Cardiology clinician Dr Brian Love certainly lives up to his name with his passion for all matters of the heart.
Dr Love admits he finds the heart “endlessly fascinating”, which is why he has dedicated his veterinary career to tackling its diseases and disorders in small animals, leading the expert cardiology service here at Wear.
His dedication shone through back in September 2010, when he passed the Certificate in Veterinary Cardiology with flying colours, being awarded the annual prize for the highest examination score in the process.
Dr Love explained his progression into cardiology, saying: “I have always been interested in medicine, as opposed to surgery, and I’ve always found the heart to be the most interesting part of that.
“Over time, I focused more and more on cardiology, culminating in taking the exam and gaining a certificate in it in 2010, and I’ve seen purely cardiology cases since then.
“The heart is an organ I find endlessly fascinating – there’s so much to know about it.
“Yes, it’s only one organ but it is so complex and there’s always new information coming out about it and new frontiers being found that there seems to be endless possibilities.”
Dr Love says his love of animals was the driving force behind his decision to become a vet, adding: “It’s the old cliché but it’s very true – I like making sick and unwell animals feel better again.”
His childhood played a key part, too, with the Wear heart expert continuing: “I’ve grown up with cats. My parents always had cats and now me and my wife and family have cats, so from an early age I was around pets.”
Dr Love first graduated as a veterinary surgeon in 1988, qualifying from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, at the University of Edinburgh.
He then worked at the Blue Cross Animal Hospital, in London, for six years before moving to the North East to work in small animal practices.
He is now a key part of the highly-qualified team here at Wear’s award-winning small animal hospital, where he leads the cardiology clinics as part of its multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of sick and injured animals.
