Clinical

Small mammal herbivores part 3: taking a dietary history and providing nutritional support

The unique dietary needs of exotic companion mammal herbivores has been thoroughly explored in this series of articles. The veterinary nurse can be well-equipped and is in an excellent position to take a detailed husbandry and nutritional history, which can help to identify nutritional disease and problems with dietary management that may contribute to future pathogenesis. Providing nutritional support in the hindgut fermenter inpatient or outpatient is centred around both restoring the negative...

Working towards a greener future in veterinary anaesthesia

Anaesthetic gases can exhibit global warming effects by acting as greenhouse gases. The global warming potentials of these gases vary greatly — with sevoflurane being the most environmentally friendly. Nitrous oxide may also exhibit a global warming effect by direct ozone depletion. Veterinary professionals have the potential to reduce their carbon footprint by making use of targeted anaesthetic choices, low fresh gas flows, and multimodal anaesthesia protocols. Individual practices can also...

Understanding the approach to animals with thermal burns

Thermal burn injuries represent a spectrum of superficial to deep epidermal and dermal injury sustained after exposure to a liquid, solid or gaseous heat source. Severe thermal burns result in both local damage and systemic effects. In systemically compromised animals, managing major body system abnormalities takes priority over surgically managing the thermal burn. General principles of wound management are relevant to animals with thermal burns. The surgical approach will vary according to...

Leishmania: case management and UK transmission

Leishmania are vector-borne protozoan parasites that cause a wide range of clinical disease (leishmaniosis). Leishmania infantum is the species mainly causing leishmaniosis in European cats and dogs, and has zoonotic potential. Sandflies are the principal vector of transmission, but non-vectorial routes such as venereal, transplacental and blood transfusion have been described. There is no gold-standard diagnostic test, so leishmaniosis is diagnosed using a combination of methods alongside...

Castrating dogs: why, when, how?

Castration is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the UK, and yet there is little in the way of consistency among practices in the advice given to owners wishing to have their dog neutered. Opinions are often conflicting in terms of pros and cons of castration and the ideal timing. This article considers some of the available evidence and tries to resolve some of the ambiguity where possible.

Soil contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in the Midlands

Background: Soil contamination in public parks with Toxocara spp. eggs increases the risk of infection to both humans and animals.Aim: In this study, the hypothesis that soil samples in public parks within the East-Midlands region in England are contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs was tested.Methods: A total of 405 soil samples were collected from 23 parks and nine associated play areas in three East Midlands cities, namely Nottingham, Leicester, and Derby. Soil samples were analysed using a...

Small mammal herbivores, part 2: nutrition for wellness

Exotic companion mammal herbivores have specific nutritional needs as they are adapted to optimise nutrition from a high-fibre, low calorie-density diet. Unlike other traditional companion animal species such as cats and dogs, there are no nutritionally complete commercial diets available for these exotic species. Feeding plans need to take into consideration the species, age and reproductive status of the patient, and a nutritional assessment includes body condition scoring as well as muscle...

Pruritus in dogs and cats part 1: what is pruritus and how do we approach the pruritic patient?

Dogs and cats with skin disease are some of the commonest patients to be presented in general veterinary practice and those with pruritus are seen frequently. The veterinary nurse can help to reassure distressed clients that their itchy pets can be helped by an appropriate dermatological work-up, and can also be involved in the process, particularly in the harvesting of skin/scale/hair samples and in the preparation and identification of ectoparasitic and microbial elements using microscopy and...

Awareness and management of canine cognitive dysfunction

Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) affects many senior pet dogs worldwide. In addition to veterinary support, owners can be given advice on what behaviour changes may be observed, such as disorientation, a decline in response to training cues and established toilet training, an increase in anxiety and change in activity patterns. Raising awareness and providing management advice may help owners to protect their ageing dogs from stress and injury, and enjoy their final years together.

Small mammal herbivores part 1: digestive system adaptations to a herbivorous diet

Nutritional disease is common in exotic companion mammals, and the unique dietary adaptations of herbivorous species only compounds this issue. The target species (including lagomorphs, and hystricomorph or caviomorph rodents) exhibit anatomical and physiological adaptations to a plant-based diet that is low in calories and protein, and high in fibre. Digestive tract adaptations such as hypselodont dentition to hindgut fermentation will be reviewed. Veterinary nurses are in an excellent position...

Cry wolf: a major misunderstanding about dog behaviour

The notion that dogs are naturally ‘status driven’ and will use aggressive behaviour to gain recognition as ‘top dog’ within the human families they live in is based on outdated research, which has been shown to be significantly flawed. However, the concept has been historically so well-received by society that it continues to drive human—dog interactions that involve using aversive, punishing ways to control pet dog behaviour, with damaging consequences on welfare. Veterinary nurses play an...

Nerve blocks on forelimbs and hindlimbs as part of a multimodal analgesia plan

Using local blocks in conjunction with other forms of pain relief have been shown to reduce the length of hospital stays and postoperative recovery times in human patients. This article will explain common hindlimb and forelimb local blocks using electrostimulation for the correct location of the nerve to provide superior pain relief in small animals when used as part of a multimodal analgesic plan.

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