Page 76 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

60 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

A few words about contagious pets. We don’t always Start in cleanest room and move through to the dirtiest.
know whether a pet is contagious, so it is always best to Start high and work your way down to the floor.
consider every pet to be a walking disaster waiting to Offices and the lunch break room are usually only
happen! Don’t put pets into runs or cages together, used by the staff, so empty trash, vacuum if carpeted or
never put a “healthy” patient with a surgical patient, and sweep and mop. Wipe down the lunch table and dust the
don’t put patients into runs that have not been cleaned desk in the office. Wipe the light switch, doorknob, and
in between occupants. If the isolation ward is full, front and backs of the door.
remember some diseases are specific to specific animals.
If you have a puppy with parvovirus and there is no room TIP BOX 4.2
in the dog isolation ward, put it in the cat room. If you
have a cat with feline leukemia, put it in the dog ward. Time saving tip: when replacing garbage can liners, put a
This is not ideal as far as stress levels are concerned but few extra liners in the bottom of the can, then put the new
at least you won’t be spreading these contagious dis- liner on top. If the garbage can gets full or contaminated
eases! Remember to switch gloves, change boots or during the day you don’t have to run for a liner as one is
booties, leave lab coats that were used in the isolation there waiting!
ward there or put them straight in the laundry. Never
walk into the isolation ward with your everyday scrubs Repeat for the reception desk area, wiping down the
and bare shoes! You could spread disease to the rest of desk and if there is a patient ledge or counter wipe that
the patients you work with that day or take it home to off with disinfectant. Move to the reception area and the
your own pets. exam rooms. Start by dusting or wiping down the
furniture, counters, and chairs with the products that
are made to clean those surfaces. Wood furniture will
need polish, counters will need disinfectant spray, and
Reflection bookshelf or coffee tables perhaps just a dust cloth. If the
chairs in the reception area are cloth covered, use a
After reading the section on order of cleaning vacuum to remove hair and then wipe them down with a
kennels describe in your own words which room towel sprayed with disinfectant. Remove the trash either
you would start with, how you would handle each by dumping it into the large trash can or by removing
animal and how you would clean, care for, and the liner and replacing it with a new one. Check the wall
provide comfort to the animals in that room.
around the trash cans for splatter, use the detergent and
water spray bottle to wash that area, followed by the dis-
infectant spray. Replenish paper towels, refill disinfec-
tant spray bottles in the exam rooms, and refill hand
Facility Maintenance soaps/sanitizers. Wipe the doorknobs, light switches,
and doors with disinfectant. If there are windows clean
those with a window cleaner. Use the dust mop to capture
The entire veterinary facility must be cleaned on a reg-
ular basis. There may be someone hired to do the daily hair and dust bunnies, then the broom to sweep them
janitorial work, but that person may be the veterinary into the dustpan. Follow by mopping the floor as
assistant! If that is the case, all rooms need daily attention. described in the kennel cleaning section.

1. Stock a cleaning cart with detergent and water spray TIP BOX 4.3
bottles, disinfectant diluted and in a spray bottle,
window cleaner, and paper towels. Look at what you are going to clean and choose the cleaner
2. Large trash can with a liner and extra trash can suitable to the object!
liners – varying sizes to fit the trash cans.
3. Mop bucket that is reserved for the public areas of The laboratory and bathrooms are next. Wipe off
the practice. Reception, exam rooms, lab, offices, counters and clean the sink with disinfectant. For bath-
and so on. rooms, clean mirrors with window cleaner, apply toilet
4. Extra paper towels to fill dispensers. bowl cleaner to the bowl then brush clean and flush,
5. Hand soap and/or hand sanitizer to refill wipe the seat top, bottom, and base with disinfectant and
dispensers. paper towels, and replenish toilet paper as needed. For
6. Brooms – a small one for corners and tight spaces, a both rooms, remove the trash and replace liners if
large one for hallways, and a dustpan. necessary, replenish paper towels, soap/sanitizer, and
7. Dust mop, dusting cloth, and furniture polish if disinfectant spray bottle in the lab. Wipe off the light
necessary, switch, doorknob, and front and back of the door. Sweep
8. Toilet bowl brush and cleanser, and mop the floor.