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[vetwithablog]

A brief twitter insight into how the veterinary world is feeling during COVID.

[vetwithablog]

Dear human nurses, you are not qualified to diagnose, treat, or prescribe medication for your animals. Veterinary medicine is different to human medicine. Also; using equipment, medication, or diagnostic tests from the human medical system for your patient is extremely unethical. All of those are extremely subsidised by the government and tax payer money to be used by humans. Not for you because you can't be bothered forking out a bit of coin for your pet.

(I need to add that for some reason there is a loop hole somewhere where human doctors can treat and prescribe for their animals but the same goes for them with using medications and tests meant for use in human patients).

I am sick to death of being made to feel devalued by human nurses because they think they know better than me. Mate, I'm not going to lie the knowledge is definitely there but it never translates clearly into our veterinary world.

Like, I've been brought to bloody tears by a human nurse who wanted to treat her dogs diabetes on her own and adjust the medication on her own because she felt she knew better than me. And I was begging her not to in case she accidentally caused a hypoglycemic crisis at home but bumping it up too quickly. You would think that the risk of killing your pet would be an adequate reason to listen to the person trained in this area, but it wasn't.

I don't go to the doctor and tell him that he's wrong because in x animal x actually occurs and he should treat with y. The only time I ever mention I'm a veterinarian is if I'm concerned i have a zoonotic disease, and all I'll ever do is simply point to recommended resources for treatment if the doctor advises they aren't sure on how to proceed.

Our worlds are different. Yours is subsidised and ours is not. The subsidies in your world are meant for humans who pay tax, not animals. The diseases are different, the medications and doses are different.

Some of the situations I've been put into by human nurses makes me so uncomfortable and so so so stressed I'll be put to the vet surgeons board. I'm not saying all human nurses do this, but the ones who do or have done in the past please stop.

You deal with your patients and I'll deal with mine.

[vetwithablog]

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I’m sorry, we need to take a short break from horses to appreciate that my boyfriend’s cat has a treadmill, and she will only run on it if she has an audience.

[vetwithablog]

maybe we need to advertise house cats as teacup exotics? have we tried that angle?

[vetwithablog]

Personal Statement Advice

So this may seem a little early, but this post will be a big block of personal statement advice for those applying to vet school this October. If you’ve started writing and have hit a wall, if you don’t know where to start, or if you haven’t thought about it yet, read on, because there’ll be something useful for you!

Keep reading

[vetwithablog]

How to piss off your vet

1. Give human medication to your pet

2. Make that passive aggressive comment “With all the money I have spent here, I should: have my name on the building/have a whole wing dedicated to me/buy you a new car/have just gotten a new dog/etc”

3. Discuss a lot of concerns and do nothing to address them because it costs money to do diagnostics 

4. Make them call your spouse after spending 20 mins on the phone with you explaining your pet’s illness, recommended diagnostics, potential outcomes to explain the same thing to them

5. Call at the last minute to refill your pet’s important meds and then get mad when it is not ready for you at that second

6. Show up at the front desk to handle something that could easily be done over the phone

7. Use the statement; “Can’t you just give them some medication to fix it” when you refuse all diagnostics and “it” is a vague symptom with 20 differentials 

8. Text/message/post on Facebook asking about your pet at any time of day, but especially at 8:30 at night on a Friday

9. Call 1 hour after dropping them off for a surgical procedure asking if they are ready to go home

10. Treating their technicians, receptionists, assistants like crap 

11. Stop medications or change dosages without asking

12. Call asking for a same day appointment for vaccines because you are dropping your pet off at the boarders this afternoon for a week long vacation and getting mad when they cannot be squeezed in

13. Not making your pet wear an e-collar after their abdominal surgery and getting angry when they must be placed under general anesthesia again to fix an incision dehiscence

14. Having a very fear-aggressive puppy and getting offended when behavior training and puppy classes are strongly recommended

15. Laughing when the dog tries to bite 

16. Using the statement: “He started scratching at his ears/having goopy eyes/licking at his skin about a month ago”

17. Not telling the receptionist when booking the 15 minute vaccine booster appointment that the pet has been vomiting for 4 days and isn’t eating anymore

[vetwithablog]

Personal Statement Advice

So this may seem a little early, but this post will be a big block of personal statement advice for those applying to vet school this October. If you’ve started writing and have hit a wall, if you don't know where to start, or if you haven't thought about it yet, read on, because there'll be something useful for you!

1. The early bird catches the worm.

As I mentioned, this may seem like a weird time to talk about personal statement writing. But with the early application deadline for VetMed in the UK, many schools insist on seeing a near-final PS by the time term starts. You will also go through multiple drafts of your PS; the first draft is almost never anything like what you end up submitting! So if you haven’t yet, I’d recommend you start writing your PS now. Which brings me to...

2. The internet is a valuable resource.

Now that most open days are over you probably have a pretty good idea of which universities you want to apply to. Most of the university websites will have a mine of information about how they use your personal statement, and also what they want from it. Some will heavily reference it in your interview, some will completely ignore it, and some will give it a ‘score’ which will determine whether or not you are asked to interview/given an offer. Similarly, knowing what kind of student your first choice vet school wants will help you tailor your personal statement to them - but be careful not to do this too heavily! My first choice university was Cambridge, who are incredibly science based and research-focused, so I made sure to reference any extra reading I had done, but my other choices, Bristol and RVC, also referred to my reading in the interview. 

3. Where to start?

The first line of your personal statement is always the hardest; it needs to be catchy without being cliche. I recommend writing the easier stuff first; write your work experience stories, skills and achievements first. Inspiration for your first line will strike eventually! But avoid “since I was X years old, I’ve wanted to...” because it really has been done to death. More on cliches later. As a general rule of thumb, about 80% of your PS should be work experience, and the rest can be extra reading, hobbies, and other relevant bits.

4. Show, don't tell.

This is probably the biggest mistake people make when writing their PS. Don’t write about how you have a passion for learning, how you have an interest in animal welfare. Show us. Tell us about something you saw, maybe on work experience, that informs us about your fascination with disease, and curiosity for learning something. Don’t waste precious characters on overexplaining it either. The admissions officers are smart, and they'll fill in the blanks.

5. Avoid cliches.

There are a huge blacklist of words I could go on about, but the bottom line is cliches are overused. As a general rule, don't use anything you wouldn't use in your everyday vocabulary, but the big ones to avoid are:

piqued

relish

passion

fascination

aspiration

love

intrigued by

broadened my knowledge

... you get the idea!

6. Don’t lie.

This may seem like a fairly obvious one, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who lie about something small on their PS, and then get caught out at interview when they're asked more about a book they've not read or work experience they haven't done. Lying isn't cool, and as ‘honesty and integrity’ is a core value of the RCVS, then it doesn't look amazing on your application.

7. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.

Go back and refine everything! Is it clear you understand what the job entails? Have you shown rather than told? Could you talk about everything you’ve mentioned at interview? Does every sentence make a point and deserve to be there? You only have 2000 characters so make sure everything is as concise as it can be, and if it doesn't need to be there, cut it out! Making sure everything flows is also important.

8. Proofreading

Get someone you know and trust to proofread your personal statement. My parents were excellent at grammar and spelling mistakes because they read CVs for a living, but someone like a teacher who knows you and has read other successful PSs will be able to give you a much better idea of what to put in or cut out. I went through 26 drafts and sent each one to my biology teacher, who came back to me with 25 emails with suggested improvements! Beware though - the more people you ask to read, the more opinions you’ll get, and this is your PERSONAL statement; at the end of the day, it’s your decision.

Hopefully this is helpful - feel free to send me a message if you have any more questions or you're confused by anything I’ve mentioned.

Happy writing!

L x

[vetwithablog]

Sacrifice

Today I euthanized my personal friend’s dog that was dying of cancer.

As an ER veterinarian, I’ve seen it all. From stiff silence to violent sobbing, I am not phased. And I am always stable. I am always there for them. I am always steady. I am always their guide. I am always their rock they can depend on.

Until today, I felt the pull. Felt the pull into the darkness of grief. And it pulled me hard. My heart was broken. And I let myself grieve with them. 

I still see it as a gift, to give as peaceful as a passing as possible. But it’s a sacrifice. Each one, takes a little bit of my soul with it. 

Any you know what? For those wonderful, innocent animals we have the joy to call our own, it’s worth the sacrifice.  

[vetwithablog]

Please, stop.

“Hey! How are you going? I just have a quick question regarding [insert pets name here].”

“Long time no speak. My dog hasn’t eaten in 6 days and has had vomiting and diarrhoea for 5 of those days. What should I do?”

“Hey, just a quick one but I really want to let my cat have kittens just once so she can experience motherhood, is 8 months too young to let her mate?”,

Please, stop. 

Please, if you have a friend you rarely chat to, a friend of a friend of a friend or an extremely distant acquaintance who is a vet/student/nurse/tech etc, it is really not okay to ask for free advice. It is actually disrespectful.  

Most of us (including myself) are obliging and willing to help because that is the nature of our profession. Though I tell you, if you haven’t bothered to say hey prior to Mitten’s getting into a cat fight at 2am or if you haven’t cared to check in and see how life is going before Charlie started coughing 2 days ago, it is not okay to ask for that free advice.

You usually message us in the middle of a busy day or you message late at night when we are settling in, trying to unwind from a 15 hour hectic day of sick animals and devastated/angry clients. A Facebook message or text pops up from someone we haven’t spoken to in 5-10 years. I get it, you are desperate. Most want to know if they should take their pet to a vet or not. My honest answer is, if you are desperate enough to ask someone you rarely know or haven’t spoken to in a while if you should seek medical attention for your pet, then you more than likely need to. If you are unsure, it is best to call an emergency clinic and ask for advice. Be mindful. Veterinary medicine already consumes our lives. It bombards us in all aspects of life. I will reply and help as much as I can without physically seeing your animal, but keep in mind that I am most likely replying to you when I am shoveling food into my mouth in the 2 minutes I have spare to eat during a shift or I am in the middle of spending some rare, free time with my loved ones. I will always advise to seek veterinary attention because if you are that concerned to message me, best bet is that your pet requires it.

All we ask is to please be mindful. 

[vetwithablog]

This too shall pass. Even if it passes like a painful kidney stone, it will pass.

Professor trying to comfort us as exams start to overwhelm us.  (via soontobedvm)

[vetwithablog]

Study Motivation for VET and MD Students

KEEP STUDYING AND:

You’ll be using a stethoscope everyday

You’ll be wearing a white coat with your name on it

You’ll be called “Doctor”

You’ll be wearing pajamas for work

You’ll be standing in a beautiful OR

You’ll be able to use amazing instruments and machines

You’ll be the bridge between life and death

You’ll be solving puzzles for a living

You’ll be saving lives

You’ll make someone happy

You’ll see lots of puppies and kittens and all sorts of animals

You’ll be happy

You’ll be conquering your dream

You’ll be even more amazing

For all you know you could be the future of medicine

[vetwithablog]

VET MEMES

I had to do it. I saw the meme and had to do it.

“I want to be a vet because i love animals uwu”

Yeah, about that…

[vetwithablog]

What a Wagging Tail Really Means

“Oh look how happy that dog is! I’m going to pet this dog because it is obviously happy to see me!” *Immediately gets bit*

A wagging tail does NOT automatically mean “happy and friendly dog who wants to see me!” It could! But it sometimes doesn’t. 

A wagging tail simply means an intent or willingness to interact. It is an emotional response or arousal. It does not say whether that intent is playful, friendly, or aggressive. Therefore, the other body language signals the dog is expressing should be carefully read and interpreted as well, instead of automatically assuming that a wagging tail is a happy one.  

[vetwithablog]

Shoutout to the girls doing ‘dirty jobs.’ The women who can’t wear makeup, nail polish, flattering clothes or have piercings and tattoos when at work. Props to the ladies who come home with dirt under their nails, stains on their uniforms and smells stuck to them that cannot be washed away with a single shower. To the girls who don’t feel pretty in their workplace. To the trans girls who cannot yet pass in the workplace. I see your dirt, smears, scars and dry skin. I see your scrubs, coveralls, aprons and smocks. I see your messy buns and steel-toed boots.

Your hard work is beautiful. Your blood, sweat and tears are worthy of respect. I am so proud of you and all you do. You are just as stunning in your work clothes as you are on a night out.

[vetwithablog]

Everything you need to know about your pets before you buy or rescue.

Breed opinion/analysis/takedown posts Masterlist

And now because nobody asked for it, here’s a list of the bred posts that have been done so far.

Dachshund

Cane Corso

Chihuahua

Munchkin cat

Shetland Sheepdog

Australian Kelpie

Belgian Malinois

Shih Tzu

Bull Terrier

Arabian Horse

Newfoundland

Australian Shepherd

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

German Shepherds

Shar Pei

Havanese

Australian Cattle Dog

Pomeranian

Siberian Husky

Irish Wolfhound

Poodle

Samoyed

Maltese Terrier

Saint Bernard

Basenji

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bull Arab

Doberman

West Highland White Terrier

Shiba Inu

Beagle

Jack Russel Terrier

Bichon Frise

Miniature Schnauzer

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Border Collie

Boxer

Greyhound

Turkish Angora

Golden Retriever

Rottweiler

Papillon

Tibetan Mastiff

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Brittany Spaniel

Irish Setter

Sphynx Cat

Alaskan Malamute

Yorkshire Terrier

Japanese Spitz

English Springer Spaniel

Scottish Fold

Akita

Whippet

Airedale Terrier

Oriental Cats

Schipperke

Labradoodle

Italian Greyhound

Bullmastiff

Pekingese

Cocker Spaniel

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Great Dane

Afghan Hound

Fox Terrier

Manx Cat

Boston Terrier

Dalmatian

German Shorthaired Pointers

Borzoi

Cairn Terrier

Rough and Smooth Collie

Chow Chow

Basset Hound

Tenterfield Terrier

Miniature Pinscher

Weimeraner

Swedish Valhund

Maine Coon

Borzoi

French Bulldog

Dogue de Bordeaux

Saluki

Burmese Cat

Abyssinian cat

Ragdoll Cat

Keeshond

Doll-faced Persian Cat

Tibetan Spaniel

Australian Silky Terrier

Viszla

Labrador

Old English Sheepdog

Australian Terrier

And bonus:

Noble Stegosaurus

Haast’s Eagle

Moa

And the breeds I have declined to write about:

Norfolk Terrier

Icelandic Sheepdog

‘Shorkies’

Black Russian Terrier

Great Pyranese

Giant Schnauzer

Belgian Tervuren

Mudi Dogs

Rat Terrier

Caucasian Mountain Dog

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Leonberger

South African Boerbel

Kangal Dog

Anatolian Shepherd

Nebelung Cats

Indian Spitz

Swedish Elkhound

Catahoula Leopard Dog

‘Golden Shepherd’

Coonhounds, all types

Maltese X Shih Tzu mixes

Japanese Chin

Lhasa Apso

Clumber Spaniel

Portuguese Water Dogs

Komondor

Flat Coated Retriever

Pharaoh Hound

American Eskimo

NZ Huntaway

Well Vetling’s I think that might be it for the breed posts. It’s been a marathon and I’m not sure there are any more that I can write.

But there are 95 of them there for you, plus three bonus ones if you count the jokes.

[vetwithablog]

this is the c u t e s t shit

Long Suffering Boyfriend: 101 Bulldogs

It’s often said that nobody other than other veterinarians know what we truly go through. This isn’t helped by the fact that we’re often barred from discussing our work in civilized company and so we often don’t talk about these things, even with our nearest and dearest.

As a recent graduate I had explained to my dear Long Suffering Boyfriend (LSB) that my days at work were busy, hectic and fast. The message he absorbed from these descriptions was that I sometimes didn’t manage to eat lunch until 4pm. So he decided one day that he was going to be Best BoyfriendTM and bring me lunch at the clinic. A gourmet sandwich he’d made himself. He was going to show up right on 1pm and make me stop work for five minutes to eat this delicious food, and make all the other staff members insanely jealous.

At least, that was his cunning plan.

When he walked through the staff entrance into the back of the clinic, he was not greeted with adoration and delight. 

He was greeted by a stern veterinary nurse with all the attitude of an army sergeant.

“Excellent. You! Take this!” she commanded, whisking my future lunch onto the bench and thrusting a towel into my LSB’s hands. Before he knew what was happening, he was dragged into the surgical suite.

“Here honey, catch!” I greeted him, not bothering to question his unexpected appearance and plopping a fresh bulldog puppy into his hands, still coated in amniotic membranes, before I returned to retrieving its siblings from the caesarean in front of me.

He would go on to describe the subsequent events as “Like 101 Dalmatians but with newborn bulldog puppies!”

He was swiftly educated in puppy resuscitation, learning how to rub them to stimulate breathing and how to make a makeshift oxygen crib out of a rectal glove.

The puppies just kept coming and coming. Twelve bulldog puppies revived by my two nurses and LSB. That uterus was more packed than a clown car. Let me tell you there is an art to stimulating four newborn puppies at a time to breathe properly. There were puppies everywhere, on tables and the counter. The sandwich was swiftly moved as more bench space was required.

While everyone was glad to see him, this was not the outcome he had been expecting when he walked into the clinic.

He did, however, refuse to leave the clinic until I’d eaten at least one bite.

I asked him what the one stand out lesson from the experience was. He said that “they’re weird and gross but it’s strange how quickly they go to cute and snuggly fuzzles as soon as they’re dry”. Also that bringing me lunch was appreciated, but pointnless.

I think he enjoyed it, really.

[vetwithablog]

If any animal can thoroughly disprove Intelligent Design, it’s the horse. Nothing about their design is the least be intelligent.