VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

Latest Episodes:

Pet peeves in veterinary medicine | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Dec 11, 2017

Show notes

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT and Dr. Garret Pachtinger, VMD, DACVECC review their top 10 pet peeves in veterinary medicine. Tune in to check out what peeves to avoid! Do you have any? Comment below!

An interview with a forensic veterinarian | Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Dec 04, 2017

Show notes

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM (VETgirl's internmate from the MSPCA-Angell Memorial Animal Hospital). She's an animal welfare expert and the President of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC. Many in the veterinary profession may not be aware of this job opportunity, which poses a unique way of protecting animals!

The prevalence of heartworm infection in cats | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Nov 27, 2017

Show notes

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the prevalence of heartworm disease in cats in the United States and Canada. Now, you may think that heartworm disease is pretty rare, depending on where you live (or practice), but you need to know about this disease. What clinical signs are seen with it? How do you diagnose it?

Dexmedetomidine versus xylazine as an emetic in cats | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Nov 20, 2017

Show notes

We all know how difficult it can be to make a cat vomit when we actually need for them to vomit. Veterinary emergency hospitals are encouraged to stock formulations of apomorphine for inducing emesis in dogs, but sadly this medication doesn’t seem to work in cats. The theorized reason behind the feline’s lack of robust emetic response to apomorphine stems from anatomical differences in their chemoreceptor trigger zone receptors where they are believed to favor more of the alpha-2 receptors over the dopamine receptor abundance that dogs exhibit. For this reason, most hospitals carry xylazine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist more commonly used in large animal anesthesia. However, if you’ve ever tried to make a cat vomit using xylazine, their response is variable and many will not vomit when appropriate doses are used. Clinically, I've always felt like it only works half the time in my poisoned cat patients!

Acute Lung Injury andamp; Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in dogs and cats | Dr. Deb Silverstein | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Nov 13, 2017

Show notes

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Deborah Silverstein, Associate Professor in Critical Care at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine on a study called Retrospective evaluation of the prevalence, risk factors, management, outcome, and necropsy findings of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome in dogs and cats: 29 cases (2011–2013). In this study, the authors evaluated dogs and cats with Acute Lung Injury (ALI) or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and assessed overall prevalence, treatment, and outcome of these critically ill patients.

Job opportunities available in veterinary medicine: Veterinary Careers with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Nov 06, 2017

Show notes

professional-development-practice-managementIn this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss other job opportunities available in veterinary medicine. If small animal, large animal, equine or mixed animal practice has you burnt out, know that you have opportunities in veterinary industry (e.g., pet food companies, veterinary pharmaceutic companies, etc.), teaching, consulting and even with the government. In this podcast, we interview Dr. Angela McIntyre, who works for the USDA FSIS on the front line of Food Safety.

Outcome and survival in dogs with sick sinus syndrome | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Oct 30, 2017

Show notes

In this VETgirl online veterinary CE podcast, we review the outcome and survival in dogs with sick sinus syndrome, a life-threatening bradyarrhythmia.

Cats are NOT Small Dogs | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Oct 23, 2017

Show notes

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the difference between dogs and cats in the veterinary setting. As the old saying goes… ”cats are not small dogs!” The question remains, what does that really mean? They can both be small. They can both be fluffy. Catch them at the wrong time and they can both bite! But what does it mean when we say, “cats are not small dogs”? What we are referring to is the medical response to disease as we compare our feline and canine patients. Our feline patients have unique physiologic responses to shock, medications, fluid therapy, and even neoplasia as compared to the canine patient. As a result, it is crucial that the veterinary team understands these unique feline characteristics!

Prediction of blood pressure based on peripheral pulse palpation in cats | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Oct 16, 2017

Show notes

How do you assess your feline patients for shock at the time of triage?

Aortic thrombotic disease in dogs | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts Oct 09, 2017

Show notes

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss aortic thrombotic disease (what we'll call ATD from now on). We know that patients with ATD develop this due to Virchow's Triad - the combination of vascular endothelial injury, altered blood coagulability and changes in blood flow. Common underlying causes resulting in vascular endothelial injury include trauma, dirofilarial infection, hypotension, vasculitis, inflammation, acidosis, hypoxemia, dextrose fluid administration, arteriosclerosis (more in humans), and immune mechanisms. Altered blood coagulability may be due to platelet dysfunction (or hyperfunction), or any factor along the coagulation cascade or fibrinolytic system that has gone awry. Lastly, changes in blood flow may be due to blood stasis (e.g., an enlarged atrium), compressive lesions, trauma, or turbulence.