Buying Tips for Veterinarian Scales

Weighing animals in veterinarian clinics is challenging because few if any of the patients have the patience to remain still on the weighing platform.  Since weight gain or loss is very much a part of the exam, vets and their assistants need all the assistance they can get in securing accurate weight readings. Platform scales such as the Kern EOB, EOE and EOS series available from Tovatech are ideally suited for this requirement because they are designed to compute an accurate stable weight even though the animal does not stand quietly on the weighing plate.

An Animal Weighing System That’s Easy to Use

With only 4 programming keys on the display device these animal weighing scales are a cinch to operate:  on/off, hold, unit (pounds or kilograms) and tare.  It’s the “hold” key that’s key to the animal weighing operation.

With Fido firmly on the easily cleaned stainless steel weighing plate press the HOLD key.  The LCD display device will show HOLD and the triangular hold icon will flash during which the animal weighing balance takes several measured values then display the mean calculated value up to three decimals.  The weight will remain on the display until the HOLD key is pressed again.  But if Fido fidgets too much there is no average value calculation due to display oscillation.

Specification Criteria

Animal weighing scales are offered with weight capacities to 600 pounds.  Four weighing plate dimensions are available depending on the model and range from approximately 12 x 12 inches to 36 x 22 inches.   A 70-inch cable connects the display device to the weighing plate.  Options include non-slip rubber mats for the weighing plates and support stands for the display device.

For the traveling vet these animal weighing balances can also be powered by 6 AA batteries that provide about 60 hours of operation.  In such cases the balance will automatically turn off after 3 minutes with no load in order to preserve battery life.  The EOS scales have 2 wheels and a handle for easy transport.

Maintenance

These veterinary scales are precision weighing devices that must be kept clean by wiping the weighing plate with a disinfectant solution after each use.  They must also be calibrated for accuracy the first time they are put into use at the clinic and at regular intervals or after they have been moved or subjected to temperature changes.   Calibration instructions are provided with the operations manual and are relatively easy to follow.

Contact the scientists at Tovatech for help in specifying and using platform scales in veterinarian clinics.

About Rachel Kohn

So how did an MIT Ph.D. end up selling refrigerators? When I figured out that a lot more scientists buy lab refrigerators than innovative leading-edge instruments. I hope that my many years of lab experience will help you find the right equipment for your work. Before co-founding Tovatech I worked in business development and project management at Smiths Detection, Photon-X, Cardinal Health, and Hoechst Celanese. And before that I spent 12 years as an R&D chemist at Hoechst Celanese and Aventis working on advanced drug delivery systems, polymer films and membranes, optical disks, and polysaccharides. Some day, eventually, I’ll make enough money to develop an innovative technology that will change the world. Read More