Anonymous asked

Hey Jay!

Recently I have found myself back in the world of veterinary medicine after taking a few years to decide what I wanted to do and finish my undergrad degree in Management instead of Animal Science which is what I was pursuing when I started my college journey. At the age of 27 (for the next two months) I have decided that I do in fact want to pursue my dream of applying to vet school and I have been trying to connect with folks who have experienced applying and I was wondering if you would be open to sharing your experience with me.

Hope you're doing well recovering your knee!

Talk soon,

GT

askavettech replied

Ahahhahhhhaahhh you poor naive FOOL!


I’m just kidding - we’re happy to have you back in the field!

But I won’t lie to you, the journey to vet school is butts. I’m still on it, still wanting to go the distance, but it’s stiiillll butts.


So GT, first things first, RESEARCH YOUR SCHOOLS.
You gotta know their minimum requirements, their prerequisites, their DUE DATES, their additional fees (it’s all about additional fees), and anything else you can get from their websites, emails, and VMCAS.

Ahahhahhhhaahhh you poor naive FOOL!

I’m just kidding - we’re happy to have you back in the field! 

But I won’t lie to you, the journey to vet school is butts. I’m still on it, still wanting to go the distance, but it’s stiiillll butts. 

So GT, I’m gonna give you a bulleted list of what I think are the most important things you need to know before and while applying for veterinary school starting in the 2024 cycle.

  1. Set up an account at VMCAS (aka Veterinary Medical College Application Service)
    The site doesn’t open until January (when the application cycle for 2024 starts), but keep the site bookmarked and check back frequently so you can stay updated.
  2. On that note, check out AAVMC (American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges) 
    Here you can get the lowdown on ALL the veterinary schools, which can inform your decision on which to apply to
  3. The most important information you are going to want to focus on;
    1. DUE DATES - for all applications, fees, and coursework
    a. Put them in your calendar, on sticky notes, on your forehead - whatever you need to do to not miss them. Once they’re passed, you’re out of luck
    2. Minimum prerequisite course requirements (coursework and grades)
    a. Also, know that prerequisite coursework expires after ten years. It’s BS and I’m dealing with that right now ugh
    2. Letters of recommendations 
  4. You will need at least three - no exceptions - and at least one needs to come from a licensed veterinarian
  5. All your previous academic records, relevant experience, volunteer work, and anything else that is even slightly animal/veterinary related that can beef up your application
  6. You will have to dig back through your old transcripts (you’ll need to get an official one) and get all your old coursework - it is very important to get your grades and courses correct/exact on the application
  7. They’re gonna ask for very specific dates, hours, and numbers so just do the best you can in documenting this
  8. The next part of the application(s) is all about personal essays. The standard application has its own base essays and then each individual application for each school has its own essays.
  9. Spend the most time on this. Every admissions person I have talked to says that the essays are where it’s at. Try to make yourself stand out from the crowd - explain your reasonings for wanting to be a vet beyond “I like animals,” and do your best to tell your story.
  • Sidenote: If you plan to apply to the two colleges in Texas, there is an entirely DIFFERENT application called the TMDSAS (Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service) you will have to make an account for, fill out, have your letter of recommendation sent to, and pay for. It’s very annoying because Texas thinks it’s just so special. (I live in Texas I can say these things)

I wanna say that’s everything? I’m sure there is more, but the listed websites help a lot too. 

I also want to say, don’t get discouraged. Most people don’t get in on their first try. Not saying you won’t! It’s just statistics. So if you don’t get in, keep trying! Lord knows we need more vets! 

Best of luck to you and if you need any more help, you know where to find me!

askavettech

The formatting got all jacked on this post :T

Below is a better formatted version. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Keep reading

Anonymous asked

How do vets remove teeth with precision?

So, I collect bones, and I recently got this great boar skull, and I want to take the teeth out of the jaw to remove them, the only problem is, this boar skull still has the connective tissue connecting the molars and premolars to the jaw. I’ve been wondering how vets remove teeth, especially herbivore teeth, without damaging the jaw. How do vets manage to get it out with not only the connections to the skull, but also all the extra flesh around it?

Well, I wish I could tell you that vets removed teeth with exact precision - like sliding a knife from a knife block - but in a living animal that’s just not the case. 

As you can see in the feline examples below, the root of each tooth goes faaaar below the gumline and what we can actually see. 


image
image

In living animals, there are nerves, soft gum tissue, sinewy connective tissue, and blood vessels to contend with when extracting a tooth. Plus, the teeth that are being extracted are usually diseased, already broken, or in some other way unhealthy. Not to mention, jaws are delicate. Aggressively yanking at a tooth that is still attached can cause the jaw (especially the lower jaw or mandible) to fracture. Veterinarians must be wary of all these factors when extracting teeth. 

So, with all of this in mind, most veterinarians use drills, just like you see at your local human dentist while extracting teeth. Oral surgery done on pets is just like oral surgery done on humans, be it on a smaller scale. 

Now, I am most versed in canine and feline dental extractions, so I don’t know if herbivore dentals are the same. That being said, I am not aware of domestic herbivores generally getting dental surgery. In zoo settings, I’m sure it happens, but in the farm and pet sector, I have not seen it. Since you are dealing with a skull, the best course of action would be to cold boil it to remove any remaining connective tissue. There is an excellent book called Protocols for Cleaning and Articulating Large Mammal Skeletons which goes over a lot of techniques for cleaning skeletons that you may find helpful!

Anonymous asked

Hey Jay!

Recently I have found myself back in the world of veterinary medicine after taking a few years to decide what I wanted to do and finish my undergrad degree in Management instead of Animal Science which is what I was pursuing when I started my college journey. At the age of 27 (for the next two months) I have decided that I do in fact want to pursue my dream of applying to vet school and I have been trying to connect with folks who have experienced applying and I was wondering if you would be open to sharing your experience with me.

Hope you're doing well recovering your knee!

Talk soon,

GT

Ahahhahhhhaahhh you poor naive FOOL!


I’m just kidding - we’re happy to have you back in the field!

But I won’t lie to you, the journey to vet school is butts. I’m still on it, still wanting to go the distance, but it’s stiiillll butts.


So GT, first things first, RESEARCH YOUR SCHOOLS.
You gotta know their minimum requirements, their prerequisites, their DUE DATES, their additional fees (it’s all about additional fees), and anything else you can get from their websites, emails, and VMCAS.

Ahahhahhhhaahhh you poor naive FOOL!

I’m just kidding - we’re happy to have you back in the field! 

But I won’t lie to you, the journey to vet school is butts. I’m still on it, still wanting to go the distance, but it’s stiiillll butts. 

So GT, I’m gonna give you a bulleted list of what I think are the most important things you need to know before and while applying for veterinary school starting in the 2024 cycle.

  1. Set up an account at VMCAS (aka Veterinary Medical College Application Service)
    The site doesn’t open until January (when the application cycle for 2024 starts), but keep the site bookmarked and check back frequently so you can stay updated.
  2. On that note, check out AAVMC (American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges) 
    Here you can get the lowdown on ALL the veterinary schools, which can inform your decision on which to apply to
  3. The most important information you are going to want to focus on;
    1. DUE DATES - for all applications, fees, and coursework
    a. Put them in your calendar, on sticky notes, on your forehead - whatever you need to do to not miss them. Once they’re passed, you’re out of luck
    2. Minimum prerequisite course requirements (coursework and grades)
    a. Also, know that prerequisite coursework expires after ten years. It’s BS and I’m dealing with that right now ugh
    2. Letters of recommendations 
  4. You will need at least three - no exceptions - and at least one needs to come from a licensed veterinarian
  5. All your previous academic records, relevant experience, volunteer work, and anything else that is even slightly animal/veterinary related that can beef up your application
  6. You will have to dig back through your old transcripts (you’ll need to get an official one) and get all your old coursework - it is very important to get your grades and courses correct/exact on the application
  7. They’re gonna ask for very specific dates, hours, and numbers so just do the best you can in documenting this
  8. The next part of the application(s) is all about personal essays. The standard application has its own base essays and then each individual application for each school has its own essays.
  9. Spend the most time on this. Every admissions person I have talked to says that the essays are where it’s at. Try to make yourself stand out from the crowd - explain your reasonings for wanting to be a vet beyond “I like animals,” and do your best to tell your story.
  • Sidenote: If you plan to apply to the two colleges in Texas, there is an entirely DIFFERENT application called the TMDSAS (Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service) you will have to make an account for, fill out, have your letter of recommendation sent to, and pay for. It’s very annoying because Texas thinks it’s just so special. (I live in Texas I can say these things)

I wanna say that’s everything? I’m sure there is more, but the listed websites help a lot too. 

I also want to say, don’t get discouraged. Most people don’t get in on their first try. Not saying you won’t! It’s just statistics. So if you don’t get in, keep trying! Lord knows we need more vets! 

Best of luck to you and if you need any more help, you know where to find me!

Anonymous asked

hi,

my cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism today. the onset of the symptoms coincided exactly with her starting fluoxetine. i saw a couple of human cases where ssri medications like fluoxetine can cause hyperthyroidism, but then the vet that saw my cat today essentially called me crazy for asking if that could also happen in cats.

if it does, i feel so awful. like i wanted her to go on the medication because she was so angry and fearful and volatile, and it helped her behaviour, but i’m just so worried that it’s my fault that she’s sick.

i know hyperthyroidism can happen in older cats, and she is 13, but it appearing so suddenly (she was perfectly physically healthy before) and with the fluoxetine feels really bizarre if it is just a horrible coincidence.

i’m not expecting you to make a diagnosis or anything, but if you have any advice or resources I would really appreciate it.

thank you


Firstly, I am SO sorry for how late this is and SO sorry your kitty is experiencing health issues. 

I hope things are better now, but I still like to talk about your submission.

Now; DON’T YOU DARE BLAME YOURSELF! Cats are amazing at hiding symptoms and pain because they are small enough to be preyed upon by larger animals. It’s a survival instinct that they still use even when they’re cared for and pampered by their humans. This can make proper diagnosis of cats very difficult. Diagnosis in veterinary medicine is generally difficult simply because our patients can’t tell us if something hurts or how they feel. We have to diagnose using our best tools, diagnosis, knowledge, and intuition.

But sometimes, it comes down to the process of elimination. And I have a feeling that may be what is going on here.


I also want to quickly say that I feel the veterinarian who was talking with you, handled this situation poorly. You were concerned about your cat so you brought up a question! They should have explained their reasoning, not called you crazy. That’s poor communication and someone who doesn’t want to take your concerns into consideration as a client and pet parent. I’m so very sorry this happened to you and this vet seems like a butthead.

So, in vet med, we use Fluoxetine in cats for anxiety, fear, aggression, and inappropriate behavior (like urinating outside the litterbox chronically). It’s a very useful medication! And if your cat benefited from it, that’s amazing! 

A cat that is constantly stressed will undoubtedly become ill. Think about how when we’re stressed, we’re more likely to get sick. Same principle here. So if we can make the patient calmer and feel more at ease, that’s the goal. Comfort and symptom management are a big part of veterinary medicine.

Now, I had never heard that fluoxetine can cause hypertension, but I don’t know how people work, so I don’t have that reference point. A quick Google search says that SSRIs can raise blood pressure in humans - so you’re right.

So, because I have not heard about fluoxetine corresponding with hypertension, I did some research: 

1. R.L. Stepien. Feline Systemic Hypertension: Diagnosis and Management. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 13(1): 35-43. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfms.2010.11.008

Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1016/j.jfms.2010.11.008

2. A. Miele, L. Sordo, & D.A. Dunn-Moore. Feline Aging: Promoting Physiological and Emotional Well-Being. Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice. 50(4): 719-748. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.03.004

(Put the DOI into SciHub to read the paper.)

Let’s first talk a little about hypertension. More commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension is when the pressure in the blood vessels is too high.1 This causes strain on the entire body and can cause damage to multiple organ systems.1,2

Per both papers, one of the symptoms of hypertension can be behavioral changes. There could be a chance that your cat was exhibiting these behaviors because of undiagnosed hypertension.2 

Hypertension, as you pointed out, is most commonly seen in our aging cats; “…13% of apparently healthy cats aged more than 9 years are hypertensive.”2 “In one study that included seven cats with idiopathic hypertension, it appeared that most or all of these cats were >12 years of age.”1 Hypertension also usually goes hand in hand with kidney and thyroid issues - which are also very common in aging cats; “Approximately 20–60% of feline CKD [chronic kidney disease] patients are hypertensive…hypertension in hyperthyroid cats is likewise variable, but is considered to be approximately 10–20%.”1 Though there are other more uncommon causes; “Other diseases or drugs can, less commonly, cause hypertension, including hyperaldosteronism, DM, acromegaly, hyperadrenocorticism, and erythropoietin therapy.”2

Some other interesting statistics:

“Systemic hypertension:

  • 13% of apparently healthy cats greater than 9 years of age 
  • Less than 25% to 65% with CKD [chronic kidney disease]
  •  10% to 90% with hyperthyroidism”2 

“Medical differentials for common behavioral changes in elderly cats 

  • Hypertension 
  • Degenerative disease 
  • Neoplasia 
  • Infection 
  • Metabolic 
  • Pain or inflammation”2

In Promoting Physiological and Emotional Well-Being, there is only one mention of fluoxetine as a treatment for cognitive dysfunction syndrome - basically kitty dementia. Feline Systemic Hypertension: Diagnosis and Management had no mention of the drug.

So, it’s hard what really happened - I think we’d have to be able to really speak cat to know for sure. Ultimately, what matters now is keeping your kitty comfortable and healthy. And if her care plan includes fluoxetine, in my unprofessional opinion, I think that’s okay. 

Hey Guys…

I’m very sorry for my lackluster posting over the last *check notes* ouch…essentially two years.

I know I’ve made this promise before, but I’m going to really try to post regularly. I’ve got a backlog of asks and cool stuff I’d love to share with everyone. 

As for what the hell I’ve been doing, here’s a quick rundown:

I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Animal Science last August; very exciting considering how long it took me to get to this point! I was also able to conduct an independent research project and write an undergraduate thesis. A wonderful experience full of lots of work and stress, but, boy, is it rewarding to say, “I’m technically published." 
(If anyone is interested in talking about research, I’d love to chat!)

With degree in hand, I applied to…a lot…of veterinary schools. And they all rejected me - whomp whomp. But, for a first try, I at least got to speak to some of the schools, so not too bad. Yes, I’m a little upset, but not surprised. So we try again! However, at this point, I need to retake some basic prerequisite classes before I can reapply, so I’m heading toward that. 
(If you guys have questions about the veterinary school process and how to apply, I’m an open book!)

I have also started working at a new vet clinic! (This is the really fun part!)
While I love all creatures under the sun - except ectoparasites, you know what you did - I have some serious knee issues, and wrestling with 150lb dogs isn’t so great on the joints. So, last May, I started working at a feline specialty hospital. And I won’t lie, I love it so much. My clients, patients, and especially the clinic’s live-in blood donor cats are all just wonderful. Because the clinic is feline-oriented, it caters to many feline-specific disease processes - e.g. hyperthyroidism, lymphoma, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc. I can’t wait to tell you all more about feline diseases, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments!

Right now, I’m laid up due to knee surgery (like I said, bad knees), so I think I’ll have some time to really get going again on this blog. 

I hope to talk to you all soon!

-Jay the Vet Tech

spiritsprout asked

Do you happen to know if there's a place I could get free vet tech ebooks? I don't have the money for college just yet, but I know this is what I want to do and my library doesn't have any.

Well…

I definitely wouldn’t recommend looking up Library Genesis, a completely free service that hosts thousands of books of every kind to download at your convenience. I’d also never point you in the direction of The Internet Archive, which houses one of the largest libraries of written, audio, and visual media on the internet. If you need access to scientific journal articles with paywalls, I would never suggest putting the DOI number into SciHub to obtain access to free PDF copies.

I could never ethically say that these are great resources for anyone in academia or who are looking to learn. I’d never imply that the threshold for entry into the veterinary field is so impossibly high that it is almost unattainable. It’s not like we could use all the help we could get. 

I’d never say that.

HOLY MOLEY! Welcome new friends!

I got up today to nearly 15 new followers. I…wow gang! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the support and interest. 


But I don’t want to disappoint anyone, so I gotta be honest with everyone. I am not very active here, and I don’t really plan to change that. 

Keep reading