Arielle Glaspie: Veterinary Technician

This picture is a perfect explanation of why I need to have this article on my blog. Every person
has a different idea of what exactly a veterinary technician does. Friends think I get to hang out
with cute animals all day. Parents often think of elaborate surgical procedures. Society thinks
that all I do is play with cute, fluffy puppies and kitties. Clients tend to think I like long sharp
needles and pinning their pets down on the exam table. I think I am a champion, fit to stand in
the presence of superheroes. In reality, a vet techs job includes all of the above and more.

When I say that I am studying to be a veterinary technician, people always Always ALWAYS
say "Oh, you want to be a veterinarian! That's cool." And I have to say "Cool, yes. Vet, no."
Then I get the blank stare.

What most people don't realize about the veterinary profession is that there are 3 strata in the
veterinary office. At the very tippy top are the DVMs (Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine) with 8
years of college (if theyre lucky). As the actual doctor, vets are the ones who perform surgeries
and diagnose diseases.


Next come the veterinary technicians with a Bachelors degree (4 years). Vet techs take care of
anything the vets dont do or dont have time to do, which covers a wide and extensive range of
duties.



Last are the receptionists, who dont have to have a degree but do have to be able to organize the
office, keep track of and let the other staff know of appointments, fill out entire forests worth of
paperwork, and be mildly versed in insanity in order to keep up with co-workers and put up with
clients.


Of course, what Im most concerned with is the vet tech part of things, but one thing that keeps
getting mentioned in my vet tech classes is the value of teamwork. The vet tech doesnt have as
much school/knowledge as the vet and without the receptionist the vet would be stuck fixing
paperwork instead of pets. Even vet techs have to constantly work with other vet techs,
especially when an ornery animal walks into the clinic. Every person is essential to the running
of a smooth and efficient clinic.

Theres a reason vet techs are also known as veterinary nurses. That is what they are. The vet/vet
tech relationship in a clinic is exactly like the doctor/nurse relationship in a hospital, only they
take care of animals, not humans.

On one hand, taking care of animals is simpler than taking care of humans. On the other hand, it
is excruciatingly more difficult. Animals are easier to prep for surgery, they dont get infections
as easily as humans, they have warm cuddly fur (not counting amphibians and reptiles), and if
theyre in the right mood, will love you to death.



But animals cant tell you what is wrong with them and their favorite way of telling you That
hurts! is to bite in order to get you to back off. And that is when they are in a good mood.
Dominate, crabby, or unsocialized animals will claw, bite or scratch if you so much as look at
them.



They cant understand that vets and vet techs are there to help, not hurt them.

Professionally, being a vet tech is a catchall job. I have to know how the x-ray machine works,
what part of the animals needs to be x-rayed, how much anesthesia to give to any sized dog (or
cat), how to restrain animals for examination so they dont eat my face off or savage the
examiner, how to autoclave instruments, set up for and shave animals for surgery, how to give
shots, pick up poop, do laundry, write in charts, talk to clients about their pets, how much to feed
all the animals, plus anything else at the end of the day that needs to get done.

Ultimately, vet techs are there to prevent this:



Every year, thousands of animals are actively abused and passively neglected. Another 5-7
million pets are circulated through pounds and shelters. Of that, 3-4 million are euthanized,
mainly because there are just not enough resources to care for all of the neglected and abandoned
animals.

As a vet tech, my goal is to care for any and all animals, regardless of breed or past history. Also
as a vet tech, abuse and abandonment hold a special place in my heart particularly when animals
are euthanized because vet techs are often the ones who do it. We are the ones who look into the
animals eyes as we slide the needle into their cephalic vein and inject enough drugs to kill them
because a stupid someone didnt take care of them. In lieu of an actual owner, we are the ones to
hold and watch over them as they die because the person that promised to protect them ended up
abandoning them and leaving other people to clean up the mess. And doing that week after week
in a shelter environment or even just in a veterinary clinic takes its toll.

Which is why helping animals heal and find new homes brings such joy to those of us in this
profession. In order to stand the bad side of things, in order to not burn out psychologically, vets
and vets techs focus on the positive things: the kitten that was carried in with a mangled face but
who walked out with nothing but a funny shaped nose; the trouble dog who kept getting sent
back finally coming to an owner who understands him; the joy of children as they find their new
buddies; the sad smiles as families say goodbye to a much loved friend. These things are what
make our jobs and sacrifices worth the pain.



Simple Technology Makes the World Go Round

For my equipment review, I am going to discuss what a lot of people dont talk about or even
notice unless its broken the thermometer. To most people, a thermometer is what you use
when a child is sick and you need to know if they are running a fever. For veterinary technicians,
it is a vital detecting tool. An animal running hot is often the first sign that something in their
body is wrong. So it makes sense that vet techs need good, reliable, accurate thermometers in
order to do their job effectively. Monitoring temperature is also useful when a pregnant female is
about to give birth. The mothers temp drops about 24 hours before she starts giving birth. This
gives the owners time to prepare for the birthing.

First of all, there are 3 types of thermometers. The old school style is the mercury thermometer,
in use since 1714 and the only way of taking temperatures for 350 years. It contains a small bulb
of mercury at the bottom of a narrow shaft enclosed within the thermometers outer glass
structure. The mercury reacts with temperature changes by moving up or down the shaft.
Numbers printed on the outside correspond with mercury levels to give the temperature.



The most commonly used thermometer today is the digital thermometer, which uses a thermistor
apparatus to measure electrical resistance and translates that into a readable temperature on the
digital screen.


And last but not least is the fairly recent aural thermometer. These ear thermometers use remote
sensing to detect the infrared radiation, also known as heat radiation, emanating from the
eardrum.



Each has its pros and cons and is used differently.

Mercury and digital thermometers are used rectally, meaning that the thermometer goes up the
animals poop chute. This may gross a lot of people out, but its done that way for a reason. Core
body temperature is different from surface body temperature. Whats on the outside isnt
necessarily the same on the inside, and in this case, core body temp is more accurate. And in
order to get a core body temp, vet techs have to go where a lot of people dont want to go since
pets dont sit still enough for the thermometer to go under their tongues. Plus, there is an added
risk that the animal may bite the thermometer or even swallow it when vet techs try to use it
under the tongue.



One thermometer has to be used on many animals a day. This brings up the problem of disease
control. We certainly dont want to take a rectal temp on one animal, then turn around and use
the same thermometer on another animal without some sort of sanitation process. As it turns out,
this is relatively simple. Alcohol wipes are extremely effective at killing residual bacteria on the
thermometer and sanitizing it for the next patient. Soap and warm water are also efficient
antiseptics, but because of the fast-paced nature of most clinics and shelters, alcohol wipes are
preferred and just as effective.

Mercury thermometers are considered pretty old fashioned in modern clinics since the results
take longer to collect and because they contain mercury, a toxic compound. Digital thermometers
can get an accurate temp in as little as one second. When animals dont like you touching them,
much less trying to take a rectal temp, faster is definitely better.


Aural thermometers are a little nicer than rectal thermometers since they take temperatures in the
ear instead of the rectum. Easier accessibility to a core body structure and more comfort for the
animal, all rolled up in one nice little package. Cons for this one are that aural temps tend to not
be as accurate as digital rectal temps, and that vet techs have to be very careful not to touch or
puncture the animals eardrum. Aural thermometers also tend to eat batteries, making it hard for
them to be cost productive.



Overall, just from past experience, and for the reasons listed above, I tend to use digital
thermometers since they are just as fast as aural thermometers and more accurate, but less
expensive to buy and to run.

Normal companion animal temp range

On a side note, animal temperatures are a little different from human temps. Normal for a pet is
between 100 and 103 degree F. Above 103 means the animal is running a fever. Below 100
means the animals is suffering from hypothermia. This info seems trivial, but is crucial
considering that a normal adult human temperature is 98 degrees F and normal adult companion
animal temperature is 102 degrees F.






















Dogs Help Cheetahs Overcome Breeding Fears in New Zoo Project


Originally published by The Huffington Post at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/companion-dogs-cheetahs-friendship-
zoos_n_2667033.html.
-San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Who knew that dogs and cats, traditionally portrayed as mortal enemies, could ever cooperate
together in a mutually beneficial opportunity? Four of the nineteen cheetah residents at the San
Diego Zoo Safari Park currently have dog companions, all of which were adopted from local
shelters. Why would this be beneficial to the cheetahs, you ask?



Cheetahs are a shy, secretive, and timid cat. Plus, unlike most other mammals, who go through a
cyclic estrous cycle, cheetah females only go into heat when they are around cheetah males. Add
to that the fact that most captive cheetahs have a very hard time getting along with other cheetahs
and have a tendency to abandon their cubs and you have an animal that is extremely hard to
breed in captivity. The dogs help calm the cheetahs down and give them confidence in being
around other animals.



As one person says in the original article: "It is all about comforting and reassuring the
cheetah. In this relationship, the dog is dominant, but we look for dogs that want to be a
buddy." Dogs are one breed of companion animal that know how to be a buddy.


One of the major problems with companion animals (mainly dogs and cats, although birds can be
included too, especially as tropical birds can live longer than their owners) is that so many of
them end up unwanted in shelters. People directly involved in the veterinarian profession are
always looking for ways to recycle these shelter animals and find them good homes. What else
could we ask for any dog than a loving home and a furry friend to keep company?



As a vet tech, the conservation idea presented here is extremely appealing to me. Our job at its
basic level is the preservation of animal life. With this program, not only are dogs that otherwise
might not have been adopted finding a happy home, but they are helping create new life for the
cheetah species. The involvement of companion dogs in the cheetah breeding program also has a
certain sort of irony to it: that of a domesticated animal helping to restore a wild animal species
to a healthy population.



Of course probably the most important aspect or concern that vet techs have for animals is
quality of life. Many city dogs are left alone all day with no one else and nothing to do. They
lack the socialization that dogs need, not just with humans, but with other animals as well. This
program not only provides a usefulness and necessity for shelter dogs, but it also gives them a
friend.




To Be or Not to Be? Spaying, Neutering, and Their Ethical Implications

No matter what field you work in, there always seem to be ethical issues where two (or even
three or more) frames of mind find each other and clash. It is an unavoidable issue and I was
tempted to find an obscure topic to discuss just to avoid striking up forest fires. But then I
realized that if everyone avoided ethics, there wouldnt be any to discuss, or worse, they would
get resolved in an entirely unsatisfactory manner. Ethics have to be faced (and argued about)
unless we want someone who knows nothing about the issue to decide what is going to happen.
Thanks for putting up with my humble attempt at learning how to play with matches.

With that said, my ethical argument is going to be on spaying and neutering. This issue affects
not only the veterinary profession, but pet owners, and even the general population, although
most people dont realize this.

To be clear, spaying is when the ovaries from a female animal are surgically removed so that
they can no longer produce eggs or sex hormones. Neutering is when the testicles are surgically
removed from a male animal so that semen and sex hormones are no longer developed.

NOTE: For simplicitys sake, ProSN = people for spaying and neutering and ConSN= people
against spaying and neutering.

One of the main reasons spaying and neutering is recommended by ProSN is because of the
excess of animals that are already overcrowding shelters and pounds.



ConSN like to say that the overcrowding theory is a myth, and that sure, there are homeless
pets, but isnt homeless better than mutilated? And speaking of homeless, why dont we spay
homeless people against their will? (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-spaying-and-
neutering/)

As I mentioned in my field explanation blog 5-7 million homeless pets are circulated through US
shelters each year, 3-4 million of which are euthanized, not adopted. The US average for one
year of people who experience homelessness in some way is 2.3-3.5 million while permanently
homeless people average at ~805,000, none of which are euthanized. You compare the numbers
and tell me if the US has a pet overpopulation problem or not.

One ConSN misunderstanding is that spaying and neutering is a painful mutilation of the animal
and that they experience pain forever afterward because of it. Mutilation is defined as the cutting
off or otherwise depriving an animal of a limb or other essential part. Hate to say it, but ovaries
and testicles are not essential to life.

Also, animals are anesthetized during the spay or neuter, so they dont feel a thing, and they are
supplied with pain pills, just like a human would be after surgery. The average spay or neuter
victim is back to their normal hyperactive self in about 2 days. Like every surgery (including
human surgery) because anesthesia is involved and because it is a surgery, there is some risk and
the chance that something will go wrong. However, these risks are small and nonexistent with a
good veterinarian (also like human surgeries, minus the vet).

ConSN tend to treat animals the same as humans. Animals are not like humans. They dont the
capacity to understand the concept of not mating so extraneous offspring arent born. Males do
not miss their family jewels like a castrated human would. Females dont need to be moms to
be complete. They dont even treat sex like humans do. Aside from dolphins, humans are the
only species on earth that has sex for fun. Every other species, including companion animals,
breeds to propagate the species. And they are amazingly good at it.



People tend to imprint their own feelings and thinking patterns onto animals, which leads to the
animals are people too idea. Animals do not build skyscrapers. Animals do not use computers.
Animals do not have pets. Because of these differences, pets must be treated differently from
their owners, no matter how human they act.

Another argument that the ConSN group make is that the spaying and neutering campaign is just
veterinary propaganda so that vets (and vet techs) can make more money off of pet owners. And
that may be true for a small number of unscrupulous people. But Ill let you in on a little secret:
most people dont become vets to make money. Its a bad idea and doesnt pay off. Vet school is
extremely expensive and the salary of a vet is nowhere near the salary of a doctor, even though
they basically do the same job.

A vast majority of a vet techs job is communication of proper animal care to pet owners. Being
able to talk to people effectively about proper care, training, nutrition, exercise, health, and
whether they should spay or neuter is literally a make-or-break job qualification for a vet tech.
And one of the things we try and point out to pet owners, especially new pet owners is the need
for them to be good stewards.

A lot of ConSN like to point out that in Europe spaying and neutering are considered to be
animal cruelty and therefore illegal. But what they fail to understand is that what allows no
spaying or neutering in Europe is the peoples attitude toward responsible pet ownership. They
are accountable for everything their animals do, whether its biting, sheep worrying, or siring an
unplanned litter. They take steps to insure that these incidences happen as little as possible.

In the US, we have a tendency to have disposable pets. A lot of people like and want a pet, but
they fail to understand all of the implications involved in pet ownership, all of the
responsibilities. A lot of people think that when things get hard, or even if the pet just annoys
you, give up the pet, and there are no consequences. For the human.

Fully half of the pets given up or abandoned at animal shelters never find good homes, and are
euthanized because there is just not enough space for every shelter to be a no-kill operation (no-
kill means that once an animal is given up/abandoned, it is kept by the shelter until a suitable
home is found, for life if thats what it takes). No-kill is a noble cause, but for many pet charities,
it is just not possible. And a sad choice has to be made between being noble and practical.

Until people realize and fix the consequences of not spaying and not neutering and not taking
proper care of their animals, the US will never be able to NOT spay and neuter.