Emla cream

RE: Emla cream

madelinepikevn@aol.com — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 13:45:49 GMT

Another vote for ethycalm spray. Quick, works well and easier for both the patient and team than having to pause in the middle of placing an iv for emma to kick in.

RE: Emla cream

James Colver Cert. Ed, RVN — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 02:21:50 GMT

If I feel the need to use EMLA cream, I would clip the fur and apply it (a really good sized blob) at LEAST 15 minutes prior to the stick, although as others have said, better results if you wait up to an hour if you have the time. Another tip is to take some plastic wrapping from something (cellophane from bandage wrapping for example) and use it to cover the emla cream, then wrap over the top with vetwrap. Stops patient from licking it, and I think it helps the skin to absorb it.

RE: Emla cream

Andrea Tarr — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 17:12:34 GMT

The evidence shows that EMLA cream needs to be applied for about an hour under occlusion to be effective for intravenous catheter placement in dogs, but less time may be adequate for thinner skin, such as on rabbits’ ears. The cream does not appear to be useful for deeper skin procedures such as skin biopsies, or placing of jugular catheters in cats.

van Oostrom and Knowles 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=van+oostrom+EMLA

Lidocaine/prilocaine topical anaethestic cream in small animals. Veterinary Prescriber October 2017. https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribers-content/lidocaineprilocaine-topical-anaestheticemlacream-in-small-animals

RE: Emla cream

Robyn — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:57:43 GMT

I think it can, but warming the ear between the palms or with a heat pack dilates the vessels much more! A previous practice would apply emla for 45min wrapped in the plastic from a syringe packet to make sure it wasn't wiped off, warm the ear for a minute or two, then place the catheter.

I do find that ethycalm works better than emla! Spray onto a swab, wipe the site, warm the ear whilst you wait a few minutes for it to work, and go.

RE: Emla cream

Katie Germany — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 08:50:27 GMT

Thanks guys. It’s something we used yesterday for our rabbits, one seemed to work really well but the second definitely reacted still to IV placement. Am I right in thinking it can also Dilate the blood vessels slightly? It’s been a few years now since I’ve worked with it xx

RE: Emla cream

Nick Shackleton — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 08:30:31 GMT

Not used routinely but in sensitive patients. It’s usual onset is between 45 mins and 1 hr

RE: Emla cream

Meow1950 — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 08:27:20 GMT

I used to use Emla cream in a different practice, I don’t know what the instructions stated but we would have left it on for roughly 10 mins.

Although, I have to say I never thought it made any great difference to the patients comfort, compared to not using it...