Small Animal Anaesthesia
The anaesthesia service at the Animal Health Trust is unique. One of our dedicated veterinary anaesthetists carries out every anaesthetic for both small animals and horses. This means one- to- one veterinary patient care at all times. This standard of care is continued in the postoperative period when one of our trained nursing staff looks after each case. When additional supportive care or pain relief for in-patients is needed this is done under the direct supervision of an anaesthetist. Patients requiring full intensive care receive one-to-one veterinary care from an anaesthetist, in conjunction with the clinician in charge of the case and support from our nurses.
The anaesthesia team has six veterinary surgeons and one veterinary nurse, who holds the RCVS diploma in advanced surgical nursing. Our two European Specialists in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia are available to give telephone advice and in-house consultancy services to veterinary surgeons in both general and referral practices. We also encourage vets to come and see practice with us to develop their skills in anaesthesia and analgesia.
We are currently investigating the use of new perioperative pain relief techniques in small animals, whilst our clinical research in horses focuses on improving recovery quality following general anaesthesia.
Download Pain Assessment Forms:
These forms can be used in conjunction with the pain assessment instructions.
Pain Assessment Instructions
Pain Assessment Form - Cats
Pain Assessment Form - Dogs
Download intensive care sheet:
These forms can be downloaded onto A3 paper to allow repeated patient assessment.
Anaesthesia staff
Colette Jolliffe BVetMed CertVA DipECVAA MRCVS
European and RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
Head of Anaesthesia
Colette qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1996, and worked for four years in small animal general practice. Following this she spent two years in industry during which time she developed an interest in anaesthesia, analgesia and ethics. She started a residency in veterinary anaesthesia at the Animal Health Trust in 2003, gaining the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 2004 and the European Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2006. She became Head of Anaesthesia in December 2009.
Marieke de Vries DVM CertVA DipECVAA MRCVS
Senior Clinical Anaesthetist
Marieke graduated from Utrecht University in 2001. During a general equine internship in a large equine referral clinic in the Netherlands, she gained interest in anaesthesia and decided to make the journey across the North Sea to follow an internship in veterinary anaesthesia at Cambridge University. This was followed by a residency in anaesthesia. After having spent almost 1.5 years as clinical anaesthetist in a small animal referral centre in Surrey, Marieke joined the Trust in February 2010.
Marieke gained her RCVS certificate in veterinary anaesthesia in 2004, and passed her European Board Exams successfully in 2009. Her main interests are equine anaesthesia, physiology and teaching. When not working, Marieke loves to spend time walking her dog and riding her horse.
Heide Kloeppel DVM Dr Med Vet Cert VA MRCVS
Clinical Anaesthetist
After graduation from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany Heide spent two and a half years at the AO Research Institute in Davos, Switzerland where she was responsible for anaesthesia and pain management in animals and where she undertook her doctoral thesis. Following this, Heide undertook a rotating small animal internship in the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. From July 2006 to July 2009, Heide has been a resident in veterinary anaesthesia at the Animal Health Trust and gained the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 2008. Her special interests include perioperative pain management in small animals.
Innes Wise BVSc(Hons) MRCVS
Resident in Anaesthesia
After graduating from the University of Melbourne in 2002, Innes worked for five years in general practice and also emergency and critical care referral veterinary hospitals, in both Australia and the UK. In 2008 she undertook an internship in anaesthesia at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, before moving back to the UK to start a residency in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the Animal Health Trust. Innes’ main areas of interest are critical care and analgesia, and all things equine.
Clara Rigotti DVM MRCVS
Resident in Anaesthesia and Analgesia
Clara graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Padua, Italy, in July 2008 and shortly afterwards joined the Animal Health Trust for a general internship. Clara started a three-year clinical PhD in Anaesthesia at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Padua University in January 2009. In October 2009, Clara joined the anaesthesia team at the Animal Health Trust for an anaesthesia internship and she became a Resident in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in August 2010.
Her interests include: hypothermia in small animals during anaesthesia, analgesia and physiology. She really enjoys field anaesthesia for exotic animals.
Emma Archer RVN DipAVN (surgical)
Anaesthesia Technician
Emma Archer qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2001 and spent a further year in general practice in Norfolk, before joining the Animal Health Trust in 2002 as a theatre nurse. She gained the Diploma in Advanced Surgical Nursing in 2006. In February 2008 she joined the anaesthesia department as the Anaesthesia Technician. Emma’s interests are, anaesthesia and analgesia, intensive care and teaching.
Fiona Scarlett RVN
BSc (Hons) (AnSc)
Anaesthesia Technician
Fiona qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2001 and then went on to do a BSc in Animal Science Behaviour Studies. Her degree was predominantly research based and it took her to Indonesia to work with a marine conservation group. Unfortunately research and living on a tropical paradise island didn't pay the bills so Fiona returned to nursing full time in 2005. Fiona moved out to Abu Dhabi to experience something a little different and worked for a small animal hospital. She worked there for 2 years before returning to the UK in 2007. Since Fiona’s return to the UK she has been self-employed as a full time locum. In February 2010, Fiona joined the anaesthesia department as a maternity cover anaesthesia technician. Fiona’s interests are local analgesia techniques, complimentary adjuncts to pain control and chronic pain management.