North Shore Veterinary, Specialist and Emergency Hospital

12/04/2025

Farewell and Thank You to Our Amazing Blood Donor, Chuck!

After years of loyal service, our beloved blood donor Chuck is officially retiring from the program. Chuck has been an absolute star—calm, gentle, and always ready to lend a paw to save other pets in need. We’re incredibly grateful to Chuck and his wonderful family for their ongoing commitment to helping us provide life-saving care to countless dogs over the years.

With Chuck stepping down, we are now looking for new canine and feline heroes to join our Blood Donor Program. If you think your pet might be a good fit, we would love to hear from you!

Could your pet be a donor? We’re looking for healthy, fully vaccinated cats and dogs who:
🐾 Are friendly and calm when handled
🐾 Can lie still for 10–15 minutes
🐾 Are between 1 and 8 years of age
🐾 Have never travelled outside Australia (ideally)
🐾 Weigh over 25 kg (dogs) or over 4 kg (cats)

Being a blood donor is a truly rewarding way to help other animals, and all donors receive lots of cuddles, treats, and special care during their visits.

To learn more or register your interest, please visit: 👉 North Shore Veterinary Blood Donor Program

Thank you again to Chuck—we’ll miss you in the donor chair, but you’ve more than earned your retirement!

Danny van Lith - DVM
Blood bank coordinator
[email protected]

07/03/2025

Calling all Sydney Vets for an Evening with Exotics on Thursday 13th March! 💡🩺

With over 60 years of combined clinical experience, we’re here to simplify exotic animal medicine.

Here’s what our expert speakers will cover:

• Dr Yui Tsutsumi: A practical guide to exotic small mammal emergencies
• Kat Fripp: Decision making for wildlife in the GP practice
• Dr Jo Sheen: More than meloxicam: managing pain in exotic mammals

📅 Date: Thursday 13th March, 6:30pm
📍Location: North Shore Vet Hospital, Artarmon

RSVP now via Eventbrite to reserve your spot and learn from the experts! http://bit.ly/4hchV0T

Learn the latest on treating, managing, and handling exotic animals and wildlife.

24/12/2024

Post update: Thank you for everyone that had offered to help. We have found a donor!

We have an unwell patient that is need of an URGENT Type B Blood Transfusion.
Criteria for your pet being a cat blood donor are:
* Healthy cat, not on any medications
* Between 1-8 years of age
* Vaccinations current
* Flea and worming prevention up to date
* Indoor or indoor/outdoor cat
If you are able to assist please contact North Shore Veterinary Hospital Reception on 02 9436 1213
Our patient and their family would be very appreciative of any assistance that can be provided.

14/10/2024

Our emergency hospital is currently seeing an extremely high number of tick cases, with many pets requiring ICU care. Paralysis ticks can be fatal, so please stay vigilant:

👉 Use effective tick prevention - consult your vet about the best options for your pet
👉 Thoroughly check your pet's skin during this high-risk season
👉 Act fast if you notice any symptoms such as weakness or trouble breathing

Prevention is key, but if your pet shows signs of tick paralysis bring them to us immediately. We're here to help!

🏠 63 Herbert St, Artarmon, 2064
📞(02) 9436 1213

08/10/2024

We have an unwell patient that is need of an URGENT Type A Blood Transfusion.
Criteria for your pet being a cat blood donor are:
* Healthy cat, not on any medications
* Between 1-8 years of age
* Vaccinations current
* Flea and worming prevention up to date
* Indoor or indoor/outdoor cat
If you are able to assist please contact North Shore Veterinary Hospital Reception on 02 9436 1213
Our patient and their family would be very appreciative of any assistance that can be provided.

25/09/2024

Calling all Sydney Vets: Hands-On CPR training at our next CE night.

Join us on October 3rd for an engaging night designed to expand your emergency care skills. Get expert insights and take part in a live CPR demonstration!

Here's what you'll learn:

🩺 Dr Kerry Doolin, Criticalist & Clinical Director: "2024 RECOVER CPR Guidelines Update"
🩺 Dr Jess Leung, Specialist Anaesthetist: "Sedation vs. Anaesthesia"
🩺 Alex Rice, VTC Critical Care Nurse: "Practical CPR demonstration"

Tickets are limited so register today to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/3XHi7xw

28/08/2024

We have an unwell patient that is need of an URGENT Blood Transfusion.
Criteria for your pet being a cat blood donor are:
* Healthy cat, not on any medications
* Between 1-8 years of age
* Vaccinations current
* Flea and worming prevention up to date
* Indoor or indoor/outdoor cat
If you are able to assist please contact North Shore Veterinary Hospital Reception on 02 9436 1213
Our patient and their family would be very appreciative of any assistance that can be provided.

18/08/2024

We have an unwell patient that is need of an URGENT Type B Blood Transfusion.
Criteria for your pet being a cat blood donor are:
* Healthy cat, not on any medications
* Between 1-8 years of age
* Vaccinations current
* Flea and worming prevention up to date
* Indoor or indoor/outdoor cat

If you are able to assist please contact North Shore Veterinary Hospital Reception on 02 9436 1213

Our patient and their family would be very appreciative of any assistance that can be provided.

05/08/2024

Unfortunately we are experiencing technical difficulties with our phones. We are still open. If your pet is in hospital, our team will call you using a mobile if we need to contact you. If you have some queries regarding booking an appointment or needing advice please send an email to [email protected].
If it is an emergency please feel free to bring your pet down to the hospital and we will triage your pet to ensure they receive treatment. We will update this post once the phones are back being operational

18/07/2024

Meet Vesper, an incredible life-saving hero! 🩸

Vesper recently answered our call for blood donors. After a thorough health check and getting acquainted with our lively environment, Vesper returned for her first donation.

As a DEA1-negative blood type, Vesper is a universal blood donor for other dogs. During her donation, we ensured she enjoyed plenty of delicious chicken and she was happily reunited with her Mum just two hours later.

Thank you Vesper for your support in saving lives! 🩷

If you believe your pet could also be a hero like Vesper, we'd love to hear from you. Please DM us or contact Alex, our dedicated Blood Bank Manager:

✉️ [email protected]
📞 (02) 9436 1213

Requirements:
🩸Between 1 and 8 years of age
🩸 Up to date with vaccines
🩸 Ideally no international travel
🩸 No known illnesses
🩸 Dogs: Over 20kg in weight
🩸 Cats: Over 4kg in weight

04/07/2024

Important PSA for bird owners and bird lovers

Avian influenza, aka bird flu, has been identified in two commercial poultry farms within the Greater Sydney region recently. 😷 Avian influenza mainly spreads amongst wild birds, causing a range of signs from mild sickness to death. However, viral mutations can sometimes lead to serious disease affecting pet birds (particularly poultry, such as chickens and quails), wildlife, and even humans.

To stop spread of avian influenza amongst our feather friends, and reduce risk of transmission to their human-guardians, the NSW government has implemented a movement restriction order around the areas near these outbreaks. To find out if you are affected, please see:
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/poultry-and-birds/health-disease/avian-influenza
🛑 If you live in any of these areas, you may be able to move your birds to seek veterinary care, but it is crucial to call your bird-savvy vet first for advice to make sure this is the right thing to do. 🛑

How to keep your pet bird(s) safe:
• Keep them indoors so they cannot contact any wild birds
• Minimize your interaction with (eg feeding) wild birds
• Make sure their food and water cannot be accessed by wild birds
• Minimize visitors from outside your home to your bird(s)
• Avoid handling other birds, or visiting pet stores or shows where other birds would be present
• Monitor your bird(s) closely for any signs of illness.
Please call the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888 or your local district veterinarian on 1300 795 299 if you think your bird has avian influenza.

Regardless of where you live, if your bird needs to see an avian vet, it is very important to call your vet hospital first to know what protective measures they have in place so that you, your feather friend, and other people’s feathered friends can be kept safe and sound.

13/06/2024

Meet Dr. Adam Swallow, our Internal Medicine Specialist 👨‍⚕️

Dr. Adam joins NSVH as a seasoned expert in managing referral-level internal medicine, with a keen interest in oncology and neurology.

Previously Head of Medicine at Cave Veterinary Specialists, UK, Adam has a proven track record of excellence and expertise in the field.

Adam will work alongside Dr Richard Churcher in our internal medicine team, ensuring only the best care for our patients. His role involves diagnosing and treating complex medical cases, collaborating on treatment plans, and providing compassionate support to pets and their families.

Join us in welcoming Adam as he continues to make a difference in the lives of our patients with his knowledge and compassionate care.

We look forward to you meeting him around the hospital, don't forget to say Hi! 👋

15/05/2024

Meet Chuck - a life-saving hero! Chuck responded to our emergency appeal and made his first 🩸 donation.

Chuck is a very healthy 37kg Lab/AmStaff cross, DEA1 negative, whose brother was previously treated by NSVH following rat poison ingestion and wanted to repay his gratitude. Thank you Chuck for your generosity! 🩷

As an emergency hospital, we rely on canine and feline donations to treat sick patients in our care - including those dealing with trauma, bleeding disorders, immune-mediated diseases, and rat poison ingestion.

Requirements:

🩸 Between 1 and 8 years of age
🩸 Up to date with vaccines
🩸 Ideally no international travel
🩸 No known illnesses
🩸 Over 20kg in weight

If you think your dog could be a hero like Chuck, we'd love to speak with you.

Please DM us or get in touch with Alex, our Blood Bank Manager:

✉️ [email protected]
📞 (02) 9436 1213

24/04/2024

Do you have a pet that could be a potential lifesaver?
We have an URGENT need for a blood donor to assist with a critically ill patient.
If you would be able to assist the team at North Shore Veterinary, Specialist and Emergency Hospital and bring your pet into the hospital for donation please reach out.

Either call the North Shore Veterinary, Specialist and Emergency Hospital on (02) 9436 1213 or email [email protected] to see if your pet would be an eligible donor

24/04/2024

📢 Calling all Sydney Vets! 🐾 Join us for a Continued Education (CE) night on May 9th focusing on respiratory diseases in animals and when to refer.

Here's what you'll learn from our expert speakers:

• Dr. Lucy Venman: "Does this dog need a scope?"
• Dr. Adam Swallow: "Management of lower airway disease"
• Dr. Jessica Leung: "Anaesthetics for respiratory compromised patients"

Get ready for an enriching Q&A session and the chance to meet Dr. Lucy and Dr. Adam, the latest additions to our Internal Medicine team.

Find out more and RSVP on Eventbrite to secure your spot! https://bit.ly/4db0P2F

17/04/2024

Meet Mila, the adorable 6-year-old Cavoodle! 🐶 She recently came to us with a puzzling case of fever and abdominal pain. While initial tests seemed like a urinary tract infection, our Internal Medicine Specialist, Dr. Richard Churcher, knew there was more to it.

After performing an abdominal ultrasound, it showed Mila had a dilated kidney and ureter, possibly due to an obstruction.

Antibiotics alone were not enough to resolve Mila's underlying infection and it was clear she needed to undergo interventional therapy to keep her kidney functional.

Using advanced imaging techniques like fluroscopy and cystoscopy, Dr. Richard successfully inserted a ureteral stent, effectively restoring Mila's kidney function without the need for invasive surgery.

We're pleased to report Mila is now on the road to recovery! Her procedure went smoothly and she's back home with her loving family.

Looking for advice about a referral? Give our friendly team a call - 📞(02) 9436 1213

12/01/2024

Meet the newest member of our support team, Kristen!
Kristen has joined the NSVH family as our Clinical Operations Manager.
Kristen will be over-seeing the nursing team along with other operational responsibilities within the hospital.
Kristen is an experienced Veterinary Nurse who has over 13 years of experience in a multitude of specialist departments with a very keen interest in avian & exotics 🕊️