24 Hours as a Small Animal Vet part 3

24 Hours as a Small Animal Vet (part three) After morning surgery and operating it is usually time to sit down to phone owners with lab results or catch up on how our patients are getting on at home. We are often asked to authorise repeat prescriptions, liase with referral vets and answer queries. We often have practice meetings, organise promotions, have clinical discussions with drug company reps etc.

By this point in the afternoon, it’s time to have a quick break, eat some lunch and get ready for lunch time consultations. I sometimes work out of one of our branch surgeries, so I must leave in time to get there to start afternoon/evening surgery. A very sick animal that has been seen at a branch surgery might need to be hospitalised; it is taken to our main branch by the owner or in our veterinary ambulance.

Evening surgery starts at 4pm and finishes at 6.40pm. If it’s my turn to be the emergency out of hours vet I take the on-call phone and keep it with me till the next day. Sometimes owners call out of hours with an emergency. The animal is assessed and treated, sometimes it’s necessary to hospitalise them or operate depending on what the problem is.

Sandy, age 9, has been so inspired by my account of a day in a vet’s life; she has asked how she can train to be a vet herself! This is fantastic! I urge Sandy and those like her to pursue your studies, aiming for good grades, particularly in the science subjects. Try to gain experience working with animals on farms, stables, kennels and try to ‘see practice’ at a vet practice. Call to speak to one of our vets or visit www.rcvs.org.uk for more tips.

Please email your questions to laura.mckirdy@paragonvet.com or visit us on facebook (facebook.com/paragonvets.pets). I look forward to hearing from you.