Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to be taught extra about me and my two crossbreed canine, Lava and Hela.
Having three canine (and three cats), there’s at all times one thing happening, health-wise. Being a vet helps as I can assess when issues might be managed at house with oral drugs and when it’s time to take the following step. People assume we as vets have it simple, as we will type our personal animals out and avoid wasting cash this fashion. A typical false impression. Some vets are extra grounded than others, however I get fairly anxious when one thing’s off with one in every of my fur infants. And the month of January introduced us a couple of minor well being points to cope with.
Lava and Her Limping
Those of you who learn a few of my earlier tales could have gathered by now that Lava is an actual troublemaker. So within the final two months, she began limping on one in every of her entrance legs, on and off. Since she is mischievous and often runs off to the woods and to my neighbor’s place to wreak havoc chasing his canine, it was no marvel she would come again with a limp. But as a substitute of it taking place solely after strenuous exercise, her limping grew to become a each day prevalence, and it grew to become apparent that it was bothering her.
Lava at all times likes coming with me to the clinic. She will get pampered wherever she goes and will get to sleep on the couch whereas we’re working, in addition to watch different animals. I used the chance to X-ray her legs one night time shift, however sadly, she additionally required a CT scan. This is once I stopped being a vet and put my belief in my work colleagues to advise me like they’d some other canine proprietor. It seems that Lava has nasty irritation and early arthritis in her left elbow joint. This is the place a second downside arises, and that’s strict relaxation. She is simply not the kind of canine that may be pressured to relaxation, and I’m turning into a kind of pet mother and father who simply can’t comply with their vet’s recommendation. I after all blame all of it on Lava.
Time for Hela’s Dental Work
Hela is among the hardest canine I do know. Having survived malnourishment in Greece, she bounced again and is now a cheerful and wholesome woman, regardless of having Leishmaniasis. She is a really head-shy canine, and it took me greater than a yr to begin to achieve her belief, which nonetheless isn’t full. She has only in the near past allowed me to start out cleansing her paws after a stroll, and even then, she’s going to generally growl. But along with her taking each day meds for Leishmaniasis, I obtained a superb take a look at her tooth, and boy was {that a} sight to see! One of her higher canine tooth grew to become discolored and clearly diseased, whereas her breath has just lately develop into insupportable. Again, some could say, why not simply get your individual canine’s tooth completed when working within the clinic, however even fascinated about it makes me cringe. I not take a look at her or Lava like simply canine, they’re my household. And doing anesthetics or working on household is simply too traumatic. So Hela is in for her dental next week and may hopefully have her contemporary breath and white smile again!
Newest Addition, Lajka
And the most recent arrival, slightly Alpine Dachsbracke, is presently profitable the hearts of my neighbor’s male canine. Yes, she is in season. She’s been with us for a month now, and we have to wait a short while earlier than she will get spayed. With Lava being 4 years previous and Hela in all probability considerably youthful, Lajka might be simply over a yr previous, her habits and bodily traits. They make a pleasant crew and are getting alongside nicely, with Lajka fitting in with the cats and dogs so simply as if she picked us after a protracted search.
Vets’ Dogs Also Get Sick
It’s nice being a vet and serving to different individuals’s animals. But it’s not so nice when one in every of mine is sick and I understand how dangerous it may possibly get. Besides, I’m additionally a worrier on the subject of them and at all times consider the worst potential situations. When I do my shifts within the clinic, over the previous few years, I understand my pet mum or dad mind can also be on within the background, which makes me extra empathetic and thoughtful when chatting with fearful purchasers, as I do know precisely how they really feel. It’s a tricky enterprise being a pet mum or dad lately.