A Vet’s Guide To Life

It’s pretty much a “given” that veterinarians are well trained in medicine and surgery.  We spend four years or more receiving incredibly intense and specific training in recognizing disease, interpreting lab results, understanding medications and their effects, and performing surgery.  Once we graduate, we have a very good understanding about how to be a doctor.  We hone those skills over years of practice, until most of us become very good at our jobs.  Our clients also generally understand that we are skilled physicians and surgeons, and realize that we had a lot of training to become this way.  Vets are required to attending regular continuing education seminars to maintain our license, so the learning doesn’t stop at graduation.  However, there are many non-medical things they never teach us, but we still have to deal with.

One of them is personnel issues.  My lead tech was recently promoted to that position this past Summer, and was doing a good job.  However, over the past couple of months her performance has gotten worse, and she is not good at being able to handle the rest of the staff.  She criticizes bad things, but doesn’t complement the good things.  Our weekly supply orders have been getting messed up so that we will often run out of things before our next order arrives.  And she has a very negative attitude about things that she is asked or told to do if it doesn’t exactly fit with her own ideas.  I was called today (on my day off) by the other doctor I work with to discuss some of these issues.  This isn’t the first time in my career that I’ve had to try and intervene with poor attitudes or performance, and will likely not be the last.  At other times I have had staff that constantly bickered at each other, staff that angered clients, staff that wouldn’t do their jobs properly even with considerable and repeated coaching, and just about ever other issue you could commonly think of.

Did we get any training in how to handle this in vet school?  Noooooope.  Sure didn’t.  Yet most of us have to deal with handling the staff in situations like this.  I don’t think any vet went to school because they dreamed of being a personnel manager or business leader.  We get no training in these areas either before or during school.  Once we’re in our careers, we end up falling into these positions, and quickly sink or swim.  I’ve been lucky that I have had good opportunities for training, but I’ve also made many mistakes.  It’s much harder for us to handle a situation like my head tech is causing, than it is for us to remove a spleen or cure skin mites.  We also usually don’t like this kind of interaction, otherwise we would have gone to school to get a career in Human Resources.

As much as I can’t stand this aspect of my job, and as much as it causes me great stress, it’s also one that I can’t ignore.  I think that veterinary schools need to be more proactive in recognizing the situations their graduates are going to be placed in, and give at least one course in managing people and businesses.

It is not uncommon for people to give puppies, kittens, and other animals as Christmas presents, especially to children.  Though it’s a great idea and intention, this isn’t the best time of year to try and deal with a new pet.  There is a lot of chaos and confusion with people off work, family over for the holidays, and lots of new presents to distract people or pets.  However, it’s inevitable, and at this point has already happened to many.  With that in mind, keep in mind some basic tips and hints.

New puppies and kittens need visits to the vet right away.  Regardless of where you get them, it’s important to have a vet check them over.  Bring your records from the breeder or shelter so the vet can review the preventative care history up to this point.  Despite great intentions, breeders don’t always have the correct knowledge and practices.  A vet can make sure that your new pet gets off to the right start.  Parasites such as intestinal worms are common in puppies and kittens, and aren’t immediately obvious.  Your vet can check for these things and give appropriate treatment.  You should also talk about flea and heartworm prevention as well as proper nutrition.

Just yesterday I saw two rabbits who had just been given as presents.  The owner wasn’t completely sure of the genders, and one had just given birth that morning.  Even hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, lizards, birds, and other “exotic” pets need to have a veterinary visit after coming to a new home.  You want to make sure you know how to care for them properly and screen for any obvious health problems.

During this time of year it’s easy to get caught up in how busy things are, and in the enjoyment of a new pet.  With everything else going on, the kitten or puppy (or other) can get unintentionally neglected, at least as far as health care.  Nothing can be more important than a veterinary visit.  I’ve seen many new pets in the last week, and everyone has questions about how to properly care for them.  I know there are some people who haven’t brought their new pets in for a visit, and hopefully they will soon.  If that’s one of you readers, make an appointment with your vet this week.

My neighborhood has several dogs that kind of wander around unleashed.  Because I keep my dog inside or under supervision in the yard, this really annoys me.  As a vet, my mind immediately starts to go through the injuries that the dogs can get and the diseases that the could spread.  On Christmas day I found a new little dog to worry about.

I was outside bringing some tables and chairs out of my wife’s van to set up in preparation for dinner at our house (eight adults and eight kids).  I let my lab, Guinevere, outside with me to play in the yard while I got things in.  I made a few trips in and out and then looked to see her in the yard across the street.  She is trained to stay in the yard, so I had to look and see why she had wandered.  There were two dogs that she had gone over to say hi to.  Guinevere is a very friendly dog that likes being around others of her kind.  I called her back and she ran over to our yard, followed by the two dogs.  One of the dogs was a beagle/basset hound cross that my wife had seen in the neighborhood previously.  The other was a little mixed-breed of uncertain origin that looked awfully tiny to be wandering on its own.

I decided to take a quick look at them, and discovered both to be very friendly.  At a glance I estimated the beagle mix to be about 10 months old, and was not neutered.  The other was a little girl, probably about 10 weeks old (give or take).  After making sure they were okay, I wandered back to the house.  The dogs followed me.  I went back to the neighbor’s yard, and they tagged along.  I tried to leave them there, but they came back with me to my house.  The puppy actually tried to go inside with me when I went in.  Once I was inside, she stood up to look through the window, obviously wanting in.  I did everything I could to get them back to their own yard, but I wasn’t even sure who they belonged to.  She had a collar, but no ID tag, and he didn’t have anything on.  After several tries, I just came back inside, hoping they would eventually tire of trying and go away.  After some scratching at the door, barking, and whining, they finally did.

Any of you readers who have dogs that wander freely, please consider their safety and health.  It wasn’t good for either one to be out there, but especially for a puppy less than three months old it was a big risk.  Dogs in these circumstances may not be able to find their way home, and especially with the young puppy may not have known how far they had wondered.  There are dangers from other dogs being protective of their territories, as well as being hit by a car.  Dogs who wander are also more likely to be exposed to parvo virus and ground contaminated with intestinal parasites.  And all of these concerns ignore that many cities have leash laws, making freely roaming dogs illegal.

Be a responsible pet owner and keep your dog confined to your yard or home.

Our son woke up bright an early today, before 7:00. He kept opening his bedroom door and looking out to see if anyone is awake, and finally about 7:15 we gave in and got up. The kids ran downstairs to see what Santa had brought, and have been playing with their new toys all morning. But that’s not what Christmas is all about.

Now before I continue, let me be clear that I’m aware of all of the origins of Christmas. I know of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia. I know that evergreens with lights (Christmas trees) had their roots in the pagan Winter Solstice celebrations. I know that Jesus was likely born in the Spring, and not December. I know that the wise men didn’t visit Jesus as His birth, but a few years later. I enjoy the secular aspects of Christmas, such as Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Santa Claus, and selves. I enjoy giving and receiving gifts, and get excited about decorating the house. But none of this contradicts what the Bible says or what the true meaning of Christmas is.

Regardless of when He was actually born, this day is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Among Christians only Easter has a similar significance. This is the day that God took human form, and came to earth in the most humble of bodies and settings. He came to walk among us and share out lives, so that He could eventually take on our sins as a human. We have chosen today to celebration His birth, and that should never get lost in the other aspects of the holiday. A tiny baby was born and placed in a feeding trough among stabled animals, and He would one day change the world and humanity more than any other single human before or since.

Today enjoy your family and friends, and have fun with the new trinkets and toys. But take time to remember the best Christmas present, Jesus. Treat each other like He would want you to treat them, love each other, and let there be peace among all men and women of this world. This is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, and so we should give a gift to Him. That gift is ourselves and our hearts. Give to Him fully, and let Him know that you love and appreciate Him. Be filled with the true meaning and spirit of Christmas!

Christmas is pretty much the biggest holiday in western societies.  Though it has become very secularized, it is still very important to many people.  This is my wife’s favorite time of year, and we start decorating on Thanksgiving.  One of the things I find very fascinating about the holiday is the variety of traditions people have around the world.  I work with a Russian woman, and did some relief work at a clinic with a German woman.  It was interesting to discuss their traditions versus the ones we normally see in our own country.

One of the reasons for my fascination is my own heritage.  My father is from Sweden, and growing up we incorporated many Swedish traditions into the American ones my mother grew up with.  Now that I have a family of my own, we have continued this theme and are teaching our kids about Sweden.  In America, Santa Claus comes after everyone goes to sleep on Christmas Eve, with presents waiting on Christmas Morning for everyone to open.  This is also when families exchange presents with each other.  However, in Sweden Yul Tomte comes on Christmas Eve, and actually enters the home when everyone is awake.  He gives presents to the good kids and sticks to the bad ones.  Families also give each other their presents on Christmas Eve.  We have blended these two traditions by exchanging our family presents on Christmas Eve, and having Yul Tomte leave gifts for them outside before they go to bed.  Then Santa comes later in the night, and in the morning the kids get their presents from him.

We also use a traditional Swedish advent candle holder, lighting one candle every Sunday during december.  We have several Swedish Christmas decorations, such as a straw goat (called the Julbock), and a small figurine of Santa Lucia (a Christian saint who is celebrated on December 13th in Sweden).  However, we also leave out cookies for Santa, have a traditional Christmas tree, garland, lights, and so on.  We also have new tradtitions that we’ve started for our own family.  On Christmas Eve we read the story of Christ’s birth from the Bible.  We wrap the baby Jesus from our nativity set that night, and open it as the first present on Christmas morning.  On Christmas Day my wife and the kids make a birthday cake for Jesus.

Christmas is most important for it’s religious origins (and which I’ll talk about tomorrow), but it is also a fun time for families to gather and share special moments and gifts.  The kids mostly love getting the gifts, but it’s a wonderful time of sharing and giving for us adults as well.  This is a very special time of year, one that is truly magical.

Here are a few links of interest….

Christmas in Sweden
Swedish Christmas Traditions
Santa Lucia
Santa’s Origins

Now here’s your turn.  I would love to hear of your own unique Christmas traditions, whether it’s due to cultural differences or new ideas you’ve come up with for your own family.  Post your own country’s or family’s spin on Christmas in the comments section!

This story requires a little background set-up, especially for my international readers.  Unlike many or even most men, I could really care less about sports.  I have nothing against them, I’ve just never been very interested.  I’ve been to some baseball and hockey games, but have found football (American football, not what we call soccer) uninteresting.  Whether it’s college or professional teams, I’ve never gotten caught up in all of the hoopla surrounding these games.

One of the major college teams in the southeastern US is the University of Tennessee Volunteers (or “Vols” for short).  I received my Master’s Degree there, but still never considered myself a big supporter.  I don’t hate them, I’m just rather ambivalent.  However, there are many people who fairly obsess over them, including one of my techs.  The other vet I work with is also from Tennessee and went to vet school at UT.  So we have some Tennessee fans there.  Until today, I didn’t realize that at least one of my patients shares the same sentiment.  And yes, I mean “patient”, not “client”.

Today I saw a basset hound named Copper for his routine annual vaccinations.  He was wearing a Tennessee Volunteers collar and leash, which had already stirred some excitement with the rest of the staff.  When I went into to see him, I commented to the owners that we had several UT fans here.  “However, I’ll admit that I’m not exactly a fan,” I said conversationally.  As soon as I finished the sentence there was a great big “woof” from Copper.  The timing was extraordinary, as it completely seemed as if he was taking offense to my comment.  We all shared a laugh at the coincidental timing, and I proceeded with my exam.

Once I was done and had put him back on the floor, I spoke to the clients some more.  When it came time for him to leave, I crouched down and gave him a little more attention.  He was a very sweet boy, and other than the one bark earlier, he had been quiet and well behaved.  I gave him another rub behind the ears, gave him a thumbs-up sign, and said “Go Vols!”  Immediately he gave a hearty “Woof, woof, woof!”

I swear, it seemed like he had been trained, or somehow comprehended what I was saying.  The timing of both barks was uncanny.  Apparently the owners weren’t the Tennessee fans…Copper was!

One of the biggest problems that a veterinarian (and really any doctor) faces is with compliance.  There have been several studies published recently that show that our clients don’t follow our recommendations anywhere nearly as much as we think they do.  This is an incredibly frustrating problem, as we don’t make recommendations lightly, and always with the goal of helping the patient.  Refusing the doctor’s instructions can lead to persistent problems or failure to improve.

I had been in practice for about a year when I saw a kitty with an eye problem.  It had some drainage and was squinting one eye.  An exam and stain quickly revealed that the eye had a moderately sized but superficial ulcer.  These can happen from scratches or something else abrading the cornea, and most of the time respond well to therapy.  We prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment, and the problem usually gets better quickly.  However, because this doesn’t always happen, we do follow-up visits.  When I saw the kitty the following week, the ulcer hadn’t gone away.  The owner was using the medications appropriately, and it wasn’t any worse, so we gave it another week to heal.

The next week she brought the kitty back, and it was still the same.  I started asking more questions, and learned that the cat was rubbing it’s eye frequently.  Thinking this might be causing the problem to persist, I recommended an e-collar.  For those not familiar with the terminology, this is one of those lampshade collars pets wear for certain injuries.  The do a great job of keeping the pet from getting to its face, or from licking its body.  Unfortunately, pets hate these things, and usually try to get them off.  It also makes eating and drinking difficult.  It’s a difficult treatment aid, but one that this cat really needed.

A week went by, and the cat came in for its recheck.  The ulcer was still the same size.  I asked the owner if she had been using the e-collar, and she admitted that she kept it off him most of the time.  He just hated having it on, and she hated seeing him act that way.  I strongly emphasized that he really needed this, since he was still rubbing the injured eye.  She said that she would use it this time, though I was beginning to loose hope.

The week after that (for those keeping score, we’re in our 4th week of treating something that usually resolves in 1), the cat came to us to be boarded.  The corneal ulcer hadn’t improved at all, and I knew the owner hadn’t been keeping the e-collar on enough.  Since he was going to spend three days with us, I knew we could give him some relief.  Over the weekend, the e-collar was on continuously.  However, when I checked with the kennel worker on Monday, he had apparently gotten the directions confused and had been putting the medicine in the kitty’s other eye!  With a bit of frustration, I repeated the stain to see how bad the ulcer was.  To my surprise, the ulcer had almost completely healed!  In three days, the problem had just about gone away, even without medication.  All because we kept the e-collar on at all times.  If the owner had done that to begin with, the cat would have been saved weeks of pain and hassle.

Doctors make therapeutic recommendations because it’s what they feel is best to help their patient get better.  If you don’t follow their instructions, don’t be surprised if the problem doesn’t go away.

When my wife and I were dating, she would sometimes come on emergency calls with me.  I was working for a practice where we handled our own emergencies, sometimes having to go out in the middle of the night.  Luckily, this wasn’t too often, as I never liked cutting into my private life to traipse off in the wee hours.  There were several times that my wife (well, not my wife at the time) would accompany me.

Though my wife loves animals, she never had to worry about the illnesses and injuries they sometimes get.  She also doesn’t have a strong stomach, and can’t easily handle “gross” things.  This little quirk made it interesting on some of these emergency calls.  Keep in mind that after-hours calls were never something simple or routine.  They were usually poisonings, injuries, or sudden and serious illnesses.

One of these calls was because a basset hound suffered a bad laceration.  The wound was long, deep, and bloody.  It needed to be cleaned and sutured, which would require sedating the dog.  The owner agreed to the treatment, and I started getting things ready and gave the dog its sedative.  Once the dog was unconscious, I started to clean the wound and explore it more.  It was a pretty ugly laceration, but one that would respond well and heal with proper treatment.

The owner had a little girl with her that was about six years old.  My wife-to-be had taken one look at the bloody dog and quickly turned away.  She decided to occupy the girl’s attention while I handled suturing the dog.  At first that was working well, but then the girl became curious about what I was doing to her dog.  She wandered over to where I had cleaned up the wound and was beginning to sew it up.  My darling future wife looked in horror at the gaping wound and the needle passing through the torn skin, and tried to guide the girl away.  But the little girl was having none of it, and moved closer in obvious fascination.  She spent the next several minutes watching with close interest as I fixed her dog, while my girlfriend avoided looking anywhere near the treatment table.

After 10 years being married to a vet and after two children, my wife has a bit more tolerance for things like this, and doesn’t immediately run away if she comes to visit me while I’m doing surgery (though she still doesn’t want to watch).  However, I’ll always remember that little girl, and how she had a higher tolerance for blood than an adult woman.  It was the same thing being viewed, but each perceived it in a different way.

There are many questions and confusion about the reproductive cycles of dogs and cats, so I thought I’d give a quick lesson in canine and feline sex issues.

Dogs and cats reach sexual maturity at around 7-9 months old.  At this time the sexual organs are fully formed and producing full amounts of hormones.  Once this happens, they start to exhibit behaviors related to the gender and become fertile.  Females are only fertile and receptive a few times per year, unlike humans.

The heat cycle in both species begins similarly.  Initially there is a period lasting 7-10 days where the ovaries begin producing hormones and prepare to ovulate.  In dogs, this is accompanied by vaginal bleeding similar to what happens in a human woman’s menstrual cycle.  Cats do not have noticeable bleeding, but begin to exhibit strange behaviors such as increased affection, presenting their tails and hind end, and strange vocalizations (what I often term “demon-possessed”).  Cats are also what are called induced ovulators, meaning that even though they are reproductively “ready”, they won’t actually release their eggs until they have intercourse with a male.

A dog’s fertile period begins once the bleeding stops.  For the next 7-10 days they are ovulating and can become pregnant.  An interesting tidbit is that because ovulation takes place over several days, dogs and cats can mate multiple times, with the potential for different males fertilizing the animal.  It is therefore possible for siblings in a litter to have different fathers.

If the animal doesn’t become pregnant, they will begin their reproductive cycle again.  Dogs will cycle every 6-9 months, so usually a couple of times per year.  Because cats are induced ovulators, once they start going into heat they will continuously cycle in and out until they mate.  This can go on for months without end and can be very annoying to the cat’s owners.

Pregnancy in dogs and cats lasts about 2 months, an average of 61-63 days.  The size of the litter varies based on the species, breed, and size.  Smaller dogs usually have smaller litters than larger ones, and first pregnancies tend to produce smaller litters than later ones.  Most of the time delivery is routine and uncomplicated, with the animal cleaning the babies and stimulating them to breathe and move.

On the male side of the equation, here are a few interesting trivia facts that you probably never wanted to know.  Dogs have tissue at the base of the penis called the blubous glandus.  When the male becomes excited, this structure swells, forming a “knot”.  During intercourse with a female, this part of the penis is inside her vagina, causing them to “lock” together.  This same structure can also become enlarged when the dog is extremely happy, and to some people can look like testicles, making them wonder if the dog was actually neutered.  When the male and female are locked, the male will turn around to face away from the female, remaining inserted in her.  This puts them back-to-back until he finishes inseminating her.  And yes, his penis can bend that way to point directly behind him.

Intact male cats have barbs on the end of their penis that causes strong stimulation when he has intercourse with a female, causing her to ovulate.  These barbs are dependent on testosterone, and when the male is neutered the barbs disppear.

Now it’s up to you to figure out exactly when to use your new knowledge at cocktail parties.

There are many things that people believe to be true, but actually aren’t.  This is definitely true about pet care and veterinary medicine.  So, inspired by this list on Wikipedia, I’m going to do occasional themes based on common misconceptions about pets and vets.

Neutering will calm down my dog/cat.
Spaying and neutering only affects behaviors related to gender-based behaviors.  This can include territoriality, aggression, sexual desire, and so on.  However, it does not include activity levels.  A pet that is excited and hyperactive before neutering will be the same after surgery.  Being sexually intact is irrelevant to such behaviors.

Neutering will make my male dog/cat lazy.
As with the first misconception, spaying and neutering has no affect on most pet behaviors.  Removing the gonads (sexual organs producing hormones) has nothing to do with a pet’s energy levels or overall behavior and attitudes.

If I come home and discover my dog urinated/defecated on the floor, rubbing his nose in it will teach him not to do it again.
Studies have shown that unless a punishment or reward is given within 20 seconds of the behavior, the dog will not associate the reinforcement (positive or negative) with the behavior they performed.  This means that punishing a pet more than a few seconds after the behavior has no effect at all, other than making them scared of you.

When my dog does something bad, he knows it and acts guilty.
Have you ever come home to a knocked-over trash can, and your dog runs and hides with their head down and tail tucked?  We perceive that as guilt, and they know that they did something wrong.  Well, that’s not how canine behavior works.  Remember, punishment must be given with  few seconds to be effective.  Try the following some time…when your dog isn’t in the room, turn over the trash can, then walk away.  Wait until your dog goes into the room and sees the mess, then see how they act.  Their behavior will be the same as if they had gotten into the trash themselves.  In a dog’s mind, they associate there being a mess on the floor with getting punishment from their owner.  They don’t make the connection that you’re mad that they made the mess.  They make the connection between the presence of a mess and your reaction.

I’ll post more as they come to mind!