SASH - Small Animal Specialist Hospital

SASH - Small Animal Specialist Hospital OPEN 24 hours a day, every day

Pictured is Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Radiologist with his professional dance instructor Giselle Peacock. Tomorrow, Dr Andr...
13/06/2024

Pictured is Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Radiologist with his professional dance instructor Giselle Peacock. Tomorrow, Dr Andrew and Giselle will dance to raise funds for the Cancer Council NSW as part of the Dance for Cancer event. Today is the last chance to support Andrew and cancer research. Please donate https://stars.cancercouncil.com.au/fundraisers/andrewadezio/stars-of-north

What does Alley the cat and the Bond villain, Jaws have in common?  They both have acromegaly.This sweet calico girl’s h...
13/06/2024

What does Alley the cat and the Bond villain, Jaws have in common? They both have acromegaly.

This sweet calico girl’s heartwarming story is not just about survival, but a remarkable cure. About 3 years ago, Alley was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus needing insulin to control her glucose. Dr Greg Kovar, from Northern Districts Vets wanted the best for his client and suspected there was something about Alley that needed further care from specialists. Wanting the best for her pet Alley was referred for specialist care at SASH.

Dr Amy Lam, Internal Medicine Specialist, found that Alley’s diabetes was in fact the result of an underlying condition: hypersomatotrophism. This condition is caused by a tumour in the pituitary gland, releasing an excess of growth hormone, which in turn leads to insulin resistance, the development of diabetes and a condition called acromegaly. Cats with hypersomatotrophism die from heart failure, insulin resistance and fluctuating insulin levels, and airway obstruction.

Acromegaly causes enlargement of the jaw and extremities and of the internal organs such as the heart, kidney and liver. This condition can occur in felines and humans.

Hypersomatotrophism is an under-diagnosed cause of diabetes in Australian cats. Around one in six cats with diabetes have hypersomatotrophism. The best treatment for this condition is surgical removal of the pituitary gland, known as a hypophysectomy. Once identified and treated the diabetes is usually reversed within days.

Alley was scheduled for hypophysectomy surgery with Dr Patrick Kenny, Specialist Neurologist and Neurosurgeon. This surgery isn’t routine in Australia, in fact, Dr Patrick Kenny pioneered this technique in the UK, and is the only specialist in the southern hemisphere able to perform this procedure.

Following her procedure, Alley’s diabetes was cured. She remains on hormone supplementation, but she can now live her best life without her pituitary gland. The operation has profoundly improved Alley and Alley’s owner quality of life.
Fast forward to today, Alley remains in diabetic remission, and will continue to see Dr Amy Lam for 6 monthly check-ups. At 13-years-old, Alley lives her best life – diabetes free!

Brrrr it’s getting cold outside ❄️ have you noticed your pet getting closer to you as the temperature drops? They’re pro...
12/06/2024

Brrrr it’s getting cold outside ❄️ have you noticed your pet getting closer to you as the temperature drops? They’re probably getting all cosy next to you to utilise your body heat. Does your pet wear a jumper in winter? Tag us in your winter photos 😍 📸 courtesy of Jodie, Senior Client Services

"We were really stressed coming in with our sick puppy Chloe, and the SASH Alexandria team made us feel so much better a...
11/06/2024

"We were really stressed coming in with our sick puppy Chloe, and the SASH Alexandria team made us feel so much better and reassured that she was in the right place. The space was really calming and the staff have all been amazing. We're so grateful our baby is recovering so well! We definitely recommend SASH. " - Tash, Chloe's mum 🧡🥹

Patient repost 🥰 •  We can’t thank Kate and Holly enough at  Munchie unfortunately has had some eye issues where he’s ha...
09/06/2024

Patient repost 🥰 • We can’t thank Kate and Holly enough at Munchie unfortunately has had some eye issues where he’s had to have 2 grafts, one on each eye! But thankfully, he’s back up and running now! (Literally) 🤣🤣

Your local vet may be closed this long weekend. A reminder that SASH Emergency is open 24/7, including public holidays. ...
07/06/2024

Your local vet may be closed this long weekend. A reminder that SASH Emergency is open 24/7, including public holidays.

We hope your pet doesn't need us but know that we are here if they do. Everything you need to know about emergency 🔽

https://sashvets.com/services/emergency-vet-hospital/

Slinky dog getting into   in her custom fit, made with love by Jodie, Senior Client Services Officer.❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜
06/06/2024

Slinky dog getting into in her custom fit, made with love by Jodie, Senior Client Services Officer.

❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜

If SASH were a dog, what kind of dog would we be? Would we be a regal poodle, like this distinguished gentleman? Meet Ma...
05/06/2024

If SASH were a dog, what kind of dog would we be? Would we be a regal poodle, like this distinguished gentleman?

Meet Malo, a 6-year-old poodle who usually lives his best life residing on his property with his family! Recently, Malo made a trip to SASH Central Coast Emergency for being very unwell, with an extremely sore and swollen right hind paw, that wasn't responding to therapy so far. Dr Cait Hope, Lead Emergency Veterinarian examined Malo's paw with an ultrasound and found a deep abscess hidden inside. With the assistance of Dr John Culvenor, Specialist Surgeon, this area was drained and cleaned under general anaesthesia.

After a short stay in hospital receiving strong antibiotics and pain relief, LOTS of pats and cuddles, Malo was able to go home with his family and will return to his primary care veterinarian for ongoing care.

Malo's owner says: "from near death to bouncing around and itching to get out into the muddy paddocks! (and no he is NOT allowed). He is doing beautifully thanks to SASH's unbelievable care."

🧡

Congratulations to Emma, SASH Avian and Exotics Nurse on WINNING the 2024 Emerging Exotic Vet Nurse Excellence Award, pr...
04/06/2024

Congratulations to Emma, SASH Avian and Exotics Nurse on WINNING the 2024 Emerging Exotic Vet Nurse Excellence Award, presented at this year's Exotic Veterinary Nurse Training conference.

Thank you to everyone who voted for Emma - we are so proud of her on this outstanding achievement and lucky to have her part of our team. Congrats Emma! 🧡

Dr Andrew Dunn, SASH Adelaide Surgeon was busy today speaking to various news channels about Police Dog Jax after we sha...
03/06/2024

Dr Andrew Dunn, SASH Adelaide Surgeon was busy today speaking to various news channels about Police Dog Jax after we shared his story last night. Keep an eye out for Dr Andrew on Channel 7, 9 and 10. 👑

We know as pet owners, that dogs provide us with so much love and companionship. We know everything about our pets, and ...
02/06/2024

We know as pet owners, that dogs provide us with so much love and companionship. We know everything about our pets, and a slight change in their behaviour never goes unmissed by owners. Pet ownership is truly a special bond, and even stronger with working dogs. Take Jax for example, a working dog with South Australia Police.

Jax is a working service Police dog with South Australia’s Dog Operation Unit. He has worked with his handler, Brevet Sergeant Andrew Ludgate for 2 years, forming the ultimate bond.

One day, it was business as usual, until Brevet Sergeant Andrew noticed something was off with Jax, but he had no idea that a change in Jax’s breathing would result in a 7-day stay in the SASH ICU in Adelaide.

Jax presented to SASH Emergency with an increase in his breathing rate and effort; he was lethargic and assessed by Dr Nici Kalnins, Adelaide’s only Emergency and Critical Care Specialist. Jax was found to have fluid in his chest, the cause unknown, but causing great difficulty for his ability to breathe normally. A procedure (called a thoracocentesis) was performed to remove the fluid, where approximately 1.5 litres of pus-like fluid was drained from the chest. This condition is called a pyothorax. To help reduce the accumulation of fluid, drains were placed to help draw the fluid from his chest and our team performed a CT scan of his chest and abdomen to further investigate his condition. The scan was showing signs of damage to his lungs and abnormal looking foreign material. Without treating the cause (the foreign material in the chest) Jax’s pyothorax would not be resolved.

With the assistance of the anaesthesia and surgery nursing teams, Jax was taken for emergency open chest surgery (thoracotomy), with Dr Andrew Dunn, SASH Surgeon in Adelaide. Once the chest was open, Dr Andrew removed more fluid, accumulating around the damaged lung tissue, which was removed, along with what was suspected to be the remains of a grass seed. Jax then spent several days in the ICU with around the clock care recovering from major surgery. At discharge, the South Australian Police Dog Operations Unit gifted the SASH team with this special plaque as a token of gratitude for the care our team provided to Jax – we are incredibly grateful not only for their generosity, but for the outstanding care they provide for their working dogs & the service of Jax and others just like him within the force.

Grass seeds pose a high risk to our pets due to their pesky size and shape. They can embed in vital organs in the chest or stomach after entering through the nose or mouth, or via migration through the fur and skin. It’s important to regularly check over your pets from their nose to their toes for grass seeds and to avoid walking through long grass or freshly cut grass where seeds are most prevalent.

✨ Meet Rupert ✨You can find Rupert in the underwater treadmill at SASH Western Sydney with Allana, his Rehabilitation Th...
31/05/2024

✨ Meet Rupert ✨

You can find Rupert in the underwater treadmill at SASH Western Sydney with Allana, his Rehabilitation Therapist. Find out more about the services available with our Sports Medicine team via the link in our bio.

Well done Loki on your final chemo treatment! Loki is a sweet, young dog who recently completed his chemotherapy protoco...
30/05/2024

Well done Loki on your final chemo treatment!

Loki is a sweet, young dog who recently completed his chemotherapy protocol for a condition called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). This type of cancer affects the blood and bone marrow, where abnormal cells multiply rapidly, crowding out healthy cells.

A few months ago, Loki started showing signs of illness, including lethargy. Concerned about this, his owners took him to his local vet, Mona Vale Vet, who found some abnormal results on routine blood work. Loki was then referred to see Dr Amanda Taylor, Internal Medicine Specialist at SASH Alexandria.

After a series of tests, including blood tests, a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, Loki was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. These leukemia cells were of the T-cell type, meaning that the cancer cells were displacing his normal bone marrow cells, leading to a condition called secondary pancytopenia – a reduction in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

The general prognosis for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is poor. Fortunately, Loki was in good hands at SASH, with access to specialists in almost every discipline!
Loki was referred to the SASH Cancer Centre in North Ryde to see our Medical Oncology team. Dr John Blaxill, Oncology Registrar, together with Dr Spela Bavcar, Oncology Specialist, tailored a comprehensive chemotherapy protocol to combat his leukaemia. Over the last few months, Loki underwent treatment, which consisted of multiple visits to SASH for chemotherapy and supportive care to manage the effects of pancytopenia.

Today, we are pleased to share that Loki has finished his treatment protocol! A combination of Loki’s fighting strength, his owner’s commitment and the expertise of our oncology team have gotten him through this journey. While we will continue to monitor his health closely, completing the chemotherapy protocol marks a significant milestone in Loki's recovery. We 🧡 you Loki 👑

Is your dog or cat our next blood donor hero? There are many medical situations in which pets may require blood transfus...
29/05/2024

Is your dog or cat our next blood donor hero?

There are many medical situations in which pets may require blood transfusions. Being a 24 hour emergency hospital, SASH sees many pets across our hospital network in need of a transfusion.

Below is a list of instances a SASH patient may need a blood transfusion.

Severe blood loss from:

- Trauma: injuries from accidents, fights, or surgery can lead to significant blood loss.
- Internal Bleeding: conditions like hemangiosarcoma, gastrointestinal ulcers, or rodenticide poisoning can cause internal bleeding.

Anaemia:

- Hemolytic Anemia: Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) or other conditions where the body destroys its own red blood cells.
- Chronic Kidney Disease: This can lead to non-regenerative anemia where the body does not produce enough red blood cells.
- Bone Marrow Disorders: Diseases affecting the bone marrow, such as certain cancers or infections, can impair blood cell production.

Clotting Disorders:

- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): A serious condition leading to abnormal blood clotting and bleeding.
Surgical Procedures:

Major Surgeries:

- Operations involving significant blood loss, such as splenectomy (removal of the spleen) or liver surgery

Other cases a blood transfusion may be required involve: parasitic infections, cancer and severe illness or infections. Our 5 hospitals have a dedicated blood bank team whom work with specialists across multiple departments in the hospital. When a pet comes through and needs a blood transfusion, we rely on our blood bank team to replenish the blood. In order to replenish the blood, we rely on the generosity of pet owners. If you know someone with a large healthy dog or cat, aged between 1-7 years, share this post with them.

Register your pet to become a donor here: https://sashvets.com/services/animal-blood-bank/

This week we celebrate 15 years of Gracie, People & Culture Coordinator!15 years ago this beautiful girl joined the SASH...
28/05/2024

This week we celebrate 15 years of Gracie, People & Culture Coordinator!

15 years ago this beautiful girl joined the SASH team and has been an integral part in the evolution of our hospital. Originally starting as an animal attendant, she then worked her way into a nursing position before finding her niche and passion in oncology. Gracie then went on to be the oncology nurse leader and in that time she treated many patients, trained many nurses and built life long relationships with those around her.

In the last 12 months, Gracie pursued a change in her career, joining our People & Culture team. Whilst she may have hung up her scrubs, she is a valued team member and we are so proud of her on all of her achievements.

We surprised her yesterday with a cake and flowers, with thanks to her leader, Charlotte (left) and Gracie was presented her length of service award from Dr Justin Wimpole, CEO (right).

Congratulations Gracie, we love your infectious smile and your passion for people and pets! Thanks for everything you do 🙏🏼

SASH is dancing to raise funds for cancer! 💃Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Board-Certified Radiologist is stepping away from dia...
27/05/2024

SASH is dancing to raise funds for cancer! 💃

Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Board-Certified Radiologist is stepping away from diagnostic imaging to represent SASH at Cancer Council's "Stars of the North" by dancing to raise funds for a cancer free future on 15th June 2024.

Did you know 50% of dogs over the age of 10 develop cancer? The link between human and animal cancer is strong. Without the advances of oncology medicine in humans, we would not have access to comprehensive treatment options for cancer in pets and vice versa. This is why SASH is excited to support an amazing charity that benefits both people and pets.

The SASH Cancer Centre has specialists and facilities in Medical, Surgical and Radiation Oncology, making it Australia’s only permanent on-site veterinary Cancer Centre. Dr Andrew and our Diagnostic Imaging Specialists help the SASH Cancer Centre Specialists by using technology such as X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans to diagnose and stage cancer in pets.

Make a donation to a worthy cause and support Dr Andrew here: https://stars.cancercouncil.com.au/fundraisers/andrewadezio/stars-of-north

An unexpected complication following abdominal surgery left Coco needing specialised care and her owners brought her to ...
26/05/2024

An unexpected complication following abdominal surgery left Coco needing specialised care and her owners brought her to SASH Alexandria 24/7 Emergency.

Coco was initially assessed by our Emergency and Critical Care team and was hospitalised with intravenous fluids, pain relief and antibiotics. Coco had developed septic peritonitis, a life-threatening condition involving inflammation of the abdominal lining due to bacterial contamination and required immediate emergency surgery. She was transferred to our surgery department and was placed under general anaesthesia for a procedure, where a portion of her small intestine was removed due to wound breakdown. Other intestinal adhesions, which formed due to the peritonitis, needed to be removed before we could flush and clean the abdominal cavity. A special drain was placed to help remove excess fluid and promote healing before Coco was promptly transferred to SASH ICU for continued stabilisation and monitoring during recovery.

Despite her critical condition, Coco made a remarkable recovery from the procedure and anaesthetic. She was responsive within an hour post-operatively and was eating again overnight (a good sign she was feeling better). Over the following 48 hours her sepsis resolved, and she became her bright and playful self again.

Our team adored her, and we were so happy to reunite her with her family, who not only mentioned that they were “eternally grateful for the team’s support and care for Coco” but that they will pop by in the future for a visit!

At Coco's recent appointment, we were honoured to take Ben, Coco's owner on a behind-the-scenes tour of our hospital facilitated by Dr Chris Tan, Specialist Surgeon.

Special thanks to Coco’s expert team who cared for her for the duration of her journey including: Dr Salvador Wolf, Dr Nicolla Rowlands, Dr Emilie Mendez, Dr Kathy Tang (Emergency Vets), Dr Suni De Silva (Emergency & Critical Care Lead), Dr Chris Tan (Specialist Surgeon), Dr Matthew Norton (Surgical Intern), Dr Louis Eramanis (Specialist in Emergency & Critical Care), Dr Emily Li (Emergency & Critical Care Registrar) AND of course, the many brilliant 24/7 nurses across Emergency & Critical Care, Surgery & Anaesthesia, and our caring Client Services team.

Do you know the 10 common signs of cancer in pets? Studies show 50% of dogs over the age 10, develop cancer. If your pet...
24/05/2024

Do you know the 10 common signs of cancer in pets?

Studies show 50% of dogs over the age 10, develop cancer.

If your pet is showing any of these signs, it might be an indication of an underlying problem. Speak to your local veterinarian and be sure to visit them annually to keep your pet happy and healthy.

https://sashvets.com/services/vet-oncologist-animal-cancer-treatment-specialist/

Maple is a sweet 7-year-old Shetland sheepdog who resides in Canberra. He is adored by his owner and many of our team at...
23/05/2024

Maple is a sweet 7-year-old Shetland sheepdog who resides in Canberra. He is adored by his owner and many of our team at SASH North Ryde.

For the majority of his life, Maple was living with a sensitive stomach, which resulted in on and-off symptoms such as weight loss, diarrhoea, lethargy, and vomiting. Despite best efforts with managing Maple’s symptoms, different medication and treatment proved to be only temporary. This landed Maple into the trustworthy hands of Dr Lucy Kopecny, Internal Medicine Specialist at SASH North Ryde.

An ominous find on a CT scan and ultrasound found a thickened, concentrated form of bile that accumulates in the gallbladder. Given his breed and symptoms, Maple was at risk of developing a gallbladder mucocele. So, Dr Julia Sumner, Specialist Surgeon at SASH performed a preventive procedure to remove his gallbladder via keyhole surgery.

Maple’s surgery and recovery was an unqualified success and continues to live his best life.

His owner says “I will be forever grateful to SASH for their care with Maple. We love Maple to the moon and back. I always value the trip from Canberra to SASH so much because of the fabulous skills of all the vets there.”

Read Maple’s remarkable story, as told by his owner, here: https://sashvets.com/renee-maple/

22/05/2024

We are so proud of Dr Phil Brain, SASH Internal Medicine Specialist who continues to amaze us with the work he does. Dr Brain often volunteers in his own time (outside of small animal medicine!) to provide specialist care to a range of different species at Taronga Zoo Sydney. Check him out in action performing a heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) as part of a routine health check on this chimpanzee.

Thank you to Yahoo News Australia for capturing Lenny's story and helping us educate the pet owning community on how to ...
21/05/2024

Thank you to Yahoo News Australia for capturing Lenny's story and helping us educate the pet owning community on how to keep your pet's safe from road vehicle accidents and other trauma related injuries.

Special thanks to Jim, Lenny's owner for sharing his experience and Lenny's story at the SASH Trauma Centre in North Ryde.

SASH is proud to have two of our five hospitals with a Trauma Centre status. These are the only two veterinary hospitals in Australia to have this status, with approximately only 20 centres across the globe.

Learn more about the SASH Trauma Centre and why SASH should be your choice when you have a emergency with your beloved pet.
https://sashvets.com/services/trauma-centre/

✨ SASH Appreciation Week ✨This week is 'SASH Appreciation Week' which was established by our founding partners and SASH ...
20/05/2024

✨ SASH Appreciation Week ✨

This week is 'SASH Appreciation Week' which was established by our founding partners and SASH leaders to recognise and highlight the work of team members in roles not-so-typical to a veterinary hospital. Aside from two of the most important days in our industry, World Vet Day and Vet Nurse Day, we now have this initiative dedicated to celebrating the large network of people who work tirelessly both within the clinical space and behind-the-scenes.

This includes those in roles such as: rehab therapists, physiotherapists, animal attendants, sterilisation technicians, medical scientists, radiation therapists, radiographers, cleaners, client services officers, contact centre officers, client liason officers and the teams behind the scenes across finance, procurement, IT, people and culture, marketing and relationship management, operations, facilities and more.

Thank you to all the team members at SASH within these roles. Their work, whether it is in the clinical space or not, is critical to what we do and who we are. Happy SASH Appreciation Week. Please join us in giving thanks to the above mentioned departments of SASH. 🧡

SASH ADELAIDE BLOOD BANK UPDATE | IS YOUR PET OUR NEXT BLOOD DONOR HERO?!We love this picture of Erin and Hannah (Emerge...
17/05/2024

SASH ADELAIDE BLOOD BANK UPDATE | IS YOUR PET OUR NEXT BLOOD DONOR HERO?!

We love this picture of Erin and Hannah (Emergency & Critical Care and Blood Bank Nurses) with Stella, a great Dane and great Blood Donor Hero.

SASH Adelaide recently acquired a brand-new, large-scale centrifuge, that allows us to spin down a large volume of blood, which is collected from one of our blood donor heroes.

This large-scale centrifuge separates the three components of whole blood into white blood cells, packed red blood cells, and plasma enabling us to separately store packed red blood cells for up to 42 days and fresh plasma, which is frozen, for up to 365 days.

This picture shows Stella’s blood, separated into the bag of red blood cells on the left and the plasma on the right.

Previously blood donations in SASH Adelaide were on an ‘as needed’ basis, usually calling upon team members in the middle of the night to help a patient needing a blood transfusion. Now with this new equipment SASH Adelaide have the capability to appropriately store blood for longer and we are looking for new blood donor heroes to join our life-saving blood bank program!

In conjunction to the fur babies of our team members, we rely on the generosity of the pet owning community to consider their dog or cat for our life-saving blood bank.

Whether a once off donation or regular contribution, your pet will save a life. To find out more information about your cat or dog becoming a blood donor hero, head to: https://sashvets.com/services/animal-blood-bank/

Datu looks so dashing in the SASH bandana 😻 •  “Thank you  for taking care of me!”
16/05/2024

Datu looks so dashing in the SASH bandana 😻 • “Thank you for taking care of me!”

What’s that foreign body?Recently we asked you to guess the foreign body that Dr Richard Looi, SASH Surgeon removed from...
15/05/2024

What’s that foreign body?

Recently we asked you to guess the foreign body that Dr Richard Looi, SASH Surgeon removed from a dog’s stomach.

Much to our surprise, with all the interesting guesses – no one guessed correctly. Dr Richard is holding rolls of unravelled poo bags. Yes, you read that correctly. Although most bags are biodegradable in the environment, in this case, the poo bags would not have made it out the other end. Due to the quantity of bags consumed, they had bunched together and were causing a blockage.

This patient came to SASH via our emergency service with signs of a possible foreign body. Overnight she had been vomiting and was a known scavenger. She was taken for an ultrasound where our diagnostic imaging specialists confirmed a linear foreign body in the intestines. She was transferred for emergency abdominal surgery with Dr Richard Looi and Dr Alex Lai, two of our brilliant Surgeons and made a full recovery.

We asked our Internal Medicine and Surgery Specialists about some of the strangest items they’ve removed from pets over the course of their careers (either via endoscopy or traditional surgery). Here are some that may surprise you:

- 58 garden pebbles
- A cheese platter (including the plate)
- An intact toilet brush
- A barbie doll
- 150 hair elastics
- 12 tampons
- 3 tennis balls
- A pine cone
- A pair of underwear and stockings

If your pet is vomiting, retching, lethargic, straining to defecate or has lost their appetite, these could be signs of a foreign body or another illness. SASH is open every hour of the day, every day of the year.

SASH is dancing to raise funds for cancer! 💃Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Board-Certified Radiologist is stepping away from dia...
14/05/2024

SASH is dancing to raise funds for cancer! 💃

Dr Andrew Adezio, SASH Board-Certified Radiologist is stepping away from diagnostic imaging to represent SASH at Cancer Council's "Stars of the North" by dancing to raise funds for a cancer free future on 15th June 2024.

Did you know 50% of dogs over the age of 10 develop cancer? The link between human and animal cancer is strong. Without the advances of oncology medicine in humans, we would not have access to comprehensive treatment options for cancer in pets and vice versa. This is why SASH is excited to support an amazing charity that benefits both people and pets.

The SASH Cancer Centre has specialists and facilities in Medical, Surgical and Radiation Oncology, making it Australia’s only permanent on-site veterinary Cancer Centre. Dr Andrew and our Diagnostic Imaging Specialists help the SASH Cancer Centre Specialists by using technology such as X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and CT scans to diagnose and stage cancer in pets.

To make a donation: https://stars.cancercouncil.com.au/fundraisers/andrewadezio/stars-of-north

✨ Our Dermatology team is expanding as we welcome Dr Hilary Chan - Specialist in Dermatology to SASH  ✨Dr Hilary Chan co...
13/05/2024

✨ Our Dermatology team is expanding as we welcome Dr Hilary Chan - Specialist in Dermatology to SASH ✨

Dr Hilary Chan completed her veterinary degree with first class honours at the University of Sydney in 2017. She spent two years in general practice before moving to Perth to pursue additional training in the area of veterinary dermatology. She remained there for four years, where she completed an internship and residency in dermatology. In 2023, she became a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, having been awarded the Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Dermatology. Hilary then returned to Sydney to join the SASH team.

Dr Hilary has particular interests in atopy (skin allergies), autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, solar-induced skin diseases as well as venom immunotherapy. Her goal is to work with owners to achieve the most realistic and effective treatment plan for owners and their pets.

In her free time, Hilary trains in Krav Maga, enjoys travelling and is an avid foodie. She has a mini schnauzer named Wally and a rescue tuxedo cat named Dumpling.

To make an appointment with Dr Hilary, get in touch with our friendly client services team.

Helping Harry and his family live their best life ✨Harry’s journey with SASH began late last year with our surgery team ...
12/05/2024

Helping Harry and his family live their best life ✨

Harry’s journey with SASH began late last year with our surgery team in Adelaide. Harry had a mass on his neck, which was unfortunately found to be a high-grade soft tissue sarcoma. A high-grade soft tissue sarcoma is a type of malignant tumour that arises from the connective soft tissues of the body, such as muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissues. "High-grade" indicates that the tumour cells are more aggressive and have a higher potential to grow rapidly and spread to other parts of the body in comparison to low-grade or intermediate grade tumours.

Harry underwent a successful procedure under general anaesthesia to remove the mass with Dr Ryan Taggart, Specialist Surgeon, and the surgery & anaesthesia nursing teams at SASH Adelaide. Although the tumour was out, surgery was not the end of Harry’s SASH journey. Due to the cancer being high-grade, Dr Ryan knew Harry would likely benefit from a course of radiotherapy (radiation) treatment.

The primary goal of radiotherapy following surgery is to deliver a large dose of radiation in the safest possible way in order to have the best chance of killing the remaining microscopic amount of tumour cells that may be left in the area from where the tumour was removed.

Fortunately for Harry, he was under the care of the SASH network and while he recovered from surgery, his family had a virtual consultation with Dr Elias Gumpel, SASH Radiation Oncologist, who advised what treatment would be best for Harry.

Harry travelled with his family to our North Ryde hospital in NSW to continue his care. SASH is one of the few veterinary hospitals in Australia to offer onsite radiotherapy with our Radiation Oncologist, Radiation Therapists and Nurses in a purpose-built facility at the SASH Cancer Centre.

The actual delivery of each radiation dose takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes (depending on the protocol) and is completed over a series of days or weeks. Each treatment is done under a very brief and rapidly-acting anaesthetic to make sure the patient is perfectly still for the short treatment time. Radiation Treatment Planning is the most crucial part of the radiotherapy process, where an initial CT scan (radiation simulation CT) is performed to allow us to plan how the powerful radiation beam will be precisely aimed and targeted to the tumour volume while minimising exposure to surrounding normal structures and tissues, before commencing treatment which is run by our dedicated Radiation Therapists. The best treatment protocol for Harry was Definitive Radiotherapy, which delivers a large total dose safely by giving it over many small dose treatments. Harry had a total of 19 treatments, Monday to Friday over just under 4 weeks while staying with us in hospital at SASH North Ryde.

Although Harry’s family missed him whilst he was here, Harry quickly became part of the SASH family and special to the nurses, who cared for him 24/7 before, during and post his treatments. He also became well known to the client services teams, who would often spend their lunch breaks with Harry and were constantly in contact with his family back home. It was a bittersweet good-bye, but after six months we were so pleased to hear that Harry celebrated his 7th birthday recently. His family wrote, “Hi Dr Elias, Harry is 7 today and doing very well. Thank you all at SASH for making this possible!”

🧡

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1 Richardson Place
Ryde, NSW
2112

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