One of our favourite things about our veterinary team is the wide variety of medical skills that we get to learn and practice. We think you might be surprised by some of the things we can do behind the scenes, so please pardon us while we toot our own horns about a few of our cool professional proficiencies!
Calculating fluid doses
When unwell animals present to us, we use a variety of physical parameters to estimate their potential degree of dehydration – these include checks of their gums, skin elasticity and pulses. Using these signs and their body weight, we can then gauge what volume of fluid they need for healthy rehydration. This deficit is gradually replenished via drinking, careful syringe or tube feeding, fluid injections under their skin, or intravenous fluids (i.e. a drip).
Ultrasound-guided cystocentesis
How do we get urine samples when animals just won’t wee for us? We can use a technique called ultrasound-guided cystocentesis. This involves using an ultrasound scanner to visualise your pet’s bladder, so we can carefully pass a fine, sterile needle through their tummy wall and directly into their bladder to collect urine.
Checking cranial drawer
If your pet suddenly develops a very sore knee, you may see us holding just above and below their knee joint and trying to wiggle it a bit. This is a technique called “checking for cranial drawer”, and it helps us assess for looseness associated with a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. Many pets with torn cruciate ligaments will require sedation to be relaxed enough for this technique (as their injury may be just too sore).
Performing dental nerve blocks
Just like human dentists, we can use our anatomical knowledge to administer numbing local anaesthetic injections around specific nerve locations in your pet’s mouth. This means that we can minimise discomfort from tooth extractions as much as possible.
We’re proud of all the amazing services our team can provide, and we hope it gives you peace of mind that your pet is in good professional hands.