Exciting Week at School

[Jessika]

NOTE: This is from a journal entry I wrote yesterday on ZooToo, so its referring to friday, not today. Just wanted to clarify



I've done the most hands-on procedures this week at school that I've done last semester and this semester so far! I brought voided urine samples from my two dogs in and we did a urinalysis on them; since they were refrigerated briefly in the morning before class, they did show some calcium oxalate crystals and Charlie's urine slide showed a waxy cast or two, and both had another type of crystal I didn't have time to identify. Don't worry -- the calcium oxalate is probably artifact from being refrigerated, but both pups are going to the vet for a proper exam!

I was also able to bring in their feces along with my in-law's puppy who hasn't been dewormed yet, and all three were clean!!

But the most exciting part was last week I got to microchip Shelly (had never done it before...), yesterday I gave Shelly her FVRCP vaccine (had never vaccinated an animal before...) and TODAY I drew blood on one of the beagle pups for a heartworm test and got it on my first try (had never drawn blood before, either!). I actually feel like a "real tech" now!

I used to be really nervous about giving injections, but after doing one, it really isn't that bad at all. Though today I was shaking really bad for the blood draw I had trouble capping the needle afterwards. I shook for the microchip, too, but not nearly as bad. I was completely fine for giving the vax, except Shelly H-A-T-E-S being restrained; it took two people to hold her down while I gave it, poor thing.

Then today during lunch I got to watch one of the instructors do a cystocentesis on one of the older cats, Enya, because we took a voided urine sample from her this morning and the urinalysis showed high levels of blood in her urine, so our instructor wanted a sterile sample to rule out contamination. She made it look so easy! Sure enough, even after spinning the urine down you could see red blood cells at the bottom of the sediment, and you usually can't even see the sediment after its spun!! Again showed high levels of red and white blood cells, so I believe they're doing another cysto on her Monday. Poor girl

Anyway just wanted to share my excitement with everyone!!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

That's great Jessica! It's great to see you so excited and enjoying what you're doing. I'm glad you shared this with us. You're going to be a great vet tech because you love what you do and you love the animals.

[Miss Z]

That sounds really, really interesting, now you've got me feeling impatient to start vet school. It's great you're enjoying yourself so much - you'll make a great vet tech.

[Jessika]

That sounds really, really interesting, now you've got me feeling impatiant to start vet school. It's great you're enjoying yourself so much - you'll make a great vet tech.

You have a lot of patience to want to go to school to become a vet! I couldn't do it; after seeing what all I have to learn just to be a tech, I have a renewed respect for vets. They have it a lot tougher than us techies do (eventhough in a clinic setting, we do pretty much everything but prescribe, diagnose, and perform surgery!). lol