Clinical

Figure 1. Hair loss on the limb of a cat during recovery following exposure to laundry detergent. The container had fallen from a work surface and spilled on the floor near where cats were sleeping. They had detergent on their legs and feet but were not treated promptly and developed chemical burns. One cat was euthanised with severe respiratory signs and the other recovered.

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...

Figure 1. Place cats in a raised location and cover carriers to ease stress (Picture courtesy of Swanbridge Veterinary Hospital).

Dos and don'ts for reducing feline anxiety in the veterinary environment

This article has demonstrated a number of practical strategies that can be easily adopted and implemented within the veterinary environment. By making small changes and anticipating the cat's...

Figure 10. Feline cowpox infection

Diagnosis in canine and feline dermatology

The approach to diagnosis is based upon completing the following steps:.

Figure 3. Contouring. The computed tomography images obtained during treatment simulation are imported by specialised software to contour organs at risk (eg brain – yellow line), and the tumour (red line). The pink line represents the planning target volume (ie the volume of tissue to receive the prescribed treatment dose). This volume includes the tissue affected by the cancer and an additional safety margin to account for potential variation associated with patient setup or internal movement of organs.

Radiation therapy in veterinary medicine: a practical review

Normal tissue cells, similarly to cancer cells, are susceptible to the damaging effects of ionising radiation (Ward, 1988; Stewart and Dorr, 2009; Hill and Bristow, 2013). The risk, type, and severity...

Figure 1. Alopecia and erythema on the ventral aspect of the neck of an English Bulldog. This dog had atopic dermatitis and presented with an acute flare.

Management of canine atopic dermatitis

Treatment of acute flares It is a recognised phenomenon that dogs with atopic dermatitis will suffer acute flares when exposed to an allergen to which they are hypersensitive (e.g. flea saliva,...

Figure 1. Onions and related plants (leeks, garlic, spring onions) can cause haemolytic anaemia in cats and dogs.

Poisons affecting the blood

Anaemia is a reduced number of red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood and there are three main causes, blood loss (from trauma, for example), decreased red blood cell production or increased red...

Figure 2. Unless also exposed to an enriched yet not over-stimulating environment, young animals will not benefit from remaining with their mothers for longer periods than would be normal.

COVID-19: implications of self-isolation and social distancing for the emotional and behavioural health of dogs

However, as infected dogs are unlikely to show signs of illness and until more is known about COVID-19, it should be assumed that COVID-19 may be transferrable via animals because of a degree of risk...

Figure 1. Rabbit position for endotracheal intubation. An assistant keeps the head and neck extended dorsally and cranially.

Basic principles of anaesthesia of small mammals: part 2

General anaesthesia in small mammals can be induced with inhalant anaesthetics, either by mask or in an induction chamber, or with injectable agents, particularly propofol and alfaxalone..

Figure 2. Oxygen supplementation, if required, should be carried out using a face mask.

The challenges of small animal veterinary anaesthesia in 2020

In modern veterinary practice, maintenance of anaesthesia is generally achieved using an inhalant agent (commonly isoflurane or sevoflurane) vaporised in oxygen and delivered via an anaesthetic...

Figure 1. Early atopic dermatitis in a pruritic dog with erythema of the ventral neck. Regular use of a topical soothing and emollient product could alleviate the pruritus and inflammation. This could reduce the need for more potent systemic medication, thereby reducing costs and the risk of adverse effects. There is no evidence of bacterial or Malassezia sp. infection, therefore an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal product is not required.

Topical therapy in canine atopic dermatitis: new products

There are three main factors to consider when choosing a topical therapy product. First, the active ingredients should be appropriate for the patient's skin condition. Next, the choice of the...

Skin on the streets — the eyes have it

There are exceptions to every rule, but many of the most common skin conditions have very characteristic distributions of skin lesions. As the dermatological disease process becomes more chronic the...

Anaesthetic complications and emergencies preparedness part 2: intraoperative and recovery period complications

Hyperthermia is a relatively uncommon complication of anaesthesia, with overall frequency of 1.4% in dogs and cats, according to McMillan and Darcy (2016). Thick-coated dogs are more at risk for this...