Attitudes towards surgical safety checklists among American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates.

OBJECTIVE: To examine attitudes towards surgical safety checklists (SSCs) among American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) diplomates and to identify barriers to implementation. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative online research survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 1282 current ACVS diplomates. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was distributed to current ACVS diplomates via email. ACVS diplomates were identified using publicly available data through the ACVS website. A total of 1282 surveys were electronically distributed, and respondents were given 4 weeks to respond. The survey consisted of 34 questions examining (1) demographic information, (2) current use of SSCs, (3) knowledge and attitudes towards SSCs, (4) perceived advantages and disadvantages to use of SSCs, (5) implementation strategies, and (6) potential reasons for noncompletion of SSCs. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 20% (257/1282). A total of 169 of 249 (67.9%) respondents indicated using SSCs. Respondents generally agreed that SSCs were proven to reduce surgical complications (196/249 [78.7%]) and did not perceive any disadvantages to use (100/138 [75.2%]). Respondents not using SSCs were more likely to perceive them as a waste of time (p < .001). The most common reasons for noncompletion of SSCs were forgetfulness (21/52 [39.6%]) and time constraints (19/52 [36.5%]). Improved training (72/138 [52.2%]) and modifying the SSC based on staff feedback (69/138 [50%]) were suggested as methods to improve SSC uptake. CONCLUSION: Respondents currently using SSCs were generally satisfied. Time constraints and memory related issues were common causes for noncompletion of SSCs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Efforts to expand the implementation of SSCs in veterinary surgery should focus on improved engagement of relevant stakeholders and modification of the SSC to suit local conditions.

Residency program factors affecting ACVS board examination pass rates from 2017 to 2021: A survey of ACVS small animal surgery residency programs.

OBJECTIVE: To identify small animal surgery (SAS) residency program factors associated with board examination pass rates for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) board certification examinations. STUDY DESIGN: Online survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: Program directors of ACVS-registered SAS residency programs. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to eligible 2021 ACVS SAS residency program directors. Respondents provided program information and Phase I and Phase II board examination pass rate data from 2017 to 2021. Programs were grouped based on overall combined board examination pass rates as "excellent" (≥90%) versus "adequate" (<90%). Data were analyzed using recursive partitioning. RESULTS: Responses from 36 ACVS SAS residency programs (18 private practice [PP], 18 academic programs [AP]) were included. Pass rates were considered "excellent" for 17/36 programs (11/17 AP, 6/17 PP). The strongest indicator of "excellent" programs was most mentors participating in rounds >75% of the time. Of those, the second indicator of "excellent" programs was a soft tissue caseload of <7 surgeries/resident/week. If the soft tissue caseload was >7 surgeries/resident/week, a high orthopedic caseload (>9 surgeries/resident/week) was indicative of "excellent" programs. If most mentors were not participating in rounds >75% of the time, APs were more likely to be "excellent." CONCLUSION: SAS APs may have higher ACVS board examination pass rates. Mentor involvement, caseload, and residency practice type may influence board examination pass rates. CLINICAL IMPACT: ACVS SAS residency programs' board examination pass rates may improve by optimizing mentor involvement and caseload regardless of practice type.

2024 AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.

Fluids are drugs used in veterinary patients capable of producing beneficial therapeutic or inadvertent harmful effects within the body's intravascular, interstitial, and intracellular fluid spaces. The individualized design of a fluid therapy plan requires careful patient assessment and targeted selection of proper fluid types, administration routes, and rates, along with adjustments during therapy tailored specifically as per the individual patient's fluid requirement and therapeutic response. Personalized fluid prescriptions and vigilant patient monitoring help avoid patient morbidity from body fluid deficiencies, fluid excess, and electrolyte derangements and support better patient outcomes. These guidelines provide an overview of fluid dynamics within the fluid spaces of the body, describe various types of fluids and their uses, and outline recommendations for fluid administration for resuscitation, rehydration, and maintenance purposes. The guidelines also outline approaches to fluid therapy for anesthetized patients and reiterate the recommendations of reduced fluid rates in this population of patients. Additionally, the guidelines include practical fluid therapy strategies for patients with various common disorders. The goal of these guidelines is to help veterinary professionals safely and effectively prescribe and administer fluid therapy for canine and feline patients.

ACVR and ECVDI consensus statement for teleradiology.

Increased demand for the interpretation of diagnostic images by board-certified radiologists and profound advancements in technology have led to extremely rapid growth in the field of veterinary teleradiology over the past decade. The aim of this consensus statement is to provide a guideline for best practices for quality and safety in veterinary teleradiology. The statement addresses appropriate image acquisition and transmission, the creation of teleradiology submissions, quality control in teleradiology, and appropriate documentation of imaging reports, as deficiencies in any of these areas may directly affect the standard of patient care. The consensus statement may be used as a guide for radiologists, primary care veterinarians, technicians, and students for the use of teleradiology in practice.

Outcomes and clinical features associated with surgically excised canine salivary gland carcinoma: A multi-institutional, retrospective, Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the clinical features, prognostic factors, and outcomes in dogs with surgically treated salivary gland carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Seventy-two client-owned dogs from 16 institutions with surgically excised salivary gland carcinoma. METHODS: Medical records of dogs undergoing sialoadenectomy from January 1, 2000 to January 1, 2020 were reviewed for signalment, clinical signs, preoperative staging results, preoperative mass evaluation, complications, histopathologic diagnosis, local recurrence, metastatic disease, and survival times. Survival functions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Factors related to survival were individually tested using the log-rank test. RESULTS: The overall median survival time (MST) associated with salivary carcinoma was 1886 days. Local recurrence occurred in 29/69 (42%) dogs with an overall disease-free interval (DFI) of 191 days. Metastatic disease occurred in 22/69 (31.9%) dogs, with an overall DFI of 299 days. Lymph node metastasis was present at the time of surgery in 11/38 (28.9%) dogs in which lymphadenectomy was performed at the time of surgery; these dogs had a shorter DFI at 98 days (P = .03) and MST at 248 days (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The prognosis for dogs with salivary gland carcinoma treated surgically was more favorable than previously reported. Nodal metastasis was a negative prognostic factor for canine salivary gland carcinoma. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Surgical intervention should be considered for dogs with salivary carcinoma.

Golden retriever pigmentary uveitis: Challenges of diagnosis and treatment.

Pigmentary uveitis (PU), also known as Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis (GRPU), is a common ocular condition of Golden Retrievers that has severe, vision-threatening ocular complications and can require surgical intervention. In order to ensure consistency in the diagnosis of GRPU between examiners, a specified set of diagnostic criteria must be applied. This is critical to ensure owners, breeders, and veterinary ophthalmologists maintain confidence in the ocular certification process. Therefore, current and former members of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists' Genetics Committee came together to draft this Viewpoint Article on the challenges of diagnosis and treatment of Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis for veterinary ophthalmologists, Golden Retriever owners, and Golden Retriever breeders.

Perioperative complications and outcome after surgery for treatment of gastric carcinoma in dogs: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology retrospective study of 40 cases (2004-2018).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics, perioperative complications, and outcomes in dogs surgically treated for gastric carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Forty client-owned dogs with histologically confirmed gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for preoperative diagnostics, surgery, histopathology, postoperative complications, adjuvant chemotherapy, disease progression, and survival. Variables were assessed for associations with outcome by using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: Surgical treatment included partial gastrectomy (28 dogs), Billroth I (9 dogs), subtotal gastrectomy (2 dogs), and submucosal resection (1 dog). Major postoperative complications occurred in 8 of 40 dogs, including septic peritonitis secondary to dehiscence in 4 dogs. The median progression free interval was 54 days, and the median survival time (MST) was 178 days (range, 1-1902). According to multivariable analysis results, experiencing an intraoperative complication was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 3.5, 95% CI 1.1-9.8, P = .005), and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy correlated with an improved survival (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9, P = .03). CONCLUSION: In this population of dogs, MST exceeded historically reported data, major postoperative complication rates were comparable to established literature, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved survival. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results from this study may be used to counsel owners more accurately regarding prognosis for dogs undergoing surgical excision for gastric carcinoma.

Teaching and proficiency assessment for arthroscopy in veterinary surgery: A 2017 survey of diplomates and residents of the American and European College of Veterinary Surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: To determine current methods of arthroscopic skills training and proficiency assessment, identify skills considered fundamental to arthroscopy, and evaluate desire for a formal training and assessment program. STUDY DESIGN: Anonymized electronic survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: Diplomates and residents of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and European College of Veterinary Surgeons (ECVS). METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed in commercial software (Qualtrics, Provo, Utah). Questions were divided into 4 categories: (1) demographics, (2) arthroscopy experience, (3) teaching, and (4) proficiency assessment. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Comparisons between groups were performed by using χ2 , t tests, and 1-way ANOVA (P ≤ .05). RESULTS: In total, 429 diplomates and 149 residents responded (response rate 28%). Overall, 80% of respondents trained using clinical cases. Barriers to simulator training included cadaver/simulator availability and time. Skills deemed most fundamental included anatomic knowledge, precise portal placement, triangulation, and image orientation. Overall, 90% of respondents supported a formal training program with requirement to demonstrate proficiency; 80% believed this should be part of standard ACVS/ECVS residency training. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic skills are taught by using clinical cases, with subjective proficiency assessment. Fundamental skills are those that may be taught using simulators. There is enthusiasm for formal arthroscopic skills training and assessment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Improved acquisition and assessment of fundamental arthroscopic skills is indicated. A validated methodology for formal training using simulators, minimizing morbidity, and facilitating objective evaluation is warranted. This is the first phase of a project to develop and validate a simulator program.

Effect of surgical site infection on survival after limb amputation in the curative-intent treatment of canine appendicular osteosarcoma: a Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of surgical site infection (SSI) on the median disease-free interval (DFI) and median survival time (MST) in dogs after amputation in the curative-intent treatment of appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. ANIMALS: Fifteen dogs with OSA and SSI, and 134 dogs with OSA and no SSI. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed, and dogs were included if the following criteria were met: histologic confirmation of OSA, no evidence of metastasis, ≥1 chemotherapy treatment, and available follow-up data. We used the definition of SSI from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kaplan-Meier estimates of median DFI and MST for the SSI and non-SSI groups were compared by log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was evaluated for associations with DFI and survival. RESULTS: The median DFI and MST of all OSA dogs were 236 days (95% CI, 181-283) and 283 days (95% CI 237-355), respectively. The median DFI of dogs with SSI (292 days) did not differ from that of dogs without SSI (224 days, P = .156). The MST of dogs with SSI (292 days) did not differ from that of dogs without SSI (280 days, P = .417). Failure to complete chemotherapy was associated with decreased DFI and survival (P < .001). Adjustments for chemotherapy completion found no effect of SSI on survival. CONCLUSION: SSI did not influence the survival of dogs with appendicular OSA treated with amputation and curative-intent treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The extended survival associated with SSI after limb-spare surgery for OSA does not appear to be present after amputation. Interactions between the canine immune system and OSA warrant additional study.

Interactive hot topics at BVA Live.

BVA's popular Interactive Zone at BVA Live returns this year with a line-up of informal discussions about some of the most topical issues in the veterinary professions.

Speaking up for Scottish members.

BVA's policy and public affairs manager Megan Knowles-Bacon reflects on BVA's recent prestigious annual dinner held at the Scottish Parliament.

Join the debate at BVA Live.

BVA's Interactive Zone is set to be a platform for more fascinating conversations on topical issues in the veterinary profession at BVA Live next month.

Bring on BVA Live!

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham on 6-7 June for BVA Live.

Active allyship journey for #TeamBVA.

BVA director of policy and governance Amelia Findon reflects on a recent equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) workshop for staff at BVA HQ.

Message from the President.

Anna Judson reports on BVA's recent activities around the Competition and Markets Authority's market investigation.

Book now for BVA Congress!

BVA Live may be over, but there's more CPD on offer at London Vet Show in November. BVA Congress will also return with a programme of topical debates.

First accredited Great Workplaces unveiled.

Two trailblazing veterinary workplaces have become the first to be accredited through Great Workplaces by BVA.

A decade of amplifying your voice.

Since 2014, our Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey has played a pivotal role in supporting our campaigning and lobbying work, delivering insightful data, raising the profile of vets and their work through the media, driving legislative reform and shaping the profession.

BVA to launch innovative scheme to accredit Great Workplaces.

BVA is launching a new accreditation scheme that rewards positive workplace culture in all veterinary settings.