Veterinarians could loan ventilators to Saskatchewan hospitals

Saskatchewan hospitals could be picking up extra ventilators from veterinary clinics to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.

The equipment is vital in treating severe cases of the virus.

Dr. Ian Sandler, a member of the national issues committee with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, told 650 CKOM around 20 to 40 ventilators in clinics across the country could be available for human use.

He doesn’t think converting them would cause any issues.

“We actually will purchase human ventilators, and then retrofit them for veterinary use,” he explained.

“We may have to make some minor changes to some of the piping or the tubing from the machines … but the idea of ventilation is essentially the same.”

While he said nothing has ever forced vets to take this type of a measure before, they’re always willing to help.

“We want to ensure that if the demand overruns the current supply on the human side, we want to be able to assist them if needed,” he said.

However, he doesn’t expect this to happen anytime soon.

“We are hoping that this is a very, very, very, last resort,” Sandler said.

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan is considering taking the step of lending ventilators to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

In a statement sent to 650 CKOM, Dean Dr. Douglas Freeman indicated the college would like to help deal with COVID-19.

“The veterinary profession has a significant role in public health, and the WCVM is always willing to work with the SHA and other health professions to support the health of people,” he wrote. “We will work with SHA representatives to determine whether our equipment meets their needs and how these resources might be used during the COVID-19 pandemic.”