Queensland Veterinary Specialists

Home
Australia
Brisbane, QLD
Queensland Veterinary Specialists

Specialised veterinary care in North Brisbane, now at two locations: Stafford Heights and North Lakes
(65)

10/05/2024

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but Cassius cannot say the same for dogs 🐶💎

Cassius presented to our emergency department after ingesting his owners diamond ring. His owner had spent a few days keeping a close eye on his toileting habits, but they were unable to strike gold which prompted a visit to our team.

After performing radiographs of the abdomen, it was clear that there was a metallic ring-shaped foreign body in the stomach. Dr Tess successfully performed a gastroscope to remove the ring via the mouth. A gastroscope is a non-invasive option for gastric foreign body removal and involves a endoscope (camera) to be guided down the oral cavity, into the stomach and small forceps used to grasp the object and remove it through the mouth.

We are pleased to say that Cassius recovered smoothly and was discharged home later that day ⭐

26/04/2024

This week we are celebrating the heart and soul of our hospitals, our amazing client care team ⭐

Thank you for your dedication, your kindness, and your unwavering commitment to the well-being of our furry friends and their families.

Your hard work and empathy truly make a difference every single day. You are the unsung heroes of our practice, and we are grateful for all that you do.

Here’s to you, the smiling faces that our clients first see and the last reassuring voice that they hear. Thank you all for your hard work and happy veterinary receptionist week to you and all of the amazing veterinary receptionists out there 🐶

25/04/2024

☎️ QVS STAFFORD NETWORK INTERRUPTIONS 💻

Due to some updates occurring at our Stafford hospital, we will be experiencing a brief network outage that will affect both our emails and phone lines.

This will occur at 12pm today 26/04/2024 and is anticipated to last between 15-30 mins.

We are still open to see you and your pets so, if you are experiencing an animal emergency, please head on down to your nearest hospital. We will respond to any emails or queries once our network is live again.

Please note that this is only affecting our Stafford hospital and North Lakes will still be available via phone or email should you have an urgent query at this time.

Thank you for your support and understanding 🐱🐶

22/04/2024

Meet Major!

Major is a beautiful three-year-old Labrador who presented to our Stafford hospital after his owner found him struggling to walk. Major’s signs quickly progressed, and he was soon unable to move his legs, lift his head, blink or swallow.

Major underwent a series of extensive neurological tests and was ultimately diagnosed with a condition called polyradiculoneuritis, an autoimmune disorder characterised by inflammation and damage to the nerve roots, resulting in weakness, paralysis and other neurological symptoms. In some cases, polyradiculoneuritis can be life-threatening if it affects the nerves which control breathing.

There is no specific medical or surgical treatment for polyradiculoneuritis, so Major’s recovery relied on around the clock intensive nursing care and monitoring in our ICU. Major’s dedicated owners visited him daily in hospital and as time passed, we started to see signs of improvement and a stronger tail wag each day.

Thanks to the commitment of his care team and owners, Major is now able to walk and eat with no concerns and was recently able to be discharged home into the care of his owners. Major’s owners are thrilled to have their boy back home with them doing so well after his long hospital stay 🐶⭐

28/03/2024

We are open over the long weekend! If you do need us over this long weekend period, we are here and able to see your pets through our emergency department 24/7.

As we gear up for the weekend festivities it's important to keep our furry friends in mind!

🍫 Keep an eye on your Easter treats! Chocolate is toxic for our pets and can lead to serious health issues if ingested. As well as chocolate, many sweet treats may contain xylitol which is a sugar substitute which is highly toxic to our furry friends.

🌸 Those delicious hot cross buns often contain either chocolate, raisins or sultanas which are all also highly toxic to your pet and can lead to serious gastrointestinal issues and kidney failure.

🐰 Festive decorations and food wrappers can also cause issues to your pet. If ingested, they have the potential to cause gastrointestinal upset and obstruction.

Should you need our help, please give your nearest hospital a call.

Stafford: 07 3359 0777 North Lakes: 07 3384 2222

22/03/2024

Jewel was seen by our emergency team after she suddenly became unwell at home and wasn't eating normally. Her owners were very worried as she had been unwell 2 years ago with a kidney infection that had caused similar signs and had previously had a kidney removed before they adopted her.

Blood tests showed Jewel had life-threatening kidney failure. She also had life-threatening electrolyte changes. The emergency team started intensive treatment under the guidance of our Critical Care team, and Jewel's electrolytes improved, however, by morning, she was not making urine, and the whole team was very worried.

She was transferred to our Internal Medicine team in a race against time to get answers before her kidney failure became catastrophic. The team were suspicious of a ureteral obstruction, blocking the tube from the kidney to the bladder. This is an uncommon cause of kidney failure, and mostly involves a small stone blocking the ureter (OUCH!!).

However, there was no stone on ultrasound in Jewel's case, so a specialised CT with contrast dye confirmed an obstruction, which was suspected to be debris or blood. Our Surgical and Anaesthesia team swung into action and Jewel had a device called a SUB implanted.

This device has only been around for a decade and has saved many lives by preserving kidneys if they become obstructed. The device consists of a tube that travels from the kidney to a port under the skin, then a second tube from the port to the bladder, bypassing the ureter. Jewel's kidney started working immediately, and she had a full bladder within a couple of hours of surgery.

Her kidney values improved spectacularly within 24 hours. Two days after surgery, Jewel's kidney values were back to normal, the best outcome we could have hoped for. Jewel has been recovering at home, and while she will need lifelong vet visits to manage her SUB device, she is almost back to her usual self.

The wonderful outcome for Jewel was a result of an integrated care approach across the whole hospital, a real team effort! 🐱

08/03/2024

TECHINICAL DIFFICULTIES UPDATE:

Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding today while we worked through our phone issues.

We are happy (and relieved) to say our phones are back up and operational 😊

07/03/2024

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!

We are currently experiencing issues with our phone lines at both Stafford and North Lakes.

We are still open as usual however, please only call in the event of an emergency as we only have one phone line available. We hope to have this sorted shortly!

We are still avalible via email for any non urgent enquirers.

Apologies for the inconvenience and we thank you for your patience.

06/03/2024

Meet Peggy!

Peggy presented to our Critical Care service recently for ingestion of some homemade play dough. Peggy was seen drinking a lot of water and started profusely vomiting.

After initial assessment at Newstead Vets, it was found Peggy’s sodium (salt) levels were severely high! On arrival to our hospital, Peggy was tremoring, unable to walk and had a short seizure. Peggy received custom fluid therapy in order to correct her salt levels, and within hours from admission her neurological signs started to improve.
Peggy continued to respond well to therapy and was fortunately discharged home the next day with her sodium levels back to normal.

Acute hypernatraemia (rapid increase in blood salt levels) can occur from sudden increase in salt levels (salt water ingestion, play dough etc) or loss of free water (such as water loss in the kidneys or gastrointestinal tract). Rapid neurological signs occur in severe cases and warrant urgent therapy to prevent permanent brain damage. Cases treated in a timely fashion have a good prognosis ⭐

29/02/2024

Pack your surfboard and swimmers!

Queensland Veterinary Specialists and Pet Emergency are heading to the coast.

We have plans for a new hospital opening at the Sunshine Coast early 2025.

As part of this adventure, we are now ready and inviting expressions of interest from enthusiastic individuals who share our passion for veterinary excellence. If you're eager to dive deeper into the possibilities this opportunity holds, we want to hear from you!

Visit our landing page and express your interest! More to come!

https://www.qldvetspecialists.com.au/sunshine-coast

25/02/2024

Meet Dimple 🐶

Dimple was referred to our critical care department for a suspected Addisonian crisis. She presented in shock and had an abnormal heart rhythm, low blood glucose and marked electrolyte abnormalities.

Dimple required intensive stabilisation on arrival with intravenous therapy, calcium, glucose and antiemetics. Following an abdominal ultrasound and blood test, Dimple was diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism (known as Addison’s disease).

This disease is caused by auto-immune destruction of the adrenal glands, resulting in an inability to produce cortisol and hormones responsible for normal electrolyte homeostasis.

Dimple was started on medications to supplement these deficiencies and was discharged home 2 days later. Dimple’s mum and dad sent through some pictures of her enjoying her time back at home with her family! 🍤

23/02/2024

Matters of the Heart - Round 2!!

Due to an overwhelming response and a sold-out event, we are excited to announce Annie will be running a second nurse night on: Matters of the Heart: Arrhythmias & ECGs ❤️ Tuesday, 19 March 2024.

ECG is a crucial part of anaesthesia monitoring. This seminar will cover the basics of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and guide you through identifying and initial management of arrhythmias under GA. You will you leave with a greater understanding and confidence of ECG abnormalities and management.

Annie graduated from the University of Queensland in 2019 and worked for a short time in general practice, before joining our team as a surgical nurse at QVS. Annie is currently undertaking her Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) qualification in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. Annie is passionate about all areas of surgical nursing, with a special interest in advanced anaesthesia techniques and clinical teaching.
The session will be relaxed and interactive so please bring along your best ideas, questions, and cases so we can discuss and learn as a team.

Price: FREE! Dinner and non-alcoholic drinks provided.
When: Second Session - Tuesday, 19 March 2024.
Time: Arrive at 6:45pm for a 7pm start.
Where: QVS Stafford, 45 Hayward Street, Stafford, 4053.
RSVP: Numbers are limited so please RSVP via the EventBrite link below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matters-of-the-heart-arrhythmias-ecgs-tickets-849165305287

Nurse education nights will be held throughout the year, so make sure you are following us you don’t miss out!

20/02/2024

Attention all vet techs and vet nurses!

Our very own Clinical Educator and surgical veterinary technician Annie will be presenting Matters of the Heart: Arrhythmias & ECGs ❤️ Monday, 18 March 2024.

ECG is a crucial part of anaesthesia monitoring. This seminar will cover the basics of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and guide you through identifying and initial management of arrhythmias under GA. You will you leave with a greater understanding and confidence of ECG abnormalities and management.

Annie graduated from the University of Queensland in 2019 and worked for a short time in general practice, before joining our team as a surgical nurse at QVS. Annie is currently undertaking her Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) qualification in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. Annie is passionate about all areas of surgical nursing, with a special interest in advanced anaesthesia techniques and clinical teaching.

The session will be relaxed and interactive so please bring along your best ideas, questions, and cases so we can discuss and learn as a team.

Price: FREE! Dinner and non-alcoholic drinks provided.
When: Monday, 18 March 2024.
Time: Arrive at 6:45pm for a 7pm start.
Where: QVS Stafford, 45 Hayward Street, Stafford, 4053.
RSVP: Numbers are limited so please RSVP via the EventBrite link below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matters-of-the-heart-arrhythmias-ecgs-tickets-839847264777?aff=oddtdtcreator

Nurse education nights will be held throughout the year, so make sure you are following our social media so you don’t miss out!

08/02/2024

We are very excited to announce that we now offer GapOnly!

GapOnly is a payment service that works with selected pet insurance brands, so you can access your pet insurance benefit right away for eligible expenses.

This means, rather than paying us the full invoice upfront and waiting to be reimbursed, we submit your claim on the spot, on your behalf, while you’re at our clinic. Your claim is generally assessed within 10 minutes, and if approved, you just pay us the gap (the amount that is not covered by your pet insurance policy).

A GapOnly claim can be processed Monday to Friday 8:00am-10:00pm and Saturday 8:00am-5:00pm (AEST or AEDT as applicable, excluding NSW public holidays). This is currently between the hours of 7:00am-9:00pm and 7:00am-4:00pm respectively, QLD time.

If your pet insurance policy offers GapOnly, let us know at your next visit if you’d like to use GapOnly for the payment of your bill and have your policy number handy 🐶🐱 To check if your provider is partnered with GapOnly please see their website: https://gaponly.com.au/gaponly-insurance-partners/.

29/01/2024

Meet Maisie!

Maisie had a shoulder abnormality that resulted in significant pain and lameness. She experienced daily limping and despite her enthusiasm for life, this limited her ability to keep up with the family 🐶

After having a consultation with specialist surgeon Dr Lucas Beierer, her family elected to proceed with surgery to eliminate her pain. Management of this problem entailed a fusion (arthrodesis) of her shoulder. After meticulous cartilage removal of the humerus and scapula, 2 locking bone plates and pins were applied to support the fusion while her body does the rest.

Maisie recently had her 2-week review with us and she is doing great! She is no longer lifting her paw in pain and consistently walking on the leg during very exuberant leash activity! A final review in a few weeks is scheduled when she will hopefully get all clear to return to unrestricted activity 🤩

23/01/2024

We are very lucky to have had this opportunity to work with the team over at and showcase some of the great work we do as well as the wonderful patients and owners we get to work with 🐶🐱 Thank you to all of the owners that allowed us to share their stories with the world!

22/12/2023

Hopefully your furry friends can enjoy dressing up this holiday season like many of our staff members' pets, and you and your loved ones stay safe over the break.

If you do need us over this holiday period, we are still open 24/7 and are able to see your pets for emergencies through our ER department with our specialists being on call if your pet requires their care 🎄⭐️

11/12/2023

Dear clients and colleagues, please note that over the next two weeks we will begin moving to a new practice management software.

This will be a staggered roll out with Stafford moving over to the new software on Tuesday 12 December and North Lakes moving over on Tuesday 19 December.

Our teams have been undergoing training for this new program to ensure they are as prepared as possible. We appreciate your patience as we learn to navigate this new program 🥳🥰🐶

24/11/2023

Tune in to For the Love of Pets tonight at 7.30pm on Channel 9 or 9 Now to hear all about Reid’s journey through Pet Emergency and Queensland Veterinary Specialists 🐶

| Friday 7:30pm on and 9Now

15/11/2023

Amongst the hustle and bustle of our day to day, we have been working on something very exciting!

Together with the team from For the Love of Pets, Queensland Veterinary Specialists and Pet Emergency take to the big screen to show you behind the scenes of the amazing work we do, alongside our brave patients and committed owners.

Tune in this Friday at 7.30pm on Channel 9 or 9 Now to hear all about Bruno’s story 🐶

For the Love of Pets

| Starts 7:30pm Friday 17th November on and 9Now

01/11/2023

Calling all vets and vet nurses and vet techs!!

Queensland Veterinary Specialists together with Pet Emergency are hosting their biannual conference on Sunday 12 November 2023 at 9am.

RSVP'S will be collected though Eventbrite! To RSVP, please use the link below to the respective stream that you would like to attend. Tickets are free and one per person! Please RSVP by Sunday 05 November to secure your ticket. We look forward to seeing you all there!

VET STREAM

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/732607467657?aff=oddtdtcreator

NURSE STREAM

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/732618229847?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note that this event is only open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary nurses & assistants.

20/10/2023

Say hello to Rosie!

Rosie is an 18-month-old Golden Retriever who was recently referred to our Critical Care department from the team over at Bracken Ridge Vets for acute collapse, dark red urine and a very low red blood cell count (anaemia).

On presentation Rosie’s packed cell blood count was only 10% (normal: 35-45). Rosie had a blood transfusion on arrival and began to stabilise. Chest x-rays and an abdominal ultrasound were performed to identify a cause for her anaemia.

On x-ray, a metal foreign object was identified, raising Dr Cameron's suspicion for zinc toxicosis. Objects such as nuts and bolts can be covered in a zinc coating, and once ingested cause damage to red blood cells which causes anaemia. Rosie then underwent an endoscopic procedure to remove the object.

An endoscope is a medical procedure where a camera is used to look inside the body and in the case of foreign bodies, forceps used to remove the object. In this case, the object turned out to be a bolt🔩 Following this procedure, she was supportively managed in hospital overnight.

The next morning Rosie was bright and ready for discharge! Her zinc blood levels returned from the lab a week later which confirmed the zinc toxicity caused by ingesting the bolt.

We saw Rosie for a recheck recently and she is back to her normal self and her anaemia has resolved 🐶

13/10/2023

Happy Vet Nurse Day to all of the wonderful vet nurses, vet techs, receptionists and support staff out there!! These dedicated team members are the unsung heroes of the veterinary industry and play a vital role in providing care and support for our patients and clients. We really couldn't do it without them ⭐️

Their impact is truly immeasurable, from assisting in surgeries, monitoring anesthetics, administering medications, taking radiographs, reception work, conducting administrative duties and providing emotional support to patients and their owners.

It's important to recognise and appreciate the hard work, knowledge, and compassion that these individuals bring to the workplace, not just on Vet Nurse Day, but every day. So, thank you to our QVS and Pet Emergency heros and to vet nurses, vet techs, receptionists and support staff across the globe 🐱🐶

11/10/2023

Is your pet up to date with your tick prevention?

We are currently seeing a high volume of tick patients!

The climate in Queensland means that ticks are active all year around, so is it important to ensure that your pets are up to date with their tick prevention ☀️

Preventing tick-borne illnesses and tick paralysis is safer for your pet, easier to manage and more affordable than treatment for them.

Contact your local general practice hospital or pet store to ensure that your pets are receiving the appropriate prevention 🐾

01/10/2023

Keep your furry friends safe this spooky season 🎃

28/09/2023

Meet the gorgeous Poppi who recently visited the surgery department 🌸

Poppi’s mum noticed she was experiencing episodes of severe neck pain and took her into our Northlakes hospital where she was evaluated by one of our surgeons, Dr Alecia Evans. Despite strict crate rest and anti-inflammatories, Poppi’s pain could not be well controlled. Poppi underwent an MRI which showed a large disc extrusion in her neck caused by Intervertebral Disc Disease. This disc material was pressing on her spinal cord causing severe pain and severe compression of her spinal cord.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (or IVDD) is a common condition affecting many dog breeds, notably dachshunds. This is a degenerative process of the intervertebral discs within the spine, which can result in either protrusion (bulging) of the disc, or extrusion (rupturing) of the disc contents. IVDD commonly occurs in the thoracolumbar spine (mid-back), often causing neurological abnormalities such as ataxia (weak/wobbly gait) and can progress to paralysis and loss of pain sensation in severe cases. IVDD also commonly affects the intervertebral discs within the neck, and typically results in severe pain which cannot be managed appropriately until the spinal cord is decompressed.

Poppi underwent a procedure called a Ventral Slot which allows decompression of the spinal cord via an incision through the neck. A hole is then burred across the affected disc space and the disc material gently removed, allowing the spinal cord to return to its normal position.

Poppi recovered excellently from her procedure, and we recently received a ‘pup date’ from Poppi’s mum letting us know she is back to normal, pain free and is back going on walks with her brother Leo. Imaging and surgery for IVDD is offered at both our Northlakes and Stafford hospitals.

22/09/2023

Meet Lantern ☀️️

Lantern presented to our emergency department after being bitten by a paralysis tick. Due to progressive respiratory fatigue and hypoventilation from the toxins released by the tick, Lantern was referred to our Critical Care department. Here she was placed in an induced coma and began mechanical ventilation (life support). Mechanical ventilation assists patients to breath when they cannot do so independently and efficiently.

Lantern was mechanically ventilated for 5 days, and on the final day, was successfully weaned from the machine and placed into an oxygen cage. By the next morning Lantern was no longer requiring oxygen supplementation as her muscles started to get stronger. With regular physiotherapy, provided by our intensive care nursing team, her muscle strength improved to the point where she was able to walk comfortably, eat without regurgitation and was able to urinate on her own 🥳

Many people are often concerned with the quality of life for their pets following such intensive medical care. Literature supports the return of normal function in dogs post ventilation and Lantern is a great example of this!

48 hours after Lantern was removed from life support, she was able to be successfully discharged home where she is now participating in dog sledding competitions alongside her owner. She recently placed 3rd in the final race of the novice sledding season 🏆 Go Lantern!

15/09/2023

Queensland Veterinary Specialists (QVS) is calling for applicants for our Surgical Internship commencing January 2024 for 12-18 months.

Our surgical service performs a very large volume, and huge variety of surgical procedures performed in a fast-paced environment. We boast a very high orthopaedic case load with TPLO’s, THR, arthroscopy, spinal surgery and fracture repair performed multiple times weekly. We also perform a high volume of complex soft tissue procedures, supported by our internal medicine and emergency and critical care departments.

Our internship program is unique and results in successful residency pursuits for many prior interns. It is also a great springboard into specialist interest surgical practice in general practice. More than 75% of previous QVS and Pet emergency interns have gone on to advanced training and specialist and/or academic positions worldwide. This program is run across both our Stafford and North Lakes facilities.

For more information about the internship program please visit the below website:

http://www.kookaburravets.com/Australia/Permanent/SE_qld.htm #47611

Your Application

• Will contain your CV including three referees and single page statement of intent
• Will be received by Tara Amin at [email protected]

11/09/2023

How many people does it take to remove an adrenal mass?

In this case we had 9 vets and countless of our amazing nurses. This patient had the benefit of being overseen by specialists in our Internal Medicine, Critical Care, Anaesthesia and Surgery departments following removal of a large adrenal tumor which had invaded into the caudal vena cava (a large blood vessel in the abdomen).

The surgery involved clamping the vena cava off whilst the tumor was resected. The patient remained in hospital for supportive therapies and was discharged home a few days later.

While you may only see and speak to one vet, it is not uncommon for multiple departments to be involved in a patients care.

It is cases such as these that remind us of how fortunate we are to work in a multidisciplinary hospital.

20/07/2023

Dear clients and referring vets,

Please be aware that Queensland Veterinary Specialists and Pet Emergency North Lakes (53 Flinders Parade, North Lakes) will be closed for the day on Friday, 21 July from 6am until 6pm for hospital maintenance.

If your pet requires veterinary care, please note that our Stafford hospital is still open and available to see your pets.

North Lakes will re-open from 6pm on the 21st July. Thank you for your understanding.

Address

45 Hayward Street
Brisbane, QLD
4053

Telephone

+61733590777

Website

http://www.qldvetspecialists.com.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Queensland Veterinary Specialists posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Queensland Veterinary Specialists:

Videos

Meet Abe. Abe was born with severe hip dysplasia. He underwent staged bilateral hip replacements with our team 2 years ago. He is now 3 living his best life. Words don't do it justice - watch the video below!

May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill. And may the year ahead be full of joy and prosperity. Merry Christmas, from the team at QVS & PET Emergency.