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Hello everyone! I realized that the old veterinarian/vet school thread died so I figured I would make a new one, since I am a vet myself. Anyone is welcome to post in this thread, however please remember this forum rule: quote:DO NOT TRY TO USE THIS FORUM TO REPLACE YOUR VET - the answer will be that you need to see your vet. This is because you need to see your vet. Why would you trust random internet weirdos over someone who's actually seen your pet? Feel free to ask about the veterinary field or discuss your work if you are in the field. I'll be 100% honest, I am thinking about changing careers and I did post in e/n about this. It's a tough job. The hours are long and sometimes you don't get lunch. Clients can be very stressful to work with. Animals can be very stressful and even dangerous to work with! There are good sides to it though. You can save lives and you can really impact people's lives by keeping their pets healthy and treating them when they are sick. Pets are becoming more and more seen as family members more than "just an animal." This can be good or bad for the people and the animals involved depending on the situation. Another thing I would love to discuss is pet insurance. There are many companies and many plans available. I have heard good things about PetPlan but have yet to sign my dog or cat up (much to my chagrin as I just had to take my dog to ER last night for eating something he shouldn't have. He's fine but I had to apply for care credit). If anyone has experience with or recommends any particular plan let me know. EDIT: due to the coronavirus veterinary care has been harder to get. I know I have been busy seeing clients from other places that have closed. If you have any general questions I am happy to answer, and I am willing to at least triage (determine severity) for specific questions to let you know if you need to be seen by a vet or not. I'm willing to do this for free so please don't sue me if your dogs leg falls off or something. People who have Banfield Wellness Plans can also use their Vet Chat service and there are other telehealth services out there as well if you want really specific advice or possible rx of medications etc. I hope all the work from home folks are enjoying their extra time with your pets. Please stay safe. Dixville fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Apr 19, 2020 |
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Dec 6, 2019 19:32
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I'm sorry for whatever happened to make you feel that way. The truth is that veterinarians are human. They make mistakes like anyone. They also can't always control whether their treatment actually works or not. Just as an aside veterinarians also have a significantly higher suicide risk than the general population, probably due in part to our access to lethal means (drugs) but mostly because of the stress of the work. Well we're off to a great start I think!
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Dec 6, 2019 21:05
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Lmao at solitaire. I do dick around on the forums if things are slow (like right now... Oh god I shouldn't have said that now an emergency will come in for sure) I have heard of/seen bad vets. Like I said, we are human and some humans are just lovely. Like when I was in school the radiology prof told us about a vet that had one x-ray of a foreign body that he would show people, say their dog needed surgery, and then just cut them open and sew them back up. That's the very worst I ever heard. Apparently he died of a heart attack while shopping at a mall so at least it's not happening anymore. I really really hope... As for happy or funny stories, not really any funny ones I can think of unless you're into really dark humor but one of my happier moments was seeing a dog walk and run around after being previously paralysed in the back legs, after I did acupuncture on their spine. That was really cool. Edit - yes there is a local low cost clinic called Animal Samaritans. It's nice that people have another option but sometimes they are trying to get a low cost major surgery or something when they really need a specialist if anything so that is one downside, those type of clinics just aren't equipped for more complicated issues. I have no problem with them being "competitors" and I actually did a lot of volunteer shelter work in school. I guess some vets object but that's kind of dumb, mostly people that do thise clinics just flat out can't afford typical vet prices so it's low cost or nothing, not low cost or your clinic. Dixville fucked around with this message at 18:23 on Dec 7, 2019 |
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Dec 7, 2019 18:09
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VIN is really good. Wish it wasn't as expensive as it is but generally it ends up being worth it. Saved me so many times when I was by myself early on and wasn't sure what to do about something. One time I flushed a thorn out of a dog's cornea using instructions from there. I don't think I would have gotten it out otherwise so I saved them a trip to the ophthalmologist.
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Jan 3, 2020 17:24
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Slugworth posted:I wouldn't recommend it as a daily cleaner (and I'm assuming you don't plan on daily cleaning long term), but Cerumene is fantastic for breaking up ear wax. For maintenance cleaning long term, I like TrizUltra+Keto as it has an antifungal ingredient that helps cut yeast infections off at the knee. I'd agree with this. Cerumene and similar squalene/oil based cleaners work well for thicker wax. Triz based cleaners are especially good when you are treating an infection with antibiotics. You may already know this but generally you want to wait a while after applying claro or osurnia to ears to actually clean them. The leave in stuff can get washed out by cleaners
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Jan 30, 2020 04:02
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Paperback Writer posted:sigh, I think the kitten I adopted two weeks ago is having complications from being spayed or something. There’s a sizable bump on the surgical spot that isn’t going away and tonight I saw a yellowy vaginal discharge. Taking her to the vet right away. Oh god I was afraid that last sentence wasn't gonna be there. Thank you
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Mar 1, 2020 06:51
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Also i hope kitty is okay
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Mar 1, 2020 06:51
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Charles posted:Light-hearted question. I used to use a Bordatella vaccine that smelled like banana. That was a long time ago though. Anybody ever use that & taste it? :P You might be thinking of dewormer? Pyrantel pamoate is often banana flavored.
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Mar 12, 2020 21:45
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I have a euthanasia today and we are supposed to be staying 6 feet away from clients. So not only can i not shake their hand or give them a hug but they can't be holding the pet when we give the euthanasia drug. Current plan is to heavily sedate so they fall asleep, owner can say goodbye then we will give the lethal injection after. First euthanasia I have had since this whole pandemic started... this sucks
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Mar 21, 2020 00:47
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TheBigAristotle posted:Reggie survived surgery and he's home with me now, he's so full of energy, it kills me to know that he can't just fight it off. Great news! Not sure if he is overweight but if he is I would recommend prescription Metabolic Plus Mobility (it's made by Hills) if you don't want to deal with the rx diet you can just feed a low calorie diet and supplement Dasuquin or similar (glucosamine/ chondroitin) and omega 3 fish oil. I'm just a gp though so you might check in with the orthopedist to see what they recommend! Edit: you might also ask the doctor about getting a mild sedative like trazodone if he seems too anxious or antsy. Just for the first couple weeks or so
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Mar 21, 2020 00:50
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Iron Crowned posted:My 15 year old female cat has suddenly chewed a patch of hair off as of yesterday. She had her yearly and shots a week ago. Came up healthy except for the same high heart rate, every vet ever has commented on. There are multiple possible causes but it's not likely to be anything too serious. Cats will chew themselves up just from anxiety sometimes, though usually it would start at a younger age. Another possible cause since it's over a joint (hip) could be arthritis in an older kitty. Sometimes pets will lick or chew an area to soothe pain. Definitely get it checked out by a vet when you can. In the mean time you could actually follow the same advice of the hot spot cat above and use an ecollar, treat for fleas (yes even if they are indoor only) (make sure to use a product marked safe for cats) and maybe bathe if they tolerate it. Maybe a cool compress would work better? Cats don't tend to take too well to bathing. Disclaimer i am not diagnosing your cat and definitely have it seen by a local vet still!! Edit - just realized if they got an injection it could possibly be a local reaction in that area. Feline leukemia vaccine is often given at the left hind leg. So another possibility. Just something to consider
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Mar 28, 2020 01:51
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Medullah posted:I just posted this in the dog thread but then noticed this thread existed. I actually had to look this up because we almost never see heartworm cases in southern California and I've gotten out of practice. Generally the treatments are given with one injection, then one month later 2 more injections 24 hours apart. Apparently the criteria is "at least" one month between the first and second injections. So I would say as long as you got it done within a reasonable amount of time, like a month or so, you should be ok. Here is the heartworm society website that talks about protocols if you have other questions. https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/american-heartworm-society-guidelines
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Mar 29, 2020 04:28
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LikeFunOnlyBoring posted:Hey, so I have a cat that has been diagnosed with asthma. She's currently on prednisolone and it was working for awhile, then my vet had us halve the dosage to try to get her on the lowest effective dose. It worked okay for a week or so, but she's back up to the full dose (vet recommended, of course) Not sure about canadian pharmacies. There is goodrx.com for prescription discounts, you might look into using that.
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Apr 18, 2020 06:04
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I loved this post from a group I'm in on facebook for veterinarians. The job can be really tough sometimes but I hope I do make a difference in people's lives.
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Apr 18, 2020 15:21
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Just FYI I saw the coronavirus thread and while I don't agree with 100% of the advice (not too sure about vinegar spray for fleas but hell, it won't hurt at least) I endorse most of the advice in that thread (emergency first aid etc) and I am willing to help goons with questions about stuff that can't get into their vet. I think I'll update the op to reflect that...
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Apr 19, 2020 21:15
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Vino posted:Every month or two my dog decides that all he wants to eat is grass. He snubs his perfectly good kibble and beef and asks to go outside and then goes straight for the garden and turns into a goat. When he comes back in he pukes it up two hours later and then skips a meal but the next day he's fine. I asked two different vets about it and neither had any idea. Definitely sounds like nausea. Unfortunately random bouts like this can be hard to diagnose well. The best at home treatment is usually a bland diet like plain boneless skinless chicken and white rice and see if that settles their stomach. You might consider taking him back to a vet now that it's getting more frequent. I would be most concerned about something like pancreatitis. Again, though, these can be hard to diagnose when it just keeps coming back like that.
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May 5, 2020 20:34
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LostMy2010Accnt posted:I have a soon to be 10 year old, short haired black cat whose third eyelids have been showing for over a month now. I've taken her several times to the vet to get a physical, blood-work and x-rays taken and everything has come back positive. The only thing the doctor was concerned about was her weight which she's slowly been putting back on. Her behavior is normal, no changes in habits, her appetite is good, she's drinking her normal amounts of water, and was given a topical de-wormer. I'm confused as to why this is still a thing and concerned of what it could be, but my local vet has said everything is fine. Could their be other issues to this like allergies? Any help is appreciated, thank you. I'll be honest, that's a bit unusual. Second opinion might be a good idea. Maybe a neuro specialist for imaging like ct or mri? The good thing is it's hopefully nothing serious as most of their vital signs sound ok (eating drinking ok, your vet would have assessed the mucous membranes and other vitals) My thoughts: 1 possibly neuro because the third eyelid is controlled by a different nerve than the other eyelids so could see it stick up if not working properly, and 2 that third eyelid lifting is *usually* associated with fairly severe disease like infections, metabolic disease etc. So basically your cats symptom doesn't fit much with "eating drinking ok, gaining weight, etc." So that's why I say it's unusual. Good luck and I hope it's something benign for kitty!
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May 8, 2020 13:09
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Please... don't be this person!
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May 9, 2020 20:52
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YourCreation posted:Could be Haws Syndrome Wow I don't remember learning this. Thank you!
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May 9, 2020 20:54
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LostMy2010Accnt posted:So I went to a second vet two days ago and they think Haws Syndrome as well. I'm waiting to hear back but this seems like the likely issue and we're going to continue care from there. Thank you both for the feedback and help, it means a lot. No problem ! 
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May 15, 2020 14:23
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Did a c section today. Hopefully the pup will survive. The mom has had a pup before and it died  we did spay at the same time as c section so no more for her.
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May 23, 2020 19:16
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Womyn Capote posted:My 4.5 month kittens have little white worms in their poop, and they have been acting like they have fleas though I used a comb and didn't find any evidence. Do I have to go to a vet for this or can I get an otc for the worms and fleas? I believe praziquantel is available for over the counter. What you're describing sounds like tapeworms, and they come from fleas. Praziquantel is the best treatment for tapeworms so make sure the dewormer has that in it. For flea treatment there is frontline and similar products. Just make sure you get the one for cats and kittens.
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Jun 3, 2020 08:53
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MJP posted:We have two cats, both females, regular old domestic shorthairs, both spayed. I found light pink urine on the edge of the litter box liner for one of the two litter boxes. They're in the basement and the cats have had unrestricted access to them for years.
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Jun 11, 2020 00:39
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