I've been on vacation this week. A much needed, long awaited break from the grindstone of work. I had fully intended on having a week's worth of posts in the queue, but I only got as far as two before I realized we were leaving in 12 hours and I hadn't packed a single thing. So I've been trying to get some stuff done at night on a less than reliable wifi network, rushing such things as picking images for posts- which may or may not get you in trouble when you accompany a post about an ... Read more »
Daily Life
The good news is, it’s not a tumor…
When a client tells you a pet is rolling over and acting really out of it, they get priority in the queue. That is how I found myself in the exam room with a small, middle aged grey terrier and a small, middle aged bespectacled owner. "When did this start?" I asked her. "This afternoon," she said quietly. "Georgie just started listing to one side and kind of stumbling." The list of differentials start running through my head as I instruct the owner to place Georgie on the exam table, ... Read more »
When being right doesn’t matter
"$150," the woman insisted. I squinted at her. "Really?" "In Italy," she said. "Full mouth extraction on my cat." She paused. "And the vet didn't even use anesthesia." Now I was extremely skeptical. How do you pull every tooth in a cat's mouth without anesthesia? "They were falling out anyway," she added helpfully. "He just kind of twisted and out they came." "OK, so that is pretty end-stage disease," I told her. "I'd like to try and avoid that in this cat-" gesturing to the current ... Read more »
Top 5 Nutrition Myths
OK, I don't know if they are myths so much as long-held veterinary standard talking points, but it was a lot easier to type "myths" than "standard procedures and protocols with which I disagree." 1. Feed your pet the same food every day or they will get sick. This is true in some cases, namely if you have a pet on a prescription diet or a pet with dietary sensitivities, but for most healthy pets, there's no reason not to switch it up. You have to be careful if you are watching your ... Read more »
The Phantom of the Vet Clinic
I've had a nibble or two in my career, but I've been fortunate to never have any serious bites. Some of it is luck, I'm sure, and a lot of it is planning. If I don't feel comfortable around a pet, I'll muzzle it. It's not an option, it is the condition on which I will complete an examination. Which is why I was so rattled when a husky tried to bite my face off the other day. He was nervous, in the way most huskies tend to be. He was an intact 8 month old dog who had zero training or ... Read more »
On safari: Ocelot vs Goldenbeast
Our cameraman has spent months, nay, years, stalking the elusive Domestic Jungle Ocelot. His patience has finally been rewarded. He is usually a nocturnal creature. At night, when the denizens of the day have retired, he emerges from the depths of the garage and stalks his prey. Namely, veterinarians. Oblivious to her imminent doom, the veterinarian slumbers. She wakes up to the silent kneading on her chest as the ocelot sucks out her her life's breath and bites her on the ... Read more »
The in-laws think I’m weird
My daughter turned 5 this weekend, and with it came the requisite pomp and circumstance and party debauchery. Both grandparents come from modest homes, and both my husband and I were raised modestly. A couple of presents on your birthday, a few bucks from grandma slipped into a card, that sort of thing. I try really hard to rein in stuff with my kids and resist the temptation to go overboard, because as we all know, that usually doesn't end well. I don't want spoiled kids (I save that for the ... Read more »
Call of the Day: Shady Surgeons R Us
Receptionist: Hello, thank you for calling. How can I help you? Person: I have a 4 year old cat and I need all 4 paws declawed. How much is that? Receptionist: Well, we only do the front two paws here. And that runs about $250. Person: Are you @$$!!%%$# kidding me??????!!! Receptionist: ...I'm sorry? Person: That is just @#$!!# ridiculous. Receptionist: I'm sorry. Person: Isn't there some back alley declaw vet you know of? Someone who does it for like, 50 ... Read more »
Tim and Sunny’s Big Adventure
I try to avoid answering the front door when I can, but the knocking was insistent. I grabbed Brody, still attached to his permanent lead as insurance against his naughty behavior, and go to the door. It's the woman who lives two doors down. "Hi," she says, eyeing Brody nervously. "I, um, have a dog in my backyard," she said in the tone one might say, 'I have a land mine in my yard,' or, 'I found Charles Manson hanging out by the pool.' " I was wondering if it was yours?" "Nope," I said. ... Read more »
Thank you
There were so many wonderful responses to my post today about grief, and how you process it. It was amazing to see how many people came forward to share stories about the pets who were your heart- Blade, Chase, Mickey Mouse, Soldier, Bailey, Miles, Joe, Tony, Murphy, Ziggy, Baby, Hurley, Tina, Willow, Mary...Each one so important, a tiny pawprint who has left an indelible impression on your lives. I read each and every comment and could feel the strength of each and every person's love. Thank ... Read more »
I get by with a little help from my friends
When most people euthanize a pet, they cry. Some a tiny bit, some sob hysterically, and most get choked up and quietly let the tears roll down their face as they bid a shaky goodbye. Then they pull themselves sort of together and go home, where they really let go. At least, that's what I did. I assume most others do as well. Then you have the next day. If you're lucky, you have people around you who love you, who loved your pet, who understand and help you through your genuine grief. Life ... Read more »
Sunday Shout Out: Project Beatrice
Many of you have asked for an update on my post about Project Beatrice from the Humane Society of Tijuana. I am so happy to share with you the Friends of HSTJ website with the latest update: The house has made incredible progress and is already being drywalled and they are moving in soon! The website also has several updates with lots of fantastic pictures from earlier in the month. If you really want to have a good Sunday, check out the post featuring San Diego photographer Bryan ... Read more »
Spay’s Anatomy (featuring Pet Doctor Barbie and a special guest star)
Voiceover: Diagnosing a pet is like fighting a battle in the fog. Without their ability to tell you what's wrong, you don't know your enemy. Sometimes the fog is a mere hazy gauze, easily penetrated with our exam and our instincts, and other times it sits over the field like a big hairy blindfold. Well hello there, Miss Blake! What brings you and Lulu here today? Doctor, Lulu just isn't herself. I don't know what is wrong, but something is wrong. Any changes in appetite or drinking ... Read more »
You all were right
This morning, my daughter was following me through the house as I stumbled around in a half-asleep stupor. "I'm having peanut butter for lunch!" Brush teeth. "Uh huh." "Today I think I want to wear my pink shoes." Wash face. "Uh huh." "I had a dream about Spongebob last night." Pull on socks. "Uh huh." "I haven't seen Callie for a long time." Brush hair. "Uh huh." Then a screeching put on the brakes noise in my head. I sat down on the side of the tub next to my daughter, and ... Read more »
Where the wild things are
Brody must be going through a growth spurt. He's always liked food, but this past week he eyes it with a mania reserved for teenage boys eyeing the paper-wrapped magazines at the convenience store. When he sees me with the bowl, he starts to wag his tail, then his tail starts to wag him, then he starts jumping and spinning and salivating all over the floor. Only when he collapses in a hypoglycemic pile on the floor do I place the bowl next to him, where the food is inhaled in under 10 ... Read more »
Seeking shelter
As you can imagine, this job has its share of emotional stress. Everyone copes with it differently, with the frustration and the anxiety at not being able to do what you want to do. And you never can do ALL that you want to do. If you were to meet me now, after these years of practice, you might not think that I care. When I tell you in a neutral voice that I think your pet has cancer, or that your cat is blocked, or that your dog has a pyometra, it isn't that I don't care. I promise you, the ... Read more »
Um, about that 3 pets thing…
My husband asked me the other day if the kids knew Callie was gone. To be honest, I haven't brought it up. If this had been our first lost pet this year things might have been different, but after three confirmed deaths in a 7 month period, I think they need a bit of a break. Yesterday, someone asked my daughter how many pets we had. "Two cats, and one dog," she said. My husband and I looked at each other. "The black cat is Apollo, and the gray one with black stripes is Callie, and our dog is ... Read more »
I’m sure the neighbors love me
The puppy got in trouble chasing Cat around the house. so off we went to take a walk to let the kitty grouse. With collar on and leash attached full time for him to drag With lesson learned I set aside my stylish new poop bag. We stole a drink-or two- or three- from sprinklers on the corner; A busybody lady glared at me but we ignored her. And for the coup de grace we stopped at Old Man Johnson's yard; His pride and joy and us'lly manned with full time armored ... Read more »
