Ask the emergency vet tech

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

Okay, now for the promised euthanasia post.

Euthanasia is the blessing and the curse of veterinary medicine. It’s the final gift of love and respect and compassion we can give a suffering animal, and it’s one of the hardest parts of the job. It gets easier, but it never gets easy. Never. You might develop the ability to joke about it, but it’s still not easy. The jokes just keep you from going crazy.

It’s like a human doctor losing a patient. The grief of the family, the frustration of not being able to do anything, having to be the one bringing up practical matters like disposal of the remains, it’s all there. In some ways, though, it’s even worse. Sometimes, you know you could pull this one through, if the owner only had the money to pay for treatment. Human doctors rarely if ever have to hold a patient in their arms during death.

As for how common it is, it depends on the sort of practice. In the specialty/emergency practice I’m in now, it’s pretty common. By the very nature of the practice, a lot of our patients are in really bad shape when they get to us, and we put a lot of them down. Some nights, bad nights, we put down two or three or more during my shift. On Monday night we put down two in two hours (one was a long-term patient I’d taken care of in the ICU), last night we didn’t do any.

Euthanasia was somewhat less common when I was at a day practice, where we did routine care. Even with routine care, though, you have a fair bit of cancer, age-related stuff, accidents, parvo, you name it. We might go for weeks without a euth, then do three in an afternoon. A lot of it depends on the age and general health of your patient population, and the amount your clients are willing to spend on their pets.

For anyone considering a career in vet medicine, I strongly suggest volunteering at a clinic or shelter. Actually, if you don’t have some time in at a clinic, most vet schools won’t even consider you very seriously for admission. I think you might be surprised at what you can and can’t handle.

22

Thanks CatLady.

I do have a comment about barfing cats. Both my cats do it, one more than the other. My grey tabby started life as a Naples street cat, someone rescued her and I wound up with her. The Black tortoiseshell may have been a street cat but I doubt it, too people friendly when I found her waiting on me at the front door of my building, had to have had a home before me.

Street cats tend to eat really fast or else they don’t eat. Being second banana, the black cat had to learn to eat fast after she moved in or the grey would hog the food. So I have two cats that barf.

So if a cat had to fight for food when young it’s likely a barfer, very hard to unlearn.
CatLady, another question, black cat, Merlo, likes Yoplait yogurt and Jello brand pudding, among other people foods, it’s not harmful is it? She has to try everything we eat, if she likes it she adds it to her want list. The grey, Bella, also wants to eat people food, but doesn’t, she does like to sniff your breath to find out what you ate though.

I love my cats, but Merlo is my baby.

23

Squeeze cage:

A large cage with one ‘wall’ spring loaded and on a track. You stick an animal into it and you can push the wall on the track against the far side, in essence trapping the animal in place between the bars. You’re basically squeezing the animal bewteen two parts of the cage.

I’m guessing its so you don’t lose an arm when you’re trying to inject a large/mean/powerful animal with drugs to knock it out.

I keep trying to figure out how you get a large primate into the blood thing in the first place. If the animal won’t be passively injected with sedatives in the first place how do you calm down the critter enough to get it into the cage? It’s not like you can pick up a 120lb baboon and toss it in.

24

Catnoe, I wouldn’t give her large amounts of either thing, because the sugar and the milk can upset her tummy, but a nibble here and there won’t hurt her any. We sometimes even prescribe plain yogurt for some intestinal problems. Usually, this is to repopulate the gut with good bacteria after antibiotic-induced diarrhea.

CRorex, I don’t have any experience with primates, but a lot of animals will go in a cage a lot more readily than they’ll let you inject them. You can also lure them in with food and stuff.

25

Oh, while I’m thinking about it, here are some general rules about when to call the vet, as requested by velma.

If you’d get yourself or your kids checked out for the same symptoms, call. If rectal bleeding is a big deal for you, it’s a big deal for your dog. (Don’t ask.)

If something just seems different, call. We may not tell you to rush right over, but it’s better to check.

If your pet’s appetite changes (this is part of why measuring food is a good idea) for more than 24 hours, call. Same for water consumption.

Basically, when in doubt, call. We’d rather talk you through something minor than have you ignore something big because you didn’t want to be a bother.

When you come to the vet, please try to have your shit together. Have your dog on a leash, and your cat contained in some way. If you don’t have a carrier, a cardboard box will work fine, too. Be as familiar with your pet’s medical history as possible, and bring relevant records from other clinics when possible. This is especially important for visits to the emergency clinic.

Please don’t try to restrain your own pet unless you’re trained in animal restraint. This is not only to protect the vet or techs, but also to protect you and your pet. If Poopsie breaks loose from you and falls off the exam table, serious injury could result. Likewise, please don’t stand nose to nose with your pet cooing at it. If we do something painful and he snaps, guess who’s most likely to get nailed? Standing at the head and reassuring the animal is usually fine, but please maintain a safe distance.

A little basic courtesy goes a long way toward establishing goodwill among the staff. Don’t whip out the cell phone and have non-essential conversations while we’re examining your pet. We often have questions for you, and it pisses us off (not to mention throwing us behind schedule) to have to wait for you to finish up. If your pet makes a mess, let us know, and apologize. Don’t bitch at the receptionist about the bill, or how hard it was to get an appointment that fit your schedule. It’s not her fault, and she generally can’t do anything about it.

Oh, and don’t lie about when a problem started. If your dog is a walking rack of bones, we know he didn’t start losing appetite yesterday, so don’t tell us he did. That just makes us hate you. If you didn’t notice, or you thought it would clear up on it’s own, or you didn’t have the money to come in, fine. Any of those things is better than being a liar.

26

I’ve always had an interest in veterinary science and was very close to attending a veterinary school, but my interest in computers prevailed.

Anyway, I’ve been toying with the idea of a career change, and I’m curious to know how you got into this career, and what you did, if anything, before.

Also, if you don’t mind answering, how is the pay? Is this something you see yourself doing for the rest of your life? What promotional and/or advancement opportunities are available?

And, in your progression to becoming a veterinary technician, would you do anything differently?

27

I wanted to go to vet school, and I needed some practical experience to have a snowball’s chance of getting in. (It’s quite a lot harder to get into vet school than med school. Think about that next time you’re at the doctor.) I got on the alternate list three years, but never could quite make it over the hump, and I’ve just kind of stuck with it.

I contemplated a career change when we moved, but nothing was panning out (somehow all the offers of help finding a job evaporated once we were actually here), and the emergency clinic actually wanted me. So here I am.

To be honest, this isn’t something to get into just for shits and giggles, 'cause the giggles can be few and far between. It’s hard physical labor a lot of the time, and it’s a rare day I go home without any piss, shit, or blood on me. It’s also incredibly draining emotionally, and sometimes it’s damn hard to find a balance between being involved enough to give every patient everything you have, and being detached enough to not have your heart broken constantly.

The pay varies by clinic, training, experience, and seniority. At the last place I worked, I started with limited experience and no formal training at $7/hour and no benefits. When I left two and a half years later, I was making $9.75/hour with vacation, sick leave, free insurance and free pet care. Some places pay more for certification, others don’t.

Sometimes senior techs supervise the tech staff, do schedules, etc., and sometimes they double as office managers. It just depends on the individual clinic and how it’s set up. Head techs tend to do more administrative stuff and less shit shoveling, but they still clean cages like the rest of us when needed.

Would I do anything differently? I don’t know. Probably not. I worked out of the industry for a few months between teching gigs. (the “internship” I had wasn’t paying the bills, and I couldn’t work two jobs and take classes part time. It was killing me.) It was nice to know no one would piss down my leg 30 minutes into my shift, but I was miserable. I missed the physical and mental challenges of helping figure out what was going on with patient, and I missed the feeling of being needed. Most of all, though, I missed the animals.

28

This might seem a little dumb…

I have a hamster. The hamham is somewhere between 3, 4 and 5 years old. (I got her from a school that no longer wanted her once she got Wet Tail. They were not sure exactly how old she is. The teacher made an educated guess. I got her fixed up at the vet and brought her home.) This week, she began to get sick.

Her eyes are stuck shut if I don’t wipe them frequently with warm water. She is losing A LOT of weight. She seems to drag herself around rather than walk, often falling into awkward positions that she can’t get herself out of. She seems to be breathing shallowly. She sleeps unless I wake her up. She will not eat unless I place food directly under her face, and even then she only eats sometimes and very little. I also can’t get her to drink unless I put her right in front of her water bottle.

In short- I think she is dying. I have had her for several months now, and she’s been very healthy. Frisky, friendly, etc. I have had mice, but they all passed away overnight, at ripe old ages. I think she is a Golden Hamster. I know their lifespan is 2-3 years. She has been like this for about 3 days. Are these normal “dying symptoms?” Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable, aside from keeping her clean and helping her eat?

I guess it’s silly to get this upset about a hamster, but she’s been very sweet and we love her.

:confused: :frowning: :confused:

29

I’m not sure what you mean by “normal dying symptoms” but it sounds like she’s very sick indeed, and possibly dying. She could have some sort of infection (the runny eyes are what make me wonder about that) that could be cleared up with antibiotics, and the weakness and such are due to her lack of appetite. On the other hand, she could have cancer or some age-related rodent thing (my knowledge of pocket pet diseases is pretty sketchy, sorry).

If a trip to the vet isn’t in her future, I’d suggest putting extra padding in her cage so if she does fall it’s a little less uncomfortable for her. Keep her clean and dry and warm and try to feed her as much as you can. You might also call the vet who saw her before and see if they have any suggestions.

And, no, it’s not silly to get upset about a hamster. You love her and she’s become a part of your family. Anybody who doesn’t get upset at the prospect of losing a family member is, IMNSHO, seriously fucked up.

30

Thank you, CrazyCatLady. I’ve done quite a bit of research online. What I keep finding is mention of stroke, which apparently causes parts of the hamster’s body to become paralysed or partially paralyzed. That is what I suspect about the “dragging” that she is doing. Her back legs don’t seem to work properly. I think you are probably right about an infection in her eyes. On the other hand, I went to check on her shortly after my earlier post and her eyes seem to be slightly better. Maybe that will clear up on it’s own if I keep cleaning them.

I would take her to the vet, but my husband is kind of opposed to taking her in, since she is rather elderly. Not that he has been at all heartless or unkind to her. We have had her in to the vet 2 times since we got her several months ago. Once for her Wet Tail, and another time to have a ping-pong ball sized cyst/tumor removed from her side. (The cyst thing healed up beautifully. I can’t see or feel any signs of it, or anything similar, on her now. ) I would take her in, but her advanced age makes the outlook seem pretty grim.

On a good note- I did get her to eat a whole peanut a little while ago. That’s the most she’s eaten in days!:slight_smile:

I really just want to make sure that she has every chance to get better on her own and is as comfy as we can make her. If she’s on her way out, I want it to be as painless as possible.

Thank you for your help!

31

Just a thought- I wonder if I couldn’t pick up an antibiotic for her at the vet, without taking her in for a visit? I recall the antibiotic for Wet Tail being around $15. It couldn’t hurt to give them to her, could it?

32

I’m not sure if the vet can prescribe that legally or not. You do have a valid VCPR, but he hasn’t seen the animal for this particular condition. It doesn’t do any harm to call them up and ask, certainly. The only harm I can see it doing to her is to give her diarrhea. Unfortunately, in her shape, a good bout of diarrhea just might finish the poor girl off.

33

You might be right about the diarrhea. :frowning: I guess I’ll just have to call and see.

34

Here’s something that I wondered about recently, and I hope I’m way too early to actually have to deal with it (my dog is about 7 y/o). When a pet dies, can the vet’s office take care of disposing of the body? We had one dog die but we had a large lot and there was plenty of room to bury him there. But where we live now, the yards are little and the water table is not too far underground (we back onto wetlands.) When the time comes, I don’t want to be calling all over the place trying to find out what to do. And I don’t want a burial vault or her ashes or anything - I’d like to know her remains will be handled properly.

35

I’ve had to deal with this a couple of times, and my vet’s office did. Yours may not. You might want to call NOW and check.

That’s about the hardest decision I’ve had to make…when to take the pet in to be put down. I waited too long in one case, and she suffered needlessly. At the same time, I don’t want to have an animal put down too early.

Even when I was sure that it was time to put Midnight down (she was 19, had cancer, couldn’t be operated on because of kidney failure) it was still VERY hard to say “it’s time for her to go.”

36

Hey CrazyCatLady, could you comment on the feline vaccination guidelines from the Am. Assoc. of Feline Practioners?

I have 2 strictly indoor cats, ages 5 and 7, who I want to move to a 3 year vaccination schedule. They have no contact with other cats, and they are never boarded outside the home. They have been vaccinated annually since they were kittens, but now that they are becoming middle-aged, I have some concerns about over-vaccinating them. My vet is giving me a hard time about not vaccinating them annually, and I am seriously considering finding them another vet.

37

FCM every vet I’ve ever known has some protocol in place for disposing of a body. Some places send them out for group cremation (ashes not returned) at your cost as a routine thing, some simply offer it as an option. A lot of places, however, just let the sanitation department pick them up. I wouldn’t race for the phone this very second, but I would ask what options they have the next time I was over there. Preplanning can make things easier when it is time to say goodbye.

Lynn, it can be a damn tough call to make and I don’t envy anyone who’s had to make it, especially more than once. My sympathies about Midnight. I’m sure she was a wonderful kitty and had a wonderful, well cared-for life.

Mia, I’ve never seen anyone use the vaccine protocols in that link. The protocols I’ve seen from the AVMA have called for 3-4 boosters 3 weeks apart, starting at 6-8 weeks and ending at 16 weeks or older. I’m not saying either is right or wrong, as one may be based on newer research than the other, just that it’s so different from the protocols I’ve used that I don’t feel qualified to have an opinion on it.

I see both sides of the coin here. You don’t want to subject them to the stress of unnecessary trips to the vet (I’m not sure I buy the stuff about overvaccinating) and it’s good that you’re concerned enough about them to do some independent research. However, I see the vet’s point, too. Not all vaccines are created equal, and they’re generally not designed to last for 3+ years. If your cats ever found themselves outside (through accident, natural disaster, or human malice), they could be at risk.

Don’t brush of the risk, either. Maggie, who hates the outdoors with a burning passion and struggles violently if you carry her near a door, suddenly took a wild hair to go catting around. It was summer, and we were grilling in the back yard, so we left the door propped open. After all, it’s Maggie. She’s sure as hell not gonna try to get out, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. She was gone for hours before we even considered that she might be outside instead of hiding. She turned up at the door next morning, and has returned to her hatred of all things outdoor, but it did happen that once.

38

Thanks for responding, CrazyCatLady. As you probably realize, I’m not questioning the vaccine schedule because I am lazy or cheap with my pets. Completely the contrary, I want to make informed decisions about what is the best way to care for them, weighing the risks of each option. :slight_smile:

I’ve known several cats who have been vaccinated annually without problem when they were younger, but then had a major reaction to vaccines when they got to a more advanced age. I realize that the immunization provided by vaccines does not last forever, but I would have to think that periodic titering would allow for boosters to be administered at greater time periods while maintaining functional immunity.

39

In a typically arbitrary snit of feline rage, my cat has bitten deeply into my hand. Enraged at this obvious attempt to interfere with his food supply, my wolf hybrid has promptly and indisputably clamped his jaws down upon a large and readily available catlike appendage.

Who do I disconnect from whom, and in what order, to minimize any further bloodshed?

Three possible scenarios come to mind:

[ul][li] Do I pry the cat from my hand, and risk that my wolf hybrid’s state of anxiety over interdiction of his food supply may prompt him to trot off with the cat, now regarding him as nothing more than a convenient snack instead of his long time and treasured playmate?[/ul]Or:[/li]
[ul][li] Do I force my wolf hybrid to release the cat first, risking that this may further entrench the already pernicious feelings of feline superiority my tom has and encourage him to repeat this foul assault on another occasion when my wolf hybrid isn’t around to deter him?[/ul]Or:[/li]
[ul][li] Do I reach for the nearest handy length of two by four and valiantly attempt to simultaneously club them both into unconsciousness with a well aimed two-with-one-stone sort of blow, thereby assuring that both of them receive equal treatment and skirting the perilous chance of either one perceiving some sort of preferential treatment that could start this vicious cycle all over again?[/ul][/li]
What’s pet owner to do?

40

** Miabella ** - I have three cats who are indoor only too and I agonize over this. I did have a problem with one of my cats (the oldest, Bo) a few years back. He developed a lump on the site where he gets the rabies vaccine. Luckily that turned out OK (after surgery) but it scared the heck out of me. We are getting the three year rabies now.