Intro To Vet Tech: Final Exam Lecture 1

Front 1

What are the two categories that most communication errors fall into?

Back 1

1) How we talk to clients
2) What we talk to clients about

Front 2

How might you avoid communication problems with clients?

Back 2

- Speak a language that clients can understand (no medical jargon)
- Give out handouts

Front 3

What is the significance of client interpretation?

Back 3

- Clients want to know what the problem will mean to them an their animal
- They see medical problems as a change in behavior (which cause problems with human-animal relationship)

Front 4

What are the 3 primary owner limits?

Back 4

1) Financial
2) Time
3) Physical

Front 5

Tell me about financial limits…

Back 5

- #1 pet Ō concern
- Important to clearly communicate costs of Tx
- Stay close to estimates

Front 6

Tell me about time limits…

Back 6

- Majority of clients spend the majority of their day away from the house
- Define time requirements up front and make sure Ō is aware of the repercussions of not following Tx instructions
- The belief, “if they really care about their animals…” will alienate the Ō and undermine the TX process
- Offer suggestions for busy Ōs

Front 7

Tell me about physical limits…

Back 7

- Physical burden of an animal’s problem will greatly concern clients
(ex. restraining for medication, exercising animals with special needs, medical devices, going up/down stairs, etc.)
- Discussing physical requirements before TX will reassure client

Front 8

Tell me about emotional limits…

Back 8

Clients place strong emotional charges on certain kinds of illnesses, injuries or Tx because they PERSONIFY it (ex. cancer)

Front 9

How important is phrasing?

Back 9

- The way you say something can make or break you to the client
- Heartfelt comments about a client’s pet make the client want to go the extra mile
- Be open-minded
- Genuinely listen to what Ō has to say before you respond
- Choose your words carefully!

Front 10

What is a breedist?

Back 10

Someone who discriminates against certain breeds or species

Front 11

What are the 3 essential relationships in the veterinary environment?

Back 11

1) Between the veterinary professional and the animal
2) Between the veterinary professional and the client
3) Between the client and the animal

Front 12

Most people react angrily to an animal that is aggressive rather than to one that is in pain/frightened, so…

Back 12

- Contain your outbursts
- Consequence of words

Front 13

Tell me about client etiquette…

Back 13

- Greet clients and their animals confidently and cheerfully
- Enter an exam room mentally prepared
- Negative feelings about an animal or client will cause poor professional treatment of both

Front 14

What is the human-animal bond?

Back 14

Emotional bond people have with their animals

Front 15

Owner compliance = ?

Back 15

Owner compliance = follow-through

Front 16

What 4 things effect treatment?

Back 16

1) Physiological needs
2) Behavior
3) Relationship with Ō
4) Ō’s lifestyle

Front 17

What are some ways of insuring successful treatment?

Back 17

- Try to view the situation from the Ō’s point of view
- Make suggestions (ex. “does this seem like something you can do,” opt for a different Tx, offer to administer Tx to animal for small fee, etc.)

Front 18

When taking the patient history, what is the first thing you should ask when Ō and animal come in the door?

Back 18

Chief complaint and symptoms (why are they here?)

Front 19

When taking the patient history, check the status of the animal. What does this include? (3)

Back 19

- How is the animal urinating/defecating?
- How is the animal’s appetite?
- Any behavior changes?

Front 20

When taking the patient history, check the profile information. What does this include? (7)

Back 20

- Ō name
- Animal’s name
- Species and breed
- Sex and repro. status
- Age
- Color
- Vaccine Hx

Hint 20

O
A
S
S
A
C
V

Front 21

When taking the patient history, what do you need to update every time?

Back 21

- Weight
- Diet
- TPR (temp, pulse, respiration)

Front 22

Case Study #1
Mrs. Jones brings Ginger, a 5-year-old Border Collie, into your animal hospital with a chief complaint of excessive coughing and nasal discharge. What might you ask Mrs. Jones when taking the Hx?

Back 22

- Ask about appetite
- Ask about behavior changes
- How long has this been going on?
- Any change in routine?

Front 23

Case Study #2
Mr. Scott brings in Tiger, his 2-year-old, male, DSH cat, for a routine exam. Tiger needs a FeLV blood test run, so the tech begins to draw blood. As soon as she sticks the animal, he leaps into the air, claws the restrainer and falls off the table. The tech yells, “that animal is dangerous, get a muzzle!” Now the Ō feels uncomfortable and embarrassed. What went wrong and how could the situation have been handled better?

Back 23

- Tech should not have had an outburst
- They should have handled the situation calmly
- They should have asked another tech for help
- They should have taken the animal out of the room to draw blood

Front 24

Case Study #3
Mrs. Brown brings in Ellie, a 3-year-old Rottweiler, to the clinic for a Heartworm test. Ellie is known to be aggressive and when the Ō sees that someone has written “CAUTION” on her medical record, she gets offended. What can you say to the client to remedy the situation?

Back 24

Explain that the “CAUTION” label is nothing against the animal, but because of past aggression, this label is necessary to keep everyone safe.

Front 25

Case Study #4
A large animal tech with a mobile equine service goes on a barn call with a vet to see a 7-year-old Thoroughbred gelding that is lame in the right, front limb. The tech trots the horse down the driveway so that the vet can assess the lameness. When a truck suddenly drives by, the tech tenses up and pulls on the lead. How might have this situation been handled differently and what type of interaction does this display?

Back 25

- Stay calm to keep the horse calm
- Don’t take the horse out around cars
- The Ō will interpret this type of interaction as you being uncomfortable, unconfident, and unqualified

Front 26

Case Study #5
Mrs. Parker is a 72-year-old client that has arthritis in her hands. Her cat, Fluffy, got into a fight and has an abscess on his neck. The vet has prescribed Amoxicillan BID PO (2x a day, by mouth). What do you see as a problem and what suggestions would you make to help the client?

Back 26

It may be hard for her to pill the cat, so suggest:
- Crush up pill in food
- Pill gun
- Pill in liquid form
- Have someone help her out

Front 27

Case Study #6
Mr. Collins brings in his 10-year-old male poodle, Bosco, with a chief complaint of diarrhea. What might you ask Mr. Collins when taking the Hx?

Back 27

- Change in diet?
- How long has it been going on?
- History of diarrhea?

Front 28

Case Study #7
Farmer Parker has an 8-month-old lamb with a club lamb fungus (ringworm). He was diagnosed a month ago and given Captan dip and a 7% iodine solution to put on the lesions. The farmer calls to tell you that it is not getting any better and he is very upset that he has paid for this Tx. How do you handle this situation and what type of interaction does this display?

Back 28

- Ask if he has been following the Tx instructions
- Explain that not all Tx are effective and sometimes you have to try a few before you find one that works

Front 29

How much is the average vet visit?

Back 29

$100