Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible mothers out there!
Today we celebrate the love, strength, and nurturing spirit of all the amazing mums. We also celebrate the amazing members of our team who step in when assistance is required to help animals with birthing, and also caring for wee baby animals in need.
Whether you have two legs or four, thank you for everything you do. Wishing you a day filled with joy and happiness!
Enjoy a few pics and videos of some of the littlest patients we have treated of late. Cuteness!
#MothersDay2024 🌸🐾
🐾 ARC Central Update!🐾
Have you ever wondered how we got our MRI machine in the building? Around a month ago, we installed the first veterinary MRI machine in the North Island at our new ARC Central site. However, it was no easy feat. Plenty of helping hands & one crane later, and the MRI made its way in! We are so excited to have started using this valuable imaging modality at our new site, with more exciting upcoming updates! ❤️🐾
Welcome to the ARC Central Reception & Consult area!
When you arrive at the clinic, you’ll come up in the elevator from the pet parent car parking underneath! Then you’ll greet our lovely reception team and wait in either our cat or dog waiting area, awaiting your consultation in one of 3 cat consults or one of 9 dog consults!
This is the first part of our clinic tour, let us know what you think!
ARC Central Veterinary Hospital has come a long way (the time difference between these videos being only 6 weeks!), and we are so excited to see our patients and pet parents experiencing all it has to offer.
Over the next few weeks, we will take you on tour around ARC Central on our social media platforms. What part of the clinic are you most excited to see? ❤️🐾⭐
We are located in Freeman's Bay, Auckland NZ
🐾This is Vito🐾
Vito came to us through the ARC emergency services, after he fell off of a cliff and couldn't walk anymore. His CT scan with us diagnosed him with a severe spinal fracture of his first thoracic vertebra (T1) and dislocation of the first 2 vertebrae (T1 and T2). This caused an injury to his spinal cord, which was unstable, leading to severe pain.
Vito underwent surgery with our neurosurgeon, Dr. Georgina, and one of our orthopedic and soft tissue specialist surgeons, Dr. Judith, to stabilise his fracture. Due to the challenging location of his injury, the surgery was performed through his chest - Vito had to have his sternum opened to allow access. This is called a median sternotomy.
Vito had to learn how to walk again, but incredibly, he was already moving a day after surgery! 2 weeks later, and despite the fact he is a little wobbly, he is doing incredibly well!
What do you think of Vito's fantastic story? Are you enjoying our video case reports so far? Let us know what you think in the comments below ❤️
🐾This is Ramona🐾
Ramona was seen here at Animal Referral Centre through our cardiologist, Dr Joon, after being diagnosed with a PDA (patent ductus arteriosus).
A PDA is a vessel that creates a bridge between the big blood vessels that send blood to the body and the lungs (called the 'aorta' and 'pulmonary artery'), and blood can flow wherever the pressure is lower. PDAs naturally exist in the heart of unborn animals and are supposed to close after birth. Unfortunately, in Ramona's heart, this vessel remained open.
Ramona's PDA resulted in severe heart enlargement. Ramona was at high risk of developing congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs).
Luckily one of our incredible surgeons, Dr Judith, with the help of Dr Joon, ligated the blood vessel in Ramona's heart, saving her life! She was fortunate that her referring vet clinic, Pet Doctors Tristram St noticed her heart murmur and referred her to ARC.
If you think your pet could benefit from a cardiology or surgery referral, speak to your veterinarian today! ❤️
🐾This is Sky🐾
Sky is one of our neurology patients under our neurologist, Dr Georgina, here at the Animal Referral Centre!
Sky has a condition called Degenerative Myelopathy, which was suspected on an MRI scan and confirmed with genetic testing.
Degenerative myelopathy is a slowly progressive, noninflammatory degenerative condition resulting in loss of myelin (fatty covering of nerve cells) and spinal cord atrophy.
Most affected dogs will have progressive hindlimb weakness that eventually leads to loss of ability to walk. Eventually, the front limbs will also become affected. There is no specific treatment for this condition. However, physiotherapy may support function by improving muscle mass and coordination.
Sky has been fitted for a wheelchair with us so we can improve her quality of life and give her freedom back by allowing her to walk again.
Talk to your veterinarian if you think a neurology referral would benefit your pet today! 🐾🧠
Po, a 6-year-old French Bulldog, presented to ARC in 2020 with severe weakness in all four limbs. Po's clinical signs started with a lameness in one of his forelimbs after a squabble with another dog, but this quickly progressed to an inability to stand and difficulty breathing. A neurological assessment was performed and Dr Karl Mathis (Specialist in small animal surgery) localised Po's problem to the spinal cord in his neck. Po was struggling to breathe (as the nerves in the neck are responsible for controlling the muscles required to breathe), so he was placed onto a mechanical ventilator to support him during the time required to diagnose what was happening in his neck and allow treatment.
A CT scan revealed spinal cord compression due to an intervertebral disc extrusion in his neck. Karl performed a hemilaminectomy, a surgery that involves removing part of the affected vertebral bone to gain access to the spinal canal and remove the offending disc material, to take the pressure off Po’s spinal cord. The surgery went well, but Po required ventilation for another 5 days before he regained the ability to breathe. Po also has significant upper airway obstruction due to his French Bulldog conformation. This means that more effort is required to breathe normally, and as such, it was more challenging to wean Po off the ventilator. Po had a temporary tracheostomy (where a tube is inserted into the windpipe so that the effect of the upper airway is bypassed) until he was strong enough to breathe normally.
Po is an example of the incredible results that a multidisciplinary approach to complex cases can achieve. We are lucky to have such a great team of vets, nurses and support staff that can facilitate 24/7 care for such an intensive case as Po’s.
Following discharge, Po has been a regular patient at our hydrotherapy unit, which has assisted his ongoing rehabilitation. Po is now living his best life, running around like the mad little fellow he is.
Happy Monday! We thought it was time for a cute video.
Alaska visited us last year for treatment of a wound and her Mum Sasha sent us through this brilliant thank you! #arcvets
Here's another glimpse behind the scenes at ARC!
Here's some time lapse photography of our team performing knee surgery (TPLO) on a dog with a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament. This is one of the most common orthopaedic conditions we treat at ARC.
Note: this was photographed pre-lockdown.
Here's another glimpse behind the scenes at ARC!
In this time lapse, our team are taking X-rays of a dog who is going to have knee surgery (TPLO). It's amazing how many steps are involved!
Note: this was photographed pre-lockdown.
Unfortunately we can't let clients into our hospital during the current lockdown... so we think it's a good time to show you what goes on behind the scenes!
Here's some time lapse photography of our team prepping a dog for orthopaedic surgery. It's amazing how many steps are involved!
Stay tuned over the next few days for more! Note: filmed prior to lockdown
Adorable pug thanks her nurse after surgery
We often get asked why we do what we do.
This is why!
Stella was recently referred to ARC for a fracture repair, and during her stay enjoyed some extra TLC with hospital nurse Carol.
Happily, Stella was discharged following a successful surgery and is doing really well at home.
Adorable English Bulldog puppies!
