Urinary stones are a common cause of lower urinary tract disease in cats and dogs.   But before we can start treating them, we need to look at what uroliths we commonly see and what causes them to occur.  Each type will require different treatment and, therefore, different nursing care… which is exactly what we’re discussing in this episode of the Medical Nursing Podcast. So what IS a urolith? Put simply, a urolith is a stone. Urolithiasis is the generalised term used to describe a stone anywhere in the urinary tract; then you’ve got nephroliths, ureteroliths, urocystoliths and uret ..read more

What if your blocked cat doesn’t have a “real” reason for being blocked?!   If they’ve not got a stone, stricture, plug or mass… chances are they’ve got feline idiopathic cystitis, aka FIC. These cats account for more and more of the obstructions we see - with FIC now being the most common feline lower urinary tract disorder. FIC cats can be really tough to manage as they’re often incredibly stressed, painful, and unhappy in the hospital - and often, we then discharge them to a home environment full of chronic stressors. Today, we’ll discuss what causes FIC, the signs we see in these pati ..read more

We talk a lot here about diversifying your career, experiencing new clinics, and using more skills. And whilst I’m pretty good at sharing examples of how I’ve done this in my career in the hope that this helps people do the same, we all know that veterinary nursing (and veterinary technology) look different worldwide. Today, I’m delighted to share Allana’s story with you. Allana is a member of the Medical Nursing Academy and works as an Internal Medicine nurse in a specialty clinic in Australia. She shares her journey so far, from completing her veterinary nursing certification to studying onl ..read more

We’ve all been in the position where we’ve been busy clearing up after a busy ops day… when the vet rushes through that painful, stressed, straining cat with a bladder like an overinflated balloon.   And whilst this is a very treatable condition, there is a LOT of nursing care that these patients benefit from - not just when they’re obstructed, but to help prevent future obstructions, too. In this episode, we’ll discuss what causes urethral obstruction, how these patients present, and how we can provide them with the best possible care. What is a urethral obstruction? As the name suggest ..read more

I’ll let you in on a secret - I had absolutely no idea that ureteral obstructions were a thing until I went into referral practice.   I’d never seen one - but that quickly changed when my own cat, Nigel, got an obstruction himself. The truth is, though, that ureteral obstructions are being diagnosed more and more often now than ever, particularly in cats - and there is a LOT we can do as nurses and technicians to support these patients.  They usually present markedly painful and with post-renal AKI, which can be life-threatening if bilateral obstructions are present and often require ..read more

This week, we’re chatting about a disease we’re seeing more and more often in practice and one that has significant risks to both us and our clients: leptospirosis.   Leptospirosis is an increasingly common, potentially fatal zoonotic disease found throughout the world. These patients often benefit from advanced treatment and nursing care, especially if they have acute kidney injury as a result of their infection. In today’s episode, we’ll examine leptospirosis, how it affects our patients, and how we can provide the best possible care to them. What is leptospirosis, and how does infecti ..read more

I’m sure when I say ‘antifreeze poisoning’ you’ll have a case you’ve seen that comes to mind.   They’re usually collapsed cats who present with severe renal failure, and they require a ton of nursing care. Though they do have a poor prognosis, there are a lot of nursing skills we can use to support these patients - and to do that, we first need to look at what happens when our patients ingest ethylene glycol. What is ethylene glycol? Ethylene glycol is a highly nephrotoxic compound found most commonly in vehicle radiator antifreeze, though it is also found in other solvents, household pr ..read more

Have you ever felt uncomfortable with the care one of your patients was receiving, or felt like there was more that they needed - but that you couldn’t go against your team? Have you ever felt like you wanted more from your career but you didnt know where to start with looking for it? If you’re nodding along with me - I get it, because I’ve been there. And so has Gemma, one of our founding academy members, who is chatting with me about just that in today’s post. Gemma has been nursing for over 20 years and over that time, she’s completed her CertAVN, found a new passion for medical nursing, an ..read more

Today, we’re talking all about a renal disease that’s more common than you think - protein-losing nephropathy, aka PLN.   I never knew that PLN existed before moving into referral practice - I just thought patients had CKD, and they were all managed in the same way. But protein-losing nephropathy is a really important renal disease, and these patients are at risk of significant complications. Today, we’ll discuss what PLN is, how it happens, and the ways we can best treat and care for these patients. What is protein-losing nephropathy? PLN is a renal disorder characterised by the loss of ..read more

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic condition affecting patients from a young age, eventually causing advanced chronic kidney disease.   These patients benefit from early diagnosis and thorough supportive care, and we all know that veterinary nurses are vital in advocating for both of those things. On top of that, client education is a huge part of this condition - and we all know nurses are great at that, too. But to advise our clients effectively, we need to have a good understanding of what PKD is, and how it affects our patients - and that’s exactly what we’re going to go through t ..read more