tissue surgery and reconstructive surgery.

So, here is a little more about Bruce's background…

Bruce relocated to Adelaide in January 2022 with his wife, daughter and their three dachshunds, yes he’s a Dachshund lover!

Bruce qualified as a veterinarian in 1993 and completed his Master’s Degree in Small Animal Surgery in 2008 at the University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort). He is registered as a Specialist Veterinary Surgeon with the South African Veterinary Council. Immediately after specialising, Bruce started St Helier Veterinary Hospital and Specialist Centre, and designed and project managed the establishment of a state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital. Over the time Bruce was there he established and maintained an incredible reputation with both the Veterinarians in the area and the public at large.

From a personal perspective, Bruce is a keen mountain biker, loves kite surfing, the ocean and spending time with his family.

If you are interested in seeking surgical advice and treatment options about your pet from Dr Bruce, please ask your regular veterinarian for a referral. Alternatively, if you’re a vet in need of any advice on a case or even help with further interpretation on radiographs, please reach out as he is more than happy to help!

Call (08) 8132 0533

28/08/2023

31/07/2023

Meet Ebony, a lovely older doggo with a very long-standing relationship with our teams. 💙

Ebony’s first misadventure with us started back in 2017, when she was seen by our Emergency and Internal Medicine teams for a life-threatening condition called Immune-Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia. Ebony’s immune system was destroying her own red-blood cells, not leaving enough for the vital task of carrying oxygen and nutrients around her body.

Over the years, Ebony has had many blood tests and bone marrow tests, a blood transfusion and has been on special medications to manage her condition… medication that she’ll need to take for the rest of her life. In that time Ebony has also seen our Surgery Team to fix a torn cruciate ligament, has been on treatment for skin allergies, and has recently developed cataracts that will also need surgical correction.

Ebony’s plans for cataract surgery were disrupted earlier this year when she developed a large, fluid filled cyst on her liver. This was a worry for everyone, as liver cysts and masses are often filled with blood and Ebony already has issues keeping her precious red blood cells healthy!

It also meant that the only way to tell if the cyst was cancerous or not was to do surgery, because the risk of bleeding during a non-surgical biopsy was simply too high. Our Internal Medicine and Surgery teams worked together and ordered a CT scan to assess Ebony’s liver and check for signs of tumors elsewhere.

Thankfully there was no signs of malignancy in other areas of Ebony’s body, but we did find some smaller cysts in her liver, cysts in her kidneys and saw that her adrenal glands were a bit large.

Next step… more blood tests, some conversations about her adrenal function, and a check up with the Internal Medicine team to figure out the best plan forward.

It was decided that we would remove the cystic part of Ebony’s liver before it could cause any life-threatening bleeding. But that took some planning… because of Ebony’s medication and her history of needing a blood transfusion once already, we had to make sure that we were well prepared for and had the right blood products on hand in case she needed another transfusion during or after surgery.

She also needed some pretty advanced monitoring during anaesthesia to closely track changes to her blood pressure, along with some careful drug combinations to ensure that we didn’t upset the delicate balance for her glitchy endocrine and immune systems.

Thankfully, surgery went well and Ebony recovered with only some minor blood loss… minus an orange-sized cyst and the abnormal section of her liver!

The best part? Testing on the liver and cyst showed no signs of cancer or nasty malignancy! So without the imminent threat of a big bleeding liver, Ebony is now in the clear! Her family is over the moon and reports that Ebony has a new lease on life. 🥰🥰

Next steps… perhaps that cataract surgery she was thinking about.

19/07/2023

Attention Vet Nurses!🐾

Book your spot for our upcoming seminar ➡ Top 10 tips for scary anaesthetics

Presented by, Rhonda Ponder AVN, RVN, DipVN(GP), DipVN(Surgery)

📅Thursday 27th of July from 6:30pm
📍 The Highway, 290 Anzac Hwy, Plympton SA 5038

Whether in general practice, ER or speciality practice, everyone faces a scary anaesthetic procedure at some point!
But there are ways to be prepared and face off against whatever your patient throws at you. This lecture will not discuss specific protocols for individual disease states, but will give you a set of tips, tricks and good habits that can be applied to all routine and non-routine patients. So whether your 'scary' is the geriatrics, a moribund GDV or space-occupying pulmonary disease, you can approach your anaesthetics with calm and confidence.
Learning outcomes:
• Think critically about anaesthesia procedures and protocols
• Tailer anaesthesia plans for individual patient needs
• Identify potential complications and possible treatment plans
• Feel more confident approaching complex, critical or unfamiliar cases
Drinks and nibbles will be provided and attendees will have opportunities to network and develop professionally. ✔️

Inviting all nurses to join us at The Highway from 6:30pm on Thursday the 27th of July with drinks and nibbles provided. Rhonda Ponder presents - Top 10 Tips for scary anaesthetics! We hope to see you there!

07/07/2023

Meet Emmie and her loving parents Christine and Roy 🥰

Emmie is a 9 year old Miniature Dachshund who met the surgical team at AVSARC in early May after her family noticed that she was dragging her hind paws and struggling to walk normally.

After an initial consult with our surgeon Dr Bruce Meyers (who has three little Dachshunds of his own), Emmie was suspected to have Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), or a ‘herniated/bulging’ disc. Later that day we performed an MRI on Emmie which confirmed Dr Bruce’s suspicions… Emmie had two bulging discs in her lumbar (lower back) area causing compression of the spinal cord, which was disrupting some of the signals from her brain to her back legs.

Emmie needed surgery before the compression got worse and caused complete paralysis of her hind legs. Our wonderful surgery team here at AVSARC performed a Hemilaminectomy (bit of a mouthful we know!) the next day.

A Hemilaminectomy involves removing a section of the vertebral bone, to allow us to scoop out the bulging disc material that is putting pressure on the spinal cord. It’s delicate surgery, and we have to be very careful not to cause any damage to the spinal cord while we’re there!

IVDD can occur in a few variations and some dogs can be so severely affected that it takes months of physical therapy to return to normal function. Some dogs may even have a permanent disability.

Luckily for Emmie, her family acted quickly and her surgery and recovery has been a great success.

We’ve just seen Emmie for her 6-week post-operative recheck with Dr Bruce, and we are thrilled to see that she is practically back to her normal self! 💙

30/06/2023

Meet Marsha, one of our surgical nurses! 💙

Marsha started her journey working as a nurse 5 years ago in GP with small animals.

She then moved on to working as a specialist surgical nurse 1.5 years ago and has loved every part, including her strong interest in anaesthesia.

At home Marsha has a total of 11 pets... Yes that’s right 11! 😲

She has 4 cats named Toulouse, Percy, Bagheera and Malcolm. Her dog Alfred who is a German wirehaired pointer, and her 6 goats.

Pictured with her is the handsome Vincent Van Goat! 😍

When Marsha isn’t at work she enjoys spending time working on her hobby farm as well as doing Yoga. 🧘‍♂️

08/06/2023

Is your pet experiencing behavioural issues?🙃

Dr Jacqui Ley is one of four Veterinary Specialists in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine in Australia.

Dr Ley visits Adelaide and offers behavioural services at our Kurralta Park site once per month, and is now taking bookings!

Veterinary behavioural medicine (VBM) is a branch of veterinary medicine that is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of behaviour problems in animals.
Behavioural problems are medical conditions and often due to neurochemical imbalances in the brain. If your pet is showing signs of behavioural problems it is important to get them assessed. Treatment is effective and can help rebuild the bonds between owner and pet. 💙

Some common reasons to see a Veterinary Behaviour Specialist are (Just to name a few):

Dogs 🐶
✅Aggression towards family, strangers or other dogs
✅Anxiety issues
✅Lack of Self-Control
✅Strange behaviour

Cats 🐱
✅Litter box troubles
✅Spraying
✅Aggression towards people and other cats
✅Over-grooming

📞 CALL US TO BOOK or for more information (08) 8371 0333

30/05/2023

Homer is a 13 year-old Jack Russell Terrier who is full of life! 😍

Late last year, Homer’s mum noticed that he was having a lot of trouble catching his breath during exercise or getting excited. A few trips to the vet and some medications didn’t seem to help for long, and Homer’s breathing progressively got worse…even landing him in the emergency room after a particularly bad episode!

Homer was referred to see Dr Bruce Meyers and the Surgery Team at AVSARC to get to the bottom of his breathing problems and see if there was a was a way to help him for good. A thorough exam and scoping procedure under anaesthesia showed that Homer had two major problems… laryngeal paralysis that meant the muscles in the back of his throat no longer work properly, and some obstructive upper airway changes that had caused stage two laryngeal collapse.

No wonder Homer was having trouble breathing!

Dr Bruce and Homer’s mum had a long chat about options for surgery. Laryngeal paralysis and laryngeal collapse may sound very similar, but we treat them each with different types of surgery… and Homer had BOTH! 😲😲 Dr Bruce suggested that because of his age and combination of problems, a permanent tracheostomy was the best option for Homer. This surgery involves making a specialised hole (a stoma) in the trachea (the windpipe), which provides an alternative airway that bypasses all the areas at the back of the throat that were causing problems. It’s a tricky surgery to create a new permanent opening into the airway, and it means that Homer now breathes through his neck instead of his mouth.

Homer has had to make some lifestyle changes to make sure that he stays safe. Breathing through a tracheostomy hole means that Homer can’t protect his airway from things like water. So no more swimming for him! His mum also needs to keep any long hair trimmed away and avoid long fibres or fluff that Homer could accidentally breath in.

It’s a few months down the track now and Homer is doing amazing! His bark sounds quite different now, but he is back to his old tricks, and we are so happy to see him living his best life. 🥰🐾

26/05/2023

Get to know Rhonda, our Surgery Nurse Team Leader 🌷

Not only is she an incredibly talented nurse, she is Recover certified, a Lecturer and Trainer for Anaesthesia and Surgery... and the highest trained anaesthesia nurse in South Australia! ⭐

Rhonda has been working in the veterinary industry for over 18 years. She achieved her Cert IV in veterinary nursing in 2007, a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (GP) in 2018, and a second Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Surgery) in 2019.
Anaesthesia is Rhonda’s niche and special interest. She thinks there is something sacred about taking a living creature through anaesthesia and surgery, giving them the care and love that she would give her own pet, and pulling them through a procedure that may seem routine to us, but can be deadly if done incorrectly.

Rhonda says it’s a huge and heavy responsibility, and she is humbled and proud to navigate that with them.

Rhonda has 2 birds Noodle and Jemima and 2 cats called Gracie and Boomer. 🥰

She is a bit of a nerd and a geek and is proud of both! 😁 She loves reading, playing computer games, studying anything vet nurse related and writing lectures. She is also extremely crafty at home and does lots of different types of art.

Woman of many talents!

25/05/2023

💙 Clyde 💙

We first met Clyde when he was referred to our Internal Medicine Team for an unusual fluid build-up in his chest.

A special type of body fluid called ‘chyle’ was leaking out of Clyde’s lymphatic system and into his chest cavity, leaving not much room for his lungs to expand. He bounced right back after his first visit to drain the fluid and investigate the cause, so we thought that was the end of his adventure with us. But fast forward 16 months and the leakage was back...and this time it wasn’t slowing down. 😭

Clyde saw our Internal Medicine Team again, who drained the offending fluid and referred him to Dr Bruce and the Surgery Team to discuss surgical correction of the abnormality with his thoracic duct.

The thoracic duct is the major lymphatic vessel that moves chyle around, and it was leaking! The tricky part is finding out exactly where it’s leaking. Clyde had to have his chest drained twice again over two weeks, giving us a bit of a scare by quickly getting worse and producing a whopping 4-5L of chyle fluid inside his chest each time (See photo below)!

Clyde’s surgery was a BIG one… in fact it was THREE surgeries in one! And it took the whole team to pull off.

Dr Bruce and his surgical assistants performed ‘thoracic duct ligation’ – a double surgery involving a ‘paracostal celiotomy’ to inject special dye and inspect and tie off the vessels on the abdomen side, and a ‘lateral thoracotomy’ to find and tie off the leaks in the chest side. Clyde also needed a ‘subtotal pericardiectomy’ to remove a section of tissue around his heart that had been damaged by the chyle fluid.

Clyde’s Anaesthesia nurses pulled out all the stops… using a specialised breathing machine and human-level monitoring equipment to keep him safe. ❤

Our Imaging guru was also involved, using an advanced fluoroscopy machine to give us a real-time x-ray movie to help pinpoint every little leak. This really was a team effort, and Clyde’s surgery went off without a hitch.

After surgery, Clyde was closely monitored by a dedicated hospital team overnight, then spent a few days with our Emergency and Critical Care Team to ensure he was well on the road to recovery with no more leaks before heading home to his worried family! 🥰

Clyde is a loveable, gentle giant who won over every person he met during his time with us. The big question is… who gets the cuddles when he comes for his next visit?🤪

19/05/2023

Meet our surgeon - Dr Bruce Meyers?! 🩺👨‍⚕️

Dr Bruce works at our Magill Road Clinic Monday - Thursday and on call as required. His interests lie particularly in the fields of orthopaedics, neurosurgery, soft tissue surgery and reconstructive surgery.

So, here is a little more about Bruce's background…

Bruce relocated to Adelaide in January 2022 with his wife, daughter and their three dachshunds.

Bruce qualified as a veterinarian in 1993 and completed his Master’s Degree in Small Animal Surgery in 2008 at the University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort). He is registered as a Specialist Veterinary Surgeon with the South African Veterinary Council. Immediately after specialising, Bruce started St Helier Veterinary Hospital and Specialist Centre, and designed and project managed the establishment of a state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital. Over the time Bruce was there he established and maintained an incredible reputation with both the Veterinarians in the area and the public at large.

From a personal perspective, Bruce is a keen mountain biker, loves kite surfing, the ocean and spending time with his family.

If you are interested in seeking surgical advice and treatment options for your pet from Dr Bruce, please ask your regular veterinarian for a referral. Alternatively, if you’re a vet in need of any advice on a case or even help with further interpretation on radiographs, please reach out as he is more than happy to help!

Call (08) 8132 0533

06/04/2023

AAERC will be open 24/7 this Easter long weekend! Save their details.

04/04/2023

Please see recent update about the emergency service.

28/02/2023

Meet one of our Dermatology regulars that visits Dr Andrew Carter! 🥰🐝

Luna had a severe anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting resulting in collapse and overnight hospitalisation in April last year. This was frightening to both Luna and her owner.

Since then, Luna has been a regular visitor with our Derm Team, Dr Carter and Nurse Rachel. She is now desensitised against bee stings and can enjoy going outside without mum being concerned. 💙

So how does it work? 🤔

Bee Venom Desensitisation is a treatment that involves exposing the patient to gradually increasing doses of bee venom given by injection over time to help build tolerance.

Initially, Luna received injections in hospital, where she could be closely monitored for any signs of an allergic reaction.

While some owners elect to do the ongoing injections at home or by their usual vet, Luna’s mum has elected to bring Luna in to see Rachel for her injections. She hangs with us for 30 minutes to monitor for any signs of allergic reaction each time and she loves the attention.

Bee Venom Desensitisation has been shown to be very effective in reducing the severity of allergic reactions to bee stings, and in some cases, even eliminating the allergic reaction altogether.

Luna is tolerating her injections well with only a little itch after her injections. We're thrilled to see her making such great progress! 🐾

If your pets feeling the sting, book in with your regular vet to get a referral to Dr Andrew Carter. 🐝

24/02/2023

☀ KEEPING YOUR PETS COOL TODAY🥵‼

If you’re feeling the heat, your pets are too. With the rising heat today, it’s important to keep our pets safe, cool and comfortable.

Follow these simple tips to ensure your pets safety:

🐾 Keep pets indoors (for outdoor pets provide plenty of shade to avoid direct sun and heat)
🐾 Ensure they have access to lots of fresh water
🐾 Avoid walks or outdoor activity, paw pads on concrete or roads will BURN
🐾 DO NOT leave your pet alone in a parked car
🐾 Consider using a cooling mats or freezing treats (kongs) for your pets!

❌ Most importantly, watch out for signs of heatstroke. Symptoms include, heavy panting, lethargy, vomiting, and seizures. If you notice any of these signs seek veterinary attention immediately! If left unattended, heatstroke can be fatal.

A quick response can make all the difference. ❤

AEC -Adelaide Animal Emergency Centre
102 Magill Road Norwood, SA 5067
CALL (08) 8362 1722

AAERC – Adelaide Animal Emergency & Referral Centre
119 Anzac Hwy, Kurralta Park SA 5037
CALL (08) 8371 0333

25/01/2023

PUBLIC HOLIDAY TODAY - WE ARE OPEN! ✅

Save our details in case of an unwanted pet emergency.

AEC -Adelaide Animal Emergency Centre
102 Magill Road Norwood, SA 5067
CALL (08) 8362 1722

AAERC – Adelaide Animal Emergency & Referral Centre
119 Anzac Hwy, Kurralta Park SA 5037
CALL (08) 8371 0333

A quick response can make all the difference. ❤

11/01/2023

Sage - a double whammy for a cute sausage 🐶🐾

Sage is the sweetest miniature Dachshund who suddenly lost some function in her back legs. Her mum understood the importance of acting quickly and immediately made an appointment to see our Referral Surgeon, Dr Bruce Meyers.

After doing a full neurological exam, Dr Meyers said that he suspected IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) and herniation of an intervertebral disc with compression of the spinal cord. IVDD is unfortunately a condition that is frequently seen in “long backed short legged” type dogs and swift action on the part of both Owners and their Vet is vital to the pet’s recovery.

Within hours a CT was performed and two separate compressive lesions, from two separate discs in the lower thoracic spine and lower lumbar spine, were confirmed. The benefits and risks of spinal surgery were discussed with Sages’ mum and she gave Dr Meyers the go ahead to operate. Sage has made a remarkable recovery and was back to her normal, happy little self at her 4- week check-up! 😍

Dr Meyers is an avid dachshund lover and has performed over a thousand of these surgeries. Sage was certainly in the best hands when she became his patient and we are so pleased to have been able to help this special girl. 💙

31/12/2022

Happy New Year! 🥂🎉

How are you feeling walking into 2023?

We are number 4... wondering how we got here this quick! 😂

Our S&E centres will be here to help you and your pets through any obstacles that 2023 may bring.

A quick response can make all the difference. ❤

AEC -Adelaide Animal Emergency Centre
102 Magill Road Norwood, SA 5067
CALL (08) 8362 1722

AAERC – Adelaide Animal Emergency & Referral Centre
119 Anzac Hwy, Kurralta Park SA 5037
CALL (08) 8371 0333