Vetgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

Today's VetGirl podcast is by Dr. Marie Holowaychuk, DACVECC. She discusses a multicenter prospective evaluation of dogs with trauma. This podcast will review trauma scoring with different scoring systems: animal trauma triage [ATT], modified Glasgow coma scale [MGCS], and acute patient physiologic and laboratory evaluation [APPLE]. More importantly, it'll review the usefulness of these scoring systems and see if they can predict outcome. Overall, this study found that the severity of injury (e.g., penetrating trauma), along with surgery and how low the blood lactate levels were helped predictf survival.

In this VetGirl podcast, we review a clinical case example of canine leptospirosis. Small dog from the city? Azotemic with increased liver enzymes? It's leptospirosis until proven otherwise? This podcast reviews a true case example of Darby, a 5 year old Papillon.

Today's VetGirl podcast is by Dr. Marie Holowaychuk, DACVECC. She discusses a published case report of a French bulldog with severe aspiration pneumonia post-ovariohysterectomy and brachycephalic surgery, only for it to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). She discusses the successful use of a unique type of ventilation called airway pressure release ventilation (with a reverse inspiratory to expiratory ratio). After two weeks on the ventilator, the dog did great! This podcast is vent-heavy and is a must-listen to for emergency critical care residents!

PaO2, SpO2, and end-tidal CO2, oh my!! Dr. Jane Quandt, DACVA, DACVECC explains all you need to know about these confusing abbreviations! Why should you care? Because it lets you assess your oxygenation and ventilation! Find out why you need to care (a lot!) when your pulse oximetry reading (SpO2) is only 90%!

In this VetGirl podcast, Dr. Catherine Lenox, DACVN discusses what you need to know about implementing a food trial in your veterinary patients or pets. So why do food trials? To rule out gastrointestinal disease or cutaneous adverse food reaction. Check out what you need to know and how long you need to food trial your patients for!

Fluid therapy

In this VetGirl podcast, we discuss Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration (SARDS), a condition in dogs in which total blindness occurs acutely, usually over days to weeks. Diagnosis of SARDS is made in cases of acute vision loss with an otherwise normal eye exam, and a flat-line electroretinogram (or ERG) recording is confirmatory. Multiple investigations into the pathogenesis of SARDS have failed to identify an underlying cause.1-4 The average age at diagnosis is about 8 years, and approximately 60% of cases are female dogs.5 The Dachshund, Miniature Schnauzer, and mixed-breed dogs are most commonly affected. 4 The blindness from SARDS is considered permanent, with no reported successful therapy.

In addition to blindness, about 40% of dogs with SARDS demonstrate systemic clinical signs of polyuria/polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight gain. These signs may develop prior to the onset of blindness, or shortly thereafter.5,6 Serum biochemical abnormalities including elevated cholesterol, AST, ALT, and ALP are

In today's VetGirl podcast, we'll discuss the prevalence and risk factors for growing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus -; what we'll call MRS from now on - from dogs with pyoderma. Clinically, what do we see with dogs that have a superficial pyoderma? Classic lesions include pustules, papules, epidermal collarettes, and crusts.

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In this VetGirl podcast, we review treatment for canine leptospirosis, including aggressive intravenous (IV) fluid therapy, appropriate antibiotic therapy, gastrointestinal support, supportive care, and monitoring.

Questions? You can always contact us via our Contact Us page.

In this VetGirl podcast, we review the clinicopathologic testing for leptospirosis. The diagnosis of canine leptospirosis is based on clinical suspicion, clinical signs, and clinicopathologic results consistent with leptospirosis. Clinicopathologic findings consistent with leptospirosis include the presence of: neutrophilia, a left shift, lymphopenia, a mild to moderate non-regenerative anemia, hemoconcentration (seen with dehydration), hemolysis (seen with cattle), thrombocytopenia (seen in up to 58% of dogs), azotemia (seen in > 80-90% of dogs), increased liver enzymes (including increases in ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin; these changes are almost always seen with concurrent azotemia with leptospirosis), electrolyte abnormalities (e.g., hypokalemia, hyponatremia, hypochloridemia, hyperphosphatemia), and increased creatinine kinase. Additional findings consistent with leptospirosis include isosthenuria, bilirubinuria, hematuria, glucosuria, proteinuria, and evidence of coagulopathy (e.g., increased f

Today's VetGirl podcast features Dr. Craig Webb, PhD, DVM, DACVIM of Colorado State University, who discusses his research supported by Morris Animal Foundation on the use of probiotics in cats. Do probiotics survive the gastric acid, and should you be using veterinary probiotics versus what's over-the-counter? Do they play a role in gastrointestinal disease? Tune into this VetGirl podcast for more info!

In this VETgirl podcast, we interview Dr. Stacee Santi of Vet2Pet on the importance of veterinary apps for pet owners and clients. Think you need one? Listen to this podcast to find out if it's worth the investment for your clinic!

Today's VetGirl podcast is on food trials. I'm particularly passionate about this podcast since my own pit bull just went on his first ever food trial. Not knowing anything about dermatology, I learned quite a bit from our VetGirl dermatology expert, Dr. Amy Haarstad. So, today's podcast is going to focus on food trials… and whether or not it's appropriate to use over the counter foods as dietary elimination trials!

In this VetGirl podcast, we review the transmission and clinical signs seen from canine leptospirosis. When it comes to leptospirosis, there are both saprophytic and pathogenic leptospires. Pathogenic leptospires are shed from renal tubules of both domestic and wild animals, and can remain viable in the soil and environment for weeks to months. That said, leptospires are inactivated by UV radiation and freezing. Infection can also occur through intact mucous membranes or abraded skin with direct or indirect exposure to urine. Rarely, leptospirosis can be transmitted via bite wound, ingestions of infected tissue (e.g., eating raw meat), or by venereal or placental transfer).

In this VetGirl blog, we review the basics about leptospirosis, a thin, motile spirochete with a hook-shaped end that results in zoonotic disease in veterinary medicine. With canine leptospirosis, infection with certain serovars are thought to be associated with certain types and severities of clinical disease, although this is not definitive (Goldstein et al). L. pomona appears to result in more severe renal disease and worse outcome (50% as compared to 78-81%) as compared to other serogroups (Goldstein et al).

Pronunciation help from Dr. Ashleigh Newman!

In this VetGirl podcast, we interview Dr. Greg Lisciandro, DABVP, DACVECC about ultrasound techniques in small animal medicine.