We are one of the few centres in the world to be able to offer heart surgery for dogs and cats.
Most cases we see are mitral valve repairs for the management of myxomatous (degenerative) mitral valve disease, but we also have experience in, and are able to offer surgery for a whole range of other conditions including, tricuspid valve dysplasia, congenital mitral valve abnormalities, pulmonic stenosis, double chambered right ventricle and other conditions.
Our team consists of Poppy Bristow, Anne Kurosawa, Craig Bailey, Hayley McDonald, Jackie Demetriou, Freddie Corletto. As well as numerous other Specialists and specialty nurses.
To discuss a case with us please email us on heart.team@dwr.co.uk or call us on 01638 572012 and ask to speak to Poppy or Craig.

Dr. Poppy Bristow has been passionate about cardiac surgery since she started her specialist training. She has worked in several different hospitals, undertaken advanced training in cardiothoracic surgery in both veterinary and human hospitals and participated in and led multiple research studies in order to progress this discipline in small animals.
Poppy finds this area so fascinating as successful surgery can provide a cure in patients with an ultimately fatal disease such as myxomatous mitral valve disease. Heart surgery can most importantly make a huge difference to the quality of life of both the patients and their owners. As there are currently only a handful of centres worldwide offering heart surgery, she is passionate to train future heart surgeons to allow greatly availability of this surgery to pets and owners.
Craig is one of our core heart team members assisting Dr. Poppy Bristow with the new heart surgery and liaising with clients and referring cardiologists. Craig also has keen interests in nursing critically ill patients, transfusion medicine and extracorporeal dialysis
Team Members

Bianca Garner
Medicine Ward Nurse

Carlos Filipe Januario
Theatre Nurse

Catherine Wright
RVN
Neurology Nurse

Charlene Mallott
Dip HE CVN DipAVN RVN
Neurology Nurse Manager

Sophie-Jane Boggas
ISFMDipFN RVN
Medicine Ward Nurse

Cláudia Canelas
RVN
Cat Ward Nurse

Donna Mason
FdSc RVN DipHECVN DipAVN
Night Nurse

Ella Sims
Ophthalmology Nurse

Emma Chilcott
Student Veterinary Nurse

Emma Cottey
RVN
Nurse in Neurology

Sharna Lambert
RVN
Internal Medicine Nurse

Emma Myers
Dip HE, CVN, Dip AVN, VTS (Anesthesia), RVN
Senior Anaesthesia and Analgesia Technician

Felicity Bradbeer
RVN
Internal Medicine Nurse

Gemma Baker
ECC Nurse Manager

Hannah Moore
Internal Medicine Nurse

Hannah Pokora
BTEC BSc (Hons)
Neurology Nurse

Stacey Chillingworth
RVN
Cat Ward Nurse

Hannah Young
RVN
Theatre Nurse

Alexandra Wallington
RVN
Internal Medicine Nurse

Arron Smith
BVSc PGCertSAM MRCVS
Intern in Medicine

Victoria Brown
BSc (Hons)
Night Nurse

Danielle Parker
RVN
Nurse in Anaesthesia

Coleen Berry
BSc(Hons) RVN
Cardiology Nurse

Claire Thomas
RVN Dip CVN Dip AVN
Critical Care Nurse - ICU

Zoe Dunthorne
RVN
Internal Medicine Nurse

Zoe Ellington
BSc(Hons) RVN
Surgery Ward Nurse

Hayley Eyres
Neurology Nurse

Federica Porcarelli
BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care
ICU - Intern

Melissa Jane Woodbridge
Nights - Nursing Assistant

Helen Thurlow
RVN
Neurology Nurse

Jade Waterlow
Student Veterinary Nurse

Jasmine Kaines
BSc(Hons) RVN
Critical Care Nurse - ICU

John Marques
RVN
Ward Nurse

Jourdan Colegate
Student Veterinary Nurse

Julieta Silva
Surgery Ward Nurse Manager

Karen Wayte
Night Nurse

Kate Pickles
RVN
Neurology Nurse Supervisor

Katie Leigh
RVN
Surgery Ward Nurse Manager

Ben Lummis
Hospital Manager

Kayleigh Whitehead
Student Veterinary Nurse

Kelly Pugh
RVN
Night Nurse

Kerry Hall
BSc(Hons) DipAVN CertVNECC VTS(ECC), CertVN ECC RVN
Night Nurse

Laura Smith
RVN, C-SQP
Ward Nurse

Leila Radford
Student Veterinary Nurse

Lucy Claisse
Student Veterinary Nurse

Danielle Imerson
Recruitment

Lyndsay Broadhurst
RVN
Neurology Nurse

Helen Fewson-Reeve
PGCertVBM
Telemedicine Manager

Helen Harding
Finance Administrator

Sharon Leppard
Accounts Manager

Sophie Hart
People Co-ordinator

Sophie Holtaway
Finance Administrator

Telmo Filipe
IT Support Technician

Holly Sayer
Finance Administrator

Lindsay Taylor
Finance Administrator

Maddie Campbell
Accounts Administrator

Juliet Drummond
DAVN (medical) CERTVNECC RVN
Night Nurse

Nadine Molloy
Finance Administrator

Kate Barber
BA(hon), RVN
Night Nurse

Richard Baker
ACA ACSP ACTC
IT Manager

Kerry Brundell
RVM
Dermatology Nurse

Laura Bunbury
Intern in Diagnostic Imaging

Kirsty Hart
Night Nurse

Jessica Brookes
Nursing Assistant
Helen Platten
Senior HR Advisor

Katrina Wilson
Night PCA Manager

Amie Perry
Client Care Team

Carla Jacobs
Client Care Team

Jessica Greaves

Rebecca Baron
RVN NCERT(ANBEH)
Night Nurse

Maggie Barbosa
Neurology Nurse

Mel Brace
RVN Dip CVN Dip AVN
Critical Care Nurse - ICU

Melanie Means
RVN
Neurology Nurse

Melanie Rich
RVN CertVNECC
Night Nurse

Melanie Thomason
RVN
Night Nurse

Melissa Mackenzie
RVN
Ward Nurse

Michelle Trowell
RVN
Night Nurse

Nicola Jayne Ramsay
RVN
Ophthalmology Ward Nurse Manager

Nicole Bradfield
RVN FdSc
Theatre Nurse

Paula Lungley
Night Nurse

Phoebe Crittenden
RVN Diploma in Animal Management
Medicine Ward Nurse

Rebekah Underwood
Internal Medicine Nurse Manager

Catherine Rolfe
GradDipVN RVN AFHEA
Lecturer

Rochelle Scott
Student Veterinary Nurse

Rowena Owen
Night Nurse

Sophie O’Halloran
RVN
Anaesthesia Nurse

Stepan Rudakov
Night Nurse

Stephanie Jeffery
RVN
Neurology Nurse

Tara Whittelton
RVN
Medicine Ward Nurse

Mandy Kearny
Dispensary Manager

Terry Lack
RVN Cert VN ECC
Night Nurse Manager

Tom Egger
RVN
Cat Ward Nurse

Toni Pettitt
RVN
ECC Nurse Manager

Vicky Barker
RVN
Internal Medicine Nurse Manager

Vicky Friar
Night Nurse

Victoria Watling
RVN Advanced Cert. In Veterinary Physiotherapy
Student and Senior Nurse Support Coordinator

Vikki Brewer
RVN
Night Nurse

Ali Heywood
RVN
Academy Principal

Viktorija Rudakova
Student Veterinary Nurse

Wendy J Pashley
RVN DipAVN Cert Ed BSc
Lecturer

Tessa Croucher
FdSc VN Cert RVN
Lecturer

Kelly Winstanley
RVN CertEd
Lecturer

Sally Petts
RVN Grad Dip
Lecturer

Lauren Lawton
RVN NCert (Aneasth)
Veterinary Nursing Liaison and Quality Officer

Angel Green
Lecturer

Jonny Lummis
Health & Safety and Facilities Lead

Timothy Wallis
Maintenance Team Leader

Aimilia Konstantinidou
Student Veterinary Nurse

Jody Tancock
RVN, DipHE AVN
Oncology Nurse Manager

Rebecca Stoddart
RVN
Critical Care Nurse - ICU

Richard Trinder
BSc BVMS MRCVS PGDip VCP MANZCVS
ICU - Intern

Amy Harding
FdSc RVN
Cat Ward Nurse

April Say
Student Veterinary Nurse

Yvonne Hignell
Hospital Director

Leah Unwin
Dip VetPhys MIAAT
Veterinary Physiotherapist
Team Leader

Ruth Campbell
BSc (Hons)
Laboratory Manager

Daisy Huxtable
BSc (Hons), MSc VetPhys, MNAVP
Veterinary Physiotherapist

Ben Lummis
Hospital Manager

Deborah Bell
Client Care Team Manager

Fiona Millward
BSc (Hons) VetPhys
Veterinary Physiotherapist

Christine Dubeau
BSc BVM&S MVetMed DipACVP MRCVS
Clinical Pathologist

Gemma Reeve
RVN ISFM CertFN
Business Relationship Manager

Alessandro Conte
DVM, CertAVP, MRCVS ECVS
Resident in Small Animal Surgery

Nicola Thomas
BSc (Hons), MSc VetPhys, MNAVP
Veterinary Physiotherapist

Sarah Bradbury
BSc(Hons) CIMDipl
Marketing Manager

Sarah Powdrill-Wells
BSc (Hons), MSc Vet Phys, MNAVP
Veterinary Physiotherapist

Kelly Stevenson
FCCA
Finance Business Partner

Claire Foster
MCIPD
HR Business Partner

Joy Fenner
Resident Surgery in Soft Tissue Surgery

Beatrice Sambugaro
Resident in Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Inga Viilman
MRCVS
Resident in Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Julia Tang
BVetMed (Hons), PGDipVCP, MRCVS
Resident in Internal Medicine

Jade Radway
BSc(Hons)
Biomedical Scientist

Katherine Norris
BSc (Hons)
Biomedical Scientist

Thomas King
BSc
Biomedical Scientist

Joel Tait
MSc BSc
Biomedical Scientist

Jenny Plant
BSc(Hons)
Biomedical Scientist

Jenni Bartram
BSc(Hons)
Biomedical Scientist

Carrie-Ann Gilbey
Biomedical Scientist

Emily Owen
Laboratory Receptionist

Nikki Thurley
Laboratory Receptionist / Administrator

Valentina Campoli
Intern in Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Tim Gamston