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SVN 2 RVN

SVN2RVN training is run by me, Shelly an RVN with over 20 years experience in veterinary nursing and with over 15 of those years as a clinical coach.

I hope to share some hints and tips for student nurses and their clinical coach's to help with training.

17/09/2025

Well done if you identified a diaphragmatic rupture on the x-ray of the cat the other day, despite no known trauma and no respiratory issues, this patient was anorexic and jaundiced because a large amount of the abdominal organs including the liver were inside the thoracic cavity. As you can see in the picture:
1 - intestinal loops
2 - empty looking abdomen
3 - faecal loops
4 - liver

15/09/2025

Next we are going to look at white blood cells. White blood cells are key players in the immune system, protecting the body from infection and foreign invaders. They are fewer in number than RBCs and are classified into two main groups: granulocytes and agranulocytes.
Granulocytes = neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils – they all have granules within their cytoplasm
Agranulocytes = monocytes and lymphocytes.
• White blood cell lifespan: Varies by type. Neutrophils circulate for 6–8 hours before entering tissues; lymphocytes can live from days to years.
• Function: Each subtype of WBC has a distinct immune role—engulfing pathogens, producing antibodies, or coordinating immune responses.
Types and Identifying Features:
• Neutrophils: The most common WBC in dogs and cats. They possess multi-lobed nuclei and pale, granular cytoplasm. Their main function is phagocytosis—engulfing and destroying bacteria and debris.
• Abnormalities: Increased numbers (neutrophilia) often indicate bacterial infection or inflammation. Decreased numbers (neutropenia) may occur with overwhelming infection or bone marrow suppression.
• Lymphocytes: Smaller cells with a large round nuclei and minimal cytoplasm. Responsible for antibody production (B cells) and cellular immunity (T cells).
• Abnormalities: Increased numbers (lymphocytosis) may occur with certain infections or lymphoid cancers. Decreased numbers (lymphopenia) may reflect viral diseases, stress, or immunodeficiency.
• Monocytes: Large cells with kidney-shaped nuclei and abundant blue-gray cytoplasm. They leave the bloodstream to become macrophages, engulfing pathogens and debris in tissues.
• Abnormalities: Increased monocytes (monocytosis) may suggest chronic inflammation or certain infections.
• Eosinophils: Contain bi-lobed nuclei and reddish-orange cytoplasmic granules (due to staining). Involved in defense against parasites and allergic reactions.
• Abnormalities: Increased eosinophils (eosinophilia) are frequently seen with parasitic infestations or allergies.
• Basophils: Rarest WBC, with bi-lobed nuclei and deep blue-purple granules. Involved in allergic responses and inflammation.
• Abnormalities: Increased basophils (basophilia) are uncommon but may be seen in some allergies or certain blood disorders.

14/09/2025

We've had some interesting cases at work the last couple of weeks and this was definitely one of them. This cat presented with inappetence and weight loss of a one month duration. On presentation he was jaundiced and had lost 1kg body weight, bloods showed all the correct signs for hepatic lipidosis - a condition seen in cats when they don't eat for a long time. We started to perform diagnostics to help the patient further and when we took an x-ray this was the result. Who can see what is wrong in this xray? and why might it be causing hepatic issues.

12/09/2025

Don't watch if you are squeamish and yes I purposely left the volume on so you can hear our joy in what we were finding!!!!!
This poor patient had been missing for 5 weeks and when he returned home he had lots of wound down his back, including this cavity which was full with baby maggots! All the wounds have been cleaned, flushed and treated and all the maggots have been removed.
As a wound loving vet nurse, who also loves gross stuff I was way to excited at these maggots.......

08/09/2025

It is important as vet nurses we understand the basics regarding laboratory work and findings, so over the next few weeks we are going to start by looking at all things blood cells.
Red blood cells are the most numerous blood cell type in mammals. They are biconcave discs, providing a large surface area for gas exchange and flexibility to traverse tiny capillaries.
• Lifespan: In most mammals, erythrocytes live about 100-120 days (dogs: ~110 days, cats: ~70 days).
• Function: Their primary role is to carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues and return carbon dioxide for expulsion. This is achieved by the oxygen-carrying pigment, haemoglobin.
• Identifying Features: Mammalian RBCs lack nuclei and are uniform in size and colour (pink to red in stained smears). In non-mammalian vertebrates (birds, reptiles), RBCs are oval and nucleated.
Abnormalities:
• Anaemia: A reduction in RBC number, haemoglobin, or both. Causes include blood loss, destruction of RBCs (haemolysis), or decreased production (bone marrow problems).
• Polycythaemia: An increased number of RBCs. Can be due to dehydration or, rarely, diseases causing excessive RBC production.
• Shape Abnormalities (Poikilocytosis): RBCs may become misshapen due to various diseases (e.g., echinocytes, spherocytes, schistocytes).
• Colour Abnormalities: Hypochromia (pale cells) suggests iron deficiency; polychromasia (bluish tint) indicates young RBCs (reticulocytes).

05/09/2025

INSTRUMENT FLASHCARDS + NEW DENTAL, ORTHO AND OPHTHALMIC CARDS
If you have found the tips on instrument identification useful over the last few weeks, then you may find the instrument flashcards helpful.
Over 40 cards with instrument pictures and descriptions on.
Plus also available a new addition to my resources are a set of dental, ophthalmic and orthopaedic instruments.
Each set is £10 plus postage - or £20 the two lots postage included.
Interested? simply comment below or message the page and I'll be in touch.

03/09/2025

MacPhails Needle Holders are our last instrument to look at.
These relatively bulky needle holders have no scissors, they are spring actioned and have a ratchet secure at the handle ends. Often seen used in farm and equine work.

01/09/2025

Our next instrument to look at is:

Rongeurs
These are used to nibble away bits of bone, they have double hinge jointed arms to dissipate the pressure, and the end are hollowed out to all the nibbling of small sections of bone, without cracking the bone.

29/08/2025

Our next instrument is the handheld retractor the Langenbeck Retractor
This retractor has a wide base plate and is just one sided, like most hand held retractors. When stood on end it looks like an L which makes it easy to remember the word Langenbeck.

25/08/2025

Our next instrument identification is:

Plate Holding Forceps
These are used to hold orthopaedic plates against the bone, while waiting to be secured in place. They have a wide opening securing ratchet, and the little round metal balls on the end of each arm fits neatly into the plate holes for security.

22/08/2025

The next instrument to look at is:

Babcock Forceps
These are tissue forceps, used for holding tissue out the way hence their long arms to be able to reach into cavities. They have tiny atraumatic teeth spread across the cup like ends, to disperse pressure and prevent tissue trauma. How do I remember their name……..well if you put them on the end of a p***s you’d have a Badcock!!!

18/08/2025

So we have looked at instrument care over the past couple weeks now to look at some instrument identification.

Finochettio Retractor
This self retaining retractor is often used in thoracic surgery, it has a strong retaining bolt and two wide retractor cups. When opened up and stood on end it looks like an F which is how I remember finochettio.

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