04/02/2024
Today we came across this post and thought it is worth sharing. We encourage you to have a read…
An open letter to pet owners from a (potentially, soon-to-be, former) vet nurse.
Today, I arrived for my shift 5 minutes early, only to see 3 clients banging on the door to be let in, even though our opening hours are clearly displayed. (Once upon a time, I would have been at work 15 minutes before my shift started, but I'm not that girl anymore...)
Today, I encouraged your hospitalised dog to eat, by hand-feeding him, in what should have been my lunch break.
Today, I sent you a photo of your cat post surgery, to help reassure you that everything had gone well.
Today, I held your hand and told you were making the right decision, while you said goodbye to your pet in the same room my own dog was put to sleep in just last week.
Today, I finally got to take a bathroom break after being at work for 6 hours.
Today, I bathed your dog 3 times, so that the haemorrhagic diarrhoea they currently have didn't scald their skin.
Today, I was bitten, scratched, bruised, and peed on (all before 10am).
Today, I held your puppy and gently rocked her, while she came around from an anaesthetic, so she wasn't scared about being alone in a strange environment.
Today, I cried in the bathroom after handing an owner the ashes of her dog, who was one of my favourite patients.
Today, I advocated for your pet while they were in my care. I let the vet know when they needed a break from being examined; I watched for signs that they required more pain relief; I monitored their vital signs while they were under anaesthetic; I advised you that I thought your un-socialised, covid-puppy would benefit from an anti-anxiety medication before their next vet visit (only to be met with "I don't belive in anxiety. It's a human construct and you're just saying that to sell me drugs my dog doesn't need").
Today, I listened while you yelled at me because I let you know that we wouldn't be able to dispense more ear medication for your dog without them seeing a vet. You maintained that even though their last ear infection was 18 months ago, you "just needed the same stuff" and we were "just in it for the money" when I told you we'd need to run cytology to find the correct medication.
Today you called me "heartless" when I let you know that we may not have time to fill your pet's medication request today, as we were fully booked, the team was currently dealing with an emergency, and we'd just been advised another was on it's way.
I reminded you that we do ask for 48 hours' notice for medication requests. You know this. Your pet has been on this medication for 4 years, but you left it until you were completely out to call, and proceeded to ask me "What do you suggest I tell my dog when he's in pain, then?".
Today, you called because your dog had been vomiting and hadn't eaten for 3 days. I told you that we were fully booked, but I could squeeze your pet in as an "emergency appointment." When I let you know that this type of appointment incurred a higher fee, you called me "money hungry" and wanted to know how we could be fully booked, but could squeeze you in if you paid a higher fee? I tried explaining to you that by seeing your dog, our team would be missing out on their lunch breaks, potentially staying back after their shifts had finished and that our patients with scheduled appointments would have to wait.
You called me "money hungry" again, threw in a "I'll be leaving a review" for good measure, and hung up on me.
Today, my own dog didn't get a walk because after staying back for your "emergency appointment," it was too late, and I was too mentally drained when I finally got home.
Today, while I ate my first mouthfull of food since breakfast 13 hours ago, I turned on the TV. I was met with yet another explotative "news story" on the "exorbitant" price of vet care, while a woman cried that she'd had to sell her designer handbags, in order to pay for her dog's life-saving veterinary treatment.
Today, I applied for a job at a supermarket.
Today, I realised I can earn more money scanning groceries (while sitting down, mind you) than I can as a vet nurse with more than 20 years experience.
Today, I cried for the little girl who wanted to be a vet since she was 3 (but quickly realised that she didn’t have the dedication for study and instead focused on becoming the best vet nurse she could be).
I shed a tear for the baby nurse who was SO excited to get her first vet nursing role (more than half her life ago).
I cried for all of the pets; because THEY are never the problem.
So, next time you're at the vet clinic with your healthy pet;
Show the team some grace if they're running behind. We know you'd want us to be giving your pet all the care and attention they needed if it was them in for an "emergency appointment".
Do your best to arrive on time. It may only be 5 minutes to you, but if every one of our appointments arrived 5 minutes late, that's a build-up of 1-2 hours by the end of our day.
Make sure to thank your pet's support staff, as well as their vet. They'd be LOST without us; we know it and they know it. ( Having a Vet Look is a REAL thing).
Above all - be KIND. None of us would be working at a vet clinic if we didn't care deeply for our patients.
