Within the haemostatic system, complex processes are at play. These act to maintain the blood in a liquid state within the intact vascular system, while at the same time allowing clot formation in areas where damage, through both injury and natural ‘wear and tear’, has occurred to the vascular endothelium. Multiple mechanisms are involved to both promote and inhibit blood coagulation in order to maintain the balance. A further role of haemostasis is the limitation of any coagulation to the site of injury. This means that the haemostatic system requires additional functionality in order to break down clots and therefore restore normal blood flow to the state which existed prior to vascular injury.

Author

Louise O’Dwyer MBA BSc(Hons) VTS(ECC) DipAV(Medical & Surgical) RVN

Louise gamed her Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Surgical) in 2004 followed by her Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Medical) in 2007 and Veterinary Technician Specialist (Emergency and Critical Care) in 2011. She has contributed to more than 20 journal articles and books, and lectures regularly on all aspects of anaesthesia, emergency and critical care and infection control. Louise joined PetMedics Veterinary Hospital, the largest emergency clinic in the UK, in 2000, progressing to head nurse and now to the post of Clinical Director Louise is the co-author of Practical Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing as well as Wound Management in Small Animals: A Practical Guide for Veterinary Nurses and Technicians, the BSAVA Pocketbook for Nurses and the forthcoming A Veterinary Nurse’s Guide to Infection Prevention and Control (due 2015). She is currently working towards the VTS (Anaesthesia) – her final exam in Indianapolis is in September 2014 – as well as studying part-time towards a PhD in Antimicrobial Resistance in Companion Animals.

Keywords: Haemostatic

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 29 (07) • July 2014 • pp246-249

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