CALCULATIONS TUTORIAL Every day as Veterinary Technicians we need to: · Calculate drug doses and volumes · Calculate fluid rates . Add drugs to intravenous fluids · .. .and lots more To calculate drug doses we need: 1. The weight of the patient · Take care with obese patients - consider lean body weight 2. The dose rate · From the veterinarian · From the patient chart . If it doesn't sound right - check the dose in Plumbs · Micrograms/kilogram - mcg/kg (ug/kg) · Milligrams/kilogram - mg/kg · Grams/kilogram - g/kg 3. The route of administration · SQ/SC - subcutaneous · IM = intramuscular · IV = intravascular · PO = per os · ID = intradermal · IP = intraperitoneal · PR = per rectum 4. The concentration/strength of the drug . Inspect the bottle . Remember some drugs come in different strengths and formulations . The formulation you use will depend on the route of administration 5. Determine the dosage interval · q = every · h/hr = hour · d = day · SID = once per day · BID = twice per day · TID = three times per day · QID = four times per day · EOD/QOD = every other day · PRN = as needed · STAT = immediately
· q6hrs = every 6 hours · q8hrs = every 8 hours · q1tthrs = every 1tt hours 6. Prepare for administration . If the drug is a liquid to be drawn into a syringe - ensure you have an appropriate syringe size. . The smaller the syringe, the more accurate! . If in a tablet form and the patient requires part of the table - make sure they are scored or can be easily broken into an appropriate dosage. CALCULATE THE DOSAGE FOR EACH AND EVERY TREATMENT! . Even if the chart has the volume, calculate the correct dose based on the patient weight and the concentration of the drug .... The chart may be INCORRECT! Common Errors · Poor handwriting · Confusion between drug names o i.e. metronidazole -v- metoclopramide o convenia -v- cerenia · Incorrect strength of drug · Panic in an emergency situation . Not thinking - dispensing the medication to the patient without thinking about the patient's condition (does it make sense that the patient is receiving this drug?), without thinking about the dosage (does the volume seem excessive for this size patient?) . If unsure ... always ask. It's better to ask then to give the incorrect treatment/dose.
Question 1 Bob a 10kg Staffordshire Terrier is having a castration and requires subcutaneous premedication with: · 0.0ttmg/kg Acepromazine (sedative) · 0.ttmg/kg methadone (opioid - analgesia) ACEPROMAZINE Weight = 10kgs Dose = 0.0ttmg/kg ROA = SQ Concentration = ttmg/ml What is the dose of acepromazine that you need to administer? 0.ttmg How much Acepromazine (mls) will you administer? 0.1mls What size syringe will you use? 1ml METHADONE Weight = 10kgs Dose = 0.ttmg/kg ROA = SQ Concentration = 10mg/ml