Day 7

6-1-10

This morning I did a bird blood draw by restraining, holding off the vein, and drawing the blood by myself! I’m getting better and better at it. The blood test results on this particular patient came back with increased uric acid levels, which can be indicative of several diseases, and further tests are required before we can make a definitive diagnosis.

Last night, the emergency clinic took in a bearded dragon having respiratory difficulties. This beardie came in with the same problem two years ago, was diagnosed with a heart problem, medicated with pimobendan, and seemingly recovered. Therefore, after having been on oxygen overnight, Dr. E decided to put it back on the pimobendan to see if it would improve.

Dr. E also did a surgery today on a guinea pig to remove a bladder stone. After removing the stone, she sutured it closed so that the edges of the incision will turn inward. Because the bladder is a distensible organ, it’s best to turn the edges in to allow it to expand regularly without incident.

After lunch, Tyrone and I treated a box tortoise that was rescued because it had a missing hind leg. I flushed the wound and closed the skin around it with suture glue, being extra careful not to glue its leg to its shell.

At the end of the day, I watched Dr. E do a tooth trim on a chinchilla, and treat a guinea pig with pneumonia by teaching her owners how to use a nebulizer and oral antibiotics. A nebulizer is like a vaporizer that puts the vapor into a box containing the animal. This allows the animal to inhale its medication for a more direct delivery into the lungs and alveoli.