RANT HERE thread

[TotesMahGoats]

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Snake bites..I'm not an emergency vet...I need @LetItSnow to move down here.

Re: snake bites. Does the vaccine help at all? I go hiking with my dogs and it's my biggest fear for them. My plan right now is 'rush to the nearest hospital and try to breathe,' which doesn't seem all that helpful.

 

[dyachei]

Re: snake bites. Does the vaccine help at all? I go hiking with my dogs and it's my biggest fear for them. My plan right now is 'rush to the nearest hospital and try to breathe,' which doesn't seem all that helpful.

If you are in an area with a lot of snakes, it might help a little. At least that is what I learned w/ NAVC.

We have them here but it's not a super common complaint.

 

[alohacat319]

Re: snake bites. Does the vaccine help at all? I go hiking with my dogs and it's my biggest fear for them. My plan right now is 'rush to the nearest hospital and try to breathe,' which doesn't seem all that helpful.

I know the vets in my clinic recommend not getting it and we have tons of rattlesnakes. I don't know the exact reasoning of why though.

 

[Posey]

I know the vets in my clinic recommend not getting it and we have tons of rattlesnakes. I don't know the exact reasoning of why though.

That's interesting. The vets in my clinic do recommend it because the rattlesnake vaccine cross-protects against copperheads. We have more copperheads than rattlers around here, and we get quite a few snake bite cases during the spring and summer. I have a fuzzy memory of one vet explaining that the really dangerous rattlers are not indigenous to this area; so, maybe it's not as effective against those?
If I understand correctly, it does not provide full immunity. Instead, it provides partial immunity to buy time to get to the emergency clinic.


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[DVMDream]

Re: snake bites. Does the vaccine help at all? I go hiking with my dogs and it's my biggest fear for them. My plan right now is 'rush to the nearest hospital and try to breathe,' which doesn't seem all that helpful.

Vaccine just helps to reduce the severity a little. You still need to seek veterinary care if your dog is bit.

 

[alohacat319]

Food poisoning sucks. Especially when you have exams both today and tomorrow.

 

[LetItSnow]

Re: snake bites. Does the vaccine help at all? I go hiking with my dogs and it's my biggest fear for them. My plan right now is 'rush to the nearest hospital and try to breathe,' which doesn't seem all that helpful.

As of earlier this year, at least, there was still no good, controlled evidence for the benefit of the vaccine. So some doctors recommend it because they "feel" like it helps reduce the severity, or because it "might" help. Others don't recommend it because there's no evidence to support its use and there is the potential for localized adverse effect.

So .... kinda depends on where you personally fall on the risk vs reward evaluation.

 

[rockatiel]

2 hours of sleep, less to come, screwing up everything, hating life, etc etc etc I think I'll just be a hermit

 

[EngrSC]

If I understand correctly, it does not provide full immunity. Instead, it provides partial immunity to buy time to get to the emergency clinic.

This is my understanding as well.

My Lab was bitten by a rattlesnake ~5-6 years ago in my parent's backyard. He came to the door with a swollen nose and copious amounts of drool. I wasn't interested in or working in vet med at the time so I ran him over to the nearest GP thinking he had been stung by a bee. They took him back right away and while I was filling out paperwork they brought him back up, said it was a snake bite and I needed to go to the ER/specialty hospital ASAP. That was like 4 pm on the Friday of 4th of July weekend - I was hysterical (thinking he was going to die in my backseat) and in the worst traffic ever. I got my grandpa (a retired fireman) on the phone and he talked me through it ... so grateful. Anyway, the GP had called ahead to tell them I was on my way and they had a doctor and several techs waiting for him.

It was one of the worst experiences of my life but this hospital's doctors and staff were absolutely amazing. He spent 48 hours in the ICU and it only ended up costing ~$2000. Rattlesnake venom is some really nasty stuff - he was bitten on the muzzle and in the days afterward he had really deep purple bruising all the way down in his underarms. The picture is ~24 hours after the bite.

 

[deleted498041]

That's interesting. The vets in my clinic do recommend it because the rattlesnake vaccine cross-protects against copperheads. We have more copperheads than rattlers around here, and we get quite a few snake bite cases during the spring and summer. I have a fuzzy memory of one vet explaining that the really dangerous rattlers are not indigenous to this area; so, maybe it's not as effective against those?
If I understand correctly, it does not provide full immunity. Instead, it provides partial immunity to buy time to get to the emergency clinic.


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Wait, what? I was specifically told by the BI rep that there is NO cross protection for other species of snakes and it's not even helpful against all species of rattlers.

 

[deleted676737]

2 hours of sleep, less to come, screwing up everything, hating life, etc etc etc I think I'll just be a hermit

My PM box both on here and on Facebook is always open if you need someone to talk to. I've been experiencing a lot of the same feelings for several days. I'm afraid that I'm starting to fall into another depressive episode. 🙁

 

[BrownSwissCows]

The parking pass at my undergrad is so expensive that I save around $200 to just pay the daily rate when scheduling doesn't work out with my ride. So today I pay, but the machine doesn't print a receipt. I get the attention of the parking attendant, and she just waves me through, so I figure it's a known problem and I have nothing to worry about. I come back from classes and there's a ticket on my car. The parking office is in that structure, but if I go and deal with them, I know I'm going to get stuck in the heart of rush hour, so I decide to submit the appeal online. Why they would make their appeal form a PDF you can't actually type into I have no idea. Then I battle our ancient printer for a bit and finally get it to print and scan the completed form. Now I get to wait for snail mail response for something that should have never happened in the first place.

 

[Posey]

Wait, what? I was specifically told by the BI rep that there is NO cross protection for other species of snakes and it's not even helpful against all species of rattlers.

Interesting. I wonder if we're talking about the same product? Is there more than one snake vaccine?


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[vetmedhead]

Ugly, impossible to navigate school websites with no Help page, FAQ page, search function, or list of helpful contacts!

I'm going to quit this for a while and focus on something more fun...

 

[rockatiel]

My PM box both on here and on Facebook is always open if you need someone to talk to. I've been experiencing a lot of the same feelings for several days. I'm afraid that I'm starting to fall into another depressive episode. 🙁

That's so kind thank you It's always mutual

 

[cowgirla]

Sometimes life really sucks. Three months ago I euthanized a young dog with bad disease that went downhill really fast. Super nice owners, kept thanking me for coming out to the house.
A few weeks later they got a new dog, whole family came in for the initial visit. That was a month ago.

Today, hit by car. Schiff Sherrington paralysis. Three vertebral fractures/displacements + a half dozen other major problems. FML.

 

[Jess Monster]

My old arm nerve injury is acting up. I haven't been lifting anything or doing work that normally strains my arm or hand. Typically, though, straining leads to spasms and not dull radiating nerve pain. Hopefully that's not a sign of the hardware in my arm irritating things because I really don't want to go through another surgery or radial nerve palsy or physical therapy again.

 

[WildZoo]

Sometimes life really sucks. Three months ago I euthanized a young dog with bad disease that went downhill really fast. Super nice owners, kept thanking me for coming out to the house.
A few weeks later they got a new dog, whole family came in for the initial visit. That was a month ago.

Today, hit by car. Schiff Sherrington paralysis. Three vertebral fractures/displacements + a half dozen other major problems. FML.

Jesus 🙁

 

[nyanko]

Schiff Sherrington posture itself doesn't mean much. If there's no deep pain after a bump like that, then the prognosis is real bad though.

 

[cowgirla]

Schiff Sherrington posture itself doesn't mean much. If there's no deep pain after a bump like that, then the prognosis is real bad though.

No deep pain. Radio graphic badness at t13-l2- vertebral body overlap, plus things were alternating between smushed and shattered. Crushed L6. And the cervical spine had a suspicious area although positioning was crap. Add in pneumothorax, pneumaabdomen, hernia, and a bunch of fractures/lacerations.

 

[LetItSnow]

No deep pain. Radio graphic badness at t13-l2- vertebral body overlap, plus things were alternating between smushed and shattered. Crushed L6. And the cervical spine had a suspicious area although positioning was crap. Add in pneumothorax, pneumaabdomen, hernia, and a bunch of fractures/lacerations.

So you took it to surgery and fixed all that, right?

I mean, mad skillz and whatnot? 🙂

 

[cowgirla]

So you took it to surgery and fixed all that, right?

I mean, mad skillz and whatnot? 🙂

Yup, no biggie, squeezed it in before lunch and still saw all my appointments on time and left early.... All it took was a few waves of the magic wand.

 

[LetItSnow]

Yup, no biggie, squeezed it in before lunch and still saw all my appointments on time and left early.... All it took was a few waves of the magic wand.

Livin' the dream.

Last Saturday in the span of one shift I saw both a <20lb dog with a GDV (DOA), and a Great Dane with a colonic torsion (euth'd because of other factors, but they let me do a quick peek). It was like zebra day or something.

That said, I've seen three colonic torsions now in the almost-year. I guess I always thought they were more infrequent than that, but maybe/apparently not?

 

[allygator13]

Sometimes life really sucks. Three months ago I euthanized a young dog with bad disease that went downhill really fast. Super nice owners, kept thanking me for coming out to the house.
A few weeks later they got a new dog, whole family came in for the initial visit. That was a month ago.

Today, hit by car. Schiff Sherrington paralysis. Three vertebral fractures/displacements + a half dozen other major problems. FML.

That is awful. I'm so sorry for you and for that family 🙁

 

[Minnerbelle]

Livin' the dream.

Last Saturday in the span of one shift I saw both a <20lb dog with a GDV (DOA),

Was it a dachshund?

I mean like I'd been told they are barrel chested and are more likely than other small breeds to bloat, but of my GP patients in the past year, I saw more bloat with doxies (n=2) than any other breed (the other 2 being a lab and dobie). Likely because most of my at risk patients are pexied, but still!


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[DVMDream]

Woke up just a bit ago, not even 5AM, feeling naseous. Can't fall back to sleep. Hopefully goes away soon, I have plans today.

 

[cowgirla]

Was it a dachshund?

View attachment 202999

I mean like I'd been told they are barrel chested and are more likely than other small breeds to bloat, but of my GP patients in the past year, I saw more bloat with doxies (n=2) than any other breed (the other 2 being a lab and dobie). Likely because most of my at risk patients are pexied, but still!


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The only bloat I've seen in a small dog was a Chihuahua. Go figure.

 

[alohacat319]

Food poisoning sucks. Especially when you have exams both today and tomorrow.

Day two of food poisoning. I want to die.

 

[LetItSnow]

Was it a dachshund?

View attachment 202999

I mean like I'd been told they are barrel chested and are more likely than other small breeds to bloat, but of my GP patients in the past year, I saw more bloat with doxies (n=2) than any other breed (the other 2 being a lab and dobie). Likely because most of my at risk patients are pexied, but still!


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That is interesting info.

It was not a Dachshund. Was a small terrier mix.

My most common gdv are the expected - Danes and GSD.

 

[EngrSC]

Day two of food poisoning. I want to die.

urgent care??

 

[LetItSnow]

MB, are you recommending pexy for at-risk breeds at time of neuter/spay? How many people do it? Does it differ for male vs female?

Pure curiosity.

 

[deleted498041]

MB, are you recommending pexy for at-risk breeds at time of neuter/spay? How many people do it? Does it differ for male vs female?

Pure curiosity.

Not MB but I know approximately half the practices I visited this year recommended it for at-risk breeds at the time of spay/neuter. No difference for gender.

 

[cowgirla]

MB, are you recommending pexy for at-risk breeds at time of neuter/spay? How many people do it? Does it differ for male vs female?

Pure curiosity.

Not MB but yes. Prob 75% of females get pexyed. Closer to30-40 for males although a good number of others take referral for a minimally invasive option. Also offer referral for breeders that don't want to spay at same time

 

[LetItSnow]

Not MB but I know approximately half the practices I visited this year recommended it for at-risk breeds at the time of spay/neuter. No difference for gender.

I didn't mean difference in recommendation for gender ... I was unclear. I was wondering if the client acceptance was different based on gender (since in a female you're already in the abdomen and in a male you aren't).

I'd recommend it myself, but I don't work in GP and the only time I spay/neuter anything is on my once/month shelter volunteer day. So I was curious what the GPs on SDN are doing.

 

[Posey]

I didn't mean difference in recommendation for gender ... I was unclear. I was wondering if the client acceptance was different based on gender (since in a female you're already in the abdomen and in a male you aren't).

I'd recommend it myself, but I don't work in GP and the only time I spay/neuter anything is on my once/month shelter volunteer day. So I was curious what the GPs on SDN are doing.

How frequently do you see a bloat/ torsion case on a gastropexied dog? I've heard it isn't 100% effective but wasn't sure if that's 10% ineffective or 50%.


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[LetItSnow]

How frequently do you see a bloat/ torsion case on a gastropexied dog? I've heard it isn't 100% effective but wasn't sure if that's 10% ineffective or 50%.

Assuming you mean gastric torsion, rarely. I've yet to see it. I've heard 5% recurrence thrown around in pexy'd dogs with a prior gdv, but I have absolutely zero evidence of whether that's even remotely accurate. And when I've heard that number, it's not been clear to me if that's with the pexy intact, or whether that includes failed pexy sites (I have seen failed pexy sites as an incidental finding.). And I don't know if anyone HAS any numbers for dogs that were prophylactically pexy'd as opposed to those that were pexy'd because they torsed.

If you mean mesenteric torsion or colonic torsion, I've seen three colonic torsions in my 1 yr of practice. 2 were in 'normal' dogs, 1 was in a previous gdv/pexy'd dog. I vaguely recall one journal article suggesting that pexy is a predisposing factor for colonic torsion, but I don't recall if there was any strength to that conclusion, and I know that a boarded surgeon told me she doesn't feel there's a correlation. I'm not aware of any correlation between mesenteric torsion and pexy'd animals.

But everything I just said is just ... hearsay, more or less. Grain of salt, etc.

 

[Posey]

Thank you. I've had two Danes and have been told by some Dane people that pexy's are ineffective, but others swear by it. None of these people are vets, and it makes me question the source/ science of their advice. So, I appreciate insight from someone familiar with the condition.


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[nyanko]

I have idiopathic facial nerve paresis. What the hell, world.

 

[dyachei]

How frequently do you see a bloat/ torsion case on a gastropexied dog? I've heard it isn't 100% effective but wasn't sure if that's 10% ineffective or 50%.


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I have seen it exactly once. The dog was aerophagic from neoplasia though. It was bloat, no torsion

 

[twelvetigers]

I have idiopathic facial nerve paresis. What the hell, world.

Neuro strikes back? Sorry, man. How is it different from Bell's Palsy, or is it?

 

[TotesMahGoats]

A little late to the party, but thanks to everyone on the venom vaccine! I appreciate the insight from those familiar with it. I probably will hold off unless I hear something definite about it.

 

[orca2011]

Thank you. I've had two Danes and have been told by some Dane people that pexy's are ineffective, but others swear by it. None of these people are vets, and it makes me question the source/ science of their advice. So, I appreciate insight from someone familiar with the condition.


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My understanding is that they can definitely still bloat if pexied, they're just significantly less likely to progress to the GDV stage.

 

[nyanko]

Neuro strikes back? Sorry, man. How is it different from Bell's Palsy, or is it?

Bell's Palsy is the older term for it that neurologists don't use anymore a lot like "grand mal" seizure 😉

AKA eponyms are stupid let's just call things what they are.

 

[Minnerbelle]

MB, are you recommending pexy for at-risk breeds at time of neuter/spay? How many people do it? Does it differ for male vs female?

Pure curiosity.

Yup. I recommend it for all at risk breeds and mention it for all other large breeds. I haven't recommended it for doxies or pekes (supposedly the other one that may have higher incidence). Most of my clientele do it (with the boarded surgeon to boot). I have very pampered patients overall. A lot of our male patients will get done laparoscopically.


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[twelvetigers]

Bell's Palsy is the older term for it that neurologists don't use anymore a lot like "grand mal" seizure 😉

AKA eponyms are stupid let's just call things what they are.

Fair 'nuff, I just wasn't sure. My hubs had it pretty bad when he was younger - eyepatch and all that - and his face is still a bit lopsided when he makes certain faces. But not where it's weird... but you know that, you've met the guy.

And tell the horse folks about the eponym thing...

 

[DVMDream]

And tell the horse folks about the eponym thing...

🤣

 

[pp9]

When your boyfriend is adamant that an athletic trainer has equivalent knowledge to a medical doctor/veterinarian and is capable of surgery, diagnosing, prescribing, and treating....such disappointment. His brother is an athletic trainer at a high school and since he recommended my boyfriend start making protein shakes, he is now a medical god. I can't wrap my head around it

 

[Jess Monster]

When your boyfriend is adamant that an athletic trainer has equivalent knowledge to a medical doctor/veterinarian and is capable of surgery, diagnosing, prescribing, and treating....such disappointment. His brother is an athletic trainer at a high school and since he recommended my boyfriend start making protein shakes, he is now a medical god. I can't wrap my head around it

You're his girlfriend so any sound advice you might offer probably just sounds like nagging.

 

[pp9]

You're his girlfriend so any sound advice you might offer probably just sounds like nagging.

I'm his girlfriend so anything I say is nagging 😛

 

[missdarjeeling]

Some of my coworkers have no empathy for the doctors they work with, and it's a little upsetting. Earlier in the week, one of them was confiding to a few of us about burnout and stress and how overworked she feels. That was followed by a busy shift where she got annoyed that one of her clients was left waiting for 20 minutes before being seen. She was frustrated that people weren't moving fast enough. And then the gossip mill started up with people talking crap behind her back."Oh, so she has to stay late again? Good." Jesus christ, guys, grow up.