On Sunday I took two of the other pre-vet girls to the goat farm. It was really interesting, since we got to see the milking process, all of the equipment for sanitation, pasteurizing and bottling, and the herd health checks. The set up is really neat since it is made for a single person to be able to do it on their own, and is extremely efficient. After watching the milking, we got a tour of the farm and the different goats and pens that they have, and they did some in-hand breeding of a couple they are working on getting pregnant. We then did ultrasound pre-checks on about five goats. They coolest moment was when one of the fetuses was kicking during the ultrasound and you could see it's leg going! I'm sure that will be a feisty baby. We also learned how to trim hooves and deworm goats. The goats there are all super friendly, since they have been raised on the farm and with a lot of attention, so that was quite nice on top of it. The kidding starts on the 20th, so after that we will get to see a lot of babies. They mentioned that next week anyone who comes out would probably get to help with vaccinations and feet trimming, as well as anything else that needs to be done. I had a really good time, and I think the others did too.
I am pretty concerned that no one is signing up though. I really thought people would be interested in going at least once, for the novelty of the experience if nothing else. Instead, it seems as if no is interested but three people who have signed up to go multiple times. Of the 20+ in the club, that is pretty sad to me, as well as the fact that it is also somewhat embarrassing. None of the other officers have even signed up. When I work with local vets and persons who I have a working/shadowing relationship with to bring the opportunities to the club, it pretty much sucks when I then have to cancel because no one was interested. That is one of the downsides of being a local student. I guess I will just have to stick to purely cats and dogs in the future, since that is primarily what students seem to be interested in.
Well, maybe people will sign up later in the week and I'm just being pessimistic. I certainly hope so! Seven people have already signed on to help out with spay and neuter clinics at the SPCA, so that is good at least.
Jared actually met me up at school after class today and we went up to the SPCA to look at one of the dogs there. He has been talking about getting another dog, which I'm not exactly a fan of, but I figured we would go look anyway. Part of it was that I wanted him to see why I go once a week and spend time there, and I think he definitely saw that. The dog we were looking at was a 4 month old shepherd mix that was a stray- not up for adoption yet. Because of this, we couldn't take her out, but we played with her through the kennel door and she was very sweet and well-behaved. He is really upset with me that I am not into getting another dog. However, we just don't know what is going to happen in the next year or so with his applying for full-time jobs, and me applying to vet schools. Having the three cats, ten chickens, two horses and the one dog is enough work and energy. Getting a puppy just seems like a really bad idea to me. Jared swears he can handle it though. I'm pretty torn. She was a really nice dog, and I'm sure she won't stay up for adoption long. However, we also have a free puppy from the breeder that we got Remi from (before I realized how awful it is to feed into the breeder cycle), because Remi was "defective" and has had hip displasia since she was born.
I just don't know. Is two dogs that much more work than one? I feel like getting an older dog (one already housebroken!) would be a lot easier.
~Melissa
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Snowy Nights
Even though it was snowing last night, I decided to head in to the ER anyway, determined to leave if it got bad. I debated bringing my homework but left it at home... bad decision. In the three hours I was there last night, there were 2 cases. 2! One was an extremely constipated dog that had to be manually evacuated (talk about a bad smell). I'm pretty sure he was eating stones as well as bones. And maybe some dirt. The other case was a pom that had had his third seizure in as many years. He was a nice little dog (though the father reeked of booze and the mother reeked of smoke), and they just brought him in to make sure he was alright. You could tell they really cared for the little bugger (and boy was he cute). So then it started to mist/snow (basically insta-ice), so I headed home way earlier than last week. That kinda sucked, but I made it home alright, despite the horrid roads. This winter is teaching me to drive in the snow!
This morning I'm heading out with 2 pre-vet kids to the goat farm for the first time. I was kinda disapointed that only 2 girls signed up for it (though some other dates already have individuals signed up). I was really hoping that they would jump on it- however, this weekend was pretty short notice, so I think that was a part of it. I'm going to take pictures today and hope that that inspires some people!
The SPCA here is just starting community spay and neuters on Fridays and Sundays. The shelter manager contacted me and asked if we wanted to send 1 or 2 volunteers every week to help out. I'm not sure that we will get people out every week, but I'm definitely hoping it will work out. They would be assisting the vet and helping with handling, so it would be very good experience for students. We have some really SPCA dedicated volunteers (including myself), so I'm fairly certain at least those students will want to lend a hand.
~Melissa
This morning I'm heading out with 2 pre-vet kids to the goat farm for the first time. I was kinda disapointed that only 2 girls signed up for it (though some other dates already have individuals signed up). I was really hoping that they would jump on it- however, this weekend was pretty short notice, so I think that was a part of it. I'm going to take pictures today and hope that that inspires some people!
The SPCA here is just starting community spay and neuters on Fridays and Sundays. The shelter manager contacted me and asked if we wanted to send 1 or 2 volunteers every week to help out. I'm not sure that we will get people out every week, but I'm definitely hoping it will work out. They would be assisting the vet and helping with handling, so it would be very good experience for students. We have some really SPCA dedicated volunteers (including myself), so I'm fairly certain at least those students will want to lend a hand.
~Melissa
Sometimes we experience things that shatter part of our world. As human beings, we are self-centered individuals. We tend to think that we know how other people think or act, or what their motives are. Some of us, like myself, have always given others the benefit of the doubt; assuming that most people are good, decent people. But every now and then we discover something. Something that flaunts our convictions, our illusions. Something that makes you realize you don't know anyone at all, not truly. It makes you grateful for the friendships and the relationships that you have, the ones that are close enough that you can begin to get that glimmer of another individual's soul, of what makes them tick. Sometimes it's not a good glimmer. But that is life. You can only hope that you can create a ray of sunshine bright enough to reach in and let some light in to someone else's soul.
Like Fun sings... "Though I've never been through hell like that, I've closed enough windows to know you can never look back... if you're lost and alone, or you're sinking like a stone, carry on. May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on, carry on."
Like Fun sings... "Though I've never been through hell like that, I've closed enough windows to know you can never look back... if you're lost and alone, or you're sinking like a stone, carry on. May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on, carry on."
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Nightmares
I hang out at SDN a lot (student doctor network), reading things that others write about and every now and then adding a comment. I'm more of a lurker than anything. They have threads for acceptances, rejects and accepted student statistics (as well as a ton more). I particularly like the statistics... however, they also tend to make me feel awful. I just am not up to snuff with a lot of them. It's scary, because I'm not a bad student, and so long as my grades to continue to be consistent, I won't be a bad applicant. It's just that there are so many very, very good applicants for vet school, and acceptance is regarded as a "crapshoot" by many.
Which leads me back to the title- I should never read SDN before bed. For some people, maybe it's scary movies that do it. For me it's apparently vet school stats. Last night I of course dreamed that I didn't get in to either school that I applied to (in my dream I had applied VMRCVM and CSUCVM), because I had both got a C in cell biology and didn't have enough shadowing hours. I then woke up earlier than usual and studied cell.
I think I need an intervention. That's really pathetic. I'm cutting myself off from SDN for awhile.
~Melissa
Which leads me back to the title- I should never read SDN before bed. For some people, maybe it's scary movies that do it. For me it's apparently vet school stats. Last night I of course dreamed that I didn't get in to either school that I applied to (in my dream I had applied VMRCVM and CSUCVM), because I had both got a C in cell biology and didn't have enough shadowing hours. I then woke up earlier than usual and studied cell.
I think I need an intervention. That's really pathetic. I'm cutting myself off from SDN for awhile.
~Melissa
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I know it's a little late but...
I figured no one really minded since I didn't get any angry comments! (Probably because I have so few readers!). So I guess some more detail about the ER is in order... I will tell you about the worst case and the best case- that way I'm not being overly long-winded!
The worst case was definitely the cat with saddle thrombus. The techs knew what it was the second it walked through the door (or was carried, rather). This is because cats with this condition scream, and scream terribly. Cats are creatures that will normally hide illnesses and injuries pretty well, they don't complain much. They explained the condition to me thus: Saddle thrombus occurs when a cat with heart disease (which is very difficult to detect without ultrasound) throws a blood clot. The clot gets wedged where the aorta splits at the pelvis, and blood supply is thus cut off from the heart. The back legs (normally one or the other, though sometimes both) then lose blood flow and feeling. It is extremely painful for the cat. One of the first things done to the cat was to cut a back toenail on each foot. The left did not have blood flow, while the right did. Thus it was determined that the clot became lodged on the left side. Due to lack of blood flow, the cat then went into cardiac failure. He was severely panting, and you could see his heart beat in his breathing pattern. He screamed, and hissed at the pain. We placed him in an oxygen tank and gave him a painkiller, and still he tried to drag himself around, in severe distress. He pawed at the glass and it was the most heart-breaking thing I think I have seen. The owner would not consent to euthanize for at least 20 minutes after the cat arrived, as she was hysterical. The owner's husband was screaming and yelling at everyone (including his wife). Finally, they consented, the paperwork was signed, and she came back to see him one last time. This was not the vet's idea, but the owners, and was not ideal, as she continued to cry and talk to the cat for at least another 10 minutes, despite the efforts of her son. I sympathized with her- obviously she loved the cat, and her husband was being a complete idiot (something along the lines of "It's just a cat... you'll be back in a week with another one... stop being ridiculous... get over it" continued to be repeated to her). However, I did not respect her for letting that cat be in pain for that long. There is no good prognosis for saddle thrombus. There is no cure. If caught early enough, sometimes the underlying heart conditions can be treated. But at the stage this cat was in, he was just in complete and utter pain. No matter how many times they explained this to her, she just didn't get it. Finally it was all taken care of. I, and the rest of those present, were relieved when the cat screamed for the last time. Truly that is human euthanasia.
The best case was a 17 year old jack (yes 17!), with a huge tumor on his side. He had fallen down the stairs and the owner was worried that the dog had broken his leg. After an x-ray, it was determined that it was only a soft tissue wound. To put him on the pain killers, they wanted to check the function of all of his organs. And they were truly as functional as a 2 year old! Despite his age and massive tumor, the little guy was happy, healthy and well-loved.
~Melissa
The worst case was definitely the cat with saddle thrombus. The techs knew what it was the second it walked through the door (or was carried, rather). This is because cats with this condition scream, and scream terribly. Cats are creatures that will normally hide illnesses and injuries pretty well, they don't complain much. They explained the condition to me thus: Saddle thrombus occurs when a cat with heart disease (which is very difficult to detect without ultrasound) throws a blood clot. The clot gets wedged where the aorta splits at the pelvis, and blood supply is thus cut off from the heart. The back legs (normally one or the other, though sometimes both) then lose blood flow and feeling. It is extremely painful for the cat. One of the first things done to the cat was to cut a back toenail on each foot. The left did not have blood flow, while the right did. Thus it was determined that the clot became lodged on the left side. Due to lack of blood flow, the cat then went into cardiac failure. He was severely panting, and you could see his heart beat in his breathing pattern. He screamed, and hissed at the pain. We placed him in an oxygen tank and gave him a painkiller, and still he tried to drag himself around, in severe distress. He pawed at the glass and it was the most heart-breaking thing I think I have seen. The owner would not consent to euthanize for at least 20 minutes after the cat arrived, as she was hysterical. The owner's husband was screaming and yelling at everyone (including his wife). Finally, they consented, the paperwork was signed, and she came back to see him one last time. This was not the vet's idea, but the owners, and was not ideal, as she continued to cry and talk to the cat for at least another 10 minutes, despite the efforts of her son. I sympathized with her- obviously she loved the cat, and her husband was being a complete idiot (something along the lines of "It's just a cat... you'll be back in a week with another one... stop being ridiculous... get over it" continued to be repeated to her). However, I did not respect her for letting that cat be in pain for that long. There is no good prognosis for saddle thrombus. There is no cure. If caught early enough, sometimes the underlying heart conditions can be treated. But at the stage this cat was in, he was just in complete and utter pain. No matter how many times they explained this to her, she just didn't get it. Finally it was all taken care of. I, and the rest of those present, were relieved when the cat screamed for the last time. Truly that is human euthanasia.
The best case was a 17 year old jack (yes 17!), with a huge tumor on his side. He had fallen down the stairs and the owner was worried that the dog had broken his leg. After an x-ray, it was determined that it was only a soft tissue wound. To put him on the pain killers, they wanted to check the function of all of his organs. And they were truly as functional as a 2 year old! Despite his age and massive tumor, the little guy was happy, healthy and well-loved.
~Melissa
Saturday, January 26, 2013
My first night in the ER
What a great introduction to the ER! I got to meet two of the ER vets (since I was there for a portion of each shift), and five techs (one of whom is actually a cousin I had never met before). We had a ton of cases in the 7 hours I was there including:
- Ruptured anal glands
- A dog who ingested pot cookies (and also, a McDonald's breakfast sandwich- found that in her vomit)
- A cat with saddle thrombosis (very, very sad)
- A very old cat with blood in his urine, hyperthyroidism and a huge mass in the abdomen
- A small dog who fell down the stairs (he just had a soft tissue injury)
- A chihuahua with possible hydrocephalus and definitely some sort of neurological issue
- A dog with a foot abscess filled with blood
- A dog that ripped his stitches out from a tumor removal
- A puppy who ate rat poison
- A diabetic dog who was vomiting (pancreatitis was revealed with bloodwork)
The hospital was very well-organized and I was quite impressed with the two vets I shadowed- they knew their stuff and were very good with the clients (even when one screamed at a vet to "get the *&^% out of the room"). The worst part for me is that I can't touch any of the patients since I haven't been vaccinated for rabies and it's an emergency hospital, so often the vaccine history is unknown or nil. So even when they just need an extra hand, I can't lend it, which sucks. I can't feel masses, listen to murmurs, restrain, or assist with much besides wiping up the floor and drawing up some meds, and the techs/vets are obviously not as used to having shadowers around as the small animal hospital. I guess I got spoiled there. I will get used to it though, and it is a very valuable experience. I'll give some more details in the morning about the cases (if anyone out there is actually interested).
For now, I'm hitting the sack!
~Melissa
- Ruptured anal glands
- A dog who ingested pot cookies (and also, a McDonald's breakfast sandwich- found that in her vomit)
- A cat with saddle thrombosis (very, very sad)
- A very old cat with blood in his urine, hyperthyroidism and a huge mass in the abdomen
- A small dog who fell down the stairs (he just had a soft tissue injury)
- A chihuahua with possible hydrocephalus and definitely some sort of neurological issue
- A dog with a foot abscess filled with blood
- A dog that ripped his stitches out from a tumor removal
- A puppy who ate rat poison
- A diabetic dog who was vomiting (pancreatitis was revealed with bloodwork)
The hospital was very well-organized and I was quite impressed with the two vets I shadowed- they knew their stuff and were very good with the clients (even when one screamed at a vet to "get the *&^% out of the room"). The worst part for me is that I can't touch any of the patients since I haven't been vaccinated for rabies and it's an emergency hospital, so often the vaccine history is unknown or nil. So even when they just need an extra hand, I can't lend it, which sucks. I can't feel masses, listen to murmurs, restrain, or assist with much besides wiping up the floor and drawing up some meds, and the techs/vets are obviously not as used to having shadowers around as the small animal hospital. I guess I got spoiled there. I will get used to it though, and it is a very valuable experience. I'll give some more details in the morning about the cases (if anyone out there is actually interested).
For now, I'm hitting the sack!
~Melissa
9 am on a Saturday
An update on my first week:
I am taking cell biology, organic chemistry, physics and contemporary American poetry. This semester all my pre-reqs for vet school except for biochem will be fulfilled! I am very excited about cell, as it is incredibly fascinating. It is, however, terrifying when the professor puts in his syllabus that the class average since the 1980's has remained roughly same... being a 2.4. At least a few students in the class are taking it for a second time, since they did not pass with above a C- the first time. I am determined to make above that!
I also love poetry, and this is my last class in my English minor. I have had the professor before, so I know the workload and the expectations, which is helpful. My class schedule isn't too bad- I have classes/lab from 8-5 on Mondays and Wednesdays, lab on Tuesdays from 1-4, lab every other Thursday from 1-4, and class from 8-3 on Fridays.
Today I start my new job cleaning a house in the next town up, and I also start a new internship at an Emergency hospital! I will be going there once a week for the evening shift to learn about emergency procedures and diagnostics. Since I don't have a rabies shot, I can't actually handle any of the patients, but I can still assist and observe in some capacity. I am hoping it is a great experience!
The pre-vet club schedule for the semester is almost complete, and I am quite pleased with how things worked out. We typically spend the Spring semester sending students out to a Standardbred breeding farm to get experience. Since they were shorthanded, we were unable to do this this year. Luckily, I was able to find an alternative that I think will be just as cool. Remember how the cattle vet I rode along with owned a dairy goat farm? Well his wife and son (who run it), as well as the vet, have agreed to let students come out every Sunday to learn how to handle goats, learn about the dairy, see ultrasounds, vaccines, and kidding. It should be a really neat experience, enhanced by the fact that they will be getting vet experience with Dr. C, and seeing a side of small ruminant medicine many of them would probably not have the chance to (quite a few are city kids). They have also put me on-call so that if there are any surgeries or unusual things going on, I can send out a notice to the students to see if anyone is available to head out there (it's only 20 minutes away from the school).
We are also heading to a neurologist's hospital for a tour, going to various breed and species shows in the area, having an exotics vet in, a relief vet in, talking to a current vet student at Mississippi (a sibling to a club member), and going to the VMRCVM open house. We are still trying to work out our fundraiser (we wanted to do a community dog wash), since we haven't been getting a response from anyone in any of the departments as to the feasibility of it.
All in all, I'm pretty excited.
Melissa
I am taking cell biology, organic chemistry, physics and contemporary American poetry. This semester all my pre-reqs for vet school except for biochem will be fulfilled! I am very excited about cell, as it is incredibly fascinating. It is, however, terrifying when the professor puts in his syllabus that the class average since the 1980's has remained roughly same... being a 2.4. At least a few students in the class are taking it for a second time, since they did not pass with above a C- the first time. I am determined to make above that!
I also love poetry, and this is my last class in my English minor. I have had the professor before, so I know the workload and the expectations, which is helpful. My class schedule isn't too bad- I have classes/lab from 8-5 on Mondays and Wednesdays, lab on Tuesdays from 1-4, lab every other Thursday from 1-4, and class from 8-3 on Fridays.
Today I start my new job cleaning a house in the next town up, and I also start a new internship at an Emergency hospital! I will be going there once a week for the evening shift to learn about emergency procedures and diagnostics. Since I don't have a rabies shot, I can't actually handle any of the patients, but I can still assist and observe in some capacity. I am hoping it is a great experience!
The pre-vet club schedule for the semester is almost complete, and I am quite pleased with how things worked out. We typically spend the Spring semester sending students out to a Standardbred breeding farm to get experience. Since they were shorthanded, we were unable to do this this year. Luckily, I was able to find an alternative that I think will be just as cool. Remember how the cattle vet I rode along with owned a dairy goat farm? Well his wife and son (who run it), as well as the vet, have agreed to let students come out every Sunday to learn how to handle goats, learn about the dairy, see ultrasounds, vaccines, and kidding. It should be a really neat experience, enhanced by the fact that they will be getting vet experience with Dr. C, and seeing a side of small ruminant medicine many of them would probably not have the chance to (quite a few are city kids). They have also put me on-call so that if there are any surgeries or unusual things going on, I can send out a notice to the students to see if anyone is available to head out there (it's only 20 minutes away from the school).
We are also heading to a neurologist's hospital for a tour, going to various breed and species shows in the area, having an exotics vet in, a relief vet in, talking to a current vet student at Mississippi (a sibling to a club member), and going to the VMRCVM open house. We are still trying to work out our fundraiser (we wanted to do a community dog wash), since we haven't been getting a response from anyone in any of the departments as to the feasibility of it.
All in all, I'm pretty excited.
Melissa
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