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Veterinary Medicine 2015 hopefuls!

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Well today was absolutely incredible :biggrin: . In true LTC fashion the vet is bloomin' ages away and I need to walk for a bit and take two buses to get there, but it's soooo worth it :biggrin:

Overall quite a quiet day, especially considering that it's a Monday. There were two animals booked for surgery, a chow-chow and a cat. The dog had improved a lot and the vet didn't deem it necessary to go ahead, and the cat went AWOL so that's been rescheduled for tomorrow. As the morning was relatively quiet, we did a spot of cleaning. The nurse found a box containing about 7 ratty books, which the vet gave me to keep :biggrin:

In the afternoon I got to observe consults, which was frigging amazing. I think my head is going to burst from everything I learned. I was impressed that I managed to write 15 pages over two weeks while at the dairy farm, but I've managed to do 12 pages in one day at this practice, so I think I'm going to need a new notebook by the end of my placement! :lol: I've got notes on everything written down in here, from FIV to types of blood loss to avian red blood cells to Cushing's disease to the cascade to feline idiopathic alopecia and everything in between :biggrin: It's going to take me all night to type all this up, wish me luck! :lol:

Most of the consults were relatively common things. A few cat, dog and rabbit vaccinations and plenty of anal glands being expressed too :tongue: . There was a hamster with suspected Cushing's disease as well as a cat with suspected lymphoma. There was a beagle and a Yorkie that had chewed their their stitches and a bearded dragon in for a post op check after a leg amputation as well. I didn't find my last placement at a vet boring by any stretch of the imagination, but even so this is SO much more interesting, I'm struggling to find the words to express how much I enjoyed myself today :dance:

What I really appreciate is that, where possible, the vet tries to get me to answer my own questions rather than answering them outright. He'll randomly quiz me after consults to test my problem solving skills as well ("Lizzie, how do I know that cat had traumatic conjunctivitis rather than something caused by a virus?" "Uhh.... because her owner said so?" "You can't take everything you hear from owners at face value" "Hmm... okay. Because she seemed otherwise heathy?" "Well yeah, but apart from that, something obvious." "Oh, because it's only in one eye!" "Yep :biggrin: " )

Oh yeah, and at the end of the day, he had the audacity to ask whether my first day had been 'okay'. Okay? OKAY?! I'm fairly certain that 'perfect' is better than just 'okay' :biggrin:

Haha, reading that back, today doesn't sound 'quite quiet' at all :tongue:

Observing some surgery tomorrow. There's a biopsy and a spay I think. I can't freaking wait, these two weeks are going to be fantastic :biggrin: :woo:





Original post by GGKeams
Glad your D of E was good- we went to the New Forest too! And have fun tomorrow- I'm sure it will be brilliant!
The farm sounds like so much fun :biggrin: I love milking cows!
I had some ex batts, we got three but unfortunately they've died now. :frown: It was nice to know we made their lives a bit better though.
50 horses? 50! Wow, that's a lot!

That was only the practice expedition but I can't wait for the real one :biggrin:

It made my day the first time I was allowed to do it :redface: . I felt so privileged and trusted :biggrin: I honestly can't thank the farmers enough for being so patient.

Aww, that's a shame :frown: . Good for you for making their final months comfortable, though :h: Very honourable.

Technically they're not all hers :tongue: She lives at and owns the riding school and there are about 35 school ponies and 15 liveries.




Original post by HJames
Does anyone else find their work experience placements completely exhausting? I've only done a week at a livery yard and just started my first of three weeks at 3 different SA vets today but today for example I was let out at 20 past 3 got home at around 3:45 and fell asleep for an hour. I guess I had hyped myself up a bit today and was nervous but I really wasn't expecting to be that tired after one day! :tongue:

Yeah, it can be very tiring, particularly if you're out all day. When I did some stable work last year I struggled quite a bit and usually ened up sleeping by about 10:00 when I'd normally hit the hay at around 1:00. Since then my stamina has improved drastically, but there are still days (usually if I decide to walk all the way home :tongue: ) where I'll just collapse into bed as soon as I get home.
I'm really enjoying the kennels and cattery so far and might stay for an extra week!

I've spent my evening writing out letters and organising next years work experience which has been a nightmare but the letters are ready to go!!


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I'm going to ask for another week at the exotics place too :redface: . I'd do more, but they have a vet student for EMS so that slot's taken. 3 weeks should be sufficient anyway :yep:

Today was amazing, got to observe some surgery! Nothing too major, the vet took some tissue out of a cat's paws to biopsy, and removed a mass from another cat's mouth as well. I saw some mental dental surgery too, a poor little mini pinscher had to have 22 teeth removed :eek:! Although, it was kinda hard to count because sometimes they just crumbled away or were completely hidden beneath tartar.

Also, I don't suppose that this might be of interest to anyone? I've signed myself up and I'll try to get round to watching some of the free webinars if I get the chance. I doubt I'll understand even half of it, but worth a try, eh :biggrin: ?
Dead quiet in here :frown:

Anyway, I went to the dairy farm in the afternoon as the exotics vet only does a half day on Wednesdays. The herdsman has invited me to assist with lepto vaccinations at some point, so that will be something to look forward to :smile:
Got to do some injections today :biggrin:. Really cool.
Original post by skatealexia
Got to do some injections today :biggrin:. Really cool.


Awesome :biggrin: ! What animals did you inject? :smile:
Original post by Little Tail Chaser
Awesome :biggrin: ! What animals did you inject? :smile:


A JRT and a CKCS with vetergesic/ACP and onsior. :smile:. SC and IM. :biggrin:.
Original post by skatealexia
A JRT and a CKCS with vetergesic/ACP and onsior. :smile:. SC and IM. :biggrin:.


Nice :biggrin: The nurse at the exotics vet was explaining all of that stuff to me yesterday, as it happens :yep: . I'm so glad I've been taking notes or else I'd remember literally nothing :tongue:
Reply 1588
I go like weeks without posting on here but I'm always watching. It sounds creepy but it's not I'm just keeping up when I have nothing to post. But I finally do!
Next week I have my first shadowing/observation at a small animal vet. I'm too young to volunteer (only 14) at that vet but I'm also going to start volunteering at the vet we take my rabbit too. Not to mention the rabbit rescue I volunteer at. It's a ton of rabbit exp. but nothing else really yet because you have to be 16 or 18 for most places.


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The thread is so quiet :P I've been lurking like a lurking thing for a while...


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Reply 1590
Today is my birthday!! :biggrin: Woopee! Sorry I have been quiet - my internet is acting so weird and sometimes just won't let me access it at all, ugh!

Original post by Little Tail Chaser
I'm going to ask for another week at the exotics place too :redface: . I'd do more, but they have a vet student for EMS so that slot's taken. 3 weeks should be sufficient anyway :yep:

Today was amazing, got to observe some surgery! Nothing too major, the vet took some tissue out of a cat's paws to biopsy, and removed a mass from another cat's mouth as well. I saw some mental dental surgery too, a poor little mini pinscher had to have 22 teeth removed :eek:! Although, it was kinda hard to count because sometimes they just crumbled away or were completely hidden beneath tartar.

Also, I don't suppose that this might be of interest to anyone? I've signed myself up and I'll try to get round to watching some of the free webinars if I get the chance. I doubt I'll understand even half of it, but worth a try, eh :biggrin: ?


I'm just quoting this one but also including your previous one :wink:. It sounds like you had an amazing time! And you have certainly learned a lot! I haven't seen a lot of what you have seen so I feel you have taken a very big jump in experience aha! I wish I could have went for two weeks at my LA vet WEx but they were fully booked :frown: plus I've got to pack for my holiday aha!

Ooo, that website looks cool, I'm going to sign myself up for it too! Thanks for sharing it! :smile:
Another awesome day, I can't believe the week is almost over already! :frown:

Got to watch surgery again today, nothing too fancy; just a cat spay and a dental on a Devon rex (7 extractions), but it's all good to see :smile: . There was a border terrier in to be castrated as well, but upon inspection he was found to have a retained testicle. Then of course we couldn't get hold of his owners in order for them to authorise the surgery to remove it, so it had to be rescheduled for another day.

There were some intresting cases in the afternoon. A cocker spaniel came in, having apparently vomited froth a few times. The owner suspected that she might have a blockage after stealing a load of fish and chips, and she had a very bloated stomach so we did a few x-rays from various angles. These were inconclusive so we took some blood to put in the centrifuge and this revealed that she had a lot of fat in her blood. The vet thinks she may have pancreasitis.

There was also a cat that we saw on Monday with a red and swollen eye. Today it looked even worse and it was oozing pus, but I didn't suspect the vet to pull an entire grass seed out of it! I knew they could get lodged in ears and between paw pads and such, but that must have been really nasty for the poor kitty :frown: . Still, it's out now, so he should begin to improve :smile: .

Hmm... what else... oh, there was a tortoise that came in yesterday after being attacked by a dog, and the vet showed me the dental resin that he's going to use to rebuild its shell once its wounds have healed.

What else... there were of course tonnes of vaccinations (although I've memorised them all now :biggrin:) as well as plenty of anal glands to be expressed... so a lot of the regular stuff. There was also a staffie with a haematoma and a few more, I'd better type it all up in my notes before I forget :tongue: !

Original post by jordyn2
I go like weeks without posting on here but I'm always watching. It sounds creepy but it's not I'm just keeping up when I have nothing to post. But I finally do!
Next week I have my first shadowing/observation at a small animal vet. I'm too young to volunteer (only 14) at that vet but I'm also going to start volunteering at the vet we take my rabbit too. Not to mention the rabbit rescue I volunteer at. It's a ton of rabbit exp. but nothing else really yet because you have to be 16 or 18 for most places.

That's awesome, good for you :smile: ! Don't worry about the age limits, it's the same in a lot of UK practices so you don't be at any disadvantage.

Original post by chaarlotte
The thread is so quiet :P I've been lurking like a lurking thing for a while...

Why is everyone lurking? We used to be so chatty! :tongue:



Original post by CanineVet
Today is my birthday!! :biggrin: Woopee! Sorry I have been quiet - my internet is acting so weird and sometimes just won't let me access it at all, ugh!

I'm just quoting this one but also including your previous one :wink:. It sounds like you had an amazing time! And you have certainly learned a lot! I haven't seen a lot of what you have seen so I feel you have taken a very big jump in experience aha! I wish I could have went for two weeks at my LA vet WEx but they were fully booked :frown: plus I've got to pack for my holiday aha!

Ooo, that website looks cool, I'm going to sign myself up for it too! Thanks for sharing it! :smile:


Happy birthday! :party: Hope you had an awesome day, did you go anywhere nice? :biggrin:

Amazing doesn't even begin to cover it. Honestly, the place I went to last year was so much bigger than this so you'd have thought that that would have been better experience, but here I get to stand in on consults which is awesome.

Yeah, the website is pretty good actually! I watched their 'Help, There's a Reptile in my Consult Room' webinar two nights back, which was helpful as oddly enough the next morning our first consult of the day was with a leopard gecko. I've signed myself up for their 'Hen Top 10' one as well, which should be worthwhile :smile: .
Got to do my first half of a castrate today! :biggrin:
Original post by skatealexia
Got to do my first half of a castrate today! :biggrin:


Awesome :biggrin: ! How exciting, what was it, a dog?
Original post by Little Tail Chaser
Awesome :biggrin: ! How exciting, what was it, a dog?


I got a go at both a dog and cat :biggrin:. Was amazing.
Original post by skatealexia
Got to do my first half of a castrate today! :biggrin:


Wow, you seem to be going to some brilliant vets who let you get involved. Hope you're enjoying your placement. Mine were reluctant to let me do anything though I think they were a bit funny with me being only a 2nd year :s-smilie:
Original post by skatealexia
I got a go at both a dog and cat :biggrin:. Was amazing.


That must have been fab, good for you! :h:
Original post by SilverstarDJ
Wow, you seem to be going to some brilliant vets who let you get involved. Hope you're enjoying your placement. Mine were reluctant to let me do anything though I think they were a bit funny with me being only a 2nd year :s-smilie:


They're all very good at teaching me the bandaging etc :smile:. Thats annoying, nevermind! Tbh you'll get to do more as the years go by. I expect I'll know a lot more next April after my lectures finish properly!
Reply 1598
The vet I went to a few weeks ago has said I can go back so I'm organising that but I'm struggling to juggle WE and my job at the kennels :frown: I feel bad saying I can't work many weeks at the kennels as it is really busy but also I really want to and need to get more WE. Anybody having this problem? Any advice? Haha maybe I'm just worrying over nothing.

Just realised that in going have to basically book WE anytime I get to catch up with the rest of you. Another problem to sort with work :frown:


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Reply 1599
Original post by Little Tail Chaser
Another awesome day, I can't believe the week is almost over already! :frown:

Got to watch surgery again today, nothing too fancy; just a cat spay and a dental on a Devon rex (7 extractions), but it's all good to see :smile: . There was a border terrier in to be castrated as well, but upon inspection he was found to have a retained testicle. Then of course we couldn't get hold of his owners in order for them to authorise the surgery to remove it, so it had to be rescheduled for another day.

There were some intresting cases in the afternoon. A cocker spaniel came in, having apparently vomited froth a few times. The owner suspected that she might have a blockage after stealing a load of fish and chips, and she had a very bloated stomach so we did a few x-rays from various angles. These were inconclusive so we took some blood to put in the centrifuge and this revealed that she had a lot of fat in her blood. The vet thinks she may have pancreasitis.

There was also a cat that we saw on Monday with a red and swollen eye. Today it looked even worse and it was oozing pus, but I didn't suspect the vet to pull an entire grass seed out of it! I knew they could get lodged in ears and between paw pads and such, but that must have been really nasty for the poor kitty :frown: . Still, it's out now, so he should begin to improve :smile: .

Hmm... what else... oh, there was a tortoise that came in yesterday after being attacked by a dog, and the vet showed me the dental resin that he's going to use to rebuild its shell once its wounds have healed.

What else... there were of course tonnes of vaccinations (although I've memorised them all now :biggrin:) as well as plenty of anal glands to be expressed... so a lot of the regular stuff. There was also a staffie with a haematoma and a few more, I'd better type it all up in my notes before I forget :tongue: !


That's awesome, good for you :smile: ! Don't worry about the age limits, it's the same in a lot of UK practices so you don't be at any disadvantage.


Why is everyone lurking? We used to be so chatty! :tongue:





Happy birthday! :party: Hope you had an awesome day, did you go anywhere nice? :biggrin:

Amazing doesn't even begin to cover it. Honestly, the place I went to last year was so much bigger than this so you'd have thought that that would have been better experience, but here I get to stand in on consults which is awesome.

Yeah, the website is pretty good actually! I watched their 'Help, There's a Reptile in my Consult Room' webinar two nights back, which was helpful as oddly enough the next morning our first consult of the day was with a leopard gecko. I've signed myself up for their 'Hen Top 10' one as well, which should be worthwhile :smile: .


Aw thanks!! Na, just stayed in and some of my family came over for Indian, mmm! Ahaha, but tomorrow I'm going out with my friends and yesterday I went out with my cousin so that's all good. :tongue: Got an iMac and I am over the moon (it is also for my results so if I c*ck up it is being packaged up and sent back to Apple :tongue:).

Some of that stuff I have never seen so you have certainly got something unique! I am going to write to a nearby SA practice for possible WEx in October and they are usually quite busy so hopefully I might get to go and see a lot there! The LA practice I went to was amazing but quite quiet but I might ask to go in the Spring when it is busier :wink:.

It's weird that is quiet, probably because it is summer and everyone is out galavanting! Ahaha, I am away to Spain on Saturday but I will try my best to post each day, will cost me a few euros though :wink:.

Just about to sign myself up for it, it does look very interesting! The 'hen top 10' sounds cool - I want to see it! Aha! :biggrin:

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