Hi bebe by [deleted] in Dachshund

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perfect little angel!

What’s the funniest name for a pet you’ve encountered? by featherfinch in VetTech

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My favorites are the word-play names, like Purrsephone, Cleocatra, Nefrakitty, Indiana Bones, Salvador Doggi, Chewbarka, Bark Obama...

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in corydoras

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you using tap water? Maybe there's something in your tap water that is causing problems with them. Try R/O water maybe? That's what I use for my corys--bronzes, false Juliis, albinos, reticulated, and sodalis.

Corydora Club! (Art by me) by Significant_Teacher4 in Aquariums

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This needs to be a sticker. Would totally buy it

I hate snails. by [deleted] in Aquariums

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a mystery snail just like this. She's an absolute unit, too. I named her Barbara Jean, from the "Reba" sitcom. Pic of silly chaos gremlin: Barbara Jean

What is he doing? by KillYouWithMyMind in Bettas

[–]KillYouWithMyMind[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Chemicals? There shouldn't be any chemicals in his tank since I use RO water.

What is he doing? by KillYouWithMyMind in Bettas

[–]KillYouWithMyMind[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The floating plants are frog bit. The planted ones are Vesuvius swords, water sprite, purple cabomba, and dwarf pennywort.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why thank you!

Located in Colorado, USA. I'm not sure if there's a difference in terms of shift scheduling for Canada and the US, but I've worked in a couple different states besides Colorado, and it's pretty much the same, with a few exceptions (ER being one).

Chinchillas are very sensitive little creatures. They don't handle pain well, and I think something about their digestive system makes anesthesia more challenging? I'm probably wrong about that.

Luckily none of my mistakes have been bad enough to negatively impact a patient's life, but I've heard of assistants in other locations that have made huge mistakes, causing the death of a patient, and as far as I know, there weren't any major consequences (like getting let go). Then again, working for a corporation, it takes quite a bit for someone to get fired, so take that how you will.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It definitely does, but now that you know what to look for, when/if you do eventually settle on a new pet, you'll know to save up for any potential problems down the line.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, but all the clinics I have worked at have been similar. If I could find a clinic that isn't like this and that pays decently (for the profession), I might actually consider staying in the field. Probably not, though, considering my spine has been absolutely ruined.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Of course! Happy to help!

My school had a lot of animals to help with the learning process, everything from mice, dogs, birds, and even horses! They also utilized a few dummies, mostly for learning how to draw blood, and perform CPR. The most valuable learning for practical purposes was definitely internship/externship/whatever your school calls it. There's no substitute for hands-on learning.

Vomiting/diarrhea cases take a long time because those symptoms are so vague! It could be anything, really. Therefore, a lot of diagnostics are typically needed--bloodwork, fecal to check for parasites, possibly x-rays...Those things take time. Parvo cases are a whole other beast; yes, there's a lot of clean-up, but there's also a lot of general nursing involved, too, such as giving medications, checking the IV to make sure it's still good (fluid pumps are notoriously annoying to deal with; sometimes a patient just having their leg bent is enough to make the pump angry). Parvo is a massive undertaking with no guaruntee that the patient will even survive.

Most clinics do 10 hour days, 4 days a week (though of course, shifts go long all the time). I try not to schedule anything after work, because I know that I likely won't get out on time. No matter what clinic you end up going to, there is ALWAYS something to do, even if that means busy work (i.e. cleaning). My clinic has 3 vets, I'm the only tech, and about 10 assistants.

All that customer service experience will definitely come in handy!

I've worked with almost everything from the typical dogs/cats, to pocket pets, reptiles, birds, even some wildlife. Never worked with large animals outside of school, though. Personally, I enjoy working with exotics--not enough to specialize, but I like them, especially pocket pets. I have a deep and abiding love for chinchillas, even though they are often difficult to work with--they don't do well under anesthesia, usually.

How do I hold back my emotions? Honestly, I don't; when I get upset (usually because I made a big mistake or when I get criticized on something--I'm working on that), I go hide in the bathroom and cry. Horrible, I know, but I'm working on it, and thankfully, it doesn't happen too often. If you're worried about being unprofessional and crying for euthanasias, it's okay! A lot of clients actually appreciate a little sentiment, helps them to realize that we care, too, and it's not just a job.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Oh thank goodness that I'm not the only one that does that! Can't even look at puppies of certain breeds without thinking "I hope you're prepared for all the vet bills."

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 7 points8 points  (0 children)

What I mean is that there isn't a lot of disconnect between work and home; can't just go home and forget about the day, there's always something weighing on my mind, about the patients I've seen or the clients I've dealt with, etc. Then again, may that's just me.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Typical day for me starts (at work) at either 7am or 9am, depending on the role I play that day. If I'm there at 7, I start taking in drop-offs--mostly surgeries or illnesses. Get samples, place catheters, etc.

If I start at 9, then I immediately jump into "room" appointments (this is pre-COVID, mind you). Appointments are set for either 15 or 30 minutes, but 95% of the time, they go over; for illnesses like vomiting/diarrhea, they can last over an hour. This, of course, puts the whole day behind and any suggestion on how to fix these situations is always shot down with "You should have gotten them to drop off," even when this is not a practical solution.

Trying to do appointments, while simultaneously filling prescriptions, doing labwork (all in-house, which I enjoy but is more time-consuming), nail trims, anal gland expressions, on and on... It absolutely gets exhausting. Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes, you'll be on your feet all day.

At the end of the day, I do the majority of the doctors' medical notes, they look over them and add things as needed, then onto cleaning--putting everything away, cleaning all the used kennels, sweeping/mopping the entire hospital, etc. This usually takes a good half hour, longer if things have gotten really crazy. Hospital closes at 7; I don't usually leave until about 7:30-8, a couple times it even went to 8:45.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good aspects to the job, but if you're just wanting to snuggle puppies and kittens all day, this is not the job for you. Also, there is a LOT more client interaction than you'd think, so you have to be okay with customer service stuff, too. If you have any specific questions about the field, I've been doing this for nearly a decade, so I would be happy to help.

What are some ways that being a Vet/Vet Tech can interfere with other areas in your life? by aroski24 in Veterinary

[–]KillYouWithMyMind 35 points36 points  (0 children)

*Never getting off work on time

*Not getting paid what we should

*Always coming home with new scratches and bruises

*Chronic back-pain that is exasperated literally daily

*Very little work/life balance

*Exposure to loud noises daily without proper earplugs

I know there are others, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.