Animal Referral Hospital Canberra

03/09/2026

Big news! 🎉Congratulations to these incredible vets, Dr. Sasha Chapman, Dr. James Iversen, and Dr. Matthias Guo Wei Chan, on having their research papers recently published!

Here’s a quick look at their latest published work:

Dr. Sasha Chapman: Hyperbilirubinemia and neurologic signs in dogs with non-associative immune-mediated hemolytic anemia

Dr. James Iversen: Chronic lymphoplasmacytic villonodular proliferative synovitis in the stifle of a 3-year-old dog without concomitant cranial cruciate ligament rupture

Dr. Matthias Guo Wei Chan: Acute pancreatitis secondary to a massive falciform ligament lipoma in a dog: Surgical management and outcome

We are so proud of their dedication to advancing veterinary medicine and clinical research. And congratulations to all who supported them throughout their research!

Join us in celebrating their amazing achievements in the comments below!

Links:
Dr. Sasha - https://academic.oup.com/jvim/article/40/1/aalaf034/8429717

Dr. James - https://www.ovid.com/journals/vrcr/abstract/10.1002/vrc2.70562~chronic-lymphoplasmacytic-villonodular-proliferative?redirectionsource=fulltextview

Dr. Matthias - https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vrc2.70538

AbstractBackground. Bilirubin encephalopathy is a poorly recognized complication in dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic-anemia (IMHA).Hypothesis/Objectives

02/09/2026

Meet Dr. Laura Downes!

Dr. Laura has been with us for 5 years and is the star anaesthetic vet in our surgery department! She thrives on complex, challenging cases and brings a wealth of experience across all aspects of veterinary medicine.

When she isn't keeping our patients safe in theatre, you’ll find her painting, diving into a good book, skateboarding, bushwalking, or working on her latest 3D printing project. She’s also a proud cat mum to two rescue domestic shorthairs, Bisou and Branston-pickle!

We love Dr. Laura’s exceptional skills and always-positive energy. Thank you for everything you do!

01/09/2026

As the weather warms up, both snakes and ticks are becoming active in our area. 🚨

In the last few weeks we have already started seeing snake and tick patients, please ensure your pet is up-to date with their tick prevention, and stick to clear paths around bush areas and keep your pet on leash around long grass and water.

Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if you notice any early warning signs including:
- Labored or noisy breathing
- Weakness or wobbliness (Especially in the hind limbs)
- Vomiting or retching
- Difficulty swallowing
- Collapse

If you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake or exposed to a paralysis tick, contact us immediately. Early treatment saves lives!

Stay safe and enjoy the spring sunshine!

27/08/2026

Say hello to Pellegrino! 🥰

Pellegrino recently paid us a visit after fracturing his front left leg. After receiving immediate assessment and pain management from our Emergency team, he transitioned to our Surgery department for X-rays and surgical plating to repair the bone. This brave boy was even able to head home that very same day!

Once our team confirmed the bone was completely healed and stable, we removed the plate to allow better function of the limb.
Today, Pellegrino is fully recovered, back to 100%, and zooming around better than ever! He’s down to his last few rechecks, and our staff are obsessed with the fabulous outfits he rocks to his appointments!

20/08/2026

Meet Molly! 🥰

Molly is a 6-year-old corgi who came to our surgical department for a grade 2 Spinal surgery, the surgeons performed a CT scan and found lesions in the T12/T13 and T13/L1 area, the surgery was successful and afterwards Molly transferred to our rehabilitation department, where they performed Laser, to help decrease inflammation and stimulates cell regrowth, Effleurage (Massage Technique) to decrease soft tissue oedema (Swelling) and used the TENS Machine to decrease pain post op, once molly had recovered from the initial surgery, she went on to having a home exercise program given to help strengthen muscles, and then started doing rounds of hydrotherapy to build up walking strength and muscle!

Molly has done so well since the surgery and the rehabilitation has significantly helped her recover; she will now be graduating rehab at the end of the month and we couldn't be more proud of her!

17/08/2026

Meet Dr. Lillian Wong, our expert advanced imaging vet!

Dr. Lillian has been a part of the ARH Canberra team for 6 years, she brings incredible experience and a deep passion for diagnostic imaging to our practice. She expertly operates our CT and MRI machines, ensuring every scan is captured with precision to deliver clear diagnostics.

We are beyond grateful to have Dr. Lillian on our team with her expansive knowledge and dedication to patient care. Outside of work, you can find Dr. Lillian unwinding with a good book, discovering delicious new foods, or diving into a video game.

13/08/2026

Meet Luka, a 13-year-old Siberian Husky, Flyball champion! 🎉

Luka started coming to see our rehabilitation team for muscle strengthening and conditioning in order for her to continue competing at a high level and to prevent injuries.

Luka gets fortnightly hydrotherapy sessions, and a monthly massage (Manual Therapy) session from Dr Ah Young Kim. Luka's owner, Kate, also does daily therapeutic exercises at home to improve flexibility, strength and coordination.

Luka is one of the oldest dogs to compete in Flyball, last year her owner thought it may be time to retire her, but she has only gotten better with age, running her fastest time in 3 years a few weeks ago! This is such a great testament to the owner's dedication and the changes rehabilitation can make!

06/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Dr Nadia Wong! 🎉

We're incredibly proud to celebrate one of our own, Dr Nadia Wong, whose latest research has just been published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice! 👏📚

Working alongside industry colleagues, Nadia co-authored a study investigating treatment options for dogs with lung cancer following surgery. The research found that dogs receiving vinorelbine-based chemotherapy after surgery lived longer and experienced a longer period before their cancer progressed, providing valuable evidence to help guide future treatment decisions.

Research like this helps advance veterinary medicine and improves the care we can provide to our patients every day.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70183

Please join us in congratulating Nadia on this fantastic achievement! 🐾💙

Objectives Pulmonary carcinoma in dogs is commonly managed with surgical resection; however, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy for grade II and III carcinomas remains unclear. This retrospective mul...

29/07/2026

A huge congratulations to four of our incredible ARH Canberra veterinarians who have successfully passed their Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists Membership examinations!

👏 Dr Zy Lin - Small Animal Medicine
👏 Dr Lucie Gniel - Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (OMAR)
👏 Dr Shin Lin - Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (OMAR)
👏 Dr Georgia Brown - Emergency and Critical Care

These exams require an enormous amount of study, commitment and personal sacrifice, often while continuing to work in a busy hospital environment.

We are incredibly proud of Zy, Lucie, Shin and Georgia and everything they have achieved.

Please join us in congratulating them! 🥳🐾

28/07/2026

Talk about a Sunday coincidence! Meet Leo and Malua! 🐾

On Sunday, our reception team answered two separate calls about two separate dogs. The twist?
- Both had ingested the exact same brand of rat bait.
- Both arrived at the clinic within 10 minutes of each other.
- Both were taken out back for emesis (inducing vomiting).
...and they look practically identical!

Thankfully, because both of their owners acted fast and brought them in right away, both pups were treated quickly and are home doing great!