The Savvy VetTech

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a month for our entire country to focus on mental health and suicide prevention. While suicide is always a hot topic within the veterinary profession, September is a good time for all of us to take a moment and focus on this issue.

While a radiograph can be taken with a pet in nearly any position, depending on the veterinarian’s goals and the specific area to be imaged, there are certain views that are utilized more often than others.

As a vet tech student, it’s important to be familiar with these commonly-ordered images, so that you are prepared to assist on externships or at your first job.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are chronic retroviral infections with significant impacts on feline health. Studies suggest that each of these conditions has a prevalence of approximately 2-4% of North American cats.^1-2

When veterinarians perform radiographs to evaluate the hips of potential breeding dogs, there are two methods they may use: PennHip radiographs and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) hip radiographs. While these two methods of hip evaluation have similar goals, there are a number of differences between the two techniques. 

If you find yourself working in a small animal general practice as a new vet tech, you will need to be familiar with vaccine reactions. Fortunately, serious reactions are relatively uncommon. Client questions about vaccine reactions, however, arise on a regular basis! 

An understanding of vaccine reactions will help you react quickly when these reactions do occur and help you provide valuable information to your clients.