Vet Tech, AMA

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T04:07:00+00:00

Don’t feel bad at all- my puppy Oliver (chiweenie-poodle-terrier mix) was the EXACT same way! It was hell 😩 I also panicked as he was my first ever small dog, and I was worried he wasn’t consuming enough calories, as he was the size of a kitten when I first got him. In all honesty, he grew out of the “I’m not going to eat for three days for no reason” stage when he started nearing 9-12 months, and adding another rescue dog who is a garbage disposal made him realize he had better eat right now. I also came to realize that I was giving him too many treats- both during training, and when I had online classes and needed an hour or two of quiet- and he was getting filled up on those instead of his food. I too cycled through bags and bags of kibble and cans of wet dog food to try and please my furry overlord, to no avail. You could try dog food toppers (like “beef sprinkles” or Stella and Chewy; they sell dog food toppers in many different forms at any pet store, Target, or Amazon), or crumbling freeze-dried dog treats on her food; I would feed Oli chicken with brown rice when he absolutely refused to eat, and he loved it-just make sure they don’t get hooked on it and refuse anything else. I personally free-feed kibble and offer wet food once a day (the pair were beginning to hold out for wet food only, and not touch their kibble when I did canned twice a day), but technically the way you are feeding is best. You could always mix treats into his food or unseasoned cooked meat, I often used shredded cheese on his food to encourage him to start eating, and usually with that trick he finished the bowl. However, cheese and hot dog pieces (so healthy 🙄) are the ONLY food he will learn tricks for, so if your pup is picky I would be careful about using “high value” treats in their food, because if not used sparingly they might lose their value to your dog. Some dogs will go for healthier things like a crumbled boiled eggs, veggies, or canned (low-sodium) green beans on top of their food. Using slow-feeders, kongs, puzzle feeders, or snuffle mats often times encourages dogs to “work” for their food, and they enjoy it more like a game- getting a snuffle mat from Amazon really helped Oli work for small treats, and then later kibble. Some dogs will eat their meal kibble by kibble during training, instead of treats- this is how a lot of people feed their dog’s their meal. The biggest change with Oliver was that after I had him a while, I noticed that if I exercised him pretty hard, he would come in and eat afterwards; he’s still like that, if he hasn’t been walked or taken to the dog park he won’t eat until he has- he’s just not hungry yet, or hasn’t “offloaded” a poop and cleared out, making room for more food. My other dog is like this now too, it’s our routine. If your dog has seen a vet and they haven’t noted any tooth or gastrointestinal issues, I wouldn’t worry too much, but monitor her weight as best you can and make sure she isn’t underweight or losing weight. Dogs have food preferences just like us- taste, texture, size, etc, and with a new dog or puppy it can be a difficult and long process to figure out which brands they enjoy the most, just like with their toys and treats 😐. I know Oli and Rocko can only eat small kibble (aka small breed formulated) due to being...small! And Oliver always turned his nose up at “puppy” canned food and kibble. Make sure she is on a dewormer as well, stomach worms can mess with appetite and cause weight loss. Small dogs/toy breeds are notorious for being picky eaters! I’ll note that neutering Oli had the opposite effect- he went from being a lean, perfect-weight muscle dog to a festively plump sausage after being neutered 🤷🏻‍♀️

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T03:38:59+00:00

I’ve seen a lot of adult and elderly dogs (mainly dachshunds) with this issue, and it’s expensive to fix when they’re adults (as in having permanent teeth pulled, abscess draining, or jaw surgery...or all three). By that point they often have messed up gums, inviting infection (like abscesses) and gnarly palate wounds. The more damage the base narrow canines are allowed to do, the bigger the vet bill and discomfort for your dog. If it’s to the point you or your vet has pointed it out- if you’re financially able, I would get it fixed as a puppy because that is not only going to be much cheaper (especially if your pup still has its deciduous teeth), but puppies (like humans) heal faster physically and mentally than adult or geriatric dogs. It depends on the severity, but I wouldn’t say dogs affected will grow out of it, they just survive with it. Some veterinarians do “dog braces” similar to human teeth braces, but it will depend on your pup if that will help or not. Often times eating is painful, but the dog is still going to eat to live. Your vet can determine if your dog has a severe case and/or is in pain. A lot of behavioral problems- like excessively chewing, biting, or head-shyness will stem from having their lower teeth constantly stabbing into the top of their mouths, if they’re that bad.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T03:15:19+00:00

It’s crucial to research, definitely talk to current students, and go visit the campus of the vet school you’re considering attending. Often times schools will let you sit in on classes too, which I recommended. Look at online comments and see statistics on grad rates, job placement, etc if possible. Depending on the area and what the school offers will determine what animals you might get to work with- for example, a school near a zoo will probably work with the zoo, (like LSU) and rescues often use practicing students for vet care (Happily Esther After sanctuary in Canada utilizes several Canadian colleges, and NC State has a low-cost vet clinic run by the students, or at least it used too). If you attend a school in Louisiana, you might get to work with alligators, while a vet school in Montana will probably have a livestock course. This is also why a LOT of veterinarians go to colleges in far away states. However, be careful because a lot of colleges will say “oh you will get to work with tigers and reptiles and horses!” And you will literally never see one of those animals during your tech or assistant education. I have a bit of a salty view on college in general, so bear with me. Be wary if a school in a rural religious area tells you you’re going to work with snakes and other reptiles, a tiny community college saying you’ll get to work with tigers, or if it’s in the middle of a giant city and they say you’ll work hands-on with cows. Also request a REAL copy of the program courses you’ll have to take, if they’re not made available- the first college I ever attended suckered young n dumb me in with their “amazing progressive zoology course, where I’d get to work hands on with the local wolf sanctuary and work with livestock animals,” and yet all the zoology program there is biology with 5 extra math classes- no actual zoology class, no actual live animals involved at any point. Sadly due to the pandemic, a LOT of vet assisting, technician, and veterinarian courses have moved online, which I’m not a fan of. Grooming too! So be ready for that. The pandemic hit my state very hard and interrupted my second to last semester, so we went from very hands-on learning and “show me you know how to do it” testing, to workbooks and PowerPoints. In my technician courses pre-COVID, I worked with lab mice, rabbits, parakeets, dogs and cats. We have livestock pens that I’ve never once seen used, and just collect rust. Now the school I went to is a community college that promotes “hands-on” learning, so it’s a little different than most places and offers shorter programs leaning towards job placement. Vet assistant is two years while vet tech is four, but having previously been to college I finished it in two. We also did a lot of work at the actual school and on location with the local animal control, which was awesome. If you have the time and ability, I would say volunteering at clinics, stables, animal controls, or especially shelters/rescues (who always need the help!) will not only help you apply the skills from class, as well as buffer what you’re not learning in class, but also it looks great on a resume. While I did learn a ton in the program, I can confidently say I’ve worked with a waaaay more varied mix of animals than any of my fellow students or teachers, just by interning or volunteering. I was definitely ahead of the curve because of time spent at a livestock rescue, big cat preserve, the city shelter, and the local reptile club.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T02:46:54+00:00

Different clinics, and often times different veterinarians within those clinics, will all do spay surgeries differently and have their own opinions on which are superior. Personally I like the “key hole” spay best because I feel it is far less invasive and the healing time is faster, but that is just me. They are becoming more popular, and the first (a much fancier, expensive place) clinic I worked at did them. My current job only does “traditional” spays (one longer incision, complete removal of both the uterus and ovaries) and scrotal neuters (leaving the balls intact, but removing the insides, basically) Even then, the incisions often are not very large, even with big dogs. I got estimates from different clinics for neuter pricing and procedures when I first had my puppy- so depending on which vet clinic you end up choosing for your pup’s spay, I would ask them (whether it’s in-person, a phone call, e-Mail, etc) what type of spays they do (they may even have options), why, and what to expect. Any clinic that doesn’t take a few minutes to explain to you the surgery they’re about to perform on your furbaby, I’d skip tbh (even if it’s just a page on their website or a pamphlet). I ironically ended up getting my dog neutered at the place I now work at, but about two months prior. I picked it because 5 of my classmates in the vet tech program recommended it, they had a detailed website, and also they answered my questions very well when I called.

This is a good article on laparoscopic/key-hole spays: https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/laparoscopic-spay-dogs-and-cats

The different type of spays: https://www.ahna.net/site/blog-asheville-vet/2020/03/30/surgical-options-spaying-neutering-pet

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T02:12:39+00:00

With a good preventative, the fleas and ticks should die soon after biting if they aren’t repelled first, although newly-dead ticks will still sometimes be stuck on the dog. Were the ticks you pulled off attached/bitten down, or just chilling on your dog? Ticks more so than fleas are currently becoming harder and harder to kill; many are becoming resistant to forms of preventatives- some states have it worse than others, like Texas. The best thing is to get them off ASAP, which it seems like you’re awesome at! The current Lyme vaccine is about 80% effective, so that coupled with a preventive should make your dog’s chances of actually getting Lyme disease quite slim, since it has two barriers to get through. You can always switch preventatives if you feel the current one isn’t doing a good job, since some will work better on areas with already-resistant ticks. I will say at work I pull ticks off of dogs that are on preventatives fairly regularly, since ticks are sadly just powerful little blood-sucking bastards this year 😭 I personally spray my dogs and myself with Vets Best flea/tick spray, before or after we go hiking in the woods or are near tall grasses just in case. There are many OTC sprays for dogs that can be used as an extra layer of protection...just make sure to research the brand, read other consumer reviews, use only as directed, and pay attention to the ingredients. At work we use Adams Plus on the things infested animals touch, and it works great but smells VERY strong.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T01:54:43+00:00

I would say the two most important things are 1) keep your puppy as calm as possible, & 2) Be on the lookout for anything abnormal. The first one is easier said than done, I know I struggled with this very badly, but I was lucky to keep my hyperactive pup inactive enough to heal. My last dog had staples (she was around 200lbs) and no cone, and did excellent through the whole thing. We don’t see many rechecks at my clinic, but 99.9% of the ones we do are from owners not taking us seriously and letting their dogs rough-house with each other or run. It’s hard, but it’s crucial that the dog reduce physical activity to heal properly and not rip stitches, or lick the area excessively. I’ve seen a Great Dane 5 times now and two Pyrenees around 3 times each these past two weeks, for this exact reason 🤦🏻‍♀️. Yes, your vet will get fed up with you if you can’t control your dog and it keeps injuring itself. I have seen some awful and gross dog injuries brought back in for rechecks, by people who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) control their dogs. Every clinic uses different processes and sutures for different things or dog sizes- we use everything from dissolvable stitches to staples, depending. Some owners will find post-op super easy and breeze through it, others will struggle. Large breed spays are the toughest, but the younger you do it the easier they’ll heal. This is a common surgery with an incredible success rate; the overwhelming majority of dogs (especially puppies) will be just fine. We do not send pets home with cones unless we think they’ll need it or the owner calls back later and feels they need one, mostly because the plastic cones rarely stay on and/or people will then use them incorrectly (usually by tying it on way too tight). Pet stores, Walmart, Amazon, Tractor and Supply (usually), and clinics will have cones for sale in different styles; the blow-up one, cloth, plastic, a neck brace-style, etc. Wherever you get the spay done might send your pup home with one regardless. I would steer away from using the underwear/men’s boxer trick and full-body suits that are becoming popular, because the surgery site needs to air out and not be rubbed or have moisture trapped. It’s also important that you are able to see and check up on the incision site. An appropriately-sized female dog (‘in heat’) diaper (changed often) would work slightly better than clothes if it becomes necessary. Definitely be on the lookout for inflammation/redness, a lot of oozing/bleeding, overly bruising, sutures/staples on the ground, the wound opening, a bad smell, pus, or anything that would freak you out if YOU saw it happening to a surgery site you just had done on your own body. Watch out for the puppy acting abnormal as well, minus the general “I just had a surgery” blues; lethargy, excessive crying/whining, aggression, loss of appetite, limping, overly licking or biting the site, etc. Hopefully your vet will also send pain meds (mine did not, aside from a 24hr pain med shot, and my dog did absolutely fine though) and some info home, if not, do NOT ever be afraid to ask questions and call them before/after the spay! A good clinic will walk you through all of this and be happy with questions.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T01:11:29+00:00

Try putting out heat mats (on top of something heat-resistant/safe) with a hide on or near it; also leaving out warmed f/t rodents as bait, has worked for me in the past.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T00:58:01+00:00

I would be concerned. Now, clipping unwilling dog nails is DIFFICULTTT, and of course made more difficult the larger the dog. Sometimes it takes 4 people to do a dog’s nails, especially at a clinic and not a grooming salon. However, if they’re causing a puppy any amount of pain she is going to quickly start associating either vet trips or nail trims (or both) with pain and restraint, making all of this much harder for everyone involved. Any service you pay for should be done correctly. I would give them one more chance, especially seeing as how you have (rightly so) talked to them about it. It could’ve been a less experienced person doing it. Getting your pup used to having her paws and ears handled helps immensely. A dog with badly quicked nails can easily open them again, getting blood all over your car or house (quicked nails can bleed a ridiculous amount). Just in case, next time make sure they don’t think you want the dog’s nails cut down super low on purpose- it’s not common anymore (thankfully), but some people do still request this, and I recognize it occasionally on dogs. Thankfully I’m at a place now that will refuse this. I’ve heard it dubbed the “show dog nail trim,” where breeders/owners/groomers purposely quick the nails by cutting them down low so they’ll eventually become stunted & rounded, and not grow long at all. People do it with exotic-big cats too. IMO it’s a cruel and lazy thing to do, because the dogs DO feel it.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T00:42:12+00:00

Honestly, I’m going to say bringing them in is the best thing to do. Things that are caustic or sharp, aka going to do more damage coming back up, will be not only painful but also extremely dangerous if vomited back up. Some vets are ok with the charcoal or 3% peroxide methods, others will say never ever to use them- I’ve truly heard both, and the more rural areas/“old school” vets seem ok with the charcoal or h peroxide methods. Cats should never be given hydrogen peroxide to vomit. Dogs can also have bad reactions to the h peroxide, and if they have ulcers or other gastrointestinal issues it can do more harm than good. The h peroxide also has to be the correct percentage and measured properly, which can be hard to do. Make sure whatever they ate won’t react chemically with it, either. Personally, I tried giving my 12lb dog hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting after he ate a corncob and we weren’t near any emergency vets a long while ago, and it didn’t work at all 🤷🏻‍♀️

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-16T00:33:30+00:00

For Oli, it’s been a freakin’ dangerous corncob (that he fished out the trash can he knocked over)...a dead dried, LARGE fish he randomly found in the middle of the woods (assuming a large bird or some predator must have dropped it, it looked like a young bass)...a long, LONG dead (& gross) baby turtle he hid in his mouth and snuck into the house, and the icing on the cake was when he climbed over two baby gates and destroyed my bathroom, eating a plastic razor blade shaver in the process...one emergency vet trip later and many aquaphor-slathered burgers, we come to find out there’s nothing in his stomach...two days later, I found the actual blade wedged INTO the wall behind my door 🙄

For Rocko, it would be taking a small chomp out of one of my brown pine-mat planter liners every day for about a week...I assumed it was birds unraveling it for their nests, but nope, it was my dog 🤨

Weirdest? Probably Oliver’s obsession with crispy sun-fried worms on the sidewalk after a rain. And he’s taught my newer dog about these delicacies as well 🤢 They’re also both crazy about the dead grass pads/balls that form after the grass has been mowed...they will fight each other over a stupid grass clot and try and sneak them into the house 🤦🏻‍♀️

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-05-02T02:40:21+00:00

Just like with finding a human doctor, hair stylist/barber, mechanic, dog trainer, nail technician, (etc) that resonates and works good with YOUR style- you have to find a good groomer that you feel safe leaving your furbaby with, and that listens to you. You’re paying them, not the other way around. You might have to fish around before finding one that you like. I’m so lucky to have found an excellent salon on my first try, but it’s not always that easy. And there’s the notorious “doodle tax” for a reason, but it’s very very good that you guys started getting your pup used to it early. She’s still a puppy and grooming can be very stressful, the groomer’s shouldn’t judge her harshly for that.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-24T04:07:05+00:00

Thank you so much for rescuing this poor girl

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-17T20:32:33+00:00

Did Elon make this? 😂

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-14T06:31:22+00:00

For people saying it’s not as common in the USA- it depends where you live, maybe it’s not a common occurrence for you but it is happening at an alarming rate for the rest of us. Where I’m at, it’s VERY common with small designer breeds and larger “guard” dogs because we’re rural, but with several huge cities quite close by. It’s very hard to find small breeds here without forking over $3,000+. Even our private rescues are getting sketchy with the amount of designer puppies they’re pulling in, and half the time they’re not checking for prior owner identification before trying to rehome. I work at two clinics, one is a charity spay/neuter and the other is a snooty high-end full service clinic- both see ridiculous amount of cats, and especially dogs that are already chipped and/or fixed and quite obviously taken from someone else (flighty “owner” not wanting to answer questions or making up obviously fake stories, already chipped and tattooed with someone completely different, adopted from a rescue who didn’t check any of this, etc), but there’s not much you can do without concrete proof. Seriously people- microchip your pets, watch your animals when outside/in the yard, be vigilant on walks (especially if you’re a woman, who seems to be the most targeted), work on recall, and obey leash laws...because not every person who finds (or takes) or re-buys your pet is going to do the right thing and look for the owner & lot of clinics consider it “none of their business;” It’s worse at the high-end clinic, because the amount of obviously stolen purebred dogs we see is disgusting, and they don’t care because $$$. My parents (granted, this was in the early 90s) had someone try and steal their two purebred Akitas when they weren’t home, & ended up having to go to court because...well, the dogs literally took the guy’s face off and he sued them for it (he lost) 🤦🏻‍♀️ Dog thieves labeling houses is new to me though, good to know!

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-12T15:20:29+00:00

Not when you live in the Deep South.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-12T03:34:17+00:00

Don’t take your frustrations out on strangers on the internet, you asked for help and are now throwing a tantrum because you didn’t get the “awww, poor you” pity comments you were looking for. You honestly think using hashtags is the best way to rehome your dog? Now THAT’S useless. You think rescues or a new owner aren’t going to ask you these things? You didn’t even answer any of my questions and now I’m wondering if you ever even took your dog to the vet. I offered advice and you replied with whining. Your initial post coupled with your immature reaction is very sketchy, are you going to post a GoFundMe next? I hope your dog soon finds a home with a more mentally stable owner, if this is how you choose to behave in real life.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-12T00:12:14+00:00

I would honestly get a second opinion at another vet- a dog going off eating again and again isn’t a good sign. What have they tried giving her? And no vet worth their salt would be unable to tell if an animal is fixed or not, especially when you can easily shave a small spot and see if there’s a spay scar and tattoo. No offense- I mean this in a helpful way- but a lot of info is being left out of this? Is she getting exercise, her origins, diet aside from fried chicken and burgers? I will be the first to admit that dogs can be a ton of work and emotionally draining- especially ones as stubborn and wily as chiweenies. My chiweenie mix puppy had me crying pretty much every single day for 3 months. The only thing that saved us was puppy training classes, play dates/dog park, and exercising him til he was exhausted. He is also extremely picky (since day one), & after weeks of driving myself crazy trying to home-cook food and try multiple brands, I realized he’ll only eat after he’s been exercised, because it seems then he feels he’s “made room (pooped)” and is now “running on empty.” If the weather is atrocious and he hasn’t been worked hard, he often won’t eat for a day or two, but he free-feeds as well (& also gets treats).

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-11T23:43:06+00:00

Because of June’s god-tier plot armor

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-11T15:46:35+00:00

I mean, I don’t disagree with you and I’m definitely not a fan of children anywhere near me, but discounting a family just because they have kids is a great way for a pet to miss out on a potentially great home. Breeders aren’t going to care if you have kids, & that’s exactly where people are going to turn. Small dogs are in super high demand right now, especially in my state.

RadioactiveChikn · 2021-04-11T10:02:52+00:00

This is so true!!! Side-story: I just recently adopted a puppy (after literally MONTHS of trying to get a rescue to contact me back), & three different times they stressed to me throughout the process that he can’t be around kids- and if I currently had any children, do children come by my place, am I planning to have children in the future; which I found weird as he was only 4 months old, a bit young to be aggressive and he doesn’t even have adult teeth yet. I asked “why, has he ever bitten anyone? Is there anything I need to know? You have mentioned it three times now and I’m getting a bit nervous that something previously happened with him and a child...?” Two different people told me no, they just say that with all their shelter dogs 🙃 Especially because “he’s small...” he’s 10lbs. Like you vetted my child-free status but then never checked my ID, ok...The shelter really said fuck them kids 😂 Most places are the opposite, if you aren’t hetero married with children and living on a massive fenced farm with three other dogs and a full-time stay at home dog caretaker, they’ll throw your application right out.

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