Referral Surgery @ RVC
The Referral Surgery team can be contacted by:
Phone: 03 313 7438
Email: surgery@rangvet.co.nz
Located at 181 Lehmans Road, Rangiora.
We are proud of our NZVA Best Practice and Hospital Standard Accreditation, along with our ISFM Gold Standard Cat Friendly Status. We are committed to a high standard of care for clients and their pets.
We strive for Fear Free Handling with our patients to ensure a stress free visit. Our patient focused team ensure our post operative patients are pain free and have a comfortable recovery.
We have dedicated emergency and critical care vets and nurses 24/7 to provide intensive care to compromised patients.
Our referral team includes (see bio’s below):
Senior Referral Surgeon Dr Ben Leitch is operating from our 24 Hour Best Practice Accredited Hospital in Rangiora. From advanced orthopedics to difficult soft tissue surgeries, Ben has the skills and experience to manage all of these.
TAKE A TOUR OF “OUT BACK” This is where our patients have their surgery and recover.
Katie Duncan, Veterinary Technician Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure patients receive an up to date, balanced anaesthesia plan.
Lead Surgical Nurse, Lauren Keenan, has extensive surgical and rehabilitation experience working in a surgical referral centre.
Additional to our experienced nursing team we have a dedicated animal care assistant who ensures each individual patient is kept comfortable throughout their stay.
Dr Ben Leitch
BVSc MVS(hons) MANZCVSc (small animal surgery)
Dr Ben Leitch joined the RVC referral surgical team in 2021. He is operating from our 24 Hour Best Practice Accredited Hospital in Rangiora. From advanced orthopedics to difficult soft tissue surgeries, Ben has the skills and experience to manage all of these.
Click on the link below to watch the video series
and learn more about Dr Ben Leitch.
Dr Ben Leitch
Katie Duncan
RVTS. Clinical Support Lead
Katie has been with RVC since 2004. Additional to her diploma Katie is a Registered Veterinary Technician specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia, one of only 2 nurses in New Zealand to pass the rigorous examination process through the AVTAA.
Katie enjoys the challenges of anaesthetising emergency and critical patients, and supporting them through to a comfortable recovery, as well as working with many of the exotic species at Orana Wildlife Park over the years. She also enjoys teaching and volunteered for vets for compassion in China in 2017 to teach Chinese vets about multimodal analgesia and anaesthesia.
Katie has a kitten called prickle, who was found in rubbish skip and a horse called Bell who she enjoys trekking on.
Lauren Keenan
Lead Surgical Nurse
With more than 10 years experience in a specialist surgical practice and a Certificate in Vet Nursing, Lauren has developed a keen interest in surgery. She has an appreciation for all aspects of surgery from complex fracture repair and emergency care, right through to the finesse and delicate nature of soft tissue surgery. As well as surgery itself, she is also interested in pain management and post-op rehabilitation.
Outside the vet clinic Lauren loves horses (and spending money on them), along with her partner they have a number of 4 legged friends including a very special rescue dog which sports a prosthetic leg.
