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[the-struggling-vet]

See cup. (via riclon)

[the-struggling-vet]

Someone else's success does not equal your own failure.

[the-struggling-vet]

Hypovolemic shock = not enough blood volume to maintain blood pressure Cardiogenic shock = heart is too weak to maintain cardiac output; often occurs after a heart attack, heart can’t pump strongly enough Obstructive shock = a blockage somewhere prevents blood from circulating Distributive shock = blood vessels leak or dilate too much to maintain blood pressure; systemic shock, all vessels are dilated

[the-struggling-vet]

[the-struggling-vet]

Attended my first ever Diagnostics Rotation two weeks ago. We didn’t really do much, but I learned a lot! For example, in surgery class, we have to do all the differential WBC, TWBC and Total Platelet count manually. It was a chore, sure. And it sure as hell gave me migraines becacuse of looking through the microscope for long periods. But as what my professor told our class “you need to learn the basics for you to appreciate the technology”. 😊

PS. Video up top shows mating Otodectes sp. from the ear of a dog. 🐶

[the-struggling-vet]

‘This horse has been dropping weight and has been strong in the bit.’

ALWAYS try the vet first. Can’t imagine the kind of discomfort this horse was in. Thanks @horsedust for the link.

[the-struggling-vet]

I was called in today for an emergency laparotomy after the ultrasound guided centesis showed that this 9-year-old intact male spaniel has a haemoabdomen. The only symptoms were lethargy and a slightly distended abdomen. The spleen was fairly enlarged, with several smaller and a large fibrous tumour; the biggest, egg-sized tumour was ruptured and it caused a slow but steady bleeding into the abdominal cavity. We did a blood transfusion and a splenectomy, and we’ve sent a sample for a histopathological examination. (This was my second splenectomy!)

[the-struggling-vet]

call of the bae

[the-struggling-vet]

If you’ve been following me for awhile you have likely seen my posts about the importance of sampling lumps and bumps on pets. If not I will attempt to briefly summarize: No one can tell if a lump or other mass is cancerous or not simply by looking and touching it. The ONLY way to get a diagnosis is to sample the mass and look at it under a microscope.

The above slide is from an FNA I performed on a mass. The previous vet had said the mass was a benign lipoma simply by feeling it and never got a sample. The owner returned to the vet after the mass got larger and the vet did something called a gross analysis; gross analysis means a sample of the mass was obtained and squirted onto a slide and the vet looked at with their naked eyes and determined it appeared fatty and so was a benign lipoma. The mass continued to get larger so the owner came to me for a second opinion.

The colorless, translucent water droplet look of the sample is classic for the appearance of fat and this is how most lipomas look grossly. I dried and stained this sample and looked under the microscope and did indeed find fat cells. However, these cells were unusual looking. I sent the slides off to a pathologist and a few days later got the diagnosis: liposarcoma. Liposarcoma is a fatty tumor, but they are not benign they are cancerous. Had the other vet simply looked under the microscope or sent the slide off they would have known.

If you are a vet or vet student don’t let your hubris get the best of you, always submit masses for testing. Pet owners please ask that masses get tested and don’t wait when you notice a lump. If your vet tells you they know it is benign from the way it feels politely ask for the mass to be sent off for testing. Best case is it comes back benign and you can rest easy knowing so.

[the-struggling-vet]

What Kind of Specialist Should You be?? A Quick, Easy, and Reliable Guide!

*Disclaimer: Not a real guide. Would recommend further investigation into each specialty before selling your soul to said specialty based on tongue-in-cheek guide alone.

-> Are you secretly a vampire and require to work in complete darkness? Do you like to conjure up structures that simply don’t exist? Then Radiology is for you!

-> Are you an adrenaline junkie that loves high pressure situations, rollercoasters, jumping out of an airplane, and barely alive patients? Do you get excited at the prospect of explosive diarrhea, cluster seizures, spleen ruptures, and chocolate toxicity? Then you should go into Emergency and Critical Care.

-> Do you yearn to work on nothing but dead patients for the rest of your life? Do you go the entire day longing for zero human interaction? Then you should be an Anatomical Pathologist.

-> Do you wish you could walk into every room and smell yeast? Do you relish in running your hands over oozing skin? Do you enjoy talking about allergies every 10 minutes? Dermatology is waiting for you!

-> Do you have aspirations of examining semen all day every day? Are you known as the person who makes all the inappropriate jokes? Theriogenology (Reproduction) is here for you!

-> Do you show up to parties or the grocery store with your stethoscope around your neck? Do you idealize bossing insubordinates around and perceive yourself as far superior than everyone else? Do you want to be able to boast that you can do neurosurgery, fracture repair, and a lung lobectomy all at once?  Surgery is calling to you!

-> Do you prefer that all of your patients be asleep? Do you jump for joy when there is discussion about blood gasses and capnographs? Does the minute detail of pharmacologic anesthetics make you jump for joy? Say no more, Anesthesiology is here!

-> Is your picture of a perfect night being called in at 3am for a colic surgery? Do you wish there was a language that only horse people (should!) know? Do you wear nothing but khakis and polos? Equine Surgery is a perfect fit!

-> Do you frequently dream about sitting at a desk looking at 600 slides a day? Did you ask for a microscope for Christmas? Do you have in-depths conversations at a party about the species differences on blood smears? Then Clinical Pathology it is!

-> Do you aspire to know more than anyone around you? Do you want cases that no one has figured out for 15 years? Do you think to yourself that your uncontrolled diabetic ketoacidic patient that has Cushings, a raging UTI, pancreatitis, pneumonia, heart failure, hepatic fibrosis, and lymphoma is not complicated enough? Then Internal Medicine is right for you!

[the-struggling-vet]

Dear internet,

Please give me all the advice you have on writing cover letters. Like, the closer you can get to literally just writing a cover letter for me, the better. Ok bye.

[the-struggling-vet]

What I Learned on my Shelter Medicine Rotation

-> There’s more than one way to skin (spay) a cat. Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to combine techniques from different people to get to what suits you best. 

-> When you do surgery all day, you need GOOD SHOES! 

-> There’s so much more to shelter medicine than spaying and neutering. 

-> Don’t underestimate the complications from an “easy” surgery like a cat neuter. Yes, you still need to be careful, because yes, that knot can slip off and bleed everywhere. 

-> Eating before surgery is good. Not eating before surgery is bad. ALWAYS EAT A SNACK BEFORE SURGERY!

-> Dude, surgery is hard, and takes ton of repetition and time to get better at it. Do not beat yourself up over not being able to spay a 100 pound dog in 20 minutes. You will get faster over time, right now it’s important to get it done right, regardless of how long it takes you. 

[the-struggling-vet]

Today I Learned:

That if a dog has pulmonary hypertension, it is usually prescribed Sildenafil… or in other words, VIAGRA. (Which in true form is a vasodilator that combats pulmonary hypertension quite well).

But my favorite part is that a small subset of dogs will have the side effect of… erect ears. 

[the-struggling-vet]

As some of you know I am a full-time veterinary technology student, and I was getting super frustrated at the lack of basic radiographic positioning aids that I made them myself. These all correspond to images I need for one of my classes this semester.  not the standard dog/fanart but thought I’d share!! ** please do not take without asking! :)

[the-struggling-vet]

There’s a local breeder that I need to find and hug

The woman is attempting to breed back English Bulldogs into their “original” form and is aiming for a much healthier animal. This is one of the puppies, a sweet little munchkin with good long legs and a much better mouth than modern bulldogs. She had such a nice body shape and never snorted once, and I didn’t hear a single wheeze like the other bulldogs that come in.

There are good breeders out there doing the Lord’s work

[the-struggling-vet]

Anteater tongue in action. 

[the-struggling-vet]

No, the ‘he doesn’t let me open his mouth, doc’ is NOT a valid reason for this degree of neglect. Notice the gingival ulcers, the gum recession and stomatitis and try to imagine the pain and discomfort that accompanies this kind of dental disease.