DOI : https :// doi . org / 10.56496 / KWBP7632

Ruth Jacques , RVN

Swift Referrals

ENVELOPE ruthj . rvn @ gmail . com

Ruth qualified from Myerscough College in 2018 . She trained and worked within a referral hospital before becoming a locum veterinary nurse . She has a special interest in the rehabilitation of neurological and intensive care patients and is a qualified veterinary nurse exercise rehabilitation therapist . Ruth is also passionate about fear-free veterinary care and has a Level 5 qualification in canine behaviour . She is particularly interested in emergency and critical care and empowering nurses through shared knowledge and training .

ABSTRACT Ventral slot surgery may be required in canine patients with intervertebral disc ( IVD ) herniation in the cervical spine . Causes of IVD herniation include trauma , neoplasia and discospondylitis . Herniation results in displacement of disc material into the vertebral canal , causing damage to or inflammation of the spinal cord . Patients can initially appear with varied presentations , from pain to recumbency .

Management of the postoperative patient requires intensive monitoring and nursing care . Assessing the progression or deterioration of these patients is vital to allow further and potentially life-saving interventions to be implemented . Nursing care can include pain assessment and management ; bladder management , such as expression and assisted posturing ; exercise rehabilitation to allow return to normal movement ; stress reduction , such as interaction ; and enrichment and nutritional management , such as assisted feeding .

This article discusses how these patients present , surgical interventions , assessment , post-anaesthetic recovery and ongoing monitoring . Postoperative complications are also discussed , along with how to identify these complications and what nursing care to implement for the benefit of the patient and its recovery .

Keywords ventral , slot , canine , recumbent , nursing , intervertebral disc , IVD

22 Veterinary Nursing Journal