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Dexmedocord is a dexmedetomidine 0.5 mg/ml solution for injection for dogs and cats and is available through all major UK veterinary wholesalers.
It is indicated in cats and dogs for non-invasive, mildly to moderately painful procedures and examinations requiring restraint, sedation and analgesia.
In dogs, it is also indicated for deep sedation and analgesia in concomitant use with butorphanol for medical and minor surgical procedures, and as a premedication in dogs and cats before induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia.
Dexmedetomidine is the active dextrorotatory enantiomer of medetomidine.
Bob Ferguson, Director of Animal Health at Accord Animal Health, said: "Veterinary practices need trusted products backed by accessible pricing and reliable supply."
"Dexmedocord marks an important milestone as our first POM-V pharmaceutical launch in the UK and reflects the established expertise and strong heritage in high-quality pharmaceuticals that we bring through the wider Accord group."
accordanimalhealth.com
Krka says Robexera injectable acts within an hour, has a 24-hour duration and that its high COX-2 selectivity reduces wider systemic impact.1
The company says that in cats, the perioperative case is particularly strong, pointing to research which it says showed robenacoxib to have the best proven safety profile in cats of all NSAIDs.1
Krka adds that it is also highly effective in reducing post-operative pain, with evidence of superior efficacy to meloxicam,2 and a proven anaesthetic-sparing effect during feline surgery.3
Will Ridgway, Head of Animal Health at Krka UK, said: “Practices want product assurance and commercial value. As a bioequivalent to the originator product,4 Robexera injectable delivers both."
https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/productinformationdatabase/files/SPC_Documents/SPC_3090863.PDF
References
The group said the funding has enabled all of its practices to access equipment including capnography and multiparameter monitors, alongside a structured training programme and a “low-flow anaesthesia” care framework.
So far, IVC practices have taken delivery of over 500 pieces of equipment and IVC says thousands of clinicians have downloaded the digital training and resources.
The project is designed to overcome three main barriers to adoption that IVC has identified: awareness, equipment availability and clinical confidence, with a focus on empowering Registered Veterinary Nurses and supporting change management at a practice level.
IVC says emissions from anaesthetic procedures can account for around 30% of the carbon emissions of a typical veterinary practice, and that low-flow anaesthesia reduces the environmental impact while maintaining or improving patient safety1.
In particular, IVC points to three main areas in the literature where there can be patient benefits from using low-flow: smoother inductions and frequently reduced recoveries; reduced risk of hypothermia; and warmed and humidified gases can further reduce hypothermia risk and, due to airway benefits, reduce the likelihood of other complications2.
Richard Hooker, Country Medical Director said: “By investing in state-of-the-art equipment, comprehensive training, and ongoing support, we are empowering our teams to deliver sustainable anaesthesia with confidence and safety. This commitment ensures we continue to provide the highest standard of care for our patients.”
Is low flow worth it? Discuss here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/b/veterinary-nursing-news/posts/ivc-evidensia-invests-500-000-to-support-adoption-of-more-sustainable-low-flow-anaesthesia
Bethany said: “I have always wanted to provide the best care for my patients and support my team in their work too.
This qualification was the next step in that and thinking of my patients and peers was really the inspiration for me.
“At work I received invaluable help to get my VTS and was able to access Linnaeus’ enhanced support package for my studying.
"It included mentors and help from nurses in the central support team along with study time, extra CPD allowances and networking.
“It was great to work alongside others aiming for the same thing, and to have the support from my employer.”
She added: “Having a better understanding of anaesthesia allowed me to better support patients through procedures and nurse them.”
The qualification took around two years to complete, with hours of training, work and exams.
Bethany added: “To even begin the application process, you must have worked in the discipline for five years, have 40 hours of CPD in the speciality and had two letters of recommendation from a specialist.
“The qualification is two years, with a casebook to complete, four case reports and two exams.
"It’s been hard work but it’s definitely worth it.”
The researchers’ objective was to determine whether dogs with intracranial space occupying lesions (iSOLs) on MRI, or MRI-determined indicators of intracranial hypertension (ICH) had higher sedation scores with a more rapid onset of recumbency after the administration of IV butorphanol than dogs without intracranial disease.
They hypothesised that 0.2 mg kg-1 of butorphanol administered intravenously would result in statistically significantly higher sedation scores and quicker onset of recumbency in dogs with MRI-iSOL and MRI-ICH.
For the observational study: 'The sedative effect of intravenous butorphanol in dogs with intracranial space occupying lesions or indicators of intracranial hypertension', 53 dogs presented for a brain MRI.
Each dog was sedated with 0.2 mg kg-1butorphanol IV, and the quality of sedation and the onset of recumbency were scored before drug administration and every 5 minutes after administration for 15 minutes using a modified sedation scale.
The maximum sedation score was 18, and onset of recumbency was recorded when a dog lay down without the ability to stand.
Dogs with MRI-iSOL had significantly higher median sedation scores than dogs without MRI-iSOL (12 versus 5 respectively) 15 minutes after butorphanol administration (T15, p < 0.01).
A greater number of dogs with MRI-ICH achieved recumbency (n = 9/10; 90%) than those without MRI-ICH (n = 20/43; 46.5%; p = 0.01).
Emma Sansby, Resident in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, who led the research, said: “When intracranial disease is suspected, the administration of butorphanol as a premedicant for anaesthesia could be used to predict the presence of MRI-iSOL and MRI-ICH.
"If a dog becomes recumbent or has a sedation score of more than 10 within 15 minutes of butorphanol administration, the animal should be treated with an anaesthesia protocol adapted to the presence of ICH – so as not to increase intracranial pressure.
“These adaptations include but are not limited to; adequate preoxygenation - to prevent hypoxaemia and elevation of the head to no more than 30 degrees; preventing increases in central venous pressure - by avoiding jugular compression and avoiding excessive intraabdominal and intrathoracic pressure; and a smooth anaesthetic induction - ensuring an adequate depth of anaesthesia prior to tracheal intubation to prevent the cough reflex and judicious mechanical ventilation to enable a low-normal end-tidal carbon dioxide.”
Reference
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
Given that vapocoolant is effective immediately, compared to EMLA cream which is recommended to be applied 60 minutes beforehand, the study suggests that in dogs at least, vapocoolant may be the better option in practice.
For the study, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College assessed 83 dogs and 18 cats requiring intravenous catheterisation for either blood donation collection or as oncology patients.
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either EMLA cream or a swab saturated with vapocoolant spray (Ethycalm / Invicta Animal Health) applied before catheterisation, and their reactions were assessed during initial restraint, limb handling, swab application and skin puncture.
Overall, there was no significant difference between vapocoolant spray and EMLA cream, and neither method appeared better at improving patient tolerance of intravenous catheter placement.
Vapocoolant spray was less effective than EMLA cream in reducing adverse reactions to skin puncture during catheterisation in cats, suggesting that EMLA may be preferable for feline patients.
Dogs that received vapocoolant spray showed a greater adverse response during swab application compared to those receiving EMLA, possibly due to the coldness of the swab.
Success of intravenous catheter placement was identical for both anaesthetics.
Dr Richie Trinder, lead author of the study, said: “The study is the first of its kind comparing vapocoolant spray and EMLA, and suggests in this context that the use of vapocoolant spray provides a similar degree of relief as EMLA, but with the added advantage of being instantaneous, instead of needing to wait the recommended 60 minutes for EMLA.”
The clinic will be led by Oscar Bautista MRCVS (pictured), a European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
It will offer an individualised approach for patients with chronic pain (such as osteoarthritis, neck, back and facial pain) and those suffering nerve or muscular pathologies, cancer pain, neuropathic pain or pain associated with certain neurological conditions.
Treatments may include adjustments to medications, acupuncture, lifestyle modifications or referrals to other Specialists and therapists.
Oscar said: “Many cats and dogs will experience pain - especially as many animals are now living longer. And we are aware that some cases can be very challenging to diagnose and treat, when both the local vet and owner have attempted various different therapies and are getting desperate.
“These difficult cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and the right treatment provided - as instigating early management can help to reduce and regulate pain.
“So we are very pleased to be able to open our new Pain Management Clinic. With our specialist facilities and equipment - along with our depth knowledge multidisciplinary approach - we hope that it will provide an essential service for cat and dog owners in the Northwest.”
https://www.mvsvets.co.uk
Francesca's initiative was recognised with a RCVS Knowledge ‘Highly Commended’ status at its 2024 awards.
The idea for the audit came about after Francesca noticed a trend for patients to become hypotensive during anaesthesia for routine feline neutering and need additional treatment.
CVS says clinical evidence suggests a minimum value of 60mmHg for perfusion of vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys.
So a clinical audit was undertaken to look at perioperative blood pressure in both cats and dogs having routine neutering procedures.
The target was for patients to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure of 60mmHg during their anaesthetic.
The animals chosen for auditing were to be classed ASA 1 and under 5 years old.
They received a pre-operative health check including a blood pressure reading to ensure they were normotensive.
A first audit looked at a standard premedication protocol of ACP at a dose rate of 0.02mg/kg combined with methadone at a dose rate of 0.3mg/kg.
A second audit initiated a change to the pre-medication drugs, using 0.005mg/kg medetomidine combined with the same dose of methadone.
Both received anaesthesia induction with Propoflo at a dose rate of 6mg/kg for cats and 4mg/kg for dogs.
All patients under anaesthetic were maintained using isoflurane and kept at a surgical plane of anaesthesia appropriate for that patient.
The patients were monitored throughout their surgical procedure using an oscilliometric monitoring machine - for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure – and measurements recorded on an anaesthetic chart.
The collected data revealed that in the first audit, where patients received ACP and methadone, 42% (50% of cats and 38% of dogs) had a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg after the first five blood pressure readings post induction.
In the second audit, with medetomidine combined with methadone, only 11% of patients (0% of cats and 15% of dogs) with a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg.
In addition to the reduction in hypotensive patients during anaesthesia when the medetomidine/methadone combo was used, Francesca says the audit suggests a link to hypotension with ACP used as a premedication in anaesthetised patients.
Francesca said: “My passion in veterinary nursing is anaesthesia. And there is always room for improvement and striving to achieve gold standard care.
“These results clearly show that a change from our current premedication protocol of ACP and Methodone to Medetomidine and Methadone decreased the number of patients having hypotension during anaesthesia. The change means fewer patients were at risk of developing the side effects associated with hypoperfusion of the vital organs.
“Our quality improvement initiative has made a really positive impact in practice for both patient care and clinical team.”
The Big Pain Survey is designed to identifying opportunities to help veterinary professionals improve their patient pain management and take a zero tolerance approach to pain in their patients.
Last year's survey revealed that only 18% of veterinary professionals use pain scoring for chronic pain, 78% of practices don't offer pain clinics, only 23% of vets always prescribe analgesia for acute otitis externa, 70% of vets don't do epidural anaesthesia at their practice, and most veterinary professionals agreed that clients' understanding of pain is low.
The organisers say that last year's survey results also suggest that awareness around educational information such as the WSAVA pain management guidelines needs further promotion, particularly when it comes to the use of local anaesthesia.
For example, 39% of practices don’t use local anaesthesia during bitch spays.
Lack of experience was commonly cited as the reason that local anaesthetic was not used for a variety of procedures that would benefit from it, including dental extractions.
For those vets that do use local anaesthesia more regularly, many said they feel they still need further education about it.
Survey: https://forms.gle/ogQmQsCKupW83u7FA
Mars says that during a typical anaesthetic procedure, less than five percent of the volatile anaesthetic agent delivered to a patient is absorbed and metabolised and about 95% is exhaled.
SageTech’s gas-capture technology – which is currently used in human healthcare – works by capturing the waste anaesthetic agent exhaled during an operation by adsorbing it into a reusable capture canister.
These waste anaesthetic agents can then be extracted from the filter, without incinerating or release them into the atmosphere.
Ellie West, RCVS and EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, and Linnaeus Environmental Sustainability Lead, said: “As a leading provider of veterinary care, we have a responsibility to take climate action at scale and lead the way toward more sustainable practices.
“Our innovative collaboration should help us take a significant step forward in our sustainability journey, aimed at contributing to a better future for the planet – and the people and pets who depend on it.”
The one-year pilot will start with 10 Linnaeus primary care and referral veterinary practices in the UK, after which Mars says it plans to explore the potential application of this technology across other parts of its business.
https://www.sagetechveterinary.com
A single vial can now be used for 8 days after reconstitution when stored in a fridge at between two and eight degrees celsius.
This, says Virbac, will help maximise the use of each vial, ultimately reducing wastage and providing a cost-effective solution.
The clinic offers Specialist care primarily for patients with osteoarthritis pain, but also those with chronic pain caused by other conditions, such as cancer, dental and ear diseases, spinal disease and feline hyperaesthesia syndrome.
BVS says cats and dogs coming to the clinic will get the highest level of care with a specialist assessment from Jo, who also also works closely with the orthopaedic and neurology services to offer a global and holistic approach.
The assessment will identify signs of chronic pain, gauge the severity, and also evaluate the impact of the condition on the animal’s quality of life.
Jo says it is important to identify these conditions as early as possible, as instigating pain management early helps to dampen down pain signals and reduce overall upregulation of the pain pathways.
To that end, Jo uses validated clinical metrology instruments (owner questionnaires) to measure the severity of pain, especially during initial appointments.
Should a condition be detected, Jo and her team will be able to offer pharmacotherapy, intra-articular and epidural injections and acupuncture.
Jo also works closely with physiotherapists and hydrotherapy services, which can be used as adjunctive therapy.
Jo said, said: “Many cats and dogs will experience chronic pain. These cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and treatment quickly provided. We are very pleased to be able to open our new chronic pain clinic for cat and dog owners in the South West today to provide this essential service.”
https://www.bristolvetspecialists.co.uk
The day will be led by Sonya Miles, BVSc CertAVP (ZM), CertAqV, MRCVS, RCVS Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine and WAVMA Certified Aquatic Species Veterinarian.
Lectures will look at techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques in a wide variety of exotic species.
Delegates will also be provided with lecture notes, a CPD certificate, refreshments and lunch, as well as goodie bags provided by sponsors Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services Limited.
Sonya says the aim of the day is to dispel many myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
To book your place or for more information, email: info@justexotics.co.uk or book online at https://justexoticsevents.co.uk/dont-miss-out-on-our-latest-event
The lectures, which are sponsored by Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services, aim to dispel many of the myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
Techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques for a wide variety of exotic species will be discussed at length.
Delegates will also get lecture notes, a CPD certificate, goodie bags, refreshments and lunch, not to mention the chance to discuss the day's content with Sonya,
To book your place or for more information, please email us via info@justexotics.co.uk.
The authors are all specialist anaesthesia nurses, including an American Vet Tech Specialist (VTS) in anaesthesia and analgesia, others with the national cert in anaesthesia and analgesia, and one with a PGCert AVN in anaesthesia and analgesia.
The Veterinary Nurse's Practical Guide to Small Animal Anaesthesia discusses each part of the anaesthetic process from start to finish, including the choice of anaesthetic agents, monitoring equipment that can be used and a case study section that discusses some commonly seen patients and makes suggestions of how the RVN in practice could approach these.
The guide also discusses monitoring equipment that can be used in the peri-anaesthetic period and provides a quick reference guide at the end of each chapter that can be used in specific emergency situations.
Niamh Clancy, Anaesthesia RVN, Teaching Fellow and Deputy Co Course Director for the Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and Module Leader for Anaesthesia at the RVC, said: “Constructing this practical guide has been a labour of love for all of us.
"Since the first conception of the idea in the recovery room of the QMHA, we wanted this book to be by RVNs for RVNs and to be an essential and accessible guide for the RVN in practice.”
Perdi Welsh, Director of Veterinary Nursing, Principal Teaching Fellow and Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and School of Veterinary Nursing at the RVC, added: “This book by our anaesthesia RVNs is built up from many years working in a highly collaborative and supportive team environment and it's great to see this team passing on their knowledge, expertise and experience to empower others in their learning.
“It's an essential read for anyone doing anaesthetics; VNs and vets in clinical practice, to help them gain confidence in being able to deal with all aspects of small animal anaesthesia.
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781119716921
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Veterinary-Nurses-Practical-Animal-Anaesthesia/dp/1119716926
The new machine is a modular system using low-flow anaesthesia for animals from 2-80kg.
The company says that compared to anaesthetic techniques which use high fresh gas flow rates, it functions without posing a risk to team members from the huge amounts of oxygen and inhalational anaesthetic agents that would otherwise be released.
In turn, this results in cost savings from unwasted agents, and a typical 5 to 10 times reduction in environmental damage.
Darvall founder, Dr Colin Dunlop, said: “For optimal outcome from anaesthesia, veterinary anaesthesiologists and veterinarians routinely make decisions about the physiological well-being of the patient, the environmental impact of their actions, the operational efficiency of their practice and cost-effectiveness.
"Having suitable equipment that uses low-flow anaesthesia will reduce the risk of hypothermia, improve team safety, reduce environmental emissions and reduce costs.”
“Low-flow anaesthesia not only reduces oxygen flows and inhalant agent consumption to less than 10% of high-flow, non-rebreathing systems, it can help reduce anaesthetic hypothermia because it uses warm gas when using the Darvall heated breathing circuits.
"Using our specifically designed modern system for veterinary patients addresses the traditional challenges associated with low-flow anaesthesia and hypothermia.
Darvall says the use of just one system will also simplify staff training and ensure familiarity.
https://darvallvet.com
To ask Shelly a question, first read her article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/pain-management-for-veterinary-nurses
Then join the VetNurse Clinical Article Club here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/vetnurse-clinical-article-club
Then post your question or discuss the article in this thread: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/vetnurse-clinical-article-club/f/clinical-article-club-discussions/32396/pain-management-for-veterinary-nurses
£50 for the post which provokes the most discussion by the end of the week!
Remember, all time spent reading or participating in Clinical Article Club discussions can be claimed towards your annual CPD requirement: Press 'Claim CPD' at the top of the discussion thread.
On hand to answer your questions is Adam Gregory, RVN NCert (Anaesth) DMZAA DipVNZS APVN, Head Nurse at Great Western Exotics.
Before putting your questions to Adam, you're invited to read his article on the subject here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/pain-management-in-the-avian-patient
Then join the Clinical Article Club here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/vetnurse-clinical-article-club and post your question or discussion point in the forum.
Remember, you can claim time spent reading or participating in the discussion towards your annual CPD requirement: press the 'Claim CPD' button at the top right of the discussion thread.
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml contains the short acting alpha-2 agonist xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration.
It is also licensed for I/M administration in cattle; it has zero milk withdrawal and short one day meat withdrawal and sedation occurs in cattle within two minutes I/V and five to 10 minutes I/M.
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml joins Dechra’s Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution in the company’s anaesthesia and sedation range. Nerfasin vet also contains xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration for sedation and premedication prior to general anaesthesia in horses and cattle.
Alana McGlade, national sales manager at Dechra, said: “Dechra offers a comprehensive range of anaesthesia and sedation products allowing vets to customise protocols to the individual animal.
"Sedaxylan 20mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution provide vets with flexible and convenient dosing options.”
Both Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml are available in 25ml vials.
For more information, talk to your Dechra territory sales manager.
www.dechra.co.uk.
Zenalpha provides restraint, sedation and analgesia during non-invasive, non-painful or mildly painful procedures and examinations intended to last no more than 30 minutes2.
It is administered intramuscularly and takes effect within 5-15 minutes1, 2.
Dechra says patients also recover more rapidly2, potentially avoiding hospitalisation and allowing them to get home sooner.
Zenalpha contains the active ingredients 0.5 mg/ml medetomidine hydrochloride and 10mg/ml vatinoxan hydrochloride.
Medetomidine is an alpha-2 agonist used for its sedative and analgesic properties.
Vatinoxan is a peripherally selective alpha-2 antagonist which Dechra says has limited penetration across the blood-brain barrier, so it works to antagonise only the alpha-2 receptors located in the periphery, reducing cardiovascular side effects without impacting the quality of sedation or analgesia.
In a study of 223 dogs1 comparing a traditional alpha-2 agonist with Zenalpha, Zenalpha was found to minimise cardiovascular side effects while preserving reliable sedation and analgesia.
Claire Westoby, brand manager at Dechra said: ‘The next generation of alpha-2 agonists have evolved to provide the same effective and reliable sedation and analgesia, but with reduced cardiovascular side effects and a reduced chance of vomiting.
"This improves the sedation experience for the canine patient, as well as reducing the associated stress commonly experienced by veterinary teams and dog owners.”
Matt Gurney FRCVS, an RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and hospital director at Anderson Moores, said: “It is really exciting to see the launch of an innovative new product, especially one with a unique mechanism of action that will improve the sedation experience for the vet team and our patients.
"Zenalpha not only provides a solution to cases where IV placement is not possible and a rapid onset IM option is required, but it also offers a rapid and complete recovery which ensures that dogs can be reunited with their owners and return home as soon as possible.”
Zenalpha is presented in a 10 ml glass vial in individually packed cardboard boxes.
For more information: www.dechra.co.uk/zenalpha or contact your local Dechra territory manager.
To watch Matt Gurney’s ‘Zennovation in sedation – the next generation of alpha-2 agonists’: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
At the heart of the new system is a transportable monitor (pictured right) which starts automatically after you connect two sensors and press the power button.
The system uses the handheld Darvall H100N Pulse Oximeter, which uses Nellcor OxiMax pulse oximetry technology.
It also comes with veterinary blood pressure NIBP small animal cuffs which are designed for accurate pressure detection in exotic animals, cats, and all sizes of dog.
Completing the Darvall Express system is the Darvall Capnograph which continuously measures the EtCO2 and respiratory rate, and features EtCO2 waveform Cardiac Oscillation artifact detection, for correct respiratory rate determination.
There's a default system set-up for cats and small dogs, a colour-coded display and a ten-hour battery life.
Darvall says the monitor has been thoroughly tested at veterinary practices in Australia, where it displayed outstanding performance in small dogs and cats, which are notoriously difficult to get reliable readings.
Darvall founder, Dr Colin Dunlop said: “Anaesthetic monitoring plays a vital role in keeping patients safe, giving peace of mind to the hospital veterinary team, and boosting pet owner confidence in the care their pet is receiving.
"This is vitally important when you remember mortality in veterinary patients is many times higher than in human hospital practice”.
http://www.aasmedical.co.uk
The paper, ‘Mortality Related to General Anaesthesia and Sedation in Dogs under UK Primary Veterinary Care’, published in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia1, used data from more than 150,000 dogs attending first opinion veterinary practices around the UK.
The study examined the overall risk of death for each dog which had at least one sedation and/or anaesthesia procedure over a set period of time.
The study also looked at anaesthesia related to neutering (spaying and castration) in dogs because these procedures are so common in the UK and anaesthetic risk can be a significant worry for owners.
The findings showed that currently there are 14 deaths in 10,000 dogs within two weeks of sedation/anaesthesia procedures carried out for any reason, of which 10 deaths per 10,000 are within 48 hours of these procedures.
For neutering surgeries in dogs, the risk is even smaller, with one death in 10,000 neuter procedures related to sedation and/or anaesthesia.
No association was seen between the age of puppies at the time of neutering and risk of death.
Factors associated with increased risk of sedation and anaesthetic-related death in this study included:
Certain breeds, such as Cocker Spaniels, were found to be at lower risk compared with mixed breeds.
The team also investigated whether flat-faced ‘brachycephalic’ breeds were associated with higher risk.
Surprisingly, longer-nosed ‘dolichocephalic’ breeds showed four times the odds of sedative/anaesthetic-related death compared with medium-length nose dogs, whereas no additional risk was seen in flat-faced breeds.
The authors of the paper say that overall, these results should provide some reassurance for the veterinary and dog-owning communities regarding the safety of neutering for young puppies, as well as the relative safety of sedatives and anaesthetics for more complex procedures.
For older dogs, those with poorer health or undergoing planned complex surgeries, the results emphasise the value of careful planning to manage the anaesthetic risks.
Urgent procedures, regardless of complexity, were shown to carry greater risk and therefore should be approached with high vigilance and caution.
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and co-author of the paper, said:
“This new VetCompass study can help owners deal with these fears by understanding the real anaesthetic risk is not that high: 14 deaths in every 10,000 dogs. Decision-making based on the known can now replace fear of the unknown.”
Full paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2022.03.006 / https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1467298722001015
The study was a randomised controlled trial of client-owned dogs and cats presenting as emergencies and requiring intravenous catheterisation.
Patient signalment and mentation score were recorded.
Patients were randomly allocated to either a swab saturated with vapocoolant spray or a swab saturated with saline applied to the clipped area before intravenous catheterisation.
Indirect application of vapocoolant spray via a swab before catheterisation was not found to significantly reduce the reaction of dogs and cats, nor to improve placement success rates.
The study did demonstrate a significantly greater adverse response to vapocoolant spray application to the skin via a swab when compared with the saline control in canine patients; feline patients demonstrated adverse responses to both vapocoolant spray and saline swabs.
It is unclear if the technique of application used in this study provided sufficient cooling effect to provide the required cryoanaesthesia to influence patient reaction.
The authors say future studies should be used to determine optimal vapocoolant spray application technique in dogs and cats, as well as examine its application in other populations and procedures.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP concluded: “Pragmatic, adequately-powered, randomised controlled trials like the one presented here are essential to evaluate whether an intervention is not only efficacious in a controlled environment, but also effective during clinical practice.”
Full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13504
Trinder, R, Humm, K, Phillips, S, and Cole, L (2022) The efficacy of vapocoolant spray for the improved tolerance of catheter pain in emergency patients in dogs Journal of Small Animal Practice, Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13504
The company introduced a new primary care nursing anaesthesia course in January 2021, which 360 RVNs took part in part last year.
A further 107 RVNs joined the Referral Nurse Professional Development Programme (RNPD) in Anaesthesia and Analgesia which was launched in 2020.
The three-month primary care anaesthesia course comprises nine modules, covering 25 hours of CPD, whilst the RNPD in Anaesthesia and Analgesia is a four-month course, equating to 40 hours of CPD.
Both courses cover areas such as auditing, patient care, anaesthetic monitoring and analgesia, and are accredited by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA).
The training was developed after Linnaeus surveyed its nurses about their ambitions for progression and anaesthesia was identified as an area for development.
Dr Andrea Jeffery, Chief Nursing Officer at Linnaeus, said: “Having spoken to our RVNs, the feedback was clear – they wanted to learn more about anaesthesia. Because we have a team dedicated to professional development for nurses, with the support of our clinical teams we could develop and deliver training on the topic, supporting more than 450 colleagues last year alone."
The company says it will now be taking on a new cohort for the primary care course every month this year, with the aim being to train smaller groups of RVNs more often.
It also plans to run the RNPD programme twice this year, because of its popularity, dates to be confirmed.
For further information visit https://www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/medical-and-nursing/veterinary-nursing-support-team.
Acepromazine-based Acecare is used alongside other opioids and reduces the amount of anaesthetic necessary to induce anaesthesia by approximately one third.
Animalcare Product Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: "Practices are looking for greater cost-effectiveness in the products they use and are also keen to reduce waste.
"We are delighted to announce that Acecare, a trusted staple of anaesthetic protocols in use at many practices is now offering improved performance in both of these areas.”
For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or contact Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687.