International Member Spotlight: Adam Swallow MRCVS

In this month's International Member Spotlight interview, Adam Swallow tells us about his work and life as a veterinary surgeon in Sydney, Australia and his passion for problem solving in internal medicine.

Where are you based?

I currently work for North Shore Veterinary Hospital - owned by Vet Partners - and am based in Sydney, Australia.

What's your role and what area of veterinary are you particularly interested in?

I’m a board-certified Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist. I enjoy all aspects of internal medicine but I particularly enjoy gastro-enterology and nephrology. Haematologic disease also really interests me.

Can you provide us with an overview of your work?

I work in a combined referral centre and emergency/ critical care hospital. Whilst we have a fairly small team, I work alongside other specialists in the hospital including oncology, cardiology, dermatology, emergency and critical care and also the primary care, out-of-hours team to ensure cases presented to our hospital (both referrals and “walk-ins”) get the care they need. This can include anything from basic supportive care through to standard imaging like radiography and ultrasound through to fancier modalities like MRI, CT and fluoroscopy. The hospital where I work is equipped for critical care including patients needing ventilation (ticks are the most common cause for this out here) and sometimes we do interventional procedures such as tracheal stenting and cardiac procedures such as patent ductus arteriosus occlusion.

How do you like to start your workday?

I get to work around 8am and I often head straight to my desk to read the notes on my in-patients from overnight. Afterwards, I will check them over to make sure all is OK before we start morning rounds about 8.30am. Rounds normally lasts an hour and is when we set in-patient charts and plans for the day. After this is done, I will update my owners and then go onto start procedures or consultations.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It’s actually quite varied. Some days, after rounds I have consultations with owners and the cat/dog. Other days, I will have a procedure day where patients get admitted in the morning (they will have had a consult previously) and I will spend the day ensuring their work-up needs are met. On other days, I receive case transfers from the Emergency Team. On these days, I need to speak to the owners to make sure I know the animal’s history well, review any results available for them, and co-ordinate same day procedures/investigations as needed.

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

I like that I’m able to spend a lot of time with patients - getting to know them and learning what is normal for them. I also really love the problem-solving aspect that internal medicine has - the Eureka moment when you confirm a diagnosis is very rewarding, especially when the animal responds to your treatment! I also like that there is often more than one way of approaching my cases, meaning that there is often a lot more flexibility to find a solution that works for the owner and pet than first meets the eye.

Did you always want to work in the veterinary sector?

Yes. Although I now work in specialist small animal referral practice, I originally began wanting to be a vet whilst helping out on the farms next door to where I grew up, or at the small equine yard nearby.

Can you tell us how veterinary regulation differs to the UK in Australia?

It’s actually very similar to the UK. They have the Veterinary Practitioners Board which is their version of the RCVS, although there is one board in each state. The board is also a government department here rather than a separate organisation. You need to register with the board in the state you live in, although registration in one state can be used to register in other states. For specialist status, there is a board who reviews your qualifications and experiences and gives you approval to be recognised as a specialist in your state.

How does your role uphold and protect animal welfare?

My role provides me with an opportunity to really work with owners to get the best outcome for their pets. My role often requires me to look at dogs/cats with multiple co-morbidities, or conditions that have not responded well to standard first line management strategies. Being able to access and utilise advanced/detailed diagnostics does give me the option to gather a lot of information about my patients to inform ongoing treatment plans and to spot complicating factors before they become obvious (for example, finding the mucocoele in the Cushingoid dog). However, this is not an option for all owners/pets and even in these cases, the knowledge and training I am lucky to have received means I can often formulate a practical plan with the owners to help their pet with the resources they have. Even something as simple as a diet change can have huge results and can be life changing for both owners and pets.

What do you get up to outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy generally being outside and especially being on or near the water. I recently got my PADI diving certification which is a lot of fun, and there’s a marine reserve near where I live which has excellent snorkelling. When the waves aren’t too big, surfing is fantastic out here. Walking around the bushland is always interesting and I also really enjoy visiting new parts of Australia. There is so much to see and do out here!