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Sayaka Okushima

European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Sayaka Okushima - Head of Service – Anaesthesia & Analgesia
Sayaka Okushima BVetMed BSc DipECVAA MRCVS Head of Service – Anaesthesia & Analgesia

Sayaka graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 2009 and subsequently undertook a rotating internship, followed by a 3 year residency in a referral centre in the UK.  During her residency she visited several institutions in the UK as well as in Belgium, Switzerland and France. There was always something new to learn and take away from each place she visited!

Sayaka worked as a clinical anaesthetist for a year before joining the team at Pride Veterinary Referrals Centre in 2016. She gained the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia later in 2016.

Areas of clinical interest: “Surgery itself is a trauma and I find it rewarding to be able to reduce the pain in my patients to the minimum, for example, through use of locoregional blocks or systemic analgesic drugs. Physiology is fascinating. Our patients don't read textbooks and sometimes it can be frustrating when things don't make sense, but it is compelling when the application of my knowledge successfully stabilises the patient. I like the challenge of managing difficult cases, such as open chest surgeries and craniotomies.”

Sayaka says, “As an anaesthetist, our job extends over so many aspects of patient care and not limited to only anaesthesia and analgesia. I believe that we make the whole experience in the hospital less stressful for the animal, from the moment we meet the patient until they leave the building.”

Sayaka and her husband live with four cats. She loves music, from classical to hard rock and has been a casual rock climber for 3 years, recently finding herself spending more time at 'The Climbing Unit' in Chaddesden. She is looking forward to the outdoor experience in the Peaks!

Publications

Kulendra, E., Grierson, J., Okushima, S., Cariou, M. and House, A., 2011. Evaluation of the transarticular external skeletal fixator for the treatment of tarsocrural instability in 32 cats. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 24(05), pp.320-325.

Okushima, S., Chesnel, M.A. and Clutton, R.E., 2013. A possible anaphylactoid reaction in a cow after intravenous meloxicam. Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, 40(3), pp.333-334.

Vettorato, E., De Gennaro, C., Okushima, S. and Corletto, F., 2013. Retrospective comparison of two peripheral lumbosacral plexus blocks in dogs undergoing pelvic limb orthopaedic surgery. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 54(12), pp.630-637.

Okushima, S., Vettorato, E. and Corletto, F., 2015. Chronotropic effect of propofol or alfaxalone following fentanyl administration in healthy dogs. Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, 42(1), pp.88-92.