Have you noticed a change in the temperature this past month? If you’ve either spent any time outside or if you’ve watched the news lately, you’re probably aware that there have been many heat waves recently ..read more

Stepping into an operating room for the first time may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! You already have all of the technical knowledge necessary to prepare an operating room successfully, but there are some nuances that you don’t want to forget ..read more

As you have likely noticed in your pharmacology courses, there is a long list of cardiac medications that can be used to treat a wide variety of cardiac conditions.  If you find yourself working in veterinary cardiology, you will likely become familiar with many of these medications. If you opt to work in general practice, though, you really only need to be  highly familiar with a handful of cardiac medications. While you may occasionally encounter patients taking other medications, it will likely be rare enough that you can consult a reference as needed ..read more

While controlled drug logs are primarily the responsibility of the veterinarian (after all, it’s their DEA license that’s associated with the controlled drug box), many vet techs also play a role in logging controlled drugs. If your responsibilities include anesthesia and/or surgery, you will likely be handling controlled drugs on a regular basis, and you will need to log them accordingly.  ..read more

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s a helpful image:  This particular image is relatively useless at first glance, because it contains a lot of information. If you take the time to actually trace the flow of blood through the heart, however, it can be very helpful ..read more

A 9 yo MN mixed breed dog, weighing 72 pounds (32.7 kg), presented for a recent onset of panting, shortness of breath, weakness, and episodes of syncope. On physical examination, the dog’s heart rate was 160 bpm, his mucous membranes were pale, and his pulses were weak and thready. An ECG was immediately performed. On the ECG, the veterinarian noted an absence of P waves accompanied by wide and bizarre QRS complexes. Based on the ECG findings, the dog was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia ..read more

As a vet tech working in general practice, you will probably discuss dental care with nearly all of your patients. Whether you’re recommending home care to a new puppy owner, recommending a dental cleaning to the owner of a middle-aged pet, or calling a client during their pet’s dental procedure to recommend extractions, it’s important to be comfortable making recommendations in a way that improves client compliance ..read more

Pepper, a 3 yo FS DSH, presents on a busy Friday afternoon for a recent history of skin irritation and licking. She is an indoor/outdoor cat and is up-to-date on FVRCP, Rabies, and FeLV vaccines, but not much is known about her medical history. She was adopted from a shelter just a few months earlier. Pepper’s owner reports that she tries to give Revolution® monthly, though she has missed a few doses; Pepper’s most recent dose was administered roughly five weeks ago.  ..read more

When you hear the phrase “rodenticide toxicity,” what’s the first type of toxicity that comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you probably think of anticoagulant rodenticides. However, there are a variety of different rodenticides that can have toxic effects on pets. As a vet tech, it’s important for you to be familiar with these toxins and know your role in managing possible rodenticide toxicity.  ..read more

Clients and non-clients alike often call veterinary clinics about possible toxicity concerns. In most cases, the receptionists answer these calls and then forward them to a vet tech for evaluation. Your job, as the vet tech, is to triage the client’s concern and determine whether the pet needs veterinary care. In some cases, it will be obvious that the client’s concern is unfounded and the item that the pet ate does not pose a risk. In other cases, however, the correct solution will not be so clear.  When in doubt, you can always ask the veterinarian for a recommendation ..read more