12/13/2025
What did we learn this week?
1. No good deed goes unpunished. Ask any vet.
"Non-client just walked through the door".
DUN-DUN-DUUUUN!!! - Sound Effect (I learned this is called a musical sting or suspense cue... a short, descending three-chord phrase used to punctuate dramatic moments)
If you happen to be sitting in a vet's waiting room, lobby and you see a person walk through the door with a pet in need of care, they claim to have no vet, accusing the hospital of not caring, take everything you see or hear with a grain of salt.
There is a great probability the vet clinic is going to be put in a horrible situation. Frankly, it is like time slows and you can see a train wreck happening in slow motion.
There is nothing you can do.
Typically it is too late.
The hospital will eat the costs.
Clients who have waited weeks or months for their appointment will be impacted.
Staff will be upset.
2. Dodged two tricky cases: Oddly, in the last 10 days I was presented with 2 young growing dogs with acute front leg lameness.Multiple concerns here.
One - young dogs with bad lamenesses can have problems that will result in lifelong consequences. Limb deformities, immune mediated illnesses...
Two - front leg injuries are like sprained ankles in people. THEY. LAST. FOREVER.
Luckily for me, and them, they were young pups who can sometimes be... overly dramatic. What looks like a possible fracture, can be resolved with a few days of rest and anti inflammatories.
That was the case with these two pups.
I couldn't have been more happy!
3. With the recent snow covering the ground and by default many allergens, itchy skin and requests for meds have understandably been quiet lately. But not zero. Had an annual check up with "Little One" this week. Dad was complaining that he needed to give an extra dose of her allergy medicine recently. She was waking him up with her licking and chewing. Annoying.
Nothing else seemed to be different. Foods. Treats. Nothing.
But what I noticed when I walked into the room was a pretty strong ye**ty smell. Dad couldn't.
He was nose blind.
That natural condition where our nose ignores similar or constant odors to be more alert to new threats.
(Why people say "my farts don't smell")
(There is a s*x difference here too. Women simply "appreciate" (?) more odors than men. They have twice the nerve endings in their olfactory bulb than guys. I am not sure this is an adaptation that helps or hinders but I have learned to ask female clients who come in with a smell complaint with their dog or cat if their husband agrees. Not being cheeky. Guys can't smell it! I swear to God, Dr. S can smell our cats p**ping from LRVH when the cat is 14 miles away at home in a covered cat box. Serenity now!!!)
Anyway, Little One was a bit ye**ty smelling.
This is a good reminder to people who have allergic dogs on zenrelia or apoquel. At some point in time, there will be an allergic flare-up and the patient will get a secondary bacterial or yeast infection. The scratching will return. Increasing the allergy meds will NOT help.
We started Little One on some oral antifungal and Dad reported she was better in a few days.
4. Big shout out to LRVH employees. Working for two veterinarians who are married and squabble during the day can be a drag. Their ability to handle tricky patients, communicate via phone, email or in person are second to none.
There are these silly "National Day of dogs who wear sweaters" and "Day to remember deaf white cats". There is also one for Vet Techs. We didn't "celebrate". (I don't know how these things get started, who is profiting from this?)
Everyone at a vet clinic should be appreciated.
We have been low on (Wo)Manpower this week. Lots of creeping crud keeping people home. Good to get the sickness out of the way before the holidays.
A LRVH staff member on maternity leave with a new baby ("Orion").
Lastly, unfortunately we are losing one key employee, vet tech Sarah B, who is moving to Texas to support her husband's career change. Sad trombone sound. Best luck to her and the family.
Thanks to everyone for their patience. Let's finish 2025 strong and healthy
Back in the office Monday 7:30am.
~ "Daisy"
3 year old Miniature Schnauzer, sporting a spiffy sweater
