November 2023 - Dr Yoko has been very busy - she was an invited speaker at the recent Australian Veterinary Association WA State conference held in Fremantle.  She gave talks on what veterinarians and veterinary nurses in general practice can do to improve outcomes for their patients using veterinary rehabilitation treatments for patients with neurologic disease, and for patients who have had a limb amputated.   When she wasn't speaking, she attended the rest of the lectures on offer, and has returned to work full of new ideas on ways to manage non healing wounds, endocrine diseases, antibiotic stewardship and osteoarthritis.  There was also much discussion on the use of artificial intelligence in the veterinary world and how vets are embracing this technology to improve their diagnostic outcomes.
 

August 2023 - Continuing education is a vital part in any veterinarian or veterinary nurses career portfolio.  Nurse Kara travelled to Brisbane at the end of July to complete a four day hands on course with Canine Rehabilitation Institute. She then travelled to the Gold Coast where she met up with Dr Yoko for the annual Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) Science Week conference.


Yoko and Kara hosted a pre-conference practical workshop on laser and shockwave therapy and were so lucky to have such amazing speakers (including from the USA) to share their knowledge with conference participants.

Dr Yoko established the ANZCVS chapter in Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation (VSMR) and is the currently the chapter President and Science Week Convenor. She and her “partner in crime” Jane from Paws in Motion Veterinary Physiotherapy were also recognised for their hard work at the annual conference dinner! 

July 2023 - Dr Mhairi, Dr Yoko, Dr Tiffany, and nurses Renee and Kat attended WAVESCON23 this month.  WAVESCON23 was Western Australian Veterinary Emergency and Speciality's (WAVES) inaugural one day conference bringing the veterinary community together for a day of continuing education and to celebrate their 10-year anniversary.

The theme was “Small Pieces Make The Big Picture”.  This illustrated the intricate workings of the veterinary industry. Successfully treating a patient requires the collaboration of many different entities.  On the logistical and service side, this may include general practice / companion-animal vets and nurses, referral practice vets and nurses, industry partners, wholesalers, and reference laboratories.

Similarly, on the clinical side, numerous pieces of information must come together to create a comprehensive picture of the patient’s overall health and disease processes. These pieces often include client concerns, physical examination findings, laboratory tests, imaging results etc.

It was a wonderful day of education, with lots of opportunities to connect with colleagues.  There was lots of delicious food and plenty of laughter, with a fantastic gala dinner to wrap it all up.

February 2023 - Beaming with pride is an understatement! We would like to congratulate our nurses Renee and Michala on completing the Annual Rottnest Channel swim on Saturday February 25th.  These dedicated nurses swam the 19.7km in a team of four in an amazing time of 7 hours and 35 minutes! Well done Michala and Renee!

We would also like to congratulate Dr Jasmine, who has recently become the newest member of the Roleystone Animal Hospital team to earn her Low Stress Handling certificate!  This course teaches vet nurses and veterinarians how to appropriately read an animal's body language and in environmental adjustment techniques to minimise fear and aggression.  The course teaches us how to positively counter condition and desensitise our patients so that they consent to procedures, resulting in cooperation whist maintaining a positive relationship.  It helps our vets and vet nurses to become masters in appropriate handing techniques for any sized dog or cat, resulting in fewer bite instances and calmer patients.  Combining all these skills increases confidence in the handler, creates a safe, less stressful environment and ensures co-operative patients for future visits.

October 2022 - We would like to congratulate our vet nurse Bronwyn for completing her Low Stress Handling (LSH) Silver Certificate.  At Roleystone Animal Hospital (RAH), we utilise low stress handling wherever possible.  A low stress working environment starts from the top down.  As veterinarians and nurses, we are modelling the skills necessary to protect staff, our clients and create a stress free and positive experience for animals in our care.

The LSH course provides the knowledge and understanding of how animals learn, animal behaviour, and how fear can lead to aggression.  Through their educational courses, our vets and nurses have developed the skills necessary to use best practice handling techniques for the animals in our care, and in turn create a low stress and positive work environment. 

The majority of our staff have completed this certification, and so we have been designated as an LSH Silver Certified Hospital. Showing that we are LSH Silver Certified sets a tone of caring and understanding in our staff and hospital.  This certification shows that we are serious about the well-being of our patients, and establishing a sense of trust and confidence with our animal patients. 

Well done Bronwyn!

September 2022 - Last month, we mentioned that Dr Yoko had been away from work, busily studying hard for her membership exams in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation - Canine (VSMR).

Well, the results were released at the end of July and in this month's newsletter we are all really excited to announce that she has passed these exams, and is one of the first of five new members to the VSMR chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists! 

This was the first membership exam held for this newly founded chapter, with the exam being comprised of two written papers and an oral exam, and represents the culmination of at least 400 hours of study Dr Yoko completed over the last one and a half years.  She is the first veterinarian in Western Australia to complete this qualification, and is passionate about continuing  to advance the level of veterinary rehabilitation services available to the animals of our state. To this end, we are also really excited to share that we have added a new team member in our rehab department: Kara Airey RVN.  Kara joins us as a trainee veterinary rehabilitation nurse after returning from the University Hospital in Dublin, where she's worked in the surgery department for the past eight years.  Welcome to the RAH team Kara.

June 2022 - his month saw two of our nurses, Renee and Adrian attend the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA) 28th annual conference from June 7-9 on the Gold Coast. The program included insightful lectures, educational workshops, poster presentations, clinical case reports, and amazing keynote speakers. 

Conference streams included:

• Anaesthesia & Analgesia
• Behaviour
• Exotic/Avian
• Medical & Surgical
• Veterinary Nurse & Technician Wellbeing
• Emergency

Renee and Adrian had a blast stuffing their brains full of new information, and we look forward to them sharing all the latest and up-to-date knowledge, both theoretical and practical, so we can continue to deliver best standard, evidence-based care to you and your pets.

23 March 2022 - Introducing our newest Vet: Dr Jasmine Barisich

Jasmine was born in England and moved to Australia with her family when she was 5 years old. From a young age she has always wanted to be a veterinarian; having a fascination for all animals and developing a strong interest in the sciences through school.  Jasmine recently graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (Distinction). She has experience working with small animals, exotic pets and wildlife. Her areas of interest include exotic animal medicine and internal medicine of companion animals, and she hopes to specialise in one of these areas.

Jasmine loves to travel, and is also a massive food lover; so on weekends you will find her out and about trying new restaurants and cafes. She is very excited to be working with our team, and looks forward to meeting you and your pet! Please join us in making her feel very welcome :)

22 February 2022 - Introducing our new team member: Kat

Kat was born and raised in Germany and completed a Bachelor in Journalism before she first travelled to Australia in 2014.  She explored Australia as a backpacker, travelled and lived in south-east Asia where she also volunteered at an animal sanctuary in northern Thailand. There, she had her first experiences caring for sick and injured dogs and cats and found the courage to pursue a career in veterinary nursing back in Australia; graduating from TAFE in 2020 as International Student of the Year. Kat has a great interest in native wildlife, and was lucky enough to complete a certificate in captive animals at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in 2019. Her favourite animal (besides cats) is the Echidna. Currently she is studying a diploma in Leadership and Management. In her spare time Kat loves to go op-shopping, spending time in nature and with her cats Keeley and Willow, and foster animals. Please join us in making her feel welcome!

23 December 2021 - So much news!!

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Safe and Merry Christmas, and hope that 2022 is a wonderful year for everyone.  This month, we are proud to announce that we have a new nurse on staff, have been busy attending veterinary lectures, and we also really want to update you on what foods to avoid for Christmas, so please read our latest newsletter to get all the goss!

27 July 2021 - Flexing our educational muscles!
As many of you know, Dr Yoko and nurse Rebecca also run Veterinary Rehabilitation Services out of our hospital.  Some of you have seen their passion for rehab personally with your own animals.  Not only have they been busy vet rehabbers at work, but also they have also been very busy outside of work!

Nurse Rebecca recently gave a talk sharing her tips on neurological rehabilitation as part of the 27^th Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA) annual conference! Well done Rebecca.

Continuing on in our theme of veterinary rehabilitation at conferences lately, our very own Dr Yoko gave the Science Week Convenor and President’s address to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) Science Week inaugural Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation chapter conference stream! The day’s lectures covered a wide range of topics in canine and equine veterinary rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Congratulations Dr Yoko! 
 

02 May 2021 - Roadworks affecting Hospital Access - please be advised that the Denny Avenue Rail Crossing roadworks will be further impacting access to our hospital as of 03 May 2021 until the end of the month as follows: Fancote Street will be closed blocking access heading south along Page Road at the intersection in front of our hospital. (See map - green star is location of our hospital, red line is the closed road, including where it crosses Page Rd).  Therefore, the only access to our client parking lot will be on approach from the north side of Page Road.  Please update your travel plans accordingly!  If you would like to receive updated directions, please speak with one of our team members by calling 08 9390 4026.

01 May 2021 - In light of the recent COVID-19 related changes for the Perth and Peel region, we have updated our hospital protocols.  Clients are now requested to come in with their face masks on.  Card payment is still preferred, where possible.  Thank you for your understanding and co-operation in these matters.  Stay safe x

23 April 2021 - In light of the recently announced 3 day COVID-19 lock down for the Perth and Peel region, we will be re-implementing curb-side consults, for urgent cases only, whilst this is in place.  Clients will NOT be allowed in the hospital building.  Please come with your mask on, call us on arrival, and someone will come out to the car and collect your pet to bring them into the hospital.  The vets will then examine your pet, and call you to discuss your treatment options.  The nurses will then bring your pet back to the car and take payment by card as cash will not be accepted.  Thank you for your understanding and co-operation in these matters.  Stay safe x

26 February 2021 - We hope everyone stayed safe in the lock-down at the beginning of this month and again we would like to thank all our clients for your ongoing patience whilst we went back to contactless consults.  Currently we are back to "normal" consults, with the Department of Health Safe WA login app / sign in form to be completed on arrival.

31 January 2021 - 

As most everyone would be aware, we are now under a 5-day mandatory lockdown.  It is our priority to keep the hospital open and maintain excellent and safe care for our clients and their families, whilst also doing our bit to ensure effective social distancing as per WA government policies.

As a consequence, for the duration of lockdown, we will be going back to contactless/‘curbside’ consultations - we ask that you ring when you arrive, a staff member will come out to retrieve your pet and bring them into the hospital, and the vet will ring you while you wait in your car and do the consultation over the phone.

We will not be offering house calls at this time, except in specific extenuating circumstances.

We ask for any food and medication orders to please ring us in advance - so that we can ensure we have adequate stock on hand and to arrange a pick up time for you.

Wherever possible please also use EFTPOS.

As the situation evolves, other changes may apply both for our profession and others, and we will continue to make it a priority to keep you updated.

Be patient with us as we do everything in our power to be here for you and your family.  In the meantime, please practice kindness, look after yourselves and each other, and know that we are here to help care for your fur family during these continued unprecedented times x

22 January 2021 - Newest Staff Member!

Reece is a 4th year Murdoch University vet student who has joined the team after doing work experience with us, helping out on Saturdays!

Reece grew up in Newcastle, NSW, with early onset enthusiasm for everything animal. Growing up with a native animal rehabilitator he was constantly surrounded by fur, feathers and scales, which encouraged his interest in fauna.  He completed by Bachelor of Zoology at the University of New England in 2015 and then a Certificate III in captive animals soon after.  After volunteering and working at zoos in NSW he realised his desire was to work with animals in a way that promotes positive interactions between animals and humans. After much consideration, he concluded that he was extremely motivated to become a veterinarian. Welcome to the team Reece!

26 October 2020 - Newest Team Member:  

Our newest registered vet nurse is Emma!  She comes to us with a world's worth of experience, having been nursing long enough to have nursed with Dr Yoko at a different vet hospital before she and Dr Tiff purchased Roleystone Animal Hospital 8 years ago!  Emma has recently returned to WA from Victoria having decided sand and sun was much better than rain and clouds.  Please join us in making Emma feel very welcome.

13 October 2020 - Establishing Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Chapter

We wish to congratulate Dr Yoko on officially getting the newest chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) established in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.  The ANZCVS is the body that oversees and examines veterinarians wishing to advance their skill and knowledge in a specific field of veterinary science, offering both Membership and Fellowship examinations.  "Members" of the college have undertaken at least 400 hours of self-directed study, and have sat difficult exams with at least a 70% mark required to pass the examinations. "Fellows" have studied for longer, undertaken residencies, more exams and once they pass, are eligible to register as specialists in their field. 

This new chapter means that Australian veterinarians can now start down the path of becoming specialists in the field of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, like their American and European counterparts.  Dr Yoko will now start studying for the inaugural membership exams to be held in 2022 - we wish her all the best in advancing her knowledge even further!

31 August 2020 - New Team Member:

This month we would like to welcome Mickey Nielsen to the Roleystone Animal Hospital (RAH) team. 

Mickey is a Registered Veterinary Nurse that started her career in general practice.  She then furthered her own education and gained her Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care where she has spent the majority of her nursing career.  Most recently Mickey caught the travel bug and has spent the last two years working and living in Europe and Canada.  Like many of you, COVID-19 brought Mickey’s travelling time to an end, but lucky for us she has decided to join the RAH team and we wish her a very big welcome!

28 July 2020 - Vet Nurse Graduation:

This month at Roleystone Animal Hospital, we celebrated the graduation of our trainee Veterinary Nurses Jen as a fully fledged Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN)!  Jen is originally from South Africa and came over to Australia for her studies. She has been working as a trainee with us since late last year and now continues to work for us as an RVN.  Congratulations on all your hard work Jen (she is the one in the blue scrub top), we are all really proud of you!

30 June 2020 - COVID-19 Update:

We have once again updated our COVID-19 policy as a result of WA's relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.  Currently we are allowing up to 3 people in each consult room (this can be a vet, nurse and client, or 2 clients and a staff member).  As this changes, we will update you on our Facebook page and in the Latest News Section on our webpage.

27 May 2020 - Public Holiday Hours & COVID-19 Update:

As a result of WA's relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, our hospital has updated our policies regarding client access as well. Currently we ask you to call us when you arrive for your appointment, and when it is your pet's turn to be seen, we are allowing 1 client in to each consult room per visit, and ask that you remain seated while we examine your pet on the other side of the room, in order to maintain our social distance.  As this changes, we will update you on our Facebook page and in the Latest News Section on our webpage.

We will be closed for the WA Day Public Holiday (Monday 1/6/20), and would like to remind you to check your pet has adequate stock of any ongoing medications to see you through until we are back to normal hours on Tuesday 2/6/20.

24 April 2020 - Public Holiday Hours update:

We will be closed for the Anzac Day Public Holiday (both Saturday 25/4/20 and Monday 27/4/20), and would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to those of you who have served and supported the Australian Defence Force.

23 March 2020 - Updated COVID- 19 Hopsital Policy:

As everyone is aware the situation regarding COVID-19 is changing rapidly.  It is our priority to keep the hospital open and maintain excellent care for our clients and their families, whilst also doing our bit to ensure effective social distancing as per the government’s policies, helping minimise spread of this virus further within our communities.

To ensure our staff are able to provide this care, effective immediately we will be splitting our team into two groups with NO crossover. Team A will be operating Monday - Wednesday and Team B Thursday - Saturday.  Should one Team have to step down, the other Team will spread out further to maintain continuity of care as much as possible.

As a consequence we will now be doing consultations differently - we ask that you ring when you arrive, a staff member will come out to retrieve your pet and bring them into the hospital, and the vet will ring you while you wait in your car and do the consultation over the phone.  We will not be offering house calls at this time, except in specific extenuating circumstances.

We ask for any food and medication orders to please ring us in advance - so that we can ensure we have adequate stock on hand and to arrange a pick up time for you.

Wherever possible please also use EFTPOS.

As the situation evolves, other changes may apply both for our profession and others, and we will continue to make it a priority to keep you updated.  Please be patient with us as we do everything in our power to be here for you and your family.

In the meantime, please practice kindness, look after yourselves and each other, and know that we are here to help care for your fur family during these unprecedented times.

19 March 2020 - COVID-19 Hospital Statement:

At Roleystone Animal Hospital we appreciate that the pandemic COVID-19 is at the top of everyone’s mind, and we would like to update our clients about what we are doing to help limit community spread of the virus.

It is our priority to continue to provide excellent care for your family during these challenging times. In order to do so we ask for your patience as we implement the following:

-We have increased our cleaning regimes above and beyond our current protocols, including disinfecting high contact areas in public areas of the hospital regularly; including door handles, seating, the reception counter, and the EFTPOS machine.

-Upon booking your appointment, reception staff will confirm over the phone you or your family are not currently exhibiting flu or cold-like symptoms, and have not been overseas in the last 14 days. We ask clients that are feeling unwell to refrain from visiting the practice, and calling us to discuss your options.

Please be aware that there is currently no evidence that cats, dogs or any other pets are carriers of COVID-19. Both dogs and cats are susceptible to certain coronaviruses, other than COVID-19, but these viruses are specific to these species, have been around a long time, and pose no risk to humans.

Presently Roleystone Animal Hospital is operating as usual, however as things develop we may have to change the manner in which we do things further, and potentially change operating hours if staff at the practice become impacted. We will do our best to keep everyone informed and protect our staff, our clients and vulnerable members of our community.

Kind Regards,
Drs Yoko Clinch and Tiffany Jacobs, Directors
Roleystone Animal Hospital

February 2020 - Itchy Bandicoots

Our colleagues at Darling Range Wildlife Shelter have recently reported that there is currently an outbreak of Sarcoptic Mange in bandicoots in the Roleystone area. There have been a number of severely affected animals that have presented to their shelter for treatment and even with their best efforts, unfortunately a number have been humanely euthanised. Please read our latest newsletter for more information on the implications this has for you and your pets.

January 2020 - We are really excited to announce that we have extended our weekday consulting hours so that there are now consult times available all day. Previously, we undertook our surgical procedures during the middle of the day and limited our consulting hours to 8.30-11.00 am, and 3.00-5.45 pm.  Now, you can see one of our vets even during the middle of the day as consults are available between 11am - 3pm.  The reason we can now offer these extended hours is because we have hired a new vet to join our team! 

You may remember Mhairi (pronounced "Vari"), from when she worked for us on weekends as a vet student, a few years ago.  She graduated from Murdoch University, and has had experience not only working with small animals, but also with pocket pets and birds.  She loves all things furred, feathered, fluffy and scaled, and has collected a cat (Taco), some rabbits (Gypsy & Stu-Wart) and an Indian Ringneck Parrot (Nebula) since becoming a vet.  Mhairi has a fantastic sense of humour and loves to learn so we are sure she will fit right in with the rest of our team. 

With Mhairi joining the team, we have also been able to increase our Saturday appointment slots as well.  We hope you can take advantage of our increased consulting ability and that you will join us in welcoming Dr Mhairi!

December 2019 - Our team would like to thank everybody who came out and supported our Pet Photos with Santa Fundraising event on the 17th of November.  This was our most successful year with $833 raised, which was divided in half and donated equally to the Australian Animal Cancer Foundation and Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
                                                                            
In the lead up to the public holidays at the end of this month / start of January, we would like to remind everyone with pets on ongoing medication, to ensure you have enough medication to see you through the public holiday closures, noting that on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve we have reduced hours and will be closed at 12.00pm sharp.

Thank you all for your ongoing care and support of our team, and we wish you all a wonderful Festive Season and all the best for a fantastic 2020!

November 2019 - It's BACK!!!! W e are all really excited to announce that we will be holding our Pet Photos with Santa (& Mrs Claus) on Sunday 17 November 2019 from 10am to 2pm. 

This is a fundraising event for our favourite animal charities with all our team members donating their time and efforts to ensuring this fun filled event is a success.  There will be hospital tours, a "dress up as a vet" photo booth (gold coin donation), fundraising raffles, ice-cream, a wildlife display and much more, so please join us!  The photos are $10 and are taken on a first come, first serve basis and will be available in the following 7-10 business days by email to you, for inclusion into your Christmas Cards, should you wish.

August 2019 -  Dr Yoko and Dr Tiff have helped facilitate vet students developing teamwork skills at the annual Veteirnary Professional Life Camp held for the second year Murdoch Vet Students at Fairbridge.  The purpose of the camp is for students to learn about teamwork, communication skills and positive psychology, as well as skills to help maintain mental health in what can be a challenging profession.

Dr Yoko also had the opportunity to complete her first ever high ropes course with the students, and did an amazing (and very brave) job of getting through all of the obstacles. 

- Dr Tiff, Adrian and Bec recently attended the Eco-Action Microbat Workshop, where they learned how important microbats are to our environment, as well as how to handle and identify them in preparation for providing veterinary care for bats brought in to wildlife centres.  They also built bat boxes to provide additional homes for microbats to survive in our neighbourhoods. 

July 2019 - Earlier this month Dr Yoko attended the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists annual conference, where veterinary specialists go to get their annual dose of Australian cutting edge knowledge upgraded.

She had a fantastic time and has come back with tips and tricks from the talks she attended focusing on small animal medicine, surgery and behaviour.  In keeping with our team's recent luck, she also won a textbook at the conference! Our library has now been upgraded with the latest information on Veterinary Nutrition. 

June 2019 - Congratulations are in order once again, as Dr Jill has just received her Low Stress Handling Certification!  Now, 2 of our vets and all of our nurses are Low Stress Handling (R) Certified, ensuring your pet's visit is as relaxed as possible.

Earlier this month, Dr Tiffany had the pleasure of assisting Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre with the training of some of their volunteers, and ran a 3 hour lecture and practical session on Avian Anatomy and Physiology, which was well received.  See here to learn more about Kanyana, and how they help wildlife in need, and how you can participate.

May 2019 - Fantastic News: Katelin has just received her Low Stress Handling Certification!  This means ALL of our nurses are now Low Stress Handling (R) Certified, ensuring your pet's visit is as relaxed as possible.

April 2019 - Congratulations to our nurses Bec, Rebecca and Renee on achieving Australian Veterinary Nurse National Accreditation status, and being within the first 60 nurses across the country to achieve this goal!  This year is the inaugural year for this qualification, a feat which requires at least 20 to 30  hours of continuing education on an annual basis as well as a written commitment and plan for ongoing personal development as a veterinary nurse.  Adrian has started off his year of training by attending the national Australian Veterinary Nurse Conference in Brisbane earlier this month. He has come back full of enthusiasm for sharing his new knowledge with the rest of our team and patients. 

We are exceptionally proud of all of our nurses, not only for all their hard work at our hospital, but also their dedication to ensuring that they have the latest knowledge and skills available to them! 

February 2019 - As our team have become more involved in rehabilitation therapies, we have found that some pets need a bit more support to be independent.  This is why we have become a Walkin’ Wheels Wheelchair Dealer. We now carry rear wheelchairs and kits to convert them into quad wheels for sale or hire.

Dr Yoko, Rebecca and Renee are certified to fit the chairs and our rehab team can develop individually tailored rehabilitation plans for these patients; providing more options to improve the mobility and quality of life to pets in Perth and WA.  As our models can attest, they are comfortable to wear and easy to move around in. You can watch Roxy move around here.

January 2019 - Representing over 180 hours of continuing education and study over 2 years, we are pleased to announce our nurse Rebecca has become an internationally recognised Certified Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse!

She is the first nurse in WA with this qualification, and with Dr Yoko, we are now the first vet hospital in WA with a certified vet and nurse. In addition, Rebecca has also just completed her certification to be a canine wheelchair fitter with Walkin' Wheels!

In June 2017, Rebecca completed a short course in physical therapy through the Australian College of Veterinary Nursing. She then went to Brisbane in December 2017 and August 2018 to attend a 3 day course in Canine Sports Medicine and a 5 day Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation.

In October 2018, Rebecca traveled to Wheat Ridge, Colorado to complete the Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nursing course. She then went to Los Angeles and undertook a 40 hour internship at California Animal Rehabilitation, where she got to practice the skills she had learnt throughout the certification process.

During this time she got to work with a variety of cases including post operative, neurological and geriatric patients as well as develop new techniques. She is already putting all this knowledge to use, not only with dogs, but also with birds and reptiles!

Well done Rebecca, your continued dedication and hard work to expand the services we can offer to our rehabilitation patients is outstanding!

December 2018 - This month we congratulate Renee on graduating from Trainee Vet Nurse to Registered Vet Nurse, having successfully completed her TAFE training.  Not only was she successful, but she received the Academic Achievement award for topping her class.  Congratulations Renee, we are all very proud of you!

October 2018 - Continuing on with the momentum from last month, our team have been even more busy on the learning front! We are extremely proud to announce that with Dr Tiffany completing her Low Stress Handling certification, Roleystone Animal Hospital is now a Low Stress Handling Certified Veterinary Hospital!

All of the staff at Roleystone Animal Hospital love animals and are dedicated to providing the best care possible to your furbabies.  However we understand that for some pets, coming to the vet can be a stressful, or even scary experience.  This is why we are committed to ensuring your pet has a positive, low stress experience when they come in to see us - we love seeing them and we want them to feel the same!

For this reason, our staff have undergone Certification in Low Stress Handling, so that we can foster and maintain a calm and trusting relationship with your pets.  This Certification represents at least 20 hours of further study for each person who is certified and is comprehensive in teaching the latest in animal behaviour and body language.  This ensures that we are well equipped to understand their "words", and has given us all many techniques and tips on how to handle pets in a positive and relaxing way.

June 2018 - 

During the month of July, in celebration of our 5th Birthday, we are donating $5 from every anaesthetic in July divided equally to Darling Range Wildlife Shelter and the Australian Animal Cancer Foundation. 

April 2018 -  We've gone digital!! This is exciting because it means that when we take an xray, we can see the image within 5 seconds of the xrays hitting the xray plate. Previously we had to take the plate, remove the film, put it into the processor and wait several minutes (which seemed like hours) before deciding if the film was of adequate quality or not. 

The new system has reduced the amount of time it takes us to xray any patient, thereby reducing anaesthetic time. In addition, the detail we get on our images, is much finer than film - so we can see teeny tiny changes in bone that we couldn't see as well before, especially since we can adjust the contrast by hand (instead of by retaking the xray).   It's a win for us and our patients! 

February 2018 - We would like to congratulate Dr Tiffany and her husband Jason on the arrival of their first child; Matilda Grace.  She arrived a few weeks earlier than expected but is doing really well and the family (including the furkids) are enjoying settling in to their new routines. 

January 2018 - In other exciting additions - we are also excited to share Perth Veterinary Acupuncture's services with our clients.  Dr Karin Nygren is a veterinarian who is also a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and has over 13 years of experience incorporating the benefits of acupuncture into her clinical work, with great results!  She offers a mobile service, and has started working with Dr Yoko's rehab patients from our facility. 

Dr Karin's acupuncture treatments can assist animals not only with acute and chronic pain, stress and inappetence, but also other medical conditions.  If you would like to book your pet in for an acupuncture appointment please don't hesitate to contact us for more information or to organise a referral.  

December 2017 - We are so proud of our staff, as you know, and this month we have a lot to celebrate!  Firstly, Adrian is now a graduate veterinary nurse, having completed his two year training with TAFE.  In addition, he has also completed his Low Stress Handling Certification, so he now has "free" time, which he is excited to be (finally) filling with non-study activities. 

In addition to this, Rebecca has started down the path to becoming a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Assistant, by completing the Sports Medicine Component of the Canine Rehabilitation Institute course in Brisbane earlier this month.  Our trainee nurses Renee and Dillon have also passed the first year of their Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.

We are excited to be part of a team that enjoys advancing their skills and knowledge, and wish to congratulate everyone on their achievements for this year.

As this year draws to a close, we wish to take this time to thank each and every one of you for your patronage and hope you have a wonderful festive season.  May 2018 be even better than 2017 for you!

November 2017 - We would like to thank everyone who supported our Fundraising Day on Sunday 5 November, featuring Pet Photos with Santa, Ranger Red Wildlife Display, free soft serve ice-cream, a sausage sizzle and a large raffle with 3 fantastic prizes.

The day was a great success, and you helped us raise $720 for both the Animal Protection Society and the Australian Animal Cancer Foundation.  Dr Tiff and Dr Yoko would really like to acknowledge the huge effort all of our staff and their families made towards the success of the day, not only in organising the event, but also in donating their time on the day to these fantastic charities.  We could not have done it without you Bec, Rebecca, Adrian, Eva, Jill and Renee as well as the extended Roleystone Animal Hospital Family: Peta, Chris, Sue, Jase, Jason & Michelle.

October 2017 - SAVE THE DATE!  Pet Photos with Santa is back - Sunday 5 November 2017.  Santa has graciously put aside some time for us and will be sitting for pet portraits between 10am and 2pm.  Photos are $10 per sitting (1 pet, or a family of pets) and will be emailed to you, so you can incorporate them into your Christmas cards shortly thereafter.  

Ranger Red will be there with a number of Australian Wildlife for you to get up close and personal with.  We have FREE soft serve ice cream for the first 100 people/pets, and we will be taking people on hospital tours as well.  All funds raised will be donated to the Australian Animal Cancer Foundation and the Animal Protection Society. 

September 2017 - Over the past four years, you may have noticed the increasing number of veterinary students spending their holidays doing work experience in our hospital.  We are really excited to say that our team's commitment to sharing our knowledge with veterinary students has recently been recognised by Murdoch University's College of Veterinary Medicine.  As such, we have been invited to become officially recognised as a Partner In Veterinary Education due to the standards of practice we uphold, the number of vet students we host and the "overwhelmingly positive student ratings" we have received. We are truly honoured to have received this recognition, and look forward  to continuing to provide such experiences for others.

August 2017 - We are really proud to announce that a second member of our team has become Low Stress Handling (TM) Certified!  Well done Bec!!

Dr Tiffany and Adrian are next in line to complete the qualification!  Once everyone has completed all the modules, we will be certified as a Low Stress Hospital, highlighting our ongoing commitment to keeping your pet's visit to the vet positive and stress free.

July 2017 - More congratulations are in order! This month we are really excited to announce that Dr Yoko has just become certified as a Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. This qualification provides you with the assurance that your pet's osteoarthritis, post operative rehabilitation, lameness or neurologic disease has not only veterinary basis, but also a physiotherapy basis for treatment. Dr Yoko can design a wide range of therapeutic programs to improve your pet's comfort, mobility and function with both in clinic and at home treatments and exercises, that are both fun and functional.  

If you would like your pet to have a rehabilitation assessment with Dr Yoko please don't hesitate to contact us to book it in for you.  The initial consultation takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, so we prefer for your pet to be left with us for the day, so we can break up the assessment to make it more fun for your pet.  At the end of the assessment, Dr Yoko provides you with a written assessment and treatment plan, and there are always alternatives available to make your pet's rehabilitation suit your schedule and lifestyle.

June 2017 - This month we are really excited to congratulate the first member of our team to have completed the Low Stress Handling Certification course.  

This achievement by Rebecca Waller, one of our registered nurses, means that she has completed over 20 hours of coursework learning how to minimise stress in dogs and cats in many different situations.  Dr Tiffany, Bec and Adrian are chasing Rebecca for next in line to complete the qualification and we can't wait to announce the next finalists!  Once everyone has completed all the modules, we will be certified as a Low Stress Hospital, highlighting our ongoing commitment to keeping your pet's visit to the vet positive and stress free.

February 2017  It's here... Our official hospital tour video.  You can check it out here, and as always, we are more than happy to show you around in person too!

February 2017  So... what else do your vets get up to when they're not at work?  

Dr Yoko has just returned from a week of intensive study in Brisbane completing the third component of her internationally recognised Canine Rehabilitation Therapist Certification.  She now has even more skills in musculoskeletal evaluation and is able to design in clinic and at home treatment protocols to improve your pet's comfort, function, and mobility if it is suffering from a painful, neurologic or orthopedic problem.  The final step in Dr Yoko's qualification is to do an internship at a rehabilitation centre overseas later this year!

November 2016  You may have noticed that our nurse Bec has not been at work for the last couple of weeks.  Well, we are very proud to say that she's volunteering her time for the next 2 months working in Borneo at an Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.  

So far she has not only had the great fortune of working with these fantastic animals, but also travelling around Borneo, enjoying the beautiful scenery & being lucky enough to see native pygmy elephants and a sun bear in the wild!

22 October 2016  What has Dr Yoko been up to? Well we're very excited to say she has spent the past week in Brisbane (enjoying the balmy weather) learning more about canine rehabilitation through the Canine Rehab Institute!!

This was the second of four parts to complete her qualification and it focused on cementing her muscular and skeletal anatomy knowledge, thereby aiding accurate localisation of the cause of any lameness, back, neck or jaw pain. This means treatment is better targeted and Dr Yoko can then design rehabilitation programs to stop them from reoccurring.  We are very excited to have these new skills in our hospital and can't wait to use them!

If your dog is limping or moving stiffly, or even if they just seem unhappy or not themselves, please book an appointment with Dr Yoko for a thorough assessment and treatment plan. 

You are all invited to our Grand Post Renovation Party on Sunday 2 October 2016!! We are very excited to finally be able to reveal to you the culmination of our last 6 months of hard work renovating and upgrading our new premises at 8 Fancote Street, Kelmscott.  Not only is there more space, enabling us to be less cramped and more relaxed, but there are also new equipment and facilities for us to use!  The festivities begin at 10.00 am, with clinic tours (showcasing our new & improved hospital), plenty of giveaways, great fundraising raffle prizes, a fundraising sausage sizzle for our friends at Darling Range Wildlife Shelter as well as free soft serve ice cream for the first 200 guests.

We can't wait to show you our new home and do hope you can join in the fun on the day!

 

4 September 2016  Lumps and bumps month is here!! This month we are raising awareness of the importance of checking any lumps or bumps that occur on your pet.  Some lumps and bumps are easily treated with medication, but others can be cancerous and require surgical removal.  Although cancer scares us all, the good news is that when treated early you can sometimes cure your pet of the disease, and the lump or bump doesn't get the chance to spread to other organs.  Therefore we always recommend any lump or bump is sampled to identify it correctly.  To help ease the cost of identification, we are offering $80 off the regular price of histopathology this month (read this month's newsletter to learn more about histopathology and other diagnostic tests that are available). 

 

22 June 2016 Happy 3rd Birthday to us!  Exciting news on the eve of our big day - we're moving premises.... just 250m down the road! We love our little clinic at 17 Page Road  for its cosy charm, but it's become a bit too cosy, we need more room! From Monday the 27th of June we will be trading from 8 Fancote Street, on the corner of Page Road & Fancote Street. 

 

The new building is bigger and will allow us to expand the services we offer. It has been renovated to our specificiations, and with Stage 1 complete, we will be able to start working there from June 27.  Once all the renovations have been done we will host our official grand re-opening! 

 

We look forward to continuing to offer you the same fantastic service with a number of additional ones too!!

16 February 2016 Last week, Dr Yoko was one of a very lucky group of veterinarians who attended the first ever Canine Rehabilitation Institute course to be held in Australia!!  The first of 4 components on her way to becoming a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT).  Currently there are only a handful of CCRTs in Australia, and Dr Yoko is very excited to be bringing this vital skill to our coast.  This time round, she learned about Canine Sports Medicine, how to diagnose and start to treat common musculoskeletal disorders that pet dogs, working and sporting dogs face.  She is very excited about using her knowledge and is looking forward to helping your furkid regain function after surgery or injury (including the disabilities that osteoarthritis can lead to), as well as giving your athletic dog tips on how to minimise injury during its activities.  If you are interested in having your pet assessed by Dr Yoko, please let our staff know on 08 9390 4026. 

 

1 February 2016  We now have the ability to do a lot of the more common blood tests in-house!  These include senior pet health checks, pre-anaesthetic blood tests as well as other comprehensive blood panels. This is in addition to the blood and urine tests we already had available to test if your pet has heartworm and other infectious idseases.  We can now have your results within 20 to 30 minutes, so you no longer have to wait until the afternoon or the next day to find out how your pet is travelling internally.  We strongly recommend that all owners of cats and dogs over 7 years of age and all pets having an anaesthetic, have this testing done so that we can all be assured that there isn't something subtle going on that has yet to develop clinical symptoms. 

 

January 2016  Thank you very much to everyone who responded to our call out for donations to assist in the care of affected pets, livestock and wildlife after the recent Waroona Bushfires.  The clinic was inundated with donations and we would like to thank the local community for their amazing generosity.  Dr Tiffany and our practice manager Adrian travelled down south to deliver the donations and also to assist with the treatment of affected animals over two days.  With your donations we were able to help Emergency Wildlife Care Bunbury, the National Animal Rescue Group of Australia and FAWNA Wildlife Rescue Group.

 

14 December 2015  *** PARVOVIRUS Outbreak Alert ****

We have been advised by other local vet clinics, as well as by the specialists at Western Australian Veterinary Emergency and Specialty (WAVES) that there has been a spike in the incidence of parvovirus in dogs recently in the local council area of Armadale.

Parvovirus is an extremely hardy virus that can survive in the environment for many months. Therefore dogs do not require contact with another dog to be infected. In addition, the virus can be carried on surfaces like car tyres and shoes, so even if your dog does not leave the property they can still come in contact with the virus.  Parvovirus causes severe illness (symptoms include vomiting, lethargy and diarrhoea) and is extremely expensive to treat. Even with aggressive intensive care and quarantine some dogs do not survive.  The most effective prevention is vaccination and this virus is included in ALL standard vaccines that all dogs receive. It is very uncommon to see parvovirus in adult dogs that have had all of their puppy shots, even if their adult vaccines have lapsed a little. However what is worrying the veterinary community is that in this current outbreak there have been cases in adult dogs whose vaccines are overdue. For this reason we strongly recommend that if your dog is overdue their vaccine to get it updated immediately.

If you would like to book your dog in to update its vaccinations (they just need one visit to get all caught up), or if you are worried your dog may have become infected with parvovirus, please ring us on 08 9390 4026 to book an appointment with one of our vets. We start consulting as early as 8.30am weekdays, and as late as 5.45pm Monday to Friday, and 12pm on Saturdays. If you require out of hours emergency assistance, please ring our colleagues at WAVES Emergency on 9412 5700.

 

25 October 2015  Did you see us at the City of Armadale Dogs' Day Out at Rushton Park? We had a great day meeting everyone who attended, giving away show bags, promoting Molly's Walk and giving away Nexgard chews to the first 100 dogs we saw.  We'd like to thank everyone who bought raffle tickets, you helped us raise $350 for Australian Animal Cancer Foundation, supporting scientific research into cancers that affect our pets!  

26 September 2015  We proudly support Cathy's Cat Beds! These locally made, luxurious cat beds fill our homes & are regularly populated by dogs and ferrets as well.  Each bed is hand made and after the costs of materials have been deducted, the rest of the price of each bed is donated to a local animal charity. Come and check out the ones we have on display - you won't be disappointed!!

12 August 2015  Did you see Drs Tiffany & Yoko in West Weekend Magazine in last Saturday's paper?  Here's the article for those that missed it!

19 May 2015 Some of you may remember that Dr Yoko attended the North American Vet Congress back in January, well at that conference she undertook hands on training in rabbit dentistry.  We are really excited to announce that our new rabbit dental equipment has finally arrived and we are keen to put her new found skills to work!

22 April 2015 We are organising our first ever RSPCA Million Paws Walk team!  If you would like to join our team on 17 May 2015 (and get one of our cool new Roleystone Animal Hospital bandanas) or support us in our fund raising efforts, please visit our fundraising page!  Haida and Roxy are our first two members seen here modelling the team outfit.

13 April 2015 We would like to thank everyone who supported our first ever CHARITY DOGWASH; you helped us raise $1200 for Australian Animal Cancer Foundation!  We are so greatful for and overwhelmed with your generosity; it has made this event a resounding success.  We would like to especially thank Dog Lovers Dogwash and Dermcare for their donations in time and products - without you, our event wouldn't have been possible.  THANK YOU ALL!!

25 March 2015  The countdown is on! On Sunday 12 April 2015 we are having our first ever charity dogwash to raise funds for Australian Animal Cancer Foundation.  Our team, along with Dog Lovers Dogwash will be donating their time to bathing your dog with shampoo and conditioner donated by Dermcare.  For $20, your pooch can be made fresh as a flower by one of your favourite Roleystone Animal Hospital team members.  Book now by ringing us on 9390 4026!

14 January 2015 Thank you to everybody who expressed in interest in "Dakota" - we are really excited to say that she was adopted today!

08 January 2015  Happy New Year!!  We hope you had a relaxing festive season and are enjoying the start of 2015.  

We currently have a very cute kitten looking for a fur-ever home. We have named her "Dakota".  Not only is she extremely cute, but she is also very playful! Her adoption fee is $150, which includes her first vaccination, worming, microchip and desexing.  If you or someone you know is interested, please ring us to arrange a visit!

25 November 2014  Thanks to everyone who came and made our Open Day such a success - all of your donations will go to Darling Range Wildlife Shelter WA and Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. We hope you had as much fun as we did! 

Special thanks to our staff Bec and Rebecca and volunteers Karen and Charlene who helped make 

the day happen, including Kendall from Lyppard - our veterinary wholesaler, who not only donated her time but many of the prizes in our raffles. Final thanks to Houndstooth Studio for the donation of the pet photography voucher in our major raffle prize!

20 October 2014  We'll be at the Dog's Day Out at Rushton Park this Sunday the 26th!  Come and say hi to our staff, hear about what's new at the clinic, and walk away with one of the many show bags we are putting together! There will also be a colouring competition and raffles in support of local rescues.

This weekend Drs Tiffany and Yoko and our nurses Bec and Rebecca had the pleasure of attending the WA Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) State Conference covering topics in emergency medicine, surgery, wildlife and exotics. Lots of learning!

8 August 2014  We just wanted to let you know that it's that time of year again!... Our friends at WAVEs (https://www.facebook.com/wavesvet) have started seeing pets that have been bitten by snakes already.  So... if you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake, ring us to let you know you are coming in & we will let you know what to do. 

If you've downloaded the First Aid for Pets App to your phone, you can find more information on Snake bites under the "Poisons/Toxins" tab, then follow the "Toxic Animals" link.

24 August 2014  So, what else do your Vets do when they're not at work?

This Sunday Dr Tiffany had the pleasure of teaching two sessions on Bird and Marsupial Anatomy to volunteers at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
 

These dedicated volunteers, and many others like them at Kanyana, are responsible for the care and treatment of over 2,000 sick, injured and orphaned Native animals each year! Kanyana is also a pivotal member in Endangered Species Breeding Programs and provides education to the community on the importance of looking after our local animals. Our privilege to be able to assist with this work in even a small way.

17 August 2014  Ever wonder what else your vets do when they are not at work?...We've already told you they fly around the countryside to attend continuing education courses...but in addition to that they are both heavily involved in the veterinary community!

Both Dr Tiffany and Dr Yoko are Mentors to recently graduated Veterinarians through the WA Australian Veterinary Association Graduate Support Scheme while Dr Tiffany can also be found teaching Wildlife Medicine to Murdoch University Veterinary students at Perth Zoo and Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre! Dr Yoko created and organises "Woven" Events - wherein female veterinarians are encouraged to network not only with people within our profession, but also with women from other areas of business. Recently Dr Yoko's efforts were highlighted in "the Companion" a journal published by the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association. Congratulations Yoko!

Both vets are very passionate about their profession, ask them about their extra-curricular veterinary activities when you are next in!

11 August 2014  Ever wonder what your Vets get up to when they're not at work?... 

Well this weekend Dr Tiffany flew the red eye to Sydney after work on Friday, attended 2 days of hands on Surgery workshops with an overseas Specialist, then flew back Sunday evening - ready to use her new skills Monday morning! 

Dr Yoko's most recent interstate conference was in July, when she attended the Australia & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists "Science Week" Conference, where she attended over 23 hours of cutting edge Veterinary Science and clinical update presentations from Australian and international experts.

Both vets are very committed to remaining at the forefront of current veterinary knowledge and skill. Ask them what their latest continuing education course was when you come in. You can guarantee it will be less than 1 to 2 months since their last event!

02 August 2014  Are you an early riser? We are!

If you have any questions about this new service, or would like to book your pet in for an early consult, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team members on 08 9390 4026!

28 July 2014   August is National Pet Dental Health Month!

12 June 2014  Puppy Preschool is back! We are running 5 week courses in small groups.  We teach reliable off leash obedience techniques & basic puppy skills, and socialise your puppy in a safe & clean environment. You will also learn how to best look after your puppy's health & address any behavioural concerns and other common puppy problems.  This fun course will also ensure your puppy LOVES visiting the vet! Interested? Got other questions? Then please ring us for more information on 08 9390 4026!

13 May 2014  Media release from The Australian Veterinary Association Re:  Malicious baiting cases in dogs continue in south-eastern suburbs of Perth

1 May 2014  Would you know what to do if your pet ate something it shouldn't or suffered a fracture? In an emergency situation, effective first aid can minimise injury and even save lives. Knowing what to do makes all the difference.  Clients of Roleystone Animal Hospital now have access to an important free app for their phone called First Aid for Pets Australia!  It has been designed specifically to be easy to use in emergency situations, featuring first aid tips for over 130 conditions that can potentially affect cats and dogs, from toxins to trauma and medical emergencies.  It provides simple, step-by-step guides to provide appropriate first-aid. Additional information on causes, clinical signs and treatment is included.

Our contact details and a map are included, so that you won’t even need to look up our number – and you can find us when you need us quickly.  The app also contains a list of all 24 hour veterinary emergency centres in the state.
 

To download First Aid for Pets Australia, search for it on the iTunes App Store, Google Play store.

If you have any feedback about the app (including what you like, as well as anything you don’t like) please let us know. Your feedback will help us tailor the app to serve you and your pets best. Email us on roleystonevet@gmail.com and let us know what you think!

April 2014   We have had some interesting cases this month - the latest was an alpaca with a sore belly. Have a look at her cool xray! What do you think was the cause of her problems? Our team did some sleuthing for the answer and... she is feeling much better now!

01 Jan 2014   We are excited to announce the arrival of our newest staff member: Rebecca Waller (read all about her in the "About Us" section, "Meet our Team" page) and our newest piece of diagnostic/monitoring equipment - a Mindray Anaesthetic Monitoring Machine, that can also be used to help us work up heart disease in small animals! (you can read all about this on our Virtual Tour page)

Oct 2013  Roleystone Animal Hospital will have a stall at the Dogs' Day Out at Rushton Park, Kelmscott on Sunday the 13th!  We've got loads of freebies for you & your dog - so make sure you come along & say "G'day"!  

Aug/Sept 2013   Roleystone Animal Hospital is participating in the AVA's Desex in the West Scheme, wherein the cost of desexing cats is reduced by $50 for pension card holders.  In addition, they receive a free microchip at the same time so that it is easier to comply with the new cat laws that will be enacted on the 1st of November 2013. For more information visit our Desex in the West page (under the Surgical Services Tab at the top of this page), or contact us directly on 08 9390 4026 to book your cat in!