Back for More--Spring Break

I was fortunate enough to be allowed back to the VCA Cedar Animal Hospital for more shadowing with Dr. B. This time around, I was able to watch surgery--the removal of a rectal mass from a young Sheltie. I won't go into many details, only that it was a first for me and interesting because the surgery was basically performed vertically instead of horizontally. I got a glimpse of the many intricacies and challenges that vets face on a daily basis. Not that those were unfamiliar to me, but I welcome any new addition to my ever-growing body of experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I really want to know all of the nitty-gritty details about what daily life as a vet is all about so that I am neither surprised nor disappointed when my own time to shine comes.

The exotic species I saw at the hospital were a ferret and a cockatiel. Well, I didn't technically accompany Dr. B into the exam room with the ferret because I was watching surgery, but I glimpsed the creature through the window of the surgery room. It looked like it was having a seizure, which was very sad to watch because its poor little body was twitching. Dr. B explained that she suspected hypoglycemia/overproduction of insulin, but when she checked the blood sugar level, it was about 60 (I don't really know what that means, but she told me it is just slightly low). Definitely not a level at which seizures generally occur (that would typically be 40 or below). She also suspected kidney problems, so she sent the little guy home with some fluids and told the owners to let her know what happened.

The cockatiel, named Prettiness, was also something of a mystery. She was all fluffed up, which is a bird's way of saying it doesn't feel well. But she was chirping a little bit, which Dr. B said means that she was not in critical condition. She had abnormal stool, so Dr. B said they would keep her overnight in the warm bird room and take blood samples the next day (she wanted to assess just how unwell the bird was because drawing blood could be stressful for a very sick animal).

I also learned of the recent emergence of influenza in dogs. It is something that only started a few years ago in Florida, probably a mutation of swine flu. I think it is interesting how rapidly the science of veterinary medicine is changing. A few years ago, there was no such thing as canine influenza, but it has been steadily making its way north ever since it first appeared. There have been no reported cases in Minnesota yet, but it is only a matter of time. The VCA Cedar Animal Hospital already has vaccines, and they are encouraging their clients to vaccinate their dogs against this ever-looming threat. We have talked so much in school about the mutation of viruses, but I have never really seen it in action. I feel that this was the first time I could really relate something I have learned in school to my future career (I have a feeling that once I get deeper into upper-division biology classes like Anatomy and Comparative Physiology, my shadowing sessions will become even more relevant).

All in all, it was a very profitable and educational day at the clinic. I always welcome the chance to see something out of the ordinary, and there was plenty of that. This coming Wednesday (Leap Day!), I will return to the St. Francis Veterinary Clinic for another day of small-animal shadowing with Dr. J. I hope you all find something unique to do on your extra day of the year. Until Wednesday!