How our surgeon brings specialist skill to every procedure and provides the time to comfort the patients in her care.

Anna Condon
Vet
Manchester Veterinary Specialists

The context

I think that the small and the geriatric dogs we are referred are really lucky when they get Anna, a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, as their orthopaedic surgeon. These dogs often arrive frightened and unsettled by the unfamiliar environment of a hospital that they’ve never visited before , and their owners are often anxious about putting a much-loved vulnerable or senior pet through major surgery.

The action

Anna talks the owners through the findings and the risks of operating versus not operating, recommending the option that is best for the dog and the best value for the family. She prepares extremely thoroughly for each case. She always gives the referring vet a prompt and informative update. During hospitalisation, I have witnessed that if a dog is quiet and off their food, Anna will spend her own time in the kennels, sitting with them, tempting them to eat and giving affection. She also checks what meal the dog would like in recovery.

The ripple effect

The dogs are always set up for the best result and a promising recovery. The owners feel their pet has been in “the safest and most caring of hands” and her care has been described as higher than the owners themselves have experienced in a private human hospital. They are made to feel confident throughout, as every query is answered promptly. Anna makes our team proud because she shows colleagues that specialist skill and personal compassion go together.

Voting opens 13 November.