George Cooper's Activities

What do you think about the removal of the need to perform a physical exam?

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 18:50:57 GMT

Hot off the press: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/posts/council-approves-redefinition-of-under-care-with-safeguards

I think that with the safeguards, this is a good decision.

But who cares what I think? The question is what do YOU think?

Empty Nest

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 09:44:27 GMT

Anyone else gone through that in recent times?

Moved my disabled daughter into a residential care home yesterday, and although I was expecting to need an industrial supply of Kleenex, that proved unnecessary.

Still, very, very weird waking up to find I don't have to attend to my daughter first thing in the morning, and no hustle and bustle of carers, and no scream of 'Bless you Dadda' when I sneeze.

At least I'll have less interruptions at work, I guess, and more time to focus on getting good clinical discussions going on here ...

And I'm looking forward to being able to pop down to the village pub for a guilt free pint!

A very Happy Christmas to one and all

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 11:56:15 GMT

Just to wish you all a VERY Happy Christmas and New Year.

I'm feeling bullish about next year. Going to be focusing on the new Clinical Article Club with Improve Veterinary Practice. And also looking to refresh the site and bring new functionality (which may include an app).

For those of you who know the history (Clare Tapsfield-Wright), another big turning point for me is that after a long, gruelling, 19-year journey during which we have been unable to find any successful treatments, my daughter will be going into residential care early in the New Year. Life-changing. Suddenly I will be able to do the simplest of things, like go to the pub, without planning or feeling guilty! But it will be a mixed blessing, leaving a big hole.

But on balance, for the best.

Onwards and upwards, as they say.

Daily Mail accuses vets of profiteering

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 11:20:42 GMT

Not the first time we've heard this, of course, but the Daily Mail does have a point:

https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/posts/daily-mail-accuses-vets-of-profiteering

Daily dosing on Thiamazole

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 10:40:29 GMT

I've just done a really interesting CPD presentation on Central CPD on treatment of hyperthyroid cats

In this it was suggested that you only need daily doses of methimazole (the same drug as Thiamazole in Thyronorm)

On the data sheet, it says twice a day, but it would be a lot easier for the client with once a day dosing

Does anyone do this, and what are the results

Neil

PS The other nuggett was that if a cat develops azotaemia, as long as the cat is well, there is no difference in life expectancy to cats that don't, so don't adjust the dose

Vets Going Digital

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 12:21:33 GMT

Just to draw everyone's attention to this: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/posts/new-research-shows-vets-could-make-life-easier-for-themselves

My gadget alter ego found the Provet research genuinely interesting.

Anyway, we are hosting another VetSurgeon.org Zoom meeting next week, open to all vets, to discuss the findings of the report, the barriers to greater adoption etc.

We're inviting questions from everyone in advance, and the best will be prioritised. The very best will get a bottle of champagne from me.

Post questions here or email your question to me.

And if you think the report throws up some interesting points, you can discuss here too.

For example, I do think it's quite interesting how so few vets are offering telemedicine at a time when the RCVS is planning regulation change which will probably expose you to far greater competition. If everyone was already offering telemedicine, the risk would be far lower.

Russia and the Ukraine...??

Julian Earl — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 00:46:09 GMT

Okay, non-veterinary at all but I wanted to open this discussion somewhere, thanks!!

Is it just me or am I the only one seriously alarmed byThe USSR and @Ukraine almost coming to blows , but especially with Joe Biden stepping in and telling Putin to leave it out, mate!!? Does it not remind anyone else of a certain Herr Hitler being warned by us to get out of Poland in 1939? Look where that ended up as well!! No current concerns about WW3 anyone? A scary thought IMO!1 FORGET COVID, that could easily be the least of our problems if we are not careful?!!

Good manners, debate and the direction of this community ...

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 08:45:00 GMT

Over the last few days, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the direction I'm trying to take things here, and I wondered if anyone has any thoughts about it all.

As most probably know, there's been a drift to Facebook over the years, which I have tried to fight without huge amounts of success. I do think Facebook will die out in due course (ask my daughter if she uses Facebook and she just looks in horror, and most of my friends/age group have long since abandoned it).

Still, I don't want to wait. I need to do something which offers something more to the members of this community, something which makes it worthy of people coming and spending more time over here. I need to differentiate between what we offer, and the general veterinary chit chat in places like Vet Voices.

That is one of the reasons I partnered with Improve, because whatever your thoughts about OV training, pricing etc., it brings lots to the table in terms of high quality learning content.

When I think of the strengths of VetSurgeon, these are what I think are most important;

a) Good provenance for information on this site (in other words, you can see the qualifications of the contributor, which is unusual on other social media sites). In a scientific profession, this is important.

b) Information is displayed in chronological order, NOT according to how many people like or dislike or laugh or whatever. Again, important for a balanced view in a scientific profession.

c) There's more room to post longer answers, which is sometimes very important when discussing clinical matters (although of course brevity is good in some situations).

These things are all conducive to a better standard of discussion than elsewhere, in particular to LEARNING.

And of course, joining forces with Improve gives us access to lots more high quality, authoritative learning content and opinion.

So that is where I'd like to go ... to steer this community away from just being 'another community', and making it THE Veterinary Learning Community.

I'm not sure if that's a particularly sexy form of words, but essentially a community you join and visit to learn something, knowing that you will find authoritative info with the best provenance.

There are a number of wise heads in this forum, either in the game for a long time, or recently retired, and that's something I'd like to make use of, to encourage you to share your wisdom with younger members of the profession, and to have fun doing so.

Although the zero tolerance of bad manners rule was brought in simultaneously, that was just serendipitous rather than being part of some grand master plan. As I have said, I just reached a point where I thought: 'enough'

But with hindsight, that is completely in line with a learning community. Being sarcastic, obnoxious etc etc would be a huge barrier to creating a collaborative learning community. Actually it would make it impossible. So I am even more sure it was the right thing to do.

Will it compromise the quality of discussion in some way. Some have argued it will, that me deciding what is good manners is a form of censorship.

Interestingly I was chatting with someone over on Facebook yesterday, who made that very point, pointing towards the spread of the #bekind movement, which is sometimes used to shut down debate: "You're opinion is unkind/offensive, therefore unacceptable". What I propose, which is #begoodmannered is different. You can't shut down or cancel an opinion with 'be good mannered' - because being good mannered is not about the opinion, just how it is framed.

So I think being good mannered is a much better standard to ask, one that doesn't 'cancel' people with contrary views.

So, in summary, I see the future being to make this community all about learning, all about good quality clinical content, all about a good mannered, collaborative vibe, and the place for authoritative information and opinion.

Do you like the sound of that? Do you dislike the sound of that? Will you help me steer the ship in that direction, and make a big point of being welcoming and supportive to new posters, to create the environment conducive to learning?

Or, er, not?!

Best and worst bits, and how you solve it

Jill Butterworth — Sat, 13 Aug 2022 19:04:54 GMT

I'm doing some research on the best and worst bits of practice. What do you love and what do you really hate, and better yet, how do you solve it? Even better, can you help others out with suggestions for mitigating their pet hates?

Pyometra treatment

Bibs — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 11:19:10 GMT

My uncle has a middle aged dog with the classic signs of a pyo. She's been lethargic, pyrexic and had a purulent vaginal discharge for 4/5 days by now. Ultrasound has confirmed it. He's been in touch with vets in his local area that are treating her with meloxicam and amox/clav PO at home. She's still eating, drinking and but sleeping most of the time and her temperature was 40.5C when last checked yesterday. Her vets seem to be in no rush to operate and have apparently communicated to my family that they want her more stable before operating but also that they'd operate if she gets worse. I'm a bit confused because my approach has always been to operate asap unless a short period of stabilisation in hospital is needed due to hypovolaemia etc. I've been slightly in and out of GP work for a bit so I don't know if I've missed some big memo about pyo treatment changing. I don't want to step on any toes so I'm trying to diplomatic when they call me to update me but I'm feeling quite uncomfortable. There is no plan to operate on any particular day and they're checking her daily instead. Thoughts? Do some people just give abs for days on end hoping that it'll be a normal spay at some point?

Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 17:41:37 GMT

What a very sad moment. Someone who stood for so much, and who must surely be the very definition of leaving big boots to fill.

And the problem is not that they are so big, but there isn't anyone who comes even close to filling them.

ASKING FOR HELP please...

Julian Earl — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 14:28:47 GMT

Hello everyone, Many of you, even all, by now know my history of life-threatening head-trauma on 8th August 2012: Multiple brain haemorrhages/ subdural haematoma/ basal skull fracture, 5 d broken ribs/punctured lung, and broken collar bone. My Super consultant operated and saved my life but told my wife Annika hat I was not expected to survive. However here I am and currently suffering from depression and anxiety these being very common after such a severe head injury I am told! I am asking for more help here again, because h depression comes in waves a and right now it particularly bad. I have said that although not quite suicidal,I think. I do now understand why people might feel that way without the loving support that I have received from family and friends!\Hence today is very bad, hence this plea for suggestions as to help lift myself? I am awaiting further brain surgery to replace a programmed Cerebro-Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt that my consultant says is KAPUT! and he does believe his will likely improve both my depression as well as my left-sided paresis since the head-trauma! He has always been correct so far and laughs when I describe him as my hero!! I fact I do now class him as a good and close personal -friend! Sadly for me but good for him he is now semi-retired and part-time so has few operating slots in his time-table. And will fit me in ASAP, he says! I fold him about 2 weeks ago I am keen to have t he op done as I have i unfinished business on my bike at which he smiled politely and said, Oh \Yes, I bet you do! The whole of the 2023 racing season needs preparing for !! Too late now for any racing in 2022 but next year is my real target!

So thankyou all for your support and advice so far How can I stave off further anxiety do you think whilst I wait? Cheers to every one of you!!

Wizard veterinary wheezes in non veterinary life

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 08:30:37 GMT

I recently saw a brilliant piece of practical thinking by another vet. She was going on holiday and set up a drip bag and line to keep some drought sensitive plants hydrated. Lateral thinking at its best.
Every Christmas I use a big bore cow needle and syringe to inject juice into the turkey breast. Any other transferable techniques to offer ?

Advise re alternatives or re-kindling the flame.

Luciano Nebiante PGCertSAS — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 14:34:12 GMT

Hi all,

I am sure this question has been posed before, either here or in real life.

I have been struggling for few months now. My enthusiasm for the job is not there anymore. I work in a privately owned small animal practice, this has its pros and cons.

The practice is very busy but most of the members of the staff are slow pace, which makes it nice enough however the workload becomes unfair and unsustainable for the people that work faster.

Also I find that the clients have changed a lot over the past few years, a lot of complaining, demanding and over all unpleasant.

At time I have considered leaving the profession all together and train in something else but I am finding that difficult because I have a 7 year old child of whom I have 50% custody and I don't have family around here to support me.

So I am trying to find alternatives.

Has any of you found a different route in life? What else is available or possible out there for us to do that will still mean using veterinary skills but in a more forwarding, progressive and people friendly environment?

I am probably looking for the unicorn but I feel quite frustrated and demoralised.

If you have been in a similar situation, what did you do to come out of these feelings and how did you re-kindle that passion?

At the end of the day someone might say it's just a job, but there is no point in doing something that does not feel rewarding yet causing unnecessary stress.

Thank you for "listening".

Luciano

Manners in this forum

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:29:53 GMT

Today I lost a member of this forum who felt that there is a small cohort of vetsurgeon members who seem unable to make an argument without being snide.

Thing is, I agree with her.

David Mills wrote a very ungentlemanly post this morning.

There was no need for it. It didn't advance the discussion one bit (on the contrary) and we've lost a member as a result.

Those of you who like to write obnoxious or terse or sarcastic replies to people ... you know who you are; I know who you are ... I'm cracking down on it again.

But this time, I'm going to be ruthless. Life's too short. If you cant find a way of expressing your argument politely, respectfully, and in a way appropriate for a public forum, well, you can express it somewhere else.

With a heavy heart, I have started by suspending David Mills. I''m sad to do that, because I think we would all agree he has a very incisive mind and interesting viewpoints,

But when I start losing members, it's too big a price.