Conversation with a client this week:
"My dog's arthritis isn't doing very well on this liquid stuff you gave me. Her ears are so much better, if only she was happy to go for walks again"
Discussion ensues about the effects of non-steroidal drugs, how all dogs react differently and how we can try tablets instead of liquid, or we could just up the dose to a little higher.
"The dosing syringe? That's for the stuff I've been putting in her ears..."
Silence.
*slight giggle*
"Urrrrm...that's the one that's meant to go on the food. You mean she's been having ear drops in her food and metacam in her ears?"
"Oh yes, wasn't I supposed to do that?"
You have to wonder sometimes. The big label saying apply to both ears on the ear cleaner may have been a bit of a give-away. And the picture of the ear. And the instructions.
The ears got better though!
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Mystery Dogs
We've had a few weird cases in recently, but this one wins the prize.
This young dog had been running in the woods, left her owners behind, and then gave a huge yelp. The owners found her standing against a tree hold up a back leg. Seems fairly straight forward so far!
Quick exam - one leg shorter than the other. Breathing a bit fast, how's the colour? Ooooh, bit pale. Very sore though, could be pain and shock. First things first, lets break out the painkillers. Another poke and a prod to check for other injuries showed up a bit of crackly skin over the ribs. Air under there is a bad plan!
A few x-rays later we found a broken pelvis, 4 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. And no clues as to how this happened.
This young dog had been running in the woods, left her owners behind, and then gave a huge yelp. The owners found her standing against a tree hold up a back leg. Seems fairly straight forward so far!
Quick exam - one leg shorter than the other. Breathing a bit fast, how's the colour? Ooooh, bit pale. Very sore though, could be pain and shock. First things first, lets break out the painkillers. Another poke and a prod to check for other injuries showed up a bit of crackly skin over the ribs. Air under there is a bad plan!
A few x-rays later we found a broken pelvis, 4 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. And no clues as to how this happened.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Calving Mk 2
Another day, another calving. Different farm this time, and at least this farmer had an idea of what was going on and knew to call the vet before it was too late. In this case he'd had a feel and there were two hindlimbs coming and the feet were quite big.
Thankfully I wasn't sent alone this time and we examined the cow and tried to assess if the calve could come normally. After a bit of pulling the decision was made - caesar.
It's been a good few years since I've seen one so I was happy to have the help! We had a nice debate on the merits of various local anaesthesia techniques - distal paravertebral, line block, inverted-L etc - then got on with it.
She was fairly well behaved considering what we were doing! The only difficult part was lifting the big 60kg calf in to the big wide world. They aren't the easiest things to lift at the best of times, and even worse when wet and slippery. The student put his back in to it, lifting and pulling and was rewarded by falling over in the shed with the calf on top. Thankfully he saw the funny side.
End results was one live calf, one live cow, one happy farmer, and a couple of vets with a few more bruises than we started. I've never yet managed to suture a cow without stabbing myself with the needle.
Thankfully I wasn't sent alone this time and we examined the cow and tried to assess if the calve could come normally. After a bit of pulling the decision was made - caesar.
It's been a good few years since I've seen one so I was happy to have the help! We had a nice debate on the merits of various local anaesthesia techniques - distal paravertebral, line block, inverted-L etc - then got on with it.
She was fairly well behaved considering what we were doing! The only difficult part was lifting the big 60kg calf in to the big wide world. They aren't the easiest things to lift at the best of times, and even worse when wet and slippery. The student put his back in to it, lifting and pulling and was rewarded by falling over in the shed with the calf on top. Thankfully he saw the funny side.
End results was one live calf, one live cow, one happy farmer, and a couple of vets with a few more bruises than we started. I've never yet managed to suture a cow without stabbing myself with the needle.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Calving
Calving number 1 appeared the other day. I was the only "large animal" vet around the place who was marginally free. Never mind that I'd booked an operation in just for me to do...but that's a different story.
I arrive to find a cow still in the shed with quite a few others, not at all separated. Suspicions that this was going to go badly started then. The suspicions were confirmed when the farmer asked why we needed to move her, and why we couldn't just get on with it in the shed.
Calving is a messy, painful and generally suboptimal time for all involved. This time is aided by proper restraint for the cow. Attempting to calve whilst the cow is allowed to run free is just asking for a broken arm.
The epidural went in fine. Tail floppy. Everything relaxed and easier to feel. There are feet. Tick! Ideal! And then a head appears. Tick! This shouldn't be too hard thinks me...bad mistake. Thought number 3 was "these feet feel a little small". Possibly twins. Sadly already deceased. Not too bad though, done this before. I can't trace the legs all the way back to the shoulder, my arms are too short. But there's a head right there, this all has to be the same calf right?
Wrong.
Somehow the calves were coming both at the same time. Calf 1 on top had head forward but legs all the way back. Calf 2 had legs forward, head all the way back. This made for a poor mix.
Thankfully help was at hand. I was rescued by another vet who was "just passing" and happened to see my car. She has longer arms and, more importantly, over 10 years experience doing this kind of thing. And she struggled too.
It was an OK outcome - the cow was still alive. Sadly the calves were dead. We were covered in bruises, sweat and blood, but that's just part of the job. Back to the practice for tea!
I arrive to find a cow still in the shed with quite a few others, not at all separated. Suspicions that this was going to go badly started then. The suspicions were confirmed when the farmer asked why we needed to move her, and why we couldn't just get on with it in the shed.
Calving is a messy, painful and generally suboptimal time for all involved. This time is aided by proper restraint for the cow. Attempting to calve whilst the cow is allowed to run free is just asking for a broken arm.
The epidural went in fine. Tail floppy. Everything relaxed and easier to feel. There are feet. Tick! Ideal! And then a head appears. Tick! This shouldn't be too hard thinks me...bad mistake. Thought number 3 was "these feet feel a little small". Possibly twins. Sadly already deceased. Not too bad though, done this before. I can't trace the legs all the way back to the shoulder, my arms are too short. But there's a head right there, this all has to be the same calf right?
Wrong.
Somehow the calves were coming both at the same time. Calf 1 on top had head forward but legs all the way back. Calf 2 had legs forward, head all the way back. This made for a poor mix.
Thankfully help was at hand. I was rescued by another vet who was "just passing" and happened to see my car. She has longer arms and, more importantly, over 10 years experience doing this kind of thing. And she struggled too.
It was an OK outcome - the cow was still alive. Sadly the calves were dead. We were covered in bruises, sweat and blood, but that's just part of the job. Back to the practice for tea!
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