List of Veterinary Equipment and Tools Essential For Your Clinic: What Tools Do Veterinarians Use?

We rely heavily on animals for food, work, fiber, and companionship. Therefore, the welfare and health of animals are also our responsibility and veterinary clinics are very necessary for this purpose.

To run a veterinary clinic, certain equipment, devices, and other vet tools for veterinarians are needed that’s why we have made this Veterinary Tools List which will help all veterinary doctors provide efficient medical care to the patient.

If you want to know what tools a veterinarian uses to run a veterinary clinic, below is a List of Veterinary Equipment and Tools For Veterinarians.

1- Veterinary stethoscopes

Stethoscopes are the fundamental and one of the most important Vet Tools that all professionals in the medical field need, but the vet needs a specific stethoscope for their practices.

The Stethoscope is a small, lightweight, and portable tool that has different parts like ear tips, tubes, ear tubes, stem, headset, diaphragm, chest-piece, and bell. The diaphragm or bell picks up the sound created by the animal’s body and passes it to the earpiece.

The stethoscope is essential because it helps us bypass all muscles and fur, and in fact, helps us hear the sounds of the lungs, intestines, and heartbeat. Thanks to this specialized equipment, it is now easy to examine any large or small animal.

The stethoscope is a crucial purchase for any vet or vet clinic, check that article for knowing the Best Stethoscopes For Veterinarians to buy in 2022.

2- Thermometers

These can be of the traditional glass and mercury type, although they will require a risk assessment and plans for mercury disposal in case of breakage. They must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between patients. Digital rectal thermometers are accurate and easy to read and are usually supplied with sterile single-use disposable probe covers to avoid cross-infection. Ear thermometers can also be used and suitable models are now available for most small animals. These also use disposable covers to prevent cross-infection. It is better to continue to use the same type of thermometer when monitoring the temperature of an ongoing case, as there can be significant differences in readings between rectal and ear thermometers.

3- Ophthalmic and aural examinations

For ophthalmic examinations a pen torch or Finhoff transilluminator is useful; a hand lens, fluorescein strips and tear test strips should also be to hand in the consulting area. Ophthalmoscopes and auriscopes should be cleaned and checked regularly. Ophthalmoscope and auriscope sets can be either mains- or battery-operated. Wall-mounted mains-operated sets in each consulting room (Figure 6.16) are easy to use, look neat and tidy, are always available, and have the added advantage of never having a flat battery, but attention should be paid to the extending wires. Battery-operated sets are more portable, can be shared between rooms, and taken out on visits, but they need regular checks and supplies of spare batteries available (unless rechargeable batteries are used). They are also easy to leave on, leading to flat batteries, although handsets that come on when they are picked up and automatically switch off when they are put down are now available.

4- Exam and procedure tables

To examine and treat animals, you will need an examination table in each treatment room. There are different types of exam tables available according to the unique needs of your clinic. You can choose from

• Electric and hydraulic tables
• V-top tables
• Lift tables

The surface of these examination tables is very versatile and flexible and can be adjusted according to the size of your pet patient or the area under examination. These tables are not like standard tables; these are designed for routine disinfection and cleaning.

5- Weighing Scales

The scales are used in veterinary clinics to measure the weight of each patient because it is used to determine the ideal weight, health, and dose of treatment. The scales are available in a variety of sizes and styles for cats, dogs, horses, and wild animals.

Large scales should be carefully sited so that they are not in a thoroughfare or causing a trip hazard. Smaller scales suitable for cats are better kept in the consulting room to reduce the risk of escape if removing cats from their baskets in the client waiting area. There should also be accurate scales suitable for small and exotic pets, these are also convenient for accurate weighing of food for inpatients.

The new models are pet-friendly with comfortable rubber mats, and an easy-to-read LED display. Some models are portable and offer AC and battery options along with a separate LCD screen.

6-Veterinary Ultrasounds

Veterinarians used diagnostic imaging techniques to see precise images within the bodies of pets and then make an accurate diagnosis that will lead to quick and effective treatment.

The ultrasound machine is the best diagnostic imaging equipment in which sound waves are used to scan internal images of the animal’s body, which are then displayed on the screen.

With the advancement in new ultrasound equipment, real-time ultrasound machines are available that have an external camera that reduces exam time and produces a more in-depth and wider picture of the body’s systems.

Furthermore, these images can be shared live via telemedicine with the sonographer. The new portable ultrasound scanners can provide you with the possibility of obtaining the real-time result of the animal’s body condition without the problem of its physical location.

If your practice involves home visits, the portable ultrasound machine can help you examine the pet patient of any size, and you can make a quick decision to administer life-saving medication.

7-Digital X-Ray machines

Digital radiology or radiography (DR) can help the vet obtain a clear picture of the muscles, bones, and internal organs without using film and darkroom processing.

These digital images can zoom in and out and focus on minor details that can lead to an accurate diagnosis. The animal will spend more time resting at home than lying on the table for diagnosis. Also, these images can be sent to other vets for further consultation.

Digital radiographs are an essential part of veterinary practices worldwide, and you can select the DR system that best suits your veterinary clinic.

8-CT Scanners

CT scanners are used in veterinary clinics for a variety of reasons. The scanners can help to identify tumors and other medical problems in animals, and they can also help to monitor the animals’ health as they are being treated.

CT scanner also gives a better view of the disease area by providing the user with a three-dimensional image of the patient’s body. This reduces the time needed to generate a diagnosis and makes it easier to find and treat problems.

It also gives a better view of bones and tissues than traditional x-rays. This is because CT scanners use higher-resolution photos that can see small details in the structure of bones and tissues. This allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

9-Anaesthetic Machine

The anesthesia machine or equipment is a machine that will generate and mix medical gases with anesthesia to maintain sedation so that the animal does not feel any pain during the surgical procedure.

Basically, the gas used under anesthesia is oxygen. A veterinarian can use anesthesia equipment to reduce the patient’s risk of life by maintaining specific protocols and monitoring the body’s vital signs.

Also, other machines, such as the monitor used to measure heart rate and blood pressure, are used in collaboration with the anesthesia machine for the safety of the pet patient.

10-ٍSurgical Instruments

General surgical Instruments

General surgical instruments are the basic instruments of all operations. These must be made with high precision, and therefore, many years’ of experience must be added to this, to guarantee the best results. When using these instruments it is also important that the user must be experienced to get the best possible results. Here are the general instruments that can be used in surgery.

Scissors

Surgeons use various tools during a surgical procedure. One such useful instrument is scissors. A surgeon uses a pair of scissors to cut and dissect tissues, muscles, organs and sutures. A surgeon will cut away tissues that are obstructing the path of surgery. Using scissors for cutting away these tissues is the fastest and the safest method. Scissors are made of balanced stainless steel. These are thinner, sharper, and pointed. The different types of scissors are

• Mayo (soft tissue cutting)
• Metzenbaum (soft tissue cutting)
• Spencer stitich (suture removal)
• Standard (suture removal)
• Careless (suture removal)
• Lister (bandage cutting)
• Wire Scissor (cut stainless steel wire)
• Knowles (remove bandage and dressing)

Forceps

While you may never have thought of forceps as a surgical tool, they actually have an important purpose during many types of surgeries. Forceps are used in various surgical procedures. They are mainly used in three different ways: to hold together different tissues, to hold tissues away from other tissues and allow blood to flow in between them and finally, to make the tissues easy to cut using the surgical scissors. They are also used for tweezing and applying pressure.

Forceps are further divided in to different types

Dissecting forceps

Forceps or dissecting forceps as they are also called are used as a temporary tool by surgeons for skin tissues and other organs. They are mainly used to handle tissues and other things and also to operate needles while the operation is in progress.

• Standard plain and toothed (handle soft tissues)
• Mosquito (Hold small capillaries)
• Adsons (handle soft tissues)
• Continental standard (handle skin)
• Emmett (handle deep tissues)
• Debakey (handling of viscera)

Tissue forceps

A tissue forceps is a medical instrument used to manipulate tissues. It has a rounded end so that it can be used to apply pressure on the tissues with minimal damage. A tissue forceps is used in surgeries where delicate tissues need to be manipulated and manipulated with precision. Tissue forceps also help in improving exposure to skin during surgeries.

• Babcock (handling of viscera and soft tissue)
• Allis (handling of soft tissue)
• Duval (handling of viscera and tissue)

Clamps or hemostats

Hemostats are medical instruments that play an essential role in surgeries. They are designed in such a way that they can be used to temporarily occlude a vessel either completely or partially and this helps in preventing bleeding especially when the incision has to be made in a blood vessel. A frequent use of the hemostats is to temporarily block blood flow to internal organs and blood vessels so that they are not damaged during surgeries.

Visceral clamps

Use for occluding visceral organs

• Doyen Mayo robinson (occlusion of stomach and intestine)
• Parker kerr (occlusion of cervix)

Towel clamps

Use for attaching drapes to patient skin

• Cross action (attach drapes to surgical area)
• Backhaus (attach drapes to surgical area)

Scalpel

Scalpel is long and thin and is used to hold and make cuts in the skin. It is an essential dermatological tool and is used to make skin incisions, tissue dissections and a variety of surgical approaches. Scalpel is a Latin word that literally means “small knife”. From small to large, scalpel is a versatile tool that comes in a range of sizes, uses and applications.

• Scalpel handle (handle surgical blades)
• Scalpel blades (Make incision and transection)

Retractors

A retractor is an instrument used by surgeons in the operating room to provide access to the surgical field. During a surgery, the surgeon makes an incision or wound in the skin and separates the tissues. The surgeon then uses the retractor to hold the incision open, while the surgery is performed. The surgeon can also use the retractor to expose a specific area, or hold tissues and organs out of the way.

• Langenbeck (soft tissue retraction)
• Volkman (retraction of tendons and muscles)
• Hohman (retraction of joints)
• Czerny (soft tissue retraction)

Retractors self-retaining

This retractor also separate tissues and make the incision site visible but in it your hands are free.

• Gelpi (joint and muscle retraction)
• Cone (use in orthopedic surgeries)
• Travers (joint and muscle retraction)
• Gosset (abdominal wall retraction)
• Balfour (liver retraction)
• Finochietto (spread ribs)

Needle holder

A needle holder or a needle driver is a medical device that has a handle and a shaft with a bevel. The handle allows for manipulation by one hand, as well as more comfort for the surgeon. The shaft has a tip which allows for easy navigation of the needle through tissues.

• Gillies (hold needle and cut suture)
• Olsen hegar (hold needle and cut suture)
• Mao hegar (hold needle)
• Bruce Clarke (hold needle)
• McPhail (hold needle)

Orthopedic surgical Instruments

Orthopedic Instruments are tools that are predominantly used by surgeons to carry out surgical operations. These tools are specially designed to perform surgeries and diagnose common and uncommon fractures, cutting of bones and removing bones `from the injured areas.

• Chisel (bone shaving
• Gouge (bone shaving)
• Osteotome (precise bone cut)
• Periosteal elevator (raise perisoteum before drilling)
• Rongeurs (nibble bone pieces)
• Mallet (to use chisel)
• Paton bone cutting forceps (to cut bone)
• Ruskin liston bone cutting forceps (to cut bone)
• Ferguson bone holding forceps (Prevent bone movement in surgery)
• Kern bone holding forceps (Prevent bone movement in surgery)
• Hey groove bone holding forceps (maintain tip closure)
• Jacob chuck intramedullary pinning (inserting and removing of pins)

Ophthalmic surgical instruments

Ophthalmic surgical tools are used for carrying out eye related surgeries. Both cornea and lens related surgeries are done with the help of different surgical instruments.

Scissors

• Iris scissors (to cut iris)
• Castroviejo scissors (cut lens capsule)
• Tenotomy scissors (for fine dissection)

Forceps

• Chalazion forcep (stabilize eyelid and protect globe)
• Benet cilia forceps (For plucking eyelashes)
• Catford forceps (help in risk free suturing)
• Capsulorhexis forceps (grasp lens capsule)
• Micro corneal tying forceps (tie suture material)
• Capsule forceps (grabs lens capsule)

Hooks

• Kirby expressor hook (use for lens removal)

Speculums

• Williams speculum (provide access to eye ball by retraction)
• Barraquer speculum (provide access to eye ball by retraction)

Dilators

• Nettleship dilator (dilate narrow canals)

Needle holder

• Castroviejo needle holder (hold needle during suturing)

Dental surgical instruments

Dental instruments are very important for every single dental surgery. A dentist may also say that this is the most important thing in their daily work schedule. Dental instruments are the most common dental tools used by vets for diagnosis and treatment of oral problems. They are basically the instruments that are used to remove dental calculus, repair teeth and also remove teeth. There are various instruments used by the dentists for teeth examination, tooth preparation, filling and teeth restoration. There are different types of dental instruments available like scalers, elevators, curettes, and chisels. Each one of them comes with a different function and use.

It is not possible to know all the uses of dental instruments in surgery. The instruments have many uses and every day there are new ways to use the dental instruments in the medical field. Here are some common dental surgical instruments

• Dental elevator (to separate connection of teeth and bone)
• Extraction forceps (extract tooth)
• Periosteal elevator (to expose bone)
• Subgingival curette (remove unwanted thing from mouth)
• Dental explorer (expose hard surface of teeth)
• Supragingival scalers (remove unwanted thing from mouth)
• Peridontal probe (measure depth of periodontal pocket)
• Sharpening stone (foe sharpening instruments)

Teat surgical instruments

Cows are an integral part of the agricultural industry as they provide milk, which is an essential part of our diet. Dairy farming is a business that requires a lot of time, care and investment for it to function at its best. A cow’s teats not only provide nourishment to the newborn calves but also produce dairy products that are consumed by humans. A cow’s teats are barbed with guard cells which secrete mucus to protect the udder from germs. However, the teats sometimes get damaged and this hinders the cow from providing milk. The teat surgical instruments helps to correct all the defects with teats.

• Dilator (open teat canal)
• Slitter (Clear the teat canal by incision from inside to outside)
• Tumor extractor (remove fibrous material from teat canal)
• Udder infusion Canula (administer medicine in teat canal)
• Teat curette (clean inside of teat canal)
• Lichty teat knife (open stenotic teats)
• Milking tubes (keep injured teat open)

Other Instruments

• Cusco Vaginal Speculum (Use for the exposure of vaginal tissue)
• Rampley sponge holding forceps (hold swabs and sponges)
• Hartman crocodiles forceps (nasal and oral use)

11-Emergency Equipment

If the consulting room is at a small satellite branch surgery with consulting-only facilities, it is worth considering keeping an ‘emergency box’ at the branch. This can be similar to the anesthetic crash kit, along with intravenous fluids and catheters, endotracheal tubes, and even a small oxygen cylinder and reducing valve, to deal with an emergency that might come in and stabilize a patient prior to transport to the main surgery.

12-Monitoring Equipment

Monitoring equipment can be used in a veterinary clinic to help keep patients safe, healthy, and productive. By using monitors, veterinarians can keep track of important health information like blood pressure and heart rate, as well as vital signs for animals. This can save them time and money in the future when treating patients.

13-IV pumps

Intravenous pumps are the basic equipment of all veterinary clinics that are used to administer medications, fluids, and other supplements to patients during surgeries.

IV pumps are the ideal equipment used to control the constant infusion rate (CRI) for a constant time in patients. This is particularly critical because, at some point, the drug administered has adverse clinical effects.

Pumps are expensive than other methods, but because of their quality and more extended service, their cost doesn’t matter. Syringe pumps operate with a mounted syringe, and variable syringe sizes provide a more extensive range of delivery modes.

14-Warming Unit

A patient warming unit (PWU) is an electronic device that is used to warm a patient in a veterinary clinic. The PWU is used to increase the temperature of a patient, which can improve their comfort and help to reduce the risk of illness. Mostly PWU is used before and after a surgical procedure.

15-Dental Equipment

Dental care is important for both animals and humans because Proper dental hygiene can prevent many infections and other health problems. Animals also need to have their teeth cleaned regularly to remove plaque and dirt, which can build up over time. Animals can also suffer from specific types of dental problems if you do not take care of their teeth properly.

Dental equipment is necessary for veterinary clinics to provide the best possible dental care for their patients. The most common dental equipment used in veterinary clinics is a toothbrush and toothpaste. An ultrasonic scaler is another important instrument used to clean an animal’s teeth. They are used for numerous things, but most notably, they’re used to remove calculus from teeth. This instrument is particularly useful for this purpose because it doesn’t cause any potential harm to the animals or their teeth.

Other common dental equipment used in veterinary clinics include Atraumatic extraction forceps, Muzzles, Bone curettes, Tartar remover forceps, Extracting forceps, and mouth gags.

16-Microscopes

Microscopes are used in veterinary practice for the proper diagnosis and treatment of patients. A microscope can increase the efficiency of a veterinary clinic. They are used to examine patient samples microscopically with the help of certain solutions.

The microscope has significant use in veterinary practices for viewing

• Ear swabs
• Urine sediments
• Fecal parasites
• Blood cytologies
• Differential counts
• Tumor aspirates
• Embryo transfer
• Sperm motilities
• Skin issues

With the advancement of technology, the new microscopes ensure sharp and bright images coupled with new LED lighting, it is easier to examine the sample in the evenings.

17-Centrifugal Machine

A centrifugal machine is an ideal device in a veterinary clinic. A centrifuge machine helps in separating plasma and serum from blood cells. It also helps in the examination of urine and fecal sedimentation. You can get serum through it for many diagnostic tests in order to diagnose specific diseases by detecting the ag/ab in it.

18-Endoscopic Instrument

Endoscopy is a method of diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as cancer, gallbladder disease, and other intestinal diseases. It is performed by a specialist, typically a veterinary doctor, using a long, thin tube. Endoscopy is used to view the inside of the stomach and small intestine, as well as the large intestine.

Endoscopes are basically of two types flexible endoscopes and rigid endoscopes. A flexible endoscope is used basically for checking the anatomy of the GI tract. Flexible endoscopy further includes the Fiber scope and video endoscopes. The rigid endoscope is mainly used for the navigation of non tubular areas like joints and body cavities.

19-Autoclaves and sterilizers 

Autoclave and sterilizers are essential in all veterinary clinics for proper sterilization of medical tools. Sterilized and autoclaved tools are necessary for safe and contamination-free surgical work, plus it increases the life of instruments that would otherwise wear out with harsh chemicals.

Autoclaves are available in various sizes, depending on the size of the veterinary clinic. If you are running a high volume clinic, you must purchase a larger unit. Besides, automatic and digital autoclaves allow a faster turnaround than its manual version.

20-Incubators

The use of incubators in veterinary clinics can play a vital role in the success of the clinic. In most cases, the incubator is used for bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity tests. In veterinary clinics, incubators are a common tool for managing embryos and embryo-derived cells. To avoid cross-contamination of cultures, incubators are typically equipped with clean detection and isolation equipment. As well, incubators often feature sterile environments in which to maintain the cultures.

21-Refrigerators

Refrigerator use in a veterinary clinic varies depending on the size and type of clinic. In small clinics, refrigerator use may be limited to providing ice for injured animals and vaccination.

Oftentimes, the clinic will also have a few food items like dog food and cat food. In larger clinics, refrigerators may be used for more extensive purposes such as holding and storing veterinary supplies or medications.

22-Boarding Cages

In a veterinary clinic, cages are necessary to provide routine animal care. Cages help to ensure that animals are kept away and safe from harm. The cages also help to prevent animals from escaping and potentially harming other patients or staff members.

In addition, animals that are healthy and well-nourished require more space than those that are sick or injured. So such animals are kept away in separate cages. Cages can play an important role in the recovery of injured animals. They provide a safe and secure environment in which the animal can recover from its injuries. Cages also help to prevent animals from becoming prey and provide them with necessary sustenance.

Cages are a common method to keep animals under observation in a clinic. By having a cage in the center of the room, the animals can see and be watched. This allows vets to study the animal in more depth and detail than if they were allowed to move freely.

23-Lighting

Lightning is needed in the exam room for treatment, surgery, and dental examination.  In the past times, incandescent bulbs and halogen-based bulbs were used in veterinary clinics.

Everything is changed with the advancement and new technology now high-performance, ecofriendly, low heat-producing lights are available that work on little electricity.

With the invention of LED-based lighting, the most critical change in the veterinary industry appears these lights are highly efficient, ecofriendly, have an extended life, and high cooling output.

These LED lights have a long life, the average rated life of these LED is 50,000 hours, and they use about half the electricity of their counterparts.

Other Tools

A selection of scissors and basic forceps is helpful in the consulting room, as is a range of nail clippers varying from heavy-duty (Great Dane) to tiny (canary). It is helpful to have a set of quiet electric clippers in the consulting room. The smaller quieter clippers are particularly useful and upset animals much less than standard clippers. Cordless clippers are more practical and do not present a trip hazard. All clippers should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected between patients. Tools for taking samples (e.g. swabs, blood tubes, sample containers), microscope slides and coverslips should all be to hand. Examination gloves should include non-latex gloves for any members of staff with a latex allergy.