In episode 83 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’re talking all things CIRDC - canine infectious respiratory disease complex - or to use its old name, “kennel cough”.

We see these patients super commonly - but it’s not always a case of ‘just’ a bit of kennel cough. That name undersells how complex, contagious (and at times serious) this disease can be.

In this episode, we’re going to look at what CIRDC actually is, the different pathogens that can cause it, and the signs we see in patients with it - as well as the nursing care these patients need, and the skills we can use when delivering that care.

So if you’re ready to give even better care to these patients, this episode is for you.

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Today we’re talking all about a disease I hope you never see (because it’s awful) - but one that’s hard to spot and even harder to nurse - canine distemper virus.

Thankfully, due to vaccination, it’s rare - but we do see it, and when we do, it’s a real challenge.

To care for these patients confidently, and stop the spread of this incredibly contagious disease, we first need to understand it - and that’s what I’m here for today.

In the next 20 minutes or so, we’ll discuss what distemper virus is, how it progresses and the impact it has on our patients, as well as how we spot it early, test for it, and - most importantly - give patients with it the best care we can.

So if the only time you’ve seen distemper mentioned is in your college notes or when discussing vaccinations - listen on, because I’ve got you covered.

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BRAND NEW ways to learn with me:

📲 Join the BRAND NEW Medical Nursing Library Club

📲 Join the ‘Can’t Pee, Won’t Pee’ webinar

📲 Join me for the next ‘Evidence Files: Live!’ call

---

More free ways to learn with me:

📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode

📲 Follow me on Instagram

🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing

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This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.

Let’s face it - lepto is basically everywhere, and it’s often frustrating to manage. These patients aren’t straightforward to care for, and the PPE and barrier nursing only makes it more challenging.

There’s a lot we can do to support these patients, though. So if you’ve ever found yourself caring for a lepto patient and wondering what you can do to REALLY help them, seen one go south and want a bit of a confidence boost, or you feel like you want to do more to care for these patients than administer treatments and tick boxes on a hospital sheet, then this episode is for you.

In episode 81 of the Medical Nursing Podcast, we’ll look at what lepto is, how it affects our patients, the common complications we see and how we diagnose and treat it - and, most importantly, the top 4 things YOU need to be doing as a nurse or technician when caring for a leptospirosis patient.

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Resources mentioned in this episode

📲 Join me for this month’s medical nursing webinar!

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More free ways to learn with me:

📲 Join the Foundation Award in Medical Nursing

📲 Grab the show notes and references from today’s episode

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📲 Follow me on Instagram

🖥️ Learn more about medical nursing

---

This podcast does not replace a veterinary surgeon's advice, and its content is provided only for information. A veterinary surgeon must diagnose all conditions, and veterinary nurses and technicians must ensure they work within local legislation and regulating body guidelines at all times. Any products or treatments discussed are for information only and do not constitute endorsements of products or services.