This series of three webinars will use a series of clinical cases as teaching material. Cases will be described as they presented in the clinic, and we’ll explain how history and physical examination were used to create problem lists and differential diagnoses, in order to decide which diagnostic tests to use. In soft tissue surgery, ultrasound and CT are the most commonly used diagnostic tools, and they are becoming increasingly available in first opinion practice. Where a diagnosis was made, or narrowed down to potential differentials, we’ll analyse treatment options and how the risks/complications were weighed up in reaching decisions. There will be plenty of surgical photos and videos to show how the surgery was performed.

Some of the cases that will be included and questions that may arise are included below.

Programme

Respiratory Distress

• Case 1: A dog with hemothorax after trauma that has rapidly lost one third of blood volume and is still actively bleeding
  • What options were there for volume resuscitation in the haemorrhaging dog?
  • Given that there were only two units of blood available what options were there for obtaining more blood?
  • How is autotransfusion of blood from the thoracic cavity performed?
  • Should the dog be managed with blood transfusion/auto transfusion or should it have a thoracotomy?

• Case 2: A pug that was previously treated for BOAS and now has sudden onset stridor and respiratory distress
  • What can cause sudden onset respiratory distress?
  • How does the history and physical examination help in formulating a list of differentials?
  • How should the dog be managed on initial presentation?
  • What is the best diagnostic tool and how can diagnostics be carried out safely in a dyspnoeic dog?
• Case 3: A young cat presents with dyspnoea and radiographic evidence of abdominal organs in the thoracic cavity
  • What are the different types of diaphragmatic hernia that can be seen in young animals?
  • What other imaging could be useful?
  • What do you do if you can’t reduce organs through a hernia or rupture?
  • How can you control haemorrhage from iatrogenic liver laceration that occurs when reducing the liver from a hernia?

Abdominal Surgery

• Case 4: A dog that had urolithiasis and bladder rupture
  • Why did this dog have normal potassium levels on presentation yet develop hyperkalaemia after fluid therapy?
  • How do we decide if this dog has stones secondary to a portosystemic shunt?

• Case 5: A puppy with a swelling in its scrotum
  • What are the different types of inguinal hernia?
  • How is a scrotal hernia repaired?

Wounds and Reconstructive Surgery

• Case 6: A chronic pad wound in a dog
  • What are the reasons for non-healing wounds?
  • What is the best imaging modality in this scenario?
  • How can healing complications in pads be minimized after surgery?

• • Case 7: A dog with a wound over the brachium
    • How was the wound managed prior to closure?
    • Should wounds be repeatedly swabbed for bacteriological culture when granulation tissue is present?
    • What options were there for closing the wound?
    • Should this wound be closed in one or two operations and how is that decision made?
    • What tricks can be used for closing a wound primarily?