Raquel M.
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Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 11/04/2025 - 18:00
Thanks for the kind words 🙂. Ok that’s all good advice and yes please let me know if you ever come upon any concrete evidence. Would be an interesting retrospective study.
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 28/03/2025 - 20:08
Thanks Scott! That’s very helpful to know and I’ll certainly work on educating clients with high risk dogs on this more 🙂
Do you know of any other evidence based advice that can be helpful for clients? I’ve seen a client drill holes into balls that their dog plays with in the hope that if it gets stuck that air can still pass through it. Definitely not fool proof but I can see some do the reasoning behind it.
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 02/04/2025 - 13:26
Yes I did ! It was amazing and I can’t wait to do more. I need to rewatch and write my notes. I’m so grateful you have this option for us foreign vets! 🙂
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 28/03/2025 - 20:16
Thanks very much as always! I’ll keep you updated : )
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 25/03/2025 - 11:56
Is it also helpful to have the owner monitor pH at home? I’ve had some owners do that so I can tell what the average pH is throughout the day.
Also would you recommend screening radiographs also? I recommend that because she’s an older dog also so added bonus to help catch other changes in organs earlier. Let me know what you think because I like to offer spectrum of care approaches also if owners need it. Especially because we don’t have pet insurance on island. Also gives the owner more buy-in I find if they have an input in decision making : )
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 25/03/2025 - 11:56
Thanks as always Scott! This canine patient I have did have infection induced struvite. The lab cultures a staph (aureus from memory) as the predominant bacteria.
She presented with a history of dysuria for 2 years prior! So I would consider her high risk for forming more struvite.
She has her cystotomy a few weeks ago and has been on Hill’s CD wet food since.
Thanks for the advice as always! To manage costs better we have the option to use a human lab(on island)to culture and run the sensitivity. I counsel the owners that the antibiotics choices would be limited to human versions.
Can you foresee any other limitations using the human lab on island to culture? Could they potentially miss certain types of bacteria that aren’t common in people?
I’ve not had any issues but was curious on your thoughts about this.
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 22/03/2025 - 16:54
You’re welcome! Yes it’s been the journey in my career for sure working in different countries. I’ve worked in the UK also 🙂 I went from a country where parvovirus, e. Canis and leptospirosis were diseases I encountered all the time to never seeing a case of them when I spent a year at a practice in South London and a 5 week locum stint in South Yorkshire.
Yes it would be due to the thrombocytopenia so that is great advice.
I have had cases where the 4dx snap test gives a postive to e. Canid but the animal is non-clinical and no changes on cbc so that’s really good advice.
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 20/03/2025 - 20:55
Thank you 🙂
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 20/03/2025 - 12:22
That’s a great idea! Does your clinic or have you seen clincis charge for that or not? And is it with a nurse or vet and does that change whether it’s charged for?
I’ve recommended Aerokat to clients when I was in the UK. I can’t remember now if I had any issues with it or how many clients actually followed it. That was when I was working for 1 year in London. I haven’t seen that many cases here in Cayman Islands so far but I do have an acquaintance that was having difficulty with the inhaler and I sent him resources that I found online from other vet resources. I do like that there has been research done to support what may work. I think having it demonstrated in the clinic would make it easier for clients to buy into it. Not always easy for the vet to do when we’re buy with consults and short on time but would be a great idea for a nurse consult.
Hi Scott,
Is there a recording available for this?
I haven’t noticed increased clotting tendencies. I have anecdotally thought that some heartworm positive dogs may bleed a bit more during surgery.
In the country where I’m from, ehrlichiosis canis is extremely common. I worked at a charity/low cost clinic and screening wasn’t the standard prior to gonadectomy but I did have discussions about doing that. It wasn’t common during a surgery when a dog was bleeding more than usual that we would test during the surgery and detect E.canis and continue the surgery and start them on treatment-doxycycline. Again it was very low cost in a small country so I learnt to work with what was available and using spectrum of care approaches that wouldn’t work in every setting or to the comfort level of every vet! Often these dogs were asymptomatic or had vague clinical signs but healthy enough for elective surgery.
E.canis is very rare on island now but that’s one that I would most definitely prefer to screen for in endemic areas prior to surgery. Have you heard of any studies related to benefits of screening prior to elective procedures for tick borne disease?
This was super helpful. Thanks very much for posting! I’ll have a look at the full article as well. I’m working in an endemic area for heartworm in the Caribbean. I studied in UK and where I’m from originally, heartworm isn’t common but it’s very common in the Cayman Islands for sure!
I don’t routinely test beforehand for surgery in dogs that are on a regular preventative or with clinical signs -coughing etc. For dogs that aren’t up to date with or without clinical signs then I do prefer to test. Unless they are showing significant clinical signs or cardiac changes that I feel will increase anesthetic risk then a positive result prior to an elective gonadectomy in an asymptomatic dog wouldn’t deter me from doing the surgery if I have informed consent and the owner agrees.
For advanced disease then I avoid any elective anesthesia. I would also want to avoid elective surgery if the heartworm treatment protocol has started, whether or not there are clinical signs, and wait until after treatment finishes for safety. I remember seeing this recommendation on VIN I believe but not sure there are any studies to guide on that?
Replying to Laura S. 18/03/2025 - 14:52
Hi Laura,
Yes I do also. I think mainly it depends on the client and how receptive they are. It can be hard to track how well they are implementing changes also. It does require consult time to discuss and go through everything and I like handouts also. I’m not familiar with that quote or the resource it’s from but I do like it! I think it’s helpful if everyone in the clinic says the same thing to the client to reiterate but that’s not always the case. As associate vets we don’t often have control over that so I try to do the best I can but it’s frustrating for sure if some clients don’t want to listen. I give them the resources and I accept that it’s out of my control what they choose to follow or listen to in the short term or long term.
Replying to scott@vtx-cpd.com 25/02/2025 - 14:04
You know I’ve had some cats that wouldn’t take the hydracare but others that really love it. I will say due to the need to import it to maximize use I often tell clients to give one pouch SID, regardless of size. Which isn’t following the directions but at least it’s easier for them to stay on it consistently. I like that it can be purchased online over the counter and it does no harm. It’s easier than SQ fluids for most clients of course to do at home. I haven’t kept up with all of the research to show it’s benefits.
I’ve even known some vets to use it in dogs as well.
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