Veterinary Medicine - March 2009 - (Page 122)

Idea Exchange tips from the trenches Repurpose syringe cases as instrument covers To keep the ultrasonic scaler, drill, and polisher on our dental unit from snagging on the clothing of passing personnel, we made covers for the instruments out of 60-ml syringe cases. We cut a notch in the cases just wide enough to ﬁt over the instrument stands. Dr. Ryan Cook Layton, Utah Use rolled bath towels to restrain cranky dogs Protect your keyboards with help from the kitchen To keep our laptop keyboard clean during dental procedures, we cover it with Press’n Seal wrap (Glad). When the wrap gets soiled, we replace it. Dr. Andrea Maceri Commerce Township, Mich. For some dogs that do not want to be handled or that may bite, we twist a thick bath towel so that it resembles a long noodle. Holding an end in each hand, we let the towel hang, making a U. While the dog is leashed and standing, we hold the towel so that the dog’s head slips between the ends. We then twist or hold the ends together so the dog cannot pull out—it looks like a fat doughnut around the dog’s neck. Then we can pick up the dog and examine it without being bitten. This restraint method works especially well for short-muzzled or small- or medium-sized dogs that are hard to hold. In addition, this restraint appears to be comfortable for dogs, as they hardly ever resist. Owners also appreciate this gentle technique. Kelly Pretasky, CVT La Crescent, Minn. Clear clutter by making the most of storage We placed this plastic container designed for storing plastic bags on the outside of a cabinet above our sink and use it to store surgical scrub brushes. Not only are the brushes off the counter yet still close at hand, but the see-through container helps us know when to reorder. Dr. Tracy Beeler Talbott, Tenn. At the beep, please check on Fluffy We found that sometimes in the middle of a busy day, those patients needing their temperature, pulse, and respiratory rates or another type of assessment were accidentally being overlooked, so we put a digital timer on each cage in the treatment room and on the cages of boarding animals when needed. Now, the doctors mark the daily orders on the intensive care unit sheets, and the technicians initially set the timers and reset them after completing a check or medication administration. If all treatment room personnel are busy when a timer beeps, front desk and kennel staff members reset the timer and leave a note on the cage stating when the timer beeped. So far, we’ve had great results! Dr. Eileen R. Adamo Penﬁeld, N.Y. A penny to help clients with their thoughts Clients with pets suffering from chronic disease often have a difﬁcult time knowing when they should opt for euthanasia. I often suggest that these clients set aside two jars—one for good days and one for bad days. At the end of each day, clients place a penny in the appropriate jar. This way they can see the balance and know when the good days are becoming outnumbered by bad days. Dr. Travis W. Wagner Decatur, Ala. 122 March 2009 VETERINARY MEDICINE

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - March 2009

Veterinary Medicine - March 2009 Contents Letters Correction Author Guidelines Hot Literature Idea Exchange A Challenging Case Local and Regional Anesthesia Techniques The Latest Scoop on Litter Product Preview CE Form/Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - March 2009

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