Vet Lit minis

When to use, or rather, when not to use any peri-operative antimicrobials at all.

Here we discuss the ENOVAT guidelines on surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis. There is a huge capacity for impact here by following and disseminating these guidelines.

If you’re on board already, listen and spread the word.

If you’re not converted yet, listen in and see what you think.

At the end Fergus asks for your help in submitting cases with E. coli in their bile for an observational study he is actively recruiting for.

The guidelines:

European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) 2025 guidelines for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in dogs and cats. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70072

Resources we mentioned:

IVEG
International Veterinary Evidence Based Guidelines Centre (IVEG) - University of Copenhagen
https://iveg.ku.dk/

European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines for antimicrobial use in canine acute diarrhoea.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023324001473

ENOVAT website:
https://enovat.eu

Canine Cruciate Registry
https://ccr.rcvsknowledge.org/

Fergus Allerton e-mail address for contributing biliary tract infections to the study: [email protected]

Retrospective evaluation of surgical site infection after open splenectomies with and without perioperative prophylactic antibiotic coverage
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-2105-3593

In this we discuss the peculiarities of cats falling out of windows – what we can expect to find and how we might manage them. Think chest tubes, cardiac rupture, traumatic pancreatitis and a nostalgic dose of physics.

Vicente was lecturing on this topic at IVECCS in San Diego, sees plenty of these cases in Valencia, Spain and has a particular interest in traumatic coagulopathies.
There are some great articles listed below for your interest.

If you find these useful, a quick star rating really helps these conversations reach more vets who might also enjoy them.

Articles:

High-rise syndrome in cats and dogs. JVECC 2022 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/vec.13206

High-rise syndrome in cats (part 1): epidemiology and risk factors. JFMS 2025 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1098612X251334091

High-rise syndrome in cats (part 2): injury patterns and survival rate. JFMS 2025
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X251334096

Pancreatic rupture in four cats with high-rise syndrome. JFMS 2012 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1098612X11431527

Retrospective evaluation of traumatic pneumomediastinum in dogs and cats (2005–2022): 52 cases. JVECC 2024 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/vec.13384

Recommended recumbency to avoid insertional complications during small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tube placement in cats-a cadaver study. BMC Veterinary Research 2024 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-024-04301-7

Here we discuss how best to use fluid therapy in our critical patients – specifically, the concepts of fluid stewardship, hidden fluids, replacement versus maintenance fluids, sodium load and when fluid overload can happen.

Dr Alexandra Pfaff has been building a fluid stewardship team and recently authored a study entitled: Retrospective Evaluation of Risk Factors and Outcome in Dogs With and Without Fluid Overload During Hospitalization in the journal of veterinary internal medicine.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.70132

The International Fluid Academy https://www.fluidacademy.org/

Here we discuss how best to use fluid therapy in our critical patients – specifically, the concept of fluid stewardship, hidden fluids, replacement versus maintenance fluids, sodium load and when fluid overload can happen. All in relation to a recent study entitled: Retrospective Evaluation of Risk Factors and Outcome in Dogs With and Without Fluid Overload During Hospitalization in the journal of veterinary internal medicine.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.70132

The International Fluid Academy https://www.fluidacademy.org/

Here we discuss how best to use fluid therapy in our critical patients – specifically, the concept of fluid stewardship, hidden fluids, replacement versus maintenance fluids, sodium load and when fluid overload can happen. All in relation to a recent study entitled: Retrospective Evaluation of Risk Factors and Outcome in Dogs With and Without Fluid Overload During Hospitalization in the journal of veterinary internal medicine.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.70132

The International Fluid Academy https://www.fluidacademy.org/