Companion collection - How to...
A collection of all the ‘How to…’ articles that have been published in BSAVA’s member magazine, Companion. These articles are available FREE to BSAVA members. A third collection of our popular ‘How to’ articles from Companion (2016-2020) is available to buy from our Store.
Collection Contents
1 - 20 of 219 results
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How to…
Approach dysautonomia in dogs and cats 
Dana Grigore and Craig Breheny are encouraging clinicians to include dysautonomia in their differential list when presented with suggestive clinical signs, despite the rarity of the condition.
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How to…
Interact with cats 
Sarah Collins works at the International Cat Care charity and is the ISFM Nursing Manager overseeing the Cat-Friendly Clinic and webinar programmes. In this article, Sarah explores the positive interactions we can have with cats to help reduce the stress they may experience during a visit to your vet practice.
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How to…
Diagnose leptospirosis 
Lucy McMahon from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists has written this article to raise awareness of when to suspect leptospirosis in dogs and describes how to make a diagnosis in suspected cases.
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Guinea pig health 
Mary Coles is a PhD student with the Small Animal Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) at the University of Liverpool and in this article she takes a comprehensive look at the impact of diet and husbandry on guinea pig health.
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Nutrition research
So, are vegan foods really healthier for dogs? 
Alexander J German and Richard Barrett-Jolley from the Institute of Life Course and Medical Science at the University of Liverpool have recently published some research results which take a closer look at vegan diets for dogs.
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Focus on…
Regional anaesthesia of the head 
Local (regional) anaesthesia is underutilized in general practice but can provide excellent analgesia as part of an analgesia plan. Freelance anaesthetist Miguel Martinez provides a practical guide for practitioners.
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Wildlife conservation
Bats – an important mammalian species 
Heidi and Daniel Hargreaves are passionate about wildlife conservation and as a celebration of International Bat Night (24–25 August), they lead us into the private world of bats.
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How to…
Manage oropharyngeal stick injuries 
The decision-making process when faced with oropharyngeal stick injuries can be challenging. This article by Will Robinson, Head of Soft Tissue Surgery at Willows Referral Service in Solihull, aims to provide an update on how to manage these unique injuries.
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How to…
Train a cat to accept an inhaler 
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at International Cat Care, guides us through the process of employing positive reinforcement techniques to help cats become accustomed to using an inhaler.
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Nutritional management of feline gastrointestinal disease 
Isuru Gajanayake, of Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, discusses the use of nutritional therapies to manage disease in the feline gastrointestinal tract.
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Focus on…
Contextualized care (Part 2) 
In the first part of this two-part series, Ian Futter and Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officers at the Scottish SPCA and the RSPCA, respectively, introduced the concept of contextualized care. In this article they explore the impact of owner factors on contextualized care and how these factors can affect the success or otherwise of prescribed veterinary treatments.
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How to…
Perform a manual platelet estimate in general practice 
Lucia Sanchini offers advice on identifying and avoiding clump formation when running an in-house haematology report.
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Focus on…
Contextualized care (Part 1) 
Ian Futter and Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officers at the Scottish SPCA and the RSPCA, respectively, discuss the ‘gold standard’ approach in veterinary practice and the concept of contextualized care. In this the first of a two-part series, Ian and Caroline explain what contextualized care looks like in practice. The second article will explore owner factors which can impact the success, or otherwise, of prescribed veterinary treatments.
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How to…
Manage an ‘unwell’ hen (Part 2) 
In this third article of the ‘How to… pet poultry’ series, Henrietta Kodilinye-Sims and John Chitty cover conditions of the crop.
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Vaccination of immunocompromised pets 
Nat Whitley is an internal medicine clinician at Davies Veterinary Specialists and a member of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group. In this article he provides guidance on common vaccine-related dilemmas.
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How to…
Manage pericardial effusion 
Natasha Wayne-Wynne and Sid Sudunagunta, from Willows Referral Hospital, provide information on pericardial effusion and how to approach the condition in practice.
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Drug review
Oclacitinib in dogs 
Richard Harvey, from Willows Referral Service in Solihull, provides a review of recent studies using oclacitinib in dogs.
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Common conditions of budgies 
Sarah Eddon, of Burscough Vets4Pets in West Lancashire, focuses on some common diseases in budgies and how to approach, manage and prevent them.
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How to…
Approach vestibular disease 
Matt James, an ECVN board-eligible clinician in neurology and neurosurgery at Dovecote Veterinary Hospital, focuses on vestibular disease, one of the most commonly encountered neurological problems in dogs and cats.
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Focus on…
Common disease conditions in hamsters 
This second article, in a two-part series by Ashton Hollwarth of Great Western Exotics, provides a brief overview of a number of common disease presentations in hamsters that you may encounter and how to manage them.
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