I'm a vet, AMA!

[KarlDilkington]

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

@Thankewe they're just better at pretending. My money is on you being better... overly self examining is a double edged sword. Try to use it for good and you'll do brilliantly!

@Thankewe your confidence will grow as you progress and especially when you enter clinical practice. Your coursemates probably just have a better poker face right now! Don't sell yourself short. You deserve to be there and to do well. One of the best vets I know is extremely dyslexic, struggled at school for years, went to a failing school and went a sixth form where no one had ever been accepted for veterinary medicine before. They impressed at their uni interview, was offered a place there and then and at 30 is now working in her chosen specialism and living the dream.

I work with a lot of new grad vets - top tip? Leave something out of the room eg stethoscope. It gives you the opportunity to go get it and check with a colleague/consult a book etc. if necessary!

Do you do titre testing at your place, and if so how much do you charge and what do you make of it?

One of my dogs reacts to vaccinations and has had much of his life in the vets. They think he has some sort of auto immune issue that they've never managed to diagnose. I have to rotate the protein source he eats every few months, he's on cytopoint and six weekly B12 shots. He is now 10, I last vaccinated him in 2012 when a titre test suggested his distemper immunity was low, but I don't think the test can account for memory cells and I'm less familiar with all of that now. Would be good to know your thoughts.

As you can tell I am a classic nightmare owner, I am the one who rings up going 'do you do this? Have you got this in yet? They do this in America, can you get it?'

@Thankewe it's well known that people from elite schools etc often have a gloss of confidence, irrespective of their abilities, which may or may not be excellent. Also, you only know your internal thoughts, not theirs. Sadly I would bet money that at least a few of your confident classmates actually have mental health issues that will lead to them struggling at some point in the future, just because this is so common. Be yourself and don't worry. That's all any of us can be.

Why do my cats poop and throw up round the house when i go on holiday?? They stay at home and are visited by a friend who they’ve known a long time (not they come out of hiding despite this)
Also recently one or both of them have started occasionally pooping in front of the little tray even if it’s clean, could they be stressed now my toddler is showing an interest in them? She’s very gentle with them but does try to follow them

Another cat question. One of mine wees in particular spots sometimes same one as before despite cleaning, usually on something soft) every few weeks. He's 6yo, neutered and seems healthy. Normal or check-up time?

Thanks to you and your colleagues - I know there'll always be someone to help my cats if they need them

I want to know if I'm "That" owner.

Our vet is just marvellous. My small dog (a Patterdale terrier, not known for her gentle demeanour) is nervous, neurotic and very aggressive owing to a chronic pain problem. In her 11 years on earth she's had at least 7 general anaesthetics and multiple medical issues. So we have special arrangements for arrival for consultation (car park and side door, no waiting room); special arrangements for examination (we chat then I hand her over muzzled and leave so he examines her without me in the room). She's on chronic pain medication for a spinal problem (she was operated on by the Supervet actually) and anxiety, and when I've done too much googling the vet will listen patiently to me as I grill him on the phone about what drug combinations we can try next. He never dismisses me or her, never criticises and is unfailingly polite and kind and knowledgeable and goes out of his way to help me/her. We've had a few laughs about her over the years (she once vomited and collapsed after a fifth of a dose of sedative, and we were both crouched over her flat out on the floor - muzzle removed - when she reflexively twitched and we both shot backwards into the table in panic hahaha). We moved 27 miles away from the practice last year but I daren't move vets, I only ever want him to handle her!

Do you think he rolls his eyes when he sees my name on the list of clients to call back?! I wonder if all the receptionists exchange a glance...

So yeah, I hope I'm not that tedious client suffering from Googlemania and verbal diarrhoea, and in any case, thank you so much for everything you do.

Sorry for de-railing the thread slightly but thank you to all of you! I’ll try and remember that tip and it’s also relieving to see a practising vet still enjoying their job. I met many during my work experience that told me I shouldn’t put myself through it and they wouldn’t if they had their time again.

Hearing it does make me slightly disheartened but whenever I put on my small animal handling tunic or say the words “I’m studying veterinary medicine” I just get this buzz inside that tells me to keep going and makes me so excited for what the future holds.

Does a cats abscess always need anti biotic or can I just bathe with saline ?

What was your inspiration to become a vet?
Have you read James Herriot?

You'll hate me but I'm a farmer (female) and prefer the male vets at our practice. They're calmer and give a lot more technical detail in answer to questions. I prefer that to inane chit chat. Tell me IABU.

“Tell me IABU.”

YABU

My vet is a woman, no inane chitchat, she answers my questions fine, in fact we’ve had some really interesting conversations about recent studies and new treatment options relevant to my dogs health issue.

UABU It was a young female vet who took my concerns seriously, when I said it WASN’T old age that was making my female cat skinny. TWO YEARS of running back and fourth to, no less, than four Male vets, who treated me as if I was being silly. One female vet to diagnose the wee cat.,

Have you ever reported a beloved dog to the police/rspca as a banned breed? My rescue staffy looks a bit dubious and I hate taking her to the vet in case they say anything. They have just treated her professionally as a dog and not as any specific breed and never ask for her to muzzled.

And do you like doing tricky new things yourself? When my dog needed an eye out the vet we saw when we first took her was almost excited at doing that particular operation, I couldn't quite understand his enthusiasm about getting stuck into that job!

@derxa, YABU. You prefer some vets at your practice, which happen to be male. I am female, almost never chit chat with clients, though I am friendly. My private life is private. I've worked in the same place 14 years, and only a handful of clients even know I have children. Not one knows where I've been on holiday. I don't ask them either. And I am very, very calm.

@RoseDog, I would never report a client for anything except animal abuse or a possible rabies threat or other notifiable disease. Or, I suppose, threatening behaviour, but I've never encountered that (apart from the time someone tried to run me over in the car park, but I'm sure he didn't mean it really) In 28 years, I've reported one suspect case of rabies (it wasn't), with the owner's consent; that's it. But I work in a fairly naice area.

You prefer some vets at your practice, which happen to be male. You're probably right. But they go into detail about things like mastitis and I want to know about it. It's treating the client with respect.
Unfortunately I had a ewe with liver fluke and she had to be put down. He asked if he could do an autopsy there and then. He did and explained all the symptoms. I'll never forget it.

Interesting thread soft OP.

Do you think that the ownership of pets should be better regulated? So licences etc. Also for those people who have been banned from owning pets, do you find that this actually works, since you can easily buy pets online?

Hi all sorry I haven't disappeared just crazy busy. Will try and answer the rest tonight in a short while

Thank you @karldilkington, I appreciate you returning to the thread.

@jeffers3

Neutering advice for male dogs has massively changed in just the last few years. It used to be neuter all male dogs at 6-7 months. But recent studies have began to sway people's opinions - many people don't believe we should blanket neuter at all. I tend to advise waiting until a year old now - I am still pro-neutering for the social and behavioural benefits plus the lessening risk of certain health problems. I would advise you read up on the facts and decided for yourself, it's a bit too complicated to get on to on here as there are so many differing opnions.

Do you think there are 'dog people' and 'cat people' ( I do) and if so what are the differences?

Haha I would have said yes but now I have two cats I'm not so sure. I always said I didn't want any, but now I've got them they are awesome little characters! I think cats are actually a much more sensible choice of pet for a lot people than dogs as they can fit in with people working full time and not having the time to walk dogs enough etc, plus there are so many out there needing homes. I'm definitely a converted cat lady!

What is the relationship like between Clinical Animal Behaviourists and Vets? Is there anything, from a vet's perspective, that makes someone a great behaviourist?

I don't have much to do with them tbh. One of our vets offers behavioural consults so I just refer patients to her, not to any external behavourists. Sorry I couldn't me more interesting!

What are your thoughts about raw food diets?

Poor nutrition usually and are at huge risk of salmonella and e-Coli contamination, plus so are humans when raw fed dogs defecate in public places. But I've seen it done right - where the O balanced out the meat with grain and corn and it worked. So I'm not totally anti it, I just don't think it's for everyone.

Why do so many vets give really bad behavioural advice for dogs?

Do they? I'm not sure. Lack of training in the subject I suppose. You should go to a specialised behaviourist for behaviour help, I'd say.

What do you think about buying animal meds over the internet? Is there any way to ensure that they are safe and effective or is it a total non-starter?

What does a NQ vet earn. Likewise you sound quite senior, what is your annual salary? Interested as my daughter wants to be a vet.

I got a very large sum when we sold up my practice. Now I am salaried at 80k per annum as a clinical director and senior vet, and I get overtime at £150 per call out one weekend a month.

NQs here get around 28k including company car, same overtime rates at me, plus cheap rent on a company house.