Heart disease is a common comorbidity in our veterinary patients... but this catchall term includes a wide range of diseases, from valvular disorders to outflow obstructions to classic congestive heart failure. The type of heart disease that our patients suffer makes a significant difference to the anaesthesia considerations, as each type has their own special needs and contraindications. Modern anaesthesia drugs, techniques, and monitoring mean that we can still provide gold standard care to those patients who suffer a broken heart. But take care… not all ‘heart friendly’ drugs can be used for all hearts… and not all ‘heart-unfriendly’ drugs must be avoided! This lecture will discuss some of the most common forms of heart disease that we see in every-day practice, as well as the drugs, monitoring, techniques, and considerations that can make anaesthesia for these patients safer.
The Australian Veterinary Nurse and Technician (AVNAT) Regulatory Council has allocated (1) AVNAT CPD point to this continuing education activity.
Recorded 6 June 2024
Rhonda has been working in the veterinary industry for almost 20 years. She achieved her Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2007; a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (General Practice) in 2018; and a second Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Surgery) in 2019. Rhonda has maintained unbroken Accreditation since 2009 and was one of the first nurses in Australia to become an AVNAT Registered Veterinary Nurse. Rhonda spent 12 years in general practice (including a stint in management) but made the move to emergency and speciality practice in late 2015, where she spent nine years as a full-time Surgical and Anaesthesia Nurse. This year Rhonda has taken on a temporary role in Learning and Development to further explore her love of training and education. In her spare time, Rhonda is a VNCA committee member for South Australia, a discussion board moderator for the ViN Veterinary Support Personnel Network, lectures and delivers workshops both locally and nationally, and is also a lead educator for several workshops with VetPrac. She was awarded VNCA Veterinary Nurse of the Year in 2023. Rhonda is passionate about advanced veterinary care and has a special interest in anaesthesia, surgery and critical care. She is a firm believer that there is always something new to learn in this industry, and actively seeks that new knowledge whenever she can.
