7.30am - Roll out of bed, drink coffee, walk dog
8.30am - Roll into work, drink coffee, pet dogs, greet the team
8.40am - Check and report external lab results that have been received. Using an external laboratory makes heartworm tests, fecal screens and wellness profiles a lot more cost-effective for our clients. So, although it means we have to wait until the next day for results, this makes a lot of sense for healthy pets and screening tests.
Arthur here had a 'Young Wellness' panel, so that we can start tracking liver and kidney values as he ages. Thankfully, he passed with flying colors!
9am to 10am - Morning appointments: these appointment slots are usually kept for patients that urgently need to be seen on the same day, or that may require further work-up. Think: vomiting dogs and missing socks, raspy-sounding kittens, bunnies that didn't eat their breakfast.
We have an extensive in-house laboratory, digital x-ray and a large and fancy (second-hand, donated!) ultrasound machine. We use these tools to help us diagnose illnesses sooner and to get us on the right track for our main goal: making animals feel better.
10am to 1pm - Surgery: This is usually our time to perform soft-tissue surgeries (spays, neuters, mass removals, abdominal surgery) or dental procedures.
Our Licensed Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary Assistants set-up EVERYTHING we could think of (and often things that we haven't even realized we need yet). Our LVTs are also responsible for monitoring anesthesia on our multiparameter monitors.
One of out patients today was an adorable young dog for a neuter procedure. Though it sounds like a "regular" or "routine" surgery, we are still talking about a full general anesthetic and a surgical procedure. Risks include drug- or anesthetic- related complications, wound infection/breakdown, and hemorrhage. No surgical procedure is ever treated lightly, and so thankfully these complications are extremely rare. All our patients, except for certain tiny species and very rare exceptions, have an intravenous catheter placed and receive fluid therapy (an IV "drip") before and throughout surgery. This improves safety and help us keep them stable more effectively.
1-2pm - Lunch: We would love all our staff to get a proper daily lunch, ideally with a walk or a true break, as this is so helpful for our mental health. On the occasions that we all end up eating a sandwich (or a donut!) while typing or in-between procedures, we are lucky to be surrounded by such supportive team members!
2-6pm - Afternoon appointments: Around half of our appointments are "Well" visits. We are passionate about preventive medicine: aiming to pick up signs of disease early, screen for future problems, and help you to make choices that maximize your pets' health and longevity.
Another 40% will be "Sick" appointments: stinky ears, accidents found in your house, frustrating coughs! The remaining appointments may be urgent - things that cannot wait until another day.
5.45pm-6.30pm - Finish our notes and tidy up! Sometimes a staff dog gets to sniff around the treatment room as we finish up. Sometimes, we sneak a last slice of cake from the break room. But, always, we give ourselves a hefty pat on the back for getting through another day in our crazy, new clinic!
Comments