Ballesteros, Rosa - 1

Senior Capstone

Essential Question - How has technology affected the treatment of sick animals?

Veterinarian Technologist

(Vet Tech)

Rosa Ballesteros

Senior Capstone

Mr. Cahoon

April 13, 2018

Rosa Ballesteros
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Senior Capstone

Mr. Cahoon

April 13, 2018

A Love for All Animals

RESEARCH/ ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

How has technology affected the treatment of sick animals?

THESIS STATEMENT:

Technology has affected the treatment of sick animals by making it more

efficient, reliable, and easier with access to a variety of resources.

My inspiration for this career is huge. I feel like animals deserve the love they

need. “Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they escape to teach us about

loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it only expands the heart. If you have loved

many dogs, your heart is very big” (Jong).

Introduction Paragraph - Technology has changed the way Vet Techs work by making

their diagnosis quick and efficient with rapid-result testing of blood, urine, and other

body fluids. Using high tech, 3d ultrasound units give fine details of what’s happening

inside of an animal. Panoramic x-ray machines give very reliable images. Hand-held,

pocket-sized, mini personal computers, (cell phones!), are depended on for calculating

dosages and staying connected to the World Wide Web for instant research and

answers to any situation that comes up in a Vet Techs day. Most “guess-work” has

been eliminated. These new pieces of technology are making a diagnosis in a

veterinary office much more accurate. Vet Techs don't have to wait for x-rays to develop
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and print. There are instant images available. Technology has affected the treatment of

sick animals by making it more efficient, reliable, and easier with access to a variety of

resources.

Body Paragraph #1 - How has technology made treating animals more efficient?

As I do research on Veterinary Technology, I learn that the word technology can

have many meanings to different people. Many people can think of technology as

smartphones or computers. Technology for me is any type of technical device that helps

us to do our job better. Back in the “old days”, there was paper to write down important

information like the date of birth, appointments, reminders for vaccinations, and many

other important bits of information. The ability to plug in dates for appointment

reminders, with addresses and postage, printed automatically, or to have a reminder

email sent to a client's computer has been a great help. It is a very efficient way to

communicate.

On July 01, an article in “nerd yet.com” commented on the newest advances in

veterinary technology. “The world of animal medicine has seen drastic technological

advances in the last 20 years. Many of the new tools and procedures have been

adopted from human medical practice. The advances have not only led to better

treatments but also faster and more accurate diagnosis.” There are many new

technologies that are giving veterinarians better options to lower the chance that

anything will go wrong during treatment action.

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Body Paragraph #2 - How has technology made treating animals more reliable?

On August 12, a well-known cat rescue veterinarian, Kelli Pip, stated that “some

paper Veterinarians” would tell pet owners that a cat’s teeth might become diseased

and the solution was to let the teeth rot away and fall out. Seriously, that was once the

extent of feline dental intervention! Somewhere along the way, veterinarians realized

that pulling an occasional tooth from a cat’s mouth would take away a toothache.

Today, all of the cats at Lucy Mackenzie Feline Rescue routinely have their teeth

assessed, and when indicated, the teeth are cleaned, polished, and any extractions that

may be needed are performed under general anesthesia with the benefit of nerve

blocks.” As crazy as it sounds, in Kelli Pips era, there was no safe anesthesia for cats

and they did better when the teeth were left alone to rot out. It was not a good solution

but it was the only solution.

Body Paragraph #3 - How has technology made it easier for Vets to connect with a

variety of resources? (other working professionals, finding answers to their

concerns/issues, referring animals to other professionals)

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In today's world of Veterinary medicine, new and improved technology is extremely

helpful in a variety of other ways. Due to globalization and the World Wide Web that we

have at our fingertips, this age of computers is helping to save animals lives every day.

The use of paper and pencil, snail-mail with expensive postage, and the need to be

constantly referring to a calendar or notes scribbled in a notebook is almost completely

eliminated. Most veterinary offices have gone completely paper-free. We all know that

today cell phones are miniature, portable, personal computers.The ability to carry a

personal computer around your pocket every day you go would have been only a dream

parents’ times. High tech digital calculators can be calibrated to determine exact doses

based on weight. Veterinary medicine uses a lot more math than one would think.

Modern medicine is designed to have weight specific amounts of powerful medicine so

animals are not harmed by overdosing. Vet Techs are responsible for doing the math

and making sure the dosages are accurate.

Vet Techs must pay close attention to finest details to treat sick animals.

This is how technology affects the treatment of sick animals. Defining the Vet Tech

role is difficult. In “What’s in a Title”, “Some in the discussion considered clarifying a

technician's role by including within technicians' titles some of their many job duties,

such as laboratory technician, nurse, x-ray technician, phlebotomist, surgical nurse,

anesthetist, rounds nurse, dietician, trainer, or surgeon.” (Kennedy) Since animals

can’t talk to tell us how poorly they are feeling or show us where the pain is, Vet Techs

are the animals first line of defense and have become totally dependent on technology

to find out where the animal’s problem is. For an example, if the animal is not eating as

much as normal, this is usually the first sign you will notice that the animal is not feeling
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well. Loss of appetite in pets is the number one sign that can show illness. There are a

variety of reasons why a pet may lose its appetite. Causes range from health and

medical issues to the quality of the food one is providing their pet on a regular feeding

schedule. Occasionally, a pet can get into something that poisons it. Often, people are

careless with chemicals and poisons. We all know that pets are curious and most will

eat almost everything. Lethargy is a common sign of an ill or injured animal. Vomiting

may be a sign of illness or poisoning. Pets may also drink more or less water than

normal, depending on the illness. Any time your pet shows signs that it isn't feeling

well is the time to contact your Vets office. Your Vet Tech will most likely be the person

you will talk to first.

Closing Paragraph

As you can see, technology has changed the way Vet Techs work by making their

ability to diagnose quick and efficient, with highly improved devices and machines. The

field of Veterinary medicine has grown with the advances in technology. The Vet Tech

degree is fairly new and is related to growth in the world of technology. No technology

can become the voice of an animal. Vet Techs are the closest thing to becoming a voice

for an animal. My heart has been really soft towards animals because of the way they

love. Animals are able to love us unconditionally. They love loyally and fiercely but they

don't have a voice. They can't tell you what they feel and they might not be able to stand

up for themselves, but I can be their voice and defend them. As I work toward a degree

to become a Veterinary Technician, I believe I will become a voice and improve the life

of every animal I treat with the help of technology.

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Work cited

Dr. Brad B. “Changing Times, Changing Technology: Veterinary Medicine Over the
Years”
August 12, 2014.
http://veremedy.com/2225/changing-times-changing-technology-veterinary-medicine-
over-the-years/

“The newest advances in Veterinary technology”

July 01, 2014.
https://carrington.edu/blog/veterinary/newest-advances-veterinary-technology/
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Megan R. “Surprising Ways Computer Science Benefits Society”

December 7, 2015.
http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/technology/blog/ways-computer-science-benefits-
society/

Prawase W. ”Science and Technology for Disease Control: Past, Present, and Future”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11740/

Jerald S. “What's in a title?” p. 279.

May 8, 2016.
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA339848107&sid=googleScholar
&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=fulltext&issn=00937355&p=AONE&sw=w&authCount=1&isAno
nymousEntry=true