Page 15 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2024

 

 

 

 

 

Page 15 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2024
P. 15

GENERAL NEWS



              Trailblazing kidney disease:

              ’s founding members of small animal

              nephrology and urology college



              Professor Rosanne Jepson, Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine and Nephrology





                     VC staff Professors          of renal replacement therapy (dialysis)   The academic year 2023-2024 was
                     Jonathan Elliott, Harriet    and minimally invasive procedures for   a particularly prolific year, seeing the
                     Syme, Rosanne Jepson         stone disease and urinary incontinence.   fruition of clinical studies established
             Rand Dr Rebecca Geddes,              The recent purchase of a new laser   during the challenges of COVID-19
              have become founding members of the   machine will enhance the work of   and exploring risk factors and
              American College of Veterinary      this team further by bringing a new era   interventions for high calcium levels
              Nephrology and Urology (ACVNU).                                        and kidney mineralisation in cats
                                                  of ‘stone dusting’ to the QMHA. The
              The new specialty discipline provides   procedure that breaks urinary tract   with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
              advanced training and education as   stones down to dust without the need    This work included offering
              well as drives innovative research in   for any surgery.               kidney ultrasound evaluation to cats
              all aspects of kidney and urinary tract                                attending the clinics, to check for
              disease in cats and dogs.           RESEARCH AND HEALTH                mineralisation and stones, together
                                                  SCREENING                          with validation of this method using
              In September 2023, as one of only                                      research technologies available
              two certified centres in Europe, the   Innovations in nephrology and urology   at the Camden Campus
              QMHA welcomed its first ACVNU        are supported by a comprehensive   e.g. micro-computed tomography.
              resident, Dr Jack Lawson, Lecturer in   clinical research programme. As part of
              Small Animal Internal Medicine, helping   this, the team also sustain longitudinal   Based on that, recently published
              to build a sustainable future for the   health screening for senior cats > 9   work from the group has
              discipline and specialist college.   years at the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal   demonstrated the important role
                                                  Hospital and the Peoples’ Dispensary for   that magnesium plays in the control
              The ability of the team to offer this   Sick Animals, in a programme that has
              training programme builds on the    been running for over 30 years.    of calcium levels in cats with CKD –
              ’s established clinical expertise                                   and that dietary magnesium
              and research portfolio. The QMHA    The health screening programme     supplementation could be beneficial
              is one of only a limited number of   is offered free of charge to clients   to prevent kidney mineralisation.
                                                                                     It is hoped this novel strategy will be
              centres worldwide able to offer     and their cats through generous research
              comprehensive care for small animals   support from grant funding, industrial   incorporated into nutritional strategies
              with urinary tract problems, inclusive    collaborators and donations.   for cats with CKD in the future.



























                Professor Jonathan Elliott          Pictured left to right – Hattie Syme, Rebecca Geddes, Jack Lawson, Rosanne Jepson

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