Reducing Veterinarian Risk: Lifting and rehabilitating animals

Patient Lifters appear not only to be suitable for lifting humans as we discovered when our client Edgars Mission contacted us to purchase a Molift Smart 150 Portable Lifter.

With rescue farm animals such as Hip Hip the Pig weighing at 130kg, the Molift Smart 150 lifter proved to be the ideal solution for assisting with the rehabilitation of Hip Hip and farm friend, Saturday the Sheep.

Pictured below is the Mobile Floor Lifter in action used to support the farm animals in a custom made harness designed to lift them to standing height in order to assist with weight bearing on the hind legs.

This led us to realise that equipment such as these portable hoists along with Moilft Ceiling Hoists can offer valuable support to workers in the animal industry by reducing the heavy lifting load.  As with nursing staff in the healthcare industry, injuries from lifting can be costly to the employer and require a painful rehabilitation for employers. 

Ceiling Hoists with a track built into the ceiling can be easily installed, most likely in under a day in a veterinarian operating theatre to completely minimise any lifting of heavier animals thereby reducing back injuries to staff.  It could also minimise injury from aggressive animals by creating a safe distance between the animal and staff whilst the lift is being performed. 

Proper handling, lifting and restraint of dogs during a physical examination will lead to happier customers, reduced risk of injury to the animal and of course the animal worker and a lower chance of a claim being filed against a Vet.

Equipment such as these Patient Hoists and Ceiling Hoists may also be suitable in the Zoo environment for all the above reasons particularly when surgery or routine check ups under sedated conditions are performed.  Lifting range depending on the equipment range from 150 kg through to a maximum weight of 300 kg making patient or animal transfers much safer and significantly easier.

As with the case on the farm at Edgars Mission, the staff there devised a custom made sling to suit the specific needs of their animals.  Hip Hip learnt how to weight bear and Saturday the Sheep could easily be transferred to her wheelchair for transportation.

Photos are courtesy of Edgars Mission. visit edgarsmission.org.au  to find out more about their farm rescue plight.

For more information about these patient lifters and ceiling hoists, contact Patient Handling on within Australia call 1300 137 875