Patent ID: 7603966

Claim:
A system ( 10 ) for rapidly positioning a small animal ( 22 ) on a veterinary table ( 12 ), the veterinary table ( 12 ) including a support surface ( 20 ) extending between a first side edge ( 24 ) and an opposed second side edge ( 26 ), and also extending between a first end edge ( 28 ) and an opposed second end edge ( 30 ), the system ( 10 ) comprising: a. at least the first end edge ( 28 ) or the second end edge ( 30 ) including a separate-component, retro-fitted guide plate ( 32 ) covering at least about fifty percent of a distance along the first or second end edge ( 28 , 30 ) between the first and second side edges ( 24 , 26 ), the separate-component, retro-fitted guide plate ( 32 ) being a separate component from the veterinary table and defining five or more cord positioning guide means ( 36 ) per foot of extension of the retro-fitted guide plate ( 32 ) between the first and second side edges ( 24 , 26 ), the cord positioning guide means ( 36 ) being for securing an animal restraint cord ( 38 ) against movement toward the first side edge ( 24 ) or the second side edge ( 26 ) of the table; b. the animal restraint cord ( 38 ) defining an animal limb fastener means ( 46 ) at a first end of the cord ( 38 ) for fastening the cord ( 38 ) to a limb ( 48 ) of the small animal ( 22 ) adjacent the support surface ( 20 ) of the table ( 12 ), the cord ( 38 ) also defining an elongate section ( 50 ) configured to extend from the small animal limb ( 48 ) through the cord positioning guide means ( 36 ); and, c. cord securing means ( 52 ) adjacent the separate-component, retro-fitted guide plate ( 32 ) for selectively securing the cord ( 38 ) within the cord positioning guide means ( 36 ) against movement toward the small animal limb ( 48 ).