Emergency medicine

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In emergencies, immediate and appropriate intervention can save an animal's life. Knowing how to handle critical situations, such as trauma, poisoning, or sudden illness, is essential for ensuring the best chance of survival for the patient. 

Companion animal veterinary emergency medicine is crucial for ensuring that animals receive prompt, effective care when they need it most, improving survival rates, reducing pain, and preventing long-term damage. It provides a vital safety net for pets and strengthens the overall veterinary care system.

Why do an emergency medicine course?

  • Life-saving skills
  • Comprehensive care
  • Client trust and satisfaction
  • Prevention of long-term damage or complications
  • Preparedness for a range of situations
  • Professional growth

Topics

Participants should expect to spend 12-15 hours to complete this course.

  • After-hours clinical pathology
  • Anaemia and bleeding
  • Heat-related illness and heat stroke
  • Toxicology: tremorgenic and neurologic toxins
  • Trauma
  • Cardiopulmonary

Learning objectives

  • Understand and interpret key laboratory tests and triage assessments for emergency patients, including the identification of stable versus unstable conditions.
  • Recognise the triggers for initiating CPR and the essential elements of both basic and advanced life support.
  • Identify types of shock and their consequences, as well as the indications and types of IV fluids required for effective resuscitation.
  • Assess and manage respiratory distress, including the essential components for stabilisation and common diagnostic tools.
  • Recognise common tremorgenic and neurologic toxins, and learn the principles of decontamination and stabilisation in cases of intoxication.
  • Understand trauma patient evaluation, imaging modalities, and management strategies, as well as appropriate blood product use and transfusion protocols.
  • Identify the contributing factors to heat stress and heat stroke, understand how to distinguish between these two conditions, and learn how to treat them.

Contributors

  • Ivayla D Yozova MVM Dr.med.vet. MBA FHEA Dipl.ACVECC Dipl.ECVECC ISFM CertAdvFB
  • Avalene Tan BVSc DACVECC