Latex Allergies and Vet School

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In my year off between undergrad and vet school, I am working in a research lab that, before I came, always used latex gloves. So when I started I used their provided gloves and have discovered that I am allergic to them- picture burn like welts all over my hands that blistered and popped, eww!
My question is: In vet school are there often nitrile alternatives or will I have to buy my own?

Don't know wjat it's like at CSU, but I think at Penn you provide your own, allergies or no allergies.

For Oklahoma State, you provide your own gloves for anatomy. For other classes though they provide latex with nitrile available for those with allergies. I prefer nitrile to latex even without allergies, especially for anatomy because the smell gets through latex easier than nitrile.

You buy your own here.

For anatomy we bring our own, but usually they have some available in labs like path or whatever where we might forget. They usually have mostly latex but if you ask around can usually track down some nitrile ones. I have a latex allergy as well and so far hasn't been an issue getting nitrile.

Just a heads up, I had a similar reaction to the powder used in certain latex gloves. It was never latex itself, but the additive. It's best not to risk it though, reactions will get worse upon continued exposure.

Thanks everybody! I figured as much for anatomy, but wasn't sure about surgery?

Originally Posted by CorporateFatCat

Just a heads up, I had a similar reaction to the powder used in certain latex gloves. It was never latex itself, but the additive. It's best not to risk it though, reactions will get worse upon continued exposure.

Yeah mine got exponentially worse the month that I was forced to use them.

I work with the woman that now teaches the undergraduate animal anatomy here at CSU and she said that nitrile gloves are the only ones that protect you from the embalming liquid/preservative used on the animals. she researched all the hazardous effects of that stuff because she is breast feeding and it really freaks her out. She is making nitrile mandatory this year.

we have to buy our own gloves here

Originally Posted by CorporateFatCat

Just a heads up, I had a similar reaction to the powder used in certain latex gloves. It was never latex itself, but the additive. It's best not to risk it though, reactions will get worse upon continued exposure.

Type I hypersensitivity is usually the latex. Type IV is usually an accelerant used in latex but also some non-latex gloves so you have to make sure the gloves are not only latex free but also don't contain the accelerant, which I can't remember the name of.

In the hospital, there will be plenty of different types of gloves available.

Originally Posted by Bill59

Type I hypersensitivity is usually the latex. Type IV is usually an accelerant used in latex but also some non-latex gloves so you have to make sure the gloves are not only latex free but also don't contain the accelerant, which I can't remember the name of.

we just learned about hypersensitivities in immunology-it makes me way too excited to recognize and know what you're talking about haha

At WSU you bring your own for anatomy.

In the hospital you can usually find some non-latex. People are really good about helping you locate some if you ask. The techs will ask if you need non-latex before scrubbing into surgery too. I'm not a full blown reactor, but my skin is sensitive to it. I haven't had any troubles here.

Originally Posted by Fireflysushi

Thanks everybody! I figured as much for anatomy, but wasn't sure about surgery?

surgery also has non-latex options, you just need to tell the scrub nurses that you have a latex allergy before you scrub and they'll get your gown ready with your size of non-latex gloves. other than that, you buy your own for anatomy and they have gloves all over the hospital but i'm not 100% sure they're all non-latex. if i recall they're mostly blue/purple (so nitrile perhaps?) but maybe just to be safe you could keep a couple pairs in your pocket/bag so if you run into an area of the hospital where you need gloves and they're latex you can just throw them on.

Originally Posted by squeegee

surgery also has non-latex options, you just need to tell the scrub nurses that you have a latex allergy before you scrub and they'll get your gown ready with your size of non-latex gloves. other than that, you buy your own for anatomy and they have gloves all over the hospital but i'm not 100% sure they're all non-latex. if i recall they're mostly blue/purple (so nitrile perhaps?) but maybe just to be safe you could keep a couple pairs in your pocket/bag so if you run into an area of the hospital where you need gloves and they're latex you can just throw them on.

Good idea! I think I will just carry some around with me all the time.