Radiation risks: is your practice playing it safe?

14 June 2024

The Vet Council has heard several recent reports of veterinary clinic staff being asked to restrain companion animals without sedation for radiographs. There are a lot of risks with radiation, so our Veterinary Advisor Michelle Logan has provided the following information about the Code of Practice for Veterinary Radiation.

Radiation safety is extremely important, and whatever your practice type, there is no room for complacency. Even being exposed to regular, low levels of ionising radiation is a hazard because of the potential carcinogenesis and other health risks.

Although it is ultimately up to clinic managers to take responsibility for radiation protection and safety, everyone should ask themselves, “is my practice following the Code of Practice for Veterinary Radiation: ORS C9?”.

According to the Code, the managing entity must prevent the manual restraint of animals undergoing radiography unless it is medically unacceptable to immobilise the animal by sedation or general anaesthesia and/or mechanical restraint. In companion animal practice, there are very few cases where it is medically unacceptable to immobilise an animal using these methods.

Although it depends on the circumstances, cases where it might be medically unacceptable could include severe cardiac or respiratory compromise, where an urgent radiographic diagnosis could save a life or affect your immediate treatment.

So, if you are thinking of performing a radiograph that requires human restraint (and having someone close to the primary beam) you need to pause and determine if the radiograph is necessary.

If not, then re-assess whether there is a safer option for restraint that is still medically acceptable for the clinical condition. If there are no other options, you must ensure you are taking every other safety precaution possible, including using protective equipment and proper radiographic technique, including appropriate collimation.

Equine and large animal radiography carries its own individual challenges. Radiation safety measures must be followed and information on the requirements for field radiography can be found in the Code.

Check that your practice is always following these requirements and play it safe.