If you’re a veterinarian or want to become one, you’ll need a wide range of tools to perform exams, diagnostics, surgeries, and treatments to improve the health of your patients.
The tools used are similar to those used by a human medical doctor, with some modifications to accommodate animals of different sizes and temperaments. For example, if you do dental cleanings, you’ll need an anesthetic machine not usually used in human dentistry because you cannot expect your patients to sit that long.
This article will examine a variety of tools that a veterinarian will need.
What Equipment Do You Need To Be a Veterinarian?
There are many essential tools for starting a veterinary practice. Of course, you must first graduate from a veterinary school to get your DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Then, you must be licensed in the state you plan to work in.
From there, you must decide what type of clinic you want to open, whether you’re a mobile or stationary clinic, and what type of animals you plan to work with. These important decisions will help determine what tools are required. For example, mobile clinics need highly mobile diagnostic equipment, while stationary clinics need exam tables and stationary machines. The animal's size will also strongly influence things like scales and cages.
Generally, you’ll need scales, IV pumps, anesthesia machines, an autoclave, an otoscope, a stethoscope, thermometers, microscopes, X-ray machines, ultrasounds, and office equipment. But let’s examine those items in more detail and discuss why they’re needed.
Exam and Procedure Tables and Lighting
Any stationary clinic will need exam and procedure tables for performing treatments, surgeries, and exams. It also needs adequate overhead lighting, ideally on a swivel, so that it can be directed as necessary to examine various patients of different sizes clearly. Mobile clinics may also need a portable table and lighting.
Cages, Kennels, or Stalls
Veterinarians at a stationary clinic will need cages, kennels, or stalls to temporarily house an animal before or after administering treatments or performing surgeries. What you need depends on the type of animals you treat in your clinic. For instance, cats will only need small cages, dogs require a range of sizes, and horses or other large animals will need stalls.
Scales
Scales are essential for measuring weight to monitor health and to determine the appropriate amount of medications or anesthetics to prevent over- or under-dosing.
Scales come in different sizes and shapes, from small tabletop models for small animals like cats and rabbits to floor scales used for dogs or cats inside their kennels and even larger weighbridge scales used for weighing horses and livestock.
Sometimes, scales are even built into the examination table for convenience during exams. Clinics that handle small and large animals will need a variety of scales to accommodate the different animals they see.
Veterinary X-ray Machines
X-ray machines are critical for accurately diagnosing numerous abnormalities, injuries, and illnesses. They use low doses of electromagnetic radiation to create images of the bones and soft tissues to allow for more rapid diagnostics.
Depending on the size of the animals you treat and whether you have a mobile or stationary clinic, a wide range of veterinary X-ray machines are available to accommodate all of your needs. Mobile clinics require mobile, lightweight equipment, while stationary clinics need X-ray tables. Also, what you would use for a cat differs greatly from what you need for a horse.
Since they vary significantly in size and function, the cost of veterinary X-ray equipment varies. If you have a small clinic, there are many affordable options available, so you should have no problem finding one that suits your patient’s needs and budget.
Dental Cleaning and X-Ray Systems
If you plan to offer dental work, you’ll need dental cleaning tools. These usually come bundled in a dental cleaning station for convenience. You may also need a dental X-ray system to perform dental X-rays.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a machine that uses sound waves to visualize the internal structures of a body, particularly in pregnant animals. They come in stationary units for clinics or mobile devices for those who make house calls.
Clippers
Clippers or electric razors are used to remove hair, which is necessary when inserting a catheter, during surgeries, and when cleaning wounds. They’re also sometimes used to help find a vein or administer IV medications.
Anesthesia Machine
Anesthesia machines are used to administer the necessary anesthetics anytime an animal undergoes surgery. They’re also used for dental cleanings and sometimes for X-rays or other procedures that require the animals to remain still for a long time.
IV Pump
IV or infusion pumps are necessary to administer fluids, nutrients, or medications directly into a patient's bloodstream. Due to their control and precision, they’re also usually used to administer anesthetics.
Autoclave
An autoclave is a machine that uses pressurized steam to sterilize tools to prevent contamination and the spread of infection. They’re considered superior to disinfectants that can corrode surgical tools over time.
Surgical Clamps, Scissors, Scalpels, and Other Surgical Tools
A surgical clamp holds tissues out of the way while conducting surgeries, while scalpels and scissors cut into tissues. Other tools you’ll need include surgical needles and suturing materials. These tools are always sterilized in the autoclave before use.
Centrifuge
A centrifuge spins sample vials of bodily fluids to separate them based on their varying densities. This is especially important when analyzing blood samples, as it separates the red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma so that they can be properly analyzed using a microscope or blood analyzer.
Microscope
A microscope is a tool that magnifies the view of various samples, including ear or mouth swabs, blood, soft tissues, urine, and feces. This is critical in helping diagnose and treat certain illnesses, such as bladder infections where bacteria or blood cells may be visible in urine.
Stethoscope
A stethoscope is an instrument that listens to bodily sounds such as heartbeat, breathing, blood flow, and gastrointestinal activity. One end is pressed against the animal's body while the veterinarian wears the earpieces so that they can listen. It’s especially helpful in diagnosing things like abnormal heartbeats and breathing obstructions.
Thermometer
We’re all familiar with thermometers, which measure body temperature to determine if a fever is present. Veterinarians don’t use oral thermometers like people since those would be dangerous for the animal if they bit it. Instead, they typically use rectal or ear thermometers, usually in digital forms that are safer and faster than traditional mercury models.
Speculum
A speculum is a medical instrument inserted into a body orifice to keep it open so that the inside can be viewed. They’re often used to examine an animal's teeth and gums, the inside of ears for infections, or the inside of the rectum for rectal issues.
Otoscope
An otoscope is a specialized tool for looking inside the ear. It consists of a speculum inserted inside the ear, but it also has a viewing lens, often magnified, and a light to allow a clear view of the ear canal and eardrum to diagnose ear-related problems.
Nail Clippers and/or Hoof Grinders
Veterinarians often trim their patients' nails to prevent overgrowth and potential ingrown nails. A range of clippers is usually needed to provide services to different-sized animals. Furthermore, a hoof grinder is necessary for hooved animals to grind down overgrown hooves, which can cause problems for large animals.
Sphygmomanometer
A sphygmomanometer sounds complicated, but it’s a straightforward machine that measures blood pressure using a cuff that goes around one of the animal’s limbs and a gauge that displays the blood pressure. Most veterinarians use digital versions with various cuff sizes to fit animals of different sizes.
Cautery and Electrosurgery Devices
Many veterinarians have cautery devices to burn tissues using electricity, lasers, or chemical cauterizing agents to seal wounds quickly. Others are used in electrosurgical procedures to cut through tissues while simultaneously cauterizing the blood vessels to help limit blood loss.
Drug and Supply Storage Cabinets, Refrigerator
Since some of the drugs that veterinarians use are controlled substances, they must be stored in a locked storage cabinet, while non-controlled drugs can be stored in a standard cabinet. You’ll also need a refrigerator for certain medications requiring refrigeration and to store specimen samples until they can be shipped to the lab for analysis.
Blood Analyzers
Busy and emergency care clinics that don’t want to wait to have their samples shipped to a lab may have in-house blood analyzers, allowing for more rapid diagnostics.
Office Equipment and Waiting Room
For mobile clinics, your office may consist of a laptop, storage device, mobile Wi-Fi, mobile point-of-sale equipment for charging debit or credit cards, pens, paper, and other miscellaneous items. Stationary clinics will need those items and things like office chairs, filing cabinets, and a waiting room with chairs for your patients’ humans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Tools Do Veterinarians Use?
Veterinarians use different tools depending on the types of animals they treat. They generally include thermometers, stethoscopes, otoscopes, speculums, scales, surgical tools, X-ray machines, IV pumps, anesthetic machines, nail clippers, autoclaves, and more. Altogether, veterinarians require dozens of essential tools to perform exams, diagnostics, and treatments.
Final Thoughts
Every veterinarian opening a new clinic needs a wide range of essential tools to perform exams, diagnose illnesses, and administer treatments. Some of those tools include scales, cages and kennels, exam tables, thermometers, stethoscopes, otoscopes, and speculums to scales, surgical tools, veterinary X-ray machines, IV pumps, dental cleaning tools and dental X-ray machines, anesthetic machines, nail clippers, autoclaves and more.
Once you get all the specialized tools that you need for your clinic, you can focus on what you love: helping animals feel healthy.
