Guide to Using Veterinary Equipment

Using veterinary equipment will help you build a successful practice

By Angela Roe

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Remember vet equipment for surgical needs

Take the time to fully supply your surgical units with the equipment you need to protect your patients during surgery. From machines that monitor the anesthesia to proper lighting, you need equipment you can rely on when performing surgical procedures.

I recommend: DRV Veterinary has the medical veterinary equipment for anesthesia control during surgical procedures. LEI Medical has several options of anesthesia machines so you can stock your surgery area in a way that best suits your practice.

Monitor your patients well-being with veterinary medical equipment

Choose monitors that help you keep track of heart rhythms, pulse and oxygen levels so you can accurately treat your patients. Look for monitors that are sturdy and easy to use, as well as monitors that provide alarms to let you know when animals are in distress.

I recommend: Apexx Equipment has several styles of monitors to allow you to keep a close eye on your furry patients. Professional Medical has monitors like EKGs and pulse oximeters.

Choose exam tables when ordering vet equipment

Fill exam rooms with examination tables to allow you to check out your animal friends. Consider lift tables for large animals that are unable to climb up on or be lifted onto an exam table. Look for exam tables that are easy to clean and provide a safe atmosphere for the pets resting on them.

I recommend: Paragon Medicine stands ready to provide you with all of your examination table needs. Pet Lift Equipment has all of your exam table needs, including tables that raise the animal to your height from ground level.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you're preparing to stock your practice with equipment for veterinarians, don't forget to stock a variety of sizes so you have the veterinary supplies you need to help any animal, large or small. Monitors and other equipment designed for livestock isn't likely to be effective on kittens and vice versa.

Guide to Veterinary Equipment

Finding veterinary equipment for sale at discount prices

By R.N. Dolgener

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find used veterinary equipment for sale whenever possible

These days, everyone is online, even veterinarians. Professional websites usually allow members to post veterinary equipment for sale.

I recommend: The top veterinary publication in the country is the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, whose classifieds contain listings for new and used equipment for veterinarians. If you’re not already a member, just follow the link to join the AVMA. This link will take you to the member log-on page. Just navigate to "classifieds" after you log in. Also, visit the vets-only online auction site, VetMax.com, and find refurbished vet equipment at DREVeterinary.com.

Network to find all kinds of veterinary supplies

Any new veterinary school graduate should have a sizable list of contacts in the works, including mentors, classmates, professors, pharmaceutical and veterinary medical equipment manufacturers and sales reps. Any of these contacts could provide an excellent start for your equipment search. If you've been in practice for a while, your longtime colleagues make excellent resources.

I recommend: Check out your state's Veterinary Medical Association membership listing for local vets or those with similar practice mixtures who might give you some insight into finding great deals on equipment for veterinarians. A good resource to check is VetQuest Classifieds, where you’ll find the latest veterinary equipment information.

Veterinary equipment suppliers will come to you, and will almost always negotiate to make the sale

Find the veterinary equipment you want and call a company with whom you already do business. Ask them to send someone to demonstrate the equipment and, if you decide to purchase, to train your staff in its use. Most veterinary equipment suppliers provide these services at no cost to you.

I recommend: MWI Veterinary Supply offers comprehensive consulting on all veterinary equipment for sale, as well as competitive pricing and no-cost staff training. Apexx Equipment offers an online consultation service, new and used inventory, and a hospital equipment planner, a checklist for any vet who's just starting out.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Find all the latest veterinary equipment information by using free consultation services veterinary equipment suppliers offer.
• •  You may be able to purchase used equipment and save money, but the more advanced the technology, the more likely you'll need newer equipment.

Guide to Pricing and Costs of Veterinary Equipment

Learn the pricing and costs of veterinary equipment to help set a budget for your practice

By Angela Roe

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase surgical veterinary medical equipment

Medical veterinary equipment used in animal surgeries will range from $1,000 to $5,000. In this price range you can expect to purchase anesthesia equipment, sterilization equipment, surgical lights and monitoring devices.

I recommend: Apexx Equipment has anesthesia systems that range from freestanding, wall-mounted and tabletop units so you can find the equipment you need. DRE Veterinary has several styles and sizes of autoclaves to sterilize your surgical equipment.

Remember exam tables when choosing vet devices

Expect to be able to purchase a variety of exam tables in the mid-range price point for your veterinary office. From a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, you can find wall-mounted tables, freestanding tables, tables with drawers and even hydraulic tables to lift large animals.

I recommend: Paragon Medical offers exam tables designed for use in a veterinary office in styles that include ones with build-in waste receptacles and pedestal or wall-mounted tables. Med-Vet International will supply you with any variety of exam tables for your animal care practice.

Save your bottom line with budget-friendly first aid equipment

Remember the basics when ordering supplies and equipment for veterinarians. Bandages and splints are among the common types of equipment you can purchase in the low-end price range. Ranging from a few dollars for bandages to approximately $50 for bovine splints, stocking these essential first aid items won't break your budget.

I recommend: Lakeland Vet stocks a variety of wrappings, gauze, tape and scissors for use in bandaging animals. Nasco Farm & Ranch has bandages and bovine leg splints to help you take care of your patients.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember that veterinary equipment information will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Gather all of the information from multiple sources before you determine from whom you'll make your purchases.

Guide to Veterinary Equipment Key Terms

Learn more about necessary veterinary equipment for your practice

By Andrea Townsley

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Electrocardiogram, ECG or EKG

The electrocardiogram, better known as an EKG or ECG, measures the electrical activity in a pet's heart to determine disease or track changes that may occur during surgery.

I recommend: As the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine points out, the placement of electrodes on animals is essentially the same as it is for humans.

Defibrillator

Defibrillators are used to reset the heart's normal rhythm when it starts beating abnormally. These are mostly used in emergency situations with external or even internal paddles. However, newer technology has allowed for tiny defibrillators to be implanted into animals' chests to help with chronic problems.

I recommend: Read about how Washington State University implanted a defibrillator into a dog's heart to help control his tachycardia.

Scaler

A scaler is used to clean plaque from an animal's teeth. This device is similar to the one used by dentists to scrape along the enamel of human teeth before polishing.

I recommend: Valley Veterinary Services explains how ultrasonic scalers are beneficial to the patient, as long as they do not heat up and damage the tooth.

Grooming tub

Most veterinary offices provide grooming services, so a grooming tub will come in handy. Grooming tubs are plastic or stainless steel tubs that have a ramp or stairs going up to them. Once the animal is in the tub, the ramp or stairs can be removed and the door can be shut, creating a tub surround. These take a lot of strain off of the groomer's back since they are raised.

I recommend: seeFIDO explains how to use a grooming tub, and you can view pictures of various tubs at Paragon Medical Supply.

Autoclave

Autoclaves are used to sterilize stainless steel veterinary supplies. Since it is inefficient to buy new tools, like scalpels, for each animal needing treatment, veterinarians use autoclaves to decontaminate the tools. The tools are packaged and the autoclave, which looks like a square safe, uses high pressure steam to kill bacteria.

I recommend: Princeton University explains procedures for using autoclaves for those who are new to them.

Capnograph

Capnographs measure carbon dioxide and are used mostly during surgery. More specifically, these monitors give readings of end-tidal carbon dioxide, also known at EtCO2.

I recommend: Sharn Veterinary gives a brief but thorough explanation on the indication of capnography in veterinary medicine.