What Kind of Medical Equipment Do Veterinarians Need?

Veterinarians take care of our little pet friends on a daily basis. Their job is often even more challenging than that of the doctors, as contact with patients is limited and not verbal.

Another challenge of the vet’s profession concerns specialistic equipment that every animal clinic needs. The necessary medical supplies are similar to those used for treating humans. However, their choice of tools usually depends on the animal that is treated.

Of course, as in the case of human doctors, medical equipment that is used by a vet depends on the kind of medical procedure – different tools will be used for regular check-ups and for specialistic surgeries. That’s why the range of medical tools used by veterinarians is quite wide. Below, we list the essential items.

A Vet’s Medical Equipment – Regular Check-ups

Normally, during regular check-ups, veterinarians perform actions like conducting short medical procedures, collecting body fluids, or setting bones. No specialistic medical equipment is usually needed for doing these – it’s enough to have an otoscope, an ophthalmoscope (for examining the throat, eyes, and ears), and a syringe.

Veterinarians sometimes perform animal body care procedures – they trim hair, cut nails, or do various injections. In all these cases, only the basic tools are used. A vet should also have scales in his office so that it’s possible to weigh an animal.

Medical Tools for Vets – Surgical Procedures

Veterinary procedures sometimes involve more serious efforts, such as in the case of surgeries. In this case, vets need more advanced equipment and tools, for example, saws, microscopes, pin drives, or surgical clamps. There are also hooks, which are needed in spaying procedures.

In this day and age, laser treatment is becoming more and more popular. That’s why laser is another tool needed in veterinary practice. Lasers are also used for non-invasive procedures, for example, these aimed at increasing the animal’s blood pressure or reducing neurological pains and symptoms. To read more about laser treatment in animals, click here.

Veterinary Equipment – Special Procedures

Vaccinations are another procedure that is quite common in veterinary clinics. To vaccinate an animal, a vet needs a needle and a container with the vaccine, which needs to be refrigerated.

Medical refrigerators are vital in any veterinary clinic, as not only vaccines but also other medications such as creams or pills need to be stored there. However, they can be bought only once and last for a long time, provided that they’re of good quality.

Sometimes more advanced medical procedures are needed. An example of that may be insemination, which is useful in the case of infertility in animals. Typically, veterinarians perform insemination by using special ultrasound machines. Not every vet clinic has them, as they are still quite specialistic and costly. To get to know more about the process of insemination in animals and the necessary tools, read this article.

What Does a Veterinary Technician Need?

Doctors of veterinary medicine are not the only people who work in animal clinics – veterinary technicians are needed as well. They assist veterinarians in clinics, animal shelters, or hospitals by performing more technical medical procedures.

Vet techs are responsible, for instance, for measuring a pet’s temperature, weighing animals, or giving them first aid. Therefore, they use stethoscopes, thermometers, needles, syringes, or nail trimmers.

Veterinary technicians can perform basic medical procedures, but they cannot do more serious interventions on their own. However, they can assist the vet in these situations. Here you will find more information on what the job of a vet technician looks like.

Veterinary Equipment – Additional Items

Sometimes, veterinarians need some additional equipment to perform medical procedures. These include, for instance, surgical sets, spay and neuter sets, needle holders, forceps, surgical scissors, blade handles, and chisels. They are disposable, so they need to be supplied and exchanged often.

Sterilizers, lighting, and anesthesia machines are equally important in every vet’s surgery. However, these don’t have to be exchanged often, as they are durable and long-lasting. That’s why it’s good to invest in good-quality machinery in a vet’s clinic.

Conclusion

A veterinarian’s job is a challenging profession. Not only does it involve direct contact with different animals, but also applying medical procedures, which are sometimes complicated. That’s why vets need specialist equipment and machinery to perform their tasks successfully.

What’s more, vet technicians also need to use some basic tools in order to help the doctors to do their work smoothly and quickly. Thanks to the high-quality equipment, animals can be treated successfully.