Massey News Anaesthesia staffing improves
After a difficult period of low staffing in anaesthesia, the VTH is happy to report the successful recruitment of two anaesthesiologists and the return of a valued anaesthesia nurse, Lydia. Over the last few months, the burden of the entire service (teaching as well as clinical work for both small animal and equine) has fallen on our amazing Vicki Walsh and the team of hard-working nurses, notably CeeJay and Nicole, backed up by interns and Heidi Lehmann. In mid-May we took the unprecedented step of suspending bookings for non-urgent small animal surgeries to concentrate on the critical patient case load and ease the pressure on anaesthesia. There is now greater depth in anaesthesia with the recent appointment of Sandeep Karna. Sandeep hails from Nepal and has completed his PhD studies in New Zealand, in anaesthesia under the supervision of Paul Chambers and Craig Johnston. With the appointment of Sandeep we will have two anesthesiologists and in January 2022 we expect to welcome a highly experienced anesthesiologist from across the ditch.
My aim here at Massey Vets will be to work as close as you wish together with you, as a possible extension of your practice. In the past this meant that patients were sent to me for endoscopies, or any patient who doesn´t want to eat, loses weight for no obvious reason, has chronic GI problems, PU/ PD, coughing/sneezing or any chronic or recurrent problems in your practice but not enough time for longer workup …
A huge thank you goes to the anaesthesia team, especially Vicki, for their huge effort to keep the service running in difficult circumstances.
I understand that we all put the patient first, but there are business aspects to your work as well. I understand that we are all together in this extremely challenging profession with a knowledge build-up at exuberant speed, faster than ever before. I look forward to meeting you and to working together with you and your team!
Non-urgent surgery bookings recommence at the end of August
Gaby Verburgh Hoffmann DVM, PhD, Dr. med.vet, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, FANZCVS Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine
Routine small animal surgery bookings will recommence at the end of August. We will still have to manage the caseload and balance our staff resources without overstretching them, therefore waiting lists are likely to persist.
Internal medicine service recommences
We have also successfully recruited two internal medicine specialists and will soon be resuming a referral Small Animal Medicine Service. The expectation is that we will be accepting internal medicine referrals from early September.
Introducing the first Internist out of MIQ – Gaby Hoffmann I graduated as veterinarian 1996 in Germany, went to South Africa to learn at the Animal Eye Clinic in Cape Town for some months, and to Japan, to the University of Kyoto, in Inuyama before going to Switzerland for my first Dr. thesis at the veterinary faculty in Zurich. I did an internship in private practice and a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Berne, in Switzerland. This was a shared residency between Berne and Louisiana State University, USA. After my residency I went to Utrecht University in the Netherlands in 2002 where I did my PhD studies in copper-
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associated chronic hepatitis in Labrador Retrievers and became faculty (head of small animal gastroenterology). In 2010 I became practice owner of a first-, second- and third-opinion small animal hospital in Southern Germany. After being Internist during daytime and on call 24/7 all year long for 6 years my husband and I sold the business and took off to the Caribbean where we became faculty at US-owned private veterinary schools. After some wonderful, colourful years in paradise we went back to the Netherlands in 2019, where I worked full time since and through a very busy COVID time, in the country’s largest private referral hospital in The Hague.
Gaby
Services
These are the current referral avenues: l
Small Animal Surgery – fully open for emergencies, reopening very end of August for non-urgent case revival. l Small Animal Medicine – service to resume sometime in September l Oncology – coordinated by VN Carolyn Liggins (for referral to Surgery/Medicine/Chemo) l Radioactive iodine and strontium therapy – Susan Tomlin l Dentistry – in-house dentist Angus Fechney l Dermatology – out-patient clinics run by specialist dermatologist Helen Orbell l Cardiology – outpatient clinics provided by specialist cardiologist Jacqui Huxley
Building update
The work on the new large animal hospital and teaching laboratory space is proceeding at pace with the majority of the superstructure erected. The current disruption is mainly to car parking and referral clients should be warned to arrive with sufficient time to find a parking stop close to the university. l
Companion Quarterly: Official Newsletter of the Companion Animal Veterinarians Branch of the NZVA | Volume 32 No 3 | September 2021
