Veterinary Medicine - July 2008 - (Page 362)

Idea Exchange tips from the trenches Coffee ﬁlters can help keep cats clean Try using large, biodegradable coffee ﬁlters as bibs when you need to force-feed cats. First, fold the ﬁlter in half and cut a hole in it. Then place the ﬁlter over the cat’s head, and begin feeding. If the ﬁlter gets dirty, just turn it. When you’re done, toss it. Laura Genevieve Bollmann, veterinary assistant Tallahassee, Fla. Got a clogged sink? Get a syringe stat! A 60-ml syringe can be used to unclog sinks. The barrel ﬁts snuggly into most drains and can be used to push drain cleaner or water through the clogged drain. Sometimes it takes several attempts of forcing air and backed-up liquid through. I used this method to unclog a drain that three rounds of cleaner and a snake couldn’t ﬁx. Dr. Marty Weber Cedar Rapids, Iowa Avoid trashing your radiography unit by covering it with a trash can liner To make cleanup after dental examinations quicker and easier, wrap a clear plastic trash can liner around the head of your dental radiography unit before beginning. Once done, simply throw the liner away. The radiographs are not affected. Dr. Mary K. Carr Lombard, Ill. Warming up OraVet makes it easier to apply I used to have trouble applying OraVet (Merial) after dental cleanings, but then I discovered that if it is warmed up before application, it goes on easier. So at the start of a dental procedure, I slip a cartridge on top of a heated water blanket and then lay the patient and its blanket on top. By the time I’m ﬁnished with the procedure, the OraVet is warm and easy to use. Lisa Stempniewski, LVT Oak Creek, Wis. 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. Clarification The idea “Sometimes you can judge a bottle by its wrapping” (April 2008) described using colored Vetwrap (3M) to identify plastic bottles in the lab and exam rooms instead of using ink since ink smears when it gets wet. Such wrapping would indeed help identify the contents at a glance but would, by itself, be a violation of OSHA’s secondary container regulations. This regulation states that any substance that is in a container other than its original one—including alcohol, peroxide, or even soap—must have a secondary container label with hazard communication information clearly listed. Our practice has resolved the smeared secondary container label issue by printing out the required label information and laminating it. Then we tape the new label to the secondary container. Following this regulation will keep OSHA inspectors happy, keep claims of unknown exposure to chemicals by our employees to a minimum, and, most important, keep everyone in our ofﬁces more informed and safe. Dr. Bert Platt Rock Hill, S.C. 362 July 2008 VETERINARY MEDICINE

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

Veterinary Medicine - July 2008 Contents Leading Off Practical Matters Idea Exchange Clarification Dental Corner The Diagnostic Approach to Hematuria Guidelines for Evaluating Hypercalcemic Cats CE Form Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - July 2008

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