Technicians

Pleural space disease is a common cause of respiratory distress in emergent and critical patients. Air, fluid, exudates, chyle, blood, and herniated abdominal organs may be present in the thoracic cavity.

For a technician, the daily assessment of their critical care patients often begins with rounds. After receiving a brief verbal history and synopsis of presentation, diagnostics, and treatments a tech is ready to take over the care of that patient. Of primary importance is an initial hands on assessment.

Does the use of feeding tubes have a place in everyday practice? We are all familiar with the use of feeding tubes for Hepatic Lipidosis cats, but how many times do we deal with the older animal with no obvious physical problem other than an unwillingness to eat adequate (in our opinion) amounts of food?

Proper electrocardiography (ECG) starts with proper positioning. For a diagnostic ECG, the patient must be restrained in right lateral recumbency with the legs perpendicular to the body and parallel to each other.

Performing a complete dental prophylaxis entails much more than removing plaque and calculus from the teeth. A thorough dental prophylaxis consists of educating the client, an oral examination, charting disease process, pathology and anomalies, radiographs, both supra and sub-gingival plaque and calculus removal, hand scaling, polishing, irrigation and home care instructions.

Due to the fact that critical patients are more fragile than stabile patients, they require special nursing care. The same is true of these special patients under anesthesia.

Veterinary technicians are the veterinary hospital's mainstay when it comes to carefully and successfully anesthetizing critical patients. A large number of elderly canine and feline patients are affected by cardiac disease, and knowledge of how to safely monitor, anesthetize, and problem solve cardiac patients makes for a less stressful anesthesia for both the patient and technician.

Common acquired cardiac diseases of the dog include those that are caused by valvular defects, myocardial failure, infectious reasons, as a result of arrhythmias, and parasitism.

Monitoring, for these purposes will consist of checking vitals on a regular basis. The vitals being monitored may be changed based upon the patient's status and the procedure performed. By watching for changes in trends we are able to catch and potentially stop a crisis from happening..

Sustained hypotension is a life threatening situation where the body's major organs (kidney, liver, brain, and heart) can experience irreversible damage from inadequate perfusion pressure. Veterinary technicians may encounter hypotension frequently when caring for emergency and critical care patients, as well as anesthetized or post operative patients who are frequently at risk of systemic hypotension.

Fears about job security have crept into the workforce at large, but they don't need to sneak into veterinary practice. By taking initiative to be an A-plus team member, you'll solidify your place at the top of your boss's must-have list.

As veterinary technicians, your role is vitally important in enhancing the lives of the patients you care for (and for the clients who own them). Did you know that you are also important in creating and sustaining the culture in the hospital where you work?

The Board of Veterinary Medicine regulates and licenses people practicing veterinary medicine in the State. Although there are professional standards defining "veterinary-client-patient relationship" and proper prescribing of medications, it falls to the Board of Pharmacy in the state to regulate how prescription medications are dispensed to the general public.

The whole issue of ordering, storing, dispensing and recording controlled drugs can be of the most confusing in the veterinary practice. Since it's inception in 1970, the Controlled Substance Act has placed specific mandates on those who manufacture, distribute, administer or dispense drugs that are deemed addictive or abusive.

Whether the economy is good or bad, it seems we're always short staffed. So what do we do about it? First, you must develop a strategy. Remember, manpower is a resource just as money is.

In the language of law (at least in the US), the term "zoonoses" has not been defined. In medical terms, it refers to "infectious diseases shared by animals and humans." Of particular importance in both human and veterinary medicine are those zoonoses known to be transmitted directly from animals (vertebrates) to humans.

Cats are masters at hiding illness, so that clinicians must become expert at uncovering illness with a thorough medical history and feline-specific physical examination. Obtaining a medical history is easier than ever in today's electronic world. Clinicians can take advantage of multimedia tools to collect information, ranging from an email containing a basic signalment to videos of a particular behavior.

Companion pets are happier, healthier and living longer today than ever before for several inter-connected reasons. Changing owner attitudes toward their pets, has significantly contributed to increases in life expectancy.

Step one: Figure out the causes of team conflict. Then take action against them.

Does gender play a role when it comes to management skills in veterinary practice?

The lowdown on which species veterinarians and veterinary team members prefer to work with, why-and if it matters.

Here's a look at how the economy has affected your veterinary practice, your clients, and your patients.

Helping clients pay is about more than just the bottom line. It's about building bonds and providing pets with the care they need.

Veterinarians? Team members? Clients? You told us who you felt was at fault.

Great customer relations needn't be costly.

Your veterinary practice should create a page on this social media juggernaut. Here's how to make sure you use the site right.

Attract pet owners to your veterinary practice's website by embedding these videos.

Oil from the Gulf spill threatens pets. Here's what veterinary team members need to know about the top dangers.