November 12, 2024
Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital, IVC Evidensia’s newest hospital in Birmingham, is celebrating its first anniversary this month.
Since its opening in November 2023, Blaise Referral Hospital has seen more than 7,000 patients, including over 2,000 cats and 4,200 dogs.
Nova the Dalmatian puppy was rushed to the hospital after developing a rare, abnormal ear condition called congenital aural atresia. If left untreated, her condition would have led to infections, an abscess, and hearing problems.
Thanks to the expertise of surgeon Lara Dempsey, the soft tissue surgery team could preserve Nova’s trademark floppy Dalmatian ear. The team performed total ear canal ablation and a lateral bulla osteotomy, which involved removing the dog’s external ear canal and making a window in the bulla.
Bernie the dog was brought in to the neurology team with a slipped disc in his neck. As a result, he suffered from leg paralysis and difficulty breathing.
To save him, surgeons performed a ventral slot procedure in which the disc material was successfully removed. The emergency and critical care team then supported the patient with a ventilator for two days, providing postoperative care and tailored physiotherapy. After two weeks, Bernie’s movement and breathing were restored, and he was discharged, tail wagging.
Over the last year, more than 100 hours of CPD have been delivered to veterinarians and nurses in the hospital’s modern facilities, covering a variety of disciplines. This includes orthopaedics, emergency triage, and cardiology.
Blaise Referral has also rolled out its internship programme and welcomed its first cohort of interns to the team. Within 12 months, interns are exposed to different areas of the hospital, rotating through surgery, medicine, anaesthesia, neurology, and out-of-hours care.
Hospital Director Julie Davis shared her pride for the team and their achievements:
"It's been a fantastic first year for Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital and we’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from both pet owners and local vets.
“We have an incredible and dedicated team of experts here and we look forward to many more years of supporting the local community and helping pets get the best care they possibly can.”
Explore more stories from our referral hospitals:
Plymouth Veterinary Group unveils new purpose-built hospital
New £10m hospital for pets in Longbridge, Birmingham gets go-ahead