VETgirl October 2024 Beat e-Magazine

QUARTERLY BEAT / OCTOBER 2024

MIND MASSAGE

VETGIRL’S SMALL ANIMAL WEBINAR ON JULY 25, 2024 DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA (ITP): APPLYING THE 2024 ACVIM CONSENSUS STATEMENT GUIDELINES BY DR. ROBERT GOGGS, BVSC, PHD, DACVECC, DECVECC AND DR. DANA LEVINE, DVM, PHD, DACVIM (SAIM) • Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder that occurs due to reticuloendothelial cell phagocytosis of autoantibody-coated platelets, enhanced platelet clearance mediated by desialylation, and cytotoxic T-cell responses against circulating platelets and bone marrow megakaryocytes. • ITP remains a diagnosis of exclusion that involves confirming thrombocytopenia, excluding consumption and inadequate production, and a thorough investigation for potential underlying triggers, particularly infectious diseases. Presence of platelet-associated antibodies suggests ITP but is not universal and is not required for the diagnosis. • The goal of treatment per the ACVIM consensus guidelines on ITP is a platelet count ≥100,000/uL with no evidence of bleeding on or off treatment. Normalization of platelet count is not required. The guidelines also include specific definitions of response and remission. • Treatment of ITP involves administration of glucocorticoids with or without additional immunosuppressive drugs. No specific recommendations could be made regarding the choice of second-line immunosuppressive drugs. Platelet transfusions should be reserved for animals with life-threatening bleeding. • Promising future therapies that warrant consideration and further investigation include splenectomy, therapeutic plasma exchange, and the use of thrombopoietin analogs such as romiplostim.

Missed out on our webinars because life is too busy? As a VETgirl ELITE member, you can watch it on-demand whenever you want! Here are the top highlights you should have learned from some of the popular webinars this quarter!

VETGIRL’S SHELTER MEDICINE WEBINAR ON MAY 28, 2024 DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IN SHELTERS AND LOW-RESOURCE SITUATIONS BY DR. LENA DETAR, DACVPM, DABVP-SMP • There are a lot of factors to consider when electing diagnostic and screening tests, including cost, time to run, accuracy, and pertinence. • The client’s (or shelter’s) resource constraints are part of the animal’s environmental context, and are a necessary part of the decision-making process; decisions made now affect future ability to test/treat at all. • You can get a lot of information from “simple” point of care tests, especially when used in combination with patient history, signalment, and PE.

VETGIRL’S VET TECHNICIAN WEBINAR ON JULY 10, 2024 UNDERSTANDING THE 2020 AAHA ANESTHESIA AND MONITORING GUIDELINES, INTRAOPERATIVE FLUID RATE RECOMMENDATIONS BY AMANDA SHELBY, BSC, RVT, VTS (ANESTHESIA & ANALGESIA) • Fluids should be considered medications and the first principle when delivering fluids is DO NO HARM. • Each patient's fluid requirement is different and requires initial assessment for deficits and continual monitoring and reassessment during fluid delivery. • During anesthesia, the current recommended crystalloid rates for healthy, euvolemic patients requiring fluid administration (procedures >1 hour) are 5 mL/kg/h for dogs and 3-5 mL/kg/h for cats. • Balanced, buffered, isotonic crystalloid fluids are most commonly used, however, hypertonic crystalloids and/or colloids including blood products may be required to meet a specific patient's needs. VETGIRL’S PRACTICE MANAGEMENT WEBINAR ON JULY 16, 2024 KEEPING UP WITH WAGES: HOW TO KEEP WAGES IN PACE WITH THE INDUSTRY BY DARREN OSBORNE • The posted wage rate for associates is higher than what many veterinarians are earning. • Associate veterinarians choose lifestyle over income when negotiating with their employer. • Most help-wanted ads are missing the mark in terms of information and language. • The gap between commission-based pay and salary is narrowing. • The cost of losing a veterinarian is more than what most employers are willing to pay.

VETGIRL’S LEADERSHIP WEBINAR ON AUGUST 20, 2024 LEADERSHIP LESSONS: TIPS FOR NEW LEADERS BY DR. LAURA PLETZ • Build Trust First: This is the crucial first step as you start your leadership journey. • Lead by Example: Your behavior and approach will set the tone for the team. • Communicate Effectively: Ensure you understand team and individual preferences and adapt accordingly. • Create a Culture of Feedback: This will ensure the team has a growth mindset and there is psychological safety for all. • Be Decisive: Trust your instincts, but be sure to engage and inform the right people. • Mentorship: You now need a mentor to support your leadership growth vs. technical skills. VETGIRL’S SMALL ANIMAL WEBINAR ON AUGUST 27, 2024 EMERGING ZOONOTIC FUNGAL INFECTIONS YOU NEED TO KNOW DR. JEREMY GOLD, MD, MS • The audience needs to be aware of several key points regarding emerging fungal zoonotic infections. • Drug-resistant ringworm caused by the emerging fungus T. indotineae has been detected in dogs and cattle in South Asia. No cases have been reported in the United States at present. • Cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is an emerging public health concern. A recently identified fungal species called Sporothrix brasiliensis has been causing widespread outbreaks among cats in South America, with spread to humans. No cases have been reported in the United States at present. • Blastomycosis is an environmental fungal infection that can affect both humans and dogs. In Wisconsin, a vigilant veterinarian recognized and reported a cluster of blastomycosis cases in dogs, subsequently leading to the identification of a cluster of cases in humans as well.

VETGIRL’S LARGE ANIMAL WEBINAR ON JUNE 11, 2024 LAMENESS IN HORSES: DIAGNOSTIC ANALGESIA BY DR. ERIN CONTINO, MS, DVM, DACVSMR • Diagnostic blocking is a cornerstone of equine lameness diagnosis. • There are multiple reasons to pursue diagnostic blocking, but the most common is to determine where the lameness is originating. • Diagnostic blocking guides subsequent diagnostic imaging decisions. • As diagnostic blocking is not always as

VETGIRL’S SMALL ANIMAL WEBINAR ON AUGUST 20, 2024 ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA AND PNEUMONITIS BY SIMON COOK, BSC, BVSC, MVETMED, DACVECC, DECVECC, FHEA, MRCVS • Most uncomplicated cases of aspiration pneumonia do not require prolonged antibiotics and may not even require antibiotics at all. • If your patient with uncomplicated pneumonia resolves quickly, it might be ok to consider stopping the antibiotics. • As we continue to model human medicine advances, we are using shorter and shorter courses of antibiotics for treatment of pneumonia anywhere from 3 days to 10 days with a recheck to determine clinical improvement and determine if continue antimicrobials are warranted.

specific as we previously thought, if the case is not adding up, it behooves practitioners to keep an open mind about what structures may be inadvertently desensitized.

VETGIRL BEAT EMAGAZINE | VETGIRLONTHERUN.COM

Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker