VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Leah Cohn, PhD, DACVIM, on the approach to the infectious coughing dog. In this podcast, she reviews what Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (CIRD) is, what the diagnostic work up is, and how to treat these patients. She'll also review what vaccines are available for the different etiologies, and how it's more than "just kennel cough." Check out this important Guideline and Recommendation from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine here:

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss whether certain breeds are more predisposed to aspiration pneumonia or not.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review short-term and long-term outcomes for overweight dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture - do they all need surgery?

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review whether or not brief echocardiographic training is beneficial for noncardiology veterinarians. Will it help house officers or general practitioners in the ability to diagnose cardiac emergencies like pericardial effusion, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy and more?

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss whether you detect pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade on chest radiographs in veterinary medicine.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss anemia in veterinary patients. Anemia is a common, yet frustrating disease process and is defined as a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin (Hb). Anemia can be categorized as regenerative or non-regenerative, and it is important to obtain a thorough history and a careful and systematic diagnostic approach to anemia. In this podcast, we review the 3 major causes of anemia:

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, Dr. Garret Pachtinger, board certified emergency and critical care specialist and co-founder of VETgirl, reviews the diagnostic approach to hypoalbuminemia in dogs and cats. Hypoalbuminemia is a common problem seen by the small animal veterinarian. It is important to understand that albumin is the major determinant of oncotic pressure (i.e., otherwise known as colloidal osmotic pressure or "COP"). This pressure is the main force that holds fluid within the vascular space.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review whether or not you can thaw your unit of Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) in the microwave versus in the more traditional warm-water bath.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, VETgirl Co-Founder Dr. Garret Pachtinger, DACVECC reviews part 2 of treatment of the endocrine emergency in dogs and cats: hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS). In the previous VETgirl podcast on HHS, we reviewed the subtle differences of patients with HHS as compared to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), HHS criteria, and common clinical signs.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, VETgirl Co-Founder Dr. Garret Pachtinger, DACVECC reviews hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) in dogs and cats.

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the use of compounded itraconazole in cats - can you use it?

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review Dr. Jim Dahle, MD, FACEP of White Coat Investor. VETgirl has to admit: we're addicted to his podcasts (for iOs or Android). In this podcast, we interview him on how to tackle the debt-to-income ratio in veterinary medicine, whether you should consider buying a small business or starting a corporation, how to live like a broke resident, how to set up a backdoor ROTH IRA, and whether or not you should charge to that credit card versus max out your employer's 401K match! Tune in to get financially savvy!

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, Jeannine Moga, MA, MSW, LCSW, clinical social worker and veterinary social worker, discusses the prevalence of suicide in veterinary medicine. Why is our veterinary field so predisposed, and what can we do to increase our resilience and self care?

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) and humans (2) have already been documented. However, what about dogs? So, Johnson et al out of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine wanted to evaluate the effect of lidocaine on gastrointestinal motility in dogs. The authors aimed at measuring the effects of lidocaine CRI’s at two different doses on the gastrointestinal transit times of healthy adult canines as compared to saline CRI controls (3).

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 at academic (e.g., veterinary school) settings. So, if you have a TEG machine (or you're an emergency critical care or internal medicine resident), pay careful attention!

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 regarding the financial investment in their pet’s medical treatment (such as prognosis and anticipated costs of medical care) based on evidence-based medicine? We strive to look for indicators in our physical examination findings and in our initial diagnostic work up (e.g., preliminary lab work or quick assessment tests) to help bolster our understanding of the patient’s prognosis, but presently veterinary medicine is greatly lacking in these indicators of mortality and disease severity. In the veterinary emergency room, blood gases are a quick and easy piece of lab work that can be obtained relatively quickly at the time of triage for cats and dogs. So, Kohen et al out of University of California at Davis wanted to look at the information that can be obtained off a simple blood gas analysis for possible predictors of mortality. In this retrospective study, they looked at plasma lactate concentrations, pH, base deficit, and anion gap in both cats and dogs, and looked for any correlation of these values to an increased in mortality risk.

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 was undertaken by dozens of cardiologists.

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 animals!

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 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!

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.

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.

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”? 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!

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, 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.

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 important to note that the accuracy of these POC glucometers can be affected by various factors such as the concentration of red blood cells present in the sample (e.g., anemia, hemoconcentration) and various medications. The POC glucometer utilizes a different mechanism by which to measure blood glucose levels than our traditional lab analyzers.

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 other without friction, avoiding inflammation. That is in health. However, in states of disease, we see effusion develop which needs to be identified and characterized for both diagnosis and targeted treatment. So, if you see a dog or cat with abdominal effusion or pleural effusion, rapid fluid analysis is imperative!

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 when it comes to calling the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center - like having the patient signalment and exposure information ready, along with having the pet owner initiate the first phone call to create a case number. Dr. Wismer will also discuss the differences between cholysteramine and activated charcoal, talk about new updates in veterinary toxicology, and discuss why your veterinary clinic should be utilizing their expertise and services!

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 information you need in your discharges! Help promote better client communication and education with these simple tips.

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 mucosa in healthy dogs when ingested in amounts we routinely use for emesis induction. What'd they find? Maybe we shouldn't be using hydrogen peroxide in our veterinary poisoned canine patients after all, as evidence of esophagitis, gastritis and gastric ulceration can be seen. This study supports that hydrogen peroxide is not as benign as perhaps we once thought. While the authors' take away from this study was that the use of hydrogen peroxide shouldn't be recommended for at-home use in pet owners unless the benefits outweigh the risks, the toxicologist in me is going to take a little bit of a different take on it. VETgirl will likely still use it as an emetic agent (again, only in dogs), but now I'm going to add on gastric protectants and antacids for 1-2 weeks post-administration of hydrogen peroxide.

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?

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Jenna Gettings, DVM MPH, who is a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) on her recent paper A Bayesian spatio-temporal model for forecasting the prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, causative agent of Lyme disease, in domestic dogs within the contiguous United States. While this is mouthful, find out what you need to know about the Lyme prevalence data and the practical implications that this may have for veterinarians. Based off some pretty complex stats and math, this paper forecasts that Lyme disease is expanding geographically. More importantly, why do we care as health care professionals, and does this affect our treatment as veterinarians? Tune in to learn more!

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the importance of anemia or hemoconcentration on blood glucose measurements when using point-of-care (POC) gluometers in our veterinary patients.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT and Dr. Garret Pachtinger, VMD, DACVECC, discuss some helpful tips and tricks on how to survive your veterinary internship and veterinary residency. While you have to work hard during this upcoming year (or next two to three years), there are some easy tips to survive this learning period! You can do it! Any hints that you guys have? Share below!

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the chronic use of maropitant in veterinary medicine based on the most recent, cutting edge veterinary studies that have been done. In this podcast, we interview Dr. Jessica Quimby, DVM, PhD, DACVIM and Dr. Craig Clifford, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) on their chronic use of maropitant in cats with chronic renal failure (CRF) and oncology patients, respectively. Can you use maropitant long-term without any problems?Sponsored By: Zoetis

In today' VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Mary Gardner, CoFounder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. She discusses quality of life in veterinary medicine, along with the decision to euthanize versus when to consider hospice care.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we discuss whether or not we should be using 3% hydrogen peroxide (H202) as an emetic agent in dogs. With most of our pets’ toxin ingestions occurring outside the veterinary hospital, we, as veterinary professionals, must use our best judgment when making recommendations to pet owners regarding how best to help their pet. If the pet has ingested a toxic substance or an overdose of medication, and you know the best course of action is to prevent further absorption by way of emesis, what do you recommend to the client? Does your hospital induce emesis with apomorphine or with hydrogen peroxide? Do you sometimes recommend to clients to induce emesis at home? Or do you just direct them to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center instead?

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, CEO of VETgirl, discusses her personal struggle with infertility and why you need to stop your veterinary career to have kids now...

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Travis Hornsby, Founder of Student Loan Planner, LLC. He's a student loan consultant and is here to discuss the veterinary student debt issue. With so many veterinary students having six figures of student debt, how does one find help to come up with a repayment strategy? You can also check out his blog here on veterinary student debt HERE.

In today' VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Dani McVety, CoFounder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. How did she get involved with hospice, and what is the role of it in veterinary medicine? Learn more about how this can preserve the human-animal bond with your patients.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. George Moore, DVM, PhD, on the newest updates with canine leptospirosis. Is lepto seen in our roaming, rural large farm dogs, or is it now seen in 15 pound, urban city dogs? How should we diagnose leptospirosis? A MAT? PCR? ELISA? Find out all you need to know about this growing, zoonotic canine disease!

Today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast is sponsored by PRN, makers of KBroVet, potassium bromide. In this podcast, Dr. Simon Platt, BVM&S, MRCVS, DACVIM (Neurology), DECVN, neurologist from University of Georgia, reviews the different types of anticonvulsants available in veterinary medicine. Which should you pick? What are the pros and cons? When should we add an additional anticonvulsant?

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we interview Dr. Jessica Trichel about some of misconceptions of going from veterinary associate to small business veterinary practice owner! What are some myths that need to be debunked when it comes to veterinary practice ownership?