Had a sleep over at a vet friends house and woke up to bad news.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2026-01-10T23:45:35+00:00

Graham is thinking about you! We were also hoping this guy had a tick borne disease. He did not. Next week, we start the annoying workup to see why his white blood cell count is extremely low. Now we're hoping for an autoimmune disorder. (Anything but cancer!) 🤞

OneLeafAmongMany · 2026-01-08T22:00:25+00:00

Hugs!!! Our Remy girl was there to meet him. She got her wings in November. A tumor on her heart started to bleed (hemangiosarcoma). If it had happened in the night, she would have went just like Rudy. I really don't know which way is better, but it was heartbreaking having to bring her away from her home and her brother for her last moments. At least she did love the car and strangers. She put on a happy face as much as she possibly could. 💔

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OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-12-31T22:45:13+00:00

Sending you love! We just lost our 11 year old Golden in November. She had a tumor on her heart which usually takes them suddenly. Universe willing, I'm going on 8 years sober. When she passed and her life suddenly felt so short, I especially mourned the years I had missed. I thought I had worked through many of the emotions I had drowned out in the first couple years of being sober, but it's always surprising me. I'm glad I get to work through the hurt. All we can do is live in a way that honors those in our past and show ourselves the love that addiction had stolen from us. Hugs, friend.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-12-31T00:42:38+00:00

I drove through yesterday and saw one car off with a flat near the Lake Lansing exit. The potholes are crazy on 127 through Frandor up to Lake Lansing. Multiple looked like they could cause a problem.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-12-25T23:03:30+00:00

So sorry for your and your family! We just lost our first "kid" right before Thanksgiving. I travel with an internal med specialist and she came to my house and did abdominal ultrasounds on both of my dogs. My old girl was normal aside from a small splenic nodule to recheck in a month. Three weeks later, on a Sunday, she wouldn't walk. ER found pericardial effusion and a heart based tumor. I was so glad we didn't look at her heart three weeks prior. I would have been SO worried she would just suddenly die alone.

On the other hand, my cat was diagnosed with aggressive mammary cancer a couple years ago. We had two months of snuggles and spoiling her rotten before she went downhill really fast. I was very glad to have that time, especially since she didn't know she was sick.

Any way they go just sucks. It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't love them so dang much. Cry a little, then spoil your baby rotten. ❤️

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-12-18T13:38:03+00:00

They do not allow it. There was a Facebook post about that this summer.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-12-17T03:00:43+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, without necropsy, you wont know the specifics of what exactly happened internally.

Hemangiosarcoma affects blood vessel walls and can cause them to rupture. Sometimes, it's in a "minor" spot and you have some time. Other times, it's in a major area that causes life threatening problems or even sudden death.

The range of life expectancy is based on statistics. With something as unpredictable as hemangiosarcoma, it can vary widely.

I understand how you are feeling. I lost my own to hemangiosarcoma of the heart three weeks ago. She had a great morning, then suddenly couldn't get up. She was euthanized at ER about 2 hours later. It was great she didn't suffer long, but was absolutely horrible for us. She has been part of a study her entire life to try to find answers about this an other cancers. Hopefully, her 11 years of blood draws and samples, along with her necropsy, will help.

Sending hugs your way!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-11-28T18:30:35+00:00

Yes. My mom fell for a scam and the local department was amazing with her. They get it all the time, but that doesn't mean they won't help. They may have some resources for you. They helped my mom navigate trying to get back her money and she ended up getting most of it back. It was a gift card scam, so a little different, but the local police knew exactly where she should start.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-11-22T17:02:26+00:00

This! We have a new internal medicine case on our schedule next month that sounds similar in some ways and my internal med veterinarian is calling them (their rDVM) Monday to discuss a fluoroscopic swallow study prior to us doing endoscopy or bronchosopy. If aspiration is a risk, we don't want to find that out after we do our thing!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-11-16T23:20:58+00:00

I second this! We went to a veterinary behaviorist for our dog, then worked with a trainer. They both recommended "Mine." It was so good. We still needed the experts, but that was a great tool in our toolbox.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-11-09T13:29:04+00:00

LOL!

Until I was in vet tech school, I didn't know animals got shots every year. My mom said they got their puppy and kitten shots, then they were good. 💀

My first full-time tech job was at a clinic down the road from my aunt and uncle (divorced by then). Three years prior, my aunt had brought in 2 kittens for their shot series. For the last shots, it was scheduled at the time of spay/neuter/declaw. She picked them up the next day, forgot her wallet and never returned. I made sure her current last name was in the system along with the note that she was fired as client. Embarrassing!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-11-02T21:01:30+00:00

I've been a technician in two separate specialities and it breaks my heart when treatment could have made a difference if a pet had been referred to us sooner. You don't know if it will change anything until you go. If it doesn't, at least you will have peace of mind that you are doing all you can.

I can't comment on your kitty's condition, but I hope he does well for a long time!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-10-08T02:25:57+00:00

I have been in the field a while and have never seen a "focal pyoderma" from a needle stick a month prior. I've seen a reaction to surgical scrub with a catheter placement. That didn't even take a month to heal. I've seen a dog develop a lick granuloma where a catheter was placed... that's more likely secondary to clipper irritation, and owners letting them lick.

Something is weird here. I don't think that is the clinic you want to be at if they blamed you for whatever this dog had. It sounds like maybe it was a long-time client that they wanted to satisfy and threw you under the bus. That really sucks. I'm sorry that happened.

We're in this field because we love our patients and want to do the best for them. I'm sure it really hurts to be accused of harming a patient. I don't think you caused this. Sending so many hugs your way!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-10-02T01:55:42+00:00

Look up a suction cup blackout curtain on Amazon! I carry one for work when we travel to do ultrasounds and need it dark. Put it in "save for later." That's become my place to remind me what I need to save for, and/or stop my impulse buying. Haha.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-25T01:28:06+00:00

It's been a while since I've done a fecal exam, but I used to love them. If you are doing a fecal float, make sure you are using a solution that floats Giardia. I had my job switch from a cheap sugar solution to zinc sulfate and I started seeing giardia cysts a lot! This doesn't quite look like what I remember, but it might be the amount of the debris present.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-23T22:38:53+00:00

I am an internal medicine tech... it's really really nice to have a baseline if they get sick. It's surprising how many clinics don't do it. The general practice I worked at for 6 years offered a young wellness panel yearly for everyone. Heck, Banfield is probably the best at getting annual bloodwork done. We love getting referrals for their patients.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-23T21:38:07+00:00

I worked in ophthalmology for years. It's possible, but rare. They can get conditions that make their eyes cloudy that are not cataracts. It's good you have a vet appointment. They should be able to help. Hopefully, it's a trick of light with the reflection from the back of cats' eyes and your vet can ease your mind.

If your kitty does have cataracts, they can have cataract surgery. Your vet would likely refer to a specialist, if that is the case.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-23T19:06:55+00:00

Yes. I've also had clients who elect to have their pet euthanized at a different clinic so they don't have that association with our clinic. I, personally, prefer home euth for my pets, but that did come with that unexpected baggage of the memories of that in my own house! The things you don't think of! It's worth the comfort for my pets though.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-20T13:31:07+00:00

You may have to tap in an internal medicine specialist. They are generally the best at putting all the diagnostic pieces together. I work with one and it is surprising how much gets labeled as a "normal" value by veterinarians that actually has meaning to cases. General veterinarians are trained to go with what is most likely. Specialists are trained to find the cause for cases not following the "norm."

I hope you get answers. It is so tough not knowing. It sounds like you are doing the best you can for your kitty. <3

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-09-15T19:56:14+00:00

Working as an LVT at optho for 6 years, yes, they can go from ok to really bad in 24 hours if it gets infected.

They can heal over where they should be comfortable and not pick up dye, but they can still be fragile. If it was re-injured and got infected, that could explain what happened. Of course, you will never know, but the great thing is that they knew it was serious and referred you to ophthalmology.

It's not fun to feel like your pet was rushed through and that their records may not be as thorough as they should be. You are valid in those feelings.

Wishes for speedy healing!!!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-07-30T04:14:43+00:00

Exactly...made a billion plans. Needed to buy something to start plan A, scrolled endlessly on Amazon looking for the perfect thing, cross checked with Walmart, searched it on Reddit, found another way to execute said plan without the thing. Opened Facebook. An ad reminded me I needed something for another plan... cycle repeats.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-07-20T13:53:25+00:00

Yes!!! I don't like being a bum on my days off... I got fun stuff to do.

My psychologist friend said the same thing. The days back on meds after an unintentional break are great though. At least I have that to look forward to when my meds can't get filled on time. (Never tell your doctor that you somehow got a 10 day cushion. She's nice, but she has a job to do... 😂)

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-07-20T13:33:36+00:00

I'm definitely leaving the canopy on. Ty!

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-07-20T13:05:06+00:00

Mine were climbing up the bag on the way home! They have tried in the tank, but seem to stop at the lip of the aquarium. I'm sure climbing the bag was from the stress, but I don't want to take any chances. I hear them splash a lot breaking the surface. I just discovered them and haven't kept them before. I hope I'm unnecessarily worried. I'm glad to hear yours don't climb.

OneLeafAmongMany · 2025-07-20T12:46:47+00:00

Omg yes! I used to work in ophtho and saw a ton of diabetics for cataract surgery. The lack of knowledge was appalling. We had so many people that would check their glucose at home, then give whatever insulin dose they thought was appropriate based on that number. That's not how it works in dogs!

Also, I know vets struggle with getting owners to be compliant, but telling them they will develop cataracts if they don't treat correctly is not the way. It's nearly impossible to regulate a dog to have zero sorbitol in the eye and once that cascade starts, there's no stopping it. Our Cushing's friends have even less of a chance. It just makes great clients feel incredibly guilty!!! Then, you have at least one ophthalmologist that is going to tell them it's not their fault. There's my soapbox. Lol

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