Electronic stethoscope?

[JustCats]

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Has anyone worked for a vet that's used one? Any opinions?

 

[katryn]

I've worked for one vet that had one, and really only used it on very small kittens/puppies and patients with exceptionally weak heart/lung sounds. He felt that the electronic ones amplify the less audible sounds which helped in certain situations but didn't have the pressure sensitivity of a normal stethescope for differentiating between heart and lung sounds and the various sounds of the different valves, etc. Basically, the electronic one amplified hard to hear sounds, but it amplified ALL sounds, making it harder to differentiate.

 

[sumstorm]

I know a vet who swears by the newer ones with the sound filters. I know a doctor who swears that the more complicated the stethoscope is, the more likely it is to break, and she says that is definitly true with her electronic (but she is an ob-gyn, so she does still use it.) I don't have personal experience with them....and even though I could get one, I plan on going with a littman master cardio. Partly because I figure I am better off starting off with the tools that are being used in our school.

 

[StillDreaming]

I plan on going with a littman master cardio.

that's a GREAT stethescope, I don't own one, but a lot of the doctors out in the small animal hospital where I work use this one and LOVE it... Most Litmans are great.

As for the electronic one, I didn't even know they existed. I kinda just like my Litman, it works great and I don't have to stress too much about dropping it... I'd probably break an electronic one in about 3 hours, give or take a few minutes 🙂