Page 184 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

168 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

8. Perform therapeutic bathing, basic grooming, and dipping of
small animals
12. Demonstrate an understanding of euthanasia and post mortem
care
13. Capillary refill time and normal mucous membrane evaluation
VII. Laboratory Procedures
A. Assistance in the laboratory
1. Collect voided urine samples
5. Collect voided fecal samples for examination
9. Handle disposal of deceased animals

Depending on your hospital or clinic you may be taking clinics use a rubber mat with holes for drainage as the
care of pets that are boarding, recovering from surgery, resting area. A towel can be laid over the mat but if the
or are sick and may be contagious. Each one of these patient is incontinent or tears or chews at the bedding
need a little bit of tender loving care and appropriately just the rubber mat is provided.
sized accommodations to their respective needs. Water is the next priority and it should always be avail-
Remember, these are beloved pets and they get lonely, able, unless otherwise directed. Always place the water
spending a few minutes talking to them and giving them dish in a spot to avoid it being tipped over easily. Check
a few pats as you move through the room will be of com- on patients throughout the day to make sure they all
fort to them. Above all though, they need a clean, stress have water and that none are sitting in a wet or soiled
free environment in which to live and heal. A vital job for cage. If found, clean it out and resettle the patient imme-
the assistant will be to ensure these requirements are diately. A wet patient is a sad and potentially unhealthy
met. patient.

Housing Requirements – Reflection
Kennel Set‐up Determine how you will set up a kennel or run for
a patient. What comfort measures can be taken
to ensure a comfortable and sanitary kennel or
Kennels and runs should always be ready to receive a run?
patient. The basic set‐up is clean newspapers on the bot-
tom of the cage, an empty cage card, and ID collar inside
the kennel. The newspaper is good for soaking up spills
and containing debris. It is also good for dust collection Water and Food
for cages that may not be used very often because of size
or position in the room. The newspaper can be folded Consumption – Elimination
up to capture the dust or debris from the pet and dis-
posed of in the garbage. This would be appropriate for The consumption of water can be tricky to determine
recycling. unless you are paying attention to the amounts given.
When a patient is admitted to the hospital there are This is especially important with cats as they are not great
some considerations to take into account. The selection drinkers in the first place and when stressed are even
of a kennel or a run will depend on the size of the more apt to not drink. Measuring the water presented
patient. It must be large enough for the patient to stand, and when being replenished may be asked of you for
move, and turn around easily. They should not have to some patients. Making note of the amount of water con-
negotiate around food and water dishes when shifting sumed in the record is very important with these patients.
positions. Metal cages tend to be cold so a layer of news- Be conscious of the amount of water available. If you
paper covered with a towel or blanket is often required. arrive in the morning to an empty bowl, which has not
Clean, soft, dry bedding large enough for an animal to been dumped, perhaps a bigger bowl is in order to last
stretch out on comfortably should be provided for each the night. Alert the veterinarian if water is being con-
patient. Many will enjoy burrowing into the blanket for sumed in larger amounts than normal for that sized pet.
warmth and comfort. Instead of the newspaper some There may be a medical issue that has not been