2026-02-02 – Weekly Veterinary Technician News : Smoother recoveries after TPLOs

Last week’s forum buzzed with discussions about surgical recovery techniques and patient monitoring improvements. Members delved into methods for ensuring smoother recoveries after multiple surgeries, and shared practical tips on managing post-operative care. There was also a lively exchange on the best practices for home monitoring of dogs with congestive heart failure, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between pet owners and veterinary teams.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Smoother recoveries after back-to-back TPLOs
A rich discussion on refining post-operative care for dogs undergoing consecutive TPLO surgeries. This is crucial for minimizing recovery time and complications.
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Pump beeps every time a paw lands
An intriguing thread about resolving issues with infusion pumps that react to patients’ movements, affecting treatment efficiency.
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Your best JP drain routines
Members shared their top routines for handling Jackson-Pratt drains, offering valuable insights into improving patient outcomes.
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Best home tracking for CHF dogs
A practical look at tools and techniques for monitoring dogs with congestive heart failure at home, ensuring effective management.
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RER pop quiz for techs
A quick interactive quiz on Resting Energy Requirement calculations, perfect for brushing up on nutritional planning.
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The 2 a.m. IV pump opera
Night shift stories and tips on managing IV pumps, especially during those challenging early morning hours.
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Best CE for OR and recovery
Recommendations for continuing education courses focused on operating room and recovery skills, enhancing professional development.
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LigaSure or hand ties for spays
A debate over the pros and cons of using LigaSure versus hand ties in spay surgeries, with insights from experienced techs.
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What flags hypoventilation first
Discussion on the first signs and monitoring tools for detecting hypoventilation, crucial for patient safety.
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Gabapentin confetti in exam room 3
A lighthearted exchange on managing medication spills and ensuring accurate dosage administration.
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Thanks for staying connected and contributing to our community. Looking forward to another week of learning and sharing.

1 Like

We’ve been sending TPLOs home with a two-towel sling and non-slip socks to cut slips during potty breaks; calmer dogs = smoother stifle recoveries, but skip the socks for chronic chewers… For CHF, we have owners log resting RR nightly (aim for “under 30/min asleep”) and message us if it trends up by about 20% — @ReneeRVT, your tip about using an RRR app made it stick.

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I like setting up a ‘bath-mat runway’ from crate to yard and pairing it with a front-clip harness to curb post-TPLO zoomies, @thompson_91. Caveat: swap out damp mats and keep edges flat — banana-peel physics is real.

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And i’ve had success using soft recovery cones instead of rigid ones; they seem to help the pups relax a bit more post-TPLO. @nina_holt92, have you noticed any differences with the type of cones you use?

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