Clinical

Hydrotherapy for the osteoarthritic dog: why might it help and is there any evidence?

The initial cause of OA can be difficult to determine as there may be a number of factors contributing to the development and progression of the condition. Johnston (1997) summarises the causes of...

Nursing a patient with feline urethral obstruction — a patient care report

The patient presented to the clinic with a 3day history of anuria, vomiting, lethargy, and pain. The patient had recently had cystitis which had been treated with meloxicam (Loxicom, Norbrook) for 14...

An extended patient care report for a canine in congestive heart failure

Roxy had a chronic history of mitral valve disease, which had progressed to heart failure 18 months prior to presentation at the author's clinic. There had been an initial response to medical...

Wound healing and dressings: the role of RemendTM

While the majority of wounds that are encountered will heal without any issues, there are a number of topical, and systemic medications that can enhance the wound healing process, allowing the wound...

Antibiotic resistance in veterinary practice: a veterinary nurse's perspective

The first antibiotic penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 (Fleming, 1929), and more than 100 compounds have been found since, but no new class has been found since 1987 (Ling et al,...

The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) and parasite protection for the travelling pet

PETS was introduced by the European Parliament in 2000 to allow the UK and some other European countries stricter travel controls than the rest of the EU. In January 2012, PETS was updated in line...

Rehabilitation of the older dog with osteoarthritis: workshop report

Once a diagnosis of OA is made (normally on the basis of clinical signs with radiographic confirmation), a management plan can be discussed with the client. The key features of such a plan are.

Canine patients and stress: the role of the veterinary team

When a dog displays a behaviour — no matter how inconvenient for us — it is responding to environmental triggers and basing its behavioural decision on genetic/innate influences and the environmental...

Methodologies used to test the palatability of nutraceuticals

Palatability tests were originally used in the pet industry to test the palatability of pet food and treats (Payne-Johnson et al, 2006). Palatability has now been used to examine a range of...