by Dr John Roberts, Long Jetty Veterinary Clinic, NSW
This is a relatively cheap paediatric laryngoscope. It is suitable for small animals such as cats and dogs. It comes with three blades, a handle and a spare light globe.
What’s good about it
The blades come in three sizes and have optic fibres inside them that illuminate everything. The smallest one is about six centimetres long and is suitable for small cats and rodents. The longest one is about 15 centimetres.
Standard laryngoscopes are designed for humans and the blades are larger with more curve. These smaller blades are straighter and perfect when intubating an animal for anaesthetic. The epiglottis can be moved out the way and the blade holds everything down. The light is nice and bright, making it very easy to run a tube into the windpipe. If there’s an emergency and you need to place a tracheal tube quickly, a laryngoscope is invaluable.
The handle is large, sturdy and robust. I’ve got pretty big hands so I like larger style handles.
The blades are made of stainless steel and are very easy to clean afterwards. As they’re resistant to chemicals, they can be dunked straight into disinfectant. It’s a very hardy piece of equipment that won’t be damaged if it’s dropped. If a dog should chew on it, it’s going to be fine.
What’s not so good
The light is powered by two C batteries that sit in the handle. More expensive brands of laryngoscopes come with rechargeable batteries but this model just uses the off-the-shelf variety.
Where did you get it
Provet has a range of laryngoscopes available.
