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Emergency & Critical Care Resources

Below are calculators and techniques to assist veterinarians in emergency and critical care situations.

Note: Due to the size of files it will take a moment or two for full download. Documents will open in a new screen.

  • Acid-base analysis: A macro-enabled Excel template that provides comprehensive evaluation of acid-base status. Be sure to click on the “Instructions” tab when you first open it.
  • Fluid therapy calculator: A macro-enabled Excel template that walks you through the steps of designing a fluid therapy plan customized for individual patients. It allows you to choose from a list of fluid types and includes automatic calculations of potassium and magnesium supplementation.
  • Drug CRI calculator: An Excel template that allows you to choose from a list of drugs that are commonly administered as continuous rate infusions. Once you choose a drug, syringe size, desired dose, and desired fluid volume administration rate it provides plain-language instructions on how to set up the infusion.
  • Diagnostic thoracocentesis technique: Illustrated step-by-step instructions how to safely perform diagnostic thoracocentesis with a single needed.
  • Female urinary catheter placement technique: Illustrated step-by-step instructions how to reliably insert a female urinary catheter using a clean technique.
  • Nasal oxygen catheter technique: Step-by-step instructions for placing a nasal oxygen catheter.
  • Severe sepsis and septic shock protocol: A standardized treatment protocol used by the Emergency/Critical care faculty to treat severe sepsis and septic shock.
  • Therapeutic thoracocentesis technique (butterfly catheter): Illustrated step-by-step instructions how to safely insert a winged needle catheter to rapidly evacuate air or fluid from the thoracic cavity without lacerating the lung.
  • Therapeutic thoracocentesis technique (fenestrated catheter): Illustrated step-by-step instructions how to create a fenestrated “mini chest tube” from an IV catheter to use as a temporary chest tube for complete evacuation of the pleural space.
  • Using computers to customize fluid therapy: A word document with embedded links to several sites that provide calculators for fluid therapy and drug infusion therapy.
  • Venous cutdown technique: Illustrated step-by-step instructions how to rapidly and reliably secure venous access with a large catheter for treating canine emergencies when peripheral circulation has failed.