Dr Rebecca Geddes

MA VetMB GPCert(FelP) MVetMed PhD DipACVIM MRCVS
Clinical Scientist Fellow, Small Animal Internal Medicine

Department: Clinical Science and Services

Campus: Hawkshead

Research Groups: Cardiovascular and Renal Biology, CPCS (Research Programme)

Clinical Groups: Small Animal Internal Medicine

Rebecca is a Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine. She spends 50% of her time working in the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, seeing clinical patients, supervising clinical training scholars and teaching undergraduate students.  The remainder of her time is focused on research.

Rebecca graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2007 and worked for three years in small animal practice, during which time she undertook a certificate in feline medicine. She subsequently completed a PhD focused on calcium-phosphate homeostasis in feline chronic kidney disease at the RVC, followed by a rotating small animal internship, and a residency in small animal internal medicine. Rebecca gained her ACVIM diploma in 2018, becoming Board-Certified in Small Animal Internal Medicine. She became an RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine in 2020. She is interested in all aspects of canine and feline internal medicine, although is particularly interested in nephrology and endocrinology.

Rebecca was awarded the 2022 IRIS Award for her research into chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder in cats. 

Rebecca sits on the Clinical Research Ethical Review Board (CRERB) at the RVC, which reviews clinical research proposals involving animals that are undertaken outside of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and clinical research on human subjects either on or off RVC premises.  CRERB also oversees the use of healthy animals and cadaver material in teaching.

Rebecca is an Associate Editor in Nephrology/Urology for the Journal of Small Animal Practice. Rebecca is a Founding Member of the American College of Nephrology and Urology and sits on their American Board of Nephrology and Urology Training and Certifying Committee.

Rebecca currently holds research grants and receives funding for research from Royal Canin, the Everycat Foundation, Petplan Pump Priming grants, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Veterinary College. 

Rebecca is currently involved in research into the following conditions:

  • calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in cats
  • feline chronic kidney disease
  • management of CKD-mineral and bone disorder in cats with early and advanced CKD
  • feline hypercalcaemia

PUBLICATIONS

  • Ionized hypercalcemia in cats with azotemic chronic kidney disease (2012-2018). DHN van den Broek, RF Geddes, NS Lotter, YM Chang, J Elliott, RE Jepson. 2022;36(4):1312-1321
  • New concepts in phosphorus homeostasis and its impact on renal health with particular reference to the cat. J Elliott, RF Geddes. Vet J 2022:283-284.
  • Feline Comorbidities: Balancing hyperthyroidism and concurrent chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes and J Aguiar. JFMS 2022. doi: 10.1177/1098612X221090390
  • Frequency and risk factors for naturally occurring Cushing's syndrome in dogs attending UK primary-care practices. I Schofield, DC Brodbelt, SJM Niessen, DB Church, RF Geddes, DG O'Neill. JSAP 2022;63(4):265-274.
  • Risk factors and implications associated with renal mineralization in chronic kidney disease in cats. PK Tang, RE Jepson, YM Chang, RF Geddes, M Hopkinson, J Elliott. JVIM 2022;36(2):634-646.
  • A feline-focused review of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorders - Part 2: Pathophysiology of calcium disorder and extraosseous calcification. PK Tang, RF Geddes, RE Jepson, J Elliott. Vet J 2021;275:105718.
  • A feline-focused review of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorders - Part 1: Physiology of calcium handling. PK Tang, RF Geddes, RE Jepson, J Elliott. Vet J 2021;275:105719.
  • Comparison of two protocols for insulin administration and fasting time in diabetic dogs anaesthetised for phacoemulsification: a prospective clinical trial. DJ Norgate, D Nicholls, RF Geddes, C Dawson, C Adami. Vet Rec 2021;188(11):e81
  • Machine-learning based prediction of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practice. I Schofield, DC Brodbelt, N Kennedy, SJM Niessen, DB Church, RF Geddes, DG O’Neill. Sci Rep 2021(11):9035
  • The effect of attenuating dietary phosphate restriction on blood ionized calcium concentrations in cats with chronic kidney disease and ionized hypercalcemia. RF Geddes, DHN van den Broek, Y-M Chang, V Biourge, J Elliott, RE Jepson. JVIM 2021;35:997-1007
  • Risk factors associated with disturbances of calcium homeostasis after initiation of a phosphate-restricted diet in cats with chronic kidney disease. P-K Tang, RF Geddes, Y-M Change, RE Jepson, E Bijsmans, J Elliott. JVIM 2021;35:321-332
  • Development and internal validation of a prediction tool to aid the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs attending primary-care practice. I Schofield, DC Brodbelt, SJM Niessen, DB Church, RF Geddes, N Kennedy, DG O'Neill. JVIM 2020;34(6):2306-2318
  • Factors associated with positive urine cultures in cats with subcutaneous ureteral bypass system implantation. CE Pennington, Z Halfacree, C Colville-Hyde, RF Geddes. JFMS 2020. Online ahead of print, doi.org/10.1177/1098612X20950312
  • Development and evaluation of a health-related quality-of-life tool for dogs with Cushing's syndrome. I Schofield, DG O'Neill, DC Brodbelt, DB Church, RF Geddes, SJM Niessen. JVIM 2019;33(6):2595-2604
  • Calcitonin response to naturally occurring ionized hypercalcemia in cats with chronic kidney disease. DHN van den Broek, RF Geddes, TL Williams, Y Chang, J Elliott and RE Jepson. JVIM 2018;32(2):727-735
  • Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the calcium sensing receptor and chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder in cats. RF Geddes, RE Jepson, Y Forcada, J Elliott and HM Syme. Vet J 2018;235:34-41
  • The Effect of Moderate Dietary Protein and Phosphate Restriction on Calcium-Phosphate Homeostasis in Healthy Older Cats. RF Geddes, V Biourge, Y Chang, HM Syme, J Elliott. JVIM 2016;30(5):1690-1702
  • Relationship between plasma fibroblast growth factor-23 concentration and survival time in cats with chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes, J Elliott, HM Syme. JVIM 2015;29(6):1494-501
  • The effect of feeding a renal diet on plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 concentrations in cats with stable azotemic chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes, J Elliott, HM Syme. JVIM 2013;27:1354-1361
  • The role of phosphorus in the pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes, NC Finch, J Elliott, HM Syme. JVECC 2013;23:122-133
  • Fibroblast growth factor 23 in feline chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes, NC Finch, J Elliott, HM Syme. JVIM 2013;27:234-241
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF-23) concentrations in cats with early non-azotemic Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and healthy geriatric cats. NC Finch, RF Geddes, J Elliott, HM Syme. JVIM 2013;27:227-233
  • A Survey of Pet Owners’ Expectations of Surgical Practice within First Opinion Veterinary Clinics in Great Britain. JL Demetriou, RF Geddes, ND Jeffery. JSAP 2009;50: 478-487

PUBLICATIONS – NON-REFEREED JOURNALS

  • Secondary hypertension and its treatment in cats. RF Geddes. UK-Vet Companion Animal 2022;27(6)
  • Hypertension: why it is critical. RF Geddes. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2020;50(5)1037-1052
  • Guide to Feline CKD - Diagnosis and current treatment guidelines. RF Geddes, RE Jepson. Companion Animal 2015;20(9) (Supplement)
  • Biomarkers for early diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes. Vet Focus 2013;23:34-39

TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS

  • Urinary system. RF Geddes. The Dog Encyclopedia, Royal Canin (2020).
  • Assessment of calcium and phosphate homeostasis in chronic kidney disease. RF Geddes and J Elliott. BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Nephrology and Urology, 3rd Edition (2017)

Rebecca has various teaching roles including undergraduate clinical rotational teaching and Senior Clinical Training Scholar supervision. She is involved in didactic teaching of the 3rd and 4th year BVetMed students in internal medicine related subjects, and lecturing the Graduate Accelerated BVetMed 1st year on diuretics. 

Rebecca is involved in the marking of the RVC CertAVP B and C modules and is the Deputy Module Leader for the RVC MVetMed for the Internal Medicine Clinical Training Scholars. 

Rebecca enjoys all internal medicine cases, but is particularly interested in seeing the follwoing:

  • Cats with kidney stones
  • Cats with hypercalcaemia
  • Cats and dogs with any kidney problems or lower urinary tract disorders
  • Cats and dogs with endocrine disorders

Rebecca oversees the medical management for all cats that are seen for management through the QMHA subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) clinic. She is always happy to discuss cases of feline upper urinary tract stones.

Rebecca is co-head of the RVC subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) clinic and has produced the following materials to help support vets and owners managing cats with SUBs in place:

See SUB Clinic (rvc.ac.uk)

SUB cat padlet for vets: Subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) cats (padlet.org)

SUB cat padlet for owners attending the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals: Subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) cats at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (padlet.org)

Podcast for vets (no. 117): Veterinary Clinical Podcasts - Royal Veterinary College, RVC

 

  • Feline Chronic Kidney Disease Research

    Kidneys filter the blood and produce urine and so problems with kidney function can result in a variety of health problems for a cat. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the persistent loss of kidney function over a period of time. CKD is the most common kidney disease affecting cats as they get older. The RVC’s Geriatric Cat Clinic was established in 1992 with the aim of researching the common conditions of older cats and to help with the care and medical management of the cats that attend the clinic.

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