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Vet Students with Pets
Started by Infamous
I'm planning on taking one of my family's German Shepherds, Aster, with me to Penn. She's quite used to being alone during the day at home so I'm not overly concerned about her being along while I am at school... She's fairly low maintainance.
I have a horse, cat, cockatiel, fish tank, two dogs, and few pocket pets that are all going to make the journey from Washington State to New York when I go to veterinary school this fall. While I am definitely worried about how much time I will have to spend with them, I have already worked very hard to keep most of them through 4 years of college and I know that I could never give them up.
In visiting different vet schools the theme seemed to be that veterinary students do not have much time so make the most of the small amount of free time that you do have. I also noticed that although some veterinary students have pets, many do not, and most of those who do choose lower maintenance companions, such as cats. In my case I am optimistically hoping that if I am dedicated I will find some time to play with my dogs, ride my horse, and so on with the rest of my pets.
I think in the end it comes down to what is most important for you. For me, I would love to devote my small amount of "free" time to my animals, but I know that this may not be the case for everyone. If you don't already have animals, it may be less complicated to enjoy the animals you see at school (even thought this is limited for the first two years) and not worry about making it home to walk your dog on lunch. If you do already have animals that you want to keep, I think it is certainly possible, and, when all is said and done, they may do alot for your sanity.
In visiting different vet schools the theme seemed to be that veterinary students do not have much time so make the most of the small amount of free time that you do have. I also noticed that although some veterinary students have pets, many do not, and most of those who do choose lower maintenance companions, such as cats. In my case I am optimistically hoping that if I am dedicated I will find some time to play with my dogs, ride my horse, and so on with the rest of my pets.
I think in the end it comes down to what is most important for you. For me, I would love to devote my small amount of "free" time to my animals, but I know that this may not be the case for everyone. If you don't already have animals, it may be less complicated to enjoy the animals you see at school (even thought this is limited for the first two years) and not worry about making it home to walk your dog on lunch. If you do already have animals that you want to keep, I think it is certainly possible, and, when all is said and done, they may do alot for your sanity.
Infamous said:
I brought my dog to New Zealand with me. I find myself studying at home a lot of the time I would otherwise be studying in the library, and probably I'm a bit less productive for it. It is a lot to take care of him on top of everything else I need to do -- 29 hours of class/lab a week, plus long hours of private study (and this is only the pre-vet selection semester). It helps that I have roommates who also have a dog and who have completely different schedules from me, so he's not alone for long periods of time. I would not recommend taking any pets to school with you if you have other options for them.
There are people in my class who have kids. I don't know how they do it. I envy the people in the dorms who don't need to do anything but roll out of bed, dress themselves and show up at class. 🙄
I'm also in the pre-selection semester in New Zealand, but I don't have a dog. I thought about it, and might still change my mind, but... I think being overseas adds in a bit of an extra dimention. If you go to school in the same country as your parents, when you go away on externships/ whatever, you can drop the dog off with them for a month, or whatever.
I can't do that. Add to that the really long flight, my addiction to rescued animals, and geriatric dogs, and bringing them over in the first place wouldn't happen, much less bringing them home after.
Important points, tho- if you have a high maintnence animal- how will it deal with being alone? will you have a car? can you honestly guarentee that you'll make it home at lunch every day to let them out? can you afford the bills? I know you probably know all about budgetting and costs for pets, but you can't always budget the big stuff. The "average" dog costs something like $400 if it's healthy every year, just for food and liscense. My last, oh, three or 4 dogs cost at least that much a month, between chemo, euth, bloodwork, chiropracting, special food, doggie alzhimers drugs, etc.
Can you afford that kinda stuff on student budget? what if you have a cat who decides that eating string is a great hobby? can you afford the surgery? would you be comfortable euth. over that?
So yeah, for now, no pets. If I get that needy for animals, there are plenty of other crazies here with dogs.
I can't do that. Add to that the really long flight, my addiction to rescued animals, and geriatric dogs, and bringing them over in the first place wouldn't happen, much less bringing them home after.
Important points, tho- if you have a high maintnence animal- how will it deal with being alone? will you have a car? can you honestly guarentee that you'll make it home at lunch every day to let them out? can you afford the bills? I know you probably know all about budgetting and costs for pets, but you can't always budget the big stuff. The "average" dog costs something like $400 if it's healthy every year, just for food and liscense. My last, oh, three or 4 dogs cost at least that much a month, between chemo, euth, bloodwork, chiropracting, special food, doggie alzhimers drugs, etc.
Can you afford that kinda stuff on student budget? what if you have a cat who decides that eating string is a great hobby? can you afford the surgery? would you be comfortable euth. over that?
So yeah, for now, no pets. If I get that needy for animals, there are plenty of other crazies here with dogs.
Do you think a German Shepherd or a Siberian Husky could handle the travel and the weather (and be comfortable) if you brought them to an abroad vet school such as the ones down under (Massey or Murdoch) or in the carib.(Ross or SGU).
What are your thoughts?
Im in Florida now - and have seen a bunch of huskies and malmutes in the area.
Are they living in hell? Can it be done?
Thanks
What are your thoughts?
Im in Florida now - and have seen a bunch of huskies and malmutes in the area.
Are they living in hell? Can it be done?
Thanks
Personally, I would not travel to the Carribean having packed only a full-length fur coat. 🙂Infamous said:
Really, if you're dead set on this kind of dog, and you've got money to burn keeping the AC cranked all day, and you clip him really short, then you might not have to feel guilty watching him pant 24/7. But if you might go abroad, and you don't yet have a dog, then wny don't you wait and adopt a mutt off the street once you get there? You'd be getting a dog who's used to the climate, you'd be saving one more dog from life on the streets, and mutts tend to be smarter and have better personalities than your average pet-quality "purebred".
I'm taking a cat and a bunny with me. I just can't be without my animals. I've done it for four years now and it's starting to drive me nuts. My bunny doesn't require a lot of attention and neither does the cat. I don't think I could do a dog just because of the need to walk and just need more time than a cat does.
um.. well, australia is rather large- kinda like the states, so I can't make a big sweeping statement about it. Haven't been, yet, so I shouldn't make *any* statement about it.
But the weather at massey is very (coastal) northern california. Or even New england, cutting out winter, and anything but, like, a seriously coastal kinda summer. It seems to wander between about 50 and 80*. A little cooler at night in winter, a little warmer in the summer at noon.
I'd say a cold-weather dog would be ok here- it gets into the 80's in alaska- not often, but it does it, and they're fine. you'd just have to keep them inside in the summer, do all that keep them cool stuff you'd do at home. Here, at least, I don't think most houses have AC.
Murdoch might be different- it's kinda deserty there. But then, I think australia's hotter in general.
Oh, yeah, and a bit of a note- if there's any chance of your dog having pit in it, anywhere down that line, and it looks it, don't even try to bring it over. They don't allow them. Don't even know if they'd let it on the plane. Not fair, but hey, their country, their rules, right?
j.
But the weather at massey is very (coastal) northern california. Or even New england, cutting out winter, and anything but, like, a seriously coastal kinda summer. It seems to wander between about 50 and 80*. A little cooler at night in winter, a little warmer in the summer at noon.
I'd say a cold-weather dog would be ok here- it gets into the 80's in alaska- not often, but it does it, and they're fine. you'd just have to keep them inside in the summer, do all that keep them cool stuff you'd do at home. Here, at least, I don't think most houses have AC.
Murdoch might be different- it's kinda deserty there. But then, I think australia's hotter in general.
Oh, yeah, and a bit of a note- if there's any chance of your dog having pit in it, anywhere down that line, and it looks it, don't even try to bring it over. They don't allow them. Don't even know if they'd let it on the plane. Not fair, but hey, their country, their rules, right?
j.
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lazyjayn said:
I brought my 63kg 110 something odd pounds great dane X with me to Murdoch in Perth WA. I spent a whole semester without him and besides not knowing a soul and being all the way across the world, I could still feel a huge something was missing..ha ha no pun intended. I had planned on having him here right away with me, but things came up and I had to leave him behind.
I was also worried, because even though his paper work says great dane X, many people guess he is crossed with a bully breed. That did not seem to ever come up as an issue. When it was time to get him ready I went through IPTLAX. They got all of his tests done, his vet appointments done etc...When it was time to go, My brother drove him to LA and met up with the people who then took over from there. He of course had o go through 30 day quarantine...and what was really tough was Byford was out of kennel space large enough. So he had to be quarantined in Sydney. I felt so horrible and called everyday, nd got the same answer...he is relaxing in the sun, eating a treat, sleeping etc. It was a bigger stress on me than it seemed to be on him.
Now with those massive brown eyes staring at me while I study, it feels more like home. 🙂 I am just lucky that he is a really low maintanance dog.
Check him out in his new home
http://stinyexoticvet.com/dog.html
kate_g said:
Thanks for your input. Unfortunately, I already own a dog like that and I have been accepted to Murdoch & SGU/Ross. Im still waiting on a couple US schools but Its not looking good. My options are either leave her here with my rents - which I would feel horrible about doing to them bc she is a such a high energy dog or bring with.
Im just trying to put some thought into what Im going to do - if i dont get into to any US schools. Gracias.
Personally, I'm a lot more worried about when my dog croaks and me being in the middle of vet school. I don't know if anyone else predicts that they'll be in that position or not....for me, or more for him...I really don't see there being another 4 years.
I'll be pretty broken up about it. If it were undergrad I'd probably take at least a day or 2 off, but in vet school I really doubt that's possible. I'm a little curious as to how other students/faculty would respond....on one hand I can see peole being really jaded and unsympathetic....on the other hand I could see people being really understanding...I guess I'll find out.
I'll be pretty broken up about it. If it were undergrad I'd probably take at least a day or 2 off, but in vet school I really doubt that's possible. I'm a little curious as to how other students/faculty would respond....on one hand I can see peole being really jaded and unsympathetic....on the other hand I could see people being really understanding...I guess I'll find out.
stinyexoticvet said:
Yeah. Sigh. I was a lot more stressed out when I wrote my last post. I love having my dog with me, even though it cost a small fortune in time and money. And him making the transition from city dog to country dog has been a little rocky ("Silas, no barking at the sheep!" - "Silas, horse**** is not one of the four food groups!").
For NZ-bound folks, though, be aware there is a cultural difference in the way big dogs are treated here -- they are expected to be outside dogs (and the cages they are confined to while outside are teeny-tiny -- or, alternately, they are left to roam free to become some vet's next HBC case). This makes finding a rental or sympatico flatmates tricky. If you've got a small dog, like a fox terrier, you should be ok - they're treated more like cats. Anything bigger than a foxy seems to be considered a large dog here. And corporal punishment seems to still be accepted.
As for Northern breeds, do their coats insulate against heat as well as cold? I can't remember.
Anyway, good luck to all!
Adding, for HorseyVet: my friend's dog died in the middle of her first year. I believe people were generally sympathetic - several first years (including her) volunteered for the Pet Loss Support Line, so they had some idea what she was going through.
I've been wanting to get a Border Collie for years, since my parents don't like dogs. This is the first time I will be in a stable environment away from home. I'm worried about not having a enough time for a puppy, so maybe a rescue dog would be best.
I know they need tons of exercise, but I run a lot and plan to go hiking at the beach and in the mountains during school.
I know they need tons of exercise, but I run a lot and plan to go hiking at the beach and in the mountains during school.
Ranger7 said:
That's probably one of the last breeds I'd recomend getting while in vet or any intensive professional school. I know a few people heavy into agility with borders and shelties....most don't have children and/or their kids are grown up and those dogs are like a full time deal. I'd look for something a lot more sedate.
Ranger7 said:
I'm not really disagreeing with HorseyVet because I know a lot of crazy border collies (and similar breeds), but I did want to say don't be discouraged from getting one if that is what you really want.HorseyVet said:
In my experience agility/herding breeds are extremely smart and therefore, while not mellow, tend to be very obedient and bond well with their owners if trained properly. As long as you make regular time to spend with them, they can be extremely tolerant of many living situations, and the conception that every border collie needs acres and acres to run on is not always true.
Also, sometimes having an active dog really forces you to prioritize and make time for that weekend hike or ball in the park. At least it did for me during undergraduate.
As an aside, our family dog growing up what a sheltie and she was awesome!! She was totally a member of the family and went everywhere with the four of us, camping, hiking, fishing, you name it. Honestly, I think shelties tend to be one of the mellower of the herding breeds.
Just my two-cents 🙂.
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dvm'08 said:
I posted a declarative expecting to get refuted, so I asked in a round-about kind of way. That way I would get a stronger disapproval which could influence me to get a cat instead 😀
I think I'll play it by ear and wait a bit to see if I would have time for one.
Ranger7 said:
Just for the record... I wasn't trying to condemn you for getting one...it already sounded like you knew how high energy they generally are. I guess for me I'm looking to make as few changes as possible in my life for the first few months of vet school other then the major ones that I need to make like moving etc.
My take on cats....if you're not dedicated to getting a certain breed, they seem to kinda find you...After my one cat got absorbed by my mother (long story) and I became cat-less I was tempted to go to a shelter and get one, but then I figured I'd just wait for the next dump at my vet clinic or elsewhere.
I really do agree with some of the other posts though, that if you've always had a house pet, it's difficult to not have one. Even if they generate stress, I think they more than make up for it in the volume they relieve.
Thanks for the advice everyone!
Haha, good thing I'm not in Oregon yet, or I'd have a new dog after browsing their Human Society site last night:
http://www.oregonhumane.org/dogs/detail.asp?animalID=43205
Haha, good thing I'm not in Oregon yet, or I'd have a new dog after browsing their Human Society site last night:
http://www.oregonhumane.org/dogs/detail.asp?animalID=43205
lol...I was talking to my vet about getting another GSD mix/rescue after my dog passes...and he really warned against getting a big dog while in school....he said I should get a little dog and get a big one when I'm out. I usually follow all his advice but maybe not on this one...lol we'll see
