Animal Referral Hospital - Essendon

26/06/2026

Recently, a few of our ECC vets and nurses attended the RECOVER rescuer workshop to refresh their skills and knowledge on performing CPR. RECOVER stands for Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation, and the RECOVER Initiative is the global leader in evidence-based veterinary CPR education, training, and guidelines. Learn more about their work at RECOVER Initiative 😉

During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to put into practice their skills in chest compressions, breathing techniques and even defibrillation on a mannequin dog. They were then assessed on their ability to work as a group on various cardiac arrest scenarios, and we are glad to report they all passed with flying colours to become RECOVER certified basic life support rescuers 👏

25/06/2026

*** BRING YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY 26th JUNE 2026 ***
Ok so it looks like this fluffy cutie got confused, but as you might imagine, here at ARH Essendon Fields, we have dogs, cats and more EVERY day!

Meantime if you managed to take your dog to work today we'd love a photo or two!
Enjoy the day and if you need us over the weekend we are here for you 24/7 - just call us on (03) 9379 0700.

25/06/2026

Meet Dr. Ainsley Sutton!

Ainsley graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2016 and began her career in small animal general practice. After 2 years, Ainsley decided to further her training by completing both a rotating internship and surgical internship at the Veterinary Referral Hospital. She subsequently took, and passed her membership exams in Small Animal Surgery on first try. Membership examinations are offered by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) in various veterinary disciplines such as surgery, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, radiology, dermatology etc. It recognises a veterinarian’s advanced clinical knowledge in a specific field, bridging the gap between a GP and a specialist.

Ainsley has a keen interest in both small animal surgery and emergency medicine. She has spent the last five years working as an Emergency and Critical Care clinician, and joined ARH in 2024. Ainsley particularly enjoys performing emergency surgery such as caesarean sections, GDV surgery, foreign body removals etc. She loves that every day and night spent in the ICU is different. In her spare time, you will probably find Ainsley by the beach, walking her cheeky spoodle Snoopy, catching the latest musical in Melbourne or baking sweet treats!

24/06/2026

***TOMORROW - Fri 26th June IS TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY! ***
Taking your dog to work can be great fun, but some businesses have reservations about it... many for good reasons of course! But those that do, can make an incredibly positive experience for all parties (animals included). These notes thanks to the RSPCA.

--> Taking a dog to work has been proven to:
1 - Boost employee morale and productivity. Animals are guaranteed to boost morale and increase productivity in the workplace. Plus, with our best friend close by, employees won’t want to leave work. Imagine that – a workplace where employees want to stay past 5.00pm. Revolutionary!

2 - Encourage healthy habits & creativity. Our sedentary lifestyles mean Australians don’t do nearly enough exercise. However, with Fido or Fifi in the office, that means regular 'p*e' breaks to get some fresh air... resulting in fresh ideas too!

3 - Foster team bonding. Let’s be honest, in every office there are people who don’t see eye-to-eye… except when it comes to bonding over adorable pooches! Having dogs in the workplace will help employees put their differences aside and come together and also improve communication!

4 - Decrease ruff-day blues Scientific research indicates having dogs in the workplace will help employees de-stress when they’re having a ruff day. Just stroking a dog's fur lowers blood pressure, purring cats also have a similar effect!

Of course make sure you check with your boss and/or co-workers first! :-)

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
Pet Sitters International created this annual event in 1999 to celebrate dogs & promote pet adoption.

24/06/2026

Practise makes perfect 👏

On the Surgery service, ultrasound is used to guide needle placement for nerve blocks, that help to reduce overall anaesthetic requirements for patients undergoing surgery. Here’s Surgery intern Dr. Joely honing her ultrasound guided needle aspiration skills, with a jello model she made. The jello patient contains some picked jalapeños and onions, which serve as targets for Joely and her pupils Surgery nurses Mikaela, Sarah and Tamara to aim at with a needle. Their task: to always keep the needle and its target in full view on the screen by controlling the position and pressure of the ultrasound probe. In a real patient, this skill ensures accuracy and safety with needle aspiration procedures, while preventing harm to other vital structures near the target 🎯

23/06/2026

*** GOT A FUSSY KITTY? ***
Why are cats so notoriously fussy? They’re not just ‘being cats’ or trying to annoy us. It comes down to science! There are several reasons, and most are rooted in the fascinating evolution of the domestic cat, whilst others are behavioural or due to medical conditions. Much of their fussiness has been genetically programmed to ensure survival. But cats are also unusual, in that if they don’t eat for more than a couple of days, they can develop a life-threatening liver condition, called hepatic lipidosis.

So, there are potentially high health stakes for fussy cats.
Click the image to read more...!

Are cats really fussy? Or are they just products of their fascinating evolution? . Australia's Award Winning Pet Insurance. We care about your pets' health and well-being - Pet Insurance Australia

22/06/2026

*** HOW ARE YOUR PETS COPING THIS WINTER? **
There’s a chill in the air. It’s winter again and the temperature is plummeting. Heaters are on. Beanies and umbrellas are at the ready. But what about preparation and care for your furry friend? Dogs and cats, both short haired and long-haired breeds, need extra special care in winter, just like humans do.

Some good tips in this article thanks to GreenCross Vets.

Other related pages: No related posts.

22/06/2026

1.5 year old Valerie was seen by Delahey Vet Clinic for not being her usual perky self and losing her appetite. A large fluid filled structure was found in her abdomen, and she was referred to ARH for further evaluation and treatment. Dr. Rob performed an ultrasound which confirmed that this structure was the left kidney. Its normal architecture had unfortunately been completely replaced with fluid, likely rendering the kidney non-functional. Luckily, her right kidney appeared normal and blood tests showed that the right kidney was still functioning well. Valerie also had a concurrent urinary tract infection and was started on antibiotics.

🚨Sensitive content warning: images/videos from surgery 🚨

Dr. Jenna from the Surgery team took Valerie to surgery, where the non-functional left kidney was removed. Valerie was also spayed at the same time. The left kidney turned out to be a bag of pus 😢 and was likely the cause of Valerie feeling sick. We suspect the infection started from her bladder and crept up her ureter to affect the left kidney. We are glad to report that Valerie has returned back to her usual self after surgery 💕 She will continue to follow up with Delahey Vet Clinic, to confirm that her bladder infection has cleared up completely and for ongoing monitoring of her remaining kidney’s function. Stay well Valerie!

21/06/2026

*** GOT AN OLDER KITTY? ***
How are they doing really?... As Dr Simon Kudnig here at ARH Essendon Fields says... "Age Is Not A Disease"... but as we know all animals are very good at hiding any health issues as they get older, cats in particular!

Some great info in this article thanks to Psychology Today!

As cats get older, they may need a little extra help. Changes to the environment and making time for play and enrichment can make a big difference.

20/06/2026

*** ARE THERE SNAKES AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? ***
Snakes, in fact, do not hibernate in winter. Instead, they enter a state called brumation, during which they become less active, and their metabolism slows significantly.

Brumation is actually a state of semi-hibernation or dormancy. But what if you see a snake?... What should you do?

Cold weather means finding warm, cosy hidey-holes.