Stethoscopes

[Kiahak]

Hey guys!

Now before you ask if I've looked in the forum already on a topic about this, I have. The most recent one I could find from the veterinary forum was about 10 years ago, so I felt a more "updated" thread may not be a bad idea.

So, i'll be a first year veterinary student in the Fall, and i'll be part of an inaugural class. On my list of things to purchase is a stethoscope, but I should ask current students and faculty about their recommendations. Well, since i'll be in an inaugural class, there are no students to ask. I've asked several professors of the veterinary department, and got pretty much two suggestions. Littmann Cardiology III 27", and the Littmann Classic II S.E. 28". Now, i'm really not sure the difference between them, or the difference between other stethoscopes. I'm also not sure if I should be purchasing a stethoscope for just my student years, or for my career. I figured, what I learn on would be best to have for what I will actually use when I get done with veterinary school.

I've tried both of them, but just on myself. Pretty much, they sounded identical to me. The type of practice I plan on going into is a small-animal/wildlife mixed practice. So, I wanted to ask for the input of the SDN community! Or see if you guys have other suggestions.

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[JaynaAli]

More vet students frequent the pre-vet forum. There are a couple threads within the past couple years over there. I personally have a (gifted) Littman classic 2 and it's fine. I'd say 98% of my class has some style of Littman. I can hear the important things. I have used friends' cardio three and a master cardiology and maybe they were better, but not drastically. When I had my cardio rotation, the cardiologist had us try out several non-Littman brands and styles and my favorite was the welch allyn harvey elite. I don't know what it costs, but after an intern year I'm planning on going into clinical pathology and won't have much use for a stethoscope so I'm not planning to upgrade. But if I was I'd personally get the welch allyn one.

My opinion is to get something affordable that does its job for school, then ask classmates and faculty to try all the different types they have. You don't know what will work best for you until you try a bunch. And what you can hear in a store listening to yourself if different than in a noisy clinic with a moving target, people talking, and other patients and staff surrounding you.

Someone else may disagree and say to just get one and commit and learn on it and be used to it, but that's my two cents.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

My opinion is to get something affordable that does its job for school, then ask classmates and faculty to try all the different types they have. You don't know what will work best for you until you try a bunch.

I agree with this, especially since a 'scope in your student days might get abused and damaged a little in various ways. I used a Littmann Classic as a student, and it did perfectly well and was within my budget. Once I was graduated, I stepped up to a Littmann Cardiology (II or III, whatever the model was back then) after a year or two for a couple of reasons: 1) by then I could appreciate the difference; I wasn't skilled enough as a student to do that, and 2) I had more money and could better afford it then. Between the first purchase and the second, I had sampled a whole bunch from others at school and at trade shows.

 

[deleted387118]

Also on the topic of stethoscopes, anyone know where to find a large animal one? My last Internet search was fruitless.

 

[Coquette22]

http://www.allheart.com/littmann-master-classic-ii-veterinary-32-inch-stethoscope/p/littvet1392/

The length may or not be helpful, but the flat head is really nice for getting up into the axilla of horses and cows.

 

[deleted498041]

I actually have a Littman Cardio III and recently received a Heine cardio and much, much prefer it.

 

[jmo1012]

Hey guys!

Now before you ask if I've looked in the forum already on a topic about this, I have. The most recent one I could find from the veterinary forum was about 10 years ago, so I felt a more "updated" thread may not be a bad idea.

So, i'll be a first year veterinary student in the Fall, and i'll be part of an inaugural class. On my list of things to purchase is a stethoscope, but I should ask current students and faculty about their recommendations. Well, since i'll be in an inaugural class, there are no students to ask. I've asked several professors of the veterinary department, and got pretty much two suggestions. Littmann Cardiology III 27", and the Littmann Classic II S.E. 28". Now, i'm really not sure the difference between them, or the difference between other stethoscopes. I'm also not sure if I should be purchasing a stethoscope for just my student years, or for my career. I figured, what I learn on would be best to have for what I will actually use when I get done with veterinary school.

I've tried both of them, but just on myself. Pretty much, they sounded identical to me. The type of practice I plan on going into is a small-animal/wildlife mixed practice. So, I wanted to ask for the input of the SDN community! Or see if you guys have other suggestions.

if you're the inaugural class, they probably dont care what you get, but a couple of schools out there want students to have one of a couple of models. any chance you'll get them gifted as the inaugural class? sometimes state VMAs or schools gift students a stethoscope at white coat. you might want to wait until you start school as long as you arent in clinics on day 1. as someone who has 2 stethoscopes, trust me, the 2nd one is useless to me. i thought i'd use the more basic one for LA rotations and labs, but i'm so much more comfortable with my primary one that the other just hangs on the wall.

 

[dyachei]

I have a Welch Allyn Harvey elite now. I love it. the quality of sound is much better than the littman I had.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

but a couple of schools out there want students to have one of a couple of models.

Wow, that seems pretty ridiculous, and makes me wonder if there's a kick-back program somewhere. There's more than one way to skin a grape and more than one (or even 3 or 4) good stethoscope models out there.

 

[Minnerbelle]

if you're the inaugural class, they probably dont care what you get, but a couple of schools out there want students to have one of a couple of models. any chance you'll get them gifted as the inaugural class? sometimes state VMAs or schools gift students a stethoscope at white coat. you might want to wait until you start school as long as you arent in clinics on day 1. as someone who has 2 stethoscopes, trust me, the 2nd one is useless to me. i thought i'd use the more basic one for LA rotations and labs, but i'm so much more comfortable with my primary one that the other just hangs on the wall.

That second stethoscope will be invaluable in practice though! I always keep a spare one in my desk at work in case I forget to bring my usual one or I accidentally take it home.

 

[Doktor Timo]

I bought a stethoscope off Amazon for about 40 bucks just so I'd have one for our first-year physical diagnosis lab. It has served me perfectly fine since then. I may upgrade to a Littmann of some sort before I go down to clinics next year, but at this point any trouble I have hearing/identifying what needs to be heard will be because of my own inexperience/lack of knowledge, not any sort of deficiency in the scope.

 

[LetItSnow]

Whatever scope you get, take the time to try the different size ear buds. A comfortable, snug-but-not-too-tight fit is super important. Night and day difference for me using the same scope but different tips.

I wouldn't worry TOO much about buying a cheap one out of fear of breaking it. The common manufacturers all have excellent warranties. I know I put a hemostat through my Littmann and they happily fixed and reconditioned the whole scope for free. And extended the warranty. There are probably other good reasons to buy a cheap scope, but fear of breaking an expensive one likely isn't one of them.

Somehow I collect scopes. I have 4 now, only one of which I've purchased.

 

[Coquette22]

I'd also caution against going too cheap. A classmate had a cheap one and got incredibly frustrated trying to hear hearts on cows and horses. It was fine for dogs and cats but just couldn't pick up sounds through all that extra distance for the large animals. She found it much easier with mine (Master Classic II SE).

 

[Minnerbelle]

Yeah seconding LIS. Get the comfortable soft ear buds especially if you have small ears. I don't know how people live with the big hard ones.

When I forgot my usual stethoscope one day and borrowed a rotation mate's cheap one, every cow sounded like it had a ping...

 

[david594]

This is one of those question that everyone asks and there is no definitive answer. I remember when I was accepted to vet school one of the first things I did was buy a Littmann Cardio III because because I like technology and wanted the "best".

6+ years later and 2 years out of school and my Cardio III has been collecting dust on the shelf since vet school graduation. The stethoscope I use every day is a lower end model that cost half as much.

 

[Staffie]

6+ years later and 2 years out of school and my Cardio III has been collecting dust on the shelf since vet school graduation. The stethoscope I use every day is a lower end model that cost half as much.

Why do you prefer to use the lower end model over the Cardio III? Is the Cardio III too bulky? Doesn't sound as good? Or you just grab a cheaper stethoscope that is close at hand and can't be bothered to go get the Cardio III?

 

[david594]

Why do you prefer to use the lower end model over the Cardio III? Is the Cardio III too bulky? Doesn't sound as good? Or you just grab a cheaper stethoscope that is close at hand and can't be bothered to go get the Cardio III?

The biggest factor was that I rarely ever used the large diaphragm on the Cardio III. I used the pediatric diaphragm for the vast majority of my patients and the only time I ever really wanted anything different was for my smallest patients where I'd reach for the neonatal size.

Sound quality wise, I'd happily believe the Cardio III delivers better sound quality. I personally don't think(in the ER setting), any improvement in sound quality with it would change how I treat my patients.

The secondary reason would be that the Classic II is much lighter than the Cardio III and my stethescope is with me every minute I'm on clinics.

 

[LetItSnow]

The biggest factor was that I rarely ever used the large diaphragm on the Cardio III. I used the pediatric diaphragm for the vast majority of my patients and the only time I ever really wanted anything different was for my smallest patients where I'd reach for the neonatal size.

Sound quality wise, I'd happily believe the Cardio III delivers better sound quality. I personally don't think(in the ER setting), any improvement in sound quality with it would change how I treat my patients.

The secondary reason would be that the Classic II is much lighter than the Cardio III and my stethescope is with me every minute I'm on clinics.

That said - and this is intended to underscore david594's earlier point - I'm in an ER setting and am super annoyed when I don't have my cardio iii..... And I use the large diaphragm almost exclusively.

It really truly comes down to personal preference and you just have to try things out and decide what you like.

 

[david594]

Too many options.

 

[dyachei]

that cat looks like it wishes ill upon you

 

[jmo1012]

Why do you prefer to use the lower end model over the Cardio III? Is the Cardio III too bulky? Doesn't sound as good? Or you just grab a cheaper stethoscope that is close at hand and can't be bothered to go get the Cardio III?

The one thing I'll say (and I exclusively usemycardio oil) is that it's heavy. Sounds silly, but some days when I have a million things in my pockets and it around my neck, I'm sore. I feel a noticible difference between having it on and off, and I knew a vet who couldn't carry his around his neck because he had back/neck issues and it just exacerbated that. Is it a big deal? Probably not, but I mention it just because its never something I ever would have thought of.

 

[Coquette22]

Likewise, we have a few Cardio III at work, but I stick with my Classic II SE just because I always have it with me and I'm used to it. I know what to expect from it, so for me, it's easier to always use the same one rather than switching between whatever is in the exam rooms even if the ones in the exam rooms are better.