Severe illness in dogs and cats can result from many disease conditions, including trauma, inflammatory diseases such as pancreatitis, severe infection, immune-mediated disease to name just a few. This 4-week course will focus on the end-result of these severe illnesses – the development of systemic inflammation, and the organ dysfunction and failure that frequently transpires.
Along the way, we will uncover specific management strategies used to reduce the severity of systemic inflammation, as well as develop specific plans to manage the complications of severe illness when they occur. You will also receive practice protocols, useful algorithms for disease management, and great summaries of the enormous amount of literature published on this topic as well!
This topic will review what we know about the development of severe systemic illness in dogs and cats, and how this creates the syndrome of the systemic inflammatory response. Additionally, we’ll discuss the role of cytokines in inflammation, outline the use of biomarkers for the diagnosis of systemic inflammation, and discuss prognostic indicators for survival. What’s more, we’ll embark on how to treat the many and varied signs of systemic inflammation in the body – from tachycardia and hypotension, to preventing the development of acute kidney failure.
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This topic will discuss the development and management of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) in dogs and cats. We’ll cover how to recognize early DIC, along with early management strategies, and will finish with a detailed description of how to treat and monitor the patient with DIC, and its complications.
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One of the common sequela to severe inflammatory or infectious disease, is the development of organ dysfunction and failure. From acute kidney failure, to cardiac arrhythmias and severe blood pressure anomalies; neurological dysfunction to gastrointestinal failure, we’ll discuss management strategies to support organ function during the most critical phase of patient illness. We’ll also cover the diagnosis and management of acute respiratory distress syndrome as well!
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Septic shock is a serious potential sequela to severe systemic illness, with a survival rate of as low as 19% in humans. This week, we’ll look at how to diagnose septic shock early, and how to treat it early, to improve outcome. We’ll also look at the syndrome of critical-illness related corticosteroid insufficiency, and review the literature concerning some interesting research on novel therapies associated with improved survival.
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BVSc MVS PG Cert Vet Stud MACVSc (Vet. Emergency and Critical Care; Medicine of Dogs)
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Following his residency, Philip worked for nearly 6 years at the Animal Emergency Centre in Melbourne, becoming the Senior Veterinarian at the centre in 2004. In 2006, Philip undertook a 1-year surgical externship before moving to Townsville to take up the position of Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care at JCU. Philip is also co-founder, and director of Vet Education Pty Ltd (www.veteducation.com) – one of Australia’s leading providers of online continuing education for veterinarians and veterinary nurses.
Philip has published numerous manuals and guides concerning emergency medicine, including a CRI manual, haematology and biochemistry interpretation guide, emergency anaesthesia guide, and a ventilation therapy manual for small animals, in addition to being published in peer reviewed literature.
Philip’s key interests in veterinary science include respiratory emergencies, ventilation therapy, envenomations and toxicology.
