Table III.
Quick guide for set up of high-flow oxygen therapy.
| Settings | Recommendations |
|---|---|
| Nasal prongs | Occlude less than 50% of the nostrils, specifically designed for HFOT unit |
| Flow rate | Option 1: Start at 0.5 L/kg BW per minute Titrate up to meet dog’s respiratory demands Option 2: Perform minute ventilation calculations: Minute ventilation = RR × TV Start with RR of 20 to 30 breaths and TV of 10 to 20 mL/kg BW and titrate up until a satisfactory PaO2 and FiO2 has been reached |
| FiO2 | Start at 100% FiO2 Once satisfactory SpO2/PaO2 is reached, titrate down to no less than 40 to 60% |
| Temperature | Set to patient body temperature, do not go above 38°C Temperature (°C) = [Temperature (°F) – 32°F] × 5/9 |
| Monitoring | Continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate and effort, SpO2 ± PaO2, BP |
| Weaning | Reduce FiO2 by 5 to 10%, assess respiratory parameters within 1 to 2 h If tolerated, reduce flow rate by 5 to 10% and assess respiratory parameters within 1 to 2 h Transition from high-flow to low-flow oxygen systems when flow rate ≤ 25 L/min and FiO2 ≤ 40% |
| Treatment escalation | Lack of clinical response and improvement in respiratory parameters within 1 to 2 hours of initiation of HFOT warrants other treatments (i.e., indicates a failure of HFOT for that patient) |
RR — Respiratory rate; TV — Tidal volume; HFOT — High-flow oxygen therapy; FiO2 — Inspired oxygen content; PaO2 — Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood; BP—Blood pressure, SpO2 — Pulse oximetry reading.