I left my post at Bell Brown and Bentley Veterinary Surgeons, where I had worked since 1988, at the end of July. I spent the whole of August getting the new premises ready for opening on Monday Sept 2nd. It’s been hard work, particularly as, until early June, I had little prospect of being able to open this new clinic due to a failed planning application and failed appeal for change of use from A1 (shop) to D1 (vet clinic) due to polices of the local council regarding change of use of retail premises. A change in the law on May 25th meant that temporary change of use could be allowed for 3 years without planning consent, so the bulk of the conversion of the premises had to be done in a very short time scale.
I am very pleased with the results and the end result is just how I envisaged it would be.
Getting to grips with a new Practice Management System has been an experience I told myself years ago I would never have to go through again! But I’m sure with in a few weeks I will be able to run it like clockwork, just like the previous one I had worked with which was equally difficult getting to grips with.
New facilities include and brand new HD microscope with LED screen which allows me to show owners results of skin scrapings and cytology from skin and ears, a new Storz Video Otoscope and VetPump which aids in deep cleaning of ear ear canals and Abaxis Biochemistry and Haematology analysers so I can check and animal’s health status prior to general anesthesia (for video otoscopy and ear surgery mainly) and also when investigating skin diseases that are a consequence of internal disease.
I’m looking forward to this new venture and hope that I can improve my service to pet owners with animals suffering with skin and ear disease now that I don’t have to do this work in conjunction with general GP vet work.
If you have a pet that is suffering with skin and ear disease and you wish to see a Veterinary Dermatologist then contact us on 0116 326 0402 or email enquiries@dermvet.co.uk.