VNJ Articlescriticalemergencyintravenous fluid therapymyasispain managementrabbit
29 September 2023
The nursing care implications for the critical myiasis rabbit – focused on pain management and fluid therapy
Author Sarah Jenkins BSc (Hons) RVN
Sarah graduated from Middlesex University in 2022 with an upper second class degree in veterinary nursing. She has recently completed the first year of a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine and surgery at Harper and Keele Veterinary School. Sarah enjoys many aspects of practice, including emergency care, surgical nursing and diagnostic imaging. Outside work, she has four cats that keep her occupied.
DOI: 10.56496/IUBT9985
ABSTRACT Myiasis is the most common emergency and cause of death of rabbits in veterinary practice. Due to increasing numbers of cases of this condition, it is important for veterinary professionals to understand the nursing implications for the critical myiasis rabbit. Studies confirm the rise in popularity of the domestic rabbit. However, clients are not confident in managing and handling rabbits in accordance with their health needs. In addition, a high proportion of veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons lack
confidence in managing pain in rabbits, indicating the need for education in pain management.
Intravenous fluid therapy is the gold standard in stabilising critically ill patients in veterinary practice.
Despite this, it is not routinely used in the critical myiasis rabbit. The aim of this article is to understand the nursing care implications for managing the critical myiasis rabbit, in terms of pain and fluid management. This includes exploring the current limitations in veterinary medicine and the confidence of veterinary professionals. Pain management is an important part of rabbit nursing care but there are several pain scales in use, with no clear gold standard. The new Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale is more inclusive and is assessed in this article. The article also explores the indications for resuscitation fluid therapy in combination with a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) cream to treat these patients. Overall, the results show that there is limited literature on pain management and fluid therapy in rabbits.
Keywords myiasis, rabbit, critical, emergency, pain management, intravenous fluid therapy
DOI: 10.56496/IUBT9985
To cite this article: Jenkins, S. (2023) The nursing care implications for the critical myiasis rabbit – focused on pain management and fluid therapy. VNJ 38(4) pp18-26
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