Veterinary Assistant Buddy Center Volunteer Training Manual Thank you for volunteering as a Veterinary Assistant. This packet includes information to help familiarize you with the Veterinary Services department and Dumb Friends League policies and procedures. As a veterinary assistant, you will assist the surgical technicians and veterinarians in the care of all ill and injured animals in the shelter, pre and post-operative care, and general cleaning of the Health Care area. Please be sure to ask plenty of questions. Attendance and Vacations If you are unable to work your shift, please contact Volunteer Services at 720-241-7160 or volunteer@ddfl.org. This way we know that you will be out and we may be able to find another volunteer to fill your shift. If you would like to permanently change your position or the day or time of your shift, please contact the Volunteer Services Manager at volunteer@ddfl.org. Getting Started Please wear your volunteer nametag, t-shirt and closed-toe skid resistant shoes for all shifts. Hand sanitizers are mounted on the wall in each room. Refills are available in the supervisor s office. Clock in at the time clock for every shift. Duties The primary responsibility of the Veterinary Assistant is to assist Veterinary Services with medicating shelter animals. This includes assisting with the preparation of these medications. Ophthalmic (eye) medications: Drops and ointment. These medications are kept above the workstation in the main Health Care exam area. Otic (ear) medications: Usually liquid, otic medications are kept in the main Health Care exam area. Oral medications: These can be liquid or pill form. They are stored in the refrigerator and in the cabinets in the main Health Care exam area. Topical (skin treatments) medications: Generally in a cream form; stored in the main Health Care exam area. Subcutaneous fluids (under the skin): Subcutaneous medications are liquid and are stored in the main Health Care exam area or in the Surgery Suite. 1
Nebulizer (respiratory medications): This medication starts as a liquid and becomes a gas when put in the nebulizer machine. Respiratory medications are kept in the refrigerator in the main Health Care area. Make sure you are drawing the correct medication, and in the correct dosage. If you have any questions, ask a staff member or a veteran volunteer. Administering medication At the beginning of each volunteer shift, you will be given a list of animals that are in need of medication that day. You will be assigned to a certain area or areas to administer these medications. Please check doors prior to entering room for Staff Only signs or for what PPE to wear. Staff Only means that only staff should medicate. Before medicating any animal make sure you read all appropriate notes in Chameleon to gather as much information as possible, paying particular attention to notes relating to the animal s behavior. Check the kennel gate for any relevant signage. Open the kennel gate slowly and watch for body language; if the animal appears fearful approach slowly and cautiously. If there are any signs of aggression, notify the appropriate staff. If you are not comfortable medicating an animal, DON T, and remember to always ask for help if needed. Once you locate the animal and are comfortable proceeding with administering the medication, double check to make sure you have the right animal. Check that the tag matches, scan for possible microchip, and make sure the photo and the description of the animal match. Once you ve confirmed you have the correct animal, move forward with the medicating. Tips for medicating animals: Eye Drops (Ophthalmic): Hold the animal s head with both hands. The drops bottle should already be in your hand, with the tip of the bottle down. Squeeze a couple of drops into the animal s eye(s). You may use your thumb to pull open the upper eyelid. (This can also be done when applying ointments.) Ear (Otic): Squirt the appropriate amount of medication gently into the animal s ear. Hold his head upright and gently message below the ear before letting him shake the medication out. Liquid Oral: Get a firm grip on the animal s neck or head (with cats you can scruff them). Place the syringe containing the liquid medication into the side of their mouth; squirt in quickly. You can also squirt the medication onto the tongue, although with this method it is easier for the animal to push the medication out with his teeth. Try to avoid squirting the medicine straight into the animal s throat because it can enter his lungs and cause choking. Pill Oral: With dogs, you can place the pill in the center of a meatball made from wet dog food. First, encourage the animal to eat the meatball; if he will not take it from your hand, place it on the floor and leave it for a short period of time. If he still does not eat the meatball, grab over the dog s snout and force his mouth open, place the meatball inside and close his mouth. Hold it closed and tilt his head back. If the animal will not eat the meatball or rolls the pill out, open his mouth and place the pill in the back of his throat. If you are not comfortable pilling an animal, ask for help. Most oral medication for cats is liquid. If you need to give a cat a pill, open his mouth and place the pill on the tongue, holding the mouth closed and tilting the head back. If this is not successful, crush the pill and put it in the cat s food. If you are still not successful, you may use the pill injector. This is a long white tube that allows you to put the pill at the back of the cat s tongue 2
without placing your fingers inside the cat s mouth. Remember to ask for help if you are uncomfortable. Topical: Review the notes in Chameleon to make sure you know what part of the animal s body the topical medication should be applied to. Rub the medication on the affected part of the body. Stay with the animal for a short period to make sure they don t immediately lick the medication off. For warm compress, heat a damp washcloth in the microwave, make sure it is not too hot, place it on the affected area and hold it there until it cools. Subcutaneous Fluids: Hang the fluid bag from a high location. When placing the needle, always make sure the bezel is up. (The bezel is the part of the needle with the hole in it). Check that the bag, tubing and needle are full of fluid. Pinch the animal s skin between the shoulder blades, press the needle just under the skin and open the fluid bag. Adjust the drip as needed and watch the fluid line to assure you are giving the correct dosage. Do not attempt this procedure without the proper training. Nebulizer: Place the freshly drawn neb-solution into the nebulizer machine. Place the animal into the nebulizer and turn on. The neb-treatment takes about 20 minutes; you may work on medicating other animals while this animal is being nebulized. Remember to wash your hands between each treatment and always ask for help when needed. Observations Make sure you note in Chameleon any medical or behavioral observations for the animals you re working with. If you are not comfortable using the Chameleon computer database, share your observations with a staff member. Entering notes into Chameleon Medical Notes If you notice something medically wrong with an animal, put them on a Vet Tech check. If it is a medical emergency, locate appropriate staff immediately. 1. Locate the animal in Chameleon, using their A#. The A# can be typed into the Animal ID field in the kennel screen. Once you ve entered the A#, hit F12. 3
2. In the Hold field (upper right corner of the screen) put a Y in the first box and then type VET TECH in the second box. Place Y Type VET TECH here Memo Icon 3. Hit F8 to update the screen; when the record has been stored correctly, you ll see a red box with a hand that says HOLD. 4. Then click on the memo icon (see previous page). 5. In a Medical Memo, type your observations and hit F8 to update; when the record has been stored correctly, you ll see a green box in the upper left corner. 4
Behavioral Notes If you notice anything unusual about an animal s behavior, please make a note. If you feel this is urgent, notify a staff member immediately. 1. Locate the animal in Chameleon, using their A#. The A# can be typed into the Animal ID field in the kennel screen. Once you ve have entered the A#, hit F12. 2. Click on the memo icon, and find the memo type that says Note. Enter today s date, then type a description of what you observed. 3. Hit F8 to store; when the record has been stored correctly, you ll see a green box in the upper left corner of the screen. Who Needs Surgery? The majority of surgeries performed are spay and neuter surgeries. The Dumb Friends League spays and neuters all dogs, cats, and rabbits. We also perform certain other surgeries, including orthopedic, ocular, and dental surgeries. Finding the Animal Scheduled for Surgery Animals that need surgery are kenneled either in the surgery area or elsewhere in the shelter. To find these animals, run a report in Chameleon. To access this report: 1. Sign into Chameleon. a. Location = B b. Username = bcvol c. Password = bcvol 2. Click on the drop-down menu for Reports. 3. Click Run a Report. 4. Find VS Surgery Animals. Choose the type of animal and make sure the location is Buddy Center. Under See Memos enter N (for No). Click Okay. This report includes the breed and color of the animal, the tag number, A#, kennel, weight, age, and notes from the Surgery Select memo. 5
When retrieiving any animal for surgery, it is very important that you double check the description and tag to ensure you have the correct animal. CATS Pre-Surgery Remove the food, water dish, and litter box from the kennel so all that remains is the towel. The cat remains in its kennel when anesthesia is administered. Anesthesia is given in the muscle in the cat s rump. It usually requires two people: one to restrain the cat and the other to administer the injection. o The cat remains in the kennel until the anesthesia takes effect. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the cat can be moved to the surgery prep table. o The surgery area on the cat will be shaved and cleaned. o Ointment is added to the cat s eyes. o A cone is placed over the cat s nose and mouth; the cone supplies oxygen and more anesthesia. o If the cat has been adopted, and the adopting patron requested an FELV/FIV test, blood is drawn. o The cat can now be moved from the surgery prep table to the surgery suite. Post-Surgery Once the veterinarian completes the surgery, the cat can be carefully moved to the warming beds. o Place the hot air blanket over the cat. At this point, the cat can be given subcutaneous fluids to restore hydration. o Scruff the cat and place the needle just under the skin, with the bezel (hole in the needle) facing upwards. o Adult cats are given about 100ml of fluid; kittens are given about 50ml. o Monitor the animal s breathing and pulse. o After a few minutes, roll the cat over. Press gently under the cat s eye; if you get a response, this may mean the cat is close to waking. 6
o o The cat must be able to raise its head and must have a temperature of at least 100 degrees before it can be returned to its kennel. While the cat is still under anesthesia, you can clip the nails and clean the ears. (This stimulation may also trigger the cat to wake up.) Please ask questions and do not attempt these procedures until you ve been properly trained. DOGS Pre-Surgery Remove the food and water dish from the kennel so all that remains is the towel. The dog is sedated while in the kennel. A pre-med for anesthesia is administered subcutaneously; it makes the dog drowsy and may cause the dog to vomit. o The dog remains in the kennel until the anesthesia fully takes effect. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the dog can be moved to the surgery prep table. o The dog is given a second injection in the vein. o The dog is then intubated with the ET (endotrachial tube). A Veterinary Technician places the tube in the dog s airway and ties it to the upper jaw with gauze. Using an empty syringe, a balloon at the end of the ET tube is inflated; the balloon helps keep the tube in place and prevents aspiration. o The end of the ET tube is connected to the anesthesia and oxygen. o The surgery area is shaved and cleaned. o Ointment is added to the dog s eyes. o The dog can now be moved from the surgery prep table to the surgery suite. Post-Surgery Once the surgery is complete, puppies and small dogs are removed from the surgery suite and placed in the kennel or warming bed. Larger dogs are placed on a blanket on the floor. Dogs begin their recovery with the ET tube still in place. Monitor their pulse and respiration. While the dog is still under anesthesia, the ears can be cleaned and nails trimmed. (This stimulation may also trigger the dog to wake up.) Monitor the dog very carefully. Once it is able to swallow two times, you may remove the ET tube. o To remove the ET tube, make sure the balloon that was holding it in place has been deflated (this should have been done in the surgery suite). You will know this has been done if the balloon on the cuff valve is deflated. o If the cuff valve is still inflated, attach an empty syringe, with the plunger down, to the end of the cuff valve. Pull up on the plunger to remove any remaining air from the balloon. 7
Cuff Valve Balloon Cuff If the dog has been neutered, place an ice pack wrapped in a towel on its scrotum. Leave the ice pack in place for about two minutes; the ice helps prevent swelling and bleeding. The dog s temperature should be at least 100 degrees before it is returned to its kennel. o Often, large dogs have longer recovery times than smaller dogs. Once the dog is back in its kennel, it may begin to shiver or become hyperactive. Do not open the kennel gate of a hyperactive dog; it may jump out of the kennel and injure itself. If you are concerned for the well-being of the dog, find a staff member to help. Please ask questions and do not attempt these procedures until you have been properly trained. Other Responsibilities Retrieve animals from other areas of the shelter and assign them to a surgery kennel. Clean surgery kennels: o Open the kennel gate without blocking the opening. o Watch the cat or dog to be sure it is comfortable with your presence. o For cats, remove the litter box and dump the litter. If the cat has a cardboard litter box, throw it away and replace it. If the cat has a plastic litter pan, clean the pan appropriately and put it back in the kennel. o Use a paper towel to sweep loose debris into the soiled litter pan or into a dustpan. o Remove and replace the towel only if it is soiled. If it looks clean, shake it out and refold to put the cleanest side out. This allows the scent of the animal to remain on the towel, which helps reduce stress. o If the kennel is soiled, spray Rescue on a paper towel and wipe. If the animal is not in the kennel, you may spray Rescue directly into the kennel. o Top off the food to the line on the bowl. Rinse and fill the water bowl with fresh water to the same line. Stock towels and bedding from laundry. Wrap and sterilize surgical packs. Once surgery is done, clean the surgery prep and recovery tables. Take out the trash. Sweep and mop floors in the area. Enter information into the Chameleon database. 8