I wanted to take a moment to share a brief update! After much planning, deliberation, research, and talking with several folks I have a VERY special announcement to make!
I have grown up in a home with dogs (sometimes as many as 5 at once), and just over a month ago I said goodbye to the last one I “grew up with” (he came to live with us either when I was still in college or FRESH out). Knowing that the next time I went to visit my parents that he would not be there to greet me broke my heart. He was literally one of the best dogs we had. Saying goodbye to him sparked something in me.
For the LONGEST time I was trying to wait for the “perfect time”, but what I have come to realize is there really isn’t a “perfect time”, but there is doing the best you can, and making adjustments as needed. I got tired of delaying knowing that with a little prep I could make the plunge.
It still doesn’t feel real to say this, and even at times has felt like an “out of body” experience. As of Monday, June 10, 2024 my life has completely changed in the most wonderful way.
I am a dog mom!
After a long search, I made a 2 hour drive (one way) to a shelter that had several dogs that fit what I was looking for when it came to the first dog that would be my first fur child of my very own. I visited with each dog to see who felt like a good fit. I am happy to say that I found a dog that was sweet, but reserved when she came in the adoption room. She just wanted to get pets. I could tell that she would likely thrive once given a chance outside the shelter environment. It’s almost as if she is my spirit animal because our personalities are much alike. I too am reserved around new people, until I get to know them. I am happy to say that we are entering day 3 since adoption, and the dog that I am looking at right now is thriving more than the one I put in the car for the 2 hour car ride home. I know she will only continue to open up.
I am not sure which of us is more grateful. I am glad to have some company working from home and such. I can tell she is thankful to not be in the shelter, even if that was the nicest animal shelter I have ever seen. Sometimes I look at her and it feels like it’s not even real. I have waited a LONG time for this! But I am THRILLED to be…
In my dog mom era!
I can totally understand how people have a phone full of photos of their dogs…guilty already on Day 2 moving into 3 of my Dog Mom Era!
The dog days of summer are upon us, and it is starting to get nice and hot here in Georgia. I know that a lot of animals have seasonal allergies that are flaring up with the warmer weather. If you fur baby is having any symptoms of allergies and/or ear infections then I would encourage you to set up an appointment with your pet’s veterinarian to discuss the options for helping to keep the baby comfortable. I would also encourage you to ensure that your fur baby is on monthly heart worm, flea, and tick prevention. Heart worm disease costs more to treat than it does to prevent! You would also be surprised how many animals have an allergy to fleas! Then ticks also transmit diseases that can be very dangerous for your fur baby’s health.
If you pet has anxiety about fireworks then it better for you call about getting anxiety medication well in advance of any anticipated fireworks! You don’t want to wait until it is less than a week out for the 4th of July to ask your veterinarian what your options are. Speak up now, and be prepared in advance!
When it comes to walking and traveling with your furry friends there are a couple of things to keep in mind. If you are going to be be taking your pet for a walk, be sure to check the walkway/road heat with the backside of your hand first. If it is too hot for you to keep the back of your hand pressed down to it, then it is too hot for their paws. Then remember that a parked car can get REALLY REALLY HOOOTTT SUPER FAST!!! If your pet is left in a hot car then they can overheat and it can be fatal! If you wanna test how fast a parked car can heat up then so park somewhere, turn off the car, and wait to see how long it takes before you start to get uncomfortable shut up in the car. I can promise you it doesn’t take long.
I just wanted to share a couple of tips on how to keep your fur babies safe and comfortable during the dog days of summer. If you have a question about your furry friend’s health then the best thing that you can do would be to have a conversation with a trust veterinarian about ways to keep your beloved friend safe this summer.
There has been something that has been heavy on my heart that I wanted to share. I have heard SO MANY people complain about the cost of veterinary care. I wanted to offer up some insights from the point of view of a veterinary technician.
Before you complain about the cost of veterinary care here’s some things to consider…
#1 We are NOT OUT FOR YOUR MONEY! We are on your team. Yes, veterinary care is not always cheap, but it’s not because we are trying to line our own pockets. Just like with every other thing in this world veterinary care costs money. We have lights to keep on, equipment to help us do our jobs and that equipment costs money to have and to keep running. We have staff that need to provide for themselves and their families. Diagnostics such as bloodwork and radiographs are not a “money grab.” Those diagnostics help us provide the best possible care for your pet.
#2 We care about your animals too. We will loose sleep thinking about your pets when they don’t feel well. We want the best possible care for them, and that is why we will stress the importance of vaccines based on your animal’s lifestyle, and prevention for heartworms. Trust me when I say heartworm prevention will cost you less than heartworm treatment, and it’s a lot safer.
#3 We are struggling to buy groceries, pay for gas, etc just like you. We are human and have bills just like you do. To say that we charge too much when many of us are struggling to pay our bills hurts. The saying of “If you really loved animals you would do it for free.” screams that we are worthy of making enough money to live off of. It says that we aren’t worth a live-able wage. We already bend over backwards in our jobs constantly to do everything we possibly can. Many veterinary support staff juggle more than one job to make ends meet.
#4 We are HUMAN…NOT SUPERHUMAN, as much as we attempt to believe that latter. We are not perfect. We will sometimes get things wrong. We can’t do it all, or save every animal but we will try. There will be times when a clinic is running wide open understaffed because one or more people had to call out sick. Have grace when there is a wait time. We are doing to best we can to make sure every animal that comes in gets the best possible care. If there is an emergency please understand that that will likely delay things because all hands need to be on deck. If your animal is okay enough that it doesn’t have to be seen as an emergency, please give them an extra hug and be patient. We will be with you as soon as we can.
#5 Your pet can’t tell us what’s wrong. If they could it would make things a lot easier. Diagnostics help us determine the cause behind the symptoms that you came in concerned about. We offer them so that we can provide your pet with the best possible care. Yes, diagnostics are not cheap, but they require machines or educated professionals to provide accurate information.
#6 Dr. Google and that Facebook post are no substitute for the formal education of veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians. We went to school to learn the information to help animals. We worked hard and put in literal blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point. This also means there are certain laws we have to follow if we want to keep the license active and in good standing. When we say you need to bring your pet in for an exam in order for us to prescribe medication it’s not because we want your money. We tell you that because it is the law, and we will no break the law and put our hard work/license on the line. It’s not fare to ask us to break that law.
#7 Please consider the sad truth that this field is challenging and that veterinary medicine has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession. We work ourselves to the point that sometimes there is a break. Either we leave veterinary medicine, or some choose to leave this broken world. We deal with a lot on a daily basis, and deal with a lot of stress from feeling like we have failed when we can’t do it all. Please remember we deserve the same respect you want from us. When the clinic is clearly running wide open and crazy show the staff some extra patience and love.
#8 Animals don’t have healthcare the same way people do. Are there health insurance plans for animals? Yes! I encourage you to shop around because there are SO MANY companies and types of plans. I encourage you to find one that will work for you. Keep in mind that pet insurance works differently than it does with humans. It pays owner back for the covered services. So, I urge you to research what these plans cover and how they handle claims. But no animal healthcare system on the front end means that our services don’t work the same as when you go to your doctor.
Those are just some insights from one veterinary professional who wants to help you understand why you complaining about the cost of veterinarycare (especially blaming the very people trying to help your pet) is so hurtful. Please consider these things the next time you take your pet in to the vet.
To the wonderful owners who are always so patient and understanding, you are the literal best. We love you for the many ways you show how thankful you are.
So, I’m sure many of you (maybe all of you) have heard the term imposter syndrome by now. This is a rather loaded term, and it is associated with feeling like you are not “good enough.” I have spent most of my life feeling like I was not “good enough”. I grew up, and was NEVER the popular kid, or the kid that was good at sports, etc. I struggled with “rejection” is all its many forms as I was growing up. First there were several guys who I crushed on that either ignored me or flat out rejected getting to know me. Then it came time to join the workforce and I got caught in the you need experience to get experience cycle. That is just the cliff notes of my background that got me to where I am today.
This March will mark 5 year since I got my Veterinary Technology degree, and this month marks 4 years actively working as an LVT! I have worked in several different clinics both during my schooling, and since becoming a LVT. I have been exposed to a lot of different things. Yet, I still feel like I am a kid “playing house”, and that I need a more adult adult to tell me what to do. I lack the confidence to believe that I can do a lot of things, at times. I also feel like I am not capable of being the type of adult that the world considers successful.
I have so many things that I feel like I should have done, or should have a better handle on by now, and there are days where I feel like I am a failure for not having it all together the way society says I should. I have been through so much that has brought me to where I am today, and while it has been anything BUT easy, there is so much of my journey that I would not trade for the world. I have been fighting a lot of negative self-image type of things lately, and wondering if the things I am passionate about and enjoy doing are of any value. For example, I have had the dream for a while now to be a content creator, but have struggled to feel like anyone would be interested in the lifestyle type of things that I am passionate about sharing. Overall, I just feel like “who cares” about what I have to share? I believe that I could be an awesome content creator if I could push past this view and just be more intentional about sharing the things I’m passionate about. I want to believe somebody out there could be inspired or motivated by my story.
I want to make 2024 the best year yet, and I want to believe that big things are going to happen for me this year! I don’t know exactly what that may mean, or how I will go about making these dreams a reality, but I am tired of believing the lie that I am not good enough, simply because my life doesn’t look like what society tells me it should. I am tired of feeling like an imposter or even a failure! I am taking back my life this year!
If you feel like you are an imposter or failure, know that you are not alone and you are good enough! I am here and ready to foster community with anyone who needs someone who believes they are more than capable! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
December 9th is known as the International Day of Veterinary Medicine! I wanted to celebrate this special day by sharing a couple ways that you can celebrate the veterinary professionals that care for your furry (or non-furry) family members!
Nice things you can do for vet staff:
1. Write them a special, handwritten, heartfelt Thank You Card!
2. Feed them! It doesn’t matter if it is pizza, snacks, etc.
3. Share your “Happy Pet Parent” story, and how your vet hospital helped you and your pet.
4. Remember that they (the vet staff) are doing their best, and that patience and kindness go a long way towards making a busy/challenging day easier. Remember that you both have the same goal, to provided the best care possible for you pet.
Here’s a bit more information about this special day:
Thanksgiving 2023 has come to a close! This year has been going by so Fast! I can hardly believe the year is quickly coming to a close. This year has been an adventure, and in many ways nothing like how I expected it to go.
I have been thinking and dreaming about how I want to enter 2024, and the things I would like to accomplish this upcoming year. I am thinking and dreaming up my dreams and goals to help me be who I aspire to be.
I have been so blessed to have a place to truly call home for the last couple months. I have been so excited about decorating for the holidays since I moved in back in April. I have been so excited that not only have I been able to decorate for the holidays, but since I have been working from home I have had plenty of time to enjoy it.
I have a dream for a while now of being a more regular content creator. I have made several attempts to get started, but life has always seemed to get in the way. I am tired of making excuses, and I want to take big steps toward this goal in the coming months. Cheers to living the kind of life I want to live!
What are some of your goals for this upcoming year? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Happy National Vet Tech Week! This week looks a little different for me because it is the first Vet Tech Week since becoming a licensed Vet Tech that I am not working in a clinic. Instead I am working remotely as a Vet Tech Scribe. It crazy to think how much has changed over these last few years. Time has flown by, and there are plenty of times I still feel like a “baby” tech and I’ve been licensed since December 2019, and working as an LVT since January 2020.
I know how big of a deal imposter syndrome is because I do battle with it constantly. I am here to tell you (my fellow Vet Techs) that you are amazing! You are capable! You are worth it! You rock! I know this job can wear us out and wear us down, but on this special week that celebrates Vet Techs I am here to remind you that vet med needs YOU! We are all special and unique and therefore we all have a special and unique role to play in the world of vet med.
So, thank you for all you do for the animals! Remember why we do what we do, and that success in vet med looks different for everyone. I didn’t know when I started my journey in vet med that I would end up where I am at currently, but as I am just over a month into this new role I am excited about the progress I’ve made since day 1, and excited about what the next few weeks hold as I continue to settle into this job.
I have been a Work-From-Home (WFH) veterinary professional for about a month now. First of all, time sure does FLY by, I can’t believe I’ve been at this job that long already. I wanted to take a moment to share with you about how this first month has gone. It hasn’t all been easy, but I believe that I have some great insights into what this job is teaching me already.
First of all here’s a bit of information on me, in case you didn’t know. I received my LVT in December 2019, and started my first tech job in a small animal clinic in January 2020 (just before the world were crazy). Covid 19 has forever changed the face of vet med in my opinion and I’m not sure if it’s all for the worse but it also isn’t all for the better either. Anyhow, I spent about 3 years at my first clinic before I felt like I needed a new challenge. I would work about another year in my second clinic before the having to drive 45 minuets or more one way started to wear on me. I live in a small town and the vets that can afford to offer all the wonderful adult job benefits require me to drive a great distance. When I learned about my present job working for the same company I originally worked with, only this time from the comfort of my own home it sounded too good to be true.
This past month has been an adjustment as I’ve navigated being home and at work. I am trying to create routines that help me to keep the two separated in my mind to help me have work-life balance. I have also had to navigate technology issues. I am taping into a whole side of me I wasn’t even aware of. I have always loved blogging, and social media, so computer skills come natural to me at least in part. There are also learning curves that come along with trying to translate the recordings for the medical records at times. I have also struggled with the ever present bully, imposture syndrome. Yes, I am an LVT with nearly 4-5 years under my belt (if you count my almost year as a kennel assistant), but there are many times I think that I’m just not “good enough”. I am learning to trust my gut, and have had numerous occasions where I have been proven wrong and a situation shows me I’ve got what it takes to do this.
Working from home has its own set of challenges, but I am really enjoying spending time in my own space. As someone who has had to battle mental issues due to stress this has been a blessing. It’s also been nice to not have to worry about driving to and from work on top of my shift because the clinics I have worked for are a 45 minuet or more drive one way. Sure I could have moved closer, but they were located in areas where I didn’t really wanna live and where I didn’t have the community and support system I have where I am at.
Cheers to one month of this adventure and the adventure still to come!
National Vet Tech Week is just around the corner (October 16-21, 2023). I am going to do my best to celebrate this year by sharing content. It’s gonna be strange with this being my first Vet Tech Week not in a clinic setting since I became an LVT.
Modern Vet Tech 