Linnaeus Veterinary

13/06/2024

Introducing magnificent Maggie! 👋

A multidisciplinary approach from the team at Veterinary Specialists Scotland helped poor Maggie after the energetic Border Collie broke both wrist joints after a fall.

One-year-old Maggie was on a family walk when she saw a bird and jumped over a wall, which had a 20ft drop on the other side onto a normally busy road – fortunately, no cars were going past at the time.

She suffered damage to the small bones and ligaments in both wrists but thanks to the VSS team, who carried out urgent surgery, Maggie's made a magnificent recovery!

You can find out more via Glasgow Live here >>> https://bit.ly/3xnX21X

11/06/2024

📰 Read all about it!

News of Moses and his treatment at Avonvale Vet Centres has been making waves in the press! 🌊

Avonvale has made national and international headlines after helping overweight cat Moses to shed the pounds with successful feline hydrotherapy treatment.

Cats are well-known for disliking water and, while Moses was reluctant to begin with, he is now slimming down nicely thanks to the innovative feline treatment at Avonvale. 🐱

For the full story, visit BBC News 👉 https://bbc.in/3x4vtuG

31/05/2024

As Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month comes to a close, we would like to express our gratitude to all of our Veterinary Nurses and Patient Care teams who are integral to our vital work.

Everyone at Linnaeus appreciates your contribution to the amazing work carried out by our hardworking nurse teams all year round. Your dedication is truly appreciated. 🙏 💚

30/05/2024

Today, we're celebrating a double success for Registered Veterinary Nurses at Blacks Vets in the Midlands!

Blacks RVNs Esther Morse-Brown and Laura Husband are both toasting exam success. 👏

The hardworking duo have passed the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies to achieve the rare Veterinary Nurse in Medical Nursing status.

This is an exceptional result for both Esther and Laura, showing their continued progression in their nursing careers. Huge congratulations Esther and Laura!

You can read all about their academic achievements at👉 https://bit.ly/3KG76GV

29/05/2024

It's celebration time for the team at Gower Veterinary Surgery, as six Associates are marking impressive long service milestones. 🎉

All six team members have worked at Swansea-based Gower for at least 10 years, but most of them have been there for much longer - even up to 20 years and as long as the practice has been open!

In total, they have an incredible combined service of 93 years at Gower, which itself is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Those celebrating long service awards are lead veterinary nurse Lauren Rogers (20 years), practice manager Joanne Humphreys (19 years), clinical director Heather Davies (18 years), lead veterinary surgeon Chloe Frew (16 years), office manager Heidi Scott-Thompson (10 years) and lead nurse Molly Brannigan (10 years).

Huge congratulations to them all on such amazing service and dedication! 👏

28/05/2024

As part of our ongoing celebrations, today we introduce Wayne Clarke, who is celebrating 20 years at Chapel House Veterinary Practice.

Wayne joined the team at Derbyshire-based Chapel House in the summer of 2004 and the Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) and Clinical Nursing Manager (CNM) has now clocked up an incredible two decades' loyal service.

Throughout those 20 years, Wayne says qualifying as an RVN, completing his leadership training with Institute of Leadership and Management, earning promotion to the CNM role and winning the Linnaeus Freedom award in 2023 are stand-out milestones in his career progression.

He enjoys the variety of cases the team at Chapel House see, along with being able to utilise RVNs to their full potential.

You can read more about Wayne's amazing career at Chapel House here >>> https://bit.ly/4dPJL2C

25/05/2024

It is the turn of Student Veterinary Nurse (SVN), Daryl Tait, to take the spotlight today!

Daryl has been part of the team at Animal Ark Veterinary Centre in Essex for four years and was inspired to join them by her love of animals and commitment to animal welfare, along with an interest in all things medical and scientific!

Her favourite part of the job is working alongside pet owners to create education and awareness to help their pets thrive through nursing clinics.

She says: "I run our weight clinics and absolutely love it. We have had some brilliant successes, and we also work on desensitising nervous patients in the veterinary setting.

"As a mature student, I have had many different jobs but always wanted to be a vet and did veterinary summer schools before going on a different path.

"Covid lead me back to my passion and I joined Animal Ark as a Patient Care Assistant. I enjoyed it so much, I progressed to SVN quicker than I expected and I am so passionate about the role."

Thank you for sharing your career journey so far with us, Daryl. We look forward to seeing you continue to flourish with the team at Animal Ark!

24/05/2024

Today, we are introducing Nicola Kerkhoff! 🎉

Nicola has just celebrated 20 years at Maven Vets in Surrey, having progressed from working as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) to Head Nurse, then on to her current position as Practice Manager.

On her being Practice Manager at Maven, Nicola says: "My role is rewarding in a different way now. I get to be part of empowering our nurses and growing the next generation of nurses. I also connect with clients differently and I find it rewarding to be able to support them in a different way.

"The support of Linnaeus has helped to shape the structure of the career path of all our nurses. For me, I felt able to move into the Practice Manager role with confidence that there was support available."

Congratulations on two decades of magnificent work at Maven, Nicola, and here's to many more!

22/05/2024

Today, Cath Dean talks about our industry-leading Post-Registration Programme (PRP).

Cath's our Lead PRP Manager, so there is no better person to give you expert insight into how the innovative programme can help you in your referral nursing career progression.

Take it away, Cath! 🎥

21/05/2024

Introducing Tracey Tripicchio! 👋

Tracey has been part of the team at Blacks Vets for 29 years, having started as a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) and Student Veterinary Nurse (SVN), before progressing to a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) and now Lead Nurse.

With so many years of loyal service at our wonderful Black Country group, we know Tracey has many memorable moments!

She says: "I have so many fond memories from all the years I have been nursing but I must say my favourite moments are when I see how happy our furry parents are when our patients have recovered and improved following treatment and how grateful they are."

Tracey said she loves the one-to-one relationship she has with patients, along with every aspect from consulting through to lab and theatre work.

Congratulations on an amazing career so far, Tracey, and thank you for all your dedication! ❤️

17/05/2024

We're ending the week with an introduction to Ben Whitcomb!

Ben is Lead Consult Nurse at Woodward Veterinary Practice in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, having joined the practice seven years ago.

He started his current position last year and has been able to apply structure to nurse consults at Woodward, so they are standardised no matter which nurse carries out the appointment.

Ben says: "Starting the lead nurse role was my first step into management as I also look after a team of four other nurses. I enjoy speaking with clients and making our service more personable.

"I want RVNs to be able to do as much as possible within our job role. I love being able to offer RVNs, SVNs and PCAs new opportunities so they can utilise their skills as much as possible. I am a great believer that if an RVN CAN do it, we SHOULD be doing it! That doesn't just relate to consults, but all aspects of the nursing framework.

"Without the Linnaeus banding structure and job role opportunities, the lead consulting position would not have been possible, or even something that I would have considered."

Ben's dedication is not confined to his work at Woodward, as he is planning an epic charity mission later this year. You can find out more about that here >>> https://bit.ly/4dEe10e

15/05/2024

As we continue celebrating , today we are saying hello to Sarah Holmes. 👋

Registered Veterinary Nurse Sarah has been part of the team at Garston Vets for an incredible 23 years!

Since joining the team at Garston in 2001, Sarah has climbed the nursing ladder, from first visiting as a work experience student in 1992 to working as Marketing Manager, with the roles of Head Nurse and Nurse Manager in between!

Sarah says: "I have always enjoyed working with like-minded people who are as passionate about animals as I am. Although I am not nursing now, I am still extremely proud to be an Registered Veterinary Nurse.

"My role has varied so much every day, but each and every one has been an absolute pleasure!

"There are too many memorable cases to remember, but seeing a poorly patient go home to their delighted family is always a favourite for me!"

Thank you for all your loyal service, Sarah! ❤️

14/05/2024

Today, we're introducing Cathy Fraser, who has recently celebrated being part of the team at Woodward Veterinary Practice for a quarter of a century! 🎉

Cathy joined Woodward, one of our wonderful primary care practices which is based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in 1999 and has played a key part in spearheading their Gold cat-friendly clinic status from the International Society of Feline Medicine.

RVN Cathy has praised the team at Woodward as one of the reasons for her fantastic loyalty, saying: “I like the fact we are a friendly team who support each other.

“Our work-related interests and passions are supported and encouraged, and we all have an allowance for Continuing Professional Development, so have the support and freedom to further our knowledge.”

Cathy's career has also been hitting the headlines - read more about her 25 years at Woodward here >>> https://bit.ly/4bgJnZr

12/05/2024

Continuing our celebration of , we'd like to tell you a little bit more about our groundbreaking Post-Registration Programme for newly-qualified nurses.

To give you a little bit more insight into our PRP, we'll hand over to Post-Registration Programme Manager Alison Mann.

🎥 Take it away, Alison!

11/05/2024

Meet Holly Anderson! 👋

Holly is a Student Veterinary Nurse (SVN) at Village Vet in Longstanton.

Having been part of the team at Village Vet for six years, Holly was inspired by working with her amazing nursing colleagues when she was part of Client Care.

She says: "I learnt the pathways to become a nurse and also realised that my heart was set in helping to improve patients’ journeys and ensure they are cared for to the highest standard.

"I started as a receptionist in 2017, then progressed to a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) in 2019, became an SVN in 2021 after finishing a level 2 diploma and hope to be qualifying this year."

Holly said she most enjoys being able to help clients with education and how they can help to give their pets the best care possible.

10/05/2024

The theme of this year's is progression, and we aim to offer our nurse team members everything they need to support their growth.

From in-house training and CPD sessions, right the way through to support in studying for prestigious Veterinary Technician specialist status, we recognise the incredible work our nursing team members put into their careers with us and we always aim to support them at each step of their career journey.

For example, our Post-Registration Programme for newly qualified nurses offers the opportunity to acquire the expertise and knowledge required to start an exciting career in referral nursing.

The year-long programme is structured around a rotation of three core areas, including Wards, Theatre and Diagnostics.

You can find out more about our industry-leading programme here >>> https://bit.ly/3SWSJkP

09/05/2024

Did you know? 🧐

As we continue to celebrate , the role of a veterinary nurse is not only integral to the smooth and efficient running of our practices but also hugely varied with fantastic scope for progression.

Our nurses work across a multitude of areas including x-rays, monitoring anaesthetised patients, wound management, homecare advice, preventative healthcare and post-operative care.

Meanwhile, we also have nursing specialities in areas such as anaesthesia, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, exotics, dental and medical services.

Find out more about nursing at Linnaeus here >>> https://bit.ly/4dAaqjO

08/05/2024

Today is National Receptionist Day, so we would like to say a huge thank you to our Client Care team members and unsung heroes at our practices and hospitals! 🦸🦸‍♂️

Our Client Care teams play a crucial role in carefully managing our schedules, booking appointments efficiently, and warmly greeting our clients, patients, and team members. The unique contributions of the Client Care team are invaluable in ensuring the smooth operation of our practice and hospitals in both the UK and Ireland.

They are the initial point of contact for clients over the phone and the first welcoming faces during visits, and none of our practices and hospitals could do the amazing work they do for our patients without them. 🙌

07/05/2024

Today, to celebrate Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month, we want to introduce Beth Hillard, a Student Veterinary Nurse at Cave Veterinary Specialists.👋

Beth has been part of the Cave team for five years and says she loves working as part of the nursing team there, seeing how much of an impact they make on patients' lives.

🗣 Describing her progression at Cave, Beth says: "I started as a receptionist in an independent first opinion practice, then moved to Cave as a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) and was selected to start nursing after two years.

"My role sees me nursing patients back to health and providing them with a safe, loving space. My favourite part is inpatient care, looking after them on the wards and spending time one-on-one with patients." ❤️

03/05/2024

Our Patient Care Assistants (PCAs) can undertake a multitude of roles, providing crucial support and assistance to our veterinary nurses and vets.

We are passionate about supporting our PCAs in expanding their role as they form such an integral part of our veterinary nursing teams. PCAs can grow their skills through training, which can be done either in-house or through formal qualifications. They may also support their teams through mentoring and teaching or take on leadership responsibilities. This dynamic nature of the role keeps things interesting and engaging. 🦮🐈🐇🐁🐢🦎

Their unwavering dedication and compassion are not just qualities we value, but they also significantly contribute to the overall well-being of our patients and the smooth running of our practice. This impact is what makes this role truly rewarding. 💚

If you would like to work with animals, this could be a role for you to consider.

01/05/2024

Did you know… May is not just any month; it's Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month (VNAM), a time to showcase the invaluable work of our veterinary nurse teams across Linnaeus.

Our Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs), Student Veterinary Nurses (SVNs) and Patient Care Assistants (PCAs) are the backbone of our practices. They face unique and challenging situations every day and carry out a multitude of crucial roles that are not always seen.

Over the next few weeks, we will shed light on some of the many tasks and roles our teams undertake.

Come join us for our celebration, which is a testament to the incredible work our veterinary nurses and patient care teams do all year round. ❤️

29/03/2024

Everyone here at Linnaeus would like to take this opportunity to wish our Associates, referring colleagues, clients and patients a very relaxing and enjoyable Easter.

We hope you have a safe and healthy Easter. Please rest assured that our teams across the country are always here should you need them.

27/03/2024

With Easter weekend around the corner, this cautionary tale from our team at The Village Vet is a good reminder to keep chocolate and all hazardous foods out of the reach of inquisitive paws!

Monty the Labrador had snaffled raisins and found himself in need of urgent care from our expert Village Vet team in Milton near Cambridge.

Monty’s ill-advised snacking led to an acute kidney injury, which needed round-the-clock care.

Because he was so ill, Monty spent two weeks being treated and monitored before he was reunited with his grateful owners.

You can read the full story here 👉 https://bit.ly/49h0AQy

26/03/2024

Three members of the team at St Anne's Veterinary Group in Eastbourne are putting their best feet forward for charity! 🥾🥾

Registered Veterinary Nurse Menna Field has completed the Big Winter Roam for Cats Protection.

Meanwhile, fellow St Anne's team members, Lead Veterinary Nurse Abigail Lloyd and Patient Care Assistant Jenny O'Neill, will both be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon, also for Cats Protection.

The trio's combined target is to raise a total of £750.

You can read the full story on Menna, Abigail and Jenny's fundraising missions and donate here >>> https://bit.ly/4cqcR8d

A community news update from your area

22/03/2024

We're ending the week with pretty Polly!

Poor Polly's case certainly made the team at Wear Referrals Think Twice!

Sharing similar symptoms as world-famous singer Celine Dion, who is suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome, Polly was diagnosed with Stiff Dog Syndrome, a rare and agonising autoimmune disorder.

Three-year-old Polly presented to Wear after her symptoms had worsened over a period of time, with owner Lucy saying: “She couldn’t eat, drink or walk without it happening, and the stiffness was spreading over her body. She would go rigid for minutes at a time.”

Thankfully, Wear's Professor Clare Rusbridge, RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology was able to successfully diagnose Polly and map out a treatment plan, which now has her symptoms under control.

You can read the full story of Polly's rare condition and treatment here >>> https://yhoo.it/3TFEcMh

20/03/2024

Meet Pablo! 👋

Little crossbreed Pablo underwent a life-or-death operation with our team at Northwest Veterinary Specialists to remove a tumour from a major blood vessel.

The extremely intricate surgery carries a mortality rate of up to 40 per cent but was Pablo’s only chance of returning to his old life after being diagnosed with the tumour.

Matt Smith, surgery specialist at NWVS, said: “Part of Pablo’s tumour extended 7.5cm along the vena cava, which is the major vein returning blood to the heart, and the surgery can be extremely challenging due to the risk of fatal bleeding.

"Despite its complexities and significant challenges, the surgery was a success. Pablo has made a full recovery and it is an excellent outcome.”

You can read the full story here >>> https://bit.ly/3x21NxN

A dog who risked bleeding to death in a highly complex operation has made a full recovery thanks to the skills of vets.

18/03/2024

We're starting the week with some lovely news from the team at Eye Vet Referrals.

The talented Eye Vet team carried out a complex eye surgery to give a much-loved ageing rescue dog the gift of sight.

Ellie, believed to be about nine years old, is a Leonberger whose life expectancy can be only eight to nine years, and she was facing the prospect of never seeing properly again before the successful operation.

Happily, all went well, and Ellie is now back with her grateful owners, living her best life!

You can read the full story here >>> https://bit.ly/3TugsJQ

08/03/2024

We're ending the week with a new dawn for Twilight! 🌒

Vets at our renowned Cambridgeshire animal hospital DWR Veterinary Specialists have given a much-loved cat the best possible chance of a long and healthy life after successfully removing a tumour caused by a rare cancer.

Twilight received the life-saving treatment after his owner felt a small pea-sized lump on his back between the shoulder blades, which grew over four months to the size of a small walnut.

Oncology and surgery experts at DWR were confident they could remove the lumps - which were actually two small masses rather than one large lump - with a positive outcome.

🐕 Thankfully, the team were successful, and their lifesaving work ensured Twilight was able to return home and is able to do everything he did prior to surgery.

Read more here >>> https://www.dickwhitereferrals.com/pet-stories/twilights-testing-time/

07/03/2024

The talented soft tissue team at Davies Veterinary Specialists saw first-hand the fruits of their labour after performing a lifesaving surgery recently.

Six-year-old Labrador Cello presented at Davies after suffering from progressively worsening vomiting, together with a loss of appetite and lethargy.

Our team at Davies were able to carry out an ultrasound, which found a well-defined, rounded object measuring about 2.5cm in diameter in her small intestine. It was only when the object was removed that the Davies team realised it was a whole crab apple - apparently one of Cello's favourite snacks! 🍎

You can catch up with the full story here >>> https://bit.ly/49HzCCI

06/03/2024

📰 Read all about it!

Our wonderful team at Cromwell Veterinary Group in Huntingdon have recently been hitting the headlines after carrying out emergency surgery on a seven-month-old puppy who had become dangerously ill.

🐕 Little Teddy had swallowed a rope toy, which had untangled and become lodged in his intestines.

It was a complicated case, and following an intricate surgery, Teddy underwent almost two weeks’ worth of round-the-clock care from our dedicated inpatient nurses at Cromwell before being able to return home to his grateful owners.

For the full story on Teddy's travails, visit 👉 https://bit.ly/3IlBc1b