Intensive Care Unit
At Langford Veterinary Services we have a dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) where we are able to look after the most critically ill patients.
All emergencies are seen through the ICU where they are assessed and given initial treatment. For most patients this will include a full clinical examination, an intravenous catheter placement and blood sample collection. Patients who are critically ill and those who require frequent monitoring are admitted to the ICU. Each patient will be given a suitably sized kennel with enough space to move around freely and a comfortable mattress and bedding.
The ICU is manned 24hrs a day by a team of students, veterinary nurses, interns, residents and academic clinicians. The team is headed by Kate Murphy, a European specialist in small animal internal medicine, who is assisted by Sarah Collins, a veterinary nurse who is a veterinary technician specialist in emergency and critical care.
All patients in the ICU will have a full check over at least every 4 hours. Some patients may require hourly checks, and the most critical patients will have someone sat with them constantly. Patient care plans are adapted to suit the individual needs of the patient and their condition. All patients are weighed daily to monitor nutritional requirements.
We are able to offer a wide range of monitoring techniques and treatments for our patients which range from blood pressure, oxygenation and blood analysis to catheter care (intravenous and urinary), specialist medications and assisted feeding amongst others.
As the ICU houses the most critical patients we restrict the amount of people entering the ICU to keep it quite. The ICU is cleaned to the same standard as our operating theatres to minimise hospital acquired infections.
Our ICU is conveniently located close to our operating theatres and diagnostic imaging (x-ray and ultrasound) to minimise patient movement.
