The Consulting Veterinary Nurse

Nicola Ackerman is Senior Medical Nurse at The Veterinary Hospital Group Ltd in Plymouth and holds a Certificate in Small Animal and Exotic Nutrition. She was the 2010 BVNA Veterinary Nurse of the Year, and the 2011 Blue Cross Veterinary Nurse of the Year.

Foreword by Helen Farrant vii

Abbreviations viii

Introduction x

Acknowledgements xi

Part I The Role of the Nurse in the Veterinary Practice 1

1 Ethics 3

2 Consulting Room and Literature 6

3 The Consultation 9

4 Diagnostic Clinics 19

5 Marketing 29

6 Named Nurse and Protocol Writing 32

Part II Nutrition and Diet 35

7 Food and Feeding 37

8 Feeding Behaviours 51

9 Nutrition for Puppies and Kittens 56

10 Nutritional Assessment 67

11 Dietary Transitions 72

12 Methods of Increasing Water Consumption 74

13 Dietary Supplements 76

14 Rabbit Nutrition 80

Part III Behavioural Issues 85

15 Puppy and Kitten Behaviour 87

16 Noise Phobias and Fireworks 100

Part IV ‘Well Pet’ Clinics 107

17 Vaccination Clinics 109

18 Post-Neutering Clinics 111

19 Senior Pet Clinics 113

Part V Medical Clinics 117

20 Arthritis 119

21 Cancer 129

22 Cardiac Disorders 135

23 Cognitive Dysfunction 143

24 Dental Problems 146

25 Diabetes 153

26 Epilepsy 161

27 Gastrointestinal Disorders 164

28 Hepatobiliary Disorders 176

29 Obesity 185

30 Pancreatic Disorders 196

31 Renal Disorders 202

32 Nutrition-Related Skin Disorders 211

33 Urinary Tract Disorders 218

Appendix 1 Diet history sheet 233

Appendix 2 Unit Conversion Tables 235

Glossary 238

Index 241