NEUROLOGY: The paralysed dog: the nurse’s view - Friday 9 April, 10:20 - 11:50
■ Thomas Gödde DrMedVet DipECVN
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A paralysed dog imposes a great challenge on owners, veterinary surgeons and – most of all – on the veterinary nurse. This Nursing Masterclass will provide an overview of neuroanatomy and pathophysiology of spinal diseases, allowing the participant to establish a profile of the paralysed patient, communicate with owners and veterinary surgeons, plan transport and schedule an appropriate date for clinical examination, or organize referral of the patient. Furthermore, management of the paralysed patient during in-house work-up will be covered, with special reference to proper positioning for spinal radiography. An outline of routine daily nursing care of paralysed patients and associated medical problems, including drug therapy and physiotherapeutic strategies during the recovery period of a paralysed patient, will also be presented.
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NEPHROLOGY: Long-term management of renal failure in cats - Friday 9 April, 14:25 - 15:55
■ Hattie Syme BSc BVetMed PhD FHEA DipACVIM DipECVIM MRCVS
This session will focus on those aspects of patient management where veterinary nurses are likely to be involved. The care of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in hospital will be discussed briefly, but the session will focus on the chronic out-patient management of these cats. Areas to be covered will include optimal nutritional management (what diet to feed, improving patient acceptance and the use of feeding tubes) and measurement of blood pressure. This Nursing Masterclass will be accessible to all veterinary nurses familiar with small animal practice but is particularly suited to those involved in running nursing clinics.
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ENDOCRINOLOGY: Diabetic challenges – case studies - Friday 9 April, 17:00 - 18:30
■ Jane Eastwood MA VetMB DVR DSAM FHEA MRCVS
Diabetes is a common endocrine disease and successful management relies on a team approach. In most cases, the clinical signs are managed rather than the underlying disease being cured, and therefore the need to consider long-term management is paramount. Maximising veterinary nurse involvement with diabetic patients should be immensely rewarding for all concerned: nurse, owner, pet and veterinary surgeon – not necessarily in that order! This Nursing Masterclass will use case studies to highlight aspects of diabetic management, including: adjusting insulin dose using blood glucose curves; nursing priorities in managing diabetic crises, including ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia; dealing with complications such as blindness and urinary tract infections; and the role of concurrent disease in challenging cases exhibiting insulin resistance. This session should appeal to nurses who currently run diabetes clinics or might wish to do so, as well as those with a particular interest in medical nursing.
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