I know I’ve said how much I can help others cope with their stress and sadness while they are in my clinic, but when my animal is the patient…I stress big time!
I’ve been to the Vet with previous animals a plethora of times, but now knowing what it’s like behind the scenes and knowing how things are procedurally going to happen, and it’s happening to your own baby stresses me out for some reason. When my puppy Layla had to get spayed, I wasn’t able to stay and watch her get prepped and ready to go for surgery because I knew I would be watching every step of her pre-op and post-op like a hawk. Or if Layla was being bad while they are getting her ready for surgery I was afraid of stressing her out and causing more issues. More recently, I thought Layla had possibly gotten into Erik’s Christmas chocolate. I knew she got into his candy canes for sure, but I doubted about the chocolate. I see so many chocolate toxicities at my clinic, I don’t think I could count them. Knowing I had to put MY BABY through the same as I did to other patients made me worried. So many scenarios were running through my mind of her gaining possible pancreatitis, getting lethargic, vomiting, and so much more. I was so mad at her that now, but worried at the same time. It just sucks when the tables are turned and you have to watch someone induce emisis (vomiting) on your own dog.
I find that even now when I take my son Erik to the Pediatrician or ER, I am viewing things so differently now and able to have a better picture of what is going on medically with him. Last time I was in the ER with Erik, I was still wearing my scrubs from work. The nurses and Dr.s treated me differently and I felt like they were giving me more information than they normally would, because they had a feeling I understood what was going on medically with my little guy. It is truly interesting how relatable animal and human medicine is very similar, in most respects.
Anyways, back on track! I get asked often at my clinic from clients, “How do you deal with working here” and I simply answer, “Trust me, if it was my dog you would not see me this calm”.
Wannabe RVT 