In episode 63 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’re tackling a big topic and increasingly common problem in practice: Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS).

If you’ve ever worked with a snorty Frenchie, a struggling Pug, or a Bulldog that just can’t seem to catch their breath, you’ll know first-hand the issues that BOAS can cause. 

This condition has become increasingly common with the rise in popularity of brachycephalic breeds. And while those squishy faces might be seen as cute, they come with serious anatomical challenges that impact breathing, exercise tolerance, and overall quality of life.

But how can we help these patients, and what do we need to know about caring for them? Well, it starts with understanding exactly what BOAS is, why it happens, and how it impacts our patients - which is exactly what we’re diving into in this episode.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

📲 Cambridge University BOAS Resources

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

We know that respiratory patients are often very challenging.

They tend to be really stressed, and teetering on a knife-edge, balancing their increased demand for oxygen with a disease impacting their oxygenation.

And this means that careful handling, supportive care and approaching these patients confidently, the right way, are absolutely essential to give them the best care and avoid complications.

In today’s episode - the first in a brand new series all about respiratory disease - we’ll be laying the foundations, taking a brief journey back to A&P and all of the need-to-know information about the respiratory system.

Because when we understand how it’s supposed to work, we can better understand what to do when it goes wrong.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Gastrointestinal neoplasia is something we see very commonly in practice - but what tumours do our patients get, how do we diagnose them, and how can we support these patients as veterinary nurses?

And, of course - what skills can we use in the process?

In episode 61 of the medical nursing podcast, I’m joined by Inge Breathnach, a PGCert and VTS holder in Oncology. Together, Inge and I are breaking down exactly how we manage these often challenging patients so you can care for them confidently in practice.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Grab the free webinar, podcast AND resource library access:

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🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com 

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http://www.instagram.com/oncologyrvn/

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Does every constipated patient just need a bit more lactulose?! Not really.

There are a TON of different causes of constipation - and actually, it can lead to pretty significant consequences for our patients, like obstipation, megacolon, abdominal pain, vomiting, dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities and much more.

Giving great care to these patients includes providing appropriate nutritional support, maintaining hydration, performing enemas where needed, careful monitoring and supportive +/- postoperative care, and client support - all skills we’re great at and ones you’ll feel confident using after this podcast episode.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Grab the free webinar, podcast AND resource library access:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/downloads 

---

📲 Get on the waitlist for the Foundation Award in Medical Nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/academy 

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🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Ever seen a patient need HUGE amounts of their intestine removed because of an awful foreign body? Or an intusussception?

If so, you may well have come across short bowel syndrome before (and if you haven’t, bank this info, because you’ll likely need it in the future).

Short bowel syndrome is a severe disorder that occurs due to massive intestinal resection. These patients can’t absorb water, electrolytes and nutrients from their food, causing significant changes in their hydration, electrolyte and nutritional status - amongst many other things.

They’re incredibly challenging to manage, and they need intensive nursing care - which gives us a LOT of ways to help them, and many skills we can use in the process.

In episode 59 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’re diving into exactly what SBS is, how it impacts our patients, and (most importantly), how we can give them great nursing care.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Grab the free webinar, podcast AND resource library access:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/downloads ---

🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

What happens when our patient’s pancreas doesn’t work properly?!

Well - they get exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, aka EPI. 

This is a disease where the pancreas can’t make and release digestive enzymes normally, meaning our patients don’t properly digest and absorb nutrients from their food.

The result? Polyphagia, weight loss, VERY poor body condition, awful faeces and many vitamin deficiencies amongst other things… but with proper nutrition, prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, they can do very well.

In episode 58 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’re diving deep into exactly what EPI is, how it affects our patients, and how we can help give great care to these patients as nurses and technicians.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Grab the free webinar, podcast AND resource library access:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/downloads ---

🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

In the first of a 2-parter on pancreatic disease, we’re talking all about managing pancreatitis patients.

Pancreatitis is the most common pancreatic disease we see in practice. These patients are often severely unwell and risk developing complications like SIRS and MODS, and need intensive nursing care. 

In episode 57 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’ll look at what pancreatitis is, how it affects our patients, and how we treat it - as well as three things you can do as a vet nurse to give even better care to your own pancreatitis patients.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

In episode 56 of the Medical Nursing Podcast we’re talking all about protein-losing enteropathy - quite possibly the worst chronic GI disease we see. 

Though these patients are often severely unwell, they need a LOT of intensive nursing care and that means there are lots of skills we can use in the process. But what is PLE, and how does it affect our patients? Let’s take a look.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

In episode 55 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’re continuing our gastrointestinal series and diving into chronic enteropathies. 

These are some of the most common gastrointestinal diseases we see in practice and some of the most misunderstood. Today, though, we’re changing that - looking at the types of chronic enteropathies we see, how they affect our patients, and how we diagnose, treat and nurse them.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

---

🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Would we be talking about GI disease if we weren’t talking about intestinal foreign bodies?!

From strings to balls to bones to toys and pretty much everything in between, we’ve seen it all - and whilst most of these patients are pretty well on presentation, we know that foreign body patients aren’t always smooth sailing.

In episode 54 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’ll get stuck in to the common complications we see with GI foreign bodies, and I’ll share my top 4 tips for giving them great nursing care.

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📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com/podcast 

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🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing:

http://www.veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com ---

📲 Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/vetinternalmedicinenursing 

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🎶 Get Free by Hotham https://soundcloud.com/hothammusic 

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

🎨 Cover art: @amyfarmerdigitalartist

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and the content within it is provided for information only. All conditions must be diagnosed by a veterinary surgeon, and veterinary nurses and technicians must always ensure they are working within local legislation and regulating body guidelines. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.