Vet Times

Tag: anaesthesia

  • Twenty years too late?

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    I recently paused to think about what I was doing (which is always fatal) and realised I was drowning in paper. I was looking after seven in-patients, all in various stages of recovery. Each patient had a set of computer records where the narrative of their stay and invoicing were kept, while the hour-by-hour notes…

  • I blame the NHS

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    A couple of articles have been brought to my attention this week regarding the public perception of vets versus the reality. When somebody finds out that you want to be a vet or are studying veterinary medicine, there are a few arduous questions that usually follow: “Is it seven years at university for that?” “It’s…

  • How to examine a patient’s rima glottidis for suspected laryngeal paralysis

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    Anaesthesia normally depresses laryngeal movements, making diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis challenging. The animal should be anaesthetised to the point at which the mouth can be easily opened but a laryngeal reflex is still present. If jaw tone is such that you are afraid of being bitten during the examination, then the plane of anaesthesia is…

  • Causes and treatment of regurgitation after surgery

    Causes and treatment of regurgitation after surgery

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    The most common cause of regurgitation is reflux of acid from the stomach into the oesophagus while the patient is under anaesthesia. Acidic fluid can provoke oesophagitis. This results in poor motility of the oesophagus, therefore water and food will accumulate in this structure. In most cases, oesophagitis is self-eliminating and will resolve within two…

  • eCPD is harder than you might think

    eCPD is harder than you might think

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    I am just coming to the end of a six-week course run online by the Royal Veterinary College on anaesthesia and analgesia. I needed a brush-up and it’s pretty much fundamental to every practising vet’s skill set. Integral to the course are the discussion forums where participants discuss cases both from “real life” and the…

  • It takes balls to neuter

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    As graduates, one of the most routine surgeries that we will be expected to be competent at is neutering. As students, when on work experience or EMS, we will have seen at least one of these procedures a day at small or mixed practices… often more. But routine does not necessarily mean easy, simple or…

  • Chocolate, tea and respect

    Chocolate, tea and respect

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    I’m getting old. I can see that. People greet me not by saying “you look great” but by saying “you’re getting greyer”. The worst part of that is not that it’s rude, but that they seem to think it’s funny. I’ve been in this profession a long time, and I have seen quite a bit.…

  • Positioning rabbits for general anaesthesia

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    When positioning a rabbit for general anaesthesia, place the rabbit on an incline so the head end is slightly higher than the tail.