Current interest in small animal accident and emergency medicine and surgery is greater now than ever before. This exciting modular course is dedicated to providing high quality, relevant, clinically useful information for the small animal practitioner. Information that is practically relevant is presented using an approach based around the major organ systems. Interactive discussions and clinical case material will be used to highlight important elements in successful patient management. This course will be of immense value to all veterinary surgeons and particularly those who see emergency cases as part of their regular workload.
Module 1
Feline accident and emergency medicine
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Understand the anatomical, physiological, pharmacological and clinical differences between
cats and dogs
• Detail and manage the emergency situations where differences in cats are significant
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Common emergency presentations in cats
• Fluid resuscitation & management in cats
• Management of respiratory distress
• Shock & haemodynamic support
• Nutritional complications
Module 2
Metabolic disasters
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Detail the common metabolic conditions requiring urgent or emergency therapy
• Understand the impact of metabolic disturbances on the patient’s major body systems
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Diagnosis and management of electrolyte disturbances
• Endocrine emergencies
• Encephalopathies
• Management of hyper- and hypothermia
• Management of acute renal dysfunction
Module 3
Approach to the emergency patient
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Understand the legal and ethical considerations associated with emergency medicine and surgery
• Detail a suitable initial response to a given emergency situation
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• The legal and ethical considerations of caring for critically ill patients; record keeping, consent and risk
• Preparation for the emergency: drugs and equipment
• Primary patient assessment and recognition of life-threatening disorders
• Secondary survey: major body system evaluation and laboratory assessment of the emergency
• Considerations for aftercare
Module 4
Anaesthesia, analgesia and monitoring
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Detail an approach to anaesthetising a described critically ill patient
• Understand how the anaesthetic machine and the vast array of monitoring equipment works
• Understand the particular requirements for anaesthesia and analgesic techniques in the severely
compromised patient
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Drugs and the emergency patient
• Sedation versus anaesthesia; induction of general anaesthesia and maintenance; the recovery period
• Monitoring equipment and techniques
• Analgesia – drugs and techniques
• An approach to the difficult airway
Module 5
Emergency surgery
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Describe the management of emergency cases requiring surgical intervention
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Equipping the practice and preparing for surgical emergencies
• Surgical asepsis and theatre protocol
• The acute abdomen
• Acute management of soft tissue trauma
• Acute management of orthopaedic trauma
Module 6
Ophthalmic emergencies
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Describe the management of patients presenting with an ophthalmic emergency
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• The ophthalmic examination
• Ocular trauma
• The red eye
• Acute blindness
• Acute medicine and surgery of the eye
Module 7
Neurologic emergencies
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Describe the approach to a patient with a neurological emergency
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Neurologic assessment and lesion localisation
• Seizures and Status Epilepticus
• Acute vestibular disease
• Altered consciousness
• Paraplegia and tetraplegia; episodic weakness/syncope
Module 8
Respiratory distress
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Understand the general approach to dyspnoea
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Examination, recognition and stabilisation
• Long-term oxygen therapy
• Pleural and chest wall disorders
• Pulmonary parenchymal disorders
• Upper and lower airway disorder
Module 9
Haemodynamic support and shock
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Understand the physiology of fluid dynamics
• Be able to select appropriate crystalloids, colloids and other solutions and administer them correctly
• Have a general understanding of acid-base balance and its treatment
• Understand, recognise and treat shock
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Fluid dynamics
• Different types of fluids and their indications: crystalloids, synthetic colloids, human albumin, HBOCs and
blood products
• Perioperative fluid therapy and fluid therapy in specific conditions
• Understanding acid-base disorders and the clinical approach to these conditions
Module 10
Cardiovascular emergencies
At the end of this module, delegates should be able to:
• Describe the management of patients with cardiovascular emergencies
Subjects to be covered in the taught component:
• Cardiovascular assessment
• Acute heart failure
• Thromboembolic disease
• Dysrhythmias
• Cardiopulmonary-cerebral resuscitation
Two-day practical session
At the end of this session, delegates should be able to perform a wide
variety of procedures with confidence.
• Procedures to include tracheotomy, intraosseous access, central venous
access, thoracocentesis, chest drain placement and emergency
thoracotomy
• Practical application of constant rate infusions and infusion calculators
• Cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation
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