Idea Exchange: Help patients stay warm during dentals
Unless thermal support is provided, dental patients--many of them older pets--can become hypothermic, which can deepen anesthesia and prolong blood clotting time.
Unless thermal support is provided, dental patients—many of them older pets—can become hypothermic, which can deepen anesthesia and prolong blood clotting time. To maintain our patients' core body temperatures during dental procedures, our certified veterinary technician Dong Yuan thought of a way to sandwich patients between two circulating hot-water blankets.
The blankets are connected with cable ties and tape. We lay a laterally recumbent patient on the larger bottom blanket and put the smaller blanket on top. We then place a towel over the sandwiched patient.
Dr. William S. Walker
Shrewsbury, Mass.
