Butch KuKanich, DVM, PhD, DACVCP

Veterinary pharmacologist Dr. Butch KuKanich gives his thoughts.

Let go of these popular misconceptions about opioid use in veterinary patients.

Nonsteroidal antiinflamatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in veterinary medicine for a variety of reasons including the management of acute postoperative pain and chronic pain associated with degenerative joint disease among other conditions. However adverse effects preclude their use in many patients and severe adverse effects such as nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and gastrointestinal ulceration and perforation, and death occur infrequently.

Treatment of bacterial infections can be difficult and frustrating. There are many different opinions for empiric antimicrobial therapy.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most widely used analgesic drug class in human and veterinary medicine. NSAIDs are effective due to both peripheral and central mechanisms of analgesia.

Shock can be classified into general categories: hypovolemic, maldistribution, and cardiogenic. Hypovolemic shock is due to a diminished volume of fluids and can occur in severe dehydration (Parvoviral gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis) or hemorrhage.