cheekychinchilla
Gold Member
I just want to share something. I wont go in to too much detail as it'd probably be a bit upsetting. But I would like to share and let you all see why I do what I do. And still do it even though it makes NO sense with potential health conditions...
I know you shouldn't have favourite patients, but every so often one gets in and melts your heart completely. It's usually over a weekend shift when you'd spend the most time with them.
This weekend I met a beautiful 6 month old collie called Ollie. He's a very sweet, petite border collie. He was in the hospital over Christmas with a very serious illness and they managed to basically force feed him back to health.
He came back in some time this week with a terrible, terrible skin condition. Not from neglect or an accident or anything, but our vets think it's secondary to a potentially (probable) fatal illness
Anyway, when I met him he was in our 'penthouse suite' big kennel - the biggest one we have! But he was cowering at the back and wouldn't look at anyone and shrank away when he was approached or handled. he wouldn't eat or drink and the staff were worried he'd have to be syringe fed.
So over yesterday I spent a lot of time getting his trust. I sat in his kennel with him just talking to him and trying to coax him over to me. This took a few goes and a bit of a drag/carry out to the yard - where he cowered in the corner (bloody collies!)
But throughout the day it got better and he started to come over and put his head on my lap or hide it under my elbow. Later in the day I found some fresh chicken in the fridge and warmed it up for him. He wouldn't eat it from the bowl, but I eventually got him to eat it from my hand. He ate one piece and his tail started going. He scooched a bit closer, plonked his bum down, and took another bit. In the end I tipped it on to his bed (he didn't like the bowl!) and he ate it all
The second time I did this it took less hand feeding and he ate the rest from a small plastic bowl. He even drank a little!
I noticed he had a LOT of worms in his poo and the vet said it was a very good call and prescribed him some worming stuff.
The nurse asked for my help to bath him, which I ended up doing mostly by myself. Part of it was leaving a solution on his skin for 5 minutes, so I grabbed a stool and sat with him while he was in the bath. He just leaned over and cuddled in to my shoulder *melts* he let me wash him, dry him, stick him in the yard, and ate some more chicken!!
By the time I was looking at going home he was racing to the kennel when I walked by and I gave him a bowl of food with some tiny bits of chicken in. Ok, he mostly took the chicken out, but it was a start.
So, this morning I get in and he's bouncing round the kennel when he sees me. He'd been eating overnight and looked so much brighter. They'd even taken his drip out because he'd improved so much!!
I went in with him and gave him cuddles and we had a play. I asked him to go for a wee and he ran out of the kennel, and straight thru the kennel door in to the yard
When I opened the door he trotted back to his kennel looking all smug with himself! The whole day he was wagging at me and even started crying and yelping and howling! He'd been completely silent!
I gave him a bowl of our nicest (lol) dog food and he ate the lot! No hand feeding or coaxing, he literally jumped on it. Someone else had to bath him today, but I made sure to give him cuddles when I saw him.
Later in the day the nurse let him out of his kennel to have a wander round (really naughty!!) and took him in to the prep area to show the vets how well he was doing. She was trying to play with him and get his attention, as was one of the vets, but he kept racing over to me and wiggling round and putting his head against my legs! The vet was massively impressed, the nurse was not
I just can't believe the difference in that dog!!
Even though I know it's likely his outlook isn't very good, I really hope that these two days made some difference to him and he was at least happy the time I spent with him
Before I left tonight I went in with him for cuddles and a big fuss
So yeah, even though I complain a lot and moan and it seems insane to put myself through the hours and the hard work and the physical and mental stress. THAT is why!
I know you shouldn't have favourite patients, but every so often one gets in and melts your heart completely. It's usually over a weekend shift when you'd spend the most time with them.
This weekend I met a beautiful 6 month old collie called Ollie. He's a very sweet, petite border collie. He was in the hospital over Christmas with a very serious illness and they managed to basically force feed him back to health.
He came back in some time this week with a terrible, terrible skin condition. Not from neglect or an accident or anything, but our vets think it's secondary to a potentially (probable) fatal illness
Anyway, when I met him he was in our 'penthouse suite' big kennel - the biggest one we have! But he was cowering at the back and wouldn't look at anyone and shrank away when he was approached or handled. he wouldn't eat or drink and the staff were worried he'd have to be syringe fed.
So over yesterday I spent a lot of time getting his trust. I sat in his kennel with him just talking to him and trying to coax him over to me. This took a few goes and a bit of a drag/carry out to the yard - where he cowered in the corner (bloody collies!)
But throughout the day it got better and he started to come over and put his head on my lap or hide it under my elbow. Later in the day I found some fresh chicken in the fridge and warmed it up for him. He wouldn't eat it from the bowl, but I eventually got him to eat it from my hand. He ate one piece and his tail started going. He scooched a bit closer, plonked his bum down, and took another bit. In the end I tipped it on to his bed (he didn't like the bowl!) and he ate it all
The second time I did this it took less hand feeding and he ate the rest from a small plastic bowl. He even drank a little!
I noticed he had a LOT of worms in his poo and the vet said it was a very good call and prescribed him some worming stuff.
The nurse asked for my help to bath him, which I ended up doing mostly by myself. Part of it was leaving a solution on his skin for 5 minutes, so I grabbed a stool and sat with him while he was in the bath. He just leaned over and cuddled in to my shoulder *melts* he let me wash him, dry him, stick him in the yard, and ate some more chicken!!
By the time I was looking at going home he was racing to the kennel when I walked by and I gave him a bowl of food with some tiny bits of chicken in. Ok, he mostly took the chicken out, but it was a start.
So, this morning I get in and he's bouncing round the kennel when he sees me. He'd been eating overnight and looked so much brighter. They'd even taken his drip out because he'd improved so much!!
I went in with him and gave him cuddles and we had a play. I asked him to go for a wee and he ran out of the kennel, and straight thru the kennel door in to the yard
When I opened the door he trotted back to his kennel looking all smug with himself! The whole day he was wagging at me and even started crying and yelping and howling! He'd been completely silent!
I gave him a bowl of our nicest (lol) dog food and he ate the lot! No hand feeding or coaxing, he literally jumped on it. Someone else had to bath him today, but I made sure to give him cuddles when I saw him.
Later in the day the nurse let him out of his kennel to have a wander round (really naughty!!) and took him in to the prep area to show the vets how well he was doing. She was trying to play with him and get his attention, as was one of the vets, but he kept racing over to me and wiggling round and putting his head against my legs! The vet was massively impressed, the nurse was not
I just can't believe the difference in that dog!!
Even though I know it's likely his outlook isn't very good, I really hope that these two days made some difference to him and he was at least happy the time I spent with him
Before I left tonight I went in with him for cuddles and a big fuss
So yeah, even though I complain a lot and moan and it seems insane to put myself through the hours and the hard work and the physical and mental stress. THAT is why!
