Clinical

Parasites in the UK: trends and themes of 2020

No one could have predicted the hot topics for 2020. We expected a large focus on pet travel as Brexit agreements were confirmed and pet travel legislation was ironed out. The end of 2019 also saw the...

Otitis externa: a roundtable discussion

Otitis is a very common condition in veterinary practice, occurring in 15–20% of all canine and 4–7% of feline patients. It is one of the most challenging and frustrating diseases for veterinarians...

Vertebral fractures and luxations in dogs and cats, part 1: evaluation of diagnosis and prognosis

Veterinary literature discussing the exact outcome predictors for vertebral fractures and luxations is scarce. Nevertheless, information can be extrapolated from research on other spinal cord...

Rehabilitating the canine elbow: a practical guide

Clinical examination of an animal with forelimb lameness must consist of a thorough examination of all joints. Particular attention should be paid to the structures and stability of the shoulder...

A practical review of small intestinal anastomosis for the small animal practitioner

Application of Halsted's surgical principles can minimise the negative impact on the tissues for all surgeries and the small intestine is no exception. These are:.

Rehabilitation of the canine patient following spinal cord injury: a practical guide

It has been demonstrated that the use of rehabilitation therapy following spinal cord injury improves a patient's return to function, particularly if it is initiated in the first 2 weeks (Sumida et...

Parasite risks from raw meat-based diets for companion animals

Every owner is aware that fresh meat is appreciated by most dogs and cats, but so are many wet commercial foods. The smell, taste and shape of meat probably meets the instinctual need. In general,...

Anaesthesia of the patient with chronic kidney disease

In order to fulfil all its functions, each kidney filters a large amount of water and solutes from the blood, reabsorbing the substances needed and secreting the waste products into the convoluted...

Poisons affecting the skin

Detergents are very common household chemicals. They are found in a variety of cleaning products such as washing up liquids, toilet cleaners and fabric washing products and come in the form of...

Head trauma: treatment and diagnostic aids

The distinction between assessment, stabilisation, diagnosis and treatment is blurred as treatment should begin from the moment the patient enters the hospital and continue throughout the period that...

The gastrointestinal microbiome – what do we know now and what will we learn next?

Until relatively recently, traditional bacterial culture was commonly used to identify bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract, but it is now recognised that the vast majority of intestinal...

CPD article: How to perform venipuncture in avian patients

The decision of whether to sedate or anaesthetise the patient before taking blood depends on the condition of the patient, the nature (personality and risk to health and safety) of the patient, and...