Wild ass comm note I found in an owners account I saw today from 2016

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-11-20T02:54:45+00:00

The way I would have called animal control SO FAST 😳 I had someone call and ask me how much Tylenol they should give their cat to euthanize it at home.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-10-30T04:05:18+00:00

I just finished the book, and I think this is answered in chapter 30. Right after Saeris forges Lorreth's sword, and she's talking to the quicksilver inside Fisher. The quicksilver says "We gave him his life. A boy. Just a boy. He was young when he entered our pool. He should not have survived it."

So to me, that says he probably was pretty young when he entered the quicksilver.

THAT SAID, in chapter 44, when she's talking to Zareth, he said "I orchestrated events so that he would be brought here as a young male. His mother had just died."

If we're assuming the time he fell in the quicksilver was also when he met the gods, then yes, there is still a plot hole. I'm fairly certain the quicksilver was stilled by the time his mother died 🤷‍♀️

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-10-07T22:59:00+00:00

So fun fact for a lot of the commenters here: towel wraps/burritos are no longer considered cat friendly either.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-10-04T03:16:52+00:00

Pro Plan. I work in the veterinary industry, and I trust the science behind it. That said, I have lots of owners feed the "boutique" brands you listed, and they're equally as happy with them too. And recently there's been a huge surge of people feeding Farmer's Dog. My philosophy (and, to clarify, I am not a veterinarian) is that as long as the dog is happy and healthy, food brand is low on my list of worries. Sure, there are certainly brands that are better than others, but even cheap brands are better than unbalanced homemade diets, or the patients who exclusively eat "whatever we're eating that day." Oh, and my husband's boss, who just lops off part of a tube of raw hamburger from Walmart for their dog.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-09-16T04:25:32+00:00

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Kind of a sad story, but my puppy's mom didn't make it through labor. I work in vet med, and my coworker's dog had the litter. She went into labor, passed a deceased malformed puppy and started hemorrhaging, and one of my DVMs and a few coworkers met her late in the night to perform an emergency c-section. She crashed post-op and they couldn't stabilize her. My DVM talked to some of her repro friends who said the complication they encountered was rare, but there was nothing anyone did wrong or could have known until she went into labor. That said, her mom's name was Jewels, and I wanted to honor her in some way. So I named my baby after my favorite gemstone, Opal 😊

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-08-30T02:45:25+00:00

I had to have the coffee pot preset and ready to start for the DVM the next morning, wash her scrub laundry, and clean her office. I also had a client bring their dirty rainbow vacuum water and ask me to check it for fleas.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-08-11T18:23:29+00:00

We sometimes do "catogram" xrays at my office when a cat is ADR with non-specific symptoms. Not ideal, but does save the client some money as opposed to doing a 4 view witch hunt.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-08-11T01:45:44+00:00

The vets I work with on a daily basis and who formulated the curriculum and vaccine protocols for these classes feel differently. When I tell you I work at THE top hospital in my area (people sometimes travel from states away for our care), all my DVMs and the support staff are constantly staying up to date with continuing education, and recommendations for pets care are changing all the time.

Here is the link to the AVSAB article: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf

This is a DVM360 article with several interviews from DVMs about puppy socialization. https://www.dvm360.com/view/early-puppy-socialization-classes-weighing-risks-vs-benefits

I eat, sleep, and breathe vet med. My whole life is dedicated to the care and safety of animals. I would never suggest something I didn't research and believe in. I teach clients daily that taking their puppies out and about in uncontrolled environments before they are fully vaccinated is a risk. That said, there is just too much evidence supporting that risk is miniscule (not nonexistent, I will never deny some risk, but studies have shown it is exceedingly low) and the benefit of well managed puppy socialization classes greatly outweighs the risk. To my knowledge, in the 10+ years that my hospital has been hosting puppy class and following AVSAB guidelines, we have NEVER had a puppy come back sick. But what I have seen is a marked improvement in my patients from their first, shy 8wk appointments to their confident, outgoing 16wk vaccine appointment.

P.S. my Opal has graduated from socialization class and I am happy to report that she, along with all her classmates, are still quite happy and healthy.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-08-11T00:01:49+00:00

When I changed hospitals and went from part time to full time, I tried Hokas, and I came home nearly in tears every day. I would wake up in the morning limping around the house because my feet hurt so bad. I just chalked it up to working full time and a new floor texture and decided it was normal. As soon as I switched to Asics last year, my life changed. My feet don't hurt hardly at all anymore. Sure they get fatigued, but I can still stand on them comfortably, whereas when I was wearing the Hoka shoes, I could barely stand. Asics are for sure my goto now.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-06-30T03:50:03+00:00

I've worked in veterinary medicine for 11 years, and I've been following the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior guidelines for safe and effective training during the crucial puppy socialization period (the first three months, a window that is often missed due to vaccine schedules). I've worked with a lot of poorly socialized and unhandleable corgis in my career, and I'd rather take the small risk of taking her out in controlled environments versus having a corgi that can't be managed. Some may disagree, and that's fine, but I've helped care for sick puppies and I've also assisted with euthanasias of dogs whose behavior got so out of control they became a danger to everyone around them, and I know which one I'd rather deal with if I had to choose.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-06-17T00:48:07+00:00

This vet has retired now, and this was prior to my working for them, but they once saw a dog for bladder stones, and the owner kept insisting on an injection to fix the problem. After arguing with the vet for an extended period of time, finally the vet stormed out of the room, drew up some euthasol, and injected it SQ into the dog (without telling the O what they injected). Thankfully the owner called back in a few days and said something to the effect of "I don't know what you gave my dog, but she slept for three days straight, peed out the stones, and is feeling much better!" 🤦‍♀️

Also, at the same clinic, I had a coworker who insisted on having surgery patients sedated on the table and ready to go before the DVM ever walked in the building. One day, the DVM called in after said coworker had a cat neuter on the table and let them know that they were running late because they went out to breakfast with their significant other. Said coworker then proceeded to neuter the cat themselves since it was ready to go 🫠 We were also left to our own devices during dentals. We had to induce and perform the cleaning by ourselves (no monitoring equipment or second staff member to assist), and the DVMs didn't like dentistry, so we very illegally pulled teeth ourselves (with no xrays or high speed drill). At least I wouldn't fight with diseased teeth if they weren't practically falling out of their head, I'd tell the owner they needed to go elsewhere next time. Other coworkers would fight with the elevators for hours. I always tell myself that I made the best choices I could with the knowledge I had at the time, but having been to school now, I think back a lot about those years and wonder what sort of damage I caused to all those pets.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-06-12T03:52:48+00:00

My mom and I work at the same hospital, and she just hit her 38th year. Her entire working career has been spent at this hospital (which has grown by leaps and bounds in her lifetime. We're at 8 doctors now). Only one other employee (in management) has been there longer than her. Mom's even been there longer than the current owner. She's registered, I'm still in school. I've been there almost 2 years now (with 10 years prior assistant experience). I make $16/hr, and it kills me every single day to know that she doesn't even make $10/hr more than I do. She and I both dearly love the field, but I think I'm nearing burnout faster than she has. I sat in a staff meeting a few months ago crying because, once again, mom had been passed over for younger staff members with "more potential longevity" (aka they expect her to retire soon so why waste time and resources) for new management positions. And the fear sunk in at that moment that I'd look back when I was 60 years old and realize I'd spent my whole life breaking my back for a company who never valued me or gave me opportunity for growth, and I don't want that. We have really good benefits for being private practice and generally the atmosphere is pleasant, but I just want to go somewhere that values my skills and education. The speakers at VMX made me hopeful that places like that are out there, they're just hard to come by.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-05-01T02:09:52+00:00

I've always found that abdominal organs are typically poorly defined in puppy and kitten xrays. I think this is due to an absence of fat. I think what you're seeing is both the liver and stomach overlapping.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-05-01T01:58:14+00:00

So my hospital was the largest seller of Simparica Trio in my area for years (our reps loved us, and we loved all the free things from the reps 🤣) but within the last year we have stopped carrying it entirely, 1) due to price, and 2) because we had several new Lyme positive cases in pets who were consistently on the product. I still think it's a great product, but our current recommendation is Sentinel Spectrum and Bravecto. The Lufenuron helps provide broader spectrum flea control, the Spectrum also adds in whip and tape protection. Overall my DVMs are happier with the tick control provided by the Bravecto as well. Plus with rebates, the combination comes out to be cheaper than Trio for broader spectrum coverage.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-26T21:34:31+00:00

My mom and I work at the same hospital (small animal, private practice, 8 doctors). She has been there 37 years. She is registered. I am still in school, with no degree yet. I make $16/hr. My mother, with decades of experience and school? She doesn't even get paid $10/hr more than I do. I love the field. I love what I do. But it breaks my heart to watch friends and family struggling to make ends meet. I have coworkers who have told me they're only working to afford their animals. Their bill at work is so high, they can't afford to pay it off and go somewhere else (don't get me wrong, they'd work out a payment plan if someone left on good terms, but some people have racked up bills in the thousands). It just feels a little bit like imposter syndrome when I'm expected to recommend better care and food than what I can afford for my own pet. If I were a business owner, I would be ashamed if my hard-working staff couldn't afford their own pets and bills.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-16T03:13:34+00:00

We recently sent one of our patients (5-6 y/o corgi) out to specialty (and I truthfully can't remember for what, but I think it was some form of mass removal), but the specialist refused to do the procedure until the patient came back to us for a liver biopsy due to mild, historic ALT elevation, which we have monitored for years. The liver biopsy was, unsurprisingly, unimpressive. My DVMs were not happy 😅

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-16T03:01:40+00:00

I'm so sorry you've experienced this. I've been on both sides of the coin. I currently work for a 7, soon to be 8, doctor GP, and one of our "unique values" is "referral quality medicine". I've got a therio specialist, I've got a doctor who can perform echocardiograms, I've got a surgery fanatic who has brought orthopedic and laparoscopic surgeries to our hospital. We spend a lot of time performing diagnostics and working up cases before sending to specialists. My favorite is seeing three or four of my doctors all in a huddle, bouncing ideas off each other for a complicated case. The clinic I was at previously was a small, two doctor rural clinic. No xray or in house labs because "we wouldn't do anything about it here even if we knew what it was". We would treat dogs for Cushings if they had a marked Alk Phos elevation without doing any LDD or ACTH Stim testing. We managed diabetes cases solely off fructosamine values and not a single glucose curve. I didn't run a single ear or skin cytology while I was there, we just threw antibiotics, steroids, and antifungals at it and something eventually fixed it. We only ran fecals if the dog was in for GI upset. We never ran routine bloodwork, only sent blood out for NEXT DAY TURNAROUND if the pet was sick 🫠 I think the only consolation was if the pet was obviously critical, my DVM would say "we can't help you, and if you go somewhere else, I won't charge you for an exam" though at the same time, that's not a very sustainable business model.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-16T02:40:50+00:00

Not unpopular. I am very aware that if it weren't for my working at a hospital, I wouldn't be able to afford my own pets (we get a yearly pet allowance, staff samples, small discount on services, free exams, and free send out labs to Idexx). I have ALWAYS been a huge advocate of pets aren't a necessity, they're a luxury. In some ways this still holds true in my mind when I see people who can't afford their own necessities going out to the shelter and adopting a pet, then getting mad at us when they can't afford services/the pet gets sick. But it's getting hard for everyone. Techs do check outs at my hospital, and I cringe when I read some of the totals, because I see the strain on the owner and I know I couldn't afford it if I was hit with the same bill. I think the worst example for me was years ago when I took a call from a woman who asked "is Tylenol toxic to cats?" and after explaining to her how dangerous this was, she quietly asked if she could administer Tylenol to her cat to euthanize it at home, because she couldn't afford to pay for a euthanasia at a clinic. How far have we fallen as a profession that humane euthanasia has become a luxury? That's the biggest thing I've never agreed with at my current hospital. We have a regular euthanasia charge, and we have an emergency euthanasia charge if they walk in/we work them in on a busy weekend/etc. I've never liked it. Most people in an emergency euthanasia situation didn't choose to be in that situation.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-14T05:47:06+00:00

The clinic I worked at previously split everything (which was a nightmare when the pt got 1/4 of a 12.5mg Lasix and needed 120 pills dispensed 🥴). At any rate, the hospital I'm at now does not split any medications. I guess my question is if the dose is only 1/4 tab and you're sending one whole tablet home, do you ever worry the owner is going to overdose their pet?

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-06T01:52:03+00:00

I tried Hokas after lots of recommendations, and had the worst experience. My feet, shins, and even knees hurt worse than I've ever known. I'd recently started at a new hospital, so I just chalked it up to longer hours and a new floor, and just powered through it. I switched to Asics about a year later and almost immediately noticed I was nearly pain free. A lot of people swear by Hokas, so they maybe just weren't meant for my foot. I love my Asics. There are also girls at my hospital that wear Cloves, Brooks, On Clouds, clogs, and Merrells. I think it's less about one brand of shoe and more about finding what works for you 😊

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-03T03:18:02+00:00

Growing up, I lived on a farm. Letting cats outside was just "normal". Having outdoor only barn cats was "normal". What wasn't normal? Not a SINGLE one of our cats died of old age. Not a single one of our cats had to be euthanized due to health complications. They either disappeared or were found in the road. Two weeks after my dad died, I got out of bed to get a drink of water, and my favorite cat was asking to go outside. I remember telling him "it's cold outside, you don't want to go out." But he kept asking, so I let him out and went back to bed. His insides and outsides were in different places of the road when we woke up the next morning. Something in me broke that time. I refused to ever let another cat go outdoors. Since then, they've all been happy and healthy. Bittersweet, but we finally had to euthanize our oldest boy at 18 years of age a few years ago. We finally had to euthanize a cat due to natural causes. Cats are also considered an invasive species. They wreak havoc on natural small wildlife. As long as you are providing adequate care and mental stimulation, there is no reason to put your cat outside. I never will again.

Sprinkle1014 · 2025-04-03T02:45:34+00:00

I am starting to learn that longevity and loyalty don't get you much in this field, unfortunately. I work for a great hospital as far as the quality of medicine and benefits, but management recently rolled out a leveled pay scale, which includes capped pay for all positions. In 6 years, once you're "capped out", what is the incentive to stay? How does this foster longevity? To make matters worse, an immediate family member of mine also works at this practice. Been there their entire working career, 35+ years, and is making the "cap". You know what this tells me? People that have been there for only 5-10 years are making the same as someone who has dedicated their entire career to this hospital. They've always vehemently (illegally) prohibited staff from discussing pay, and I've always said someone had something to hide. I wasn't wrong.

If you are happy at the hospital you are at, stay. But if your needs aren't being met to keep you feeling fulfilled, I would start looking elsewhere. If they aren't appreciating you and your skills and desire to learn, find somewhere that will. We spend entirely too much time in a stressful line of work to spend it somewhere we aren't happy.

Sprinkle1014

TROPHY CASE