Makes it all worthwhile!

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

mariette asselbergs — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:28:10 GMT

And this, not a vet heroic story but just an amazing moment during on call:

Brought in a "stray" bengal cat which was found, had a microchip and was traced to owners who had lost her 6 years ago! The cat was very grumpy, growling, spitting and aggressive to us. Just bracing herself in the corner of the kennel. The owners were greatly surprised and delighted when we phoned, but worried how the cat would react to them after all this time. We managed to manouvre the cat from our kennel in their catbox and took it in the consult room. The owners, a couple with a teenage daughter, came in, and as soon as they started talking to the cat it sat up and started purring loudly! It was totally amazing. It purred and purred and most obviously recognised the owners. They suspected that it had been stolen at the time, since there had been a festival or market going on at the time odf disappearance and it was now found 15 miles away.

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

james herriot lied — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 07:45:45 GMT

And a better one......

5am call to a prolapse. Cow flat out, on a slight slope in a foot of 'muck' with her legs facing uphill and her back downhill. Cue 30 minutes of fruitless pushing and trying to get the (elderly, bad-tempered) farmer and his lovely wife to help me get her in a better position. 'Well, this is a complete f*****g waste of time' was the comment.

Eventually, by some miracle she got up and the thing went back in in minutes. 'They're not a waste of time till you've been at them for a couple of hours at least' I offered, whilst desperately trying not to vomit. I even got a smile out of the old prince.

Now sitting eating Sports Mixtures for breakfast, looking forward to sending the (fairly vicious) caesar / metritis home in a couple of hours. Only another 24 hours on call.

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

james herriot lied — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:05:53 GMT

Not wishing to drag Jo's happy post down, but 11yo collie cross, not seen for about seven years, carried in whelping and with the most godawful metritis. Disintegrating pups and uterus at surgery - apparently only started an hour before presentation . On walking out post-surgery, ataxic behind and crossing limbs. Phoned owner, who confirmed that this has been going on ever since an accident a few years ago - for which she was never presented.

But the dog is spayed, (hopefully) recovering and on painkillers for the first time in years - so my conscience is clear. And one of my New Year's Day cases phoned to say that all was going great and how grateful they were for the service, so it's not all bad.

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

Joyce Whitehead — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 23:42:23 GMT

Nice picture, well done. It does make being on duty worthwhile. I had a stitch up and a thorn in a pad this afternoon, but unfortunately my evening case was an old gsd, not seen by us for three years ( and at that stage was seen for severe hind limb arthritis, never came back for check ups) - she had been off her hind legs for at least a couple of weeks, soaked in urine, poor dog. Obviously I put her to sleep, which is what the owner rang for. I suspect she had cdrm, as the hind limbs were very flaccid, but how they could leave her that long I do not know. A real welfare issue, from apparently a quite sensible and intelligent owner.

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

Louise6732 — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 23:35:35 GMT

Good for you! It is so lovely to have these kind of cases and outcomes, really makes us remember what we're in it for.

Louise

Re: Makes it all worthwhile!

Jo Cobbett — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:59:23 GMT