Do you know what is in your surgery pack?

Many veterinarians confuse thumb forceps and dressing forceps, both of which are often referred to as tweezers or pick ups.  Although it does not really matter what you call them but how you use them does!  

Dressing forceps are meant to handle dressing, aka, gauze, sponges, bandage.  Dressing forceps are serrated and therefore can be quite traumatic to tissues.  They definitely should not be used on tissues.  

Thumb forceps, aka tissue, rat tooth, Adson forceps, have small points (or teeth) to grip the tissues.  This is less traumatic than the dressing forceps.  To further decrease potential tissue damage inflicted by the thumb forceps, they must be used properly and mindfully.