Clinical

Tea tree oil exposure in cats and dogs

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation from the leaves and terminal branches of the Australian tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia (Carson et al,...

Helping owners to support the emotional and behavioural needs of the socially mature cat

The domestic cat is a territorial species, evolved from hunting rodents within a savannah environment in which rodents were scarce (Bradshaw et al, 2012). Yet, based on the requirements of modern...

Nursing intertrigo in the dog

Bacterial or yeast overgrowth is seen in skin fold areas because of the localised inflammation that occurs with skin fold abrasion. Microtrauma to the skin can occur purely through skin-to-skin...

Parasite risk assessments

There are five key stages to creating a parasite control plan:.

Spaying bitches: why, when, how?

In Sweden, until 2012 it was illegal to spay a bitch (other than for a medical reason). Although that law has now been slightly relaxed, a study during that time showed that approximately 25% of...

Advanced equine diagnostics — magnetic resonance imaging

Unlike many other imaging tools such as radiography and computed tomography, MRI does not use ionising radiation and therefore holds no known biological hazards. Although researched extensively, none...

Polycythaemia vera in cats: a patient care report

This report outlines a case of primary polycythaemia diagnosed in a 2.5-year-old female entire Domestic Short Hair cat following referral for a report of abnormal neurological behavioural signs....

A heart-breaking disease: how to prevent lungworm infection

Angiostrongylosis is notorious for its non-specific clinical manifestations, occasionally asymptomatic nature, and prolonged course—features that add complexity to the diagnosis of this disease....

Helping kittens to become confident cats—why they and their owners need the support of the veterinary team. Part 2: environmental effects and support

There are a number of pre- and post-natal environmental effects that can affect the kitten's capacity to develop emotional resilience to both the social and physical aspects of a domestic environment.

Appetite stimulants in chronic kidney disease

Understanding the mechanisms by which patients with CKD may experience abnormal appetite helps target awareness of clinical manifestations of disease. Uraemic toxins are sensed by the chemoreceptor...

Urethral obstruction in the male cat

Cats with urethral obstruction will typically show signs of urinary tract inflammation and discomfort. Signs may vary from mild to severe. Systemic signs are often not present until 24 hours after the...

An overview of debridement techniques

Debridement is defined as removal of a bioburden and foreign material from a wound (Welsh and Sumpling, 2015). Such material may be necrotic tissue, purulent material, haematomas, foreign bodies,...