Monthly Newsletter November 2015
In this issue: What happens during
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A day in the life of a Veterinary Dental Technician— What happens during a cleaning? As part of the Friendship Family, you may know that every October and February are Pet Dental Health Month. And, undoubtedly during your pet’s visit to Friendship, your doctor has mentioned his/her dental health. Terminology like gingivitis, periodontal disease, Oxyfresh, CET chews, plaque, roots and pockets may have been present in your conversations. You understand the importance of your pet’s dental health to daily comfort and life longevity (bacteria from untreated diseased teeth goes into the blood stream which pumps through every major organ of the body). But what do all of these terms mean when your pet is under anesthesia and the doctor and technicians are x-raying, cleaning and extracting teeth? Our technician team wants you to know exactly what happens during your pet’s dental, so continue reading for a synopsis of a day in the life of your Veterinary Dental Technician:
a Dental cleaning at Friendship? What’s new, Who’s new and what’s happening at Friendship! Staff Spotlight Meet Chris—a CSU pre-vet student Coming up Winter weather is in the air—December’s issue will discuss winter weather pet hazards. And, with the new year approaching, will there be a new pet in your household? What to know.
The Friendship Hospital Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) assigned to surgery for the day arrives to the hospital about an hour prior to your early 7:30 or 7:45 am arrival. She sets up for surgery or the dental by making a comfortable kennel bed for your pet, drawing up the anesthetic drugs that are tailored to the patient’s weight, age, and demeanor. She also carefully reviews your pet’s medical record with the surgery/dental doctor to meticulously ensure that we know each detail about his/her medical history and previous visits to Friendship. Upon your arrival, the CVT discusses the procedure estimate with you line by line and answers any of your questions or concerns. She also reads through the surgery authorization form and explains the anesthesia process ensuring that you understand the risks of anesthesia and the steps everyone at the hospital employs to minimize those risks. After giving your pet a hug and kiss we ask you to release him/her into our care; the CVT takes your pet into the hospital’s treatment area and immediately gets a temperature, pulse, respiration rate, mucous membrane status, and pain score to asses his/her vital signs. If all signs are normal, she sets your pet up in a cozy and comfortable bed/kennel with a name tag on the kennel and around her/his neck for identification. If bloodwork has not been done within the past month, the CVT will collect a blood sample for preoperative blood which is reviewed by the doctor before giving any anesthetic drugs. Bloodwork is imperative to ensure that all of your pet’s organs are functioning correctly and will stay healthy under anesthesia. If there is the slightest compromise (i.e. elevated kidney/liver values) the team will determine safer more appropriate drug protocol/fluid therapy. If your pet is anxious we will immediately give them a light sedative to ensure that they are comfortable and not worried before we start the procedure.
Meet Technician, Chris! Hi, my name is Chris. I am a California native who moved to Colorado in 2014 without a second thought. I have spent the last four years working as a Veterinary Technician for both small and large animal hospitals.
A day in the life continued... Next, the CVT places an intravenous catheter that will be a port for IV fluids, induction drugs, as well as a port for any emergency/supportive care drugs we may have to administer during the procedure. Intravenous fluids keep your pet hydrated throughout the procedure while maintaining safe blood pressure levels, and allowing filtration of the anesthetic drugs through their body more quickly. With the IV catheter placed, the team is ready to induce your pet and place an endotracheal tube. The anesthetic drugs are administered through the IV catheter and an appropriate sized tube is placed down your pet’s trachea that will help her/him breathe and maintain anesthesia throughout the procedure. Once under anesthesia, an additional CVT oversees their anesthesia monitoring. We connect all patients to an electrocardiogram (aka ECG/EKG), SP02 monitor (peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, an estimate of the amount of oxygen in the blood), blood pressure monitor, respiratory monitor, and a temperature probe. Each of these devices helps to monitor the status and health of your pet under anesthesia conditions. We record these values every five minutes as well as listen to your pet’s heart and lungs. Anesthesia decreases a patient’s ability to thermoregulate, so our team uses warm water bottles and blankets to help maintain an appropriate body temperature.
I am so excited to be part of the Friendship family! I am passionate about providing the best emotional and physical care for both animals and their human companions! My home is run by one Labrador, Zeik, one feisty kitty, Ms. Whiskers, and two very spoiled horses, Doc and Tres. If I am not working or attending class at CSU, you can find me in the mountains with my horses or out walking the dogs (yes, the kitty thinks she's a dog).
At this point, the CVT begins to chart your pet’s teeth. She probes around every single tooth making sure there are no periodontal pockets*, fractures, or abnormalities. Then, the CVT begins cleaning/scaling each tooth front and back with an ultrasonic scaler. Meanwhile, the second technician is watching and monitoring your pet constantly; ensuring that your pet is in a good plane of anesthesia. Sometimes abnormalities in the teeth will require dental x-rays to be taken (digitally). The doctor who is present and overseeing the procedure, examines the mouth and any x-rays performed. If the doctor deems that periodontal procedures are needed, she will call you to discuss how to proceed. If surgical extractions are deemed appropriate and approved, the doctor drills the tooth into multiple sections then carefully extracts the roots of the tooth. The CVT will then take another intraoperative radiograph (x -ray) to ensure all root remnants have been Probe showing pocket retrieved. Once the tooth is completely extracted the doctor will pack the area with either antibiotic, biologic sterile packing material that encourages appropriate blood clotting, or synthetic bone graft material. This is all depending on what tooth is being extracted and what was going on with the tooth pathologically. The doctor will close the area with absorbable suture and then all teeth are polished. Once all necessary procedures are complete, the nurses will cleanup your pet, take one last set of vital signs, and turn off the isoflurane anesthesia. He/she is moved to a warm, comfortable bed/kennel and the CVT stays with your pet until he/she is extubated (endotracheal tube removed from the throat), recovered and stable for observation and care until dismissal. At this time we will call you to report that you pet is awake and recovering.
X-ray of feline low incisors, canines and a few premolars
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• Email us at: Info@friendshipfoco.com
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Visit us online at http://friendshiphospitalforanimals.com/
Reminder: October and February are Friendship’s Dental Health Months. Receive 10% off dental services during these months.
FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL OPEN HOUSE & ADOPTION EVENT IN MARCH! Partnering with Larimer Humane Society who will bring pets available for adoption and introducing our two new Doctors, we hope you will join us for tours, food and fun on a March Saturday afternoon. Stay tuned for details!
Providing excellence in pet care while strengthening the human-animal bond.
During the post-procedure period, your CVT and doctor put together homecare instructions which include before and after pictures of your pet’s dental cleaning as well as very detailed instructions for how you should care for them at home. We also fill any medications prescribed by the Doctor to be sent home. Before your pet goes home, he/she is brushed, cleaned up, and adorned with a cute or festive scarf. Upon your arrival, the Doctor and CVT who completed the cleaning and were present during the entire procedure will greet you in an exam room to explain how the procedure went and takehome instructions. Your kiddo is eagerly awaiting your warm embrace so once all of Polishing teeth your questions have been answered, we reunite you with your pet!
We hope that this explanation of a day in the life of a Friendship Veterinary Dental Technician sheds some light on the level of care we perform daily for your pets. If this information creates any questions or a desire to further your knowledge, just ask us! *Periodontal pockets (periodontitis means inflammation around the tooth) is when gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces (called “pockets”) that become infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body’s natural response to infection start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. If not treated, the bones, gums, and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed. The teeth may eventually become loose and have to be removed.
What’s new, Who’s new and, What’s happening at Friendship! NEW DOCTORS AT FRIENDSHIP! Friendship is excited to welcome two new Doctors of Veterinary Medicine to the practice! Who is behind the mask? Dr. Lanning whose passions are pain management, rehabilitation and acupuncture will be starting in December while Dr. Higgins whose passion is surgery and dentistry will start in January. Stay tuned for an email with their biographies! GET $5 OFF VACCINES IN DECEMBER!
We’re on YELP!
A gift from us to you! Don’t wait until the new year to get your furry family up-to-date on their annual vaccines! Schedule your pet for an exam and vaccines with Dr. Lanning during the month of December and receive $5 off each vaccine!
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Call us at (970) 206-1868
• Email us at: Info@friendshipfoco.com
•
Visit us online at http://friendshiphospitalforanimals.com/