GUEST POST! BEING A VET TECH IS HARD

Erika Singh is one of my closest friends and favorite people. Erika is a licensed veterinary technician - one of the best in the industry! We are once again working together - Erika has been a veterinary technician at Gentle Doctor for over a year. Yay. The following is a post of Erika's wise and encouraging words...

Being a Vet Tech is Hard

"Being a vet tech is hard." These are the words I woke up with in my head after I came home from my twelve hour shift and passed out, sore, tired and mentally and emotionally exhausted.

Erika's Tiny Taffi doing what she does best

I gave my husband a kiss, snuggled my pets who were all excited to see me and then was out cold.

A few weeks ago, I posted a funny picture of one of my best friends and an amazing vet at my hospital on our Facebook page with her funny quote "Being a vet is hard. I need, like, seven calculators!"

Dr. Aly Taplett working hard!

Being a vet is hard.

Being a vet tech is hard.

Being a veterinary assistant is hard.

Being a veterinary receptionist is hard.

Being an animal care attendant is hard.

We wouldn't be doing this years later if we weren't the strongest of the strong. We wouldn't get up every day, knowing that our bodies, minds and emotions were all going to take a beating if we weren't strong.

Dr. Taplett, Hannah and Erika at Nebraska Humane Society's Walk for the Animals 2016

But what about the days we don't feel strong? When we don't feel like we can get up and do it all again tomorrow? These are the truly hardest days. The ones where we feel defeated. The ones where we're not sure we can do another hour, let alone another day.

But we do.

Because we are the heroes of four-legged family members, and the humans they own.

So for the days when you don't feel strong, remember you are. Remember you're amazing. Remember you are a lifeline to countless critters that wouldn't have a fighting chance, a happy, healthy life or a peaceful transition to the rainbow bridge.

Stay Strong.

Erika is a veterinary technician at Gentle Doctor Animal Hospitals and a server at Romeo's. She and her husband live in Omaha Nebraska. They have three beautiful cats and a beautiful tiny dog.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 10, 2016

TOLERENCE VS CELEBRATION

GIRLS' NIGHT CAMPING

Recently a group of us went an hour or so outside of Omaha and spent the night in a big gorgeous cabin. It was so much fun. I love that you can literally step outside of Omaha and be in the country.

The best part - of course - was being with friends.

We just wanted to pet the lambs.

The mamas did NOT want us to pet the lambs.

The highlight of the night - AMY GOT TO SEE A BABY CALF BEING BORN! BEING BORN YOU GUYS! We got to meet Mama and Baby within the hour, which is still the youngest calf I have ever met.

We wanted to pet the newborn calf too. Mama said no.

The next coolest thing was the double rainbow.

"Are you coming inside to play cards?" half the group asked.

"When the sky stops being pretty," the other half of us said.

We never got to play cards all together because it would not stop being gorgeous outside, but we all had a very good time.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 9, 2016

PET ADOPTION - THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE NEED

ON THE ROCKS

Recently we went to a beautiful Nebraska vineyard, Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery, to hear our brother in law Shane play guitar with On the Rocks. He is super good. The band sounded great.

We called to ask if we could bring the dogs. "They need to be well behaved and leashed and you need to pick up after them." We figured two out of three isn't bad, and headed out.

Here are pictures from the night.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 8, 2016

BLESSED IS THE PERSON WHO HAS EARNED THE LOVE OF AN OLD DOG

LUNA IN SWIRLS

Abby painted this painting of Luna for Russ for his birthday. I love it so much.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 7, 2016

DO NOT KISS ALL THE PETS. WAIT, DO KISS ALL THE PETS.

CONSTRUCTION KITTEN

Russ and Travis arrived at a work site and waited for Jeff to arrive.

A kitten came up to the window and meowed at Travis. 

"No, you cannot get in the cab, Kitten," he said. Not because he is mean - he is not - but because he and Russ are both very allergic to cats, and also kittens.

"Meow!" said the kitten.

"No!" said Travis.

So Kitten jumped into the bed of the truck and inspected all of the things.

His person came out from next door and got him out of the back of the truck. He is strictly an indoor kitten.

The next day, the kitten visited the guys again to help them build. They appreciated the help, but did not want him to get hurt or his family to worry, so now, knowing where he lives, Russ returned him to his family. 

Every day since, Kitten has stayed in his house like a good kitten. He has left the offer open to help the guys build things if they ever need his help.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 5, 2016

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

IT'S NOT TOO LATE, BUT NEXT YEAR WE WILL START PREPARING IN MARCH

Happy Independence Day!

Before you light the really impressive fireworks, consider the veterans and dogs and cats in the vicinity. If you can go out to the country, or light quiet fireworks, do.

That is not this crowd for the most part though. We are the ones under the bed with the dogs telling them all is well and will be over soon.

Next year we will start together in the spring. We will spend days taking the Thundershirts on and off our scardy pets with many treats involved. We will test medication before it is needed - with our vet team - to see what works best and at what dose. We will spray every surface with Adaptil and stuff all the Kongs. We will figure out the quietest, calmest rooms in our homes and stock them with blankies and toys and treats. And we will buy every edition of every album made by "Through A Dog's Ear." 

Artwork by Abby

Today...

Use antianxiety medications that have been prescribed for your pets if they have helped in the past. Give a dose before the day gets crazy.

Stay home with your pets if they are nervous, anxious or phobic if you can.

Do not bring the dogs to fireworks shows or even outside. Even the calmest dog can develop a noise phobia if they are exposed to the loud noises. This is the number one day for lost pets. And the fireworks are no safer for dogs than for a high energy toddler (most likely because of their many similarities :))

Make sure dogs have a quiet, dark place to retreat if they want to and that cats have a high and a low place to go (this is always a good kitty rule of dewclaw).

Hide under the bed with them if you need to. Tell them This Too Shall Pass.

Do whatever it takes to calm their anxiety...and yours.

Have a great holiday Friends. Let me know tomorrow how it went.

I love how photogenic Luna is, but this is one of my favorite pictures of her yet! Photos by Abby, too :)

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Post from one year ago today...

July 4, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVE AND AMERICA!

GUEST POST! I AM NOT YOU, BUT I AM YOU

Today's post is a guest post from Brendan Howard. He is one of my favorite people and an editor at dvm360, one of my favorite veterinary groups. Great post - Thank you Brendan!

Enjoy!

The first selfie I ever took - with Brendan at CVC in KC

I am Not You, But I am You

I've worked in the veterinary industry for eleven years or so.

I've never cleaned a cage, but I've written to the kennel attendants who do and suggested that doctors should pitch in and not observe too much job hierarchy in practice.

I've never helped hold and pet an anxious dog for a physical exam, but I written to the veterinary assistants who do and suggested they might enjoy their day better if they'd send really anxious dogs home to come back and try again another day.

I've never managed anesthesia for the veterinary surgeon, but I've written to the licensed veterinary technicians who do about talking their bosses into buying newer, better machines for the job.

I've never worked on ProSal for a practice owner, but I've written to the associates who do that they need to negotiate their percentages better and argue for themselves in practice.

I've never managed a hospital full of veterinary team members, but I've written to the practice managers who do and given them advice to save their business-frightened bosses from themselves.

I've never built a veterinary hospital, but I've written to the practice owners who do and spend all year (and a three-day conference) helping them make that dream happen.

I've never answered a phone or faced a busy veterinary reception area, but I've written to the client service representatives who do and offered them different communication strategies and emotional coping techniques to make a busy, bad day better.

I've never done any of that, but I've spent eleven years putting on continuing education conferences and presenting data and writing articles and cultivating relationships with the smartest people in veterinary medicine and management so I could help all the kennel attendants and veterinary assistants and veterinary technicians and practice managers and associates and practice owners.

I hope it's helpful.

Now I have to get back to work ...

Remember Veterinary Economics? I do. I worked there for years and remain dedicated to its practice management message. That great thinking and help is all over the CVC shows now as well as dvm360, Firstline and Vetted.

Brendan Howard is in charge of business-related content at CVC, dvm360.com, dvm360 magazine, Firstline and Vetted. Shawn Finch is one of his favorite people in the industry.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 3, 2016

TERMS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS

THE MUSICIAN AT THE FARMERS' MARKET

One of Omaha's summer farmers' markets is at Aksarben Village on Sundays. It is our favorite one, and when we go, we bring the dogs.

This is my favorite thing that has happened there this year...

We were walking past one of the musicians - they play on the corners of the Farmers' Market just far enough away from each other that they will not interfere with each other's music. He is an amazing guitar player, but I do not know his name.

He stopped playing and watched Abby and Luna cross the street. He yelled, "You and your dog match! You have matching pink hair! That makes me so happy."

He started playing again, and Abby and I smiled at each other. We smiled for most of the rest of the day. I hope he did too.

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Post from one year ago today...

July 2, 2016

ARMCHAIR UKULELE TUNER

BEGIN AGAIN AGAIN

Daily posts it is. I love being able to interact with you daily. And tell you the small things - that are often the big things - about a day in the life of.

This was a long, heartbreaking, really good, difficult week. It ended with Joy being obsessed with ice (or my sangria - I only gave her the ice, I promise), so it ended on a high note.

It threw me off quite a bit - through no fault of Pete's - to be at odds with my boss, even a little. Being (mostly) on the same page again - no, not even that...We can disagree about everything, but if we are getting along, I do so much better. That is MY issue, not his, and I should have not gotten tripped up here!

How appropriate I suppose to begin again again on the day we stop saving used syringes to reuse for injections FOREVER! I have been celebrating for weeks! I haven't been told yet though so don't say anything :)

Happy July you guys. I've got a lot of cute pictures and a handful of awesome guest posts, so it was time for me to quit slacking!

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Post from one year ago today...

July 1, 2016

HUH

FULL COLOR

I've decided to go full color with this blog.

Some scheduled posts will still be in dog and cat vision.

I will try to include a dog and cat vision photo in each post - because how cool is that to be able to see what they see? More or less. (So cool I think).

The neatest thing I have discovered in posting dog and cat vision photos for these past several months is that dogs and cats see each other true to color - whites, blacks, browns, even the gorgeous blue of husky eyes. 

Gorgeous Husky in Full Color...

Gorgeous Husky in Dog and Cat Vision...Same!

To be honest, I miss how pink Joy's tongue is in full vision color.

My dogs are usually dyed. My kids' hair is ALWAYS dyed, and green grass is really pretty.

And really, do we want muted photos during Pride Month?

My Gorgeous Daughter Amanda at Pride 2016

My Gorgeous Daughter Amanda at Pride 2016 IN FULL COLOR! :)

So I will post the full color pictures but also some cat and dog vision pictures.

Next to decide is if I have the time to continue making this a daily blog!

I am glad to be on this journey with you.

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Post from one year ago today...

June 14, 2017

THE POSITIVITY CORNER

RESTING

I will be offline for some much needed down time for a few weeks Friends.

Luna's ears ARE pink. It happens in this family :)

The next post here will be June 14.

Thanks for sticking with me! Have a wonderful start to summer, and I will see you again soon <3

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Post from one year ago these next few weeks...

EVERY CAT, EVERY TIME

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ON ANESTHESIA

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THE GOOD DEATH

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FAREWELL TO CATS

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HANNAH ROSE

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CATS IN HATS

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ADVANCES IN SMALL ANIMAL MEDICINE AND SURGERY

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TAKING A REAL VACATION, NOT A VETERINARIAN VACATION

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SOMETIMES I AM FIVE

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BEYOND OUR EXPERTISE

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IT'S NEVER HAPPENED SINCE

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LUCY'S WATER ADVENTURE

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GINO

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ALWAYS BRING A PUPPY

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FOR THE LOVE OF LUCK

Remember Orvis, the sporting company that creates the great dog-themed infographics? Their latest pet project is this video, For the Love of Luck. I love it so much.

(Does the dog die? NO.)

This video has been nominated for a Telly award. Viewers can rate the video here: https://peoples.tellyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2017/branded-content-entertainment/peoples-telly/peoples-telly-branded-content-entertainment/for-the-love-of-luck

Voting continues until Saturday, June 3.

Thank you Orvis for your great pet-themed projects and for always celebrating the human-animal bond! I always look forward to What's Next with you.

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Post from one year ago today...

May 30, 2016

MEMORIAL DAY - IN MEMORY OF UNCLE STAN MENZE

A LETTER TO GULLIVER'S FORMER HUMANS

GUEST POST!

Gulliver is one of my favorite dogs in the world. And his people are my favorite people. They have worked so hard in conjunction with his veterinary team and his grooming team (that is, Amy) to get him through so much, not the least of which has been several anxiety issues. He is the best little dog, and I hope you love him as much as I do after reading about him.

The following is a letter Gulliver's Mom Jaime wrote to his former humans.

To Gulliver’s former humans:

May 29, 2017 will mark three years since we first met Gulliver.  You abandoned him at NHS a couple days prior, with floor length hair matted down to the skin and a ThunderShirt which provided him no comfort.  You cited a laundry list of reasons on the surrender paperwork for why you made the decision, along with some “helpful hints” for his future owners.  I’ve had a lot to say to you for the last three years and I need to get it out of my system now.

I saw Gulliver on the NHS website and asked my boss to leave work early to meet him.  I was in the midst of a two-year long bout with crippling depression and I thought a pet might help.  My now-fiancé Ross gave me two stipulations: the pet had to be small and he didn’t want them to shed.  Gulliver fit that mold, so I left work early on the afternoon of May 29, 2014 to go see him with Ross.

We waited patiently for a room and an adoption specialist to become available.  When we got the room, I sat on the floor to await his arrival.  He barreled into the room a few minutes later, jumped into my lap, and curled up in a ball to sleep the rest of the time we were speaking with the adoption specialist.  She told us all of the horrible things you said about Gulliver: that he was aggressive with kids, that he refused to be potty trained, that he would jump over baby gates but go crazy if he was kenneled, that he refused to play with toys…the list went on and on.

I almost asked to see another dog.  I asked Ross to tell me we couldn’t bring him home, and he refused.  You almost talked me out of taking him home.  But I looked down at the tiny little dog sleeping soundly in my lap, and I couldn’t let the adoption specialist take him back to the kennel.  I told Ross we could do training classes with him if he needed them.  I told him we could figure something out if he truly had behavioral issues.  I felt that he picked me when he jumped into my lap that afternoon, so we took him home.

You knew he had anxiety issues because you sent him to NHS in a ThunderShirt.  Did it ever occur to you to speak with a vet about it?  Because that occurred to us right after we brought him home.  He tried chasing us out the door every time one or both of us left.  He only went potty in the apartment if he was left by himself at home.  He lost two teeth trying to chew his way out of a kennel.  He would randomly start convulsing.  The first vet we saw said anxiety isn’t a thing with dogs and that we needed to keep kenneling him.  That wasn’t good enough for us, so we took him to Dr. Finch.  She believed that Gulliver needed treatment for anxiety and started him on two different meds.

He’s a completely different dog today.  His panic attacks have stopped and he doesn’t try to chase us out the door anymore.  He gets free roam of the apartment and he doesn’t touch anything that isn’t his.  Squeaky toys litter our apartment because we determined you lied about him not playing with toys—did the squeaking bother you too much or something?  Because that’s just something dogs do.  And the most aggressive thing he has done to a child is stealing a piece of toast out of the hand of our friend’s toddler.  He’s the light of our lives, and Ross even included him in the proposal a couple months ago.  You almost talked me out of taking him home.  I’m eternally grateful that I didn’t listen to you.

I’ve spent three years wanting to chew you out for failing to meet his needs, and for abandoning him without a second thought.  Instead, as I write this today, I’m wanting to thank you for giving us the opportunity to give him a better life.  We would jump through flaming hoops for that little guy.  He shows us so much love and we give him the best life possible in return.  We’re going to celebrate his adoption day by taking him for his beloved car ride to get ice cream.  Thank you for giving up on him, because now he’s ours to dote on for the rest of his life.

Sincerely,

Gulliver’s new mom, Jaime

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Post from one year ago today...

May 29, 2016

MOM IS DOING WELL

NEW NEIGHBORS

Recently a nice couple moved in next door with their two beautiful dogs. We have been meaning to go meet them, but for now we wave over the fence when any of us is outside.

Recently a very nice veterinary assistant started at Gentle Doctor. I only see Chrystal about once a week as she works at the 152nd Street location.

Last week, Erika and Chrystal were talking about addresses. (Who talks about addresses?? But I am glad they were!)

Erika texted me, "Chrystal is your next door neighbor!"

"No way!" I texted. I did not feel so bad for not recognizing her - as my neighbor at work or as my coworker at home - when she said she did not recognize me either. We both must have been experiencing that grade school teacher at the grocery store phenomenon.

"I've been meaning to come over - we're super introverted," I said.

"Me too," Chrystal said.

"Why do you live so far from Gentle Doctor?" I asked.

"Why do you?" Chrystal asked.

Most combinations of our two families have all met now, and it has been very fun getting to know each other.

I can tell as well as the day(s) we met, these are great neighbors and we have a great new coworker!

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Post from one year ago today...

May 28, 2016

MY FAVORITE "SHOOT FOR THE MOON" VERSION

WE ALL MISS YOUR PETS WHEN THEY'RE GONE

Dr. Tonya McIlnay, Omaha's veterinary ophthalmologist, calls double or second enucleations - surgery to remove an eye - the eye doctor's euthanasia, because after that, she does not ever get to see that pet again.

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Post from one year ago today...

May 27, 2016

THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION I HAVE EVER HEARD

ALLISON CLEANS ALL THE TEETH

This past Mother's Day weekend, on a rare Friday that vet tech Allison and I got to work together, I filled our schedule to the top with dental work. Usually we do one or two surgeries or dental procedures in a day, and schedule them for the morning in case we also need the time before afternoon appointments start at 2 pm to finish. We had three dental procedures scheduled for Friday morning.

"Are you sure that is a good idea, Friend?" Allison asked.

"That is not a good idea," Angie said.

"It'll be great!" I said.

I pride myself a bit on guessing accurately how complex a dental procedure will be, how long it will take and how much it will cost - though truly you cannot know all of that for sure until a pet is under anesthesia. These three dogs all have great teeth, and we expected no extractions. They were all from the same family, and Mom wanted to get them done at the same time, so I told her we would.

Jen and Allison doing dental work

Allison had her doubts, but was a good sport about it all.

"We'll see," she said.

We created a back up plan that if the procedures took longer than expected, we would reschedule the third dog for another day.

Here's the part that was the most fun...

I was so sure of Allison and her ability that I commissioned Abby to make a thank you card for Allison the night before. Abby went above and beyond, and painted the beautiful dogs we were seeing from my description. Her paintings look just like them!

Russ called flower shops and bakeries until he found a team willing to help us on the weekend of Mother's Day. He coordinated with Petit's Pastries, the awesome bakery up the street from Gentle Doctor, to deliver cupcakes with Abby's card at 11:30 am, right when I figured we would be finishing up.

Our team showed up early ready to go.

Jen was there to help. Stephanie was there to help. I was there to give anesthetic medications. As any vet tech knows though, in any dental procedure, the technician does the majority of the work. Allison was ready. The dogs came in one by one...and it went as well as I had hoped.

One of the women from Petit's Pastries came in with Allison's card and cupcakes and set them on the counter. Jen brought them back to Allison who was finishing anesthetic recovery of the third dog. Allison asked who they were from. Jen said she didn't know. Allison said they were probably from Hannah. Because Allison insisted on making sure her patient was fully recovered before letting anything break her focus, even Cookie Monster cupcakes, I had to wait a full ten minutes for Allison to check the card and see it was from me.

Timing In Real Life is not my strong suit. I am almost as proud of myself and my timing in this situation as I am of my family for making it work and Allison and the rest of the vet team in taking care of these three great dogs and their Mom. Almost.

That was a fun day.

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Post from one year ago today...

May 26, 2016

ON DISCUSSING TREATMENT PLANS

DR. KRAPFL ILLUSTRATES SURGERY

Dr. Krapfl was explaining to us the technique he uses for bilateral abdominal cryptorchid surgery. Which is more important but less entertaining than the pictures he used to illustrate his points.

I asked Dr. Krapfl if I could post these photos, and he said I could. I also said I WAS listening. I was.

We all yelled our guesses like we were playing Pictionary. I thought the best guess was a tick.

Dr. Krapfl paused to explain that this is a dog. Clearly.

See? A beautiful dog.

For the life of us, we could not guess what the dots were, even with the hint that a dog may or may not have the marked #1 dot. Guesses included toes (nope) and pads (nope).

The dots are claws!

Thanks Dr. Krapfl for being a good sport! We truly were listening :)

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Post from one year ago today...

May 25, 2016

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPLETE HISTORY