Organization not only keeps a veterinary practice running - it also helps reduce medication errors and ensures pets are properly cared for. Veterinary labels assist with this organization. Based on the design, they provide a space for displaying lab results, the name of a medication, or concerns regarding a pet's health or behavior.

Labels do more than influence a clinic's operations. They guide clients in administering an oral solution or applying a topical ointment at home. According to (need to cite the source for these statistics), during any given year, almost 80 percent of dog owners and just over 60 percent (its' better to give the specific percentage from the source) of cat owners take home medication to administer to their pet. Improper or unclear directions increase risks for incorrect dosages.

To prepare for Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, learn more about the different types of veterinary labels and how they improve communication within your team and with clients.

Examination Room Labels

Your team can write down everything - or you can quickly label common findings and steps during an exam for consistent recordkeeping. The appropriate veterinary labels can help you document medical conditions or other physical findings needing attention, identify vaccine status, and assist with obtaining consent signatures from the client for select procedures.

Laboratory Labels

Never make assumptions about blood, stool or urine samples. These medical labels let you check off or circle specific findings, allowing you to both document and deliver results without ambiguities. Long term, this consistency helps a veterinarian track a pet's progress - a factor that is crucial for observing conditions like canine parvovirus or feline immunodeficiency.

Medication Labels

These medical labels indicate the medication being handed to a client and how they need to administer it at home. Beyond the big picture, medication labels:

• Make sure your staff members properly dispense the medication based on dosage and length of use.
• Indicate how frequently the client needs to administer the medication, how it should be stored at home and if it needs to be given with food and water.
• Reduce potential medication errors, which can arise from confusing directions, unclear abbreviations or a dosage that's too large or too small for the animal's weight.
• Provide space for listing active ingredients, any warnings and an expiration date.

IV and Syringe Labels

If a pet undergoes surgery, a veterinarian's staff may be administering multiple IVs or medication via a syringe. Labeling indicates the fluid contained in the bag or cylinder and when it needs to be administered. This information reduces confusion and medication errors during the procedure and helps improve outcomes.

Instructional Labels

If a pet is being kept overnight, instructional labels clearly illustrate the care they need. Easily attached to the exterior of a cage or added to the pet's veterinary records, these labels communicate information about:

• Water and dietary restrictions
• Behavioral concerns
• Procedure or surgical preparation
• Post-surgical care
• Potential medication reactions
• Medical issues - for example, seizures or diabetes
• What type of specimen to collect and how

Client Communications

Whether for scheduling appointments or sending a message in the mail, labeling with pre-printed addresses or directions streamlines routine office procedures. Consider sets of labels for mailers, signatures, organizing files, sending notifications and scheduling follow-up appointments.

Keep your veterinary practice organized with Positive Impressions. Order labels for collection notification, prescriptions, instructions and care, IVs, exam rooms, organizing files and lab results.