Small Animal Practice Staff
Small Animal Practice Clinicians
Dr Alison C Blaxter, BA(OU) DipCABC BVM&S PhD MRCVS
Lecturer in Primary Care (Small Animals) Hills Director of First Opinion Teaching
Alison first started working for the University in 1984 and was first appointed Practice Director in 1995 and is now the senior vet in the practice. She has worked in many areas of the veterinary profession – general practice, farm practice, charity clinic work abroad and for the PDSA, clinical research and teaching. Her main interests lie in medicine, and she was awarded a PhD for a study of over 120 diabetic patients visiting Langford! More recently she has become interested in behavioural medicine and gained a Diploma from Southampton University in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling, and offers behaviour counselling to practice clients and their pets.
At home she is ‘owned’ by two stroppy cats, a band of bantams and a small flock of borrowed sheep, and spends time out of work with them and her family!
Mr Colin S G Blakey, BVetMed MRCVS
Clinical Associate in First Opinion Practice
Colin has been working in general small animal practice for 15 years with a special interest in exotic animal medicine. He qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1993, having spent the last part of his course studying with the veterinary department at London Zoo. He then spent four years working in a mixed animal practice in Essex, gaining general experience but also building up expertise with the more exotic species when ever the opportunity arose. This was followed by time working for an avian and exotic veterinary centre in Berkshire before moving to Nailsea where he established an exotic clinic alongside his other clinical work.
Colin moved to the Small Animal Practice at Langford in July 2006 with the remit to expand the exotic caseload to expose the students to the more unusual species that are becoming increasingly common. He is married with 2 children, 4 cats, 2 rabbits and a hamster!
Runa Hanaghan MRCVS
Runa graduated from Bristol in 1997 and has had extensive experience in Small Animal Practice including running her own practice in Ireland.
Mrs Karen Lawrenson, BVSc MRCVS
Clinical Associate in First Opinion Practice
Karen graduated from Bristol in 1998, she has two small children at home so currently only works on Saturday mornings (and the occasional weekday) Karen currently has four cats all rescued moggies aged between eight and thirteen.
Richard Saunders, BVSc BSc CertZooMed MRCVS
RWF CTS in Rabbit & Zoo Animal Medicine
Richard graduated from Liverpool University in 1994 and obtained his certificate in Zoological Medicine in 2001. He has worked in general small animal practice and exotic animal referrals. He has written a number of articles on rabbits in the veterinary press and co-authored "Notes on Rabbit internal medicine". He has lectured on rabbits to vets in both the UK and Europe.
Support Staff
Shelley Monks
Small Animal Practice Manager
Shelley joined the SAP team in September 2004, taking on the role of Practice Manager; she had previously worked in veterinary practice as a veterinary nurse and is still able to utilise her nursing skills on occasion.
She has been ‘adopted’ by a black and white stray cat, who is forever hungry!
Sam Brown, RVN
Small Animal Practice Nurse
Sam joined the practice in 1999 and has been nursing for over 20yrs now. Her background is mainly charity based, gaining much of her experience and knowledge from PDSA and RSPCA, even spending a few months working with Wildlife at West Hatch in Taunton. Her main interests at work are behaviour and welfare, dentistry, nurse clinics and medical nursing. She enjoys nursing rabbits and helps with the more exotic types of animals in the practice, and generally seeing cases she has nursed back to health. Sam works with our specialist dental vet and is considering furthering her knowledge by enrolling for a certificate in nursing dentistry. Also acts as an assessor for the degree nursing students.
She lives with 2 border terriers, a free range rabbit, a moggie, a 3yr old son and a husband as well as a new addition, a 4yo Burmese cat who is beginning to show his true colours. Sam enjoys living near the Mendip hills and the countryside.
Carolyn Edwards, RVN
Small Animal Practice Nurse
Carolyn graduated from the University of Bristol in June 2008, with a BSc in Veterinary Nursing & Practice Administration, joining our practice soon afterwards. She splits her time between general nursing duties and seeing hydrotherapy cases.
Outside of work she is conducting one of the longest house and garden restorations known to man and especially 'enjoys' filling in holes dug by her Lurcher and Greyhound.
Vicky Dodd, RVN
Small Animal Practice Nurse
Diane Leggo, RVN
Small Animal Practice Nurse
Diane joined the practice in 2006 and has been a qualified nurse for 15 years. She enjoys all elements of nursing, with a particular interest in medical nursing, diet and dentistry. Over the years Diane has worked in both small animal and mixed animal practices. She lives locally with her husband, three year old daughter and two mad ‘wild eyed’ Springer Spaniels.
Sadie-May Phelan RVN
Small Animal Practice Nurse
Sadie qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2005 and as an NVQ assessor in 2006. She is very interested in canine rehabilitation, which is why the position of Hydrotherapist appealed to her. In her spare time she enjoys walking and training her two dogs - a German shepherd and a Rottweiler x German shepherd. She does agility training with one of them and hopes to be able to compete in shows very soon. Sadie and her other dog are currently working towards the Kennel Club Silver Award in obedience training.
Sarah Elliott
Receptionist/Clinical Assistant
Sarah joined the Small Animal Practice in July 2005 working the second half of the week on reception. She also helps with the rabbit referral clinic. Previously Sarah nursed in veterinary practice. She has a very time consuming hobby which takes up most of her spare time, breeding and showing French and Dwarf Lop rabbits.
Pennie Halse
Receptionist/Clinical Assistant
Pennie has worked in the practice since July 1997. She previously worked in a practice in Weston Super Mare for over 20 years where her duties were pretty much everything from nursing and receptions work to cleaning, painting and DIY! Before this she worked as a kennel maid for several years, as well as breeding and showing dogs. Now down to only one very old dog at home, after having, in the past rescued any and all sorts, she is going to try to remain pet-less for a while