News
10.10.2011 - National Veterinary Technician Week
VSH honors and thanks all our technical staff and those of our referring partners for their dedication and hard work!
October 9-15, 2011
- Veterinary Technicians and veterinary assistants are an essential part of a successful veterinary practice. Their primary goal is to assist the veterinarian to ensure the best possible outcome for each and every patient.
- In helping the doctor, technicians and assistants are called upon to be a nurse, laboratory technician, radiology technician, anesthetist, surgical nurse, grief counselor, patient comforter and client educator.
- Veterinary technicians can also be found in research laboratories, educational centers, zoos, the military and pharmaceutical companies.
- The first Veterinary Technology program was actually started by the Air Force in 1951.
- A Certified, Licensed or Registered Veterinary Technician has completed a minimum of two years of schooling at one of the more than 160 accredited veterinary technology programs across the United States. A Veterinary Technologist has completed a four year, bachelor’s degree program.
- In both cases, state veterinary practice acts require take and pass a credentialing examination. This ensures the veterinarian and the public that the student has entry level knowledge of the tasks they will be asked to perform in the hospital.
- Veterinary assistants are also highly skilled individuals in the veterinary practice. Certification programs are available in California through online courses or through a college degree program. On-the-job training and experience is invaluable for all practical applications.
- Veterinary technicians can also become specialists in areas such as dentistry, anesthesiology, emergency and critical care, behavior, equine medicine, surgery, nutrition and even internal medicine.
- Each year, the second week in October is recognized as National Veterinary Technician Week. This week celebrates the commitment that veterinary technicians and assistants give to veterinary medicine and the hard work that they do each and every day.
09.16.2011 - VSH Powers through the Blackout
It’s been over a week since 5 million people in our region were plunged into darkness during Southern California’s largest ever blackout. Being a 24-hour veterinary hospital, work can’t stop – there are critically ill dogs and cats needing immediate treatment. I am happy to report that it was “business as usual” at VSH. In ER, the doctors and technicians didn’t miss a beat. As they were plunged into darkness, they immediately whipped out their penlights working intensely as if nothing had happened. The emergency generator kicked in to power life-saving equipment and back-up lights were lit.
Two surgeries continued after the power went out. A cat’s gallbladder was removed and a dog had TPLO (knee) surgery. Both had successful outcomes and were in their homes the next day. Back down in the ER it was more intense, with several critical cases. A dog was suffering with seizures from the most severe case of chocolate toxicity we have ever seen. He’s fine and at home. There were a lot of dog bite cases, heat stroke and a case of pericardial effusion (excess fluid around the heart). One of our clients whose dog is tube-fed called in a panic unable to blend food. She came down to the hospital where we were happy to plug in her blender so her dog could be fed. We were even able to plug in a computer and printer to maintain medical records and provide discharge instructions. Although the night was long and very hot the animals were safe and well-cared for.
05.11.2011 - First Annual Veterinary Specialty Hospital Symposium
Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
3 Educational Tracks – Veterinarians, Technicians, Managers
Sunday June 5, 2011