Grove Lodge Vets's home page
Out of hours 01903 954322
Worthing - 24 Hour Hospital 01903 234866
Brighton Surgery 01273 558838
Durrington Surgery 01903 503898
Lancing Surgery 01903 764801
Portslade Surgery 01273 421738
Southwick Surgery 01273 596201
Tarring Surgery 01903 503444

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Referrals

Small Animal hospital offering a mid-tier referral service based in Worthing, West Sussex

As well as providing a leading first opinion service to our clients, Grove Lodge Veterinary Group offers a mid-tier referral service for our own vets as well as to vets from across the South-East. This service is led by RCVS Advanced Practitioners and Certificate holders, providing an advanced clinical service in a range of disciplines. We have a number of Veterinary Surgeons who have undertaken extensive training and obtained advanced qualifications (RCVS Advanced Practitioners and Certificates) who are happy to accept cases for advanced investigations and treatments. Our referral Veterinary Surgeons are supported by our highly experienced nursing and night team. We invest in the most advanced equipment necessary and pride ourselves on the depth and breadth of expertise available to ensure the very best treatment for your pet.

We are pleased to offer referrals in the following disciplines:

  • We have a visiting European Specialist in Cardiology, Dr Babis Koffas, and RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Cardiology who offer referrals for echocardiography, investigations for heart murmurs, and investigations for arrhythmia’s (ECG and Holter monitoring).

  • We have a dedicated dentistry suite, fully equipped with dental x-rays. We can offer dentistry referrals for all routine dentistry (including patients with concurrent illnesses or more complex anaesthetic needs), feline gingivostomatitis and canine ulcerative stomatitis cases, difficult extractions/root tip retrieval, unerupted teeth/dentigerous cysts, odontoplasty (e.g. malocclusions in cats), some malocclusion/orthodontic cases (case dependent), bonded sealants/composite fillings (uncomplicated crown fractures, crown defects), and some jaw fractures (case dependent).

  • We are fully equipped with a rigid rhinoscope, flexible bronchoscope and gastroscope, with equipment for biopsies and foreign body retrievals. We offer endoscopy referrals for rhinoscopy, bronchoscopy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, and foreign body retrieval (case-dependent). 

     

    Many cases requiring rhinoscopy, bronchoscopy or gastrointestinal endoscopy may benefit from combined diagnostics with x-ray, CT, ultrasound and sampling (i.e. biopsies, blood tests, BAL, swabs etc) which we are happy to offer together as required for the individual case.

  • We offer referrals for ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scans.

    We have experienced vets who are happy to take referrals or offer advice on cases suitable for either ultrasonography or CT scans. We offer CT as an out-patient (report is sent to primary vet for reporting with primary vet performing all other investigations and follow-up treatment) or as part of investigations. Please refer to ‘Guidelines for out-patient CT’ for further information.

  • We can offer consultations and surgical procedures for the following ophthalmology cases: assessment of any eye conditions, eyelid surgery, cherry eye, scrolled third eyelid cartilages, dermoids (superficial keratectomy), deep corneal ulcers, and non-healing ulcers (SCEEDs).

    We are happy to advise on cases suitable for referral to us prior to referring. We do not currently offer cataract surgery.

  • Laparoscopy (‘’keyhole’’) surgery is a minimally invasive option for a number of both routine and non-routine surgeries in veterinary patients. We have many vets trained in performing laparoscopic spays.

     

    Advantages of laparoscopic surgery

    1. Decreased operative and post op pain therefore lighter anaesthesia and a faster/more predictable recovery.

    2. No skin stitches and very small surgical incisions (1cm to 2cm).

    3. Reduced risk of patient interference/infection with surgical wounds.

    4. A faster return to normal, pain free activity/exercise post-surgery. They can go off the lead in 5 to 7 days.

  • Grove Lodge hospital offers laser therapy with our fully trained and experienced nursing team. We have a class IV laser which is the most powerful laser available. Laser therapy is when sufficient doses of light energy reach the target tissue and results in decreased inflammation, decreased pain, and accelerated healing.

    Laser therapy can be used for arthritis, post op recovery, wounds, pain/trauma, inflammation, fracture (alongside other treatment), hot spots, and ear issues.

    The appointments can take 10-30 minutes, depending on the treatment and area. Owners are welcome to stay while the painless therapy is provided; we find the animals find this soothing and relaxing! Treatment plans vary depending on the condition, from short-term courses to long-term maintenance, and protocols are tailored to each patient and adjusted as needed.

Meet the team

For vets wishing to refer a case, please refer to ‘Arranging a referral’ section of the website. Prior to referral, we will review all cases and provide estimates before booking directly with your clients. After completion of referral, the case will be referred back to the referring vet for on-going management.

If you are a pet owner, wishing to have your pet referred, please talk to your own vet who will happily advise and arrange a referral for your pet.

As a mid-tier referral service, we recognise that many cases can benefit from a local, advanced veterinary service such as provided by us. However, some cases may benefit from a specialist-led, or multi-disciplinary referral. We will endeavour to review each case referred and advise whether this is necessary before booking the referral. Should we accept a case, and investigations or treatment determine the need for specialist led care, or a discipline not available at Grove Lodge, we will discuss tertiary referral with the referring vet and client, with the patients' best interest at the forefront of any decision.