Small Animal Staff | Oakham Veterinary Hospital

Chris Booth

BVSc BSc MRCVS

Chris qualified from Bristol University's vet school in 2004 after a life long ambition to become a vet. He qualified with degrees in Zoology and Veterinary Science and remained in the West Country gaining valuable experience within mixed veterinary practice with mainly cattle and small animal work. Between 2005 and 2008 he worked for a mixed practise in Glastonbury, Somerset. Chris joined our Small Animal department in July 2008 on a full time basis. Chris is currently studying, alongside his work here, towards a post-graduate certificate in Veterinary Cardiology. In September 2009 Chris was elected as the Senior Graduate Representative of the BVA (British Veterinary Association). He is married to Naomi, a veterinary surgeon at Nottingham University's new vet school and they live together with Jack the cat.

Cat Laird

BVM&S MRCVS

Cat qualified from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (Edinburgh) in 2004. She has worked in mixed practices in Shropshire and Staffordshire focusing on small and farm animals. In January 2009 she made the decision to concentrate performing small animal medicine to a high standard and joined our team on a full time basis. Cat's special interests are ophthalmology and internal medicine. She hopes to start a post-grad qualification in ophthalmology in the near future. Cat spends her spare time dog walking and shooting with her springer spaniels Midge and Monty, climbing and reading.

Rachel Bowen

BVetMed MRCVS

Rachel qualified from Royal Veterinary College, University of London in June 1998. Since then she has work in variety of 100% small animal practices. Her areas of special interest are Small Animal internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, and more recently acupuncture. She joined the team in August 2008 and works at the hospital 2 days a week. The rest of her time is dedicated to her young daughter and her menagerie of animals.

Luke Knowles

BVSc BSc MRCVS

Luke graduated from the University of Bristol in 2003 with degrees in Zoology and Veterinary Medicine. Since then he has worked in practices across Leicestershire treating a wide variety of various species of animals. Luke has a keen interest in exotics and is always happy to see snakes, tortoises, birds and other small furry creatures at the practice. His other specialised interests in small animal medicine are soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery as well as preventative health care for companion animals. Due to his extensive experience, he will also from time to time help out on the farm animal side of the practice. Luke very much enjoys the semi rural life that Rutland and Leicestershire can offer, taking part in clay pigeon and rough shooting whenever he gets the chance.

Nottingham University Vet School Staff based at Oakham Veterinary Hospital

Mike Davies

BVetMed CertVR CertSAO FRCVS

Mike qualified from the Royal Veterinary College Unversity of London in 1976, after which he worked in small animal practice for 12 years. 11 were in his own first and second opinion practice on the Wirral. Whilst in practice he obtained RCVS Certificates in Veterinary Radiology and Small Animal Orthopaedics, and subsequently he obtained a RCVS Fellowship by examination in Clinical Nutrition of the Dog and Cat. After leaving practice Mike has worked in Industry in several roles; Director of Scientific Affairs with Hill's Pet Nutrition and most recently as Technical Services Manager for Fort Dodge Animal Health. In between he had been a consultant to several companies including pet nutrition and veterinary pharmaceutical companies. Throughout these periods of working with Industry he has maintained his clinical skills thorugh regular locum and occasional referral work. Mike has also worked in academia as Director of Beaumont Animal Hospital and Head of Information Services at the RVC. Most recently he has joined Nottingham University Vet School to help establish Final Year clinical rotations through the Small Animal department here at Oakham Veterinary Hospital. Mike has published numerous papers and appears regularly as a CPD speaker. His special interests are small animal clinical nutrition and geriatrics.