Calmer Checkouts

Checkout time can be difficult for clients who are “juggling” one or more pets, small children, medications to take home, and home-care instructions. To help, we offer to check clients out at the end of the appointment in the examination room. With this option, clients can concentrate on discussing home-care instructions, scheduling the follow-up appointment, and paying the bill without having to worry about their pet escaping, their children wandering off, or missing important information. Our clients are very appreciative of this service.
Denise DeCarlo
Noah’s Brandywine Animal Healthcare Center
Greenfield, Indiana

That’s a Wrap ... for Fractious Cats

When a feline patient is fractious, we restrain its claws by wrapping the front feet loosely with self-adherent bandaging. We usually wrap the cat's body in a towel and wrap the front (and occasionally the rear) feet in the bandaging (as is done after declaws). The cats seem to respond very well, and if they do swat us, it does not hurt. Leaving a bit of extra wrap at the end can serve as a tab for easy removal.
Sabrina L. Vanone, BS, AS, LVT, RVT
Internal Medicine Clinical Technician
North Carolina State University
Veterinary Health Complex
Raleigh, North Carolina

Smoother Extubations

When patients have been under anesthesia (especially for long procedures), their tongues can get dry. While waking them up, I moisten the tongue with a small amount of water (e.g., a moist gauze sponge), which makes it easier for them to swallow and reposition the tongue correctly. Because anesthetized patients can’t swallow well, they can aspirate liquid if given too much by mouth. The small amount of water I use doesn’t cause choking or make the patient panic, and extubation goes more smoothly when the mouth is moist.
Beth Lyles, RVT
Lindsay, Ontario, Canada