Human ivermectin exposure

Ivermectin is a veterinary antiparasitic medication for domestic animals. Two cases of human exposure to veterinary preparations of ivermectin are reported. Patient number one accidentally self-injected ivermectin and developed nausea, pallor, and transient pain and numbness in the affected extremity. Patient number two, a 4-year-old child, ingested an unknown amount of the paste preparation and remained asymptomatic. As ivermectin is being used with increasing frequency in veterinary medicine, more human exposures may be anticipated.     

Behavioural first aid for elderly cats and dog

ABSTRACT:

Ageing is part of life and, as veterinary care improves, we can expect to see increasing numbers of elderly pets being presented at veterinary practices. Care of the geriatric pet has become a major part of the veterinary nurse's role, with many practices running nurse-led geriatric clinics. Despite this, owners remain reticent to present the older pet – concerned that any visit to the practice may be the last – leading to many elderly pets living in discomfort and depleted welfare. As in so many cases, behavioural changes can be the first signs of physical problems and the veterinary nurse plays a vital role in identifying the elderly dog that requires support.     

Entropion surgery – a nurse's viewpoint

ABSTRACT:

There are many conditions which affect the eye and require surgery. Often these procedures require specialised equipment and the veterinary nurse may need specialised knowledge to assist the veterinary surgeon. Implementing some small changes in your approach to dealing with ophthalmic cases can make a positive difference to their outcome. Abnormal conformation of the eyelids is one of the most common eyelid problems encountered in small animal practice. For this reason I have concentrated here on entropion surgery as the patient undergoing this procedure requires special attention from the veterinary nurse at many different stages throughout.     

Nutrition of Snakes,Lizards and Tortoises

It is well known that when an animal dies, either at the surgery or in the community, the veterinary nurse is in the front line. In many cases it falls upon the nurse to give support to the distressed owner and cope with all the traumas surrounding the death. Just how you cope with this pressure depends very much on a number of factors: the circumstances of the death, the practice policy, your training in how to cope with bereavement (or lack of it), the individual owner and so on. Whatever, it is now recognised that in most cases losing an animal is a terrible trauma for an owner, and a great deal of care has to be given to the way in which the veterinary team is seen to deal with this side of their work.     

Veterinary nursing: from practice to teaching

Abstract

Considering a move into teaching is something that many veterinary nurses contemplate. However, a lack of understanding regarding what exactly the role entails may prevent them from taking it any further. This article will detail the journey of an RVN from practice to teaching and a subsequent managerial role within a large veterinary nursing teaching institution.     

Care of Patients Undergoing Cataract Removal

Your skill as a veterinary nurse in dealing with difficult clients can make the difference between an animal receiving proper care or going home untreated. Pet owners are notoriously emotional about their pets who offer them company and unconditional love even at their worst moments. Owners may feel extra protective of their pets in a veterinary surgery. Veterinary nurses are in the ‘front line’, and commonly have to deal with aggressive, emotional or irrational clients. Here, Alison Hudd describes various methods for coping with such clients, and explains how veterinary nurses can make a real difference just by taking the time to talk and trying to understand.     

Working with a Microscope

Active clinical teaching may seem like a lot of work in a busy veterinary practice. It is, however, a vital component of veterinary nursing training. Here, Libby Earle outlines some ways in which assessors and qualified veterinary nurses who work with students can positively enhance their teaching skills     

Guide for new head nurses

In 400 BC, Hippocrates recommended, “Let what you eat be your first medicine.” So it seems strange that clinical nutrition is still regarded as a fairly new concept in modern veterinary practice. We all know that when we are tired, in pain or unwell, we may not want to eat but, when encouraged to do so, we usually start to feel better much faster. Following research and development conducted in recent decades at veterinary universities and referral centres, there is now a considerable body of clinical proof that dietary management has a significant beneficial effect and should be an integral part of the management of many conditions seen in veterinary practice.     

Men at Work (In a Female-Dominated Profession)

ABSTRACT:

There is a movement away from the leadership of an organisation being dominated by those who are in formal positions of authority and an acknowledgement that staff members at all levels of experience and qualification can be leaders within their own area of expertise. This article will outline four key leadership behaviours that frontline veterinary nurses may use to practise and develop leadership skills, potentially benefitting their own professional development, the practice team, the individual and ultimately the veterinary nursing profession.     

Meconium impaction in the equine neonate

ABSTRACT:

Meconium impaction is a common condition that affects the equine neonate and often requires immediate veterinary attention. This article highlights the role of the veterinary nurse in assisting the veterinary surgeon with the diagnosis of this condition through the use of digital palpation, radiography and ultrasonography, and providing treatments such as enemas, analgesic medications and fluid therapy. Occasionally, despite the best efforts of the vet and the veterinary nurse, the neonate may require hospital referral for intensive care and/or surgical intervention.     

Therapy of Melanin Hyperpigmentation

Hydrocortisone is effective in therapy of hyperpigmentation associated with adrenal hypofunction. It is also of value in pigmentary disorders attending pruritic dermatitis. Adrenal function is normal in the latter cases. Excessive melanocytestimulating hormone may be responsible for the hyperpigmentation.

Chloasma must be evaluated carefully before therapy is attempted. A punch biopsy provides useful information on pigment formation. Active chloasma lesions must not be removed. Hydroquinone is the best bleaching agent available. Red veterinary petrolatum is a highly effective sunscreen. In all cases of hyperpigmentation, exposure to sunlight should be avoided.     

Fact Sheet: Processing Radiographs

The darkroom may not be the most pleasant of places, even if you have an automatic processor, but radiography is an integral part of veterinary practice. It is important to have an understanding of the process that turns a sheet of photographic film into a diagnostic radiograph     

Career File 10: Veterinary Sales Representative

It was spring 1976, I was 29 years old and my career was about to change direction. It was quite a transition—I began training as a veterinary nurse at the age of 17, practised as a veterinary nurse and married a veterinary surgeon before considering becoming a veterinary pharmaceuticals sales representative. In August that year (in the middle of a heatwave) I collected my shiny red, Mark 3 Cortina, stationery and product samples, and hit the road and an unsuspecting veterinary profession.     

Application of the diagnostic evaluation for alopecia in traditional veterinary species to laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Alopecia in nonhuman primates in the biomedical research setting is often attributed to compromised psychologic wellbeing. Behavioral causes, mainly hair plucking, have become the unconfirmed and exclusive default diagnosis, and the possibility that alopecia may be secondary to a primary medical or dermatologic disease is often overlooked. Although nonbehavioral causes of alopecia in nonhuman primates are described in the literature, few prospective hypothesis-based studies have investigated medical and behavioral etiologies concurrently. We therefore undertook such a study with the aim of designing a clinical diagnostic guide for approaching cases of nonhuman primate alopecia. Because most cases of alopecia in nonhuman primates in the literature and at our facility are not associated with a definitive diagnosis, the hypothesis we tested was that the well-established diagnostic evaluation for alopecia used for traditional veterinary species is not applicable to nonhuman primates. Discounting differences in histopathology and behavioral assessment, the current study revealed few clinically relevant significant differences between nonhuman primates with and without alopecia. As a result, our hypothesis was confirmed, and we conclude that the standard dermatologic diagnostic plan typically described for alopecia diagnosis in traditional veterinary species and used as the basis for assessment of alopecia in nonhuman primates should be reassessed.     

Say what you see – or don’t: how labelling patients might influence their welfare

Animal welfare is a complex and often emotive subject, but one that many veterinary professionals care deeply about. However, sometimes we ourselves can actually be barriers to optimising patient welfare. This article looks at some common practices that occur within veterinary clinics and evaluates the potential impacts of our own human behaviour and biases on delivering good patient welfare within the veterinary clinic. It explores how the language we use, the way we perceive the world and the way we interact with our patients may inadvertently influence their behaviour and in turn impact upon their welfare.     

Management of chronic pain in rabbits: Don’t pull your ‘hare’ out!

ABSTRACT: Rabbits may be the third most popular pet; however, 35% of rabbit owners are not registered with a veterinary practice. This means that recognition of chronic pain disorders in these patients is particularly challenging. Musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and lumbar spondylosis are common problems seen in rabbits. When it comes to management or palliative care for chronic cases there is so much Veterinary Surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses can do to improve the welfare of rabbits suffering from chronic pain conditions. This article aims to address a few of these points.     

Case report: Discussion of the nurse’s role in a case of radiographically diagnosed nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

Abstract

Veterinary nurses are often involved in diagnostic imaging procedures. In the quest to obtain images which the veterinary surgeon may use to further a diagnosis, it must be remembered that the patient in question requires dedicated care throughout the process. Discussion of the case with the attending veterinary surgeon (VS) allows for an understanding of the suspected disease process and enables the nurse to tailor the care to the individual patient. It is also essential to be aware of the health and safety requirements involved and a brief refresher is included in this article.     

Going Back to the Wild

Developments in veterinary science mean that effective treatments may be administered to wildlife casualties. But that is only the beginning of the story. Rehabilitation of recovered wild animals is as reliant on good veterinary nursing techniques as ever. Here, Jackie Belle discusses the practicalities of capturing, housing and releasing wild animals, and touches on the wider conservation issues     

Getting started with your veterinary nursing dissertation: what can I research?

This article aimed to give student veterinary nurses undertaking an honours research project (HRP) some ideas for how they might identify a suitable topic to research. It started from the premise that the final-year honours degree dissertation project is an exciting opportunity for veterinary nursing students to contribute to the history of veterinary nursing through innovation in the discipline and thus should be embraced. A range of tips for topic identification were outlined, including finding a topic area, searching tips to get the student veterinary nurse started and prospects for building on previous student ideas and projects.