stethoscope recommendations??

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pika8

pika8

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Hello!

My generous aunt has offered to buy me a veterinary stethoscope. I was wondering if any one had recommendations. I'll mostly be using it in school--so something I can use for small and large animal would be good. Let me know if you all have any ideas.

thanks!
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Hey!

I know that Littmann makes a veterinary scope that has an extra long tubing, which makes it easier to use around large animals, but I don't think it's all that necessary. I have a Littmann Master Cardiology, and I love it, but it was a bit on the pricey side, and I odn't know if you had a price range in mind. A lot of my classmates have the Cardio II or Cardio III, and those are great, too. Hope that helps! Congrats on a new scope- when I got mine, I chased my cat around the house and tried to listen to his heart. But his purring foiled my plans. :D
 
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I have a Welch-Allyn Harvey Elite and I love it. It's really a personal thing though, so try to find somewhere where you can try them out first.
 
Congrats on a new scope- when I got mine, I chased my cat around the house and tried to listen to his heart. But his purring foiled my plans.
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What a coincidence! I was so excited to use my new stethoscope I got from the Dr's @ work....but, when I got home, but I couldn't hear anything since my cat was purring so loud. :laugh:
 
I just learned during our equine cardio physiology lab when we were listening to heart sounds that stethoscopes like the Littmann Cardio III that I have with a thick bell/diaphragm piece (two sided) is not as ideal for equine (in the opinion of the DVM we were with) because it's harder to jam the head of the scope up under the scapula to hear sounds at the base of the heart, which lies more cranially. Probably that could be overcome with more practice, but if you're looking primarily equine, probably something to consider.
 
VAgirl said:
I just learned during our equine cardio physiology lab when we were listening to heart sounds that stethoscopes like the Littmann Cardio III that I have with a thick bell/diaphragm piece (two sided) is not as ideal for equine (in the opinion of the DVM we were with) because it's harder to jam the head of the scope up under the scapula to hear sounds at the base of the heart, which lies more cranially. Probably that could be overcome with more practice, but if you're looking primarily equine, probably something to consider.
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Just goes to show how personal choices can be, because the cardiologist who came to talk to us said to make certain you get one with a bell so that you can hear lower frequency sounds which can be very diagnostically important. She works a lot with equine as well so maybe she finds the diagnostic advantage more important than the mechanical difficulty of getting under the scapula? I'm a huge fan of try before you buy and most clinicians or senior students at the school are more than willing to let you use their stethoscope for trial runs.
 
tealamutt said:
Just goes to show how personal choices can be, because the cardiologist who came to talk to us said to make certain you get one with a bell so that you can hear lower frequency sounds which can be very diagnostically important. She works a lot with equine as well so maybe she finds the diagnostic advantage more important than the mechanical difficulty of getting under the scapula? I'm a huge fan of try before you buy and most clinicians or senior students at the school are more than willing to let you use their stethoscope for trial runs.
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Technically speaking, some stethoscopes have a diaphragm side and a bell side (without a diaphragm). However most 'upper end' stethoscopes by littman for instance are not made like this. Instead they have a tunable diaphragm that allows you to be in 'bell mode' or 'diaphragm mode' to hear higher/lower frequency sounds. What I think is getting confused here are double-headed stethoscopes that have both a pediatric and adult heads.

As for my recommendation, and I don't claim to be an expert by any means, don't go fully high-end you will probably need a new one by the end of school anyhow. Go for something like the littman cardio II or cardio III, perhaps even the master classic II. Also, go for the 27 inch length (versus 22). I was given my stethoscope by my job with a cardiologist and technically (I think) the shorter tubing offers better sound transmission but I'm not a cardiologist and I always feel like I am right underneath horse/cattle when I have to listen to them.
 
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Jochebed said:
How timely! Our cardiology professor actually talked about this in our last lecture. :) He started by saying that the Fisher Price model really isn't all that bad, haha. As far as real criteria, he said that there are only 3 things he finds really important in a stethoscope - #1 two tubes WITHIN the tubing (1 per ear), rather than just one for both. Most of your higher end stethoscopes have this (Littman Cardio III, Master Cardio) whereas the lower end stethoscopes don't (Littman Classic). #2 shorter tubing. He didn't really make this statement regarding distortion or better sound, just that for small animals longer stethoscopes just get in the way. If you're going to be a large animal vet maybe go for the longer one and just put up with the aggravation in school. #3 bell and diaphragm or at least some way to listen to both high and low frequency sounds (some stethoscopes have this built into one piece as has already been pointed out). He said that he was currently using a Littman but that his favorite had been a Sprague (sp??) until it broke. I have a Littman Cardio III and love it. So I guess take those few criteria and then just find one you like. :)
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You just described a Welch Allyn!!

Elite or DLX model, the WA is the way to go - separate tubes, diaphragm (corrugated one rocks) and a shorter tube.

Why a shorter tube length? Sound transmission. Remember the lessons in physics about sound, resonance, tube length, pitch changes, etc. The WA is actually tuned for accurate sound based on length. A Littman is not.

A Littman is about a 28" length and a WA is 3" - huge difference. A big diff for LA use? Nope - I use my WA around horses, goats, cattle all the time and haven't had an issue.

WA = Welch Allyn
LA = Large Animal
SA = Small Animal

I have converted many docs over to a WA from a Littman Cardio III and they think the WA Professional (low end model) is as good as a Cardio III. It is an inespensive "backup scope" for many. Surprised me, but then the WA is a very good 'scope.

You can save a load of cash if you buy new off of eBay.
 
Nexx said:
Technically speaking, some stethoscopes have a diaphragm side and a bell side (without a diaphragm). However most 'upper end' stethoscopes by littman for instance are not made like this. Instead they have a tunable diaphragm that allows you to be in 'bell mode' or 'diaphragm mode' to hear higher/lower frequency sounds. What I think is getting confused here are double-headed stethoscopes that have both a pediatric and adult heads.
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the Littman Cardiology III has the adult and pediatric heads however you can remove the diaphragm from the pediatric and convert it into a traditional bell (and back again.) The Adult diaphragm is tunable.
 
lenadeb said:
You can save a load of cash if you buy new off of eBay.
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I love my WA! Definitely try out as many different stethoscopes as you can! Go to the school bookstore or a medical supply store and test them out.

If you're in vet school, you can buy WA stethoscopes through butler's PDP program. I got my harvey elite for $130 and that included the accessory kit with the pediatric head. Plus they have an extended warranty where they will repair it if it is broke while you're in school (haven't had to use it, but they say normal wear and tear is covered, too).

http://www.accessbutler.com/abc/WAButler/Templates/Frame_PDP.html
 
Keep an eye on eBay and you can get an Elite for $70-100 and a DLX for about $110-130, depending on the bidding. They tend to sell for more than a cardio III, so that should tell us something right there.

New in box, of course.

As long as any 'scope works for you and meets your needs, it is a good buy.
 
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i have the WA harvey elite too with the pediatric head that came in the accessory kit. our cardio prof told us to use the pediatric head for dogs and cats and the adult for large animal...

anyway, i love my WA.
 
Is a stethoscope necessary for first-year students?
 
I think tube length also is a personal/erognomic decision. As a guy with a 18" neck (I am 5'10" but I played hockey in my former life :p) I need a longer tube so that I can wrap the scope around my neck without choking myself. The shorter tube designs do not work for me for that reason. But, for you ladies such as the 5'2" vet I work for I am sure the shorter models are less cumbersome. Just another factor to consider.

Kai
 
Can we revive this? I'd love to see some more up-to-date information (and links ;P).
 
Woo-o-o-ow, some old school posters in here. I definitely miss some of these kids.

I used a Littmann Classic II through school and got a Harvey Allyn Elite not too long ago. The Tycos, not the DLX. Pediatric head, flat diaphragm. I like it a lot.
 
I guess my main issues are with the tips my school has on their supply list:

"Tips for choosing a stethoscope:
Any good quality (cardiology) Littman or Tycos stethoscope, two examples below:
Littman Master Cardiology
Littman Cardiology IV

Regardless of manufacturer:
Tubing length 22” (longer tubing attenuates the sounds)
Must have both diaphragm and bell (or tunable chest piece to provide equivalent)
Dual tubing contained within a single tube

Avoid:
triple headed chest piece
electronic enhancement"​

However, it seems that 27" is more common than 22"... and honestly, I am so tall that a 22" is a bit frustrating. Does length matter all that much? This thread makes it seem like, perhaps, not so much. And I suppose I wonder if getting the Cardio version is super necessary, or if it is just one professor's perspective. What is the equivalent of a Cardio in a WA?

However, I think cost is my biggest barrier. I CAN pay more, but I really shouldn't.
 
Following this discussion. Question: why are cardiology stethoscopes so popular and/or recommended?
 
Typically the Cardio stethoscopes have two tubes, whereas the others have a single tube. I don't know that I could tell the difference when I was in school, but I sure can now. I had a single tube version as a student and bought the Cardio after I graduated.......but if you're only going to buy 1, start with a Cardio.

As for length, it depends on the size of the student/doctor as well as the size of your patients.


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CalliopeDVM said:
Typically the Cardio stethoscopes have two tubes, whereas the others have a single tube. I don't know that I could tell the difference when I was in school, but I sure can now. I had a single tube version as a student and bought the Cardio after I graduated.......but if you're only going to buy 1, start with a Cardio.

As for length, it depends on the size of the student/doctor as well as the size of your patients.


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Click to expand...

You don't think it will affect sound too much for me to tell apart sounds as an amateur?
 
The length of tubing - longer tubing reduces the force of sounds.
 
CynicKitten said:
The length of tubing - longer tubing reduces the force of sounds.
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Yes, that's true, so you want to make sure what you get in exchange (longer tubes to reach areas on larger patients) is worthwhile. It will be easier to auscultate the large lung fields in a horse with a longer stethoscope than a short one, for instance.
 
Yup. Which is exactly my problem, because as of know it's not possible for me to know if it's worthwhile! That's why I was wondering if the difference is significant.
 
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