It’s National Veterinary Technician Week and our technicians are sharing some of their favorite patient and pet memories from the past year.  We’re starting off with a heart-warming story from our Senior LVT, Kimberly Shaffer.

Kimberly Shaffer, LVH’s Senior LVT. Image Source: Ellen Zangla Photography

My favorite work memory was assisting Dr. Kloer with a complicated pro-bono surgery on a cat that had an unusual finding on an ultrasound.  This finding led to an exploratory surgery in which Dr. Kloer had to surgically remove her liver from her chest cavity (a defect caused by a hernia at birth). [1]

Dr. Kloer called Dr. Boyle in to assist with the surgery.  The two of them performed the procedure with fluidity and grace, handing instruments back-and-forth, literally doing the surgery together, while I manually ventilated (breathed) for the cat under anesthesia.  The cat recovered well following the procedure. 

This surgery was so memorable because it exemplified how important each person was to the success of the procedure and keeping the cat alive; the fact that it was a pro-bono case made our efforts extremely rewarding. [2]

Our senior LVT Kimberly (seen here on the right) assisting Dr. Henly in surgery. Image Source: Ellen Zangla Photography

A few medical notes from Dr. Kloer:

[1] The liver was adhered to the sac that surrounds the heart so we had to cut the heart sac and put the liver back where it belonged, then reconstruct the diaphragm.

[2] The surgery was pro bono because neither I nor Dr. Boyle had ever done this procedure before and it was very high risk; but due to extenuating circumstances the pet could not be taken to a specialist, thus his only chance of survival was surgery at LVH.