Veterinary Technicians Research Articles

Working Out Back: The Veterinary Technician and “Dirty Work”

Based on three years of ethnographic research in a large, mixed-practice veterinary hospital and semistructured interviews with twenty-two veterinary technicians, this discussion focuses on the work of veterinary technicians, which is, as described by Everett Hughes (1984, 343), “physically disgusting,” “a symbol of degradation,” and “wound(ing to) one’s dignity.” The article briefly describes the vet tech’s career and work activities. The discussion then focuses on how technicians regard and deal with the least appealing of their physical and emotional tasks. Here I emphasize the compensatory role played by the relationships and encounters with nonhuman animals that are central to their work life. The article concludes with an examination of the concept of dirty work and the relationship between dirty work and identity.

Contribution of veterinary technicians to veterinary business revenue, 2007

Contribution of veterinary technicians to veterinary business revenue, 2007

The Ethics of Exotic Animal Analgesia

Although veterinary students these days are routinely taught about pain management in dogs and cats, they receive little instruction regarding pain management in exotic animal species, and, although much research has been performed to understand how dogs and cats feel pain, very limited studies exist on pain perception in commonly kept exotic animal species, including birds and reptiles. In addition to the lack of scientific information regarding pain perception in exotic species, very little discussion exists about the ethical issues that surround pain management in these species. Although dog and cat owners are generally more than happy to spend money on analgesics to help ensure that their beloved pets are not uncomfortable, many exotic pet owners may be less sensitive to indications of pain in their pets and more conscious of cost when it comes to spending additional funds on medication. It is up to us, as veterinarians and veterinary technicians, to educate exotic pet owners about their pets' need for pain relief in certain circumstances. It is also up to us to make each other aware of the necessity for pain management in all exotic species. As a result, I have invited 6 veterinarians from different states across the United States to share their experiences regarding the ethics of pain management in exotic pets. The participants are Michael A. Dutton, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian), Dipl ABVP (Canine/Feline), Exotic and Bird Clinic of New Hampshire, Weare, NH, USA; Peter Helmer, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian), North Bay Animal and Bird Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA; Christine Kolmstetter, DVM, Cheyenne West Animal Hospital, Las Vegas, NV, USA; Frank Lavac, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian), VCA Wilshire Animal Hospital, Santa Monica, CA, USA; Christina Mackensen, DVM, Animal Hospital of Warwick, Jamison, PA, USA; and Connie Orcutt, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian), Dipl ABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal), Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. I hope that hearing their experiences will prompt all of us to be more attuned to both the need for pain control in exotic animals and the ethical treatment of these animals in general.

Production-Animal Veterinarian Shortage: A Rural Case Study of West Virginia

This study reports the results of studies conducted to explore solutions to the shortage of veterinarians to service production animal and rural service needs. Based on the results, various programs are recommended to be implemented and directed toward rectification of the national shortage of production-animal veterinary services and rural farm service large-animal veterinarians in the United States. These programs are enumerated, promoted and evaluated for Productivity, Difficulty of implementation and Overall Payoff in meeting the issue. Results based on experience and professional guidance from the communities of livestock owners and production-animal veterinarians indicate that the following programs should be prioritized nationally:  State sponsored tuition relief for veterinary students in return for a term of service to rural production-animal service following graduation.  Regional veterinary clinics augmented by state supported veterinary treatment vans.  Scholarships directed toward students expressing interest in large-animal veterinary medicine.  Modification of treatment and drug administration laws to allow a fuller function for veterinary technicians in the treatment of production animals in rural environments.

Labor market characteristics of veterinary technician specialists in 2007

To determine labor market characteristics of veterinary technician specialists (VTSs) during 2007 and identify characteristics significantly related to pay. Survey. 163 VTSs. A 21-question, multiple-choice survey was sent in early May 2008 to all individuals (n = 345) who had been certified as VTSs and for whom an e-mail address could be identified. Weighted mean pay rate for respondents was $23.48/h. Pay rate was significantly associated with practice type, whether the respondent had a supervisory or management position, duration of experience as a VTS, duration of experience as a veterinary technician, and duration of employment with the current employer. Pay rate was not significantly associated with age, gender, highest academic degree, geographic region, area of practice (ie, urban vs suburban vs rural), or academy of which the respondent was a member. Traditional human capital variables such as work experience and job tenure were significantly related to pay rate for VTSs.

Percutaneous external jugular vein catheterization in piglets using a triangulation technique

Chronic jugular vein or central venous cannulation is routinely performed in human and animal patients for access to blood circulation. In mature swine, chronic catheter placement techniques have typically involved venous isolation via extensive cut-down, blunt dissection and manipulation of ventral neck tissues prior to catheter placement. More recently, guide-wire-assisted percutaneous techniques have become standard practice in human and veterinary medicine due to the minimization of soft tissue and vessel damages. Laboratory animal piglets are becoming more popular research models because of their immature immunological system, ease of handling and costs. However, external jugular veins are very difficult to catheterize in paediatric animals including freshly weaned piglets. The objective of this study was to develop a simple, safe and efficient method for external jugular vein cannulation in young piglets. In total, 20 piglets were anaesthetized and percutaneously catheterized with a guide-wire technique using palpable anatomical landmarks and triangulation. With this minimally invasive catheterization, it has allowed our veterinarians and veterinary technicians to quickly and easily obtain central venous access in piglets undergoing operative procedures.

Use of drugs and antibiotics in poultry production in Ghana

This study was designed to assess the extent of drug and antibiotic use in small and large commercial poultry producers in Ghana, and the extent of the knowledge, perceptions and practice of drug withdrawal period in poultry production. In all, 483 poultry farmers in Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions were interviewed using a prepared questionnaire. The sources of knowledge of which drug to buy and proportions of farmers that used such sources were personal experience, 33.3 per cent (n=481); veterinarians, 21.4 per cent; veterinary technicians, 20.6 per cent; drug sellers or shops, 18.7 per cent; and other farmers, 6.0 per cent. The drugs used by respondents (excluding vitamins and mineral supplements) could broadly be classified as antibacterials (52.0%, n=1559), coccidiostats or coccidicidals (33.7%), and dewormers (14.3%). Among the antibacterials, the tetracyclines formed the largest class (35.7%, n=831), followed by the nitrofurans (23.1%), penicillinstreptomycin combinations (18%), and sulphonamides and sulphonamide combinations (8.3%). For the coccidiostats, the largest group comprised drugs with sulphonamides or their combination (58.4%, n=539), followed by those with amprolium and amprolium combinations (39.1%). The dewormers were mainly of two classes: those containing piperazine (50.7%, n=229) and those with levamisole (49.3%). When asked what they did with eggs when layers were under drug treatment, a significant proportion of respondents (91.1%, n=426) said they sold the eggs. When asked whether they had heard the term “withdrawal period”, 47.4% (n=479) of the respondents replied in the affirmative. The mean (± SE) days given by respondents (who had heard the term) as the minimum length of the withdrawal period (WP) were 8±0.4 days (n=166) for broilers (range 0-28 days with median of 7 days) and 7±0.4 days (n=171) for eggs (range 0-26 days with median of 5 days). The reasons given for withdrawal period being unnecessary or impracticable in Ghana were mainly economic or ignorance and lack of knowledge. The study brought out issues on withdrawal period and drug management practices that will help reduce or avoid residues in eggs and meat, and need to be tackled seriously.

Tips and Tricks for Common Medical and Surgical Procedures in Small Ruminants

Every practitioner develops his or her own unique and efficient ways of doing things, and the author has collected a few of these tricks from personal experience, the veterinary literature, and veterinary technicians and practitioners. This presentation will include a variety of useful tips for a variety of commonly used procedures for South American camelids, sheep, and goats in a field setting.

Assisting with Calvings

The veterinary technician can be of valuable assistance in difficult calving situations. First, the technician can advise the producer when veterinary care may be needed by knowing predisposing factors to dystocia in the dam and calf and recognizing the signs that indicate a need for birthing assistance. Second, technicians familiar with the uses of obstetric equipment can be prepared to help the veterinarian use them efficiently. Third, technicians with knowledge of common dystocia scenarios and aftercare can help assure an efficient delivery and increase the probability for a successful outcome. Finally, the technician can play a critical role in protecting the health and safety of the people and animals by remaining vigilant for hazards and maintaining sanitation and hygiene.

New Health Care Delivery System and the Economics of Utilizing Veterinary Technicians

Population growth, global transformations, technological advances, and changing societal concerns on food production are inevitable and are challenging the way we produce food. Increasing global demand for animal products in the developing world, along with rapid urbanization, increasing energy costs, decreasing availability of quality arable land as well as water quality issues, place additional constraints on current food animal production systems. Indeed, the generational challenge to emerging food animal veterinary students is "how to feed the growing world without destroying the environment". The future food animal health care system and the veterinary professionals serving within will have to adapt to these changes in a manner that advances societal needs and meets demands in a responsible manner. To be relevant problem solvers in this global challenge, future veterinarians must be trained in diverse disciplines (epidemiology, management, ecology, economics, production systems, environmental sciences, nutrition) and even more importantly, have the ability to formulate integrated solutions to these complex challenges.

Critical Calf Care

Most newborn calf deaths occur prior to weaning, and perinatal mortality that occurs within 48 hours of birth is an increasingly important problem. High-risk calves are delayed in head righting, sitting, and standing attempts. They may be meconium stained, have had an assisted delivery, or been born with a short or prolonged gestation. Without critical care, many of these calves adapt poorly and are at risk for poor colostrum absorption, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, respiratory acidosis, disease, and death. Neonatal resuscitation, oxygen delivery, and fluid administration improves survival rate. Colostrum delivery, clinical monitoring, intravenous catheter placement and maintenance, supportive care, and the implementation of effective treatment protocols performed by trained veterinary technicians provide added value to the large animal veterinarian by enhancing the survival and health of calves.

ACVS and Hill's Pet Nutrition Promote Advanced Veterinary Technician Education

Veterinary SurgeryVolume 38, Issue 4 p. 431-431 ACVS and Hill's Pet Nutrition Promote Advanced Veterinary Technician Education First published: 01 June 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.2009.00543.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume38, Issue4June 2009Pages 431-431 RelatedInformation

The Role of the Avian/Exotic Animal Technician

Venipuncture. Radiographs. Syringe feeding. Client education. All of the routine but essential procedures that we take for granted every day in our veterinary practices. These are typically the duties of veterinary technicians, the people without whom we veterinarians could not properly perform our jobs. Conscientious, motivated technicians are often hard to come by, and conscientious, motivated technicians who love avian and exotic pet medicine are even more difficult to find. Veterinarians often underestimate or even forget the importance of the technicians we depend so heavily on every day. It often takes years for a veterinarian and a technician to establish the right working rhythm in the hospital; I know that after 7 years of working with the same technician, I am finally able to anticipate her next step and she mine. But this relationship has only been achieved after investing endless hours educating and training her in the ever-evolving world of avian and exotic pet medicine, and my responsibility to train my technician is never complete. If I want her to stay abreast of the latest technology and techniques in exotic animal medicine, I must provide her with the tools to do so.In this vein, I have asked 4 veterinarians and 1 veterinary technician, all of whom work with birds and exotic pets, to comment on the role of the exotic animal technician in veterinary practice. The participants are M. Scott Echols, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice), The Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA, USA; Peter Fisher, DVM, Pet Care Veterinary Hospital, Virginia Beach, VA, USA; Margaret Fordham, DVM, Mathew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Lorelei Tibbetts, LVT, The Center for Avian and Exotic Pet Care, New York, NY, USA; and Suzanne Topor, DVM, Livingston Animal and Avian Hospital, Lutz, FL, USA. In hearing about how they educate the avian and exotic animal technicians with whom they work, I hope that we will all reevaluate the roles that these technicians play in our practices and how short-term investments in these technicians can actually lead to long-term benefits to our practices.

Livestock Producers’ Views on Accessing Food-Animal Veterinary Services: Implications for Student Recruitment, Training, and Practice Management

Nationally, shortages of food-animal veterinary practitioners have been projected over the next several years. The purpose of this study was to ascertain livestock producers' perceptions on access to veterinary services and to measure opinions on potential solutions to access problems. Data for the study were from a 2006 survey of livestock producers in Tennessee. The study found that the majority of livestock producers had not perceived problems in obtaining veterinary services during the past year. Among those who had, the problems most commonly cited were a delay in obtaining services; that the veterinarian would treat the animal only if the producer transported it to the veterinary facility; and that the cost of the veterinary service was too high relative to the value of the animal. While it was hypothesized that producers who experienced a problem would have smaller farms on average and would reside in counties with lower numbers of large- or food-animal veterinarians, the results did not support this hypothesis. Among those who perceived a problem, scholarship programs to encourage veterinary students to specialize in large- or food-animal care and greater availability of veterinary technicians to perform health care services were viewed as effective ways to alleviate access problems. Financial incentives for veterinarians to locate in rural areas were also viewed as effective. While shortages have been predicted nationally, data from this survey do not suggest a perceived shortage in Tennessee. Problems in obtaining services appear to be more closely related to practice management and availability of large-animal practitioners in dairy and equine medicine.

Ultrasound Detection Of Pneumothorax With Minimally Trained Sonographers: A Preliminary Study

Prompt recognition and treatment of a tension pneumothorax is critical to reducing mortality in both military and civilian settings. Physician assistants, Special Operations Forces (SOF) and conventional force Medics are often the first medical providers to care for combat trauma patients with penetrating chest trauma and frequently have limited diagnostic capabilities available to them due to mission constraints. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential for non-physician providers to determine the absence or presence of a pneumothorax in a porcine model, with the use of a portable ultrasound machine, after receiving minimal training.Physician assistants, SOF and conventional force Medics, veterinary technicians, and food service inspectors, all naive to ultrasound, were recruited for this study. Participants underwent a brief presentation on detection of a pneumothorax by ultrasound and were then asked to perform a thoracic ultrasound examination on euthanized, ventilated swine. Some of the swine were induced with a pneumothorax prior to these examinations, and all participants were blinded to the absence or presence of a pneumothorax.Twenty-two participants examined a total of 44 hemithoraces. A total of 21 out of 22 pneumothoraces were correctly identified with one false-negative. All 22 normal hemithoraces were correctly identified for a sensitivity of 95.4% (95% CI 0.75-0.99), and a specificity of 100% (95% CI 0.81-1.00), with PPV of 100%, NPV of 95.6%.Non-physician healthcare providers can accurately detect a pneumothorax with portable ultrasound after receiving minimal focused training.

Lifelong Learning: What I Learned as a Student

In May 2008, I graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science Degree (Radiological Technology) from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Like a few in my class, I already had an undergraduate degree when I entered the program. However, unlike many, I had already had a career: I was a veterinary technician for 11 years before selecting radiological technology as a second career. I found the academic world considerably different relative to when I completed my first degree. Then, I was accustomed to learning from textbooks, attending live classes, and performing research in the library on microfiche. Now, the climate included online courses, searching scientific databases via the Internet, accessing journals online, and taking radiographic image tests online. This took some getting used to; in fact, it was a whole new way of learning. About the Author Heather Caseley graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science Degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was the recipient of the Radiologist's Award for academic achievement, the BHSc Faculty Award, and she is a two-time winner of the Dorothy Archibald Award. Heather is working as a radiological technologist in Truro, Nova Scotia, but hopes to gain employment in PACS administration, a field in which she specialized during her final year of studies.

Basic Mastitis Microbiology for Veterinary Technicians

Mastitis culturing programs provide a wealth of information to dairy farms for their milk quality control and treatment programs. Labs providing this information can be in-house at veterinary clinics or on-farm. Laboratories must have established protocols for collecting and handling proper samples, identifying bacterial isolates, reporting results and quality control. Veterinary technicians can be integral in the setting up and day-to-day operation of these labs, both in-house and on-farm.

Learning Characteristics of Veterinary Technology Students in a Distance-Education and an On-Campus Program

Distance-education programs have the potential to greatly increase the number of veterinary technicians. The demographic characteristics, readiness for independent and online learning, learning styles, and academic locus of control of a group of distance-education and on-campus veterinary technology students were examined. Distance-education students preferred independent learning and were more internally motivated to learn. Distance-education students with greater degrees of independence and internal motivation participated more fully, were more satisfied with their learning, and achieved higher grades. Students who preferred problem solving and active experimentation were particularly successful in distance education. These findings could have important implications for advising students interested in distance-education programs.

Teaching Nutrition to Student Veterinary Technicians

Graduates of veterinary technology programs must have the knowledge and skills to understand, implement, and encourage owner compliance with appropriate feeding recommendations for healthy animals and therapeutic regimens to promote optimal health, enhance recovery, and manage chronic disease conditions. This article describes nutrition education for veterinary technology students at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University. Veterinary technology students are novice learners in nutrition who prefer visual, applied, and experiential modes of instruction. The program uses the American College of Veterinary Nutrition's "Circle of Nutrition," concept maps, and case-based delivery and assessment.

Clients’ perceptions of delivery of veterinary services in peri-urban Ghana

A study was designed aimed at comparing the assessment of performance of animal health care delivery systems in peri-urban Ghana by livestock and poultry keepers in 4 locations. 889 respondents were interviewed using a questionnaire. A higher proportion of respondents in Location 1 met their needs for animal health by themselves, while in Location 3 these needs were met mainly by veterinarians. The mean distances to veterinary clinics, veterinary technicians or to purchase medicine were significantly higher in Location 1. Higher proportions in 3 locations perceived effectiveness of service delivery to be good. However, equity was poor in all 4 locations. Higher proportions in Locations 2, 3 and 4 said services were unaffordable. Client needs were perceived to have been met by higher proportions in Locations 3 and 4 but not in Locations 1 and 2. Staff attitude and technical competence were good in all 4 locations. The study concluded that the differences reported in the quality of service indicators in the 4 locations were not critical enough to recommend location-specific delivery systems.