Stethoscopes!!

Are all vet students required to bring their own stethoscopes to school with them? Or is this an optional thing you are pursuing?

I have roughly ten stethoscopes that I received as gifts from various vets I've worked with/for over the years. My favorite by far is my littmann (mine's the carribbean blue color I think and my vet had the head engraved with my name) but I had no idea how much they cost! Glad I sent a thank you card. Its the most comfortable for me plus I'm kinda emotionally attached to it at this point! 'Getting it dirty' is just part of breaking it in! but then I want to do equine medicine so maybe I'm biased!

You know, I haven't even thought about it yet. I was so focused just on getting in that I haven't thought about any of the materials I'll need when I get there! The only thing I do know is that some schools sell them at the school (I know RVC does) for a slightly discounted price...but yeah. Haven't even thought about it. But now I'll definitely start thinking about it.

i have the litmann master classic ii and i love it! but as a present for getting into vet school, i'm hoping to get the litmann cardiology iii. all the vets i have worked for use the cardiology iii. i've heard really good things about it.

ETA: i haven't ordered from them personally but some of my co-workers have purchased litmann's from allheart. their prices seem to be lower than what i've seen.

I adore my Littmann pediatric stethoscope for SA. It's not too expensive either - under $100.

I love my Littman's master cardio. it seems to be 'louder' than other scopes, and I can hear more with it. The other littman's are good too, I just really like the sound in this one. i have a second cheaper teaching scope that I use in 'precarious' situations or when I want to be absolutely certain I hear something the prof is hearing. I bought mine from www.medisave.net (was cheaper than anywhere else.) make sure your school doesn't require certain ones.

I got a Littmann Cardiology III for about $129 at a local store (which surprised the hell out of me, that a brick and mortar was cheaper than online). I like it, though I don't have the training to tell you whether it's good or not. However, I did find that contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart! So there's that.

oh, be careful...make sure you buy from an authorized seller.... I discovered that there are some knock offs being sold out there. both allheart and medisave are legit (did my research; the littman page has listings of legit online sellers.)

Anyone know if you can get a Cardio III with longer tubing? The ones I've used seem shorter than the classics. Or is this part of why the sound quality is better? It seems the longer tubing would be helpful with larger animals but maybe that's my imagination.

At VMRCVM students have been given Littman Classic II stethoscope at matriculation in August as gifts from either the VVMA or MVMA (can't remember which). It's a nice stethoscope, but since I'm going into small animal medicine I splurged and bought a Littman Cardiology III. I still have my Classic, but I'm going to save it for my food animal and equine rotations so my nice Cardiology one doesn't get beaten up (or lost in a truck or on a farm or covered in cow poo).

Which stethoscope would be the best? The cardio III or the master cardiology???

I can't decide which one to get......

Has anyone used the Littman Electronic Stethoscope, with the Bluetooth.

It's a fun toy. We have one at work. Sound quality is great, and you can really amplify the sound too. In addition to lots of other cool features, like bluetoothing sound clips to a nearby laptop to save and play back later.

cowgirla said:

Has anyone used the Littman Electronic Stethoscope, with the Bluetooth.

It's a fun toy. We have one at work. Sound quality is great, and you can really amplify the sound too. In addition to lots of other cool features, like bluetoothing sound clips to a nearby laptop to save and play back later.

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Wooow...how much do those run?

zeebra44 said:

Wooow...how much do those run?

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I don't think I want to know. It was a Xmas gift from one of our drug reps, that we do a LOT of business with.


ETA: Ok, ok, I gave in to my own curiosity. Looks like they retail from 380-400ish. Yikes!

Do we need a stethoscope if we aren't going to get hands on experience until our 3rd or 4th year? Do you use them in lab?

cowgirla said:

I don't think I want to know. It was a Xmas gift from one of our drug reps, that we do a LOT of business with.


ETA: Ok, ok, I gave in to my own curiosity. Looks like they retail from 380-400ish. Yikes!

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That's not too bad! I want to try one out, sounds so cool..

That's not too bad! I want to try one out, sounds so cool..

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I don't own one, but I did find one at a local store. They are very cool, and you can turn them up to the point where it was hurting my ears, probably louder but I didn't go beyond that point.

I'll throw another vote out for http://www.medisave.net/ When I bought mine they had the best price online for anything engraved.

Do we need a stethoscope if we aren't going to get hands on experience until our 3rd or 4th year? Do you use them in lab?

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CrazyHippos - at Penn, you do need one your first year. Not sure where you have decided on? We use them during our Physical Exam labs, etc. Other schools are likely different.

Which stethoscope would be the best? The cardio III or the master cardiology???

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A lot is personal preference. The Cardio III has a pediatric head on 1 side and a regular head on the other. I'd say this is what the majority of folks in our class have. The frequency changes based on how hard you push. From what I've heard, the Master Classic is a little easier to use for this reason - but also doesn't have as high a quality. The Master Cardio doesn't have a pediatric head, but like sumstorm said, has better quality sound. If you're planning on going into small animal med though, the pediatric head is nice.

Anyone know if you can get a Cardio III with longer tubing? The ones I've used seem shorter than the classics. Or is this part of why the sound quality is better? It seems the longer tubing would be helpful with larger animals but maybe that's my imagination.

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If I remember correctly, only the VetScope (which is a Master Classic II) comes with the longer tubing. You probably don't need all that extra tubing unless you're dealing with fractious horses - I used my Cardio III this weekend with a quiet horse and had no problem. I've also heard that with that extra tubing comes a decreased quality in sound...and the extra tubing gets in the way with small animals.


Anyway, I'd wait to hold off for a bit to buy yours - Penn only allows you to get the Master Cardio, Cardio III or Master Classic II, and other schools may have similar requirements.

As for purchasing, Penn recommended either allheart or reddingmedical - I can't remember which I used, but it arrived quickly and the engraving looks great!

Getting your name engraved on there is also a good idea, as it's easy to get confused when there are 25 navy blue scopes in your class!

david594 said:

I'll throw another vote out for http://www.medisave.net/ When I bought mine they had the best price online for anything engraved.

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Ben and Me said:

Getting your name engraved on there is also a good idea, as it's easy to get confused when there are 25 navy blue scopes in your class!

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I posted this in the other stethoscope thread as well. I heard from a stethoscope store that engraving them voids the warranty. This is due to the pressure they have to put the head under to hold them for the engraving process.

Something to consider.

I think most of the good places use laser engraving, which shouldn't void the warranty. Also, looking on the Littman site they offer the engraving at no extra charge.

Most people at my school have Littmanns... One of our cardiologists uses the Master Classic II and really dislikes the Cardio III, while another uses a Welch Allyn, and another uses cheap $45 generic stethoscopes because he loses them so often. I use a Welch Allyn Harvey Elite and really like it- a bit heavier than most scopes, but I can hear really well with it. Most people say you hear best with whatever you learn on, which I think it probably true.

Medic_9 said:

I posted this in the other stethoscope thread as well. I heard from a stethoscope store that engraving them voids the warranty. This is due to the pressure they have to put the head under to hold them for the engraving process.

Something to consider.

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Not really. From the 3M/Littman website:

http://solutions.3m.com.au/wps/portal/3M/en_AU/Littmann/stethoscope/service-support/service-repair/ said:

Warranty Period
Your Littmann stethoscope comes with the finest service and warranty policy in the industry. If a material or manufacturing defect is discovered during the warranty period, repairs will be done at no charge, except in the cases of obvious abuse or accidental damage. The warranty period will remain in tact if the stethoscope has been engraved providing the stethoscope has not been damaged from the engraving process. The binaural (tubing) must not be removed during the engraving process as this can cause damage, nor should the stethoscope be immersed in water at any time.

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david594 said:

Not really. From the 3M/Littman website:

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Good to know!

So just wondering what length of tubing is best for small animals, 22 in or 27 in? What do most of you have?

Crazy Hippos said:

Do we need a stethoscope if we aren't going to get hands on experience until our 3rd or 4th year? Do you use them in lab?

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I think it depends on the school. UC Davis doesn't absolutely REQUIRE you to have it first year. Really, you only use it during the 4 nursing labs and you can always borrow the stethoscope of the technician you're working with. However, if you plan on attending wet labs, volunteering at clinics, etc you will need it. All that stuff is affiliated with clubs, not the core curriculum.

For what it's worth, I also recommend the Cardio III. And definitely check with the vet school's bookstore. Our bookstore will match any online price and you don't have to pay for shipping or wait for the sparkly new stethoscope.

incendium04 said:

I think it depends on the school. UC Davis doesn't absolutely REQUIRE you to have it first year. Really, you only use it during the 4 nursing labs and you can always borrow the stethoscope of the technician you're working with. However, if you plan on attending wet labs, volunteering at clinics, etc you will need it. All that stuff is affiliated with clubs, not the core curriculum.

For what it's worth, I also recommend the Cardio III. And definitely check with the vet school's bookstore. Our bookstore will match any online price and you don't have to pay for shipping or wait for the sparkly new stethoscope.

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Nice deal, I'm definitely going through the UCD bookstore! I think the cardio III sounds like the best option for me because of how versatile it seems.
What is the best way to clean a stethoscope? Do cleaning wipes/discide wipes work ok?
And also another alternative to engraving is getting a pet tag and attaching that... not quite as classy but you can include a phone number with your name and not worry about it changing

incendium04 said:

For what it's worth, I also recommend the Cardio III. And definitely check with the vet school's bookstore. Our bookstore will match any online price and you don't have to pay for shipping or wait for the sparkly new stethoscope.

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Oh yeah? I didn't know they would do that...I was already sort of grappling with the "is it worth the extra to just go buy it now" decision before this. That just pretty much solidifies it.

By the way, I called Littmann and like David said, engraving DOES NOT void the warranty so long as it isn't damaged in the process (which usually doesn't happen with the laser engraving provided by medisave and most other companies). They recommend you engrave the headpiece, not the tubing.

Also, I have the 27 inch tubing. P.S. a name tag comes with the student pack that you can get from Littmann, along with a CD of sounds. You have to get it engraved yourself, though.

Ben and Me said:

The Master Cardio doesn't have a pediatric head, but like sumstorm said, has better quality sound.

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Actually, it DOES have a pediatric head, it just isn't a double sided. Instead, there is a cup that goes over the bell, which actually provides a narrower bell surface than the traditional double sided head. So, possible to lose it if you aren't good at keeping track of it, but if you wil be doing exotics, the smaller size can matter. actually, eventually, I will need a neonatal scope as well.

Can someone please clarify the size of the "long" and "regular" stethoscope. Is the long the 27 inches? and regular 22 inches? Or is the long, longer?

I am looking on the allheart website and all of the colors besides black are the 27 inches.

Since someone mentioned above that the sound quality decreases slightly with the longer tubing i want to get the one that is best for small animal use mostly.

edit: ok my friend just told me that the 22" is the super short one and that it is best to get the 27". i used a tape measure and they are right, 22" barely hangs around my neck

I just ordered my stethoscope and thought I'd post some info for others:

Allheart has the cardiology III for $140 and you can also add a FREE Littmann stethoscope accessory kit for students. I have no clue if it is good or not, but it is free lol. Also, a friend and I think we figured out that if you get engraving on the metal...for the cardiology III your writing will be on top/next to the Littman name. So to be safe, it may be best to order engraving on the tubing. You can see what I mean if you look at the sample picture.

Whats wrong with the engraving there?

Oh! nothing is wrong with that it looks good. But that is not the sample photo allheart had. Maybe their sample is wrong it kind of looks like a photoshopped sample lol but id idnt want to take a chance. ill try to post the pic here


http://imgur.com/QfDkq

hows the master classic II?

Rottie4Life said:

hows the master classic II?

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i have the master classic II and i love it. i've used it for about 2 years now. but i got the cardiology III for vet school and haven't used it yet, so i don't have anything to compare the master classic II with.

BlacKAT33 said:

Oh! nothing is wrong with that it looks good. But that is not the sample photo allheart had. Maybe their sample is wrong it kind of looks like a photoshopped sample lol but id idnt want to take a chance. ill try to post the pic here

http://imgur.com/QfDkq

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Your right, that is pretty ugly.

I had ordered mine from the other site with the sample I posted and have been really happy with it.

Here's another vote for the Cardio III; I use it for small and large animal and it's great.

david594 said:

Whats wrong with the engraving there?

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See my post above. (#24)

I'm sure that's the reason why Littmann doesn't offer engraving on the bell of there stethoscopes, only on a separate id tag.

Medic_9 said:

See my post above. (#24)

I'm sure that's the reason why Littmann doesn't offer engraving on the bell of there stethoscopes, only on a separate id tag.

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See my post above. (#27)

We already went through this. Littmann doesn't sell stethoscopes direct, so its no surprise they dont offer engraving.

But many of the official Littmann dealers(as listed on the Littmann website) do offer engraving and Littmann says it does not void the warranty.

anyone heard anything about the cardiology S.T.C?

david594 said:

See my post above. (#27)

We already went through this. Littmann doesn't sell stethoscopes direct, so its no surprise they dont offer engraving.

But many of the official Littmann dealers(as listed on the Littmann website) do offer engraving and Littmann says it does not void the warranty.

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Yes, for pete's sake. I even called Littmann months ago and they said that the warranty is not affected by engraving. When I spoke to them, they also said that they recommend engraving ON THE HEAD OF THE STETHOSCOPE NOT ON THE TUBING. If you want to engrave the tubing, it is your choice.

So perhaps a silly question, but is anyone concerned about the color stethoscope that they are buying? As in, any hesitation to pick a fun (read: purple) color? My school only allows ceil blue/navy scrubs in the clinic so perhaps I should stay more conservative with navy? Thoughts?

jaytee09 said:

So perhaps a silly question, but is anyone concerned about the color stethoscope that they are buying? As in, any hesitation to pick a fun (read: purple) color? My school only allows ceil blue/navy scrubs in the clinic so perhaps I should stay more conservative with navy? Thoughts?

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well i havent heard if certain color scrubs must be worn at my school and i didnt see any restrictions about stethoscopes in the email. I ordered Plum and a friend ordered Hunter Green

So perhaps a silly question, but is anyone concerned about the color stethoscope that they are buying? As in, any hesitation to pick a fun (read: purple) color? My school only allows ceil blue/navy scrubs in the clinic so perhaps I should stay more conservative with navy? Thoughts?

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Aww...I ordered a blue one because I thought it would be out of the norm. 'Fun', I guess lol. Figured most folks would go for black.

I would've gone with the green one had it been a tick or two darker. Have you seen the bronze/black combination ones? Those look pretty sharp. Might be a good compromise of unique/fun and conforming.



Anyhow I doubt it matters unless your school specifically says "only X and Y colors!" Besides, you're going to use it for what, a year or two in a vet school clinical setting? Then you'll be out on your own and it won't matter what the school thinks.

Wow some how this turned from an edit into a double post. Not sure how that happened.