INTENSIVE
CARE/
NEO NATAL CARE
S10
Intensive Care Unit
S20
Intensive Care Unit
S10/S20
IV Drip Stand
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
T20
Temperature
alarm
and Phone Dialler
UK Vet Equipment Review
Small Animal Incubator
Carl Gorman review of TLC-4M
The Vetario S10 and S20 are updated versions of the TLC-4M and TLC-5M, previously sold by Brinsea.
The Vetario S10 is the successor to the Brinsea TLC-4 with additional features.
Peri-operative care of our small animal patients in an area which has seen dramatic improvements in recent years. Not so long ago the very concept of peri-operative care was a closed book to the average veterinary practice. As our surgical skill increased then we were able to perform more and more complex and lengthy procedures, but the miracle was not always the genius of the surgical skill, but the fact that our patients were able to survive in spite of our best efforts.
We can only thank the resilience of dogs and cats for the astoundingly good success rate we enjoyed. If we were to have operated on humans we would at best have had our ears assailed by constant cries of pain in the recovery period, or worse have lost a significant proportion to shock, hypothermia and other post-operative complications. Fortunately for our stoical feline and canine patients, the increase in surgical treatment of more delicate species such as birds, rodents and lagomorphs, helped force us to pay more attention to what we do before and after we wield the knife. Premedication regimes including analgesia, intravenous fluids and quiet, warm, observed recovery areas are now the norm.
We have employed a variety of home made and adapted incubators in our practice, where we have a busy schedule of exotic patients. They have worked well enough, but have had various drawbacks: they might be of insufficient size, lack fine temperature control, have unsuitable heat sources for tiny bodies or a variety of other niggles. I was very interested, therefore, to see the TLC-4M from Brinsea Products offered as one solution to the problem. Apart from having a rather tortuous acronym (TLC stands for Thermal Life-support Cabinet) it seemed to have many desirable features.
Adapted from a poultry incubating unit for eggs and chicks, it has some useful previous form. It is light, well insulated and secure when standing alone. A curved sliding Perspex door opens into a smooth walled curved chamber. The heat is radiated from almost the entire inside wall, giving a good even spread of heat with no hot or cool spots. There is room enough for a cat to recover inside the chamber, and plenty of space for most parrots, excepting the larger macaws.
Most of the inside is uncluttered with controls and fan and heater mounted in the roof or wall of the unit. There is a filter and housing separating the chamber and the roof space above. The twin filter supplied is claimed to remove harmful bacteria and fungi. As the ventilation is positive pressure, so that air is drawn from the room into the unit and then expelled via the door, I am not entirely convinced of the high value of this filter. Many of the patients I would be housing are carrying bugs that I would rather they kept to themselves, rather than being at risk from our pet organisms. Nevertheless, I am sure that it is an effective filter. I found that those parrots not too ill to take notice of their surroundings were keen to see what they could do to the filter and its housing. There is alight which imparts a comfortable glow to the inside of the chamber. This is also housed in the top of the cabinet, so that patients cannot get too close and burn themselves or tamper with the bulb.
Two useful features are the water reservoir in the top of the unit and the port for gas or nebulised drug introduction. The reservoir is filled from outside the unit and ensures that the air being drawn into the incubator is not too dry, definitely a valuable feature in patients with dehydration or respiratory disease. Many of our parrot and reptile patients prefer a higher humidity than our normal room offers. The gas port means that the chamber can be used to provide an oxygen enriched environment for cats and small mammals or birds with respiratory symptoms. The water reservoir helps to ensure that the drying effects of bottled oxygen are reduced. The easy connection for a nebuliser is very useful. We use this simple technique in avian patients and rabbits or guinea pigs with respiratory symptoms. A variety of drugs can be easily delivered directly into the airways and lungs. You will need to provide a nebuliser, or Brinsea can supply a suitable unit.
A digital thermometer is located outside the top of the chamber together with a small spindle which is turned to set the required temperature. We found that the chamber reached working temperature relatively quickly and kept its temperature well.
The TLC-4M is light and easily transported. It’s design also allows for two units to be stacked on top of each other, saving space in a busy recovery room. It’s smooth surfaces inside allow for easy cleaning, and the materials are tolerant of most cleaning agents used in practice.
Our patients certainly showed their approval, making themselves comfortable in the warmth and showing a certain reluctance to leave their warm cocoon on occasion. Recovery times for rabbits and guinea pigs following surgery were good. The chamber proved very useful for housing sick birds, being tall enough to allow a perch to be stood inside, and allowing excellent visibility for observation. I would prefer that there was an independent switch for the fan, particularly after introducing nebulised drugs into the incubator. The fan seems to quite efficiently clear away the mist. The ability to provide a UV A and B bulb in the unit would also be useful for those reptiles and birds which need to be housed for more than a day or so.
In general the TLC-4M met with much approval from vets, nurses and most importantly, patients. It will certainly fill a niche very well, and I am not surprised that Brinsea have had a good take up since the incubator was introduced.
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