Just Another Vet Student Blog

the log of my vet school journey

[wendynerdwrites]

After this Szechuan Sauce BS I never want to hear people insult teenage girls for liking Pumpkin Spice again

[frontierfantasy-blog]

#frontierfantasy #captainamerica

[copperbadge]

I would buy this book in a heartbeat. 

[threehoursfromtroy]

Man, if that was written with sensitivity, I’d be totally down. This is a WAY more interesting ‘alternate timeline’ than ‘What if Cap was Hydra?’

[drferox]

Old cattle vets

One of my favourite lecturers at vet school was an old cattle vet. Retired from practice long ago, his demeanour was best described as “jolly but practical” and he had seen many years of students pass before him.

Many years. It used to be he would be teaching bovine obstetrics to a room full of strapping Aussie blokes, each more than capable of lugging a 40kg jersey calf around on their shoulders. Nowadays most of our class were women, and a fair chunk of those were petite international students, barely bigger than the aforementioned 40kg jersey calf themselves.

He knew very well that most of these smaller women were likely to end up in small animal practice, but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying to convert them to the joys of cattle medicine.

I remember him very clearly in the bovine obstetrics lectures,pulling a calf is a seriously physical task. Cattle are BIG and they are all muscle. When a cow decides she is going to push a 40kg calf at you the simple fact is that you cannot push against her. That uterus of hers is stronger than your forearms, and she’s prepared to push all day. Fortunately, there are drugs for that.

Our lecturer would merrily tell us some very colourful stories about pulling calves and the sorts of farmers he had encountered, including their unfortunate tendency to try to pull a calf first, using a tractor if need be.

Attaching a calf to a tractor and then driving away from the cow does not, in fact, make it any easier for her to give birth. If it’s stuck, it’s stuck, and no tractor is substitute for a lot of lube and some intra-uterine calf leg Tetris.

So what do you do, he specifically asked the international girls huddled down the front, when you show up at a farm, and the farmer, built like a brick house, and his son, also built like a brick house, have already tried and failed to pull this calf?

You walk up there, and you show them how it’s done.

You have a veterinary a science education and ten litres of lube. You can get the calf out. Use your brain, then give them the ropes to pull and use their muscles. Take control. Tell them what to do. Climb onto a box if you have to. If you’re particularly little, you can get both hands up there. You CAN pull that calf.

Up until that point, I don’t think those students actually expected to be able to really do it. But he expected them to.

And if all else fails, he continued, do a Caesarian. They won’t be judgemental if you didn’t pull a calf if they’re already tried anyway.

And you know, I personally know at least one of those petite little students ended up in cattle practice.

You can do it.

[drferox]

Reblogging old content for the Disenfranchised Duckling.

[its-animalcrazy-love-deactivate]

This is important for us, the petite vet students who normally look tiny next to a Angus bull and a  Percheron. 

[drferox]

Honestly, a big bull will send any human flying, no mater how big they are. 400-800kg of opinionated beef will always be stronger than a human, no matter how ‘beefy’ the human is.

If you are shot, you are less likely to injure your back when working on the feet of cattle and horses.

If you are petite, you may get both hands into the birth canal of a large animal, and you may be able to treat dystocia in alpaca or sheep without resorting to caesareans.

If you have thin arms, you wont feel nearly as bad about preg testing cattle.

Large animals are always going to be bigger than you, but they will also be bigger than your largest classmates

The only difference is that you’re used to it.

[justanothervetstudentblog]

im 5'2'' and 100lb/50kg. when i was doing my lambing placement, i could get up to my elbow in a sheep that had tangled up triplets in order to get the right limbs for the right lambs, and there was a ring womb i was able to handle that no one else on the farm could, because tiny body equals tiny arms and tiny hands. im willing to bet those ewes were grateful it was me and not the giant farmer shoving my arms into her

[tastefullyoffensive]

“Are you seeing this sh*t, human?” (via convicttv)

[cheeseoneveryfudgingthing]

These chews are called rawhide chews, and please please PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NEVER GET YOUR DOGS THESE!! They’re so FUCKING bad and even dangerous for them! Here are reasons why:

1) They use all sorts of chemicals (like formaldehyde, arsenic, and bleach) to preserve them and make them look white and nice for your dog.

2) Not only do they use glue to keep the shape of the bone the way it is, but the thing basically IS glue. It’s so preserved, that when a dog eats it, it keeps it’s goopiness and can harden in the dog’s stomach, causing blockages. I’ve heard dozens of stories of dogs having to go to the ER to get these surgically removed from their intestines.

3) When they’re not chewed properly, the edges can be sharp and cause tearing in your dog’s stomach lining.

4) THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO KILL DOGS, CAUSE SEIZURES, ALL SORTS OF OTHER HORRIBLE THINGS, AND THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH.

There are natural alternatives, like tendons, bones, antlers, bully sticks/pizzle sticks, or vege chews. They ARE more expensive, but they are worth the money.

[soontobedvm]

It is common knowledge that a horse spends most of its time figuring out how to injure itself.

Vet med professor (via soontobedvm)

[drferox]

Surprisingly Necessary

What I used to say: Feed them chicken and rice for a few days.

What I say now: Feed cooked chicken meat, with no skin, no bones and no fat mixed with cooked rice for 3 to 5 days then wean back onto their normal diet. Don’t use any butter or oil or spices and don’t use KFC.

[thescienceofequus]

Safe Horse Handling for Vet Techs

TheHorse.com | 23 October, 2016

In a perfect world, horses would be easy to catch, lead, handle, and restrain. However, horse care approaches are anything but perfect, and cooperative horses do not happen by chance. How a horse behaves when you ask him to do the things he wants to do versus how he reacts when his cooperation is immediately necessary can vary greatly. Handlers and veterinary technicians must be prepared for how a horse might react when he is in distress, pain, or just isn’t feeling right.

Below are a few horse handling pointers I have learned during my years providing veterinary assistance.

Safety First

As a handler, the veterinary technician plays an important role in whether a procedure is performed safely. Furthermore, the veterinarian is in many ways entrusting you with his or her well-being as well as the patient’s.

Stand on the same side as the veterinarian works. When possible, being on the same side of the horse as the veterinarian encourages you to observe and focus on the procedure being performed and to better anticipate potential problems and speed up your reaction to them. It also puts you in position to easily turn the horse’s head toward you (and his hind end away from you and the veterinarian) if a problem arises.

Never stand directly in front of the horse. Nobody enjoys a 1,000-pound animal suddenly dropped on their lap. Horses tend to spook and, when they do, forward is usually their default direction.

Treat a tranquilized horse with extreme care. It is a somewhat natural tendency to become complacent when a horse is sedated, but this can be a very dangerous state. Remember dozing off in math class and then startling awake? Sometimes horses do the same thing, except their startle is much larger and more dangerous. Always keep in mind that the tranquilized horse can have an explosive startle response. Just because he is in a temporary state of relaxation does not mean the handler can relax as well.

Never surprise a horse. This is a rule to live by. Before you or the practitioner works on a horse, warn the animal using subtle clues such as rocking him a little, tapping the site being working on, talking to him, or anything that will gently make him aware that something is going to happen. This is especially true if the horse is sedated or restrained. If the horse still resists the procedure, then restraint might be a better option than surprise.

Restraint

Additional restraint is often necessary to allow a veterinarian to perform a procedure safely. Be aware that methods don’t work the same way with every horse. Twitches and lip chains can be equally effective when used properly; however, some horses behave better with one or the other. I find that Thoroughbreds, for instance, generally respond well to a lip chain. They’ve been exposed to them regularly during racetrack life. Another horse that has never experienced a lip chain might resist that method; these horses often behave better with a properly applied twitch. Your job as the handler is to inquire about and determine which method works best for each particular horse.

Stay Calm

Last but not least, stay calm—even during an emergency. A relaxed but alert handler can help take the edge off a nervous horse, whereas a tense or panicky handler can intensify the situation.

Trying to diagnose or treat an uncooperative horse can be a frustrating and potentially dangerous experience. If a veterinarian is backed up with emergencies, having to deal with an unruly horse can adversely affect other patients awaiting emergency care. Ask owners how their horses handle potentially stressful situations, procedures, and restraint upon arrival. Being aware of this information and practicing smart handling techniques will go a long way toward expediting the animal’s care and helping the veterinarian do his or her job.

Originally published in Partners in Practice.

Mod Note: These guidelines are simple, and may seem like they should be common knowledge, but I have seen some technicians place themselves in unnecessarily dangerous situations by not following them, either through lack of knowledge or apathy. I also shared this as I thought it would be good for horse owners to know as well. Not all Equine Veterinarians will come to your farm with a technician, and they may require you to hold your own horse. Following these guidelines will help keep everyone safe.

[getyourveton]

you’re not a vet student when you don’t say: “f*cking horses” at least 7 times a day when studying

Idk why I want to be an equine vet tbh

[brieflytenaciouspersona]

“I’m upset because I was called out for improper care for one of my pets!

Great, sorry you feel that way, but don’t use you’re emotional state as a reason to bypass the fact that you’re providing potentially improper care.

If you have a fish in a bowl, chances are you’re providing improper care. If you’re feeding your cat or dog a strictly vegan diet, you are providing improper care. If you are following what the major brand pet store says your pet needs, chances are you’re providing improper pet care. If you’re response any time someone tries to inform you of the general needs of your pet you get defensive and brush off what they say, chances are you’re providing improper care.

Every pet owner has made mistakes. But as people who have living beings whose lives depend on us, we must look past our pride and acknowledge when we are wrong.

I don’t care if it’s a fish, snail, worm, dog, cat, or a parrot. If it’s a living being that depends on you, you owe it to provide that living being with the proper housing and care. If you cannot do so the responsible action is to surrender it to someone who will.

[kaijutegu]

And if you get emotional due to online criticism, that’s ok! Your feelings are valid and it’s totally fine to have them. What’s not ok is to continue providing improper care for your pets. If you’re upset because you’ve been called out for pet care, take a deep breath, close tumblr, step away from the internet for a little bit, and reassess. Realize that your feelings are a-ok to have but that you gotta isolate them from your pet care. It’s ok to grow and to learn and to do things differently. You don’t have to hold yourself accountable to people online, but you do have to hold yourself accountable to your pets. They depend on you! They need you to do your very best, and your very best is working through hurt feelings to provide what they need to be healthy and happy!

[justanothervetstudentblog]

Always remember: your quality of care is their quality of life! Yes, sit and be upset, but then go fix it.

[just-like-a-real-doctor]

When the professor asks if we can all see the lesion on the radiograph

[itsybitsyvetstudent]

this content was made for me 

[theluckiesttiger]

Preeeettty much

[wannabeavet]

what about ecography….😵

[getmeintovetschool]

'What is the Flehmen response?'

That awkward moment when you end up doing an impression of a horse doing the Flehmen response in you oral exam.

[vetplease]

So.. joints! We’ve studied them a little this week so I thought I’d make a post to recap what I’ve learnt. We’ve looked at the seven main types of synovial joint. Synovial joints are the most common and movable type of joint. The bones are separated by a fluid filled space. This synovial fluid is a clear, straw coloured liquid containing hyaluronic acid (commonly found in pet foods relating to joints). It acts as a lubricant, shock absorber and as a median for transporting nutrients and waste. Depending on the number of ways a joint moves, they can be uni-axial (move on one axis), bi-axial (two) or multi-axial. The only exception is the planar joint (bottom right image) which is said to have a ‘gliding’ movement. Here’s an overview of the seven joint types:

Ball and Socket - Top Left. This is the only multi-axial joint. It consists of a spheroidal head fitting in to a socket allowing universal movement. Examples include the hip and shoulder joints. 

Condylar - Top Right. This joint is sometimes refered to as uni-axial but I’d argue it is bi-axial as some sidways movement can occur. A condyle is a rounded area found at the end of some bones. A condylar joint consists of two condyles fitting in to pits in the other bone. An example is the joint between the femur and tibia in the leg. 

Ellipsoidal - Middle left. This joint is bi-axial. It consists of an ellipsoidal convex surface fitting in to a concavity and an example is the joint between the radius and carpals in the forelimb. 

Hinge - Middle right. This is a uni-axial joint. An example is the elbow and the joint only moves at right angles to the bones involved. 

Pivot - Bottom left. This joint is uni-axial. It allows for rotation along the longitudinal axis of a bone. An example is the joint between the atlas and axis. These are the first two vertebrae of the spine situated at the base of the skull.

Saddle - Bottom middle. The best way to describe this joint is to get you to make hooks with a finger on each hand, then link them together. It is a biaxial joint where both bones concave in one direction and convex in the other. An example is the joint between the distal (refer to my last post to learn this word!) phalanges. 

Planar - Bottom right. This joint is made of two flat surfaces and causes a gliding motion. There are very few planar joints in the body, one example being the flat joints between some vertebrae in the spine. 

[chromothripsis-deactivated20121]

Simple names for surgical operations

-tomy: The surgeon cut something.

-ectomy: The surgeon cut something out.

-ostomy: The surgeon cut something to make a mouth. If one organ is named, the mouth opened to the outside of the patient. If two organs are named, the mouth connected two organs.

-plasty: The surgeon changed the shape of an organ.

-pexy: The surgeon moved the organ to the right place.

-rraphy: The surgeon sewed something up.

-desis: The surgeon made two things stick to one another.

[thejunglenook]

Your quality of work is their quality of life

Motto for all those working in animal care and conservation fields (via thejunglenook)

[why-i-am-a-veterinarian]

Grade I/VI: Very good student can hear Grade II/VI: Good student can hear Grade III/VI: If you can’t hear this then you fail Grade IV/VI: Anyone can hear Grade V/VI: Surgeon can hear

Veterinary Cardiologist on grading heart murmurs (via why-i-am-a-vet-student)

[allvet]

[getyourveton]

Vet (Student) moments

- having to pluck out used gloves, pens, syringe caps, and other Things You Don’t Want To Know Where They Came From™ out of your scrubs before you put them in the laundry

- “I have no idea what I am feeling, she is saying I should feel a rubbery ball, but this honestly just feels like goo. Maybe I just want to feel what I think I’m feeling” on rectal palpations

- where my pen at????

- I SAW A THING ON ULTRASOUND. I’M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHY IT LOOKED THE WAY IT LOOKED BUT I DEFINITELY SAW A THING. 

- where my stethoscope at????

- I… I think… I hear a murmur? Is it like the “tssk, boom boom, ttssk, shhhhh, pat”?

- hyyyyyyy…pothyroidism? hyyyyyy…perthyroidism?

- where my thermometer at????

- holy cow rabbit testicles are way big

- calling animals bad names in a perky voice to out your frustration without letting them know you’re annoyed

- “Is that… Cow dung or horse shit? Hmm…” *smells it* “Weird… I didn’t see any cows today.”

- definitely lame on the right front. waaaaait… left? no. no, definitely right. sort of. yeah?

- when asked about some particular difference: “One species has that and the other…. doesn’t?”

- which freaking antibiotic class is this in. who am i kidding, i’m gonna forget it the second i remember it.

- trying to outdo each other on work/sleep balance