VPN Plus+ ExclusiveThe pee line: How to plan for and respond to leg lifters in your practiceJuly 9, 2020As industry professionals, you do everything you can to keep your clinic sparkling clean. However, there is one particular situation that poses a unique challenge... dealing with those notorious little leg lifters! Everybody knows accidents happen, but whether the patient is large or small, urine of any kind is still extremely damaging to certain materials, interacting negatively with your floors, walls, and other areas. This article provides tips, tricks, and methods on how you can protect your clinic against the damages of pet urine... because let's face it, when you've got to go, you've got to go! A smelly situation Dog urine poses a significant threat to surfaces due to its chemical makeup. While all urine is primarily water (with inorganic salts and nitrogen-rich by-products, such as uric acid and creatine), dog urine is highly concentrated, and therefore, much more destructive. (Did you know dog urine can even etch stone?). To make things worse, pee can soak through wall and floor materials, and get trapped out of reach of your cleaning efforts. Through absorption, it penetrates the core of porous surfaces, and that is where the real problem begins. As urine breaks down and dries, it becomes more challenging to …
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Creature comforts: Designing a facility with patient care in mindJune 12, 2020As veterinarians, we know a visit to a veterinary clinic can often be a stressful event for clients and their pets. In designing our new Pet Wellness and Urgent Care Center in Marion, Ill., we placed a special focus on providing not only a high standard of medical care, but also a comfortable environment that is as anxiety-free as possible for animals and their human companions. Offering treatment for dogs, cats, birds and reptiles, the clinic opened last year and consists of approximately 10,000 sf of hospital space in addition to 7,000 sf for grooming, training, and lodging. The goal was to create a stress-free space through the clinic's physical appearance, textures, and other design elements. Everything about the new facility was planned with patients and clients in mind, beginning with the clinic's exterior, which does not look like a medical facility, but rather a mountain lodge where one would expect rest and relaxation. The interior is spacious and features high ceilings that incorporate reclaimed wood and sheet metal from buildings in southern Illinois. The same materials were used in the waiting areas, offering a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. Separation and isolation Design elements that provide separation and isolation …
