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  • Things Vet Techs (And Vets) Are Tired of Hearing

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    I have been a veterinary technician for years. I don’t really want to say how many, actually, because I’ve been doing the job longer than some of my coworkers have been alive. Which basically means that I have seen plenty over my many years in the field.

    I also have heard plenty, and some of these things really get under my skin. Here are some things that I am tired of hearing, along with everyone else in veterinary medicine.

    You work Saturdays?

    Yes, as a veterinary technician, I work Saturdays. I also work evenings and certain holidays.

    In fact, at one of my jobs, I was on call all weekend long! It didn’t matter what time someone called. If you were on call, you were going in. I have worked Christmas and Thanksgiving, and even had to leave an event I was attending one weekend to help with a surgery on a patient.

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    You aren’t open today?

    So, besides the fact that your family and friends aren’t happy when you work Saturdays and holidays, people are also not happy when you aren’t open at night to help them. If they need someone at eight o’clock at night, they want their veterinary team to be there for them. The same goes for holidays and weekends.

    I’m sorry, but there are emergency clinics for that. In fact, many are open twenty-four hours a day because regular veterinarians can’t keep up with the needs of their patients. Even they can’t keep up with the pure need in the field.

    You are only in it for the money.

    I’m so tired of hearing this one. Nobody goes into veterinary medicine to make money. In fact, you might be shocked at how little we are paid. We definitely don’t make what our counterparts do on the human side. Most can’t afford to live on their own. They need someone else to manage the bills.

    So, when you are looking at the bill at your veterinary office, don’t take it out on the person who makes less than you do, with all the stress that comes along with sick patients and angry clients. They do the job because they love it, not for the paycheck.

    You shouldn’t be in veterinary medicine because you don’t care.

    I don’t hear this one as much as some of the others, but it is still said to veterinary teams all over the country. This usually gets shouted because we aren’t able to get your pet in RIGHT THIS SECOND for something that has been going on for WEEKS or even MONTHS!

    Trust me, we try to help as many patients as we can, but there comes a limit. And trust me, even more, our limit was reached weeks ago, and we still keep adding sick patients into our appointment book, with nowhere to put them. We are seeing more patients than ever, yet we still can’t see everyone who calls. We are just overwhelmed by the number of people who need us.

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    My regular veterinarian can’t get us in. Can you?

    I hear this pretty regularly. It really makes me wonder. If your regular veterinarian can’t see you, why do we have to? Again, our appointments are full for weeks, and you want us to squeeze you in even though you aren’t going to ever come back? Go to the emergency clinic. If it can’t wait, you may require more care than we can provide.

    Working in veterinary medicine can be a great joy. You can help so many patients. However, you also get to see the nasty side of people. I never imagined that people would say I am only in it for the money or that I don’t care enough. The truth is that I am BURNT OUT, along with pretty much everyone else in veterinary medicine. Yet, we keep showing up to work and doing our best, day after day!

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    Can’t get enough? Catch up on the other parts right here!

    The original: Things Vet Techs (And Vets) Are Tired of Hearing

    The second part: More Things Vet Techs (And Vets) Are Tired of Hearing

    The third part: Even More Things Vet Techs (And Vets) Are Tired of Hearing

    The last one (I think): Some More Things Vet Techs (And Vets) Are Tired of Hearing

    This series was so popular, I started a second one. You can check up on them here!

    The original: Things Vet Techs (and Vets) Want Pet Owners To Know

    The second part: More Things Vet Techs (and Vets) Want Pet Owners To Know

    The third part: Even More Things Vet Techs (and Vets) Want Pet Owners To Know

    Followed by: Choose the Right Pet

    The last one: We Don’t Want To Talk About Money

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    Please note that the information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. Although I am a veterinary professional, this blog should not be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice. 

    If your pet is experiencing a medical problem or concern, please contact a veterinary health professional immediately. 

  • Why Your Pet Needs Annual Examinations

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    When you receive the card in the mail indicating that your pet is due for vaccines and an annual examination, you may wonder if this is really necessary. Your dog or cat may be very healthy, and you may not see the need to schedule an appointment to take them to the veterinarian. That being said, it is crucial to take your pet to the veterinarian when they are due for an annual examination.

    Here are some reasons why your pet needs to have an annual examination.

    It helps to develop a relationship with your veterinarian.

    Both you and your pet will have the opportunity to meet a veterinarian and her team, allowing you to feel comfortable asking questions when you need help.

    You will also know who to call in the event of an emergency.

    If you get home and find that your dog has been vomiting all over your home, you will know who to call. Even if they aren’t able to squeeze you in (or they aren’t open), they should have a phone number of a local emergency veterinarian that they trust.

    Your veterinarian will be able to establish what is normal (and what isn’t normal with your pet).

    Whether you decide to do blood work or not, your veterinarian will learn more about your pet during an examination. He or she will learn what is normal for your pet and what isn’t.

    This will help your veterinarian catch something early.

    Your veterinarian will conduct a thorough examination to determine if your pet is experiencing any health issues. They may be able to identify something early, such as a mass or an abnormality in the blood work. At this point, it may be easier to treat (and more likely to be successful). It will also cost less money!

    When your pet comes in for its annual examination, it will ensure that it receives the necessary vaccines.

    This is important to protect both your pet and your family. You shouldn’t let your pet’s vaccines get overdue.

    You will also know that you are doing everything necessary to keep your pet healthy.

    Your veterinarian and his or her team will be able to talk to you about their recommendations, including the best food, as well as what flea and tick prevention and heartworm prevention that you should be using.

    The annual examination also gives you a chance to talk to your veterinarian about the things that are bothering you.

    You can talk about his or her weight, any nutrition questions that you may have, as well as any health concerns that you are worried about.

    That being said, senior pets should really have an examination every six months. Here are some reasons why.

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    Senior pets age much quicker than their younger counterparts.

    They seem to get health problems that go downhill quickly. This can include arthritis and trouble getting around, as well as kidney disease, heart failure, liver disease, and much more.

    By having an examination every six months, you can help your senior pet stay as healthy as possible.

    Your veterinarian will continue to look for potential problems, aiming to catch them early. By doing this, you are helping your senior pet have the best life possible.

    So, what does your veterinarian look for in an examination?

    Your veterinarian will examine your pet from head to tail, and everything in between.

    He or she will look at your pet’s eyes and ears to make sure that they are free of infection.

    Any swelling and redness will be examined to ensure your pet is comfortable again.

    Your veterinarian will listen to your pet’s heart and lungs.

    At this time, please let them know if your pet has been coughing, sneezing, or is having trouble breathing.

    He or she will do a thorough examination of your pet’s skin.

    Your veterinarian will examine your pet for any patches of hair loss and shedding. He or she will look for itchiness and a change in color, which may occur if your pet digs at its skin.

    Your veterinarian will feel your pet’s abdomen.

    He or she will feel for the kidneys, liver, and even for any masses that may be in your pet’s abdomen.

    Your veterinarian will also look at the health of your pet’s mouth.

    Dental disease is a significant problem in both dogs and cats, as many owners are unable to brush their pets’ teeth.

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    If you have an older dog, you may want to have blood work done to check its values. Here are some reasons why you should consider this.

    You will be able to figure out baseline values for your pet.

    If he or she ever did have problems, you would know what his or her normal values were.

    You can catch problems early.

    You may be able to detect kidney disease in its early stages, allowing you to treat it and slow down the progression of the disease.

    You may even need to have blood work done to ensure that your pet can safely take a certain medication.

    Your veterinarian may request blood work, as some medications can be harsh on your pet’s kidneys and liver. He or she will want to ensure that your pet is healthy enough to take it, then recheck it to confirm that it isn’t causing any harm to them.

    You are also going to want to make sure that your pet is able to go under anesthesia before you put him or her through it.

    Since anesthesia will put a strain on your pet, you are going to want to make sure that he or she doesn’t have any underlying issues preventing you from doing so.

    Although you may not want to take your pet to the veterinarian every year (or even every six months), it is really important. You will want to have someone you trust when you really need them. It also helps to catch things early, which gives you the best chance at fixing the problem (or at least slowing it down).

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    Please note that the information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. Although I am a veterinary professional, this blog should not be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice. 

    If your pet is experiencing a medical problem or concern, please contact a veterinary health professional immediately.