By Lynn Broom
Longmead Veterinary Practice.

A day in small animal veterinary practice can be very varied. This can make each day exciting and unpredictable and can really test your knowledge, experience and emotions. The following was one day of consulting last year.

It involved seven vaccinations. One was a new puppy and we discussed his progress – and had a cuddle! – one we delayed due to recent vomiting, and three were healthy young dogs with no other issues noted following a full history and examination.
Behaviour issues are a growing part of our job for which we give basic advice and recommend a behaviourist to allow a plan of action to be formulated. Two of the vaccinations were for young canine brothers who were fighting, leading to recurrent injuries. Another dog presented with a noise phobia which required anti-anxiety medication – the owner had already tried desensitisation.

An old cat with weight loss and poor appetite was admitted for my colleagues to blood test and x-ray. I subsequently phoned the owner to discuss the results. Another elderly cat which was being treated for hyperthyroidism had a general check up to ensure his medication dose was still appropriate.

A cat presented with an open wound from a cat bite, a whippet came in with an open wound which required admitting for suturing and another whippet presented with a torn dew claw. A young bulldog presented with a suspected ongoing bone injury from a dog bite which was not healing and was booked in for exploration of the wound.
A boxer presented with a lump on his lip which we arranged to remove as boxers are quite prone to tumours. An older collie came in for an ultrasound scan due to ongoing urinary problems and I scanned him between consults because our surgical vet was busy. Surgery was booked so that removal of a bladder mass could be attempted.
Three dogs presented with digestive issues. I gave advice for a young dog with ongoing diarrhoea and recommended faeces collection for lab examination. An older dog presented for constipation but actually had an anal gland infection – unfortunately I ended up with gland contents and faeces all over me and had to change my clothes!
Two dogs presented with allergic skin disease. One, a young German Shepherd, had recurrent ear problems but could not be examined due to his temperament – we discussed appropriate treatment and future prevention.

Sadly euthanasia is often a part of our day and this day was no different. One little old dog presented with a skin problem but it was clear that he had multiple age-related conditions and, following a detailed discussion, his owner requested to put him to sleep. Later a 19-year-old cat was also brought in for euthanasia due to declining health and quality of life.
The day ended with two bearded dragons with some health issues. We had a long discussion over their husbandry and I made suggestions for some changes because most reptile problems are due to a sub-optimal environment. I also requested a faeces sample to check for parasites.

In between consults I answered queries raised by reception, phoned clients with lab results, helped out our new graduate with some complex cases, assisted the nurses with queries, phoned an external lab to discuss an unexpected lab result, phoned several clients regarding ongoing conditions to discuss altering medication and dispensed a number of repeat prescriptions.

The joy of a new puppy can be followed by the sadness of an end of life decision. The satisfaction of life-saving surgery can be followed by emptying anal glands. Each day can vary massively and I’m glad I chose this profession for the huge variety it provides and I recommend it if you want a challenging career.