Emergency and Critical Care Referrals
All veterinary practices provide 24 hour emergency cover for their clients’ pets. In the most serious emergencies or where more advanced specialist care is required, pets can be referred by the veterinary surgeon to our Emergency Referral Service at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals.
The QMHA offers the largest and most advanced veterinary intensive care unit in Europe and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We aim to provide a high quality service and our team of specialist vets and highly trained nurses, with support from students in their final year of clinical study, can provide the best possible emergency and intensive care for your pet.
What you can expect from our service:
- An efficient, high quality, specialty Referral Service for pets requiring emergency stabilisation or intensive care.
- We will assess your pet as soon as possible upon arrival.
- Your pet will be seen by a qualified veterinary surgeon who is a specialist-in training, under the supervision of a specialist in Emergency and Critical Care.
- As a teaching hospital, veterinary students in their final year of clinical training will normally be assigned to assist in your pet’s case.
- Most pets requiring emergency treatment and intensive care will be admitted to our hospital.
- Once your pet is stabilised, their care may be transferred from the Emergency Referral Service to the most appropriate specialist service within the hospital (for example Critical Care, Cardiology or Neurology).
- A member of this specialist team will then call you every day with an update on your pet’s progress.
- Your usual vet will be informed of your pet’s treatment and progress the day after it has been admitted, and gives instructions for follow up care on your pet’s discharge.
What we expect from you:
- Please try to remain calm and let our vets know of any pre-existing illness your pet may have, or treatment that he or she is currently receiving.
- Please let us know if there’s anything you are unduly worried about.
- Please make sure that you have spoken to a member of the accounts team before you leave.
- All members of our staff are here to help you and your pet: please treat them with courtesy and respect.
Intensive Care
The Hospital has a dedicated intensive care unit with 15 kennels, a neonatal incubator and a moveable paediatric medical cot for the most critically ill patients. It is fully equipped for advanced treatment and monitoring including continuous electrocardiography, direct arterial and venous blood pressure monitoring, pulse oximetry and end tidal carbon dioxide monitoring. A dual tank intensive care system that can house up to four animals with full control of oxygen concentration, temperature and humidity and our Siemens 900C artificial ventilator allow us to treat animals with even the most severe respiratory problems.
Out of Hours Emergency Care Service
We also provide an Out of Hours Emergency Care service for a growing number of surrounding practices.
If you are interested in the QMHA running your out of hours service, please contact Helen O'Sullivan on 01707 666851 to discuss details.
Emergency Phone Numbers
- Referral: 01707 666365
- First Opinion: 01707 666399
Key Clinicians
Sophie Adamantos
Sophie has been a Lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care in the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA) since 2006. Her role encompasses clinical, research and teaching work. Sophie is co-head of the Section of Emergency and Critical Care. She is also co-director of the Small Animal Junior Clinical Training Scholarship (Internship) programme.
Dan Chan
Dan is Senior Lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care and Clinical Nutrition at the Royal Veterinary College. He is Co-Head of the Section of Emergency and Critical Care and Head of the Nutritional Support Service. He is also Director of the ECC Senior Clinical Training Scholarship (Residency) Programme.
Karen Humm
Karen is a Lecturer in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA)
Lindsay Kellett-Gregory
Lindsay is a Lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA). She is also co-director of the Small Animal Junior Clinical Training Scholarship (internship) program.
Dominic Barfield
Dom is a staff clinician in the section of Emergency and Critical Care at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA)
Stefano Cortellini
Stefano is a Senior Clinical Training Scholar (Resident) in Emergency and Critical Care
Caroline Hirst
Caroline is a resident in Emergency and Critical Care at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA).
Ronald Li
Ronald is a Senior Clinical Training Scholar (Resident) in Emergency and Critical Care.
Adam Mugford
Adam is a Senior Clinical Training Scholar (Resident) in Emergency and Critical Care.
Helen Wilson
Helen is a resident in Emergency and Critical Care at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA).