Header
Boutique, Exotic and Grain Free Diets

Earlier this year, our cardiologist  Dr. Merrilee T. Small,  gave a community lecture on "Diet-Associated Cardiomyopathy." Her presentation detailed the impacts of nutrition, specifically Boutique, Exotic and Grain Free diets, on canine cardiovascular health.
 
What started out as a 15-20 minute presentation, turned out to be over an hour due to the numerous important questions from a very engaged audience. We thought you might want to share it with your staff and/or your clients. 
 
Please  click here to watch, and do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the information presented.

TECH TIP: The Use of Sedation/Oxygen Delivery for Respiratory Distress

Tawny Humphrey, LVT, Daytime ER Team Lead
Margaret Thompson, LVT, BS, Critical Care Team Lead
In a respiratory distress case, one of the main goals is to deliver oxygen while reducing stress. A great way to achieve this is to use an oxygen hood and mild sedation. Advantages of the oxygen hood include:  
  • Oxygen levels can reach as high as 60% in the hood; recommended flow rate is 5L/min
  • Perform a physical exam, place an IV catheter, and obtain labs or other diagnostics while supplementing oxygen
  • Provide a barrier of protection (just like an e-collar) for patients who are agitated/anxious
Jorvet makes an oxygen hood (see  photos below)  that comes ready to go with a zipper close lid, nasal cannulas, oxygen tubing, and carbon dioxide ventilation holes. This product simply hooks  into any "H" tank, "E" tank, anesthesia machine flowmeter, or flowmeter attached to a humidifier top. 

Sedation in a respiratory distress case can help calm the patient so they can breathe easier and you can perform lifesaving measures. Butorphanol  is a partial agonist/antagonist opiate that when used at doses from 0.2-0.4mg/kg q4-6hrs can provide sedation without causing too much respiratory depression. If the patient is in so much distress that ventilation is warranted, Alfaxalone  is recommended to avoid the apnea associate with Propofol. An induction dose of 2mg/kg, titrated to effect, can be given. The patient can then be intubated and started on an Alfaxalone CRI at 5-7mg/kg/hr. 

Butorphanol
Alfaxalone
DID YOU KNOW? 
We Offer Lunch & Learns










At The COVE, we value the collaboration and partnership we have with our referring veterinarians. We are honored to work with talented veterinarians to bring clients and patients exceptional service and care. As part of our dedication to the veterinary community, we offer a variety of continuing education opportunities for DVMs, LVTs, and support staff. 
 
Lunch and Learns are complimentary educational sessions at your practice during your lunchtime. Presentations are given by a COVE team member and are approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour in length. You choose the topic and we'll bring the education and food to you!
 
Some of our most common Lunch and Learn topics are:

  • Anesthesia & Analgesia
  • Bandaging/Splinting
  • CPR
  • Dental Emergencies
  • ECG Review
  • Echocardiography 
  • ER Triage
  • Hypertension
  • History and Physical Examination
  • Radiographs (dental, thoracic and/or orthopedic)

If you don't see a topic of interest, please contact us. We are happy to facilitate your topic of interest. To schedule a Lunch and Learn, please contact Danielle Russ, Hospital Manager, with your preferred topic at [email protected] or 757.935.9111.
Tracheal Stent Placement

Dr. Nobles placed our first tracheal stent at the COVE recently via bronchoscopy and radiography. The patient is doing very well. The procedure was not only life saving, but life enhancing. This is just one example of the great success we've had with our  minimally invasive surgery capabilities .  We welcome your call if you'd like to learn more.  
VHMA Update

Our Hospital Manager, Danielle Russ, BS, BA, AS, LVT, recently lectured at the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association 2019 Annual Meeting in Arizona. Her topics included Caring So Much It Hurts and Staff-Patient Radio: Balancing Quality Care and Financial Sustainability. 
 
If you would like to learn more about either of these topics, please email Dani directly at [email protected] or call 757.935.9111.
24/7 Emergency and Critical Care | Surgery | Cardiology | Dentistry
6550 Hampton Roads Pkwy, #113 | Suffolk, VA 23435
P: 757.935.9111 | F: 757.935.9110 | thecovevets.com
Like us on Facebook   View on Instagram