Wow, it's only Thursday and I'm exhausted. My associate vet is out of town so I've been working more than usual. And I've seen quite a few interesting things in her absence. Let me tell you a little about them...
On Monday I diagnosed a dog with Lyme disease, another with some sort of really bad problem (likely cancer but I can't be sure given the limits of what the owner will allow me to do), and another with small cell lymphoma that I had to research a little in order to come up with a treatment plan. I also referred other two pets to the University for a work up of their problems.
On Tuesday I saw a bunch of super old cats. I swear the average age was about 18. And then I turned around and saw a litter of 6 puppies. I found bladder stones in a male standard poodle and oversaw a cardiac ultrasound on a dog whose murmur I had just diagnosed. I also saw a dog with a very high calcium level and brilliantly thought to aspirate her one oh so very slightly enlarged lymph node.
On Wednesday I saw some crabby people (What do you mean, you won't refill my dog's medication even though I've no-showed for the last 4 appointments and he's 4 months overdue for an exam? And, What do you mean I have to pay for the vaccine that was given and also for the exam that was done on a work-in basis?) and euthanized some pets (one of them being one of the old cats from before). I also saw a group of 4 farm kittens, 2 of which were Feline Leukemia positive (and sick), so I had to euthanize two kittens. Ugh. That did NOT make my day. But what did make my day was seeing, for a WELLNESS EXAM, a patient whom was diagnosed with bone cancer 8 months ago after spontaneously fracturing her leg. She has a pin in her leg and is doing GREAT! Which is not true of most bone cancer patients. I also saw a dog with a corneal ulcer and did a work up on another dog who had been vomiting all week (so far no answer on that one).
Today I found out that my high calcium dog does in fact have lymphoma so I had to make that phone call. Sad. The owner is considering chemo on his pet. I also surgically removed the eyeball in a young cat, several teeth in various animals, and some reproductive parts in a couple of other cats. The no-show owner from yesterday just no-showed again for his appointment and it was rescheduled for my last appointment of the day today. Really? So I have to stay around to see if this guy will actually come in?? Grrrrr...
I'm hoping my associate is reading this on her vacation and feeling sad that she's missing out on so much. :)
Well, at least I can take solice in knowing that last year at this time, I was on a two week hiatus when she had to deal with the American bulldog Parvo breeder from an earlier post.
I will be very happy to get to the end of the week, especially since I have also had to work in an hour of exercise each day (part of the weight loss challenge that, yes, I made up) and I haven't been home any evening this week.
Whine, whine some more.
At least I'm not the veterinarian in Virginia who forgot her 2 year old in the car while she worked all day and didn't discover him (dead) until she got home. I actually couldn't sleep a couple of nights ago because of that. She is being charged with murder (which I think is a bit extreme given that, yes, it was wrong, but not intentional). I feel bad about the whole situation.
It's 5:38 and my 5:45 repeat no-show guy just called to reschedule his appointment to tomorrow. Anyone care to wager on whether he'll show up? Anyone?
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