YAY PETS!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

I will post the next strip of the series every Friday. The entire series can be found at When I Grow Up I Want to be a Vet.

I still have a sweatshirt with this dog on it :) I was very proud the exclamation mark and heart were over his thoracolumbar junction, which is where most back injuries in Dachshunds occur. This too is a true story, and the dog did great!

I AM THE VET, RECEPTIONIST AND TECH!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

I will post the next strip of the series every Friday. The entire series can be found at When I Grow Up I Want to be a Vet.

Once again I want to publicly shout how much I love my team. I still believe being the receptionist is the most difficult position on the veterinary team. I do not miss it at all! I love our receptionists!! And the whole team <3

Living in the mountains made up for a lot!

HAPPY DAY!

Happy birthday to my beautiful, kind, fiercely-loving, family-centered God-following awesome Mom-in-law Karen Finch! I love you so much!!

I try to start my spring garden on Karen's birthday, which makes it a doubly great day.

Chives are already coming up in the back yard.

Jonquils are coming up in the front yard. They will be bright yellow and look like small daffodils. 

Today I will be planting snap peas, snow peas and regular rolling off your plate peas : ) and morning glories, all in the front yard.

We are working on readying the back yard for MORE morning glories, strawberries, onions, Bright Lights chard and garlic.

In two months, on May 15 or so, we will plant summer plants from  inside outside and summer seeds outside.

It is beginning you guys!

One of our favorite garden pieces...by Sonya Gerber

DOG ALLERGIES

Cat allergies have kept me away from cats for a little over a year now.

Every once in a while, I will have an especially furry canine patient who triggers my allergies.

Last week it was a big, friendly, goofy, slobbering, shedding Shepherd. I didn't itch. I didn't sneeze. I became short of breath like I do around cats.

The moment passed quickly.

It sure scared me though. 

If I lose dog patients - may it never be - I would be down to Moe the Turtle and his new tortoise friend. As much as I love Moe, I don't want the responsibility of my entire career on their tiny turtle shoulders.

All is well. I am just fine around almost every dog. And who knows? Maybe the dogs I react to have cat friends at home. It was a bit of a scare, but I am still planning on another twenty year run, this one entirely at Gentle Doctor!

BARNEY

Introducing...Barney! Guest post from Barney's family (Gulliver's family!) coming soon! How cute is he??

Barney is the newest member of Jaime Williams' Mom Dawn Williams' family. He is working on settling in and has some behavior issues to work on. It will be a long road, but we believe in you Barney!

LAST WEEK

A friend's Mom adopted a dog who promptly ran out the front door. When she chased him, she fell, breaking a finger and getting a black eye.

A friend's friend's two year old Mastiff has a potentially fatal condition. He is across the country, and I feel helpless.

Another friend's son was hospitalized.

I had an allergic reaction to a Shepherd as strong as some allergic reactions I have had to cats.

A sweet, bonded pair of little dogs we love was broken up this week when one passed away.

Mom and Dad's Poodles got into dangerous medication.

My favorite Basset has a tumor.

My favorite Beardie mix has two tumors

It was a short week last week, Monday to Thursday. Friday I slept till 11:20 am, fell back asleep and slept till 3:20 pm. I spent the weekend with my family, hanging out, driving around and buying spring garden things much too soon.

Now I am ready to tell the tales of last week. I will start tomorrow, and hopefully by the time I am done, I will have a whole new group of much less exciting tales to tell.

THEY CHOSE THE DOG

We were passing this section in HyVee today, when Russ said, "They chose the dog!"

And they did <3

DEAR RUMPY DOG

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

I will post the next strip of the series every Friday. The entire series can be found at When I Grow Up I Want to be a Vet.

The author of the wonderful blog Rumpy Dog featured me on her site, so of course Dr. Vet had to say thank you!

INSPIRATION

‪Day 2 of no inspiration - or too much inspiration - for the website. Sorry guys. I’ll get back on track. This week was rough.‬

Illustration by ij maki

JOY AND THE WIND

Joy has developed a fear of the wind. It took us a while to figure out what was scaring her, because she would be antsy on nice days and stormy days, then we realized it was only on windy days.

Joy staying safe on the side of our bed!

She hides on the side of our bed or on her bed next to Russ's desk or - if it is really bad - under my desk. Abby has built her forts before, and that seems to help.

Remember the beautiful light breeze this past Sunday? Joy had me close ALL the windows so we would all be safe.

We will start antianxiety medication if it worsens. Right now it seems like hiding and being comforted until the wind subsides is enough.

What fears do your pets have?

THE WORST EAR HEMATOMA CASE I'VE EVER HAD

I spent an entire month with my stomach in knots over a Joy look alike with the sweetest family.

Dog had an ear hematoma from a severe ear infection. Coolest case ever, right? I love(d) ear hematomas. They are very fixable, and when the underlying issue is treated, usually allergies or an ear infection, the problem is avoided in the other ear. 

We drained and wrapped the ear. We treated the double ear infection.

Six days later (as is often the case) the hematoma was back (or so we thought). It often takes a few tries at draining the ear, and about half the time, surgery, to solve the issue.

Near the tip of the ear flap was a small opening. This was unexpected. But I did not need to poke poor Dog's sore ear with a needle again, so that was a good thing (or so we thought).

*GROSSNESS WARNING* Jen had to leave twice while she was helping!

I pressed gently on the swollen ear flap. The largest amount of purulent material I have seen since treating cat abscesses poured out of the ear flap. This was no longer a straight forward hematoma, it was a severely infected ear flap! I had seen this once in a cat. We drained her tiny triangle cat ear and she healed well. This was a big floppy dog ear. My stomach started to seize. It did not stop for the remainder of Dog's month-long treatment.

We drained and flushed the ear. We started stronger antibiotics and continued anti-inflammatories. The next week the ear flap was as infected, this time with scratches - gouge marks really - from Dog kicking her ear when her protective cone was off. (It happens.)

Every week the infection improved and the ear looked worse. I warned the family the results may not be pretty. They figured. 

The second to last recheck, the tip of the ear was very firm and non-bendable. "Oh no," I thought.

Sure enough, the tip of the ear fell off - at home! "We figured," the family said. They were less mortified than I was.

On the last recheck, Dog's ear was shorter than God made it and had scratch scars, but the infection had completely cleared. Just as amazing, the double ear infection, after so many visits and treatments and oral antibiotics for the ear flap, had completely cleared as well.

I was wrong - she was as beautiful as ever.

"I am so sorry you have been through all this," I told the family (again) at their last visit.

"We are not! And thank you so much for all of your team's care. " they said (again). 

And then Mr. said, "We just tell people, 'you should have seen the badger!'"

CAULDRON CAKES! BY AMANDA

We love everything Harry Potter in this house.

The cauldrons are made out of candy melts. The cake is chocolate cake and strawberry filling. Chocolate frosting and strawberry filling and candy rocks are on top.

When Amanda was in first grade, she started reading the Harry Potter series. Russ and I started reading the books to make sure they were appropriate for a first grader. We all loved them, and Abby did too when she started reading them soon after. Amanda has read the entire series EIGHTEEN times! (Last I asked) These are her imaginings of what Cauldron Cakes would be like. They are beautiful AND delicious!

I am as proud of Amanda's extensive brainstorming as I am of her hard work and final product!

Including trial and error, the final product took nine hours to create.

"JOY" BY ABBY

Abby won Honorable Mention in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her artwork of Joy!

Her art as well as all of the artwork of the winners across Nebraska is hanging at the TAC building.

Congratulations Abby!

NIGEL BEGS

FREE VET CARE!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

I will post the next strip of the series every Friday. The entire series can be found at When I Grow Up I Want to be a Vet.

Um, this is a true story unfortunately.

DEPRESSION, AN UPDATE

Six months ago, I started writing about my depressive episode in which I was hospitalized.

Bill and Cara got me these beautiful plants while I was in the hospital. They are thriving in five gallon buckets!

I've been doing well since then. I visit the therapist once a month. I am on five (5!) medications to control my depression symptoms. And they do.

It is difficult sometimes for my clients to have their pets on several medications, not just because they are hard to keep track of, but also because so many medications can seem excessive. "Each one is important," I tell them. Now I get it. Each one is important. But it is all still a lot - a lot of medication and a lot to take in and understand.

I've had no more very, very dark days. Some grey days, but nothing like the heavy oppressive days I could not get out from under.

I have been able to enjoy life, but it's been tempered, even dulled. I'll take it. There is time for higher highs, probably when I can also handle the lower lows.

If one baby tomato plant and one baby pepper plant are good, ALL the plants are better!

I purposely chose gardening as my focus for this year. Luna Dog will probably die this year, and I will need something to balance the sadness. Something grounding (haha) and soothing. I chose gardening.

Luna says, "Geez! I'm not dead yet!"

I am well. I am good. I occasionally fear a tumble down the dark abyss that is overwhelming depression, but I don't dwell, I don't dread. And now I feel like I have the tools to come back if need be.

Life is good. It is good to feel more like me again.

My kalanchoe plants from Bill and Cara - doing well too!

JOY THE PUPPY - CHAPTER 1 - THE BEGINNING

A young couple found a man dressed in several layers of badly worn clothing wandering around Petsmart with a tiny, emaciated black puppy in his arms. He was saying to himself that he could not afford dog food.

They asked the man about his puppy. He said he needed someone to take her because he did not have any money to care for her. They asked if he would take twenty dollars for her, and he did.

They brought her to me to be examined. Other than her very thin body condition, I found no other physical problems. They did not know if they were adopting or rescuing…they just saw a puppy in need and a man in distress and swooped.

Two days later, Layla came home to live with us, and we renamed her Joy Layla Finch.

The name Joy was suggested by the daughter of Joy King, who had been our very dear friend and had recently passed away. We also named her in honor of our other dear friends’ newborn daughter whose twin sister had just passed away. Joy…what an odd thing to name our new puppy during what was such a sad season for so many friends we loved. She has more than lived up to her name.

When I first met Joy, I was so angry at the man who had almost let her starve to death. My friend Janelle said, “He did take her to where he knew she would get help.” That statement stopped me in my tracks. I feel as though I owe him an apology and a thank you, though I have never met him.

So I will write one here, and though he will almost certainly never see it, I hope it serves as a reminder to let my first reaction be one of compassion not judgment.

To the original caretaker of Joy the Puppy,

Thank you for the gift of Joy. She is warm and fed. I pray that you are too. I will keep an eye out for you and try to make sure that you are.

If you had been in a different season of life, would you have kept her? If there is room in your life for a puppy again, I will do everything I can to help make that happen.

Forgive me for being so angry initially that she was such a skinny thing. I know that when you ran out of puppy food, you shared your own food with her. I would have held on to her until the last possible moment too. I will remember that before I judge someone who is probably doing the best they can.

Be proud of your dog. She turned out great. If you hadn’t protected her from the streets of Omaha in those first bitterly cold weeks, she would not have survived. If you had not taught her love from the start, it would have taken us years. If this does not reach you directly, I will try to thank you indirectly every way I can.

LUNA LOVEGOOD - CHAPTER 1 - THE BEGINNING

Luna was rescued by the Nebraska Humane Society from a hoarding situation. She soon became very ill. She had sky-high liver values and bile acid values (a measure of liver function).

She came to the hospital where I am a veterinarian to be assessed and have an ultrasound done. When liver values are so far out of balance in a young, small breed puppy, what we suspect is a liver shunt.

A shunt was not found, and it was determined that she had a condition that could not be surgically fixed. The Nebraska Humane Society team, in an effort to spare the puppy suffering, decided to have her euthanized.

The day of the puppy’s ultrasound was my day off. I received medical updates and the final decision to have the puppy euthanized in a series of several emails, all of which came at once in the late afternoon.

I sat on the bed and bawled. My husband Russ came to check on me, and I yelled, “I take one day off, and puppies DIE!”

Suspecting this was not an accurate statement, Russ gently took my phone out of my hand and read the emails. He said, “Couldn’t we take her?” Still in complete despair mode, I said “She’s probably DEAD!” Of course she was not dead. Dr. Thomassen said she would not euthanize the puppy unless she knew it was absolutely a decision agreed upon by everyone.

So we accidentally adopted a puppy!

The other doctors thought I was crazy to adopt a broken puppy, but I think they understood. We are vets. It is what we do.

I talked with my daughters. Adopting a puppy with an unspecified liver disorder is one of the best ways that I can imagine to ensure heartbreak. I told them we were adopting a puppy we knew was sick and that her lifespan may be shorter than other dogs. There was no doubt in their minds that this puppy was meant to be a Finch.

On the way home with the puppy in my lap, I said to Russ, “She’s blond. She’s really sweet. She’s pretty spacy.” (To her credit, she was still recovering from a very severe liver issue, and has since proved much sharper.) When we got home, I said to our daughters, “Let’s name her Luna Lovegood.” They cheered, and we had our name.

Our next step was a simple liver test. AND…the blood work came back completely normal!! And now I get to ponder what in the world happened.

1. Knowing Luna now, it is probable that she ingested something she should not have, causing her extreme illness and liver issues.
2. Knowing the very first place she lived had so many dogs, it is probable she ingested some urine at some point in her young life.

So my top guesses are a liver toxin from which she has recovered or leptospirosis from which she has recovered. While I know of course, that she will one day break my heart, I am so glad it is not on the second day or the second month that I have known her. She has been a challenging, exhausting, strange, wonderful, goofy amazing puppy. I am so happy she is a Finch.

PUPPY'S BIG DAY

Puppy has been through a lot in her young life.

Today was the day for her spay surgery.

Not that the stakes are not infinitely high in any similar situation, but Puppy had to survive. How could it be otherwise?

No pressure, but Kelly and I had to do everything right, and pray that everything out of our control would go perfectly.

No pressure Puppy, but then you have to live a healthy, happy, very long life.

Everything went perfectly.

In fact, by faith or by folly, I am writing this the night before Puppy's surgery in the hopes and knowledge that everything will be just fine.

Puppy, have we told you lately that we love you? 

THE WESTIE PUPPY

It was a busy Saturday morning. Kelly ran into the treatment room carrying the tiny West Highland White Terrier puppy, the puppy that her Mom had recently adopted after her first Westie had died. Puppy was having trouble staying awake.

Puppy had ingested at least ten and - later we found out - probably closer to twenty or twenty-five ibuprofen.

We administered a medication to cause Puppy to vomit, but she lost consciousness before she was able to vomit.

Stephanie asked me if I thought she would live. "No," I said, and started to cry.

I called ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and reached Dr. Helen Myers. Thank you Dr. Myers! She advised us on medications and supportive care and recommended we get her to the nearest 24 hour care facility as soon as possible. I asked Dr. Myers if she thought Puppy would live. "This is bad," she said.

My next calls were to Russ and his Mom to ask them to begin praying.

I then called VCA Midwest Vet to let them know Puppy was coming. Thank you VCA Midwest Vet! For being and for being there for Puppy.

Puppy's gums were blue. Her temperature was dropping, and she was still unconscious. Kelly got an IV catheter placed in a matter of seconds, her Mom got her to the emergency hospital and we waited.

The first update was promising. Puppy was awake and taking oral medications.

That evening I called again. Puppy was eating! She was also being carried everywhere and properly spoiled. Her gastrointestinal system was stable, and her kidney and liver values were normal.

And then, over two days after her ordeal began, against all odds, Puppy went home.

She is home and well with no long term damage. Everything is once again as it should be.