Dr Yoko Clinch BSc BVMS (Hons) MANZCVS (Veterinary Radiology and Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation – Canine) CCRT ACRA Practitioner Member
I am a veterinarian who became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) by completing the internationally recognised Canine Rehabilitation Institute qualification in 2017, representing over 180 hours of study (including theory, practical experience and examination). In 2022, I gained membership by examination to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation – Canine, representing a further 300-400 hours of self directed study and am the first such qualified veterinarian in Western Australia. I graduated as a veterinarian from Murdoch University in Perth in 2004, and had previously gained membership by examination to the ANZCVS in Veterinary Radiology in 2009. In 2013, I purchased Roleystone Animal Hospital with a fellow veterinarian, and am running Veterinary Rehabilitation Services (VRS) from this facility.
I am passionate about rehabilitation therapies (which are human physiotherapy treatment techniques adapted for use in animals) and how much they can improve our pets’ lives in addition to conventional medical therapy. The skills we learned in our CCRT training enables accurate diagnosis and treatment not only for bone and joint diseases, but also muscle, ligament and tendon injuries which are not well taught in vet schools. Rehab is also vital in rectifying neurologic dysfunction and vastly improves the rate and quality of recovery from orthopaedic, neoplastic and neurologic surgeries. Rehab has an enormous range of applications in addition to these, including improving the quality of life of amputees and under-performing athletic / working dogs. My passion for rehab has resulted in me establishing the newest chapter in the ANZCVS in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2020! I am currently the President and Science Week Convener for this chapter and look forward to growing this field in Australia.
Currently, my furkids are: Haida, a very clever cavoodle (he can do all sorts of tricks & even helps out with cleaning up); Hugo, a very cute crossbred dog– he loves everyone and everything and Hoshiko, a ginger cat with a passion for chasing bird feathers!
Outside of working at Roleystone Animal Hospital, you will find me at Lancelin Veterinary Clinic on the first and third Fridays of every month, giving lectures on veterinary rehabilitation or reading the latest rehab research papers. I also enjoy baking, slow cooking, studying, camping and travelling whenever I can get time away from work.
Kara Airey Cert IV RVN CCRVN HCert Bus., Fear Free (TM) Certified
Kara joined our team in 2022. She spent the first 15 years of her career as a specialist surgical vet nurse in Perth and in Dublin, Ireland. Through these roles her passion for caring for patients during their post operative recovery lead her to further studies in veterinary rehabilitation. She returned to Perth in 2022, and finalised her training to become a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse in 2024 through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (also representing over 180 hours of study (including theory, practical experience and examination). She is not only the second vet nurse in our practice to achieve this internationally recognised qualification, but also the second in Australia to do so. We are extremely fortunate to have her as part of our rehab team.
Kara’s special interests are in post surgical and neurologic rehabilitation. She is a self-proclaimed ‘cat lady’ with two cats who travelled both to and from Ireland with her. They fit well in to her lifestyle as they make great study supervisors!