PHOTOS 1-3: A syringe driver is a type of infusion pump that are used in hospitals to administer small amounts of medication to a patients. PHOTOS 4-5: Infusion pumps are used in the ICU to administer fluid or medication directly into a patient’s circulatory system by means of a high but controlled pressure. The user simply enters the amount of fluid and the time the fluid needs to be delivered. PHOTO 6: Ventilators are used to assist critically ill patients with breathing. The goal is to provide adequate lung exchange without causing ventilator-induced lung injury. Three main breath patterns are recognised: continuous mandatory ventilation, continuous spontaneous ventilation and intermittent mandatory ventilation. Animals must be very carefully monitored during ventilation. PHOTO 7: A monitor allows the clinician to constantly monitor a patient's heart rate, blood pressure and other physiological components that provides information on the current state of the patient. PHOTO 8: In paediatrics incubators are used for sick puppies and kittens for external warming, oxygen supplementation and air humidification. Incubators can be used in critical care to increase the inspired oxygen concentration and allow observation and treatment of the patient at the same time. Incubators also humidify inspired gases and warm the patient. PHOTO 9: The veterinary laboratory is a place that is equipped to do diagnostic tests, to determine the severity of diseases and to assess patients’ responses to treatments.
REFERENCES: PHOTO 6: Côte, E 2007, ‘Clinical veterinary advisor : dogs and cats’, Mosby Elsevier, St. Louis, pp. 1325-1328. PHOTO 8: 1. Hoskins, JD 2001, ‘Veterinary pediatrics : dogs and cats from birth to six months’, 3rd ed., W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, pp.62-63. 2. King, L & Hammond, R (eds) 1999, ‘BSAVA manual of canine and feline emergency and critical care’, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Cheltenham, pp. 311-312.
