Page 3 - 2013 AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats

Why Guidelines Matter

Veterinary practice guidelines, such as the recently published 2013
AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, help to
ensure that pets get the best possible care. Guidelines keep your
hospital staff—from medical director to veterinary assistant—on the
cutting edge of veterinary medicine.

The 2013 AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats is the
most complete and medically sound compilation of updates, insights,
advice and recommendations ever developed for helping to ensure that
your patients receive appropriate, individualized fluid therapy.

AAHA guidelines review the latest information that helps the veteri-
nary team address treatment challenges and perform essential tasks in
order to improve the health of the pet. In addition, guidelines define
the role of each staff member, so everyone on the health care team can
work together to offer the best-quality medical care.

Guidelines are just that—a guide established by experts in a
particular area of veterinary medicine. Guidelines do not outweigh
the veterinarian’s clinical judgment; instead, they help veterinarians
develop and carry out treatment plans that meet each patient’s needs
and circumstances.

Aligning your practice’s protocols with guideline recommendations is a
key step in ensuring that your practice continues to deliver the best care.

To support your dedicated efforts, AAHA is pleased to offer this
toolkit. Here, you’ll find facts, figures, highlights, tips, client
handouts and other tools you can use every day to implement the
recommendations of the 2013 AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines
for Dogs and Cats.

Thank you for helping to advance our shared mission to deliver the best
in companion animal medical care. Together, we can make a difference!

Michael T. Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP
AAHA Chief Executive Officer

When selecting fluid therapy products, as well as other types of products, veterinarians
have a choice of products formulated for humans and those developed and approved
for veterinary use. Manufacturers of veterinary-specific products spend resources to
have their products reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for canine and/or feline use. These products are specifically designed and formulated
for dogs and cats and have benefits for their use; they are not human generic products.
AAHA suggests that veterinary professionals make every effort to use veterinary FDA-
approved products and base their inventory purchasing decisions on what product is
most beneficial to the patient.

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