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On the 31st of October 2024, Bridge Referrals celebrated the second anniversary of their multidisciplinary veterinary referrals centre in Boldon Colliery. Bridge Referrals is privately owned and operated. From the beginning the objective was to build a modern veterinary referrals facility that would significantly enhance patient care and overall patient experience.  Emma, Jack, Alison, Darren and Sarah, the Bridge Referrals directors After investing £3.6 million over a 24 month period, the completion of this ultra modern referral centre in June 2024 greatly increased the availability of high quality care for pets in the North East of England. The team has…

Bridge Referrals are delighted to announce that Harry Swales, a European Specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine, has joined the team!    Harry has worked with Darren Long and the other directors previously over the years and he is a very welcome addition to the expanding team, bringing with him a wealth of experience and additional innovation to Bridge Referrals. Harry is an EBVS® European specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine.  EBVS® European specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine Harry graduated from the University of Liverpool in…

In our last blog we looked at the basic structure of the conduction system in the heart, how that created the ECG we look at and the basic structure of our ECG - the P-QRS-T complexes. This time, we are going to have a look at some normal ECGs and then some common abnormal ones. We will also touch a little on treatments for them. Just to recap before we go on, the 8 steps to consider when reading your ECG's. By applying these every time you look at an ECG, it will make interpretation easier. What is the rate…

We are thrilled to welcome Becky Snelson to the Bridge Referrals team as our new Soft Tissue Surgical Intern! Her expertise and passion for veterinary care will be a fantastic addition to our practice.  Becky Snelson - Soft Tissue Surgical Intern at Bridge Referrals Becky is very excited to join Team Bridge in their new position as a Soft Tissue Surgical Intern. She grew up in Cheshire and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2019 and began her career in a mixed practice in the Scottish Borders. It was there that Becky’s love for surgery began. To further develop…

We all know Brachycephalic breeds like Pugs, Shih-tzus, Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs for example, are considerably more prone to ocular issues.  Ocular disease in these breeds develops because of a combination of factors: Macroblepharon and lagophthalmos (large prominent eyes with little blinking) The large eyes that sit far forward do not have adequate protection from the eyelids.  A low blink rate allows for excessive corneal exposure and tear film evaporation which in turn leads to chronic keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) and the risk of corneal ulceration. Macroblepharon and lagophthalmos Medial canthal entropion (turning in of the eyelids near…