Respiratory Surgery and Medicine

Heart and lung disease is a complex area of veterinary medicine, one which may require specialist knowledge, experience and in many cases, respiratory surgery, for successful diagnosis and treatment.

We have a visiting specialist, Mike Martin, who is interested in the investigation and management of heart murmurs, dyspnoea, coughing, arrhythmias, episodic weakness/collapse, congestive heart failure and nasal disorders.

Surgical procedures performed include, correction of upper airway obstruction (nares, palate, laryngeal paralysis), thoracotomy, lobectomy, diaphragmatic hernia repair, chest drain placement, pericardiocentesis, pericardectomy, patent ductus arteriosus and persistent right aortic arch.

Nasal disease often presents as nasal discharge with or without other nasal signs. Attention to history and physical examination findings often facilitates a differential diagnosis. Imaging techniques and tissue sampling for microscopic examination are usually necessary for diagnosis. Advanced imaging offers important advantages over traditional skull radiographs. Bacterial culture is seldom beneficial and fungal culture is reserved for cases likely to have fungal rhinitis. Nasal biopsy is required to confirm a specific diagnosis and is always required for diagnosis of specific tumour type or for inflammatory rhinitis.

Contact: 021 496 2799  Email: gilabbeyvetreception@gmail.com