Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care: Case Studies in Client Communication, Morbidity and Mortality

Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care: Case Studies in Client Communication, Morbidity and Mortality provides a unique opportunity to learn from real-life case examples. Presented as a collection of short case studies, the book examines a wide range of situations likely to arise in emergency practice. The approach is modeled on the Morbidity and Mortality Conferences which were first established as a training and educational tool for medical doctors. They have now been successfully adopted in veterinary medicine as a forum for case review and learning opportunities, encouraging thorough review from different perspectives. Each chapter presents a real case, and highlights the pitfalls that both novice and experienced veterinarians can encounter. A key theme of the book is on communication issues. Owner perspectives are discussed, as well as how communications between clinicians and owners can be optimized to allow veterinarians to better meet owner expectations. The cases were provided by a variety of experienced veterinarians, primarily specialists in veterinary emergency and critical care, as well as other specialties, general practice, universities, and private institutions. This highly readable book is suitable either to absorb from cover to cover, or for reference to a specific case or situation. It highlights a number of common clinical problems and communication issues that either did or may lead to difficulties in case management, helping you to avoid these situations.

About the Author

Dr Lisa Powell is a clinical professor at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, US. Dr Elizabeth Rozanski and Dr John Rush are clinical professors at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, US. All three are board-certified Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, and have 50 years of emergency and critical care experience between them. The authors have practiced in institutions that provide advanced diagnostic techniques, 24-hour emergency and intensive care medicine, and training of both professional veterinary students and post-doctorate veterinarians seeking specialty certification in veterinary emergency and critical care. Dr Rush is also board-certified in veterinary cardiology, and Dr Rozanski is board-certified in veterinary internal medicine.