VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , Dr. Garret Pachtinger , DACVECC (VETgirl, COO) discusses common reproductive emergencies.

Lidocaine is a sodium channel blocker that is widely used in both large and small animal medicine as a local anesthetic, analgesic, and as a class 1B antiarrhythmic. A perhaps less common application for this medication in small animal medicine is as a gastrointestinal promotility agent in cases of ileus. The effects of lidocaine on improving the clinical signs of ileus in post-operative horses (1...

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we review the effect of venipuncture quality on thromboelastography. Now, if you've never heard of thromboelastography or TEG, you'll need to know that it's the best way to detect for hypercoagulability. Keep in mind that your PT/PTT test for hypocoagulability, not HYPER-coagulability. Unfortunately, TEG is really only available a...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we review atrial fibrillation in medium- to large-sized dogs. Are there any other prognostic factors can we look at when it comes to heart disease? Is the presence of atrial fibrillation a prognostic indicator in certain dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valvular Degeneration (MMVD) and congestive heart failure?

In today's VETgirl online veterinary CE podcast , we review whether or not venous blood gas parameters (such as anion gap, base excess, lactate, etc.) predict survival in veterinary patients. When animals are initially presented to the emergency room, the extent of their condition often cannot be fully assessed without additional diagnostics. Is there a way we can handle questions from pet owners...

In this VETgirl online veterinary CE podcast, we interview Dr. Ciara Barr . Dr. Barr is a lecturer in the anesthesia department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine .

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review an "EPIC" study called " Effect of Pimobendan in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study – A Randomized Clinical Trial " by Boswood et al. This was a huge study that was conducted at dozens of different institutions (both academia and private practice) around the world and wa...

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we review the survival time of dogs with congestive heart failure... but add a unique twist to this... the effect of revenue. This sounds strange, but keep listening.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we review OPP: outpatient parvovirus treatment. Does it work?

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!

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 animal...

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?

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 chemo...

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: 2...

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, consu...

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

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...

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

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, dirofi...

Do you use a AlphaTRAK 2 glucometer in your veterinary clinic? In the veterinary emergency room, many of us utilize the veterinary handheld point-of-care (POC) glucometers to obtain rapid glucose measurements, as it only requires a tiny volume of blood. Not all hospitals have the benefit of having expensive lab analyzers and instead rely on the POC glucometers for glucose measuring. However, it's...

Normally, our small animal veterinary patients have a very small amount of fluid within their body cavities. We can not see this radiographically, and most novice users of the ultrasound machine would also likely miss this effusion. The main goal of this fluid is to lubricate the surfaces of the organs and body walls like motor oil for your car engine. This allows the organs to glide over each oth...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we interview Dr. Tina Wismer , DABT, DABVT, Medical Director at the #1 Animal Poison Control Center, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center , based out of Urbana, Illinois. Here, she shares the top 5 poisons affecting dogs and cats, including what clinical signs you may see and how to treat them. We'll also discuss some helpful hints...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we discuss how to write a good discharge for your pet owners. While we're often busy in general practice, emergency practice, or specialty practice, it's so important that we write clear, concise discharges for pet owners. Here, Dr. Justine Lee , DACVECC, DABT and Dr. Garret Pachtinger , VMD, DACVECC review all the pertinent informat...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we interview Dr. Alicia Niedzwecki , DACVECC, on a recent study that she performed entitled Effect of oral 3% hydrogen peroxide used as an emetic on the gastroduodenal mucosa of healthy dogs . In this study, Dr. Niedzwecki performed a prospective study aimed to investigate the effects of 3% hydrogen peroxide on the gastrointestinal m...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast , we review the significance of lactate levels in hypotensive cats in the ICU. Can lactate be a prognostic factor for survival?