Striking the Balance: Veterinary Medicine at the Cutting Edge with Work-Life Harmony - Dr Stuart Burrough

VetStaff's Julie South chats with Dr Stuart Burrough (BVSc., MANZCVS) a veterinarian with a passion for innovation and commitment to veterinary research.

Dr. Burrough is the founder and director of Vet Marlborough and discusses his three-month experiences as part of a Practitioner in Residence prog at the University of Florida.  

We also delve into Dr. Burrough's innovative approaches to veterinary medicine, including his pioneering work in stem cell therapy for arthritis treatment in dogs, and laparoscopic assisted gastropexies for giant breed dogs and working Huntaway dogs.

Tune in to learn about Dr. Burrough's commitment to providing the best standards of care for his patients and his passion for outdoor activities such as sailing, scuba diving, and skiing.

Find out more about the Small Animal Veterinarian vacancy at Vet Marlborough
If you'd like to know more about the small animal veterinarian vacancy at Vet Marlborough please contact either Julie South or Isobel Cooper:

 

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About DISC-Flow®
DISC is a research-backed and science-based personality profiling tool used to understand our behaviours, communication styles, and work preferences. It’s about understanding what makes you – and the people you work with – tick.

Julie South is a DISC Flow® Certified Trainer, who describes DISC-Flow® profiling as being like having a cheat sheet to better understand yourself and other people. When you know this, it helps you play to your personality strengths, work better in teams, and communicate better.

If you’re keen to find out what your personal DISC type is, what type of leader you are, or what your clinic’s team composition looks like, then get in touch with Julie to find out what's involved.

How to get more bang for your recruitment advertising buck
This is what VetStaff is really good at so if you'd like to stretch your recruitment dollar, please get in touch with Julie because this is something VetStaff can help you with.

How to shine online as a good employer
If you’d like to shine online as a good employer to attract the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic please get in touch with Julie because thi...

Transcript

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You. Welcome to the first of three episodes featuring Dr Stuart Burrow, a veterinarian with a passion for innovation, respectful leadership and a commitment to being at the sharp end of veterinary research and results. Today we'll hear about Dr Stewart's background and his unique commute to work. But that's not all. He also talks about the groundbreaking treatment for arthritis and dogs that had impressive results and why it had to be shelved. So join us as we discover what it's like working at Vet Marlborough and being on Dr Stewart's team. You are listening to Pause, Claws and Wet Noses, the Vet podcast celebrating all creatures great and small and the fantabulous professionals who look after them all. Pause Claws Wet Noses is powered by Vetstaff, new Zealand's only specialist recruitment agency dedicated to helping veterinary professionals find jobs that they're excited about going to on Monday mornings. Vetstaff co NZ. Welcome to episode One three five. I am your show host, Julie South. Dr. Stuart burrow is the founder and director of vet Marlborough. Established in 1998, he's a 1983 Massey Grad and a recognised member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, specialising in small animal medicine. Dr Burrow's dedication to learning led him to the University of Florida as a Practitioner in Residence, where he became certified in the Pen Hip Technique for assessing hip dysplasia. In 2010, he introduced stem cell therapy for arthritis treatments in dogs, revolutionising care in the South Island. Dr Burrow also heads the Canine Reproduction Team, focusing on semen, freezing and artificial insemination. Beyond his professional achievements, Dr Burrow served as a counsellor and president of the Australasian College of Veterinary Scientists, receiving a Presidential Award for his exceptional service. Outside of work, he enjoys sailing, scuba diving and skiing. Dr Burrow is married to Jenny, an interior designer. They have two grown up children Lana, who's also a veterinarian, and Isaac, a boat builder, a miniature schnauzer and two Burmese cats, Ringo and Mick. I wonder who's the Stones fan? If you're a small animal veterinarian and you're looking for a change of pace, a change of scene, then especially listen to this with a view as to what it might be like working on Dr Burrow's team. The Vet staff team is privileged to be working with Dr Burrow and Catherine at Vet Marlborough to find them their next dream team member, someone who's into providing best Practise standards of care and being part of a team where everyone is supported to bring their absolute best selves to work each day. If you'd like to know more, then please get in touch with either Isabel or myself at Vetstaff Co NZ to have a preliminary confidential chat. We join the conversation here today where I ask Dr Burrow when he absolutely knew he wanted to be a veterinarian. Yeah, that's pretty easy, really, Julie, because it's still very clear in my mind, as if it happened yesterday and I was only 14 at the time. I grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Nelson and I can remember visiting the local vet with with my father, with one of his farm working dogs. And I can still see us driving home back up Wami Road to the farm, and I just said, I'm going to be a vet. I was as simple as that. And the thing that was difficult for me, though, after being sort of I suppose it really helped me having that clear direction from a fairly young age. But as inevitably happens, aunts and uncles that ask you, what do you want to be when you grow up? Stewart and it was mostly negative, quoting the statistics of how few people got selected to go in. And that had me a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dream until in those days, we sat school certificate as an external examination in the fifth form. And when I got my results back from that, it gave me the confidence. So I guess it made me more determined. And if I got asked that, I said, Well, I'm going to be a vet. And that was it. What happened? Was there a significant procedure or treatment? Was your farm dog hurt? Was it a life saving moment that inspired you to realise you wanted to be a vet? It was an injury causing a lameness. It wasn't sort of anything groundbreaking. I'd seen the vets come to visit the farm, whether it be for a cow down with milk fever or pregnancy testing and so on, but it just sort of gelled in my mind. It was sort of just like this revelation that suddenly that was it. And nothing changed from then on. And I had that direction, which was amazing. Was it everything you thought it would be? Yes. It's been like I've been practising as a vet for 40 years now and I can honestly say there's nothing else that I would have rather done. I still enjoy my work immensely. Up until two years ago, I was still working full time and even now I'm still at four days a week. But it's been challenging, it's been difficult for family at times and there's been a lot of things that perhaps I've missed out on because I've been working or on call. But then there have been tremendous rewards as well. You live in a beautiful part of Otoroa. GODZone, yes. Was there any thought that you might set up a practise or practise other than in Marlborough? One of my prerequisites, really, was that I wanted to live in the top of the South Island. I grew up in Nelson. I always thought that I would end up back in Nelson, but sort of circumstances meant that I settled in Mulberry and stayed here. I was fortunate when I graduated. It would seem hard to appreciate now, but jobs were actually difficult to come by and out of a class of 60. When we finished, there were only six of us that had jobs to go to in clinical practise. That's sort of unbelievable with today's climate. So a lot of my classmates ended up going and working and meet works and anywhere they could. That was sort of veterinary related initially. And so I was very fortunate to get offered a job in Marlborough, in the top of the south that I loved, and I've spent some time working in Nelson, but moved back to Marlborough and have been here since 1986. When you were that 14 year old saying, you're going to be a vet, did you have the specialist path in mind at that time? No. In fact, things have changed quite a lot and at the outset, I'm not a specialist, but I suppose with my qualification and as a membership of the Australian New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, I'm sort of intermediate, I suppose, a specialist GP, so I'm somewhere between a GP and a specialist. But the amazing thing was, coming off a farm, I always thought I would be a mixed vet or a large animal vet. And, in fact, when I left Massey, I had this plan that perhaps I would go back and do postgraduate diploma in land animal health or flock health. But, yeah, it was just, I suppose, the opportunities and circumstances, and I always love woodwork and so I really enjoyed surgery and doing things with my hands and I was quite a perfectionist in doing those handcrafts and so on. And the way opportunities led, when I moved back to Mulberry, I actually became the first vet that focused on companion animals. Up until that time, all of the vets in Mulbra had been very much the James Harriet type vet that did a bit of everything. So that became my focus and gradually I morphed from being a mixed practitioner to somebody with a special interest in companion animals. And that led me then to do study for and do the membership examinations. That was about an 18 month programme for me and quite a commitment. And since then, further postgraduate study. And I suppose the crossroads for me wondering, well, did I want to go further down that specialist route or not? Was that I was successful in an application to go and do a practitioner in residence programme at the University of Florida for three months. So that was a fantastic opportunity for me and for my teenage children at the time to go and live in Florida for three months. So the practitioner and residence programme was designed to bring experienced practitioners into work in the faculty, so that the final year students would get the perspective of a bit more what it's like out in practise rather than in the university environment. So you had both a teaching role, but also tremendous opportunity to learn. And I did get offered a position while I was there, but it was really trying. Well, for me, it was a lifestyle choice of somewhere that I wanted to live that allowed me to enjoy the lifestyle that I enjoy in great climate. And in fact, I live in the Mulbra sounds and commute to work by boat each day. If I was a specialist in a large city, I certainly wouldn't be able to do that. So for about eight years, we've done that for Mulbra standards. It's a long commute. It's about 50 minutes from door to door, but 15 minutes of that is in the boat. And then I put her into the marina and tie up and get into the car. And it's a half hour drive through from the Waikawa Marina to Blenham. Beautiful start to the day. Early morning, and there's not a lot of boat traffic, then a few commercial boats heading out, but coming home, it's a wonderful wind down period. And as I turn into our bay, blackwood bay, and you can no longer see sort of civilization behind you, it's a great separation to leave work behind. Have there been very many days when. You haven't been able to get to work because of the weather? I'm often asked that, and unfortunately, no, there's only been sort of like two or three, and I have been able to work from home with my role as the director doing administrative work or yeah, it's very rare that it's too rough to come across, so it works very well. So we're talking an outboard, are we not? A sailboat? Yeah. When you were in Florida, was there. Very much difference in medicine in New Zealand to medicine in the States at. That time, standards wise? No. I mean, there's a few exotic diseases, tick borne diseases, et cetera, that were present in the States that we were fortunate enough not to have here. No, it was a tremendous learning opportunity. And at that stage when I was there, TPLO surgeries for cruise ships were something very new and exciting. There was quite a lot going on at the university with research into using radiation, treatment for tumours of brain and head and so on. And it was great because I could follow through any of the cases that I wanted to through the various disciplines. So I got training and doing cardiac ultrasounds. So even though I was there primarily doing medicine, I could spend time with in the imaging department, I got invited to join surgery department and scrubbing for some cases as well. So you were treated really like somebody very special, and it was a huge opportunity. So, yeah, I really loved it. And talking of innovation, stem cell yes. How did that come about? Yeah, well, I suppose the initial interest was actually through one of my original partner vets, who was unfortunate enough to develop multiple myeloma, and he went through Stem cell treatment as a treatment for his bone cancer, which has been very successful, and he's still alive today following that. So, when I found out and read about stem cell treatment for arthritis, it really captured my imagination, and I was fascinated that these cells could have such an impact on the body, from healing somebody with bone cancer to treating arthritis. And so, when the opportunity came up that there was some training in stem cell treatment, I leapt at the opportunity. And I was the first vet in the south island. To introduce stem cell treatment for treating arthritis and dogs. In the initial process we started off extracting stem cells from fat that was surgically harvested from behind the scapula over the rib cage. We'd get about 30 grammes of fat and then spend about 3 hours in the laboratory processing that to extract and activate the stem cells and then they would be injected back into the affected arthritic joints. It took most of a day the processing but it was fascinating and then the development led to the production of a stem cell activator solution that we could purchase and that was simply injected intravenously into the dogs. On average it would only be a two mil dose and they would have four injections given three weeks apart. The advantage of this, of course, was that it was not completely non invasive. There was no surgery or anaesthetics involved and we achieved very similar results with this technique. But we ran into a problem in that the company who had the licence and was importing the products into New Zealand, they initially had a provisional licence which was designed to allow them to do some trials and get some information to go towards full registration. But I don't think they really understood that process. They weren't a pharmaceutical company and it transpired that MPI found out that they had been selling the product and using it commercially rather than just for trials and so they sort of came down quite heavily on them. There was a court case and then when it came to trying to get full registration for the product, I think they'd run out of resources and just the requirements for a small company of a couple of enthusiastic vets that they just didn't have the resources to do what was required to meet the standards to get full registration. So unfortunately, we no longer have access to either the stem cell activator or the kits that we use to extract the stem cells from fat and we can no longer offer that service to our clients, which has been a real shame. Is anybody else in New Zealand able? Are there any other suppliers? Not that I'm aware of at the moment but that's something that we need to investigate. I mean, the stem cell activator was fantastic from the point of view that it was non invasive and we got some very good results with it and it was completely without any apparent side effect. It wasn't a miracle cure but we found that around 85% of the patients that we treated had a positive response, which is incredibly high and the average improvement in lameness and pain scores was around 75%. It's a shame that such positive outcomes got thwarted. Yes, it definitely was. And the mainstay of arthritis treatment has been using non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. They are not without their side effects and some animals just can't tolerate them at all. And so I had people travelling up from Christchurch for stem cell treatment and it was something that was exciting. Our staff loved being involved, they worked in the lab doing so a lot of the processing work and when you saw the results of the treatment so it was satisfying to be involved in something that was innovative and groundbreaking, but unfortunately we've had to shelf that in the meantime. Was it a hard sell to your clients? Because back then it would have been something quite radical and innovative. It wasn't a hard sell. I think with anything that we're scientists so that we rely upon factual evidence of things being effective, I think the safety side of it was something that was really important. And I think if you have the trust of your clients and it's something that you truly believe in and make as a recommendation with that trust, and if you can show them results, then, yeah, it wasn't difficult. Certainly wasn't a hard sell. But it wasn't a cure all for every patient. And there were the 85% that did respond, then there was a correspondingly 15% that didn't. So you had to go into it or have clients go into it with. That open mind, what other innovative procedures have you done or are planning? Well, I think we've always been open to new ideas and always been a clinic that's been an early adopter. I was only the third veterinarian in New Zealand to become certified in the Pen hip technique of assessing breeding dogs for hip dysplasia. And that involved doing a special training course that was only available in the States at the time. So when I was in Florida actually doing the practitioner in residence, I flew up to Las Vegas for a weekend because you could training course. That was something that was special to bring back to New Zealand because it was at the time of scientifically, a much better and more reliable assessment scheme for hip dysplasia. Yeah, I've always had an open mind. We've introduced CPLO surgeries for our patients for cruciate ligament injuries and that's quite a technical operation that often had only been done by specialist surgeons and so we're pleased to be able to offer that to our clients. And we've always been receptive to new ideas. We're just in the process at the moment. We've almost got all of the equipment sorted. There's been a little bit of a hold up getting ventilator fitted to our Anaesthetic machine, but we are going to be launching laparoscopic surgeries for non invasive bitch space, which has a tremendous value in terms of recovery of those patients, as if sort of hard bending things happen. But my real passion for wanting to introduce laparoscopic surgery. And it involved me actually going to Romania to do the training course over five days. But it's to introduce what will be laparoscopic assisted gastropexis for working huntaway dogs. And giant breed dogs because it's always so sad when these cases come in and the mortality rate is about a third. And these animals, when they get GDV or the twisted, bloated stomach, it is a really serious emergency. So the moment to perform the gastropexi, where we're anchoring the stomach to the domino wall, so it can't rotate as a full laparotomy surgery. So if we can do it as a laparoscopic assisted procedure, then it's a lot less invasive. Think we'll be much easier to convince people of the value of doing that to help prevent that risk. So that's an exciting the next sort of chapter, I suppose, of new innovation at Vet Marlborough. How many clinics would be doing it that way? Well, in the South Island currently, there's only one other, and I'm not sure about nationally there's probably less than six, I would say. So if we have a vet who's. Interested in expanding their skills there, get in touch. Talk to me, please. I sort of alluded this just now. You live in well, actually, you don't. It sounds like you sort of live. Across the bay, but you work in. A small city, New Zealand. World standards population about 29,000. What advantages and disadvantages are there of being a veterinarian in a city of that size? Well, I guess while I don't live directly in Blenham, I'm still very much a part of the Blenham community and I have lived here for a number of years now, I guess, in Blenham. The funny thing to me when I first came here was that the perception was if you had to drive five minutes, it was a long way away and if you couldn't park outside the store that you wanted to shop at, then that was just terrible. And I have personalised number plates, so my wife gave me the canine vet plates when they first personalised plates first came out. So everybody knows where you are who can't be incognito. And in a smallish city, large town, you get recognised at the supermarket. If you go out to shows or to a restaurant, you're bound to see clients or people that will recognise who you are, and that has good and bad. It's sort of nice to feel close and part of the community and we have been actively involved in the community and as a company, we see a responsibility to put things back into the community by way of sponsorship and support as well. But Blenheim has evolved a lot with the development of the wine industry. So when we first came here, that was in its infancy and Blenham was more of a service town for the rural community and quite conservative, but there's certainly a lot more diversity now as people have moved in for the lifestyle and as part of the wine industry. It's a wonderful supportive community. We've got incredible facilities that have been supported by the business community in terms of sponsorship and funding. So we've got an amazing theatre that's world class, so performing arts is something that's a very important part of the community. And the local operatic society have just done the production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and the performances are amazing. We also have an incredible stadium, has all the facilities from indoor courts, indoor pool, gymnasium, et cetera. And that's been a wonderful community asset, both for all stages of the community, from the young kids learning to swim, to elderly people doing their exercise in the pool and gymnasium for training squash courts. But it also attracts a lot of sports tournaments to Marlborough, which is great for the local economy. But for me, I guess, living in Marlborough, wherever you go, because of the wine industry, people know of Marlborough and so Marlborough people are proud of being able to say that they come from Marlborough, so there are a lot of pride in the community. And then for me, why I stayed here was largely because of the lifestyle afforded with Marlborough Sounds and very close to the Nelson Lakes National Park, where I've spent a lot of time growing up as a child. So I'm a fairly active person. I enjoy a lot of outdoor pursuits, including sailing, water skiing, scuba diving, mountain biking, snow skiing, et cetera. So that's all on your doorstep here. And yet we can be in Auckland in 75 minutes. So there's regular flights, partly because of the wine industry. It's very close. 20 minutes flight to Wellington, it's an hour and a half drive to Nelson, Christchurch, about 4 hours to drive, so everything is not too far away. Being central provides a wonderful opportunity, both in terms of lifestyle, but if you need a big city fix, well, it's pretty easy to get it. I'm married to an Ahmad Keen aviator. We were hoping to get to Blenham this year. Just gone for the air show. Yeah, it's an incredible event that every two years and it's world class and it's a fantastic air show. And associated with that has been Peter Jackson's involvement in developing the Heritage Aviation Heritage Museum, which incredible with those sort of almost live displays with the various planes. So it's a major tourist attraction. People come from all around the world to see that centre. I'm not really a museum person, but I've been through that Omaca museum and it was pretty amazing. Yeah, it really is, isn't it? If any of what you heard here today sounds like the type of team you would like to be on, please remember to get in touch with either Isabel or myself at Vetstaff Co NZ. I'll put the info in the Show Notes page where you're listening to this episode for you now, changing the subject, have you checked out the Revive Your Drive two minute videos designed to help veterinary employees and employers jujup their mental health? These were designed for Mental Health Awareness Month of May, which has just finished. There are now 31 two minute Revive Your Drive videos with tips on managing conflict in the workplace, prioritising workloads and how to achieve work life balance or blend to do, to catch them, to listen to them, to watch them cheque out Vetcliticjobs.com resources. Or find the link on the Show Notes page as well, where you're listening to this podcast right now. This is Julie South signing off and inviting you to go out there and be the most fantabulous version of you you can be. Kiyakaha kakatiano. God bless paws, claws and wet noses is sponsored by Vetstaff. If you've never heard of Vetstaff, it's New Zealand's only full service recruitment agency 100% dedicated to the veterinary sector. Vet staff has been around since 2015 and works nationwide from Kate Riyanga to the Bluff and everywhere in between. As well as helping Kiwis, Vetstaff also helps overseas qualified veterinarians find work in Rtoroa New Zealand. Vetstaff co NZ.