Research

Assessing pain in rabbits: how well does the Rabbit Grimace Scale work in the veterinary practice?

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Background: Pain recognition in rabbits (Oryctolagous cuniculi) can be a challenging task for the registered veterinary nurse (RVN) and can often result in the delivery of suboptimal nursing care if pain goes undetected. Although the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) can assist in pain assessment, it is a tool that is currently underutilised in practice. Aims: The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of the RbtGS to assess if it is useful in the veterinary practice to improve rabbit...

Nursing implications of over-breeding brachycephalic canines, focusing on British and French Bulldogs

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Background: Within the veterinary field there are currently limited data on the role of registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) in improving the health...

Does meloxicam provide adequate pain management as a post-operative analgesic in canine ovariohysterectomy patients?

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Background: Meloxicam is an analgesic agent with anti-inflammatory properties, commonly used in veterinary practices to treat a variety of different...

A prospective cross-sectional survey of UK-based dog owners to explore canine handling intolerances and owner willingness to disclose these to veterinary professionals

Monday, March 2, 2020

Background: Canine handling intolerances (CHI) can be problematic for veterinary professionals (VPs), particularly when not disclosed by...

Stress and compassion fatigue in veterinary nurses in New Zealand

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Background: Stress and compassion fatigue are widely acknowledged as prevalent in workers in ‘caring’ roles, however this has not been widely...

Do owners administer inappropriate doses of anthelmintic based on an inaccurate perception of their horse's bodyweight?

Monday, December 2, 2019

Background: Inaccurate dosing and repeated administration of anthelmintic from the same drug class are indicated as factors associated with equine...

Hyperthyroidism in cats: should we be routinely testing for early diagnosis?

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Background: Routine testing for hyperthyroidism could become standard practice in all cats, before the onset of clinical signs. Aims: To describe...

Comparison of expectations between veterinarians and veterinary nurses in tasks and responsibilities in clinical practice

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Background: It is reported that expectations from veterinary nurses and veterinarians on the clinical tasks veterinary nurses undertake in practice...

An investigation of the prevalence of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction and burnout in those working in animal-related occupations using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) Scale

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Background: Animal-related occupational stress and compassion fatigue are important issues as they can have a negative impact on employee mental...

Which skin preparation technique is most effective to minimise bacterial contamination?

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Background: The risk of surgical site infections (SSI) can be addressed by removing organic matter which contains transient and resident flora from...

Investigating the use of non-contact infrared thermometers in cats and dogs

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Background: Non-contact infrared thermometers (NCIT) provide a quick, hands off method of monitoring patients' body temperature. There are now animal...