Get to know: Fergus Allerton – Bringing Expert Care to Complex Diseases
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Dr Fergus Allerton, an Internal Medicine Specialist at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service and a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, has built a career defined by curiosity, collaboration, and clinical excellence.
We recently caught up with Fergus to talk about his journey into internal medicine, his passion for tackling challenging cases, and what attendees can expect from his session at this year’s show.
Q: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you pursued a career in internal medicine?
A: I originally worked in mixed practice for 6 years and particularly loved the farm work. However, some of the most interesting cases were the medicine ones and I wanted to learn more about the underlying disease processes. The opportunity to complete a residency at the University of Liege in Belgium came up and I was hooked. I still enjoy being stumped by cases every day!
Q: What is the most rewarding part of working in veterinary?
A: Seeing animals survive some very complicated conditions including immune-mediated disease, neoplasia and infection potentially in part due to our selection of appropriate therapeutic strategies.
Q: Your upcoming session, “How to Minimise Surgical Site Infections Without Killing the World,” has quite a memorable title. Can you tell us what inspired it and what you’ll be covering?
A: I got into antimicrobial stewardship through the Small Animal Medicine Society. I have been involved in the last couple of iterations in the PROTECT ME poster that offers recommendations for antimicrobial use for a range of conditions or situations. However, many of the recommendations lack a strong evidence base.
Over the last few years, as part of the European Network for the Optimisation of Veterinary Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) we have developed guidelines for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis by scoping and systematically reviewing the veterinary literature. We are hoping to share our findings and help vets reduce their SSIs without recourse to unnecessary antibiotics.
The threat from antimicrobial resistance is ever present and, as prescribers, vets are at the forefront of this battle. Knowing when antimicrobials are warranted to reduce the SSI risk (and more importantly when they can be avoided!) is essential information for all vets working in surgery. We’ll also be talking about other infection prevention and control (IPC) measures that can make a real difference in reducing reliance on antimicrobials.
Q: Finally, what advice would you give aspiring vets pursuing a career in veterinary?
A: Go for it! It is a brilliant career with so many opportunities. There remains a lot to be discovered so expect a varied and stimulating job!
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