The 2023 Veterinary Wound Management Conference is to be held at Doncaster Racecourse on Tuesday and Wednesday 11th and 12th July. Register HERE After the highly successful inaugural event held in Derby last year, the event is merging with the new northern VETcpd Congress, giving attendees an even wider range of subjects in their quest for 14 hours of CPD. The wound management streams are for both veterinary surgeons and nurses – and anyone else interested – to learn about the latest wound management techniques. Lectures: There’s a brilliant line-up of speakers in the lecture programme covering various different aspects and considerations for wound management through all stages, from initial presentation and assessment of the traumatic wound patient, including lavage and debridement techniques, to selection of dressings for open wound management, to surgical closure as well as troublesome topics from acute wound management to wounds in rabbits and other exotic species, coping with eye problems and what to do and what not to do after oral surgery to allow healing. Speakers in the wound management stream will include: Professor Jon Hall, a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery; Dr Molly Varga, an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine; the inimitable Dr David Williams; Dr Bob Partridge, a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Dentistry; and Samantha Bell RVN, Head Veterinary Nurse at Rowe Referrals and Dr Samantha Lane, an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery. Workshops: The Bandaging Angels, led by Shelly Jefferies, will run a series of workshops covering ‘Wound preparation for optimum healing’; ‘Wound dressing selection’; and ‘Building a better bandage’. These will be limited to 18 delegates at a time and will be repeated each day to ensure everyone can benefit from them. Angie Lloyd Jones and Julie Burnage of Aspire UCS will run a series of workshops on ultrasound, covering basic system controls and image optimisation, abdominal ultrasound assessment techniques, and other aspects, answering queries in an “agony aunt” format throughout each session. Equine Stream: Featuring eminent speakers such as Professor Michael Schramme of the University of Lyon, Dr Alison Talbot of the University of Liverpool, Dr Lesley Young from Newmarket, Dr Gemma Pearson from Edinburgh, David Green from the VDS and Philip Cramo of Hambleton Equine Clinic. Early Bird Ends June 1st! The cost of this feast of CPD is at the early-bird rate of £285 for a two-day pass for veterinary surgeons (£170 for one day) and £195 for veterinary nurses for the full event (£110 for one day). VAT at 20% must be added. The prices will rise on 1st of June! Accommodation is available in the Hilton Garden Inn on-site at £105 per night or £125 per night for double occupancy of a room. This special rate is available by emailing HGIreservations@doncaster-racecourse.co.uk, quoting VETcpd. There are plenty of other hotels and guest houses in Doncaster for those requiring something a little less expensive. The event is being organised by Teamwork Professionals Ltd, publisher of The Veterinary Edge, in association with Simon Guiton of VETcpd. For full details and to book, go to www.vetcpdcongress.co.uk.

Animus Surgical has launched a new hydrogel wound sealant Membra™ which will offer a new way to manage open wounds and protect suture sites in a wide range of species. Membra™ is a novel, transparent, non-toxic, biodegradable hydrogel membrane that is applied to the patient in a liquid form that sets to a 'solid' flexible gel that provides up to 14 days wound coverage. Its unique presentation not only creates a water resistant membrane over the wound that is non-cytotoxic and helps to maintain an optimal moist environment for healing. Because Membra™ requires no secondary dressing or bandage it can avoid the costs associated with repeated dressing changes . This offers clinicians a solution for patients that are difficult to bandage, where the cost of bandaging and repeat visits are of a concern for clients, or for patients that would be stressed by regular handling such as nervous pets, wildlife and exotic species. Georgie Hollis, VWL Founder and wound technology enthusiast said: "Membra™ is a really interesting concept at a reasonable price. It seems to be ideally suited to those wounds that are close to healing but not yet ready to discharge from care. We see a lot of cases through the VWL where a bandage is no longer required, or is proving more detrimental than beneficial at a stage where the wound is nearly healed. I can see a real benefit in this kind of product being applied for those cases so that the patient still benefits from wound protection with a long weartime to minimise the need for visits. Nick Butcher, Veterinary Surgeon and Owner of Animus Surgical in the UK said: “Regular bandaging of open wounds can be costly, time consuming and stressful for owners and their pets, requiring frequent visits to the practice. The bandaging of some open wounds can be impossible because of the location of the lesion or the affected species (e.g. exotic or aquatic animals) and more aggressive or nervous patients may require sedation. Used bandages also add to the volume of clinical waste generated by the practice which requires incineration,” Easy to use: Membra™ is presented in a sterile foil pack containing two syringes containing the 'ready to mix' hydrogel components as well as the brush on applicator. The initial liquid phase of Membra™ allows it to cover open and irregular spaces as well as suture lines setting in minutes to form a barrier that protects and covers the incision site or wound. Water resistant: Membra™ is water resistant and can be used across a wide range of species with each pack containing enough hydrogel to cover around 10-15cm2 lasting up to 14 days. There are no known species exemptions for use so Membra™. It can be used on horses, companion animals, wildlife and even aquatic animals. Naturally biodegradable: Naturally biodegradable over time it avoids the need for bandaging and frequent visits for bandage change. Membra™ acts as a barrier to contamination to help lower the potential risk of wound infection or dehiscence. Being transparent, it also enables the wound to be visualised by the veterinary team and pet owners allowing for early intervention should there be any signs of complication. Research based: Research has been published demonstrating that the Hydrogel polymer technology was a successfully alternative to standard adhesive dressings to protect suture lines following major TPLO surgery. The study concluded that the polymer was not associated with any increase in healing complications after TPLO surgery while lasting up to 14 days, rather than 24-48 hours with traditional dressings1. Already popular and successful in the USA, Membra™is now proudly supplied for UK Vets to use through Animus Surgical Ltd. To find out how to apply Membra™ visit a range of YouTube videos are available showing a selection of case examples: https://youtube.com/@sutureseal5917. For further information about Membra, please visit www.animussurgical.com or call Animus Surgical on 01252 845988 https://www.sutureseal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/UniStu-Osteotomy-Surgery.pdf Share your case: Have you already used Membra™? The Vet Wound Library would love to hear from you. If you have a case study you would like to share with us that features Membra™ you can share it here: https://www.vetwoundlibrary.com/share-your-case For your thoughts, any comments and feedback please contact: Georgie Hollis - georgie.hollis@markallengroup.com

Several topical solutions and preparations are available for the treatment of wounds in veterinary patients. Topical preparations can be used to help create a favourable healing environment, with some products having additional antimicrobial properties. With many products available, it can be difficult to decide which topical treatment is most appropriate for the individual wound. This article will discuss the most commonly used wound cleaning solutions and topical products currently available in veterinary practice. Joanna McCaghertyx, BVMS, PGcert Small Animal Surgery, MRCVS , Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin EH25 9RG Samantha Woods, BSc MA VetMB CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS , Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin EH25 9RG, samantha.woods@ed.ac.uk Key Words: wound｜topical｜honey｜hypochlorous acid｜silver｜healing｜antibiotic resistance Download the full article below.

Episode 5 features the lovely Joanna and Chloe the cat. Chloe was an elderly, and somewhat chubby cat with excessive flexion of her left hind limb. Her gait was abormal meaning that she developed a pressure sore just below her hock which was non-healing. Joanne got involved in the case a few months into care and sought advice to help resolve the wound from Georgie Hollis, VWL Founder. Joanne was introduced to some new techniques using materials that enabled her to make a removable splint to help reduce the flexion and offload the hock. . This session is around 30 minutes long and is a great example of creativity in action and a great outcome after ongoing review and adaptation of ideas. To view the session click here

We've a lovely bundle of live sessions coming up for the Autumn months. For those in the UK it's time to snuggle up, hunker down and join us for some light hearted wednesday wound club discussion featuring some incredible cases and some great ideas. On the 18th of October and 2nd of November we have two sponsored sessions that will give you some great inside knowledge on the latest skin and wound care knowledge. To register visit our CPD Diary https://www.vetwoundlibrary.com/events

During our educational time training as veterinary professionals, whether that be a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse, we have very little time put towards teaching us the basics of bandaging and the science behind it; yet it is something that occurs multiple times per day in veterinary practices across the world. No wonder we see so many complications and bandaging injuries occur!

Download this generic wound dressing guide to help you select the most appropriate dressings for your wounds. The sections that are blank are deliberately left as they are unlikely scenarios. Any questions or suggestions for improvement are welcome through our 'Ask the expert' member form or by e-mailing us direct at vetwoundlibrary@markallengroup.com If you'd like us to cover any new or favourite dressings that are not in our options in the guide let us know!

Join us on the 7th of September for our second Wednesday Wound Club featuring 'Fire Cat'. This case study is a challenging one to view. Deeply emotive but incredibly insightful. The progress and outcome acheived by the team who took on the care of Fire Cat is a great demonstration of the steps involved with burn management. It also illustrates the secondary complications that may occur as a result of scarring and wound contraction and the future surgery that may be required to restore quality of life. We will also cover: Therapy discussion: Silver Sulphadiazine. Is it recommended for burn wounds? A question answered: What is the best immediate action for burn wounds? The session is FREE to join live: The session will be recorded and available to view for Vet Wound Library Members. If you are not already a member you can join here

We are very pleased to announce the launch of our NEW Wednesday Wound Club! Our club will run on the 1st wednesday of the month at 1pm for 6 consecutive months. Sessions will be hosted live and will feature: A challenging case - A real case from the Vet Wound Library featuring: Presentation, the clinical challenge, progress and outcome. We'll discuss what we all learned and what the case teaches us for similar situations in future. A therapy summary - We'll summarise a type of generic therapy or technology and it's role in wound management. A commonly asked question - we'll answer a single question in depth based upon VWL members requests. Live sessions are free to join for Vets, techs and nurses. If you miss the session we will be recording them and hosting them for access on demand in the VWL member area. If you are not already a member you can join for just £9.00 per month, unsubscribe at any time, and access all of our 30+ hours of specialist led wound management content. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Wound Club!

We are excited to announce that there is a brand new membership option at The Veterinary Wound Library. For £9.00 per month you can access all of our webinars on demand. Whenever you want. All in one go if you really fancy!!? The Veterinary Wound Library is the largest online wound care resource for Veterinary professionals with over 30+ hours of on demand, specialist led webinars that include: The physiology of wound healing The principles of dressing selection Factors of healing delay History of wound management Dressing types and technologies Bandaging techniques Skin preparation Wound Lavage and decontamination Wound bed preparation Surgical reconstruction principles & techniques Skin grafting Evidence based medicine Everything we do is driven to help YOU improve outcomes and to give you the knowledge and support to do your very best for your patients. We are continually working on new resources which your membership supports. By being a member you are part of a growing community that is actively researching the very best techniques for wound managemnt and the latest technologies and techniques to help you heal better. You can join as an individual or as a practice, monthly or yearly. You can unsubscribe at any time. Whether you have a passing interest for that challenging case, to a passion for wound management. We are here to support you.

In recent weeks we've had some really emotive and challenging requests from Vets, Nurses and pet owners. As is to be expected many are asking for support and donations of dressings and clinical resources for both human and Veterinary patients in the Ukraine. Please be vigilant when donating to animal causes and when responding to calls for help. Animal and human suffering are powerfully emotive subjects that can leave the best of us desperate to help. PLEASE don't fall for scams that are appealing for you to share with your network or donate money. Be vigilant and cross check the campaigns you follow. Find them through a search on google and if in doubt contact them and ask for more information and trust your gut! What about wound dressings? Well the fact is that most dressings for 'humans' have to be tested to ensure they meet regulatory standards for sale in europe. (That's a pre-Brexit thing - but likely to continue similarly in future). These standards mean that dressings need to meet requirements that they are sterile on the point of use and avoid any inadvertent tissue damage. It's not a lot to ask. But you may be surprised that many Veterinary products don't meet those standards! If you have stock to donate and it's human standard, has a CE mark and is out of date it may well be ok. We know you don't want to do any harm by donating it, but out of date doesn't really mean bad. It just means no-one has tested it past 3 years to see if it is still sterile 10 years later. So, the rules are that products intended for human use need an expiry date. They have to be tested to guarantee that the product will remain sterile up to 3 years and that the packaging provides the protection required to ensure the product is fit for purpose. This test is performed to cover time frames that are relevant to practice. No one tests past 3 years because.... if it lasts longer you keep it for longer and you won't buy any replacements!! Most products are tested for stabilty over 3 years and given an expiry date to reflect this. Very few, if any, products are tested beyond this range which does not mean that the products are not viable, but that there is no data to verify that they will be sterile after this point. That does not mean the products are not fit for purpose. When using for Veterinary purposes there is an important and valuable point to take into account. It is not a good point, but one which should reassure those who are participating in first aid and charitable work. Be reassured. To date there are no obligations for wound management products used in Veterinary practice to be sterile so the guarantees provided by the expiry date are not even on the radar. This is an abomination. BUT given the need and under current circumstances if the dressings are sealed and have been kept out of daylight (to avoid decay of plastic packaging) then the expiry date is probably not a big deal. It's unlikely to affect the contents enough to affect efficacy. More importantly, they are very very unlikely to be dangerous. So if you are looking at a bag of out of date dressings and wondering if you should take them with you. Don't waste time googling. Fill that bag and GO! When using dressings, remember you are using materials, not pharmaceuticals. These products do not tend to degrade and their function is mostly material. Using them at the correct time for the correct environmental outcome is more critical than a date stamp. Especially when it comes to animals in need.

Oxygen in wound healing. Will it make a difference to bring some more to the party? Will it make a difference? We'll be recording a range of sessions covering the role of Oxygen in wound heailng as well as some of the technologies that offer to deliver more of it to where it needs to be. The phrase that springs to mind - "you can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." Does a cell absorb oxygen just because you deliver it? What other uses does Oxygen have?