Practice makes perfect?
In my 18 years of practice I cannot count the number people who have told me they wanted to be a veterinarian. I will admit, like any job, there are ups and downs, but I am happy to say that I still love my job, every day is different and I have met so many great pets, pet owners and fellow veterinarians in my career.
I suppose my job is much like that of a pediatrician, my patients cannot talk and I have to use my diagnostic skills along with their owner’s description to try to discover my patient’s problem and so I can choose the correct treatment. It’s a bit like detective work, trying to solve a mystery and using everything I have at my disposal, but it always come down to putting pieces together.
I believe there is a reason it is called “practicing medicine,” we don’t always have clear diagnosis to the problems, and new information is being discovered for us to learn to keep current. Veterinarians, like physicians, must always keep learning to practice current medicine.
One recent area of change in information regards vaccinations. In the last few years there has been much attention given to what our pets should be vaccinated with and how often they should be vaccinated. There are two main reasons for these changes. In recent years we have seen cats develop tumors after vaccination and there is increase incidence of diseases caused by the immune system in dogs. This has caused research to show how long vaccines work and if all vaccines are necessary for all animals.
This has changed what happens when you take your pet in for its annual exam, your vet will spend time asking you about your pets’ lifestyle to decide what vaccines are needed, instead of automatically giving everything available. There may also be a discussion regarding how long certain vaccines last, as newer research has shown that some vaccines do not need to be boostered every year. I could list recommendations or you could go to the internet, but it is always best to check with your veterinarian, they can help guide you on the vaccine needs of your pet. mcaviness@wildernessvet.com