The Year 2011

I thought I'd give you a quick recap of all of the things that I learned how to do in school this past year.  The following are mainly on dogs and cats, unless otherwise noted :)

- Restrain cats and dogs for various procedures

- Properly apply dog and cat muzzles, including making a muzzle from a piece of gauze

- Properly us restraint devices including a cat bag, rabies pole, and towels

- Trim nails

- Express anal glands (fun, fun!)

- Clean and medicate ears

- Obtain temperature, pulse, and respirations

- Maintain lab equipment including Complete Blood Count Machine, Chemistry Machine, centrifuges and incubators

- Apply an e-collar

- Collecting urine and fecal samples

- Perform various lab tests including packed cell volume, total protein, specific gravity, urinalysis and bacteria cultures

- Make proper diagnostic blood smears

- Collect and evaluate ear cytology

- Witnessed a necropsy

- Properly label medications

- Fill medication orders including liquids

- Reconstitute a dry medication/vaccine

- Dispense medicine to the client, including explaining how to give it, possible side effects, etc

- Administer subcutaneous injection

- Hand pilling both dogs and cats

- Administering liquid medications

- Setting up and maintaining an x-ray machine and developing room

- Set up for, take, develop, and read several different radiographs including thoracic, abdominal, extremities, skulls, etc.

- Perform a GI contrast study on a cat

- Radiographed a chicken, rat and horse

- Develop and use a radiographic technique chart

- Use both a stationary and portable x-ray machine

- Label, file and store film

- Cleaning intensifying screens

- Perform cephalic, jugular, and saphenous venipuncture (blood draws)

- Perform various blood tests including manual white blood cell counts and estimates, Snap tests, platelet estimates and white blood cell differentials

- Perform diagnostic procedures for Heartworm

- Collect and perform various lab tests on fecal samples to look for parasites

- Collect and examine skin scrapings

In twelve short months, I will have learned much more including dealing with pocket pets, exotics, equine and production animals, anesthesia, performing a full physical exam, implanting microchips, inserting IV catheters, and much, much more...and I'm still as excited as I was a year ago!!