18/10/2023
I appreciate my vet techs- and so should you!
I stink at drawing blood. The technicians are my phlebotomists.
I need to focus on the surgery my hands are performing. The technicians are my anesthetists.
I need to call back clients, reporting labs, answering questions, going over diagnostics and options for treatment, discussing quality of life. In the meantime the technicians are my lab techs, my pharmacy techs, my surgical recovery nurses. They are giving my patients fluids and medications, placing IV catheters (another thing I stink at), taking X-rays of hurt limbs and grumpy bladders and hearts that arenât doing what they should. They are scaling and polishing teeth, charting the mouth. They are cleaning p**p and freshening up the patients post procedure, walking them and feeding them, providing emotional support (so often tiny pups are carried around in a sling post op to keep them warm and comfortable), and advocating for the best pain management and fear free handling.
They are triaging the sick pets that all want to be seen today when we are fully booked and short staffed yet again. Canât breathe go to ER, broken bleeding toe nail câmon in, his breath smells bad but he is eating fine and a dental procedure has been recommended for years but you didnât follow through- scheduling you for next week. They are helping make the puppy who ate pink underwear vomit his loot back up (the underwear is always worn not freshly laundered).
I inject the medication that helps your suffering pet cross the Rainbow Bridge so she is finally pain free and at peace. We have pulled ourselves together but when you have left the room we tear up and gather up the supplies and carefully wrap up the body and respectfully prepare the remains for the crematorium. Iâve known your pet most of my career and my tech comforts me while I sob, then gets the new puppy into the exam room and takes a history while I dry my eyes and take deep breaths.
My tech also tells me when I have Great Dane drool on my shoulder, blood running down my arm from a Frenchie scratching me, or a flea in my eyebrow (all true stories).
I saw a sticker recently- âbehind every great vet is an exhausted vet techâ- so true!!
Please take the time to thank the veterinary technicians not just this week but every week. I couldnât do it without them.
Pic of my colleagueâs dog Charlie today, he is so stinking cute, posted with permission.