QUARTERLY BEAT
APRIL 2026
NOVEMBER 24, 2025
Understanding GI Complications Associated with General Anesthesia Dr. Annatasha Bartel , BScH, BVM&S, MRCVS, DACVAA • 4.8-66.7% of dogs undergoing general anesthesia will experience some degree of gastroesophageal reflux. • In healthy pets, pre-anesthetic fasting should not exceed 6 hours, with continued access to water up to 2 hours before anesthesia. • A single pre-anesthetic dose of metoclopramide has been shown to be ineffective as a prokinetic for patients under anesthesia. • Brachycephalics are not more prone than other breeds to perianesthetic reflux and regurgitation. • Ensuring a smooth and comfortable recovery may lower the incidence of post-anesthetic regurgitation and vomiting.
DECEMBER 9, 2025
Non-Responsive Enteropathy: A Challenging Condition Dr. Linda Toresson , PhD • Multiple dietary trials, using different principles, are always the first treatment of choice in non- responsive enteropathy. • Assessing the intestinal microbiome with the dysbiosis index can be very helpful for staging dogs with non-responsive enteropathy, guiding intervention, and setting realistic expectations for new therapeutic options for both veterinarians and dog owners. • Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been proven effective in many dogs with non-responsive or partially responsive chronic enteropathy. • A subset of dogs with non-responsive enteropathy can suffer from bile acid dysmetabolism, which can be associated with bile acid diarrhea. A recent study reports that bile acid sequestrants, as adjunct therapy, can be effective in these cases. • Treatment with bile acid sequestrants should only be attempted in select cases after ALL other recommended treatment trials have been performed.
DECEMBER 8, 2025
Decision Making for Seizure Drug Selection Dr. Ryan Gibson , M.Ed., DACVIM (Neurology). • Contextual factors for both the patient and client are vital to patient selection; a vital step of any seizure case is getting to know the needs and limitations of your patient and their family. • Each medication has pros and cons. Want the most effective medication (based on current literature): choose phenobarbital. Want the least side effects: levetiracetam. Need a medication for clients who are forgetful or struggle with schedules: Consider bromide - just not in cats! • Setting owners' expectations for epilepsy management is one of the most impactful things a veterinarian can do for long-term success. Only 15% of epileptic patients will not have another seizure; that is a small number! So we should prepare them to manage, not cure, epilepsy.
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