The best patient monitoring systems are made by Surgivet Ltd and the following advice pertains to the use of their equipment.
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SurgiVet® Pulse Oximeter
Sensor Application Tips
Lingual Sensor (Universal “Y” and Mini Clip)
Cats and small to medium dogs: tongue (pink tissue).
•Fold the tongue like a taco or use a wet gauze pad over top.
•Prepuce or vulva of larger dogs.
•Achilles tendon of cat or small to medium dog.
•Ears.
•Toe webbing.
•Can be used for exotics (thigh) and birds (axillary area “armpit”).
•Please note that very bright direct lighting can interfere with sensor
• function, it may be necessary to cover patients head (sensor area)
with drape or a towel.
“C” Sensor
Cats and small to medium dogs: thigh, metatarsal, metacarpal, or hock
• near the saphenous vein.
For larger breed dogs: Achilles tendon, tongue, prepuce or vulva, or
• through toe webbing.
For equine, bovine, etc. place on tongue or ears.
•It may be necessary to wet and part the fur with water in order to get the
sensor closer to the skin of the patient.
Tail Wrap Sensor
For use on the ventral base of the tail.
•It may be necessary to shave a small area.
•Apply gel to the non-illuminated side and adhere to the shaved area.
•Secure straps around tail.
Reflectance Sensor
In most animals, wet and part the fur at the ventral tail base and wrap (not
• tape) in place. It may be necessary to shave a small spot on the ventral tail
base in patients with a thick undercoat.
For equine, etc. place along gumline or cheek.
•In dogs or cats, if the sensor is inserted rectally, the red light should be shining
on the sphincter muscle. Do not insert entire length of the probe in the rectum.
Experience will quickly tell you which sensors work best under different
• conditions.
Fur, dark pigmentation, poor perfusion, and movement can affect the
• sensors ability to obtain accurate readings.
- Well-perfused sites (pink tissue) with little or no hair are preferable.
- It is also important to note that some anesthetic drugs, such as Xylazine
(Rompun), Acepromazine, or Medetomidine (Domitor) can affect peripheral
pulse pressures causing very weak pulsations. All pulse oximeters require a
good quality pulse to work properly. Other drugs, such as ketamine, can cause
the tongue to twitch, limiting the use of a lingual clip on that site.
How to Test Sensor Function
Lingual Sensors (Universal “Y”, “C” Sensor, Mini Clip)
Turn monitor on, attach sensor to monitor without extension cable.
1.View the sensor to make sure a red light is emitted and steady.
2.Place sensor on small finger (no nail polish) light shining down on nail.
3.Rest hand on table to minimize motion.
4.Shield sensor from high ambient light by placing other hand over top.
5.Once placed, red light should be continuous. A blinking light may indicate
tissue thickness is too thin or too thick.
6. SpO2 and Pulse rate should appear in 10-15 seconds, SpO2 should read
96% or higher.
Reflectance Sensor
Can be tested in a similar manner as indicated above.
1.Press lighted area against palm of hand and fold fingers over top or
2. place other hand over the sensor to shield from light.
Please note that a rapid, low emitting, blinking light may indicate sensor
malfunction.
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