Euthanasia is unfortunately a very big part of what veterinarian's do. It's something they have to do, and sometimes, encourage people to do. We don't like to see an animal suffering. We don't like them to slowly waste away at home. The death we can give with a shot of euthasol is more peaceful and quicker than anything they would have at home. Nevertheless it's not something that anyone of the people I've ever met get used to. And they might not show it in the room with you, but that doesn't mean that they don't get back, and leave a hand on the animal before we bag it, or listen for a heartbeat multiply times before they're satisfied.
I have helped out on a few 'put to sleeps' while working at my vet clinic. The first one I did, well it nearly broke my heart but I wanted to talk about a different one. The woman came in, knowing that the quality of life was not good and knowing that she did not have the finances to cover the cost in helping out her dog. She had had him for the entirety of his life. He had been there through her marriage and the birth of her children. But he was getting old. He wasn't moving around as well, he was having trouble controlling his bowels, he wasn't hearing or seeing as well as he used to. And so with a heavy heart she brought him to us to put to sleep. She wanted to be there with him, she wanted to reassure him that everything was okay in his final moments. She was trusting us to help deliver her most trusted, and loved friend to heaven.
And I was okay with that, I helped make up a bed for him. I held him while we got the catheter into his leg. I was there to help hold him while the doctor first gave him propofol which gets them sleepy. And then I was there when the doctor gave him euthasol. The woman held her dog's head on her lap, she stroked his head reassuring him that it would be all right, tears running down her face unashamed. It was this raw emotion, this openess that got to me the most. I was a part of the last memory she'll ever have of her dog. And I was honored to be there, to witness this love she had for an animal who could not speak for himself. I was there as she leaned into him, whispering into his ear, "You go take care of my mom for me."
I want to be a veterinarian to witness the good in people.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Reason No. 3: I think this is cool
Over the course of me working at my vet clinic and my previous job on the farm, I have seen quite a few interesting case studies. Granted, at the time, there were serious problems that needed to be solved to ensure the survival and comfort of the animal in question: but afterwards, when the animal is stable and the crisis has passed, I can't help but to be amazed that I was a part of this. Therefore, for your entertainment and/or disgust, I will give you three case studies.
No. 1-- More Tapeworm than Puppy
We get a lot of animals from pet stores, breeders, and the occasional puppy mill. Usually they have some sort of worm. But on this particular day, there was a room that most of the nurses and techs wanted nothing to do with. So because I am the newest member of the team, I had to take it. And this is not a problem for me. Oddly enough, there is very little that grosses me out. I walk in, and there is this puppy who I could probably fit in two hands easily. Bright eyed but not fancy free, it was clear that this puppy who we'll call Red was not feeling all that great. A conversation with Mom produced two things: a standard fecal sample, and a zip lock back of tapeworms. I take a temperature, a weight, ask a few more questions and quickly take the goodies to the back where it is shown off to the doctors and nurses alike. It was a like a war had just broke out and I got the spoils. Immediately everyone was interested in my case. The doctor took the case, examined Red and prescribed an enema to help Red pass the rest of the worms inevitably in his intestinal tract. As we took the puppy to the back, Kate (one of the younger nurses who also is applying to vet school) immediately helped me give this puppy a soapy enema. What came next was more worms than we thought could possibly be in this poor pup's tract. After spending the afternoon with us, Red seemed to feel more comfortable, and was done expelling most of the worms. Fun fact: the breeder and the breeder's vet determined that this puppy was worm free the week before.
No. 2--Choke by Nevil
At a farm, there is a certain structure, an outline or a framework for the work that needed to be done that particular day. And all of it surrounds feedings. In the morning, it's the first thing we do, and in the afternoon it's the last thing that gets done. During feedings there's certain things you look for depending on the season. In the fall, you look for pasture quality, you make sure the animals weaned are eating well. In the winter, you look for the place with the least wind, and make sure that the automatic waterer's aren't frozen. In the spring, you start looking for babies. And in the early summer you're looking to maintain all of that. It was late spring when this happened. I was working with a girl who has an affinity with sheep that I will never have. But we made a good pair, because I was the girl with the affinity for horses. Anyways, we went into Pasture 2, often used as the paddock for mares and their newborn foals. Most of the foals were on the ground at this point, and the mares were being supplemented with hay cubes to help maintain their body weight and to make sure the foals were getting enough nutrition. Anyways, we feed up, and I notice that one of the foals was having a green discharge from nose and mouth. It was either severe nasal discharge or something else was very very wrong. Immediately I alerted the girl I was working with, and we observed the colt for a moment, instantly becoming worried when Nevil did something I've never seen a horse do: look like he was going to vomit. Now the thing is, horses aren't anatomically built for throwing up. We called our bosses, got a halter and led Nevil and his mother to the barn to wait for the vet. Prognosis? Nevil was choking on something that he ate--most likely a hay cube. The discharge was saliva that he couldn't swallow because when horses choke, whatever they are choking on is lodged in their esophagus, not in the trachea as it is in humans. So before I was told to leave, I was able to help tube Nevil, and start the slow dissolving process of the object. Long story short, after several hours of work, and two vet visits, Nevil recovered fully, able to swallow and subsequently nurse.
No. 3--Abscessed about X-rays
We see several older dogs and unfortunately if we see them, there tends to be something drastically wrong. With Kal, it was something intestinal, as well as something on his paw. Therefore, we took X-rays to see if it was a foreign body, or something else. What we saw on the radiographs was inconclusive but what was important was that the nurses were in charge of cleaning and soaking his paw. There was a sore on it, something that seemed to make him very leery of walking on such a foot. We scrubbed it with chlorohexidine, apparently the choice for it's abilities to clean and not burn. But as we scrubbed, we noticed that it was scabbed over, a sign that Kal had been bothering it for some time now. Kate immediately went to pick it off while I held Kal. I watched as massive amounts of puss, fluid and blood came out of the poor paw. We had released the abscess which in a healthy dog meant that getting back to normal was very soon.
In conclusion, these are the stories that keep me going. These are the stories that let me know that I will never be bored at my job. I will constantly be challenged and stimulated. I also recieved my first e-mail saying that I was selected for an interview at a University outside of the United States. My excitement cannot be diminished.
I want to be a vet because I think this stuff is cool.
No. 1-- More Tapeworm than Puppy
We get a lot of animals from pet stores, breeders, and the occasional puppy mill. Usually they have some sort of worm. But on this particular day, there was a room that most of the nurses and techs wanted nothing to do with. So because I am the newest member of the team, I had to take it. And this is not a problem for me. Oddly enough, there is very little that grosses me out. I walk in, and there is this puppy who I could probably fit in two hands easily. Bright eyed but not fancy free, it was clear that this puppy who we'll call Red was not feeling all that great. A conversation with Mom produced two things: a standard fecal sample, and a zip lock back of tapeworms. I take a temperature, a weight, ask a few more questions and quickly take the goodies to the back where it is shown off to the doctors and nurses alike. It was a like a war had just broke out and I got the spoils. Immediately everyone was interested in my case. The doctor took the case, examined Red and prescribed an enema to help Red pass the rest of the worms inevitably in his intestinal tract. As we took the puppy to the back, Kate (one of the younger nurses who also is applying to vet school) immediately helped me give this puppy a soapy enema. What came next was more worms than we thought could possibly be in this poor pup's tract. After spending the afternoon with us, Red seemed to feel more comfortable, and was done expelling most of the worms. Fun fact: the breeder and the breeder's vet determined that this puppy was worm free the week before.
No. 2--Choke by Nevil
At a farm, there is a certain structure, an outline or a framework for the work that needed to be done that particular day. And all of it surrounds feedings. In the morning, it's the first thing we do, and in the afternoon it's the last thing that gets done. During feedings there's certain things you look for depending on the season. In the fall, you look for pasture quality, you make sure the animals weaned are eating well. In the winter, you look for the place with the least wind, and make sure that the automatic waterer's aren't frozen. In the spring, you start looking for babies. And in the early summer you're looking to maintain all of that. It was late spring when this happened. I was working with a girl who has an affinity with sheep that I will never have. But we made a good pair, because I was the girl with the affinity for horses. Anyways, we went into Pasture 2, often used as the paddock for mares and their newborn foals. Most of the foals were on the ground at this point, and the mares were being supplemented with hay cubes to help maintain their body weight and to make sure the foals were getting enough nutrition. Anyways, we feed up, and I notice that one of the foals was having a green discharge from nose and mouth. It was either severe nasal discharge or something else was very very wrong. Immediately I alerted the girl I was working with, and we observed the colt for a moment, instantly becoming worried when Nevil did something I've never seen a horse do: look like he was going to vomit. Now the thing is, horses aren't anatomically built for throwing up. We called our bosses, got a halter and led Nevil and his mother to the barn to wait for the vet. Prognosis? Nevil was choking on something that he ate--most likely a hay cube. The discharge was saliva that he couldn't swallow because when horses choke, whatever they are choking on is lodged in their esophagus, not in the trachea as it is in humans. So before I was told to leave, I was able to help tube Nevil, and start the slow dissolving process of the object. Long story short, after several hours of work, and two vet visits, Nevil recovered fully, able to swallow and subsequently nurse.
No. 3--Abscessed about X-rays
We see several older dogs and unfortunately if we see them, there tends to be something drastically wrong. With Kal, it was something intestinal, as well as something on his paw. Therefore, we took X-rays to see if it was a foreign body, or something else. What we saw on the radiographs was inconclusive but what was important was that the nurses were in charge of cleaning and soaking his paw. There was a sore on it, something that seemed to make him very leery of walking on such a foot. We scrubbed it with chlorohexidine, apparently the choice for it's abilities to clean and not burn. But as we scrubbed, we noticed that it was scabbed over, a sign that Kal had been bothering it for some time now. Kate immediately went to pick it off while I held Kal. I watched as massive amounts of puss, fluid and blood came out of the poor paw. We had released the abscess which in a healthy dog meant that getting back to normal was very soon.
In conclusion, these are the stories that keep me going. These are the stories that let me know that I will never be bored at my job. I will constantly be challenged and stimulated. I also recieved my first e-mail saying that I was selected for an interview at a University outside of the United States. My excitement cannot be diminished.
I want to be a vet because I think this stuff is cool.
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