Medivet Dogwood Referrals

30/09/2025

Dogwood Referrals CPD 🐾

Last week we were delighted to welcome vets and veterinary nurses from our fantastic referring community back to Dogwood Referrals for an in-person CPD event. ✨

Our Specialist Surgeon, Tom, gave a lecture on the latest approaches to treating elbow disease — from playful puppies through to our senior canine companions. 🐶💙

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us — it was wonderful to see you all, and we hope the tips and insights will be useful back in your own practices! 👏

27/09/2025

At Dogwood Referrals, we love that a collaborative approach with our amazing referring vets and innovative companies like Fusion Implants helps us deliver the very best outcomes for our patients. 🐾💙

Dogwood Referrals have been busy bees recently! Two recent patients, Willow and Mac, came in within a week of each other with almost identical elbow fractures after injuring themselves out on a run. Both had their elbows repaired by Dogwood’s Specialist Surgeon Tom Cox, using screws and the Lateral Epicondylar Anatomic Plate (LEAP) from us here at Fusion Implants — one short plate for Mac, and a longer one for Willow!

As you can probably tell from our case studies these two spaniel cases are not uncommon!

Some spaniel breeds have a particularly high prevalence of humeral condyle fractures. That is why we here at Fusion implants mapped the topography of humeri of English Springer Spaniels to create the design of the Lateral Epicondylar Anatomic Plate (LEAP), we also have a French Bulldog variant as this breed is at partial risk of juvenile fracture (see Edinburgh university 2023, https://www.ed.ac.uk/research-innovation/animal-research/news/french-bulldogs-puppies-prone-to-elbow-fractures).

Furthermore, as well as French bulldogs and spaniels being predisposed to humeral condylar fractures (medial humeral condylar fractures were more common in French bulldogs), epicondylar plate fixation was associated with reduced complications. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13432

During the design of LEAP, we investigated the configuration of fractures, and optimised screw hole position and screw direction to maximise bone holding, and minimise the risk of joint pe*******on and a short and longer variant were made to help support multiple fracture configurations.

We’re pleased to say both surgeries went smoothly (we knew they would be in very safe hands with Tom and the Dogwood team) and they’re now recovering at home on strict rest with physiotherapy plans in place. A huge thank you to their wonderful families and our referring veterinary community for trusting us with these complex cases.

Medivet Dogwood Referrals

22/09/2025

🌟 This week’s star is Milo – a beautiful Burmese with quite a story to tell… 🐾🐱

An accident with a car 🚗💔 left poor Milo with a nasty fracture right by his ankle – one that needed real precision to put right.

👇 Keep reading to see how we tackled it and how Milo is already bouncing back! 👇

This type of injury is called a Salter Harris type II fracture – a classification system originally designed for children 👶 but also used in kittens and puppies 🐾 when their growth plates are involved. These fractures can be especially tricky, with very little bone above the joint, so accuracy is everything. ✨🔧

For Milo, our specialist surgeon Tom used two pins in a clever ‘cross-pin’ configuration to stabilise the fracture. Surgery went smoothly ✅, and we’re thrilled to say Milo is already back home 🏡 cuddling and recovering brilliantly. With his young age on his side, he’s healing like a machine! 💪🐾

We’ll see him back in six weeks for a check-up 📅 and will keep you updated as his recovery continues.

A big thank you to Marple Veterinary Centre for being part of our referral community. 💙🙌

18/09/2025

📢 FREE CPD Evening – For Vets & RVNs 📢

Join us at Dogwood Referrals, Manchester on Wednesday 24th September, 7:30pm for:
🐶 From Puppies to Seniors – Practical Approaches to Canine Elbow Disease
🏥 Hospital tours • 👩‍⚕️ Meet the team • ☕ Light refreshments

📩 Register today: referrals.sales@medivet.co.uk

👉 Please share this post with your veterinary colleagues — we’d love to see as many of you as possible! 🐾

16/09/2025

🐾💚 Patient Story – Henry the Clumber Spaniel 💚🐾

We welcome so many amazing patients each week, each with their own personality — and Henry is one cool pup! 😎🐶

8️⃣ weeks after his TPLO surgery for cranial cruciate ligament disease, Henry came back to Dogwood Referrals for his check-up. Thanks to the love and dedication of his owners ❤️, he’s recovered brilliantly. His X-rays 📸 showed everything healing perfectly ✅ — meaning Henry is now getting back to full exercise! 🏃‍♂️🐾✨

Henry can sometimes feel a little anxious at the vets 😌💭, but this time he took it all in his stride 🐕💪… especially when being such a good lad meant cucumber treats! 🥒😍

His lovely owners even left us a glowing 5⭐️ review 🌟 — adding to the many kind words we’ve been grateful to receive. 💬💙

A big thank you toVets4Pets Stockportt 🙌🐾 for their referral and for being part of our fantastic veterinary community! 🤝🐕

09/09/2025

A flurry of fractures! 🦴🐾

🐾 From paws to plates — fractures have been coming through our doors fast and furious recently! 🔩💨

Two of our recent patients — Willow 🐶💜 and Mac 🐕💙 — came in within a week of each other with almost identical elbow fractures after injuring themselves out on a run. 🏃‍➡️💥

Both had their elbows repaired by our Specialist Surgeon Tom 👨‍⚕️🔧 using screws and custom anatomical plates from Fusion Implants 🔩📏 — one short plate for Mac, and a longer one for Willow!

We’re pleased to say both surgeries went smoothly ✅ and they’re now recovering at home 🏡 on strict rest 🛋️ with physiotherapy plans in place 🐾🧘.

💙 Wishing Willow, Mac, and all our recent fracture patients a smooth recovery 🐾✨ — with plenty of rest, rehab, and TLC, we can’t wait to see them back on their paws again soon! A huge thank you 🙏 to their wonderful families and our referring veterinary community for trusting us with these complex cases.

02/09/2025

Dogwood Appreciation Post – Our RVNs 🤩🐾

This summer has been one of our busiest yet, and at the heart of it all? Our incredible Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs). 💙

They work tirelessly behind the scenes — delivering exceptional care, showing amazing teamwork, and treating every patient as if they were their own.

The X-rays and patient photos we’re sharing from the past few weeks show just some of the patients our RVNs are involved with every single day.

They are the backbone of Dogwood, keeping everything running smoothly. The Dogwood Leadership Team simply wants to say:

Thank you. Your dedication makes all the difference, and we truly appreciate everything you do.

26/08/2025

🐾 Dogwood Patient Story – Elsie 🐾

With years of referral orthopaedic experience, we are used to tackling rare and tricky cases… but when the patient is your brother’s brand-new puppy, the pressure feels that little bit higher! 😅🐶

Meet Elsie! She was out making friends when an awkward jump left her suddenly lame on her back leg. When things didn’t improve, she came to Dogwood Referrals.

Her X-rays were far from routine – can you spot the tiny bone fragments (red & green arrows) that gave us the clue? 👀 Swipe to see more…

We also carried out a quick test: compare the two photos and you’ll notice the difference — in the damaged knee, Elsie’s toes bend fully in, confirming our suspicions.

Elsie had avulsed her long digital extensor tendon – a very rare injury in dogs. Surgery was needed to reattach it, and we’re delighted to say it went smoothly. She’s already recovering beautifully, with lots of proud family WhatsApp updates keeping us posted. 💌

A big thank you to our wonderful nursing team for the care and cuddles before, during and after her surgery. 💙

👉 Swipe through the photos and see if you can:
🔹 Spot the bone fragments on her X-rays
🔹 Notice the difference in her toe test
🔹 And don’t forget to leave Elsie a get-well message in the comments below! 🐾❤️

18/08/2025

✨ Service Spotlight – Physiotherapy & Hydrotherapy ✨

At Dogwood Referrals, our days are filled with advanced orthopaedic and neurosurgical procedures – from cruciate ligament repair and fracture surgery to spinal operations for slipped discs.

But recovery doesn’t stop in theatre. Rehabilitation is just as important as surgery itself, helping to restore mobility, build strength and speed up recovery. 💪

That’s why we’re so lucky to have our very own in-house rehabilitation suite here in South Manchester, offering both Physiotherapy and Hydrotherapy. Our ACPAT-qualified team – Kerry, Emma & Alex – ensure every patient (and every referral) is truly in the best hands. 🐾

Here’s just a glimpse of some of the stars who came for a splash last week…
🧀 Who knew dachshunds love a cheeseboard?

💙 Seamus the Dachshund
💛 Dug the Golden Retriever
🤍 Alf the Shih Tzu
🖤 Presley the GSD
🧡 Pablo the Dachshund
🤎 Harry the Labradoodle

Big love to them all – what a line-up! 🐶💦

04/08/2025

🐾 Wonderful Walter! 🐾
Warning: Surgical photos below

Today’s Dogwood patient story is all about Walter – the fearless feline daredevil! 🐱💥

This young cat gave his dad a huge scare when he decided to leap from a top floor window! 😱 His owner found him in the bushes, holding up his back leg, and rushed him straight to the team at Medivet Ashton 24 hour, who suspected a serious injury and referred him to us for specialist care.

A CT scan confirmed multiple pelvic fractures and a rare, complex fracture of the knee — along with signs of a torn caudal cruciate ligament.

Thankfully, the pelvic fractures didn’t need surgery, but saving his leg meant complex reconstructive knee surgery. This involved screwing the bones back together, reattaching the ligament, and reinforcing it with a muscle graft.

Walter was a star patient and spent a comfortable night in our cat-only ward before heading home with strict instructions for rest.

We’ll keep you updated on this brave boy’s progress.
Sending love to fearless Walter for a smooth recovery – and maybe fewer stunts next time!

Big thanks again to Medivet Ashton 24 hour for their excellent care and being part of our referral community. 🐾

30/07/2025

🐾 Beautiful Betty 🐾

Today’s Dogwood patient story features the lovely — and very brave — Betty!

What this little lady lacks in size, she more than makes up for in character. 💪💕

Betty gave her family quite a scare after being hit by a car and disappearing — only to turn up three days later in the garden. Her owners immediately knew something wasn’t right and rushed her to the brilliant team at Medivet Ramsbottom.

X-rays confirmed a nasty fracture of her left femur, and Betty was referred to our specialist team at Dogwood Referrals.

Our surgeons got to work, repairing her broken leg with a combination of stainless steel pins, screws and a plate. After surgery, Betty recovered comfortably in the care of our amazing nursing team.

She’s now back home for some well-earned TLC, under strict cage rest for the next eight weeks.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on her recovery and will share her progress with you all. 🐾

Thank you again to Medivet Ramsbottom for their excellent care and for being a valued part of our referral community. 💙

21/07/2025

🎬 It’s not all broken bones and cruciate ligament surgeries at Dogwood Referrals…

Last week, the brilliant wearebearvideo team joined us to capture a glimpse of life behind the scenes — filming the amazing Dogwood team doing what they do best: delivering clinical excellence with care, every single day.

We even had a special guest appearance from Charlie — one of our success stories — who came along with his owner to show off his newfound energy and mobility. Following his surgery, he’s back to running, playing, and being his old self again! 🐾

It’s always varied, often inspiring, and the direction we’re heading is genuinely exciting. We can’t wait to see the final edit!