busy day at the vet surgery

I knew it was a bad omen for the day when I arrived at work at 8.00am to find three clients in the carpark waiting to be seen. The first dog had been fitting through the night and already on a high dose of phenobarbitone, the owners where very upset and we where discussing treament options when the dog starting fitting again, the owner had seen the dog fit many times but the mother had never seem the dog fit and she was quite upset and thought the son was being cruel keeping the dog alive. I gave the dog Valium i/v to settle the dog and give the owners time to think. Eventually they decided to euthanse the dog with much heartache involved. Next lady had been waiting all that time since opening and she had a chihuahua that could no longer stand on its back legs and was also starting to drink more water, again I discussed treatment options and she also decieded for euthanasia. A terrible start to Monday morning, next consult was labeled "cancer patient getting worse. I dreaded it being 3 out of 3. We had removed a lump from Goldie 5 months ago and now the lumps where coming back with a vengenace, they did not want surgery or chemotherapy or euthanasia. They just wanted to make her comfortable, I recommended pain relief and high protien , high fat diet. They where pleased with that advice, and I was pleased that I did not have a third euthanasia for the morning. Next we had admissions from the emergency center with two ticks cases, and general admissions, 2 dentals and cyst removal. we then had a laboured breathing dog that we could not find a tick on. The first dental was a new client, the dog had terrible breath, apparently it had been like that for 3 months, their local vet had quoted them $500 to give a GA and inspects it mouth. When we opened the mouth we found a very smelly stick lodged between its molars, this poor dog had a stick in it mouth for 3 months and nobody did anything! we did the next dental and cyst removal as routine, then we where going to xray the laboured breathing dog when we found a tick after several people had been looking for it. Paralysis tick cases are always tricky, I had already started to give tick serum when it started to shake, So I stopped and gave more dexapent and antihistamine to prevent reaction. Next was a cat clip that had diarrohea, as we clipped it we found its back end covered in maggots. we also two cases of young entire male dogs today that had sore paws from jumping fences. Finally about 5.45 pm I stopped for some lunch, tired and famished, and at last a chance to catch up on paper work. another crazy day in the life of a vet.

Marley and Me

I watched "Marley and Me" For the first time tonight with my family. We laughed and cried like we have not for a long time. We could relate to so many moments as we have 3 children and a Labrador. "Marley and Me" is a great story about our life with dogs and reminds me of the reasons I love dogs. The reason I love dogs is that have a great exuberant happiness, especially Labradors. It is the reason I still really enjoy being a vet. I also really enjoy it when I met great pets that bring joy and happiness to the people who own them. The end of the movie was very sad and there was lots of tears in our house, I certainly had a lump in my throat as I watched, but I also thought it was a beautiful end. As a vet I am often there at the end and it always a privilege to witness how much people really loved their dogs. I noted that Marley closed his eyes at the end, when in reality their eyes open up, sometimes to the distress of the owner. After listening to people grieve their lost pets, I decided to do something to help people and I set up a website to promote pet loss counselling http://www.petsandpeople.com.au/. In Conclusion I thought "Marley and Me" was one of the best family movies ever and will be much loved for a long time.

speying a 41kg fat labrador on heat.

I came into work this morning and looked at the surgery list, at first I thought great only 1 surgery, but then I looked again, it was booked in as 41kg Labrador possibly in heat. I thought that is crazy doing that surgery. Well the nurse said the owner was coming for a consult and if I thought it was the wrong time to do the surgery I should tell her. I did see the dog coming in and I thought her was was my chance to talk her out of the surgery. But I was busy and the graduate vet admited the lab for surgery, apparently the owner was adament the surgery should be done as the dog was prolapsing her vagina every other heat and now it was coming back on heat. Well I got ready after I had finished consultations, turned the radio up and started my challenge for the day. She was certainly fat and lots of bleeding with every thing I touched, the ovarian ligament was also very tough, and the ovarian blood vessels were coated in fat. but bit by bit I tied each piece off. One hour later I finished the surgery, where it would normally it would take me 20 - 30 minutes to spey a dog. The Lab recovered well throughout the day and I felt satisfed I had overcome the great challenges of everyday vet life " speying a fat 41kg labrador on heat"

Ruff Ruff eats dark chocolate.

It was my birthday today. 41 and very happy with life, I had a great day, we came home from school and my beuatiful children gave me all these great gifts including a block of dark chocolate 70% Coacca. I kept opening other cards, then I got up and found Ruff Ruff chewing on my Chocalate bar. I knew that some small dogs have died from eating dark chocolate so I had to act immediatley, I knew that I should give Ruff Ruff some apomorphine to vomit up the chocalate but I don't keep apomorphine in my vet kit at home, So I rang some local vets but they had none, So I rang Sherwood Vet surgery and they said they could help. I took Ruff Ruff down and gave him apomorphine and he vomited up all that dark chocolate, the staff there where very helpful, Ruff Ruff recovered well and we finally could go onto my Mum's house for a birthday roast Dinner.

Our pet angel fish died today

Our angel fish has been looking a bit sick for the last few days, swimming upside down and on his side. But today the angel fish died. Claire cried and insisted upon a burial for the fish in the morning, but I thought it was pretty important to for the burial to go ahead tonight. we out to the front Garden with a torch and dug a hole in the ground and said a pray for the fish as we layed him in the hole. It was a moving Family moment, Patrick went inside and had a good cry with his mum.
I think that is the first time we have had a pet death in the Family and I was suprised by our children reaction considering how little time they generally have for the fish. All good family bonding moments

A dog's purpose

I received this story today from Dr Tom Cat. I really like it because shows how sometimes children have great wisdom about pets
A Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).
Being a veterinarian, he had been called to examine a thirteen-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
He examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer, it had spread through the body, and Belker was suffering. He told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As he made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told him they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, Doc felt the familiar catch in his throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that he wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. They sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''
Startled, they all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned everyone. Doc had never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way he would live and think.
Shane said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued,
''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Cat Joke, A cat died and went to heaven.

A cat died and went to Heaven. God met her at the gates and said, 'You have been a good cat all these years. Anything you want is yours for the asking.'


The cat thought for a minute and then said, 'All my life I lived on a farm and slept on hard wooden floors. I would like a real fluffy pillow to sleep on.'

God said, 'Say no more.' Instantly the cat had a huge fluffy pillow

A few days later, six mice were killed in an accident and they all went to Heaven together. God met the mice at the gates with the same offer that He made to the cat

The mice said, 'Well, we have had to run all of our lives: from cats, dogs, and even people with brooms! If we could just have some little roller skates, we would not have to run again.'
God answered, 'It is done.' All the mice had beautiful little roller skates.

About a week later, God decided to check on the cat. He found her sound asleep on her fluffy pillow. God gently awakened the cat and asked, 'Is everything okay? How have you been doing? Are you happy?'

The cat replied, 'Oh, it is WONDERFUL. I have never been so happy in my life. The pillow is so fluffy, and those little Meals on Wheels you have been sending over are delicious!'

Ruff Ruff my dog cuts his ear.

Yesterday my wife went out walking with the dogs, and came home early with Ruff ruff bleeding from his ear. He ran into the bushes okay and came out with a torn ear. We placed a bandage around his ear and I booked Ruff ruff into the vet surgery I was working at the next day. It certainly feel different looking after your own pet, and was certainly more emotional. After surgery was finsihed I held Ruff ruff like a baby as he was waking up. The nurses gave me heaps but I felt better really giving Ruff ruff some special attention.

When does the stray cat become your pet?

A lady brought a cat in today that she said was a stray cat, it had torn open its foot and needed surgery, what could I do? She said they had been feeding it for 4 months, but not allowing it into the house. I believe you should either deceide to own the pet or take it to a shelter. She said that she did not own the cat, the cat owns her. which may be true in the cat world, but people need to take responsibilty for cats. I quoted her $300 for treatment of the cat, but she was unable/unwilling to pay for that treatment.

We then had to ring the RSPCA to come and collect the cat. It was quite sad because she had named the cat "Dreyfus" and was tearful about saying goodbye. Surely then it must have been her cat, once you give it a name, once you feel attached to the cat. Lots of people acquire cats this way.

We found my cat Aussie under a industrial bin outside a Milk Factory, He was only 8 weeks old, we searched for an owner, but when none could be found we knew he was our cat. Any way that is my message "Own the stray cat or take it to shelter, do not feed stray cats."

Community of vets form desexing clinic

The vets of Logan city have won the contract to provide the Logan Pound with a desexing and microchiping clinic. The main aim is to reduce euthanasia of unwanted pets. This a great victory of a community working together for a better outcome.

As far as I know no study has shown that cheaper desexing reduced euthanasia rates. But some action is required to reduce numbers, hopefully a well done marketing and education campaign that focuses on responsibility for the life of a pet will also have an impact on unwanted pets.

The Logan pound has built a vet clinic next to them. It will only be used for desexing and microchiping so that it will not impact on the business of vets around them. If an animal requires treatment they will be redirected to their local vet clinic. The clinic will begin operations in late September.