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Stroganoff said:
Many private student loans don't get forgiven at death, they go after whatever's in your estate. :cryi:
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Reasons you don’t get private loans
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Grumpy cat has died :(

She always seemed like such a sweet chill cat despite the moniker -- I can't imagine my cat being nearly as good about public appearances and travel, and she always looked so happy in their Instagram account with her buddy Pokey.

I am curious from a vet med perspective how the UTI complications led to her death. My classmates and I were hypothesizing maybe some kind of dysplasia/renal aplasia related to the dwarfism that could have made an ascending UTI --> pyelonephritis really hard for her little body to deal with. Curious if any of the real vets have thoughts (generally about that sort of thing. Renal pathophys was not my strength.) @Trilt @DVMDream @Karabiner13 @kcoughli @mizchiefmanaged @allieh8607

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SkiOtter said:
Reasons you don’t get private loans
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Agreed. Mine are from undergrad mostly from age 18 and 19 when FinAid was like, "If you want to enroll here, this is what you'll need to do, our in-house private loans (8% fixed) and SallieMae private loans (5-12% variable). Here, we even have computers dedicated for you to apply." (I wonder if they got a kickback.) I had a situation where I lived with my mom until 11th grade, then lived with my dad 12th grade so switched custodial and non-custodial parents. So for freshman year was based off [low income X], and sophomore year was based off [low income Y], and they thought I was gaming the system so made me sign blank sheets of paper with my signature (which was weird but I trusted them) and they made me list my two stepbrothers and stepsister whom I've never met and weren't even dependents of my family.

Bottom line, I'm pretty sure I got deceived and taken advantage of, and that undergrad fiasco dragged on for multiple years and never got resolved. The FinAid director was always in court (I guess they got sued a lot) -- parents writing to the President helped get attention but it never resolved since my FinAid packages were calculated off a fake family and fake income that didn't reflect reality, and I never brought up why one officer made me sign all these blank sheets of paper with my signature.

I'm so distraught about the whole experience to be honest (even a decade+ later still financially affecting me) since I felt like they took advantage of a naive 18-year-old and kept dragging their feet and never being available when I [or parents] called wanting an explanation. Sorry for the long post. I think it set me back an extra maybe $20-40K in principal not counting interest capitalizing, so I'm still just under $50K in private loans at the moment. Whatever painful lessons I learned from the experience I'll be damned sure to teach my own children since I never had the luxury of having my parents guide me on these things despite both my parents' parents having lots of money. :shrug: It's like all knowledge and wisdom and talent skipped a generation.

I transferred undergrads and School #2's FinAid office was nothing like School #1, so the sketchiness definitely varies.
 
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PippyPony said:
Grumpy cat has died :(

She always seemed like such a sweet chill cat despite the moniker -- I can't imagine my cat being nearly as good about public appearances and travel, and she always looked so happy in their Instagram account with her buddy Pokey.

I am curious from a vet med perspective how the UTI complications led to her death. My classmates and I were hypothesizing maybe some kind of dysplasia/renal aplasia related to the dwarfism that could have made an ascending UTI --> pyelonephritis really hard for her little body to deal with. Curious if any of the real vets have thoughts (generally about that sort of thing. Renal pathophys was not my strength.) @Trilt @DVMDream @Karabiner13 @kcoughli @mizchiefmanaged @allieh8607

View attachment 263140
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Pyelonephritis is my thought. Could've been that her urethra was abnormal as well and maybe easily prone to blocking with inflammation/spasms? I'm going to guess her immune system was crap and that didn't help.

263146
 
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PippyPony said:
Grumpy cat has died :(

She always seemed like such a sweet chill cat despite the moniker -- I can't imagine my cat being nearly as good about public appearances and travel, and she always looked so happy in their Instagram account with her buddy Pokey.

I am curious from a vet med perspective how the UTI complications led to her death. My classmates and I were hypothesizing maybe some kind of dysplasia/renal aplasia related to the dwarfism that could have made an ascending UTI --> pyelonephritis really hard for her little body to deal with. Curious if any of the real vets have thoughts (generally about that sort of thing. Renal pathophys was not my strength.) @Trilt @DVMDream @Karabiner13 @kcoughli @mizchiefmanaged @allieh8607

View attachment 263140
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Basically that hypothesis is getting thrown around in almost every vet fb group haha.
 
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DVMDream said:
I mean there is that case of the one guy that needed extensive dental work for infection and all that bacteria spread through his body during the dental procedure so he ended up with bacterial endocarditis and needing a number of organs removed and had a number of heart valves replaced. So..... I dunno.... antibiotics.... or bacterial endocarditis with bacterial infarctions.... :unsure: :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:
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And brain abscesses too apparently. I was telling my MD friends about this giant tooth root infection that I got that resulted in bad osteomyelitis and swelling secondary to a fractured root canal post I had that I delayed treatment for because my dentist was incompetent and didn’t realize it was fractured because the fracture line was not obvious on rads even though I told her I heard it snap and that the tooth was super mobile and said that she could fix it herself. I should have advocated for myself but I didn’t want to be “that” person, so I went along with it. I came back a week later as scheduled (that was my fault I should have gone back in or somewhere else sooner but I was working like 80+hrs a week) and it was really bad and she was like “oh no no you need abx STAT and go to an endodontist.” My friends both had this horrified look on their face and said “this is how so many M&M rounds start and the patient is dead at the end from a brain abscess”
 
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twelvetigers said:
Hiiiiiii!

Average starting salary in my area is $65k for a new grad. I started at less than that.

I know I don't live in NYC but I'm pretty sure this number is better in line with the rest of the country - you know, the majority of it, the part between the two coasts?
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The average starting salary nationwide for the class of 2018 full time small animal exclusive private practitioner was >$81k.
news.vin.com

AVMA survey: 2018 graduates earn more, owe more

Education debt outpaces earnings; questions about data persist
news.vin.com news.vin.com

So I bet the $65k is probably a little low for the majority of the country even with the inflation at the coasts, though I’m sure you’re right that the population of people in middle America have lower salaries (majority of the land, but likely still minority of population so the number could potentially be much lower than average and it wouldn’t affect it much). But I bet you can get way more for your dollar so quality of life is probably about the same unless you carry a ton of debt and the actual dollar salary matters more.

But yeah on the coasts, the starting salary is higher. I have not heard of new grads being offered less than $80k base plus production in my high cost of living state (one of the highest COL in the country as a state as a whole, though obviously not as bad as cities like San Fran or NYC)... except with my current super cheap employer, but that’s a whole nother discussion. Even 80k + production would be considered a “meh” lowish offer around here. Even in 2015 when job prospects were still dull I was offered $80k + production 6 months out from graduation, and I made production every month from the start in a rather rural podunk area of the state (where you could buy a house for $150k, unlike everywhere else in the state where the median home price across the entire state is >$400k) . I think my best was when I grossed $75k in a month, which amounted to almost $15k salary for the month. That was just 6 months into this job 1 yr out from graduation, so I bet had I stayed there, I would be making bank right about now. Unfortunately, I’m stupid and make awful financial decisions so I make a fraction of that. The better a clinician I become, the lower pay I tend to take, and I’m not sure what the disconnect is. Other than for an awful commute, I really loved everything about that high paying job.
 
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Awful financial decisions? Haven’t you basically paid down all your loans? I think you’ve done well!

I’m going to be making the most I’ve ever made at $70k soon. I don’t think many get over $90k even at Banfield etc. but I guess it’s hard to say.

Cost of living is less... I’m not in Podunk, OK - rather, I’m in an affluent area of the 2nd largest city, and I don’t think houses are bad at all here price wise.

But I’m also not doing it alone. And my husband makes more than I do lol.
 
twelvetigers said:
Awful financial decisions? Haven’t you basically paid down all your loans? I think you’ve done well!
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That’s what allowed me to make stupid decisions, because I can. If anyone else had come to me asking what they should have done, I probably would have advised against it. But if my goal were not to have to continue to kill myself working, I shouldn’t have taken a $30k+ paycut for a lateral move and should have gone to working part time or something. Or have continued to make more now and be able to get out sooner.

twelvetigers said:
I’m going to be making the most I’ve ever made at $70k soon. I don’t think many get over $90k even at Banfield etc. but I guess it’s hard to say.
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The most recent outrageous offer I heard from Banfield was $150k plus production, 4wks vacation plus the standard benefits!

twelvetigers said:
Cost of living is less... I’m not in Podunk, OK - rather, I’m in an affluent area of the 2nd largest city, and I don’t think houses are bad at all here price wise.

But I’m also not doing it alone. And my husband makes more than I do lol.
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Husband making more certainly helps :)
If it weren’t for my frugal husband who had squirreled away a ton of savings during his post-doc, we would not have had the cash for a down payment for our house. How he did that living in Boston on a post-doc salary, I have no idea. Unfortunately as an academic scientist, his earning potential is forever modest.
 
Stroganoff said:
Is this starting salary for a vet pretty fresh out of school/residency, or is it for a vet with x years of experience?
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<1 yr experience but not brand new. No internship/residency. I’m not sure I know of anyone who has done any sort of advanced training who opted to work for a banfield.

I don’t think I’d personally take it for $200k... which is why they offer so much.
 
I’m guessing that’s for a vet with 5 years experience or so? But I dunno.

My husband is a networking engineer so... the potential is set by how much he wants to hate his life, and if he’s willing to go sales (he hasn’t, but if he did, it would be $$$).
 
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Minnerbelle said:
<1 yr experience but not brand new. No internship/residency. I’m not sure I know of anyone who has done any sort of advanced training who opted to work for a banfield.

I don’t think I’d personally take it for $200k... which is why they offer so much.
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I knew one equine repro specialist that took a job with Bandfield because he couldn’t find any jobs in equine repro. He had to call a small animal vet friend a lot at first because he didn’t remember any SA stuff, and he was the only dr in the practice. I mean I don’t think that is common, but it’s probably happened a few times.
 
Skimble said:
I knew one equine repro specialist that took a job with Bandfield because he couldn’t find any jobs in equine repro. He had to call a small animal vet friend a lot at first because he didn’t remember any SA stuff, and he was the only dr in the practice. I mean I don’t think that is common, but it’s probably happened a few times.
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Well... equine repro specialist is probably less qualified to do small animal gp than a new grad so I’m not sure that counts... I would not hire one for our practice unless we were super desperate.

I’m sure if you look super hard, you’ll find the rare person with advanced training who has taken a banfield position. But that’s not common, compared to like VCA where many internship trained peeps go and get gp jobs. It’s owned by the same parent company, but the perks differ quite a bit between the two for the doctors even if the practices are right across the street from each other... because one has a hard time attracting doctors otherwise.
 
uhhh hai guys does anyone with an institutional login wanna help me bypass some paywalls so that i can read some journal articles? doing a case study on onchocerca lupi for my micro class and have access to most of the human med journals but not the vet med ones (is this an OK thing to ask? apologies to the mod gods and will delete if it's not...)
 
grebes4lyfe said:
uhhh hai guys does anyone with an institutional login wanna help me bypass some paywalls so that i can read some journal articles? doing a case study on onchocerca lupi for my micro class and have access to most of the human med journals but not the vet med ones (is this an OK thing to ask? apologies to the mod gods and will delete if it's not...)
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PM me the articles and I'll see if my university has access. I know I have veterinary parasitology journal access but I haven't had to use any other vet journals.
 
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PrincessButterCup said:
PM me the articles and I'll see if my university has access. I know I have veterinary parasitology journal access but I haven't had to use any other vet journals.
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thank you!!!!!! 2 of them are in vet parasit! just PMd you!
 
Worked a little over 80 hours this week... I know that was the low end of normal for me last year and I coped just fine, but it really makes for a tiring week when you don't consistently work that much anymore.
 
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weird question: do any of your dogs break dance? Gracie, who we think is a german shephard/lab mix, will be standing, bury her head into the hubby's leg (or right next to it) and do a weird "melty" thing with her front legs, so she is almost looking thru her back legs. Her butt is still in the air. She looks "broke" when she does it...and she does it all the time. I was wondering if this was something other dogs did? or is she, once again, just her odd, weird self?
 
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killerleaf said:
weird question: do any of your dogs break dance? Gracie, who we think is a german shephard/lab mix, will be standing, bury her head into the hubby's leg (or right next to it) and do a weird "melty" thing with her front legs, so she is almost looking thru her back legs. Her butt is still in the air. She looks "broke" when she does it...and she does it all the time. I was wondering if this was something other dogs did? or is she, once again, just her odd, weird self?
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I know what you're talking about! I know a hound dog that does the same thing.
 
Saw this comic book at the elementary school book store, thought everyone would enjoy:
IMG_20190531_111613538.jpg
IMG_20190531_111622708.jpg
IMG_20190531_111651798.jpg

Wonder how long the residency is for this specialization :thinking:
 
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A friend and I were joking recently about making unicorn vet my new career plan. Her only advice was no dehorning....
 
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Strongly considering a honeymoon in Costa Rica. Anyone have input?? Thanks!
 
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I went to Costa Rica between high school and college. It was beautiful! I was doing a study abroad thing so I spent a lot more time in non-touristy areas so I can't speak to the resort experience, but I did enjoy my trip. I wished I spoke better spanish since we stayed with host families and I felt like I could have gotten more out of the trip, but that probably wouldn't be an issue in a resort if that's what you and the fiance(e) are planning.
 
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Rainheart said:
Strongly considering a honeymoon in Costa Rica. Anyone have input?? Thanks!
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You should absolutely go to Costa Rica! Or Belize, or both, +/- Honduras. I went to Costa Rica for a study abroad and I loved it so much I went back with my son for vacation. I would absolutely go back. Knowing some Spanish is helpful, but you can get by knowing none at all.
 
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Wasn't sure where to put this. It's not a rant or a rave, but it definitely doesn't need to be its own post.

I'm looking for a job for the rest of the summer, and I'm having no luck finding vet jobs. The one I was really hopeful about didn't work out. I'm a career changer, and even though I hated my old career I was very good at it. I also used to make $30/h, and entry level's about 25, so I've been thinking about going back in that direction just for a few months for the money. It's unionized, so I'd be starting at entry level again, but still a far cry from what I'd make in a vet clinic. I was looking on Indeed, and I see a bunch of postings from my old employer. They're supposed to be under a hiring freeze right now, so I'm not sure how exactly that works, but there they are. They're looking for a temp for a few months (longer than what I'm off, but they don't need to know that right away) at my last site, and some of the software they want you to be comfortable with is very specialized. There are very few people in the province who have these skills who don't already work for them, so there wouldn't be a ton of internal competition. Yes, it's posted externally on Indeed, but I don't see someone moving provinces for a temp that's less than 6 months long.

Did I just find a job??
 
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Stroganoff said:
Almost like a cynical microcosm of vet med as a whole. :p
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Believe me, I have no illusions about the financials! But I'm doing this without student loans (Canadian) and to me it's worth it to not despise my life every single day.
 
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