Decisions are made by specialist veterinarians.

She runs the operating theatre and supervises surgical protocols. She represents the second generation of the practice — and the first to take it to referral level. Radiology specialist. She is the formal head of the veterinary treatment facility and is responsible for the duties imposed by the Veterinary Chamber. Joanna Paterak looks after the day-to-day administration of the practice.

Experience: Graduate of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (2009). For over two decades she has been developing her practical skills as an orthopaedic surgeon. As a student she was already building her foundation of skills under the guidance of her father, Andrzej Hołdowański, DVM, a specialist surgeon. Specialisation in radiology. Specialisation in surgery (in progress). Chair of the Training Committee of the Lower Silesian Veterinary Chamber and member of the Training Committee of the Polish National Veterinary Chamber.

Interests: Orthopaedics is part of her everyday life: she consults on complex cases and complications sent to her by colleagues from across the country, attends several themed conferences a year, and weekend get-togethers with friends from her specialisation often turn to discussions of complex fractures and osteosyntheses. She cares about continuously raising the quality, knowledge and services provided by veterinarians in Poland, which is why she serves on the training committees of the veterinary chambers, both Lower Silesian and national. Outside work she relaxes in the forest picking mushrooms, and at home she shares her life with three adopted cats that nobody wanted to take in. Her ideal place to relax is Denmark.

He leads diagnosis and treatment of oncology patients, from cytology and staging of the disease to a treatment plan agreed with the owner. Dermatology and laboratory diagnostics are his strong suit: he performs cytological examinations in the practice’s laboratory. He has a detective’s instinct: in his head he follows many threads at once, from laboratory results to the patient’s behaviour, and ties them together. He is a perceptive, experienced and dedicated doctor who can solve difficult diagnostic puzzles.

Experience: He graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (2013). For years he has been steadily developing his skills in oncology, haematology and clinical cytology. His training includes a practical 60-hour course in clinical cytology of dogs and cats and a course in clinical pathology of dogs and cats (Dermawet, 2017–2018), as well as courses in clinical oncology of dogs and cats (2019) and clinical dermatology of dogs and cats (2021). He has attended training courses and conferences in oncology and haematology, including the international VetCo conference “Oncology and haematology of small animals” (2016), a haematology and oncology seminar (2018), the course “Lymphoma in dogs – from diagnosis to treatment” (2021), haematology workshops (2021), the “Mikołajki Onkologiczne” oncology seminar (2023), the Oncology Congress and the symposium “The geriatric oncology patient” (2024). He also took part in a scientific conference on endocrinology and dermatology (2017).

Interests: Beekeeping: he loves caring for bees. He describes his approach to work like this: “A doctor is a detective, and the diagnostic process is an investigation in which you have to examine the evidence and question the witnesses. That is why, in my daily work, I use the microscope and the analysers in our laboratory.”

Echocardiography, ECG and management of cardiac patients, including cardiac assessment before anaesthesia. He combines warmth towards animals with patience towards owners and a great passion for cardiology. His help is needed wherever we perform procedures and wherever owners are looking for answers about what is wrong with their animal. He devotes himself to this field with exceptional talent.

Experience: He has been interested in small-animal cardiology since the start of his career. He graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences and qualified as a veterinarian in 2021. He completed a series of courses in clinical echocardiography, followed by advanced echocardiography, including the diagnosis of congenital heart defects in dogs and cats. In 2025 he completed a course in lung ultrasonography. He attends conferences, including those organised by the Polish Association of Veterinary Cardiology (PAVC).

Soft-tissue surgery, neurology and internal medicine. He devotes every spare moment to deepening his knowledge and trying new approaches. He stands out for his perceptiveness and consistent development of his own skills, and in the team he is surrounded by knowledge, enthusiasm and passion.

Experience: He graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (2024). During his studies he worked as a teaching assistant in a university department, and his main interest was soft-tissue surgery. He completed the surgery course “Surgery – the secret is in the details” led by Rafał Kraszewski, DVM, a specialist in veterinary surgery, and keeps his knowledge in this field up to date. Since June 2025 he has been developing his skills in neurology. He completed a training course led by Miłosława Kwiatkowska, DVM, PhD, and Hubert Kołodziejczak, DVM, covering the neurological examination, neurolocalisation and the treatment of conditions such as vestibular syndrome and epilepsy.

Interests: Soft-tissue surgery. Outside work: playing the guitar, fantasy fiction and board games.

Maja is the practice’s main specialist in anaesthesia. She anaesthetises low-risk and higher-risk patients, patients with comorbidities, and neonatal and geriatric patients. She looks after pre- and postoperative care and pain management, cares for hospitalised patients and is close to patients in emergencies who need knowledge of emergency medicine. She looks after the anaesthesia protocols and organises the work of the hospital. Thanks to her protocols and attention to anaesthetic monitoring, anaesthesia at the practice is carried out to rigorous safety standards.

Experience: She has been with the Hołdowańscy practice since the start of her career, from 2020. During that time she has broadened her knowledge at many congresses and courses, including WSAVA training abroad (World Small Animal Veterinary Association). In 2024 she earned the VAT title at the VASTA International School of Veterinary Anaesthesia.

Interests: Hiking in the mountains and spending time with her beloved dog Joker, her eleven-year-old life companion.