A summary of my day at work yesterday. It was a Wednesday so I’m the only vet.

  • Start warming up fluids for a hospitalized parvo puppy.
  • Fluids aren’t warming very fast. Put puppy away and leave fluids to soak and warm up. Say we’ll come back in 15 minutes to give warm fluids.
  • See puppy in exam room 1 that is limping. Take x-rays.
  • While waiting for x-rays diagnose parvo in puppy in room 2. Leave owners to ponder finances for various treatment options.
  • Find out puppy in room 1 has broken femur. Call practice owner who does orthopedic surgery to see if he can fit in a repair tomorrow.
  • Go talk to owner in room 1. Send office manager to talk to people in room 2.
  • Make puppy with broken leg comfy in cage.
  • Run back to start outpatient treatment on parvo puppy in room 2.
  • Client comes to pick up pet from surgery the day before. Since he was coming he brings a small snake to see if I think it is a copperhead.
  • Remind staff that since I am afraid of wild snakes I don’t get that close to a garter snake let alone anything I think might be poisonous. Peer at it through it’s tupperware container as this 4 inch snake strikes at the sides. Have no idea what a copperhead looks like. Formerly hillbilly staff members ID snake.
  • Vaguely think about the fluids that are supposed to be warming.
  • Dog comes in that was in a car accident on Saturday. Both dog and owner were thrown out of the cab of a pickup. Owner was lifeflighted and has been in hospital until the day before. Dog seems relatively ok considering.
  • Ask staff what ever happened to people scheduling vaccines and easy things like that.
  • The hot water I’m using to warm the fluids is now cold. Start over on warming fluids for hospitalized parvo puppy…

    • And that was just the first hour and a half.