Idea Exchange: A tip for monitoring pocket pets' heart rates

At our hospital, we perform few exotic or pocket pet surgeries, but when we do, we have struggled with monitoring these patients' heart rates. Their bodies are too small to attach monitors to, and stethoscopes are bulky. However, we can hear these patients' hearts by using the crystal from our Doppler blood pressure monitor. We don't even shave the patient; we just use some gel and place the transducer on the animal's chest.

Loretta Postell, LVT

Lacey, Wash.