Cardiac disease is commonly encountered in small animal practice and is usually an acquired condition in middle-aged and older dogs and cats. A proportion of patients with heart disease will show clinical signs related to congestive heart failure or arrhythmias and will require supportive care. This chapter reflects on Supportive care for dogs with heart disease; and Supportive care for cats with heart disease. Case examples: Acute heart failure in a dog; Chronic heart failure in a dog; Pericardial effusion in a dog; Aortic thromboembolism in a cat; Patent ductus arteriosus in a puppy.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas in dogs and cats can occur separately or concurrently. The most important considerations for supportive care in all of these diseases are: fluid and electrolyte balance; nutrition; and, particularly for pancreatic disease, analgesia. There are also nursing, homecare and infection control considerations for the dog or cat with vomiting and diarrhoea. Case examples: Acute parvovirus infection in a puppy; Inflammatory bowel disease in a dog; Acute sever pancreatitis in a dog; Chronic pancreatitis in a dog; ‘Triaditis’ in a cat; Chronic hepatitis in a dog.

Disorders of the nervous system include a wide range of conditions with very different needs in terms of rehabilitation, support and palliative care. This chapter covers Principles of treating neurological cases; Managing recumbent dogs and cats; and Changes in demeanour. A variety of case scenarios in dogs and cats will be presented to illustrate the considerations to be made and the options available within a specific clinical setting. Case examples: Tail pull injury in a cat; Brain tumour in a dog; Cervical disc herniation in a dog; Cervical myelopathy in a dog; Discospondylitis in a dog; Refractory epilepsy in a dog; Thoracolumbar disc protrusion in a dog.

A wide range of problems affect the oral cavity, involving – either individually or in combination – the teeth, soft tissues and bone. Such problems include infections (e.g. periodontal disease, caries, osteomyelitis), trauma, neoplasia, congenital and developmental abnormalities and a variety of immune-mediated and ulcerative conditions. This chapter considers The oral cavity; Surgical principles; Pain management and palliative care; and Nutrition. Case examples: Right mandibular fracture in a puppy; Chronic gingivostomatitis in a cat.

Although often chronic in nature, respiratory disease commonly presents, in an emergency setting, as an acute exacerbation of disease. Patients in respiratory distress require immediate attention and therapy. These patients often present a challenge to the clinician, who has limited time to perform a physical examination and make a rapid assessment. Case examples: Asthma in a cat; Haemothorax in a dog; Chronic bronchitis in a dog; Brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome in a dog; Tracheal collapse in a dog.

Local transposition of a muscle flap is a useful and simple technique and does not require any special instrumentation. However, it does require a good knowledge of anatomy, an understanding of the indications and limitations of the technique, and careful dissection. A muscle flap is indicated when the specific benefits of transposed muscle tissue are needed. This is particularly the case when closing defects that are ischaemic, infected or irradiated, or when muscle bulk or physical support is needed. This chapter discusses Indications; Types of muscle flap; Using muscle flaps; Complications; and Myocutaneous flaps. Case examples: Repair of a perineal hernia hernia with a semitendinosus muscle flap; and Reconstruction of a thoracic wall deficit (following tumour resection) with a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. Operative techniques: Raising a muscle or myocutaneous flap; Humeral head of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle flap; Ulnaris lateralis muscle flap; Superficial gluteal muscle flap; Internal obturator muscle flap; Cranial sartorius muscle flap; Caudal sartorius muscle flap; Rectus femoris muscle flap; Semitendinous muscle flap; Cranial border of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle flap; Cranial tibial muscle flap; Temporalis muscle flap; Cranial portions of the sternocephalicus, sternothyroideus and sternohyoideus muscle flaps; Caudal portions of the sternocephalicus, sternothyroideus and sternohyoideus muscle flaps; Cervical portion of the trapezius muscle flap; Deep pectoral muscle flap; Latissimus dorsi muscle flap; Cranial portion of the external abdominal oblique muscle flap; Rectus abdominis muscle flap; Cutaneous trunci myocutaneous; Latissmus dorsi myocutaneous flap; Trapezius myocutaneous flap; and the Gracilis myocutaneous flap.

The sick baby bird is a commonly presented patient at any practice dealing with birds. Frequently presented as emergencies, sick chicks tend to decompensate faster than adult birds, which necessitates a quicker, more targeted approach to diagnosis and treatment. This chapter details the special considerations in practice management, clinical assessment and treatment required by avian paediatric medicine. Case examples: Cockatiel chick with bacterial crop infection; Eclectus Parrot chick with crop fistula; Suspected polyomavirus in hand-reared chicks.

This chapter considers a number of specific types of wound that may require surgical management, such as pharyngeal stick injuries, chronic draining sinuses, bullet, burn and bite wounds. It also discusses the surgical management of some specific skin conditions such as skin fold pyoderma and perianal fistulas. Causes of sinus tracts include bacterial infection, penetrating foreign bodies (e.g. plant awns, wood splinters, insect mouth parts), bone sequestra, surgical implants (e.g. sutures, meshes, orthopaedic implants) and neoplasia. Sinus tracts can occur at many locations on the body, depending on the cause, its point of entry/location and any migratory path. The interdigital spaces, ear canals, oral mucosa, conjunctiva and nares are common points of entry. All sinus tracts should be thoroughly investigated and explored surgically to determine and eliminate (if possible) the cause. It is important to develop a systematic approach to the investigation of sinus tracts. If the cause is not eliminated, the problem will recur. Chronic sinus tracts can be extremely frustrating to manage for the patient, client and veterinary surgeon, as small fragments of foreign material can be elusive and repeated surgical intervention may be required. The chapter looks at Chronic draining sinus tracts; Oropharyngeal stick injuries; Perianal fistulation (anal furunculosis); Bite wounds; Burns management; Projectile injuries; Redundant skin folds and skin fold pyoderma (intertrigo); Footpad surgery; Mammary gland surgery; and Wound bed vascular augmentation using omentum. Case examples: Management of a shotgun injury to the face. Operative techniques: Anal sacculectomy; Episioplasty; Caudectomy; Fusion podoplasty; Phalangeal fillet (Digital pad transfer); Footpad grafts; and Mastectomy.

Most skin defects seen in small animal patients are created either by traumatic injury or by surgical resection of a diseased area of tissue. In cats and dogs the elasticity of skin, along with the frequent presence of adjacent loose skin in many areas of the body, allows the primary closure of many wounds. However, techniques to reduce tension or to harvest skin from adjacent areas can help, in some cases, to produce a tension-free closure that is less likely to result in wound-healing complications. A working knowledge of such techniques is essential, as their required use cannot always be predicted preoperatively. In situations where primary closure was anticipated but cannot be achieved due to unforeseen circumstances, these techniques can become invaluable. Many of the techniques described in this chapter are very simple and will often be used in combination during wound reconstruction. The chapter considers Blood supply to the skin; Skin tension; Techniques to overcome skin tension; and Complications of skin flaps. Case examples: Hemimaxillectomy and transposition flap for a maxillary mass; Axillary flaps after excision of a thoracic mass. Operative techniques: Walking sutures; Skin stretching; V-Y plasty; Z-plasty; Single pedicle advancement flap; Bipedicle advancement flap; Rotation flap; Transposition flap; Axillary fold flap; Inguinal fold flap

Thoracotomy is associated with severe acute postoperative pain. Acute pain control is important to prevent complications, and to help provide effective pre-emptive analgesia. This chapter discusses appropriate general and regional anaesthesia for dealing with thoracic pain in the veterinary patient. Case examples: Pneumothorax; Pleural effusion; Thoracic trauma.

Respiratory tract disease is a common cause of illness in pet birds. Many respiratory diseases quickly develop into life-threatening emergencies. Early recognition of clinical signs combined with rapid diagnosis and adequate therapy are important to increase the chances of a successful outcome. This chapter deals with the clinical signs, differential diagnosis and systematic approach to diseases involving the three parts of the upper respiratory tract. Case examples: Canary with obstructed naris; Cockatiel with swelling below the eye; Gyrfalcon with dyspnoea and stridor. The chapter also includes four video clips.

The gastrointestinal tract is commonly involved in many avian diseases, and vomiting and/or regurgitation is a common presentation. This chapter provides information to facilitate rapid definitive diagnosis, effective treatment protocol and supportive care, which will often result in successful case resolution of vomiting or regurgitating patients. Case examples: Regurgitating/vomiting Umbrella Cockatoo; Blue and Gold Macaw with zinc toxicosis; Budgerigars with Macrorhadbus ornithogaster.

The diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in birds share similar diagnostic modalities, principles of wound healing and methods of fracture stabilization with the approaches used in mammalian medicine. It is important to remember these fundamental principles when approaching such injuries in birds. This chapter covers initial assessment, diagnosis of musculoskeletal injury to the limbs, treatment principles and techniques, postoperative care and rehabilitation of both wing and leg trauma. Case examples: Harrier Hawk with fractured wing; Brown Kiwi with fractured tibiotarsus; New Zealand Wood Pigeon with a fractured coracoid and clavicle. The chapter also includes two video clips.