Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital

To thank Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital for the care of their Rhodesian ridgeback, Eila, Robert and Patricia Juniper have donated two of Mr Juniper’s silkscreen prints, ‘Siesta’ and ‘Vine and Ibis’.

Robert Juniper is an internationally renowned artist, acknowledged as a major figure in Australian landscape painting, with work represented in many public and private collections.

“The paintings are a token of our appreciation to the Murdoch staff for making her last weeks comfortable,” Mr Juniper said.

Eila came to Murdoch in August after the partial removal of a cancer from her left forelimb and, as a means of controlling the disease and keeping her limb, the Veterinary Hospital elected to institute a form of chemotherapy.

Murdoch Animal Cancer Care Unit Specialist Dr Ken Wyatt said it is important that treatments are carried out with the least amount of distress and suffering.

“Eila, like most dogs we treat, did not have any problematic side effects over the course of treatment,” Dr Wyatt said.

“Because we see the patients on a number of occasions it is important both for us and them that the treatments are as stress and pain-free as possible - for many dogs this is simply a matter of compassionate nursing combined with liver-treats as bribery!”

Veterinary Trust donations help to fund the specialist veterinarian training in their fields of choice as well as providing funding for the School’s growing work with research into animal and human diseases.

Donations are tax deductible and are used for varied purposes, such as equipment purchase, facility upgrading, scholarships, or research funding.

A small memorial for Eila has been placed in the Veterinary Hospital reception area as she sadly passed away from a secondary illness.