Week 6 Day 2

Today was a much busier day than yesterday.  At the rounds this morning the board was full of procedures that were going to be done.  I spent the whole morning observing a case in which a boar (intact male pig) was lame on his hind end, he wouldn't even get up.  So, he was anesethized and x-rays were taken, and then one of the doctors stuck needles into the pigs growth plates to see if he could get some fluid out of them.  Apparently pigs are difficult to intubate (stick the breathing tube down their throat for anesthesia) so it took awhile to get that part done.  After lunch I pretty much just observed some other animals being intubated and prepped for surgery for a bit and then went to the Clinical Skills Learning Center to review the parts of the anesthesia machine, the flow of air through the machine, and how to intubate using the mannequins.  We ended the day with a lecture of the different parts of the anesthesia machine and what they do.  Tomorrow morning I will be assessed on my knowledge of the anesthesia machine and my ability to correctly intubate the mannequins.