Veterinary Medicine - June 2008 - (Page 306)

Idea Exchange tips from the trenches Discreet clock-watching in the exam room Like many veterinarians, I prefer not to wear a wristwatch because of frequent hand washing, yet I need a second hand for measuring heart rates or respiration or performing ocular tear tests. Since displaying a clock in the exam room may foster client impatience, my solution is to keep an inexpensive wall clock in a cabinet drawer. During patient examinations, I discreetly open the drawer as needed, watch the clock to get my rate, and then slide the drawer closed when ﬁnished. Dr. Karen S. Phillips Pittsburgh, Pa. A simple way to keep a surgical site hair-free To keep the surgical area free of hair when castrating cats, I cut a small diamond-shaped hole in the middle of a green rubber dental dam and place the dam over the surgically prepared testicles. I’m careful not to cut the hole too big or the testicles won’t stay covered, and I soak the dam in cold sterile solution before using it. Dr. Kathryn Okawa Bothell, Wash. Replenish your x-ray reserves Many human and veterinary hospitals are switching to digital radiography systems, so if you are still using ﬁlm, you may be able to easily acquire their obsolete cassettes and ﬁlm to supplement your practice’s inventory, as I did. Dr. Thomas W. deMaar Brownsville, Texas The value of the good-foryour-teeth goody basket After performing a dental prophylaxis, our technician meets with owners to discuss discharge instructions. Part of the conversation involves bringing out the good-foryour-pet’s-teeth goody basket, which is ﬁlled with products to help keep patients’ teeth sparkly white. It includes Enzadent toothpaste and toothbrush (VET Solutions), Prescription Diet t/d (Hills’ Pet Nutrition), C.E.T. AquaDent (Virbac Animal Health) drinking water additive, and C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews (Virbac Animal Health). The technician advises clients that brushing is best and describes the role that other products have. The technician then asks clients what they think will work best for them, and we send that product home with them. Since clients get to choose, they are more likely to use the product, and pets get good home dental care. Dr. Melisa Hicks Long Beach, Calif. Abdominal bandaging: No lifting required To make abdominal bandaging easier, we bridge the patient’s body across two platforms—the treatment table and a small table, surgery tray, or barstool. The gap allows us to bandage the patient without having to lift it. Melody Basye-Allgaier, veterinary assistant Indian Harbour Beach, Fla. Dry stained slides without an open ﬂame Instead of lighters, we use candle warmers (small circular hot plates) to dry stained slides and to ﬁx them when necessary. The candle warmers are safer than lighters, and they keep your coffee cup warm, too! Dr. Rebecca L. Tremble Independence, Mo. Send us your great idea, and we’ll send you $50! E-mail us at vm@advanstar.com, send a fax to (913) 871-3808, or write to Idea Exchange Editor at 8033 Flint, Lenexa, KS 66214. 306 June 2008 VETERINARY MEDICINE

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - June 2008

Veterinary Medicine - June 2008 Contents Leading Off Clinical Exposures Idea Exchange A Challenging Case: Conjunctival Lymphoma in a Cat Updates on Canine Hypoadrenocorticism Product Preview CE Form Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller Clinical Edge - June 2008 Table of Contents Managing Diabetes Mellitus in Cats: What Makes it Work? Porcine Insulin Zinc Suspension in the Management of Feline Diabetes Mellitus Monitoring Diabetes Mellitus in Diabetic Cats Feline Diabetes Mellitus: Important Client Communication Points

Veterinary Medicine - June 2008

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