Stethoscopes and Sunsets – Page 3 – veterinary life through the eyes of a Canadian RVT

Thu
29 ^th

Urine Trouble (or: When The Poop Hits The Floor)

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[Examining urine and feces under the microscope is a huge (if gross) part of my job. It’s important to figure out whether Fluffy is peeing outside the box because they’re angry, or because they’ve got an infection!]

I love the smell of cat pee in the morning…said no one ever. Feline inappropriate elimination (peeing and pooping outside the box) is one of the number-one reasons we see cats at the vet. There are a few things which may cause Fluffy to mistake your linen cupboard for the great outdoors — read on for a quick overview of what might be behind your kitty’s toileting issues (and what we can do to help!)

Wed
28 ^th

A Moment In The Life (or Skaa)

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[A very talented friend of mine drew this picture of me after I came home from my second trip to volunteer in wildlife rehab in Thailand. It’s true that raising wild babies (in this case, civets) is one of the highlights of wildlife medicine — but the lowlights exist all the same.]

My time volunteering and working with wildlife — both in Canada and Thailand — was some of the most rewarding work I’ve done in the veterinary field. I saw some very amazing and special things, experiencing the joy of successful rehabilitation and release in both countries. But wildlife rehab is not without its low points and certainly some days were worse than other in the amount of pain and suffering we saw and did our best to treat. Often, the only option was a quick and painless end. Veterinary medicine is a turning coin of life and death at the best of times, euthanasia and recovery, and wildlife medicine is no different. And just like my time in ‘traditional’ vet med, some cases stick with me.

Wed
21 ^st

A Leg To Stand On

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[Punch (brindle male, right front lower limb gangrene) and Zuka (Boerboel female, severe compound fracture of lower right hind leg), two of my Botswana amputations. Both of these pictures were taken at less than 24 hours after surgery — although Punch was pretty sulky about the leash, Zuka wasn’t shy about giving us a smile!]

Limb amputations are a relatively common surgery both in my current practice and during my volunteer trips. There are many reasons why a vet may wish to remove a leg; the presence of a tumor, a break which cannot be fixed for whatever reason physical or financial, nerve damage, severe soft tissue damage, infection…the list goes on. But amputations are one of my favorite surgeries to participate in for the simple reason of just how successful they can be at restoring life and removing pain. Read on for a glimpse into the life of just a couple of the amputation cases I’ve been privileged enough to work with.

Wed
14 ^th

Dear Clients: Please Vaccinate Your Pets (Part 5)

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[Manning the Vaccination Station on a spay/neuter trip with CAAT! This anesthetized little pup was just spayed and sleeping off the last of her drugs, not even feeling the quick pokes of her DAP and rabies vaccines. I feel very lucky to be a part of reducing preventable diseases in small communities!]

In the last part of our vaccine series, we’ll discuss the final four important myths and concerns surrounding vaccination. Read on to learn the truth about ‘vaccine overload’, toxins in vaccines, adverse reactions to vaccines, and whether or not vets recommend vaccines just for the money (spoiler: no!). Feel free to catch up on Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four of the series and be sure to join me next week for a return to creative nonfiction!

Wed
07 ^th

Dear Clients: Please Vaccinate Your Pets (Part 4)

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[This lil kitten really wants to make sure he does his research before getting vaccinated (and not just because he hates needles!). But does he know the difference between vaccine fact and vaccine myth? Do you?]

Vaccine myths and misconceptions are running rampant in this age of easily accessed but poorly researched information. This week and next we’ll be discussing the top 8 most common myths I hear in the veterinary clinic (and which have some truth behind them!). Missed the previous posts in this series? Check out Part One for an overview of vaccines and why I care so much about them, Part Two for a quick dive into the immune system and how it works to protect us with the help of vaccines, and Part Three for exactly which vaccines we recommend for dogs and cats (and why!).

Wed
31 ^st

Dear Clients: Please Vaccinate Your Pets (Part 3)

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[A fridge full of vaccines! Do you know what all of these shiny vials protect against?]

It’s time for another installment of Rose Loves Vaccines! In this post, we’ll talk about the core vaccines recommended for dogs and cats and the illnesses they protect against. You’ll learn how they’re spread, symptoms, treatment, and their importance to your pet’s health! Missed the previous posts? Check out Part One for a basic vaccine overview and Part Two for some real talk about the immune system!

Wed
24 ^th

Dear Clients: Please Vaccinate Your Pets (Part 2)

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[Antibodies and antigens and lymphocytes, oh my! What exactly do these microscopic medical marvels have to do with vaccines?. Imagine courtesy of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.]

In the second part of our series on vaccines, I’ll be giving a brief overview of how the immune system works and how vaccines help train it to fight disease! Keep in mind that this information has been simplified somewhat for easier understanding (on both my part and yours, I’m certainly no immunologist!); the immune system is a wildly complex and intense part of any living being! But as primers go, this should help further your understanding 🙂 Missed the first part of this series? Check out Part One for a basic vaccine overview.

Wed
17 ^th

Dear Clients: Please Vaccinate Your Pets (Part 1)

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[Vaccination is vital not just for the health of our pets, but for our own health as well. Image courtesy of the WHO.]

Vaccination is a topic near and dear to my heart. I am a rabid (no pun intended) proponent of vaccination and particularly enjoy educating my clients on its importance. This letter is the first in a series which will hopefully shed some light on the myths, facts, and importance of routine vaccination not only for your pet’s health but also the health of all those around them.

Wed
10 ^th

A Long Night (A Long Road)

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[The first reluctant cuddle with her pups. Roxy keeps a quiet, anxious eye on both me and her little ones as she tries to figure out unexpected motherhood.]

On Thursday I was asked to step up and foster a young dog who had just had a Cesarean, lost several of the pups, and was struggling to adjust. My foster work for the BCSPCA has always been a huge part of my life and I agreed without a second thought. Probably I should have thought about it — Roxy’s anxiety turned out to be a little more than I bargained for! Her improvement since then has been tremendous and I feel so lucky to care for her and her two remaining ups, Esther and Cyrus, but there’s no denying that our first night together was…well, rough!

Wed
03 ^rd

New Year, New Ideas

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[My year came to an end with a massive cold snap (-37C) and a callout delayed by a battery drained by the frozen weather. Luckily a friend came to my rescue, and I made a quick resolution to always make sure my car would start before taking call!.]

2018 is upon us, and resolutions are on everyone’s lips. While I’m not a real fan of New Year’s resolutions I have been recently mulling over some changes I’d like to make in my life. In this profession it’s easy to get lost in the job, but we do ourselves no favours when we stop separating work and play.

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