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AMA
Original poster

I'm a vet, AMA!

373 replies

KarlDilkington · 22/07/2018 09:42

I am a co-director of quite a large practice with 7 small animal branches and a central hospital, plus farm, equine and exotic clients. I mainly do small animals but also do some farm and equine. Happy to answer any questions, but please don't expect me to diagnose anything or advise on treatment plans over the net Smile

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:40

Are all vets truly capable of treating hens or is it a specialist field?

Exotics vets cover avian so they will always be your best bet. All vets should have the knowledge of course but will not be expert in it. I am certainly not an expert in birds and will always grab an exotic vet for advice or refer.

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:43

@Picklesandpies I'm sorry for your experience, it sounds horrible. We do sometimes have arguments but they actually tend to be amongst us directors and we confine them to our meetings usually, but sometimes the atmosphere spills out. If that happens we will call an emergency directors meeting, sort out shit out, then get all the staff in to the main office for pizza and ice cream or something similar to say sorry for the shit day. Obviously arguments like these should never filter out and we are trying to make changes in that regard. But we also have a very strong team who have no qualms about saying what they mean - so issues are always aired and solved. We have a very low turnover of staff so I think we do ok... We really are like a family - argument one minute then laughing about it over pizza the next. I do try very hard to be a good 'mother hen'!!

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:45

Also my male cat use to have a weird thing were he would 'squirt' a really smelly substance which I believe was anal glands. Wasn't a regular occurrence but why do they do it

Was it anal glads or spraying? Cats spray urine to mark their territory. Often when they've been neutered later in life or not neutered at all.

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Picklesandpies · 29/07/2018 23:47

Thanks for your reply. Your practice sounds a lot more cohesive than where I worked. I guess I was just unlucky!

Orlandointhewilderness · 29/07/2018 23:47

sorry if this has been answered! Do you truly believe in vaccinating every year?

thank you for what you do.

Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:48

@SpottingTheZebras

If that's working for him then I'd be reluctant to change. What I would suggest is getting a cat feeder like this, so you only have to buy enough of it for the cat who actually needs it! www.surepetcare.com/en-gb/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:50

@Crazybunnylady123 I'm really sorry but without seeing the full case history it's impossible to advise on this case.

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:52

@Picklesandpies I think when you have a practice as big as ours in some ways it helps avoid clashes. You aren't constantly working in very close quarters with the same people. We rotate and have various rotas with different people.

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Original poster
KarlDilkington · 29/07/2018 23:52

@Orlandointhewilderness There's been a few questions on this upthread, I always say yes to yearly boosters.

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accendo · 30/07/2018 00:45

I have an 8mth old Jack Russell x maltease. Would you recommend neutering him soon or wait until he is older?

BackToTheFuschia7 · 30/07/2018 01:50

In reply to another poster, you said

Usually we sedate the dog whilst the owner is there. They say goodbye and leave, and then we administer the euth. So the dogs are pretty much asleep by the time they actually pass away.

Can I ask why you usually euthanise once the owners have left the room? And also, what are the benefits vs risks of sedating the animals first?

Wheretheresawill1 · 30/07/2018 02:00

I just missed my grades for RVC in 1995-the disappointment is still there 20yrs later. What are the negative aspects of the role and would you do it if you had your time again?

I worked in a mixed practice for 10yrs it seemed a lonely job and looking back the new graduates were treated really badly- long hours with little support. Has this changed?

Was still my dream job despite all of this

Thursdaydreaming · 30/07/2018 07:12

My cat was constantly weeing on the carpet and I took her to the vet, she was prescribed fluoxetine (prozac). While she was on it, she stopped purring. Not even one single purr! Before this she purred a lot. She was on it a few months. A few days after I stopped the medication she started purring again. Have you ever heard of this happening? Is this a known side effect? If so what is the mechanism. Couldn't find anything about it online.

SpottingTheZebras · 30/07/2018 11:41

@KarlDilkington thank you and that cat feeder is ingenious. Although I suppose I will need two so that he doesn’t then eat the non medical biscuits which will be bought for the other cats, so that is also pricey but I think I will soon see the benefits of it.

Gribbie · 30/07/2018 11:43

Thank you for your reply x

WoollyMollyMonkey · 30/07/2018 11:57

My cat eats grass then comes in to sick it back up on the mat (thanks cat). It just looks clear fluid with the grass in it - why does she do this? Is it to try and get hair balls up (though I rarely see hair in it).

Chickpearocker · 30/07/2018 12:37

Thanks for your reply.

NewName54321 · 30/07/2018 14:08

What happens to the animals' bodies after you euthanise them?
Do you think animals can smell that other animals have died in the building?

Kaydogsdinner · 30/07/2018 15:42

Have you ever had to treat a spider? Probably a stupid question as I've no idea if you can tell if a spider is sick!

ARumDo · 30/07/2018 16:06

Thanks for your reply - really, really helpful.

ChampagneSocialist1 · 30/07/2018 21:01

I had cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters as pets when I was a child but am now reluctant to keep pets because of the number of animals who suffer as a result of being bred for the pet industry ie: inbreeding leading to congenital health problems, animals abandoned or needing reforming, animals who are not spayed and the subsequent babies ending up as strays living short miserable lives. How would advise on responsible pet ownership and improve the pet breeding industry

LunaLovegoodsRadishes · 30/07/2018 21:37

Can a cat who has always resided inside ever learn to be safe outside? My cat is two years old.

LunaLovegoodsRadishes · 30/07/2018 21:39

Another question (sorry). What do you think about crating dogs? I am anti-, but my parents in law crate their patterdale terrier/chihuahua cross.

hendricksy · 30/07/2018 22:02

@Dadsbigsausages .. I'm not a very but perhaps some interaction with a toad? Not sure if they can check bloods for that?

user1469751309 · 30/07/2018 22:11

Do you do a lot for hamsters that are getting on? I have a two and a half year old Syrian hamster who has slowed down a lot recently and want to take him to the vet for a checkup but worried they will just put him to sleep as he's old! He's eating and drinking normally he's just slow and sleeping in different places than normal.