Every technician and assistant needs to be skilled at making slides of ear and skin cytology, and technicians need to be adept at microscopic evaluation. This article describes the steps needed to create the slide. Figure 1: Press and roll a cotton swab along the affected ear or skin. It may help to very lightly […]
As veterinary professionals we are all aware of the importance of safety in the workplace. If you do not have it already, an OSHA safety program specific for your hospital is highly recommended (www.aahanet.org/Store/StaffTraining.aspx ) for the Be Safe series of DVDs from AAHA). www.vetmedteam.org has ongoing courses called “Demystifying OSHA” for both management and […]
You’re probably asking yourself, why would I want my dog to ring a bell to go outside? Here are a few reasons: your dog will not ruin your door by scratching at it, you can not “hear” your dog sitting at the door, and barking at the door can at times become disruptive. Once your […]
It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with all of the various things you can pick up or be exposed to when you are working with animals. This article highlights the more common varieties.
The difficult challenge of rabbit venipuncture can be due to either the patient or the phlebotomist. Not all rabbits are used to be handled which makes performing diagnostic tests difficult. On these patients consider either sedation with butorphanol or short term anesthesia with isoflurane. There is less chance of injury to the rabbit or the […]
Rabbit Physical Examination Checklist Technician _____________________________________________ Date ___________________________ Client Name _________________________________ Patient Name _____________________________
When does the physical exam begin? The exam starts the moment the patient is presented to you. What do we mean? Take your time to observe the patient prior to physically picking them up.We often learn a lot from observing rabbits in their cages since they are often more relaxed there than when they are […]
Initial Rabbit Medical History Technician_____________________________________________ Date _____________________Client Name _________________________ Patient Name _________________________________ Signalment Plus
Lagomorpha family Male – BuckFemale – Doe Birth weight – 30-80g Adult body weight (kg) – Male – 2-5 kg Female – 2-6 kg Temperature – 101.3-104 F Respiratory rate – 30-60 breaths/minute Heart rate – 180-250 beats/minute Blood pressure, Systolic – 90-130 Diastolic – 80/90 Age of sexual maturity- Females – 4-7 months Males […]
Diagnosing parasites in rabbits is primarily the same as in cats and dogs. Test include fecal flotation, skin scraping, fur exam and ear swabs. Keep in mind how thin a rabbit’s skin is when performing a skin scraping to avid lacerating the skin. Ectoparasites are more common in rabbits than endoparasites. Ectoparasites