The Acute Abdomen
1.0 CE Credit Hour / Erik Zager, DVM, DACVECC
Erik Zager
Dr. Erik Zager, DVM, DACVECC is a board-certified Emergency and Critical Care specialist, managing partner, and department head of the Emergency and Critical Care services at Philadelphia Animal Specialty and Emergency (PASE). Dr. Zager has presented at the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium and has authored and co-authored articles in veterinary journals. Dr. Zager’s professional interests include the treatment of sepsis, endocrine emergencies, intoxications, and the use of focused ultrasound in the critically ill.
Overview:
In this presentation, I will go through the ER approach to patients with acute abdominal pain combined with GI signs such as vomiting and diarrhea. Diagnostics to determine the cause will be discussed, as well as initial medical stabilization.
Learning Objectives:
- What defines an acute abdomen
- What are the most common clinical signs associated with an acute abdomen
- The most common causes of acute abdomens in the ER
- Point of care diagnostics to help determine the cause of the acute abdomen
- Steps to determine if a patient with an acute abdomen needs surgical or medical management
This course is RACE-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits hours in jurisdictions that accept RACE-approval.
