The Passing of Pa

[Mystic]

Here at my college (vet tech department) we have many animals, but some I have become more attached to. Pa was one of them. He was a 9 year old German Shorthair. He was scrawny, possibly going blind, had some foot problems and prostate problems since he hadn't been fixed yet, but he was a sweetheart. He sometimes wouldn't eat, but he did eat most of the time. For a week I walked him in the morning and in the evening, then would sit with him if he didn't want to eat. He was so sweet I would have taken him from the college if I could have, but he wasn't up for adoption and I have no where to keep him. I'm glad I got to be on kennels taking care of the dogs before he passed (kennels is where a person is assigned to care for a group of animals for a week, in the morning and evening everyday). I will never forget him, though he wasn't mine he stole my heart. He died in his sleep on March 15th. Never will he have to suffer prodding needles or surgery, humid kennels or concrete floors. He should never have had to deal with that, but it is the ill fate of the college animals for the time they are here. This is part of the reason I just can't stay here, I can't become a vet tech, I can't even stand to stay at this college knowing what the animals go through, though it is a must and they try to keep them as comfortable as possible. Finally Rest in Peace sweet Pa.

[hemi_mygirl]

RIP, Pa...sleep well.

Question, were the animals in the vet tech kennels used to testing or just teaching students how to administer needles and whatnot?

[Karin]

sorry you had to lose such a beloved furry friend.. being a vet or vet tech isnt for everyone.. i know many are *trained* like doctors to disassociate there feelings from there patients. but there is no amount of training that could make me that way... i ball everytime someone lose's a pet on emergency vets..

[Mystic]

The animals here are used to teach the vet tech students how to do different things, like taking blood, putting in catheters, giving enimas, all that kind of stuff. One dog, one of my favorites here was used to put a catheter in like 10 times in a row, it was so sad to see it happen i had to leave. Yeah I don't think I could ever learn not to let my feelings out for the animals, one reason I can't be a vet tech and because I'm not good with needles. Thank you both.

[wyvernrider18]

I am a friend of Mystic and attend the same school. I can honestly say that I also do not like how the animals are treated here at school. Basically they recieve minimal care- feeding, and a short walk once, maybe twice a day if they're lucky. It seems like they hardly get any attention, and if someone is not interested in that particular animal, it gets ignored. Especially the exotic animals here. One of the hedgehogs here has nails so long that they are beginning to curl into her feet, and the only way anything ever gets done about it, is if somebody complains to one of the teachers that the kennels students aren't paying much attantion to the animals. Lucky for this particular hedgehog, the teacher for our fur & feather class is going to make out lab group trim the nails of all the hedgehogs who need it during lab times. My girl is up first since she's due to have babies in a few weeks' time and we don't want her hurting the babies. Yesterday during my free time, I also let all the hedgehogs out one at a time to spend 15-20 minutes each runnning around the floor and getting some exercise outside of the cage. I feel bad for the animals here, which is why I too will be leaving here at the end of the semester to attend another school where they have a much better reputation of taking good care of their animals. At least the hedgie I decide to take home with me will never have to be ignored or neglected again...

[CTChin]

First I want to say that I'm very sorry about Pa :( That does indeed sound like a very sad and lonely place to be for an animal.

I think it is wrong to say that vet techs are trained to disassociate themselves from their job. I'm a vet tech and I know several vet techs and I can tell you we feel sadness at the loss of animals just as much as anyone else. Yes, sometimes we have to control our feelings and be strong for the sake of the owners and their loss...perhaps this is the training(?) but disassociation? Impossible. Often times we are stuck holding and comforting a beloved pet because the owners could not bear to stay while their animal died. I am proud to step in and comfort these animals anyway I can.

If you want to help animals, I say continue on. It is a tough job but there are so many rewards. At my clinic we work as a group with very sick patients and it is an awesome feeling when a pet survives a terrible illness to leave with their overjoyed owners :) If you don't like the big clinic atmosphere, try a small one. Where I work patients are family.

[Mystic]

Thanks. I know that vet techs and vets still feel sadness at the loss of animals, and I understand that you have to hold back feelings for the owners, but it more in the training here that worries me. The fact that we aren't supposed to get upset because they repeatedly use the same animal because it is a nicer animal or things like that. I'm going into dog grooming and training, these also help animals, many times people don't take the time or don't know how to groom their pet enough and so by me grooming them will help the pet, as far as training I believe a lot of animals are taken to shelters because of lack of training, but if I can help train animals or show owners how to train then it may prevent the pet from being given away or even just give a stronger bond between pets and owners. Also one of these days I'd like to start an animal shelter and wolf/wolf hybrid rescue. Thank you for your condolences.