Last day! I can't believe it's already been the entire summer. Where has the time gone?
Had a decent day, a little discombobulated from the thoughts of getting everything done, what to do to make sure I had all my loose ends wrapped up, and, of course, eating the fabulous cake that they got me. How nice! It was delicious.
Did one dental in the morning, a cat, and assisted in the regular surgeries when I was through. Nothing too major, and not much else out of the ordinary. We had another quill dog come in, though, but not nearly as bad as the three yesterday!
Oh! I also got to see June, the rat poison dog, and she's doing great! Her blood work is all within normal limits, and she's full of energy. Her owners are a really sweet young couple that are training her well with great discipline. If only all stories could end like June's.
I'm going to do a little recap and see what I've learned over the summer:
-Blood draws, and the use of the vet chem machines.
-How to stop a centrifuge that is on the runaway. Very important!
-Dentals!
-Vaccines and IM/SQ medicines
-Fluids
-Catheters
-IV fluids, the maintenance of, changing of, and calculating the drip rates for patients
-Clipping and prepping for surgery
-the ECG machine (gag)
-Pack wrapping and instrument cleaning
-Recovery and some interesting side effects of certain anesthesia (like dogs on propfol wake up in an unhappy state and will nip)
-Medications (some of them, at any rate)
-Billing, and using the computer system
-More restraint
-Heartworm combo tests and FeLV/FIV tests
-How to humanely euthanize
I'm sure there are a bunch more things, but I can't think of them all individually, I guess. Overall, I have to say that this was a very informative, and very helpful experience. The people here are very good at teaching, and very accepting of a student's failings, when they happen. This summer has solidified my desire to go beyond with my schooling and, eventually, go for a DVM degree. I appreciate the tech work, and I'd like to do it for a while, but I definitely want to go on with school. I've been speaking with the doctors and they have assured me that going for vet school at 27 or 28 is not uncommon. I have also decided to apply overseas and in Canada, as I think I would rather go for the 5 year program rather than the intense 4 years. Either way, this summer, and the previous school year, has shown me that I made the right decision to go back to school for this degree.
I told someone when they laughed at me for going to school for a degree that will essentially enable me to make less than I do waitressing that if I wanted to make money, I'd be a lawyer. I'm happy being puked on, bled on, snapped at, scratched, drooled on, cleaning up all sorts of assorted bodily fluids, and standing around under hot lights, fetching things from a cabinet and having little heart attacks when I think a patient's heart rate is a little too fast or their breathing a bit too slow. What lawyer can say that?
Sunday, September 9, 2007
8/1/07
Wow. What a day.
Not sure where to begin...so how about the beginning?
Another dental today, golden retriever with some serious mouth funk. I did my first extractions too! I got to use the drill, elevators, extractors and everything. Exciting!
I was busy with my dentals, but early on two quill dogs came in...followed right by another one. I admitted the lone dog, and it was a huge Rottweiler that weighed about double my weight and was strong as an ox....but really sweet. The other two were a German Shepard and another Rott.
Halfway through the second quill dog (the Shepard), and right after I was done with my first dental, there was a bit of a scene. The head surgery tech, after quite a while of being upset with some things at the clinic, quit in the middle of the day after a heated discussion upstairs with a doctor and the office manager. There has been a lot of changes with the way things were run (mostly before I got there, I'm not really involved), and both sides have some issues with it. I won't talk more about it since I don't think it has any pertinence on a school journal recount of my externship, but since it effects the rest of what I'm going to tell, I thought I'd mention it as it changes quite a lot in the hospital.
So, suffice to say, the rest of the day was quite stressful. Being down a person, and especially this person, put us all on double time. There rest of the day was just stressful and busy, but the quill dogs were the main event medicine-wise. The first two, who came in a pair, went down all right (it definitely took a bit of work since you can't muzzle them and no one wants to take on a Shepard and a Rottweiler in pain and unmuzzled when you poke them with sharp pointy things when they are already filled with sharp pointy things), but the third dog was a handful and a half. Since this one's quills were mostly inside the mouth, anything around there was just too painful, and we couldn't restrain without a muzzle or really even just hurting the dog. We tried leashes, pinning in the corner, but nothing worked. The dog was really good through all of this, never tried to bite, just whined and moved away too quickly for us to do anything, and we tried for a LONG time. Finally, the dog had just had it with us, and half-heartedly snapped at one of the other techs. It was nothing major, not even a real show of intent, but the poor guy had just reached his limit of us man-handling him and I can't blame him. Eventually we went back into the kennels, threaded the leash through the bars of the kennel and pulled him tight against them to give him his little sedative in the rump. It worked really well once we did that, and he didn't even flinch, just whined a bit.
Did bills in the afternoon and some go homes. What a crazy day.
Not sure where to begin...so how about the beginning?
Another dental today, golden retriever with some serious mouth funk. I did my first extractions too! I got to use the drill, elevators, extractors and everything. Exciting!
I was busy with my dentals, but early on two quill dogs came in...followed right by another one. I admitted the lone dog, and it was a huge Rottweiler that weighed about double my weight and was strong as an ox....but really sweet. The other two were a German Shepard and another Rott.
Halfway through the second quill dog (the Shepard), and right after I was done with my first dental, there was a bit of a scene. The head surgery tech, after quite a while of being upset with some things at the clinic, quit in the middle of the day after a heated discussion upstairs with a doctor and the office manager. There has been a lot of changes with the way things were run (mostly before I got there, I'm not really involved), and both sides have some issues with it. I won't talk more about it since I don't think it has any pertinence on a school journal recount of my externship, but since it effects the rest of what I'm going to tell, I thought I'd mention it as it changes quite a lot in the hospital.
So, suffice to say, the rest of the day was quite stressful. Being down a person, and especially this person, put us all on double time. There rest of the day was just stressful and busy, but the quill dogs were the main event medicine-wise. The first two, who came in a pair, went down all right (it definitely took a bit of work since you can't muzzle them and no one wants to take on a Shepard and a Rottweiler in pain and unmuzzled when you poke them with sharp pointy things when they are already filled with sharp pointy things), but the third dog was a handful and a half. Since this one's quills were mostly inside the mouth, anything around there was just too painful, and we couldn't restrain without a muzzle or really even just hurting the dog. We tried leashes, pinning in the corner, but nothing worked. The dog was really good through all of this, never tried to bite, just whined and moved away too quickly for us to do anything, and we tried for a LONG time. Finally, the dog had just had it with us, and half-heartedly snapped at one of the other techs. It was nothing major, not even a real show of intent, but the poor guy had just reached his limit of us man-handling him and I can't blame him. Eventually we went back into the kennels, threaded the leash through the bars of the kennel and pulled him tight against them to give him his little sedative in the rump. It worked really well once we did that, and he didn't even flinch, just whined a bit.
Did bills in the afternoon and some go homes. What a crazy day.
7/31/07
My last week! I'm sort of sad to be going, but I'm excited to have a week or so off before school, heh.
Did another dental today, a medium-sized dog, and then got to do a cat. I didn't do any extractions, but the mouth on the dog was horrendous. Man, doing dental work gives a whole new meaning to 'dog breath'. Phew.
Doing dentals took up most of the day for me, then in the afternoon I called the owners, did the bills, and then stayed a bit later to help out and do the go homes. I got to do everything from start to finish, putting up the pre-meds, catheters, intubating (with a little help, heh), doing the procedure, writing up the chart, calling the owner, billing, post-op meds, and then the go home appointment. I feel like I have a grasp on the whole picture now, and not just bits and pieces of them, like I did before. Good day!
Did another dental today, a medium-sized dog, and then got to do a cat. I didn't do any extractions, but the mouth on the dog was horrendous. Man, doing dental work gives a whole new meaning to 'dog breath'. Phew.
Doing dentals took up most of the day for me, then in the afternoon I called the owners, did the bills, and then stayed a bit later to help out and do the go homes. I got to do everything from start to finish, putting up the pre-meds, catheters, intubating (with a little help, heh), doing the procedure, writing up the chart, calling the owner, billing, post-op meds, and then the go home appointment. I feel like I have a grasp on the whole picture now, and not just bits and pieces of them, like I did before. Good day!
7/26/07
Last day of my 'week' here, and I'm pooped. Nothing outstanding going on, but man oh man, just a huge influx of patients. I've been drawing blood/putting catheters into everything I can stick a needle into (as one of the other techs so eloquently put it, I'm 'poking everything in site for the last two weeks'), and it's good. I feel tons better about blood draws than when I first came here, and it's sort of nice to look back even a month ago and think, wow, I'm much better at that now than I was then. Externships are wonderful for that, and I think all majors in college should have them. Maybe I would have gotten here and hated it from the moment I stepped in the door, or found out that blood makes me faint? Better to know those things now than later, when you're already half way through a degree you might not use. Very good times.
My icky story for today: Put a shepard mix up on the surgery table, prepping for a spay, and of course, the muscle relaxers in the BAG injection (which I do believe is butorphanol, acepromazine and a third one that starts with a 'g' that's an antiemetic or some sort) take effect and out comes a little chunk of poo. So, of course, being the tech that's prepping this dog, I get the fun job of taking a rubber glove and going in and getting all I can get out. Now, I've got a strong stomach, not a lot effects me, but for some reason fetching poop out of a dog's butt just makes me gag a little. I've done it before, and I can deal, but this dog was on the raw food diet, and I swear a rock eater. I've never seen poo that went 'clunk' when it landed on a metal table before.
After this spay, we started our lunch rotations. Ahh, I love my job.
My icky story for today: Put a shepard mix up on the surgery table, prepping for a spay, and of course, the muscle relaxers in the BAG injection (which I do believe is butorphanol, acepromazine and a third one that starts with a 'g' that's an antiemetic or some sort) take effect and out comes a little chunk of poo. So, of course, being the tech that's prepping this dog, I get the fun job of taking a rubber glove and going in and getting all I can get out. Now, I've got a strong stomach, not a lot effects me, but for some reason fetching poop out of a dog's butt just makes me gag a little. I've done it before, and I can deal, but this dog was on the raw food diet, and I swear a rock eater. I've never seen poo that went 'clunk' when it landed on a metal table before.
After this spay, we started our lunch rotations. Ahh, I love my job.
7/25/07
More surgery! I'm so happy to be in back again.
Had 2 CVHS dogs come in for spay/neuters. I did the usual clip and prep (I think I gave the boy a bit of razor burn, eep! I tried hard not to, but I am no whiz with the clippers) and recovered. The ECG machine and I still do not get along, but we understand each other a little better now. I'd call it an uneasy truce, but a truce nontheless. One of these days I'll get it to stop doubling the heart rate of my patients and scaring the begeezus out of me.
My big thing for today was getting a catheter into a wiggly, old, and cranky Boston Terrier by the wonderful name of 'Mr.Briggs'. I love those types of names for little dogs, and it suits this one perfectly. He's normally a very nice dog, but hates having his feet touched....and of course, he was getting a lump removed on his elbow. Putting a catheter into his dry, shriveled old veins gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I still suck at intubation, but I'm spot on with catheters (for the most part, heh). I also managed not to cut his arm off when I was shaving around his lumpectomy site. I'll make a groomer yet! Or not, heh.
Had 2 CVHS dogs come in for spay/neuters. I did the usual clip and prep (I think I gave the boy a bit of razor burn, eep! I tried hard not to, but I am no whiz with the clippers) and recovered. The ECG machine and I still do not get along, but we understand each other a little better now. I'd call it an uneasy truce, but a truce nontheless. One of these days I'll get it to stop doubling the heart rate of my patients and scaring the begeezus out of me.
My big thing for today was getting a catheter into a wiggly, old, and cranky Boston Terrier by the wonderful name of 'Mr.Briggs'. I love those types of names for little dogs, and it suits this one perfectly. He's normally a very nice dog, but hates having his feet touched....and of course, he was getting a lump removed on his elbow. Putting a catheter into his dry, shriveled old veins gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I still suck at intubation, but I'm spot on with catheters (for the most part, heh). I also managed not to cut his arm off when I was shaving around his lumpectomy site. I'll make a groomer yet! Or not, heh.
7/24/07
Back in back! (I really wanted to type 'black' there, but actually I'm in blue) Ahh, so good to be back in surgery! I felt a little rusty at first, especially because the head surgery tech came back from vacation today as well, so we were at full strength for the first time in weeks....and I wasn't running around like an idiot because they were already ahead of me, drawing up drugs, organizing things....ahh, to be fully staffed is a thing of beauty.
Not much out of the ordinary, but a very full and busy day. Had a few spays, a mass removal, and a declaw. I'm not a big fan of the declaw, and I'd encourage people to do something different if they're having issues with their cats clawing on things. I know the softpaws caps work fairly well, although their high maintenance and expensive. I personally like to make loud noises when my cats claw the furniture, but looking at the box spring in my bedroom, I'm apparently not catching them all the time. Oh well, I expect it, having cats, and I really hope that other people take that into consideration when they get one, but sometimes they don't.
Not much out of the ordinary, but a very full and busy day. Had a few spays, a mass removal, and a declaw. I'm not a big fan of the declaw, and I'd encourage people to do something different if they're having issues with their cats clawing on things. I know the softpaws caps work fairly well, although their high maintenance and expensive. I personally like to make loud noises when my cats claw the furniture, but looking at the box spring in my bedroom, I'm apparently not catching them all the time. Oh well, I expect it, having cats, and I really hope that other people take that into consideration when they get one, but sometimes they don't.
7/19/07
Good day in reception...and my last, whoo hoo! It still makes me remember why I'm not doing this anymore, and why I went back to school. I'm excited for classes to start, now that it's getting so close.
Did a lot of food orders today, which isn't really that interesting, but I spent a lot of time in the barn with all the food and got to look over a lot more of what we have and how we order it. Interesting.
A sad story happened for today, though. CVHS brought in five dogs to be euthanized, one cat.....and one very tiny little 5-6 week old kitten. Now, just that number alone makes this a sad story, as that is a lot of unwanted animals (it makes me want to slap people who just want to breed their dog to make 'cute puppies'. Cute puppies my behind, go to a shelter, people!) who have apparently turned feral (the cat had to be sedated before it was put in the carrier) and now cannot find homes, or have been turned away from their own. The saddest part of this, though, is the little baby kitten. Kittens and puppies are always sad to be euthanized, but this one was just so young, and was still adoptable...but they had no room and no one could foster it. Over the past few years, and especially this summer, I've grown to understand much more about humane euthanasia and why it is practiced....but this was such a waste. I made the mistake of going down to the basement to get some medicine, and while I was down there, I stopped and looked at the kitten. It had to be in the basement where the spare cages were because we didn't know if it was carrying anything, but it just sat there and looked at me, obviously afraid of it's surroundings but not the typical 'fearful cat'. It just sat there, looking at me with it's big, blue eyes, waiting for me to do something. I didn't open the cage and pet it, and I'm not sure if I should have looking back on it, but just the memory of that tiny, scared face will haunt me for a long time. I just want to take a picture of that kitten's face, half hidden in blankets, and paste it on walls, cars, the sides of buses and buildings, and shake people, tell them to spay and neuter their pets. Sigh. So many lost little kittens.
Did a lot of food orders today, which isn't really that interesting, but I spent a lot of time in the barn with all the food and got to look over a lot more of what we have and how we order it. Interesting.
A sad story happened for today, though. CVHS brought in five dogs to be euthanized, one cat.....and one very tiny little 5-6 week old kitten. Now, just that number alone makes this a sad story, as that is a lot of unwanted animals (it makes me want to slap people who just want to breed their dog to make 'cute puppies'. Cute puppies my behind, go to a shelter, people!) who have apparently turned feral (the cat had to be sedated before it was put in the carrier) and now cannot find homes, or have been turned away from their own. The saddest part of this, though, is the little baby kitten. Kittens and puppies are always sad to be euthanized, but this one was just so young, and was still adoptable...but they had no room and no one could foster it. Over the past few years, and especially this summer, I've grown to understand much more about humane euthanasia and why it is practiced....but this was such a waste. I made the mistake of going down to the basement to get some medicine, and while I was down there, I stopped and looked at the kitten. It had to be in the basement where the spare cages were because we didn't know if it was carrying anything, but it just sat there and looked at me, obviously afraid of it's surroundings but not the typical 'fearful cat'. It just sat there, looking at me with it's big, blue eyes, waiting for me to do something. I didn't open the cage and pet it, and I'm not sure if I should have looking back on it, but just the memory of that tiny, scared face will haunt me for a long time. I just want to take a picture of that kitten's face, half hidden in blankets, and paste it on walls, cars, the sides of buses and buildings, and shake people, tell them to spay and neuter their pets. Sigh. So many lost little kittens.
7/18/07
Second to last day of reception! The little things are fun in reception....being able to drink coffee while I work (instead of putting it down, wrestle with a dog/cat, come back for a tepid sip....), and wearing fun office clothes. Not that I don't love wearing my 'pajamas' to work every day (really, who thought up the concept of scrubs, because they are my favorite person for work wear causal), but it's the girl in me that likes pinstriped dress pants.
Brought some donuts today and got to munch on one while I was doing the morning paper shuffle (making sure we have all the files for today and they have the correct information for the client, an anesthesia consent form if its surgery, and a 'travel sheet', which is basically a huge run down of everything we offer and charge for so that the vet can highlight or circle what they want the receptionists to put into the computer for chargers. Good system, actually). Nothing like a just-made chocolate icing donut and coffee. Mmm.
In terms of medicine, not much to talk about today (that I could see). No emergency surgeries or anything really spectacular. More thunderstorm anxiety calls, though, and a rash of lost pooches from the storms. Poor things.
Brought some donuts today and got to munch on one while I was doing the morning paper shuffle (making sure we have all the files for today and they have the correct information for the client, an anesthesia consent form if its surgery, and a 'travel sheet', which is basically a huge run down of everything we offer and charge for so that the vet can highlight or circle what they want the receptionists to put into the computer for chargers. Good system, actually). Nothing like a just-made chocolate icing donut and coffee. Mmm.
In terms of medicine, not much to talk about today (that I could see). No emergency surgeries or anything really spectacular. More thunderstorm anxiety calls, though, and a rash of lost pooches from the storms. Poor things.
7/17/07
Second week of reception! I don't mind sitting and answering phones for most of the day, but I sure do miss being in surgery. I really like doing surgery work, and I'd like to get in on being a surgery tech when I get out. I'm not sure exactly what that will entail....especially since my aim is humane society work. Spay and neuter clinics? Maybe some place like BEVS would be good, too, since I really like the diversity of surgery and I think spaying and neutering would get a bit old after a while.
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
7/14/07
I'm a tech again! At least for today. It was sort of a slow-ish Saturday, a few vaccines, no blood draws, but lots of phone calls. I gave advice (whee!), planned rechecks, and did a bunch of tech customer service, discussing treatment options. Gave some subQ fluids to an angry blocked cat! We've had a little spate of blocked tom cats in the past few days...is there something in the air?
7/12/07
One good thing about reception is that I am strictly 8-5...and I get out mostly on time, too! I feel like a bank worker, except for the fact that I don't think they ever have people yelling at them about why we can't see their pet, yes we're sorry but we're full up and yes we understand that your pet is sick, but if it's been so sick for THREE WEEKS, maybe you should have come in sooner, maybe? Here, have the number for BEVS. Grrr. It's always the people going on vacation that have left their vomiting/diarrhea/limping/not eating/lethargic for a month dog till the night before they leave, like it's picking up that last-minute bag of charcoal. Then, of course, they get snippy with us when we're understaffed with techs, full to the gills with appointments and fit-in slots (where they come with the understanding that we'll see them....we just don't have a specific time, so they have to wait) and tech appointments. We want to help, but you gotta help us help you and not be a jackass about it. Sigh. Makes me remember why I quit being a receptionist in the first place. I'd rather wrestle with an over-eager dog any day.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
7/11/07
My voice is back! Sort of. I could answer the phones as a marginally normal person would, but I still crack and squeak a bit. We had a lot of thunderstorm anxiety dogs coming in with all the storms moving through. Poor guys, even some that have never had an issue with them are starting to show signs. Not that I blame them, of course, all these storms would drive any pup up a wall. I spoke with a lot of clients about some things they can do to help their pooches, but I keep having to remind myself that I'm in receptionist mode, not tech mode. Can't wait to get back again!
7/10/07
First day in reception! I lost my voice last night and can't talk! Very fun!
Haha, it was actually a sort of interesting day, being a receptionist without a voice. I learned about how we fiddle with appointments, such as the criteria we ask about, how to set up the folders for incoming clients, new clients, and surgeries. I had done the scheduling part many times before, but it was good to do the rest as well.
All in all, a rather uneventful time aside from that people must wonder what sort of place they're calling when someone answers the phone in a husky whisper.
Haha, it was actually a sort of interesting day, being a receptionist without a voice. I learned about how we fiddle with appointments, such as the criteria we ask about, how to set up the folders for incoming clients, new clients, and surgeries. I had done the scheduling part many times before, but it was good to do the rest as well.
All in all, a rather uneventful time aside from that people must wonder what sort of place they're calling when someone answers the phone in a husky whisper.
7/5/07
What a day. My first full day as a surgery tech and what a disaster. We didn't get started until late, then the dog (mass removal) didn't seem to want a catheter (no veins), and then was very hard to intubate. I initially used too small of a tube, and the doctor was very nice and helpful but ended up giving me the wrong size tube (I had a bigger, but flimsier one), and so once the dog was on the table he started to wake up because he was breathing around the tube. Had to call in backup at that point, and after we got him all set up breathing-wise, we couldn't position him right. The mass was at the base of the tail on the underside, and I wanted to use tape but was outvoted....and then we ended up using tape anyhow. Frustrating. Mind you, this was all to set up a five minute surgery. So finally after I think I've just about killed this dog (heart rate, respiratory rate WAY up according to the monitors) we get him down, in and out, and I'm recovering him, trimming his toenails...and he bleeds everywhere. Longest quicks I have ever seen in a dog, and of course, had to be on this dog. At that point I gave him up as a bad job and stuck him in the kennel. Made the most horrendous sounds when he was waking up...sigh.
Next up was a cat spay...that needed to be intubated. Mid spay. On the table. Apparently its unusual to happen that the drugs don't keep them down. Figures. So, a little paranoid, I stuck close and it turns out she was pregnant. This was very cool as I got to see the doctor take out the sacks and then cut them open and see the tiny babies (about the size of a small pinky mouse, a little smaller). After we went through them one by one to make sure that they were all deceased as that would be a horrible way to wake up.
Everything else went fine after all that, did the problematic dog's go home. One of the other surgery techs, the only other one who knew what was going on, told me it was okay, that things happen and I did well. She was very supportive, especially since I wanted to throw myself out a window after all that stress.
Oh, and I diagnosed roundworms! Go parasitology!
It's a shame that I'm going to be in reception for the next two weeks, I think I learn better by jumping into the fray like that (or getting thrown into the fire, maybe). Oh well.
Next up was a cat spay...that needed to be intubated. Mid spay. On the table. Apparently its unusual to happen that the drugs don't keep them down. Figures. So, a little paranoid, I stuck close and it turns out she was pregnant. This was very cool as I got to see the doctor take out the sacks and then cut them open and see the tiny babies (about the size of a small pinky mouse, a little smaller). After we went through them one by one to make sure that they were all deceased as that would be a horrible way to wake up.
Everything else went fine after all that, did the problematic dog's go home. One of the other surgery techs, the only other one who knew what was going on, told me it was okay, that things happen and I did well. She was very supportive, especially since I wanted to throw myself out a window after all that stress.
Oh, and I diagnosed roundworms! Go parasitology!
It's a shame that I'm going to be in reception for the next two weeks, I think I learn better by jumping into the fray like that (or getting thrown into the fire, maybe). Oh well.
7/2/07
Okay day, although since I have tomorrow off, I kept looking at the clock a lot. The two main surgery techs are going on vacation after today, so Thursday should be interesting! No surgeries today, only a few dentals, so not a lot to do. Might take Murphy in for a dental if I can swing it, there was talk of a free dental, and since I'd be the one to actually do it there would be no labor lost! Just the charge for anesthesia, which is fair.
6/30/07
A rather dull Saturday. There were three of us on, two doctors, and one kennel staff. I sort of hovered, followed around to assist, or take rooms when I could, and fill prescriptions. Overall a good day, but very run-of-the-mill regular. I think it's one of those cases of 'no news is good news'! Can't complain.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
6/28/07
Good day! Interesting. A few different things happened, so I'm going to list and then elucidate.
-Did some admits and a pre-op medications. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable with admits. Today was a lot of spays and one declaw (kitten). For cats, we give metacam when they first come in, and usually use telazol or propfol to knock them down. For declaws, they'll use a ketamine/xylazine mixture.
-Helped hold dogs and give pre meds. Ran bloods (the vet test is my friend....when it doesn't freeze). Did my very first vet cyte test! Extremely simple, so much so that I wasn't sure I had done it right. You just put the sample in a hole, check the reagent, and close the door.
-I learned an important lesson today: ketamine does not make kitties happy. I have a few new scars from a 3 pound kitten to prove it. I felt so bad for her, though....she was tweaking out after she started to wake up from her anesthesia when I tried to clean up her belly (spay) and calm her down. Had to give her some acepromazine.
-Did another dental today! Scaling and polishing and then some xrays (regular ones, not dental ones). Learned how to figure out the 'heat' to use, measure the area, run the machine (the little pedal and the overhead light), and a bit about their measurement chart.
-Got snapped at by a yorkie. Ankle biter.
There were two big cases today and I'm going to go through them individually.
-First was Kayla, a 2 year old spayed female shepard mix. Came in presenting vomiting, lethargy. Admitted, took bloods, had some high creatitine, but otherwise within normal limits. X-rays revealed large amounts of gas in the intestines. Went under for exploratory and in the abdomen they found the omentum and mesentary stuck together and to the side of the body wall, twisting into knots and obstructing bowel flow. They removed some necrotic tissue, freed the intestinal loops, and closed. She was recovering when I left.
-The next case was a golden retriever, Baxter, approximately 5 years and with a history of vomiting. Came in because owner saw that the dog had eaten a tarp (found bits in vomit), and was lethargic. He came in last night and was on fluids, but no improvement. Did bloods, but I didn't get to see the levels, x-rays revealed no blockage, but they did find something a bit more interesting: strange lumps on the liver. On speaking with the owner, they elected euthanasia since dog was not improving and the lumps were thought to be possibly cancerous. Necropsy results showed large angiosarcomas on spleen and one on the heart approximately the size of a golf ball. Blood was not clotting, and the thorasic and abdominal cavities were filled with blood.
On a more personal note, while both cases were fascinating, it brings home just how lucky we all are (both animals and humans) to be healthy and alive. Both of those dogs were young, geriatrics were not a factor here. The golden was born with this, and the shepard mix probably picked it up during her spay (so says the doctors). Hopefully her thread is a bit longer than the golden's, though.
I didn't know that they had euthanized Baxter until one of my coworkers asked me to move a body and I went into the room and there he was, on a stretcher with a blanket on him in a dim room, lights off, and the sun shining down outside. I've seen a fair number of euthanasias since I started here. My first was an older lady with a very old cat. I helped hold off the vein, although that cat would not have been able to move if it wanted to as she was already on her way out, but she was just skin and bones, nothing left. I know that they are never easy, but I had to count to ten, twice, in order to not start crying along with the lady. She was funny, though, crying and laughing in that really tragic way that people have when they're sad. She said that she was crying because the cat had hated her ex-husband, and the damn cat was right about him all along. I felt for her, talking because she couldn't bear not to, telling a little ball of fluff that couldn't hear her that it was okay, it was all right, she could sleep now.
Going into that room, picking up the dog and taking it out back....only to go right back into that room to clean it for the next patient waiting in the lobby just seemed so wrong. It was a beautiful summer day, sunny and green, and that golden should have been playing out somewhere, not lying dead while I cleaned its memory out of room two.
Sigh.
Just one of those days.
---
On a different note, the necropsy was fascinating. I assisted (held the dog, basically), while Colleen was elbow deep in the rib cage. She hauled out the omentum, broke through the diaphram and took out a very bloated pericardium, which bled something fierce. After, I tried to put the intestines back in and sort of tidy up, but when the dog went back down on its side they fell out again in a lake of blood. I've heard that humans have 2 gallons of blood in their bodies, and after seeing how much came out of a dog, I can believe it. It went all over the floor in the kennels horror-movie style in a big lake. Gross, but really interesting.
-Did some admits and a pre-op medications. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable with admits. Today was a lot of spays and one declaw (kitten). For cats, we give metacam when they first come in, and usually use telazol or propfol to knock them down. For declaws, they'll use a ketamine/xylazine mixture.
-Helped hold dogs and give pre meds. Ran bloods (the vet test is my friend....when it doesn't freeze). Did my very first vet cyte test! Extremely simple, so much so that I wasn't sure I had done it right. You just put the sample in a hole, check the reagent, and close the door.
-I learned an important lesson today: ketamine does not make kitties happy. I have a few new scars from a 3 pound kitten to prove it. I felt so bad for her, though....she was tweaking out after she started to wake up from her anesthesia when I tried to clean up her belly (spay) and calm her down. Had to give her some acepromazine.
-Did another dental today! Scaling and polishing and then some xrays (regular ones, not dental ones). Learned how to figure out the 'heat' to use, measure the area, run the machine (the little pedal and the overhead light), and a bit about their measurement chart.
-Got snapped at by a yorkie. Ankle biter.
There were two big cases today and I'm going to go through them individually.
-First was Kayla, a 2 year old spayed female shepard mix. Came in presenting vomiting, lethargy. Admitted, took bloods, had some high creatitine, but otherwise within normal limits. X-rays revealed large amounts of gas in the intestines. Went under for exploratory and in the abdomen they found the omentum and mesentary stuck together and to the side of the body wall, twisting into knots and obstructing bowel flow. They removed some necrotic tissue, freed the intestinal loops, and closed. She was recovering when I left.
-The next case was a golden retriever, Baxter, approximately 5 years and with a history of vomiting. Came in because owner saw that the dog had eaten a tarp (found bits in vomit), and was lethargic. He came in last night and was on fluids, but no improvement. Did bloods, but I didn't get to see the levels, x-rays revealed no blockage, but they did find something a bit more interesting: strange lumps on the liver. On speaking with the owner, they elected euthanasia since dog was not improving and the lumps were thought to be possibly cancerous. Necropsy results showed large angiosarcomas on spleen and one on the heart approximately the size of a golf ball. Blood was not clotting, and the thorasic and abdominal cavities were filled with blood.
On a more personal note, while both cases were fascinating, it brings home just how lucky we all are (both animals and humans) to be healthy and alive. Both of those dogs were young, geriatrics were not a factor here. The golden was born with this, and the shepard mix probably picked it up during her spay (so says the doctors). Hopefully her thread is a bit longer than the golden's, though.
I didn't know that they had euthanized Baxter until one of my coworkers asked me to move a body and I went into the room and there he was, on a stretcher with a blanket on him in a dim room, lights off, and the sun shining down outside. I've seen a fair number of euthanasias since I started here. My first was an older lady with a very old cat. I helped hold off the vein, although that cat would not have been able to move if it wanted to as she was already on her way out, but she was just skin and bones, nothing left. I know that they are never easy, but I had to count to ten, twice, in order to not start crying along with the lady. She was funny, though, crying and laughing in that really tragic way that people have when they're sad. She said that she was crying because the cat had hated her ex-husband, and the damn cat was right about him all along. I felt for her, talking because she couldn't bear not to, telling a little ball of fluff that couldn't hear her that it was okay, it was all right, she could sleep now.
Going into that room, picking up the dog and taking it out back....only to go right back into that room to clean it for the next patient waiting in the lobby just seemed so wrong. It was a beautiful summer day, sunny and green, and that golden should have been playing out somewhere, not lying dead while I cleaned its memory out of room two.
Sigh.
Just one of those days.
---
On a different note, the necropsy was fascinating. I assisted (held the dog, basically), while Colleen was elbow deep in the rib cage. She hauled out the omentum, broke through the diaphram and took out a very bloated pericardium, which bled something fierce. After, I tried to put the intestines back in and sort of tidy up, but when the dog went back down on its side they fell out again in a lake of blood. I've heard that humans have 2 gallons of blood in their bodies, and after seeing how much came out of a dog, I can believe it. It went all over the floor in the kennels horror-movie style in a big lake. Gross, but really interesting.
6/27/07
Another good one, better than yesterday (felt crappy with allergies, but good work-wise).
-Didn't do any more dentals, but did do a cat neuter. It was a 'closed' castration, which means that when the scrotum is opened, the vaginal fascia is not cut into. It was again a little odd to open them up, pull out the testicle and feel it 'pop' through the membranes and fat. I used hemastats to make the knot and hold it outside so it wouldn't snap back inside.
Stayed late and did a few go homes, which was fun (er, sorta). Had one cat that was trying to eat me through the cat carrier. Charming. Helped to clean up a nasty hot spot on the neck of a cat, but other than that, it was a day filled with talking to clients and doing the neuter. Good experience.
Today at school, er, work, I did:
-Cat neuter (closed)
-Drew blood (dog, back leg)
-Hot packed
-Restrained (dog)
-Helped set up a spay
-Spoke to clients (go home and gave advice)
-Drew up and recorded drugs
-Vaccines (cat)
-Dewormed (cat)
-Gave medications (orally, IM, SQ, in both dog and cat)
-Took out a catheter
-Played with a kitten!
-Did bills.
That's it!
-Didn't do any more dentals, but did do a cat neuter. It was a 'closed' castration, which means that when the scrotum is opened, the vaginal fascia is not cut into. It was again a little odd to open them up, pull out the testicle and feel it 'pop' through the membranes and fat. I used hemastats to make the knot and hold it outside so it wouldn't snap back inside.
Stayed late and did a few go homes, which was fun (er, sorta). Had one cat that was trying to eat me through the cat carrier. Charming. Helped to clean up a nasty hot spot on the neck of a cat, but other than that, it was a day filled with talking to clients and doing the neuter. Good experience.
Today at school, er, work, I did:
-Cat neuter (closed)
-Drew blood (dog, back leg)
-Hot packed
-Restrained (dog)
-Helped set up a spay
-Spoke to clients (go home and gave advice)
-Drew up and recorded drugs
-Vaccines (cat)
-Dewormed (cat)
-Gave medications (orally, IM, SQ, in both dog and cat)
-Took out a catheter
-Played with a kitten!
-Did bills.
That's it!
6/26/07
Good day! I was the late person which is always a challenge since I walk in on things in progress. I've been trying to take the inititive and draw up meds for animals when they come in (surgery medications, not prescription refills), and get them situated. So far, so good! I'm excited to start pharmacology and toxicology next semester, I'm learning tons right now, I just need the practice.
Did my first full-on dental today, although with no extraction, which was good. I keep prying Murphy's mouth open to gauge his tartar level, which is mild at this time. It's so satisfying to know something, to learn it, and then put it into practice....and have it actually work! No stand out patients today, but I did learn how to calculate a drip rate for a dog (or cat). Neato!
Did my first full-on dental today, although with no extraction, which was good. I keep prying Murphy's mouth open to gauge his tartar level, which is mild at this time. It's so satisfying to know something, to learn it, and then put it into practice....and have it actually work! No stand out patients today, but I did learn how to calculate a drip rate for a dog (or cat). Neato!
6/23/07
Went in today a little nervous since I wasn't supposed to go in and I didn't want to, but it went well and I wanted to help out. Clipped nails, gave vaccines and got blood all right. My one big point of excitement was getting blood from a cat, of which this was only my second time. I also gave a cat a wrong vaccine, distemper instead of leukemia. I talked to the doctors and they said it was fine, but I still had a little heart attack moment. Since I was the closer, I stayed late and wrapped things, and wrapped UP things, including a very irritating phone call to a man who was convinced that I had told him his dog was heartworm positive, when in fact it was just slightly lyme positive...something that he already knew. All in all, a good, fast-paced day.
6/21/07
Slow day! Well, slow, but good. We were overstaffed by some fluke (4 techs to 1 doctor) but it was still a good day and went by rather fast. Nothing too interesting happened, but I did quite a bit on my own, which was nice. Got to leave a half and hour early, and since I usually end up staying late anyhow, I didn't feel too bad.
That's it!
That's it!
6/20/07
Another good day, although a bit stressful for the regular techs. There's a bit of interdepartmental strife, but I try to stay out of it. It's interesting on a purely outside level to watch the comments and interactions of people. Anyhow, notes!
-Max, the malamute, was euthanized today. Nothing is sadder than a 100+ pound dog lying on the floor because we couldn't find a bag big enough to fit him.
-I did a cat neuter today on my own (basically)! Exciting stuff, although I am not too fond of pulling a cat's testicles.
-Baxter, who came in a while ago with a broken leg after jumping out of a moving car, was back in today after an incident at another doctor's office. This dog has been known to be a little mouthy and not that nice to the techs, but they must have squished him in a certain way to get an xray and he came back to us coughing, breathing in a strained way and blood coming out of his nose. He was also listing a bit to one side, which made them think that he had some neurologic troubles. His xrays with us showed his lungs like cotton candy, which made the doctors say something about plural edema and something called neuroplastic edema (I think?), which was apparently some sort of bruising and fluid around the brain. We had him in for a while giving him care, and he went home with his parents at the end of the day, but it was touch and go for a while. We're still not sure he's going to make it through the night, but the people elected to take him and call BEVS if anything happened.
-Max, the malamute, was euthanized today. Nothing is sadder than a 100+ pound dog lying on the floor because we couldn't find a bag big enough to fit him.
-I did a cat neuter today on my own (basically)! Exciting stuff, although I am not too fond of pulling a cat's testicles.
-Baxter, who came in a while ago with a broken leg after jumping out of a moving car, was back in today after an incident at another doctor's office. This dog has been known to be a little mouthy and not that nice to the techs, but they must have squished him in a certain way to get an xray and he came back to us coughing, breathing in a strained way and blood coming out of his nose. He was also listing a bit to one side, which made them think that he had some neurologic troubles. His xrays with us showed his lungs like cotton candy, which made the doctors say something about plural edema and something called neuroplastic edema (I think?), which was apparently some sort of bruising and fluid around the brain. We had him in for a while giving him care, and he went home with his parents at the end of the day, but it was touch and go for a while. We're still not sure he's going to make it through the night, but the people elected to take him and call BEVS if anything happened.
6/19/07
Pretty good day, it was busy and interesting. We had 2 guinea pig neuters, and one of them had these nasty masses in it's neck. We took 3 out and they were little masses of pus. Ewwwww. Had to put them down in a anesthesia box and then mask them. Neat!
Sadly, something I've been dreading happened today: I fell in love. 2 humane society dogs came in for neuters, Harley and Dakota, and while they evidently had too much coffee on the ride over, they were both complete sweethearts. I wanted to take them both home, and I kept just walking past them and making sad faces...I don't think my landlords would appreciate two spastic dogs in my small little apartment. I'm sure Murphy wouldn't mind, though (the cats, on the other hand....). I just hope they go somewhere nice.
-Guinea pig neuters were spiffy! Not a pet I'd want, though.
-Did some estimates today. Hope I got them right!
-Max, the big fluffy malamute with kidney troubles, is coming in tomorrow for a creatinine level. -Getting better at packs. I think.
Sadly, something I've been dreading happened today: I fell in love. 2 humane society dogs came in for neuters, Harley and Dakota, and while they evidently had too much coffee on the ride over, they were both complete sweethearts. I wanted to take them both home, and I kept just walking past them and making sad faces...I don't think my landlords would appreciate two spastic dogs in my small little apartment. I'm sure Murphy wouldn't mind, though (the cats, on the other hand....). I just hope they go somewhere nice.
-Guinea pig neuters were spiffy! Not a pet I'd want, though.
-Did some estimates today. Hope I got them right!
-Max, the big fluffy malamute with kidney troubles, is coming in tomorrow for a creatinine level. -Getting better at packs. I think.
6/16/07
Good day! Very satisfying.
My first time as a full tech and it went well. I took bloods, roomed clients, gave vaccines, put up meds, and learned how to board clients (no, not with bad stories, heh). I even brought in Murphy for a few minutes and he was well behaved.
-Met an 18 year old cat! 4.45 pounds and high creatinine.
-Also met a 22 pound cat. Yowza! Luckily he was a doll, I don't fancy wrestling something that big with that many sharp points.
Short but sweet!
My first time as a full tech and it went well. I took bloods, roomed clients, gave vaccines, put up meds, and learned how to board clients (no, not with bad stories, heh). I even brought in Murphy for a few minutes and he was well behaved.
-Met an 18 year old cat! 4.45 pounds and high creatinine.
-Also met a 22 pound cat. Yowza! Luckily he was a doll, I don't fancy wrestling something that big with that many sharp points.
Short but sweet!
6/13/07
Lousy day. Felt out of place all day, and everyone was in a bad mood. I can only hope tomorrow is better!
-Leg amputation! I got to watch most of this (at least in between clients and helping the other techs. It's nice to be in surgery!) and got to see her use the mallet and the osteotome! Man, they really do just smack it.
-Helped with an xray for the female rat poison dog, who is now dubbed 'June'. Very sweet dog, and really hyper now! She's doing well, and has some very nice, very responsible owners. Lucky dog.
-There was a lot of death today. A husky died in the kennels after receiving the pre-euth cocktail (a mix of sedatives to relax them), and appointment died before it even got to the clinic, a 3-legged patient that was previously in died, and Jake, the little golden puppy with seizures, died after another seizure.
-Another pancreatitis and pyelonephritis case came in. This is the...third?
-Learned about the creation of billing and how to charge for fluids, hospitalization fees.
-Slow surgery day.
-Blah. Tomorrow is another day.
-Leg amputation! I got to watch most of this (at least in between clients and helping the other techs. It's nice to be in surgery!) and got to see her use the mallet and the osteotome! Man, they really do just smack it.
-Helped with an xray for the female rat poison dog, who is now dubbed 'June'. Very sweet dog, and really hyper now! She's doing well, and has some very nice, very responsible owners. Lucky dog.
-There was a lot of death today. A husky died in the kennels after receiving the pre-euth cocktail (a mix of sedatives to relax them), and appointment died before it even got to the clinic, a 3-legged patient that was previously in died, and Jake, the little golden puppy with seizures, died after another seizure.
-Another pancreatitis and pyelonephritis case came in. This is the...third?
-Learned about the creation of billing and how to charge for fluids, hospitalization fees.
-Slow surgery day.
-Blah. Tomorrow is another day.
6/12/07
I hate coming in at 9. I miss half the morning! That extra hour is sure nice though. Bit of tension brewing today, but I keep my head down since I'm not really part of the full-time staff. I don't get into it much or have much to say, but just being around I can tell what's going on. A lot of shifting towards the corporate view and not everyone is behind that.
Anyhow!
-Did my first dental today! Well, sort of. I learned the different heads to use to clean (perio, beaver and a 'regular' head), how to used them and what setting the water should be at, such as enough to saturate and cool, but not too much to drown and too little to burn. Very interesting though! Did it on a giant dog, a great pyrenese. I cleaned, then scaled to get off all the tarter (used some extractors/rongueres to crack off the tartar-cool!) then polished. Clean mouth for the most part. Was taught to look up under the gums for tartar, but will get more into it later (there wasn't much there to find on this dog).
-getting used to using the vet test machine.
-Jake, a little golden retriever pup, came in with basically ADR symptoms and seizures. Sounds like it's stress induced, but it seems to be getting worse. Put him on a heavy dose of morphine and phenobarbitol and will see how he does.
-Willow, a little old and frail yorkie, came in with renal failure. She's the epitome of a lap dog and will try to launch her self out of the cage to get into someone's arms, crazy dog. She also makes the most ungodly sounds if you leave her alone, like someone skinning a wallaby and trying to strangle it at the same time. I learned the importance of placing a catheter correctly on different sized dogs, though, since her's kept crimping in her short little toy-dog legs. Had to eventually put a splint on her.
-'Lady' the very male cat was boarding. Friendly kitty, if horribly named. Tried to eat a dog through the cage door, though.
-Max went home! Doing better, but still not great. I bet we'll see him soon, sadly.
-The two strays with the sickly sweet smell and lethargic tendancies had rat poison poisoning, and the boy died. His chest was filled with blood, but the girl is doing all right.
-Did my first go home appointment!
-Had a big fluffy spaniel come in with pancreatitis. Just on regular treatment right now, but he's kind of a spaz. Guess that has to do with him being a spaniel.
-Daisy, one of the owner's dogs, is still there (she's been sort of living there while they do work on their house). Nice dog, but man, she hates other dogs! Makes juggling kennels interesting.
Anyhow!
-Did my first dental today! Well, sort of. I learned the different heads to use to clean (perio, beaver and a 'regular' head), how to used them and what setting the water should be at, such as enough to saturate and cool, but not too much to drown and too little to burn. Very interesting though! Did it on a giant dog, a great pyrenese. I cleaned, then scaled to get off all the tarter (used some extractors/rongueres to crack off the tartar-cool!) then polished. Clean mouth for the most part. Was taught to look up under the gums for tartar, but will get more into it later (there wasn't much there to find on this dog).
-getting used to using the vet test machine.
-Jake, a little golden retriever pup, came in with basically ADR symptoms and seizures. Sounds like it's stress induced, but it seems to be getting worse. Put him on a heavy dose of morphine and phenobarbitol and will see how he does.
-Willow, a little old and frail yorkie, came in with renal failure. She's the epitome of a lap dog and will try to launch her self out of the cage to get into someone's arms, crazy dog. She also makes the most ungodly sounds if you leave her alone, like someone skinning a wallaby and trying to strangle it at the same time. I learned the importance of placing a catheter correctly on different sized dogs, though, since her's kept crimping in her short little toy-dog legs. Had to eventually put a splint on her.
-'Lady' the very male cat was boarding. Friendly kitty, if horribly named. Tried to eat a dog through the cage door, though.
-Max went home! Doing better, but still not great. I bet we'll see him soon, sadly.
-The two strays with the sickly sweet smell and lethargic tendancies had rat poison poisoning, and the boy died. His chest was filled with blood, but the girl is doing all right.
-Did my first go home appointment!
-Had a big fluffy spaniel come in with pancreatitis. Just on regular treatment right now, but he's kind of a spaz. Guess that has to do with him being a spaniel.
-Daisy, one of the owner's dogs, is still there (she's been sort of living there while they do work on their house). Nice dog, but man, she hates other dogs! Makes juggling kennels interesting.
Friday, July 20, 2007
6/07/07
Long day, so I'm going to do it bullet style!
-As I said, long, busy, but good day. The end of my 'week' there always seems to be a long day.
-Helped more with hooking up patients and recovery today, as apposed to being helped along and watching.
-There was a poodle spay that went well, until she tried waking up. One moment she was out, the next she was awake, and almost fully so. She came out very fast, and we had to extubate her really quickly. Poor girl, not the way I'd like to wake up.
-Angry pitbull named Phoebe in who did not like other animals, but was very nice to people. She, and one of the employee's dogs that was there for a dental (little bulldog) did not get along well and had to be pulled away from each other multiple times (such as trying to eat each other through the cage walls). Made for an interesting day, for sure. There has sure been a rash of angry dogs this week!
-Max is still there, maybe diagnosed with pyelonephritis (which would be the third case in a week, weird). Doing about the same.
-One of the receptionists does fostering for the Central Vermont Humane Society and she has a litter of kittens! They are about 8 weeks and very cute. They came in today for a check up.
-Very full house! Two stray dogs came in, lethargic, very low blood cell count, and smelled kind of funny, like a sickly sweet decaying hay smell. One male, one female.
-I'm learning to read the inpatient/treatment board better and to tell who needs what medication and prep for what surgery.
-Professor Stalnaker came for a visit today! Sorry I wasn't able to talk long, Professor!
On a side note, I did a blood glucose curve for a black spaniel a while ago. She wasn't too happy about it, but it sure helped in my blood gathering skills!
-As I said, long, busy, but good day. The end of my 'week' there always seems to be a long day.
-Helped more with hooking up patients and recovery today, as apposed to being helped along and watching.
-There was a poodle spay that went well, until she tried waking up. One moment she was out, the next she was awake, and almost fully so. She came out very fast, and we had to extubate her really quickly. Poor girl, not the way I'd like to wake up.
-Angry pitbull named Phoebe in who did not like other animals, but was very nice to people. She, and one of the employee's dogs that was there for a dental (little bulldog) did not get along well and had to be pulled away from each other multiple times (such as trying to eat each other through the cage walls). Made for an interesting day, for sure. There has sure been a rash of angry dogs this week!
-Max is still there, maybe diagnosed with pyelonephritis (which would be the third case in a week, weird). Doing about the same.
-One of the receptionists does fostering for the Central Vermont Humane Society and she has a litter of kittens! They are about 8 weeks and very cute. They came in today for a check up.
-Very full house! Two stray dogs came in, lethargic, very low blood cell count, and smelled kind of funny, like a sickly sweet decaying hay smell. One male, one female.
-I'm learning to read the inpatient/treatment board better and to tell who needs what medication and prep for what surgery.
-Professor Stalnaker came for a visit today! Sorry I wasn't able to talk long, Professor!
On a side note, I did a blood glucose curve for a black spaniel a while ago. She wasn't too happy about it, but it sure helped in my blood gathering skills!
6/06/07
First day as surgery/kennel. I got there about 7 am and another tech and the head receptionist to let me in about 10 minutes later. I let out the dogs for their morning constitutionals and fiddled with Max's catheter for a better part of 10 minutes. I got to play with his catheter a lot that day, as he was on massive fluids and had to go out quite a bit.
An interesting case was a hermaphrodite pug that came in with bladder stones to be removed. The poor dog also had some fairly extensive hot spots, so she had shaved patches all over, including one on her head. Poor dog! She was very nice, though.
Kobie, the tech who I was shadowing, went over how to hook up animals to all the monitors, such as where to attach the heart monitoring probes, the co2 tongue clip, the o2 machine and how to watch and deal with the gas and check the ace levels. How to clip and set up an animal in the proper arrangement, scrub properly, and things like that. She also went over the medications and the criteria for giving them. We give a cocktail to dogs to sort of take the edge off, since it's rather stressful to sit in a loud and busy kennel (it's abbreviated BAG, but there are three components of it), but only if they don't have a history of seizures or anything like that (the A stands for acepromazine). We give dogs rimadyl, and cats metacam, and will only do post op antibiotics if it was for something that might have introduced a lot of bacteria, like a dental or something slightly 'dirty', such as a cat neuter. Patients also go home with some sort of pain management, again rimadyl for dogs and metacam for cats. Usually about 3-4 days worth, depending.
Notes!
-Max is still there, and I am becoming very familar with catheter techniques through his constant adjusting, hooking up and disconnecting. He's looking a bit more spry, but still a very mellow and good patient. Apparently a cat killer, though.
-Had a very high strung and a bit people agressive german shepard come in for a lump removal. His disposition was made better by a bit of sedation and was very agreeable when he woke up (but kept howling in the kennels, yeesh).
-Washed a bunch of instruments and make a few packs, which is good practice.
An interesting case was a hermaphrodite pug that came in with bladder stones to be removed. The poor dog also had some fairly extensive hot spots, so she had shaved patches all over, including one on her head. Poor dog! She was very nice, though.
Kobie, the tech who I was shadowing, went over how to hook up animals to all the monitors, such as where to attach the heart monitoring probes, the co2 tongue clip, the o2 machine and how to watch and deal with the gas and check the ace levels. How to clip and set up an animal in the proper arrangement, scrub properly, and things like that. She also went over the medications and the criteria for giving them. We give a cocktail to dogs to sort of take the edge off, since it's rather stressful to sit in a loud and busy kennel (it's abbreviated BAG, but there are three components of it), but only if they don't have a history of seizures or anything like that (the A stands for acepromazine). We give dogs rimadyl, and cats metacam, and will only do post op antibiotics if it was for something that might have introduced a lot of bacteria, like a dental or something slightly 'dirty', such as a cat neuter. Patients also go home with some sort of pain management, again rimadyl for dogs and metacam for cats. Usually about 3-4 days worth, depending.
Notes!
-Max is still there, and I am becoming very familar with catheter techniques through his constant adjusting, hooking up and disconnecting. He's looking a bit more spry, but still a very mellow and good patient. Apparently a cat killer, though.
-Had a very high strung and a bit people agressive german shepard come in for a lump removal. His disposition was made better by a bit of sedation and was very agreeable when he woke up (but kept howling in the kennels, yeesh).
-Washed a bunch of instruments and make a few packs, which is good practice.
6/05/07
First day in surgery! I followed one of the surgery techs around primarily, and she showed me the way to admit someone (I'd done it before, but it was nice to do it again), but things got busy and it took people a few minutes to remember that I was in surgery that day and not up front (but it was still nice to be asked things). Overall, a slow day, but very fun and full of things to do and learn. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Notes!
-Bella died. She wasn't improving, and her owners elected euthanasia.
-A giant malamute named Max was admitted with lethargy, weight loss. He's very skinny, but even so he weighed in at around 97 pounds. Thank goodness he's a sweet dog, otherwise we'd be in deep trouble, having to poke and prod him!
Notes!
-Bella died. She wasn't improving, and her owners elected euthanasia.
-A giant malamute named Max was admitted with lethargy, weight loss. He's very skinny, but even so he weighed in at around 97 pounds. Thank goodness he's a sweet dog, otherwise we'd be in deep trouble, having to poke and prod him!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Day 14
A whole month. Wow.
Yesterday I stabbed myself with a 18 gauge needle in the finger. For those of you out there that have never done that, it hurts. A lot. Today it hurts more...I think I might have stabbed to the bone. Ow.
Both a good and a frustrating day today. I need to be more aggressive in my handling of animals and my technique in drawing blood. I still jump when I shouldn't, and I know that it's just experience that will take care of it, but still, I feel horrible when I jump when a cat snaps at me. I understand that while they are all accommodating (and they very much are), they also need to run a business, and I know that I have to get gently pushed to the side if I'm not really helping....I just hate not being able to help, or feeling like I don't know what needs to be done. I'm trying, but it's frustrating. I feel like I should be perfect the first time I try something, and it doesn't work like that. Try try again, I suppose.
-Saw the cutest french bulldog today (this is not something I will often say) with a lepto vaccine reaction. Poor guy, his face was swollen and he had broken out in hives. A quick benedryl and he was back to normal! Sweet sweet dog.
-Gave a kitty enema today. Exciting. The cat, who was very sweet, also had these fish hooks for claws...and nailed me with one of them accidentally when I picked him up. He got it so far in that it hooked into my skin and we couldn't get it out for a moment. That was not too much fun, to be honest.
-Helped hold a squirmy pug that was covered in hotspots while she got clipped and cleaned up. This proved to be a disgusting ordeal. There was something very interesting about this dog, though...she was a he! A true hermaphrodite, at least before they performed an operation to make it a 'she' instead of a mystery sex. Cute pug.
-Spoke to a family about their lyme positive dog. I'm trying to do more go homes and admits lately since I'm in surgery (and a bit of kennel) coming up this next month. I'm really excited!
-Helped do another quill dog...the practice owner's dog!
-A CVHS (central vermont humane society) dog came in that needed to be shaved, and I had never seen such a matted, disgusting dog. They just about halved this dog's weight by shedding all the excess hair, the poor thing.
-The dogfight dog went home...I feel so bad for her, going back to a life of being picked on. One of the techs was saying that one day the dog is just going to snap and let the other one have it. I'm not sure if I want her to be right or wrong.
-The bacteria urine dog is still there, and looking a bit better, but not much. Here's hoping!
-I got to do a tech appointment by myself today! It's the small things, like pulling blood, that make me happy. I also got some blood on a 18 year old dehydrated cat! I was thrilled.
Yesterday I stabbed myself with a 18 gauge needle in the finger. For those of you out there that have never done that, it hurts. A lot. Today it hurts more...I think I might have stabbed to the bone. Ow.
Both a good and a frustrating day today. I need to be more aggressive in my handling of animals and my technique in drawing blood. I still jump when I shouldn't, and I know that it's just experience that will take care of it, but still, I feel horrible when I jump when a cat snaps at me. I understand that while they are all accommodating (and they very much are), they also need to run a business, and I know that I have to get gently pushed to the side if I'm not really helping....I just hate not being able to help, or feeling like I don't know what needs to be done. I'm trying, but it's frustrating. I feel like I should be perfect the first time I try something, and it doesn't work like that. Try try again, I suppose.
-Saw the cutest french bulldog today (this is not something I will often say) with a lepto vaccine reaction. Poor guy, his face was swollen and he had broken out in hives. A quick benedryl and he was back to normal! Sweet sweet dog.
-Gave a kitty enema today. Exciting. The cat, who was very sweet, also had these fish hooks for claws...and nailed me with one of them accidentally when I picked him up. He got it so far in that it hooked into my skin and we couldn't get it out for a moment. That was not too much fun, to be honest.
-Helped hold a squirmy pug that was covered in hotspots while she got clipped and cleaned up. This proved to be a disgusting ordeal. There was something very interesting about this dog, though...she was a he! A true hermaphrodite, at least before they performed an operation to make it a 'she' instead of a mystery sex. Cute pug.
-Spoke to a family about their lyme positive dog. I'm trying to do more go homes and admits lately since I'm in surgery (and a bit of kennel) coming up this next month. I'm really excited!
-Helped do another quill dog...the practice owner's dog!
-A CVHS (central vermont humane society) dog came in that needed to be shaved, and I had never seen such a matted, disgusting dog. They just about halved this dog's weight by shedding all the excess hair, the poor thing.
-The dogfight dog went home...I feel so bad for her, going back to a life of being picked on. One of the techs was saying that one day the dog is just going to snap and let the other one have it. I'm not sure if I want her to be right or wrong.
-The bacteria urine dog is still there, and looking a bit better, but not much. Here's hoping!
-I got to do a tech appointment by myself today! It's the small things, like pulling blood, that make me happy. I also got some blood on a 18 year old dehydrated cat! I was thrilled.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Day.....13?
Busy day! Well, they're all busy, but this one was a very phone and perscription oriented day. I filled a lot, did a lot of callbacks/rechecks, and spent some time with the computer system. I also got grumped at a few times today from some grumpy people who just wanted someone to grump at. A little stressful, people were a bit upset today from just the stress of starting the day (apparently they front doors were unlocked and there were clients INSIDE the clinic, waiting for people), which consisted of a VSNIP family with three dogs dropping off for snipping, and they had three loud and crazy kids, one of which insisted on quacking through the admit. Really.
-Got to help on a dog fight repair today. Poor dog was just the victim of an agressive housemate...and so lives in the basement, apart from the other dog. I feel so bad for her, and her ear was just about bit off. Poor girl.
-Did a lot of phone calls and such, which was boring, but still good to do. It makes me feel smart when I can answer someone's questions!
-Met one of the nastiest, angriest cats I've ever seen...and then another one came in right after it. They had to put it back in the carrier with three techs, gloves, and a broom.
-A dog that came in yesterday with a high bacteria load in her urine is still there, but not doing so well. She vomited up the nastiest stuff, which was just bile but about the stickiest stuff ever. I just hope that she's okay, she's very lethargic and not interested in moving around a lot.
-Pulled a heartworm test today on the biggest wolfhound I've ever seen...125 pounds! Gorgeous dog, and such a sweetheart. Also did more vaccines and rehitched a catheter.
-Got to hold off on a gigantic, and very grumpy, cat (what is it with nasty cats?), and I am starting to prefer dogs even more. Sure, now I say that and I'll get snapped at.
Bed time!
-Got to help on a dog fight repair today. Poor dog was just the victim of an agressive housemate...and so lives in the basement, apart from the other dog. I feel so bad for her, and her ear was just about bit off. Poor girl.
-Did a lot of phone calls and such, which was boring, but still good to do. It makes me feel smart when I can answer someone's questions!
-Met one of the nastiest, angriest cats I've ever seen...and then another one came in right after it. They had to put it back in the carrier with three techs, gloves, and a broom.
-A dog that came in yesterday with a high bacteria load in her urine is still there, but not doing so well. She vomited up the nastiest stuff, which was just bile but about the stickiest stuff ever. I just hope that she's okay, she's very lethargic and not interested in moving around a lot.
-Pulled a heartworm test today on the biggest wolfhound I've ever seen...125 pounds! Gorgeous dog, and such a sweetheart. Also did more vaccines and rehitched a catheter.
-Got to hold off on a gigantic, and very grumpy, cat (what is it with nasty cats?), and I am starting to prefer dogs even more. Sure, now I say that and I'll get snapped at.
Bed time!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Day 12
I can't believe I've been here almost a month! Craziness.
-Did the recalls this morning, which was an interesting experience to do all of them. The phones were ringing off the hook when I first got in, which makes sense after the holiday. I also got hung up on for the first time!
-Called back the URI cats...and one died. Didn't talk to the lady, but hopefully the other kitten is doing fine.
-I forgot to mention this last week, but a stray was brought in from Burger King, a little calico kitten. She's so cute! Very friendly and a typical kitten spaz case. She was adopted today...I'm going to miss her!
-Did some more blood draws today, and missed a vein on a lab that was twitching around. Cute lab...but I really wanted to hit the vein! The other tech said I just need to go for it and not worry about missing the vein. We'll see!
-Got to help de-quill a dog. Poor pup, it was a big shepard and she had quills all the way into the roof of her mouth. We got them all, but that can't be comfortable.
-Spent a lot of time on the phone today, but I'm getting to do more calls and such, which is good experience.
-Still feeling a bit out of place, but I think that's because they're so well staffed that I'm just an extraneous body. Oh well, I hear that there will be people taking time off soon, so hopefully I can just jump in.
Still very tired, working two jobs sucks, but at least there were no skunks last night!
-Did the recalls this morning, which was an interesting experience to do all of them. The phones were ringing off the hook when I first got in, which makes sense after the holiday. I also got hung up on for the first time!
-Called back the URI cats...and one died. Didn't talk to the lady, but hopefully the other kitten is doing fine.
-I forgot to mention this last week, but a stray was brought in from Burger King, a little calico kitten. She's so cute! Very friendly and a typical kitten spaz case. She was adopted today...I'm going to miss her!
-Did some more blood draws today, and missed a vein on a lab that was twitching around. Cute lab...but I really wanted to hit the vein! The other tech said I just need to go for it and not worry about missing the vein. We'll see!
-Got to help de-quill a dog. Poor pup, it was a big shepard and she had quills all the way into the roof of her mouth. We got them all, but that can't be comfortable.
-Spent a lot of time on the phone today, but I'm getting to do more calls and such, which is good experience.
-Still feeling a bit out of place, but I think that's because they're so well staffed that I'm just an extraneous body. Oh well, I hear that there will be people taking time off soon, so hopefully I can just jump in.
Still very tired, working two jobs sucks, but at least there were no skunks last night!
Thursday May 24th (Day 11)
Good day today! Although I think it was one of the longest...but that might be because I'm driving to Toronto very very early tomorrow morning. Exciting!
-Got to do some more surgery things today, such as help move a gigantic great dane from the table to recover....which then bled all over me.
-Saw two black kittens with upper respiratory disease. One was looking a bit better, more spry, but the other wasn't doing too well. I went in and worked with them, wormed them, cleaned their ears, and gave the sicker one some subcutaneous fluids. I then changed my top and scrubbed the heck out of my arms so I didn't give something awful to my cats here.
-Washed some instruments and learned how to make their packs.
A pretty average day, although that dane was an interesting case (the lump, as well as the dog, were both just HUGE), as were the kittens. Now...Toronto!
-Got to do some more surgery things today, such as help move a gigantic great dane from the table to recover....which then bled all over me.
-Saw two black kittens with upper respiratory disease. One was looking a bit better, more spry, but the other wasn't doing too well. I went in and worked with them, wormed them, cleaned their ears, and gave the sicker one some subcutaneous fluids. I then changed my top and scrubbed the heck out of my arms so I didn't give something awful to my cats here.
-Washed some instruments and learned how to make their packs.
A pretty average day, although that dane was an interesting case (the lump, as well as the dog, were both just HUGE), as were the kittens. Now...Toronto!
Wednesday May 23rd (Day 10)
Today the skunk is a little less horrid, only when you're next to me can you smell it (or at least that's what I've been told, heh).
-The original abscess kitty came back! The hole (where the drain was) was still open, but he's looking a lot better. They stitched him up and he's good to go!
-Tried some more recheck calls in the morning. I'm just waiting for someone to hang up on me.
-Today was the day of body fluids. I got peed on twice, bled on, and pooped on. No vomit, thankfully. We all joked that the smell of everything on me would cancel out the skunk.
-Got to sit with a nice chocolate lab today who had gotten into compost and had some toxicology issues. He turned out okay, but we definitely spent an hour cuddling while he had to calm down and stop shaking.
-Man, I hate the smell of skunk now.
-The original abscess kitty came back! The hole (where the drain was) was still open, but he's looking a lot better. They stitched him up and he's good to go!
-Tried some more recheck calls in the morning. I'm just waiting for someone to hang up on me.
-Today was the day of body fluids. I got peed on twice, bled on, and pooped on. No vomit, thankfully. We all joked that the smell of everything on me would cancel out the skunk.
-Got to sit with a nice chocolate lab today who had gotten into compost and had some toxicology issues. He turned out okay, but we definitely spent an hour cuddling while he had to calm down and stop shaking.
-Man, I hate the smell of skunk now.
Tuesday, May 20th (day 9)
I can't believe I've been here three weeks! Or at least this is the start of my third week.
Today was overshadowed by one very important event that kept me up till 3 am the night before (I get up at 6am): my dog was skunked. I've never seen it as bad as he had it, it was yellow and dripping off his chest, with a slightly swollen red area where it hit him. Thinking I was being smart, I rushed him inside to get it off of him before it dried....and instead stunk up the entire apartment. Me, my dog, my two cats, my apartment, my car, my clothes, and even my shoes, smell like skunk. The first thing I heard when I walked into work? 'Did a dog come in that got skunked?' 'Do you smell skunk?' 'Was an animal skunked?' All day long was that joke, and really, I DID smell. Skunk Off is probably one of the best substances known to man. I came home today and cleaned everything, bagged what I couldn't clean, and hope for the best. Funnily enough, Murph smells better than I do at this time.
-Did more blood draws today, and tried to step in and do what I could, but the highlight of my day was performing (partly, since I was learning), a cat neuter. Man, when they say to tug...they really mean it! Definitely an interesting experience. The cat was a total sweetheart, woke up and wanted to love everyone...although he was growling during the procedure!
-Today went fast, and very well. I think it was my best day yet, I felt like I kept busy without even trying and did okay. I seem to have some sort of scale dyslexia, and keep mixing up the numbers, though.
-We have meetings on Tuesdays, and I feel so bad, but I keep almost falling asleep to them! They're interesting, like today we talked about online pharmacies versus regular perscriptions and filling our own with an online option.
-Staying up to deskunk a dog takes a lot out of you, I'm wiped.
Today was overshadowed by one very important event that kept me up till 3 am the night before (I get up at 6am): my dog was skunked. I've never seen it as bad as he had it, it was yellow and dripping off his chest, with a slightly swollen red area where it hit him. Thinking I was being smart, I rushed him inside to get it off of him before it dried....and instead stunk up the entire apartment. Me, my dog, my two cats, my apartment, my car, my clothes, and even my shoes, smell like skunk. The first thing I heard when I walked into work? 'Did a dog come in that got skunked?' 'Do you smell skunk?' 'Was an animal skunked?' All day long was that joke, and really, I DID smell. Skunk Off is probably one of the best substances known to man. I came home today and cleaned everything, bagged what I couldn't clean, and hope for the best. Funnily enough, Murph smells better than I do at this time.
-Did more blood draws today, and tried to step in and do what I could, but the highlight of my day was performing (partly, since I was learning), a cat neuter. Man, when they say to tug...they really mean it! Definitely an interesting experience. The cat was a total sweetheart, woke up and wanted to love everyone...although he was growling during the procedure!
-Today went fast, and very well. I think it was my best day yet, I felt like I kept busy without even trying and did okay. I seem to have some sort of scale dyslexia, and keep mixing up the numbers, though.
-We have meetings on Tuesdays, and I feel so bad, but I keep almost falling asleep to them! They're interesting, like today we talked about online pharmacies versus regular perscriptions and filling our own with an online option.
-Staying up to deskunk a dog takes a lot out of you, I'm wiped.
Saturday May 19th (Day 8)
List! (Short day, only from 9-1)
-Not a good day, the receptionist's cat had to be put down....as did the diabetic dog. The little dog definitely put everyone in a mood...and the owner, the nice little old man, had to comfort the two vets that worked on him. I think everyone had tears in their eyes.
-Murphy, my dog, was with me since I was going to my friend's graduation after work, so I brought him inside and pulled a heartworm test on him. He's negative!
-Today went fast, but after the first two casualties, I wasn't sad to leave. Poor guys...it seems like when it rains, it pours.
-Not a good day, the receptionist's cat had to be put down....as did the diabetic dog. The little dog definitely put everyone in a mood...and the owner, the nice little old man, had to comfort the two vets that worked on him. I think everyone had tears in their eyes.
-Murphy, my dog, was with me since I was going to my friend's graduation after work, so I brought him inside and pulled a heartworm test on him. He's negative!
-Today went fast, but after the first two casualties, I wasn't sad to leave. Poor guys...it seems like when it rains, it pours.
Thursday May 17th (Day 7)
Another list day! (I like lists)
-Feeling okay with turning on the morning routine, although on Thursdays I get in around 9am, so it's all done.
-Busy day. We had a lot of ins and outs, including a few rechecks that I knew when they came in. One of them was a dog that had previously eaten a sock, which was doing fine.
-We had a little white terrier that was sick from BEVS that came in. Her owner is a nice guy, older man who had just lost his wife...and his pup isn't doing so well either. She's severely diabetic, looks like renal failure. They're keeping her overnight, but she's a bit perkier when I left, so here's hoping.
-We had one of the receptionists' cats come in, lethargic, not eating, ADR (I have heard the doctors use this phrase, I can't tell you how happy it made me), and had the darkest urine I have ever seen. It was almost black for all that it was so dark brown. On the same note, cystos are really common, moreso than I ever thought. Still not a big fan of them, though.
-Used the copy machine today!
-I've been peeking in on more surgery (they're well staffed, so most days I find myself without even busy work to do...so I go and look over peoples' shoulders, ask what they're doing, etc), and got to help do some prep and such. It's much more fun than front tech work!
-Nine hour days suck.
-Feeling okay with turning on the morning routine, although on Thursdays I get in around 9am, so it's all done.
-Busy day. We had a lot of ins and outs, including a few rechecks that I knew when they came in. One of them was a dog that had previously eaten a sock, which was doing fine.
-We had a little white terrier that was sick from BEVS that came in. Her owner is a nice guy, older man who had just lost his wife...and his pup isn't doing so well either. She's severely diabetic, looks like renal failure. They're keeping her overnight, but she's a bit perkier when I left, so here's hoping.
-We had one of the receptionists' cats come in, lethargic, not eating, ADR (I have heard the doctors use this phrase, I can't tell you how happy it made me), and had the darkest urine I have ever seen. It was almost black for all that it was so dark brown. On the same note, cystos are really common, moreso than I ever thought. Still not a big fan of them, though.
-Used the copy machine today!
-I've been peeking in on more surgery (they're well staffed, so most days I find myself without even busy work to do...so I go and look over peoples' shoulders, ask what they're doing, etc), and got to help do some prep and such. It's much more fun than front tech work!
-Nine hour days suck.
Wednesday May 16th (day 6)
Good day today, although I still feel extraneous and I hate that. Everyone is really nice, though, and encourage questions, which is always nice. Things are a bit crazy in every day life and at my other job, so I'm going to do a list again:
-Doing more blood draws and did my first vaccination today. Fun! (if sort of terrifying)
-Dr. Quinn keeps trying to convince me to work in small animal medicine, even though she knows I want to do research. It's kind of nice to feel like I'm working well enough that people want me around!
-Feel pretty comfortable with perscriptions for the most part, although I am still trying to remember where everything is.
Hmm...sort of a mediocore day. Not a whole lot going on.
-Doing more blood draws and did my first vaccination today. Fun! (if sort of terrifying)
-Dr. Quinn keeps trying to convince me to work in small animal medicine, even though she knows I want to do research. It's kind of nice to feel like I'm working well enough that people want me around!
-Feel pretty comfortable with perscriptions for the most part, although I am still trying to remember where everything is.
Hmm...sort of a mediocore day. Not a whole lot going on.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Day 5
Good day today, did the regular opening stuff (some of it, like start up x-ray), but most of it was done by the time I got there. I was sort of extraneous in the beginning, we were down a tech for a bit and most of the first hour was surgery admits. I had never done one, so today I got to follow along, learn what to say and do, and then I got to check a little rat terrier in for a neuter. It wasn't very complicated, just going over the estimate, showing the optional things, like blood work, and explaining each point and what getting the bloodwork, or not, would mean. The guy was very nice, and his little terrier was too, for the most part.
The terrier was good until I got him in the back and drew up his BAG injection (I forget what that stands for, I need to write things down, but it's a mild muscle relaxant and anesthetic) which every inpatient gets unless they have an allergy or some other reaction to it. I got to do my first needlework on this little terrier today, and of course, he's got to be a screamer. The minute I touch him with the little pinprick he howls like I beat him with a mallet. Even when they went to put in the ace and such, he carried on like they were pulling his toenails off. Oh, speaking of screaming things, I got to assist on a cystocentesis last Thursday...on an incredibly unhappy cat. What is it with cystos and unhappy cats? I got to help later with a very nice, if really fat, dog, so that was a bit better.
It was a busy day, so I'm going to make a quick bulleted list of the things that stand out:
-Learned how to do admits. Yay!
-More labwork and I got to work a bit more with the vet machines, doing electrolytes and bloodchem screens.
-Today was the day of angry animals. Had a nasty little schiperkee (sp?), shar pei, and a cat that tried to eat my hand off. Of all the animals that have taken a swipe/nibble at me, a little one pound kitten was the one that freaked out and gave me some battle wounds. Cats.
-Forgot my lunch today. I almost ate the fax machine, thank heavens there's a creamee stand about 1/4th of a mile away.
-Apparently, while doing recalls (checking in with patients, seeing how post-op patients are doing, etc), I found another kitty that had the exact same circumstances and wound as abcess kitty. Weird! I had to ask someone to make sure I had the right file.
The thing that sticks out for today, along with this just one rabid-acting cat, was that I was involved in my first euthanasia. I held the kitty while the other tech administered the dose and I am not afraid to admit that I had to count to ten a few times to keep myself from crying. I didn't think it would be that hard to just hold the vein on a little emaciated kitty, but it was. Poor cat, rest in peace, honey.
Now I'm going to go and rest, long day tomorrow.
The terrier was good until I got him in the back and drew up his BAG injection (I forget what that stands for, I need to write things down, but it's a mild muscle relaxant and anesthetic) which every inpatient gets unless they have an allergy or some other reaction to it. I got to do my first needlework on this little terrier today, and of course, he's got to be a screamer. The minute I touch him with the little pinprick he howls like I beat him with a mallet. Even when they went to put in the ace and such, he carried on like they were pulling his toenails off. Oh, speaking of screaming things, I got to assist on a cystocentesis last Thursday...on an incredibly unhappy cat. What is it with cystos and unhappy cats? I got to help later with a very nice, if really fat, dog, so that was a bit better.
It was a busy day, so I'm going to make a quick bulleted list of the things that stand out:
-Learned how to do admits. Yay!
-More labwork and I got to work a bit more with the vet machines, doing electrolytes and bloodchem screens.
-Today was the day of angry animals. Had a nasty little schiperkee (sp?), shar pei, and a cat that tried to eat my hand off. Of all the animals that have taken a swipe/nibble at me, a little one pound kitten was the one that freaked out and gave me some battle wounds. Cats.
-Forgot my lunch today. I almost ate the fax machine, thank heavens there's a creamee stand about 1/4th of a mile away.
-Apparently, while doing recalls (checking in with patients, seeing how post-op patients are doing, etc), I found another kitty that had the exact same circumstances and wound as abcess kitty. Weird! I had to ask someone to make sure I had the right file.
The thing that sticks out for today, along with this just one rabid-acting cat, was that I was involved in my first euthanasia. I held the kitty while the other tech administered the dose and I am not afraid to admit that I had to count to ten a few times to keep myself from crying. I didn't think it would be that hard to just hold the vein on a little emaciated kitty, but it was. Poor cat, rest in peace, honey.
Now I'm going to go and rest, long day tomorrow.
Day 4
My first Saturday!
As in all practices like this, Saturdays are dreaded shifts. No one wants to work them, not only because of their positioning on the calender, but because they are historically one of the busiest, and craziest, days of the week. I'd heard stories from the other techs, doctors and receptionists, and didn't expect this clinic to be any different than any other place.
I wasn't disappointed, since when I walked in at 9 everyone looked up in passing, arms full of charts, cats, a random dog or two, and smiled in that overly-stressed way that people have when things are busy busy. Of course, just about the time I get there two patients cancel and there is a lull not more than 10 minutes after I clock in so I have suddenly nothing to do. I think that's the worst part of this job: not knowing enough to pick up something and just do it, but knowing enough to think I could try.
Other than that, not a hugely exciting day. The abcess kitty went home, and is apparently doing well. I'm glad he went, but I hope that I get to see him when he comes back in to remove the drain! Hmm, not much else. No surgeries, just go homes (like a doggie that had a sock taken out of his stomach. The sock smelled atrocious) and office calls. I felt a bit more comfortable today, and a bit more like I could actually contribute.
So far, so good!
As in all practices like this, Saturdays are dreaded shifts. No one wants to work them, not only because of their positioning on the calender, but because they are historically one of the busiest, and craziest, days of the week. I'd heard stories from the other techs, doctors and receptionists, and didn't expect this clinic to be any different than any other place.
I wasn't disappointed, since when I walked in at 9 everyone looked up in passing, arms full of charts, cats, a random dog or two, and smiled in that overly-stressed way that people have when things are busy busy. Of course, just about the time I get there two patients cancel and there is a lull not more than 10 minutes after I clock in so I have suddenly nothing to do. I think that's the worst part of this job: not knowing enough to pick up something and just do it, but knowing enough to think I could try.
Other than that, not a hugely exciting day. The abcess kitty went home, and is apparently doing well. I'm glad he went, but I hope that I get to see him when he comes back in to remove the drain! Hmm, not much else. No surgeries, just go homes (like a doggie that had a sock taken out of his stomach. The sock smelled atrocious) and office calls. I felt a bit more comfortable today, and a bit more like I could actually contribute.
So far, so good!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Day 3
I think my feet might fall off. Seriously, I need to get up and take a shower but I just don't think I can stand. I learned that the dress code was very lax, techs aren't encouraged to wear full scrubs unless they're a surgery tech (which makes me very sad...I love scrub pants!), and some don't even wear scrubs at all....and everyone wears sandals. It took me until today to try it with my tevas....and I think that was a mistake. I love sandals, and I'll wear them again, but not those ones. I think my feet grew, they've been pinching for a while, but damn....the last 6 hours were torture. It's also just a bit of a mental block to think about wearing sandals since I'd have gotten my butt kicked if I ever did that at any of the practices I've been at before.
Abscess kitty is doing okay, he went under the knife today and got all the necrotic tissue around the wound taken off (the doctor working on him thinks that it could have been a fan belt or something like that since it seemed burned to her), castrated, vaccinated, and had a drain put in. He is now one hurtin' kitty! But I think tomorrow he'll be much better, he was waking up nicely when I left, so it looks good.
It was a busy day, but not so busy for me for the most part. I did what I could, a bit more prescriptions and spoke a bit more with the doctors, who are very nice, and tried to stay out of the way during the busy rush times. I did get to help with some more challenging animals, like a grumpy kitty and a really wiggly, but nice, dog. I still think really angry and vocal cats are worse than dogs...although I have no wish to be bitten in any shape or form!
A neat thing that happened today was that I got to assist in an x-ray. I'd never done that before, and while I just held, it was still neat. I also got to play with the vet test machine a bit more and do more pharmaceutical things.
Hmm...there might be more, but it's taken me about an hour to write this because I keep falling asleep in my chair. Is this a taste of what vet school is going to be like?
Abscess kitty is doing okay, he went under the knife today and got all the necrotic tissue around the wound taken off (the doctor working on him thinks that it could have been a fan belt or something like that since it seemed burned to her), castrated, vaccinated, and had a drain put in. He is now one hurtin' kitty! But I think tomorrow he'll be much better, he was waking up nicely when I left, so it looks good.
It was a busy day, but not so busy for me for the most part. I did what I could, a bit more prescriptions and spoke a bit more with the doctors, who are very nice, and tried to stay out of the way during the busy rush times. I did get to help with some more challenging animals, like a grumpy kitty and a really wiggly, but nice, dog. I still think really angry and vocal cats are worse than dogs...although I have no wish to be bitten in any shape or form!
A neat thing that happened today was that I got to assist in an x-ray. I'd never done that before, and while I just held, it was still neat. I also got to play with the vet test machine a bit more and do more pharmaceutical things.
Hmm...there might be more, but it's taken me about an hour to write this because I keep falling asleep in my chair. Is this a taste of what vet school is going to be like?
Day 2
(I didn't get a chance to post this last night so I'm doing it today)
Day two was a little better, I felt a bit more comfortable and a bit more aware of what I could/should be doing. I still played shadow to people, and I'm sure I'm going to start to annoy people by constantly asking what needs to be done, if I can help, is there anything I can do, can I run that heartworm test, etc. Really though, I want to learn, and I want to try to learn as much as I can, even things that I haven't seen yet in school, like radiology or dentistry. I started filling a few perscriptions as well, which was interesting, but I yet to have a password for the computer so I have to ask someone to log in so I could print out a label.
I started wandering a bit on my own, such as going out and taking clients on my own and ranging around cleaning things, fixing up rooms, that sort of thing.
Some interesting things that happened:
-A very strange lady who walks her cat from the bus stop on a leash to the hospital, brings the doctor a baked potato sometimes, and is really chatty, came in with her cat. Her kitty horked up a gigantic grass hairball (from eating grass on his long walk from the bus stop, I assume), and I cleaned it up. Apparently, she was impressed with my puke-scooping skills, and was praising me to the receptionists. Everyone found this very funny and told me I was hired. I said that if all I needed to do to impress people was to clean up puke, my life is going to be easy!
-A tom kitty came in, having been out lost for a week with no vaccines, with bunches of scars, thin and dehydrated, covered in flea dirt and just plain dirt, and a nasty abscess on the side of his neck. Nice cat, but just a bit freaked out and in pain. I held him (since I was the one around that had my rabies, I'm really glad I got those!) for the exam and subsequent meds and vaccines, but I really liked him. They admitted him and decided to drain the abscess tomorrow.
Other than that it was a pretty good day, fairly routine it seems like, and I got to talk to more people and see more things. I don't feel like I'm really contributing a whole lot, which I understand since it's just my second day, but I hate feeling like I'm not a functional and skilled member of a place that I want to contribute to. Oh well, with time I'm sure!
Day two was a little better, I felt a bit more comfortable and a bit more aware of what I could/should be doing. I still played shadow to people, and I'm sure I'm going to start to annoy people by constantly asking what needs to be done, if I can help, is there anything I can do, can I run that heartworm test, etc. Really though, I want to learn, and I want to try to learn as much as I can, even things that I haven't seen yet in school, like radiology or dentistry. I started filling a few perscriptions as well, which was interesting, but I yet to have a password for the computer so I have to ask someone to log in so I could print out a label.
I started wandering a bit on my own, such as going out and taking clients on my own and ranging around cleaning things, fixing up rooms, that sort of thing.
Some interesting things that happened:
-A very strange lady who walks her cat from the bus stop on a leash to the hospital, brings the doctor a baked potato sometimes, and is really chatty, came in with her cat. Her kitty horked up a gigantic grass hairball (from eating grass on his long walk from the bus stop, I assume), and I cleaned it up. Apparently, she was impressed with my puke-scooping skills, and was praising me to the receptionists. Everyone found this very funny and told me I was hired. I said that if all I needed to do to impress people was to clean up puke, my life is going to be easy!
-A tom kitty came in, having been out lost for a week with no vaccines, with bunches of scars, thin and dehydrated, covered in flea dirt and just plain dirt, and a nasty abscess on the side of his neck. Nice cat, but just a bit freaked out and in pain. I held him (since I was the one around that had my rabies, I'm really glad I got those!) for the exam and subsequent meds and vaccines, but I really liked him. They admitted him and decided to drain the abscess tomorrow.
Other than that it was a pretty good day, fairly routine it seems like, and I got to talk to more people and see more things. I don't feel like I'm really contributing a whole lot, which I understand since it's just my second day, but I hate feeling like I'm not a functional and skilled member of a place that I want to contribute to. Oh well, with time I'm sure!
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Day 1
Holy crap, I'm tired.
So...where to start. I got there at a little past 8 (the traffic in Montpelier was killer) and parked in what was luckily the employee parking. I walked in and told the receptionist desk that I was there to work. They said to just go on back and see someone, so I went back into the lab/surgery/pharmacy area and ran into two of the morning techs. I made some greetings, met the office manager, got a bit of a tour (I had one before, but it was nice to do it again, took some of the nerves off) and then chatted with one of the techs about scrubs (she had gotten an order of them delivered to the hospital that morning). From there I went downstairs and sort of just stood in the corner for a minute or two, feeling very out of place and nervous, until I saw someone that I thought I might be able to shadow and struck up a conversation. I ended up following her around and asking all those newbie questions, 'what does this do?' 'what's your normal routine in the morning?' 'why does it make this sound?' 'where did you get that and where are the others?'. They didn't seem to particularly mind, and I figure that the best way to figure something out is to ask questions, so I kept on going. The tech I followed around in the morning (Rachael? I'm horrible with names) was very nice, as was the rest of the people there. I follow her through the morning appointments for the most part (I bounced a bit between her and another front tech, Amy), and we just went around and she showed me the morning routine, which consisted of things like turning on the x-ray machine and fan, keeping the door open so it doesn't overheat and explode, turning on the vet test machine (it's the same as the one in school, which made me feel a bit better, as silly as it sounds), checking the boxes in the lab (they're labeled by day and contain callbacks, things like that) and showed me where the lab stuff was kept (in a box right next to it). She also showed me how to file a few things, like lab pending work, what to do with files that are all set, files that need results, how to write in the results, where the stickers are, the snap test they used for heartworm (there were so many today!) and a few other things I'm sure I've forgotten in the information overload that was today. Oh, and we read culture broths in the morning, too, almost forgot. I was a little disappointed to find out that they send out all their lab work and that urinalysis is read by the doctors. Not that I'm a huge fan of the barren field that is usually a urinalysis test, but I was hoping to get to do a little lab work. I spoke with a tech about it, and she said that most hospitals don't do their own labs and send them out. Bummer!
After a few the patients starting coming in, and I was taught how to check them in. Basically, I go out (they've got this nifty little light system that blinks or lights up depending on the type of visit (an outpatient/inpatient or tech visit versus a regular doctor office call) and so the tech sees the light, goes out, grabs the chart from the box, turns off the light, looks it over and determines how to approach it (if it's a tech appointment or office call, for example). For regular calls we take a little laminated sheet and write the patient's last name, the patient's name, room number (there are 3), and the time of the visit, then snag the patient, weigh them (in the room for cats, out in the lobby for dogs) and then bring them into the room and tell them the doctor will be with them in a moment. The doctor comes in, looks them over, comes out and writes on the laminated sheet what they want done and gives it to their tech, who goes back in and gives vaccines, takes blood, whatever needs to be done. For tech appointments, the tech goes in and does whatever needs to be done directly (such as very nifty drain removal I did today on a dog that was so sweet and older than dirt), and then tells them they're all set, etc. I didn't do any surgery admits today, but I've seen them done and they look fairly straightforward.
So the appointments began, and we went in, looked them over/did whatever the doctor wanted, then went back and ran whatever tests needed to be (such as a heartworm and there was one bg/fructosamine test which we sent out) then told the patient to have a nice day. That was basically what the day consisted of (I got to look over the shoulder of one of the surgery techs as she did a dental and learned that we do extractions too, and that I can learn all that while I'm there. I'm very excited! I want to assist in surgery so much, I can't wait), and most of the appointments were skin allergies and annuals (heartworm (we use a combo snap for three tick borne pathogens, heartworm, lyme and erlichia I think, it's abbreviated as 'hle' and I can't spell erlichia), vaccines and routine checkups). The most interesting case during the day was one of the surgeries...a dog that ate a puzzle piece and a little rubber cow-shaped eraser! The x-rays were really funny, you could clearly see the cow. Another interesting one was a dog with some sort of corneal ulcer that was given a prescription of rimadyl and when his 'mom' went to stop at the creamee stand to get them a treat (lucky dog, I would have bitten someone's leg for ice cream this afternoon), the dog got into the rimadyl and ate the whole damn thing. She brought the dog back and we helped it puke up all the drugs.
We had a group lunch/meeting this afternoon that was kind of interesting, but on a not-veterinary level. There was some issues that came out in the meeting, about people being on time, taking long lunches, etc, but the worst part of it was that a man who is apparently a financial consultant came in...and spoke just like an infomercial motivational self-help speaker. Nice guy and all, but in the afternoon warmth and warm breeze, a full stomach and this man's diatribe, I just about fell asleep. I felt so bad! How horrible would it be to nod off in the middle of my first day during a staff meeting. I swear I have a touch of narcolepsy.
Anyhow, towards the end of the afternoon I broke off a little bit and doctors started to ask for my help, so I just followed them around, asked if they needed anything when I didn't have anything to do, and ran some heartworm tests on my own, packaged up a few samples, and worked with some of the other techs (not the lady I was shadowing) in doing other things, like administering subcutaneous fluids to a skeletal siamese.
I'm sure there are things that I'm missing, but that's the basic gist of today. It was good, and I feel okay about it, but we'll see what tomorrow brings. Nothing bit me yet, but I did get a bit nibbled by a fractious pug.
Oh, there is one other thing. About 10 am there was a euthanasia. I didn't go in for that, not because I didn't want to (well, I'll admit, I didn't really want to), but because it wasn't my place to. It was a diabetic cat, old and dying. His name was Harry.
Well, that's it. I'm going to take a shower, drink a glass of wine, and sleep for as long as I can, I'm wiped.
So...where to start. I got there at a little past 8 (the traffic in Montpelier was killer) and parked in what was luckily the employee parking. I walked in and told the receptionist desk that I was there to work. They said to just go on back and see someone, so I went back into the lab/surgery/pharmacy area and ran into two of the morning techs. I made some greetings, met the office manager, got a bit of a tour (I had one before, but it was nice to do it again, took some of the nerves off) and then chatted with one of the techs about scrubs (she had gotten an order of them delivered to the hospital that morning). From there I went downstairs and sort of just stood in the corner for a minute or two, feeling very out of place and nervous, until I saw someone that I thought I might be able to shadow and struck up a conversation. I ended up following her around and asking all those newbie questions, 'what does this do?' 'what's your normal routine in the morning?' 'why does it make this sound?' 'where did you get that and where are the others?'. They didn't seem to particularly mind, and I figure that the best way to figure something out is to ask questions, so I kept on going. The tech I followed around in the morning (Rachael? I'm horrible with names) was very nice, as was the rest of the people there. I follow her through the morning appointments for the most part (I bounced a bit between her and another front tech, Amy), and we just went around and she showed me the morning routine, which consisted of things like turning on the x-ray machine and fan, keeping the door open so it doesn't overheat and explode, turning on the vet test machine (it's the same as the one in school, which made me feel a bit better, as silly as it sounds), checking the boxes in the lab (they're labeled by day and contain callbacks, things like that) and showed me where the lab stuff was kept (in a box right next to it). She also showed me how to file a few things, like lab pending work, what to do with files that are all set, files that need results, how to write in the results, where the stickers are, the snap test they used for heartworm (there were so many today!) and a few other things I'm sure I've forgotten in the information overload that was today. Oh, and we read culture broths in the morning, too, almost forgot. I was a little disappointed to find out that they send out all their lab work and that urinalysis is read by the doctors. Not that I'm a huge fan of the barren field that is usually a urinalysis test, but I was hoping to get to do a little lab work. I spoke with a tech about it, and she said that most hospitals don't do their own labs and send them out. Bummer!
After a few the patients starting coming in, and I was taught how to check them in. Basically, I go out (they've got this nifty little light system that blinks or lights up depending on the type of visit (an outpatient/inpatient or tech visit versus a regular doctor office call) and so the tech sees the light, goes out, grabs the chart from the box, turns off the light, looks it over and determines how to approach it (if it's a tech appointment or office call, for example). For regular calls we take a little laminated sheet and write the patient's last name, the patient's name, room number (there are 3), and the time of the visit, then snag the patient, weigh them (in the room for cats, out in the lobby for dogs) and then bring them into the room and tell them the doctor will be with them in a moment. The doctor comes in, looks them over, comes out and writes on the laminated sheet what they want done and gives it to their tech, who goes back in and gives vaccines, takes blood, whatever needs to be done. For tech appointments, the tech goes in and does whatever needs to be done directly (such as very nifty drain removal I did today on a dog that was so sweet and older than dirt), and then tells them they're all set, etc. I didn't do any surgery admits today, but I've seen them done and they look fairly straightforward.
So the appointments began, and we went in, looked them over/did whatever the doctor wanted, then went back and ran whatever tests needed to be (such as a heartworm and there was one bg/fructosamine test which we sent out) then told the patient to have a nice day. That was basically what the day consisted of (I got to look over the shoulder of one of the surgery techs as she did a dental and learned that we do extractions too, and that I can learn all that while I'm there. I'm very excited! I want to assist in surgery so much, I can't wait), and most of the appointments were skin allergies and annuals (heartworm (we use a combo snap for three tick borne pathogens, heartworm, lyme and erlichia I think, it's abbreviated as 'hle' and I can't spell erlichia), vaccines and routine checkups). The most interesting case during the day was one of the surgeries...a dog that ate a puzzle piece and a little rubber cow-shaped eraser! The x-rays were really funny, you could clearly see the cow. Another interesting one was a dog with some sort of corneal ulcer that was given a prescription of rimadyl and when his 'mom' went to stop at the creamee stand to get them a treat (lucky dog, I would have bitten someone's leg for ice cream this afternoon), the dog got into the rimadyl and ate the whole damn thing. She brought the dog back and we helped it puke up all the drugs.
We had a group lunch/meeting this afternoon that was kind of interesting, but on a not-veterinary level. There was some issues that came out in the meeting, about people being on time, taking long lunches, etc, but the worst part of it was that a man who is apparently a financial consultant came in...and spoke just like an infomercial motivational self-help speaker. Nice guy and all, but in the afternoon warmth and warm breeze, a full stomach and this man's diatribe, I just about fell asleep. I felt so bad! How horrible would it be to nod off in the middle of my first day during a staff meeting. I swear I have a touch of narcolepsy.
Anyhow, towards the end of the afternoon I broke off a little bit and doctors started to ask for my help, so I just followed them around, asked if they needed anything when I didn't have anything to do, and ran some heartworm tests on my own, packaged up a few samples, and worked with some of the other techs (not the lady I was shadowing) in doing other things, like administering subcutaneous fluids to a skeletal siamese.
I'm sure there are things that I'm missing, but that's the basic gist of today. It was good, and I feel okay about it, but we'll see what tomorrow brings. Nothing bit me yet, but I did get a bit nibbled by a fractious pug.
Oh, there is one other thing. About 10 am there was a euthanasia. I didn't go in for that, not because I didn't want to (well, I'll admit, I didn't really want to), but because it wasn't my place to. It was a diabetic cat, old and dying. His name was Harry.
Well, that's it. I'm going to take a shower, drink a glass of wine, and sleep for as long as I can, I'm wiped.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A note
This blog will cover my externship at a small animal clinic this summer and be used for my thoughts on the practice, complaints, issues and other stories from this experience.
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