Derby – Dovecote Veterinary Specialists, one of the UK’s leading referral hospitals, is making a £1 million investment to transform its facilities and deliver the highest standards of specialist care for pets across the Midlands.

This significant upgrade will enhance diagnostic capabilities, improve patient comfort, and streamline workflows - ensuring pets receive world-class treatment closer to home.

At the heart of this investment is the installation of a Siemens 64-slice Single Source CT scanner, representing the most advanced imaging technology available in veterinary medicine. This upgrade will enable advanced imaging for complex cases, including neurological, orthopaedic, Internal Medicine and oncology patients. It will deliver faster, more accurate diagnostics, reducing anaesthetic time and improving treatment planning, and support specialist-led decision-making to ensure pets receive tailored care based on precise imaging.

Hospital Manager Kelly Dobson commented:

Dovecote has also introduced a purpose-built chemotherapy room designed to meet the highest safety and welfare standards. This dedicated space ensures safe preparation and administration of cytotoxic drugs with strict containment protocols and PPE, reduces infection risk for immunocompromised pets, and provides a stress-minimising environment featuring quiet surroundings and comfortable facilities for patients undergoing treatment.

The hospital’s expanded Intensive Care Unit now offers 24/7 monitoring and advanced life support for critically ill pets, with facilities for oxygen therapy, ventilation, and blood transfusions. Specialist-led care for complex cases requiring constant supervision means Dovecote can manage the most challenging emergencies and stabilise patients before advanced interventions.

Recognising the unique needs of feline patients, Dovecote has also created a species-specific ward designed to reduce stress through separation from dogs and the use of calming pheromones. The ward provides a quiet, comfortable environment for cats recovering from surgery or undergoing treatment.

To support these clinical upgrades, Dovecote has invested in new hygienic flooring throughout prep and theatre areas, ensuring compliance with clinical standards, improved storage solutions in theatre corridors for better organisation and accessibility, and workflow improvements that allow veterinary teams to focus on patient care rather than logistics.

Established in 1995, Dovecote Veterinary Specialists is an RCVS-accredited multidisciplinary referral hospital offering services in Orthopaedics, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging (MRI, CT, X-Ray), Soft Tissue Surgery, ENT, and Dermatology. This latest investment underscores Dovecote’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and exceptional patient care.

Kelly concludes:

For more information, visit www.dovecoteveterinaryhospital.co.uk or follow the practice on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.