Clinical

Gingivostomatitis: an update

The owners of a FCGS cat may bring their cat to a veterinary nurse (VN) dental clinic initially for some advice as they may have a few concerns, but they may not be fully aware of the extent of the...

Everyday parasites in companion animals

The everyday parasites that are already endemic within the pet animal population continue to pose diagnostic and control challenges for owners and veterinary professionals. Their control remains...

Safe delivery of anaesthetic agents in cats and rabbits

Supraglottic airway devices (SGADs) were developed for use in human anaesthesia to offer a simple and effective alternative to endotracheal intubation. SGADs are defined as devices that ventilate...

Improving patient safety in the perioperative period: surgical safety checklists

The operating room (OR) is acknowledged to be one of the most complex work environments in human health care, so it is perhaps unsurprising that it has such a high potential for complications...

Anaesthetic management of a patient undergoing dental extractions with concurrent congestive heart failure and advanced tracheal collapse

The patient was presented to the hospital for routine examination with a history of congestive heart failure (CHF) and advanced tracheal collapse. The owner reported recent exacerbation of the...

An introduction to developmental problems in puppy hood

The 19th and 20th century psychologists argued long and hard over the relative influences of nature and nurture on an individual's behaviour. The current consensus is that both the genetic background...

Control of gastrointestinal nematode species in horses: an evidence-based approach

In the past worm burdens have been attributed to the occurrence of colic in the horse (Proudman and Matthews, 2000) and with this disorder being of significant risk to the health of the horse, owners...

How does your practice store its stock?

‘Knowing that all stock is readily available, properly stored, and within date is even more vital when a veterinary practice runs an out of hours service?’.

Factors causing thrombophlebitis in horses: methods of prevention 2

In human research, a new self-disinfecting catheter hub (Figure 1) has been used; the Curos® Port Protector (Ivera Medical) is a simple, innovative, disposable infection prevention product intended...

The use and management of closed urinary catheters

Sedor and Mullholland (1999) explained that approximately 25% of human patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) have an IDUC placed in order to improve nursing care. They are thought to prevent urine...

Common arrhythmias: the importance of ECG interpretation

Before analysis of arrhythmias can begin, it is important to understand what a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) trace looks like, and just as importantly, why it looks that way (Figure 1). The normal,...

Nursing the head trauma patient

The brain is encased within the skull, which does not allow any room for inflammation or swelling. The skull cavity contains parenchymal tissue (the brain, 80% contents), blood (10%) and cerebrospinal...