Because there's always an interesting misconception to clear up here at the vet clinic. Every pet that has an anesthetic procedure at our clinic also has an intravenous catheter placed in one of their front legs. We leave it in until the patient is recovered, in case we need quick access for additional injections. We remove the catheter before the owner arrives, and place a small bandage on the arm which the owner is to remove at home. This is our standard discharge procedure. I spayed a very ... Read more »
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It’s all a matter of perspective, I suppose
Today I had an appointment with Dr. White. She is a human doctor. I was lucky enough to find her in time for my second pregnancy. The doctor I had while I was pregnant with my daughter was all right, I suppose, but we didn't have much of a connection. When I asked him if I, as a veterinarian, should get a Toxoplasma titer done, he laughed at me (who does that to a pregnant woman??) and shook his head as if I had asked, "Do I need to be worried about alien abduction now that I'm pregnant?" Not ... Read more »
It’s summer time at the vet clinic
If there is one thing that is ubiquitous in this field, it is dogs with itchy skin. While many vets shudder at the ever present itchy dog, I kind of like it. Lucky for me, since dermatology represents something like one third of all the cases we see. I don't think it's boring. I think it's interesting. That being said, it's not always the most complicated case on the docket. We're not talking House, here. There are one or two scripts that play out over and over like clockwork starting every ... Read more »
No, no, no
I am admittedly a huge perfume-a-holic. I have an entire dresser drawer devoted to fragrances- bottles of various scents smelling of fresh ginger, sweet vanilla, fragrant gardenia. I can't help it. I'm hopelessly addicted. It's not the most practical thing to have on hand, for, much like high heeled shoes and dry clean only blouses, this just isn't something I can use at work. It would be cruel. Dogs, as you know, have noses that are much more sensitive than our own. They can sniff out corpses ... Read more »
Woo hoo, kinda
Southwest Airlines is allowing pets on board!* Finally! *-must fit under your seat -no more than 5 per flight -cannot go in cargo -counts as your carryon -$75 per pet -cats and small dogs only In other words, this is great news for....uh, Paris Hilton. And cat owners who want to take Fluffy to Vegas for the weekend. Oh well. It's a step in the right direction. ... Read more »
I only help small dogs from now on
I don't know why, but in my current neighborhood I always see dogs running around. I've never lived somewhere where it is this common. I'm not in the boonies, either- this is a densely populated suburban area where there are lots of cars zooming around, and it always scares me to see a dog trotting on the side of the road. They are owned dogs. I know this because I always stop and take them home. I can't help it. I keep a leash in the back of my car for just such an occasion. I do it because ... Read more »
When Daddy’s away, the kiddies will play….
My husband was out of town all week at some sort of conference thing. Although I miss him terribly when he's gone, I also admit there is a flip side to having the place all to myself for a few days. No arguments over the Tivo. I can watch all the reality TV I want. Eat whole wheat pasta and/or risotto without getting any grumbling. Reprogram the car radio to all top 40. The list goes on and on. Emmett and I decided to make the most of it. A little port to set the tenor of the week will do. ... Read more »
Ahoy!
I had a very nice new client today who brought his recently acquired puppy in for vaccinations. Tagging along were his roommates, two scarlet macaws. I was, to say the least, a bit apprehensive when I looked into the lobby and saw two large macaws perched on his shoulders like mini-feathered Sphinxes, but as long as I wasn’t expected to actually do anything with them, I was happy to have them visit. If I didn’t have confirmation from my co-workers that I was in fact seeing this, I ... Read more »
Call of the day
Phone rings. My tech answers: Tech: Hello, this is XXX Clinic, how may I help you? Kid: Do you have tapeworms? Tech: ....uh, not personally, no....what do you need exactly? Kid: So, well, we're doing a scavenger hunt and we need to find a tapeworm. I've already called 12 other vets and no one has one they can give me. My tech agreed to loan the kid a tapeworm from one of our plastinated displays on the promise of its safe return. When the kid showed up, she asked who the heck would have ... Read more »
Cast your eye this way
Have you ever stayed up late at night wondering to yourself, "What is the most common cause of broken bones in dogs?" No? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. Veterinary Pet Insurance, one of the largest providers of pet insurance in the country, reviewed 5000 claims from 2008 and summarized the most common causes as follows: 10. Car accidents. The truth is, most people don't securely restrain their animals while driving, and even accidents at low speeds can turn a pet into a projectile. 9. ... Read more »
