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From what you've told us, your experience is almost solely small animal. You have to understand that companion animal medicine and production animal medicine are VASTLY different fields. Small animal medicine is entirely focused on the individual, and some owners will even have a "spare no expense" attitude towards their pet's care. On the farm, you have to prioritize, and the health of the herd often has to come before the health of an individual. Should the farmer spend thousands on a DA surgery for a mid-range producing dairy cow, at the risk of not being able to afford vaccinations for his calves next month? Often slaughtering that animal and getting a couple bucks for her meat makes a lot more sense, and an LA vet knows this. At this point in time, as a freshman in undergrad, it's really not your place to pass snap judgments on that vet's choices. ESPECIALLY since you may find yourself counting on those same veterinarians to help you get experience in the future.
I'm going to make an observation that's going to sound mean, but I promise it isn't meant to be. I've noticed a trend in several of your threads: you start by asking for help or advice, then quickly turn to blaming everyone else (your professors, your school, your local vets) for everything (your grades, your lack of extracurricular activities, trouble finding experience). In order to really be successful in this or any field, you really need to accepting responsibility for your actions, and take control of your own path. You can point fingers all you want, but in four years when you're sitting in an interview for your top school, they' re going to want to know what YOU'VE done to prepare yourself for this career. They aren't going to tolerate excuses, and they certainly aren't going to appreciate you criticizing the practices of other vets.
As someone who was once a freshman and did a lot of blaming other people herself, I can tell you from experience that things will go a lot more smoothly for you once you stop pointing fingers and start holding yourself accountable for your own education and experiences. 🙂
Well, the vet that is here does do mainly small animal, because he's elderly and doesn't tend to go out to the farms, but when he does, it's euthanasia and no "fixing." However, as far as advice goes, he does help, he is also helpful since he used to run the interviews for UGA when they had interviews, but as far as the action goes, not really. My family has known both of the vets for fourteen years, so I do know of how they like to do things, as I spent right at three years working with them, however, since they are PAST retirement age, they still like to do things old-fashioned and it seems as if they've always been about the money in regards to it. He even told me the story about how when he was in the 11th grade, at the counselors office, he saw a brochure about veterinary, saw the salary listed, and right then and there, he made the decision to pursue it.
One time, I brought a client back because an out of town client wanted us to give the cat a pill (a pill that the client had, we didn't have to furnish). He shoved it down the cat's throat and said, "put down twenty dollars," so I said, "twenty?" he said, "if he scratched me, it would've been forty." That's something that could of been done for free and it wouldn't of bothered anyone. Most of the money he makes is from out of town clients, since this town is where you have to go through in order to get to the tourists destinations. So, he does make a lot of money, but many people have said he's kind of lost his heart over the years because of the money. We, unfortunately, had no official vet tech. Most of the girls that were there came there as teenagers and dropped out of high school. The highest education is failed massage therapy school...and the minimum wage in the state is $5.15 (below federal) so the employees literally do get whatever job they can with their education background. I just wish it was different, but it isn't. However, since I still am thinking about transferring for my major, there will be more opportunities made available (excuse my mild rant).
I did say cows in my last part of the statement, however, as far as discovering the reason of the illness, it was mainly in reference to horses. And yes, we do slaughter horses here.
But thank you, I appreciate it.
Truthfully, I'm just messed up beyond belief right now. All I do is worry if I'm getting into veterinary school or not. I'm also going to be taking twelve credit hours in the summer (eight hours a day, five days a week). And yes, I did have a ton of extra-curriculars, but I dropped them because I wanted to study. And yes, before you ask, I do have friends, and a pre-vet boyfriend who is just like I am.
I'm also taking classes outside of my major and pre-reqs. I'm going for a Business Administration minor.
But you are right. I do tend to point the fingers a lot. My stress is causing me a lot of anger.
