Practical

How to pressure check an anaesthetic machine

Intial machine checks should comprise:.

How to manage tracheostomy tubes

A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that involves creating an incision through the neck into the trachea. This allows the patient to breathe through a tube and also allows for easy access so that...

How to take blood pressure in a conscious cat

There are different ways to measure BP in cats, and most nurses will be restricted to what is available in practice. Only one relatively recent study has compared oscillometric and Doppler methods in...

How to calculate and manage constant rate infusions

If the drug is to be added to fluids running at a set rate, it is important to know:.

How to set up for intravenous fluid therapy

The VS will initially assess the patient by taking a history from the animal's owner, considering the main complaint or reason for presentation. A full physical clinical examination will be performed...

How to conduct a nurse-led senior clinic part 2 — patient assessment and diagnostic testing

Assessment of the senior patient may take a number of forms including:.

How to conduct a nurse-led senior clinic part 1 — preparation and planning

Improvements in nutrition, health care and management have led to many companion animals living to increasingly greater ages. Unfortunately the risk factors for developing a number of diseases...

How to manage indwelling feeding tubes in critically ill dogs and cats

Nasogastric (NG) or nasoesophageal (NE) feeding tubes are indicated in cases where short-term (< 7–10 days) assisted feeding is required and where general anaesthesia is contraindicated (Figure 1)...

How to provide nursing care to the surgical ophthalmic patient

Veterinary nurses need to think carefully about restraint in the ophthalmic patient (Figures 1 and 2). An inadvertent increase in intraocular pressure due to an elevation in venous pressure by, for...

How to prepare and position a horse for theatre

In emergency situations, there may not be time for all of the desirable pre-operative preparations. However, for elective procedures, the following should be carried out, although clipping is a matter...

How to obtain a blood sample in reptiles via venepuncture

There are several aspects to consider when taking a blood sample from a reptile: A safe sample is 10% of total blood volume in the healthy reptile. Reptile blood volume equates to around 5–8% of...

How to reduce the impact of firework season for owners of sound sensitive pets

Although the clinical case load of behaviourists alone suggests that large numbers of dogs suffer from sensitivity to noise, studies suggest that approximately 49% of the canine population are...