Queasiness?

[jellybean926]

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Hey! I'm new here, but I wanted to ask - has anyone had issues with queasiness? I'm going to be a college freshman this fall, and right now I'm a math major, but I've been seriously thinking about switching to a pre-vet track. My entire childhood I always said I wanted to be a vet, but when I got older and realized vets have to do things like surgeries, I drifted away from that because I didn't think I could handle it. Being queasy and a bit sensitive to blood is really the only thing keeping me from making the change, so if there's a chance I could work through that and overcome it, I want to do that.

I'm sure it depends on the person, but do you think that if I volunteered somewhere and exposed myself to it, I could overcome it? (For the record, I've been watching "day in the life" videos on youtube and even just watching simple spay/neuter surgeries through a screen makes me feel a bit icky). Has anyone else been sensitive to blood/surgeries and overcame it, and if so what did you do?

 

[SARdoghandler]

I think trying to shadow to see things in real life is very helpful in figuring yourself out. I am highly squeamish around human blood and very highly needle phobic. But turns out neither od these fears for me extend past the human species, so I am fine vaccinating animals and doing surgeries. Every case is different though and if the animal stuff bugs you, then unfortunately I don't have any strategies because at least at my school dissections were a big thing, and they can get a lot more gross than most surgeries I've done/helped with. But someone else might have insight for you!

 

[JustPaws]

Can You still be a vet if you are squeamish??

Has other threads on this topic too 🙂

 

[jellybean926]

Thank you!

 

[mmmdreamerz]

I think it is something you can overcome with exposure. Furthermore, while you will have to do some amount of surgery in school, not all vets do surgery out in practice, so don’t let it be *the* limiting factor (that said, there are plenty of other reasons to pick a different career if you can imagine doing anything else, but that’s neither here nor there).

I will say that I’ve never been queasy at the sight of blood and happen to love surgery, but if I’m assisting in surgery or now as I’ve started doing surgeries, if I don’t eat breakfast, I regret it. Just a small tip if the time ever comes that you find yourself watching a surgery for the first time. No empty stomachs.

 

[MOOSEygoosey]

I'd also like to add that almost every vet has something about vet med that makes them a bit queasy or uneasy 🙂 For example, my mother had a hard time working with eyes for a while. For me, it's the sound of dentals when you're scraping against the teeth. But I do highly recommend getting experience in field!!

 

[Doctor-S]

FWIW ... this is a common feeling for many individuals.

In time, you will grow accustomed to (and familiar with) certain things that cause you to feel squeamish.

You'll "be in the moment" and you won't be thinking about feeling queasy.

Instead, your exposure to different things in medicine will grow higher (more abundant) and you'll become increasingly resilient and desensitized to the things that may have caused you to feel squeamish or a bit sensitive to blood/surgeries in the past.

 

[jellybean926]

Thanks for all the replies, makes me feel a lot better knowing there's a lot of others who deal with this as well, and it seems conquerable. I can't change my major until the end of my 1st semester, and I still want to do some more research on it, but I'm thinking I might be going in that direction 🙂

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Thanks for all the replies, makes me feel a lot better knowing there's a lot of others who deal with this as well, and it seems conquerable. I can't change my major until the end of my 1st semester, and I still want to do some more research on it, but I'm thinking I might be going in that direction 🙂

Also if you love math you don't have to change your major. Just get the prerequisites.

 

[jellybean926]

Also if you love math you don't have to change your major. Just get the prerequisites.

Good to know, and my school even has a Mathematical Biology concentration within the math major... tbh I'm not even totally sure what "mathematical biology" really is or if it could help me get into vet school over a general math major, but I'll look into it, again thanks

 

[SkiOtter]

Good to know, and my school even has a Mathematical Biology concentration within the math major... tbh I'm not even totally sure what "mathematical biology" really is or if it could help me get into vet school over a general math major, but I'll look into it, again thanks

I doubt it’ll help you get into vet school more than being a math major and just taking the required prereqs. You can be any major you want and still get into vet school as long as you have the prereqs. You could major in underwater basket weaving, but as long as you take those required classes, you stand the same chance at getting in.
Keep your grades up and get some vet experience. I recommend getting some shadowing experience soon to see if this IS the field for you before you fully commit.

 

[jellybean926]

I doubt it’ll help you get into vet school more than being a math major and just taking the required prereqs. You can be any major you want and still get into vet school as long as you have the prereqs. You could major in underwater basket weaving, but as long as you take those required classes, you stand the same chance at getting in.
Keep your grades up and get some vet experience. I recommend getting some shadowing experience soon to see if this IS the field for you before you fully commit.

Thank you!

 

[LyraGardenia]

I will say that I’ve never been queasy at the sight of blood and happen to love surgery, but if I’m assisting in surgery or now as I’ve started doing surgeries, if I don’t eat breakfast, I regret it. Just a small tip if the time ever comes that you find yourself watching a surgery for the first time. No empty stomachs.

I second this! I also don't usually have problems with blood/surgery, but the first time I got to scrub in and help with a spay I was coming down with a cold, so I hadn't eaten because I didn't have an appetite. Big mistake, between that and nerves I got very light-headed and had to sit down.

Also don't stand with your knees locked, and if you feel like you're going to faint or vomit, say something and sit down or get out of there! It's not worth trying to power through and then fall and hurt yourself, and a good vet won't think less of you for feeling queasy, it's really common when you're just starting to shadow.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

I second this! I also don't usually have problems with blood/surgery, but the first time I got to scrub in and help with a spay I was coming down with a cold, so I hadn't eaten because I didn't have an appetite. Big mistake, between that and nerves I got very light-headed and had to sit down.

Also don't stand with your knees locked, and if you feel like you're going to faint or vomit, say something and sit down or get out of there! It's not worth trying to power through and then fall and hurt yourself, and a good vet won't think less of you for feeling queasy, it's really common when you're just starting to shadow.

I’ve never been one to eat breakfast...now I force myself too on sx days. It makes a huge difference.

 

[vethopeful_2]

I think trying to shadow to see things in real life is very helpful in figuring yourself out. I am highly squeamish around human blood and very highly needle phobic. But turns out neither od these fears for me extend past the human species, so I am fine vaccinating animals and doing surgeries. Every case is different though and if the animal stuff bugs you, then unfortunately I don't have any strategies because at least at my school dissections were a big thing, and they can get a lot more gross than most surgeries I've done/helped with. But someone else might have insight for you!

This is exactly how I am as well. I pass out when I go to the doctor, dentist, etc. (not even kidding), but for some reason vet Med doesn't bother me at all. BUT, I do remember being queasy my very first day of shadowing. I sat in on an enucleation and had to go lay outside on the sidewalk in 20 degree weather to cool off. But it never happened again! Now I view blood as any general liquid. It might as well be water in terms of grossness. I agree with what everyone else has said- get some shadowing experience, and not just one day. It may be something you have to build up a tolerance for.

Also, my little secret that I used to do when I first started shadowing years ago... I would bring sugary candies in a little plastic bag and keep them in my scrub pant pockets. Any time I was about to watch something that I thought could make me queasy, I would pop some Mike and Ike's in my mouth to keep my blood sugar up.


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[DRider13]

I would bring sugary candies in a little plastic bag and keep them in my scrub pant pockets. Any time I was about to watch something that I thought could make me queasy, I would pop some Mike and Ike's in my mouth to keep my blood sugar up.

Oh I love this idea! I usually have troubles finding time to eat during the day, but at least this would keep my blood sugar up for those unexpected cases that I think might make me feel faint. I'll have to pick a different candy though.. I like Mike n' Ikes too much and they'll be gone within an hour 😀