tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post9071437134594196180..comments2023-10-11T10:47:32.205-05:00Comments on Secrets of a Vet School Drama Queen: I spayed a BitchHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331337258510887489noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-79570800795411177632011-03-15T23:25:24.676-05:002011-03-15T23:25:24.676-05:00That sounds really cool. I did a job shadow at a v...That sounds really cool. I did a job shadow at a vet clinic last year and got to observe a dental surgery of a cat whose incisors were totally rotten and needed to be removed, but spaying a pregnant cat sounds way cooler.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-13828487488629265182011-03-12T09:34:57.420-06:002011-03-12T09:34:57.420-06:00Years ago, one of my clients adopted a stray, susp...Years ago, one of my clients adopted a stray, suspiciously chubby, young female barn cat. The client didn't have a small animal veterinarian (she owned horses only) so I recommended one of my small animal veterinary friends. The client was adamant: spay the cat, even if she's pregnant. Anyhow, as it happened, I drove the cat to my friend's clinic, because the client's barn was near my house, and my friend and I were planning to have lunch anyhow. Thus, I also observed the surgery.<br /><br />The cat was pregnant, with 7 fetuses, at least one month. When I called the client after surgery, she was enormously relieved she didn't have to worry about placing 7 kittens, never mind vaccinating and spaying or neutering 7 cats - which she could not afford to do. It was for the best, because a few weeks later, another cat showed up on her doorstep, a male. We neutered him, too.<br /><br />Is it sad? Sure, but I think it's a lot sadder to euthanize young adults at the local shelter because it's overpopulated... or visit the home of a "rescuer" hoarder, who believes she is saving cats from euthanasia.Outriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02907860317292171543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-48177667677394261822011-03-11T19:52:32.333-06:002011-03-11T19:52:32.333-06:00Great blog!Great blog!C. Todd Dolen, DVMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04996028272552833090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-84625061151001531772011-03-10T22:49:33.839-06:002011-03-10T22:49:33.839-06:00Good job! Surprise pregnancies are always fun...S...Good job! Surprise pregnancies are always fun...Sad, but at that point, really unavoidable. The anesthesia alone would've taken a toll on those fetuses :(ForPetsSakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11716344585805514703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-45756056680577053562011-03-10T13:27:30.635-06:002011-03-10T13:27:30.635-06:00@voguevet - we didn't discuss what we would do...@voguevet - we didn't discuss what we would do, but my feelings mimic what Life in vet school said. They are all shelter animals that may or may not get homes - I don't want seven more puppies brought into this world that wouldn't have homes when there are so many more dogs out there that already need one. It pretty much is policy to terminate the pregnancy - I think at my school it is pretty much assumed that no matter how far along the pregnancy might be, the dog/cat is getting spayed. We don't get to do many surgeries during our third year, so no one wants to miss out on the experience either.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03331337258510887489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-42773767274498260402011-03-10T09:49:12.339-06:002011-03-10T09:49:12.339-06:00Cool story! Your spay dog sounds really sweet. :)
...Cool story! Your spay dog sounds really sweet. :)<br /><br />I just did my first pregnant cat spay last week -- similar experience. :) She only had one fetus (nearly full-term) which was in the caudal pole of the left horn, with the sac spilling into the uterine body. So the right horn looked totally normal, and then we couldn't find the left one anywhere. It turned out it was the gigantic thing we thought was the colon!<br /><br />@ voguevet -- the policy at my school, at least, is to terminate. These are all shelter animals, so they obviously don't need another litter of animals to worry about. As far as taking personal responsibility for it, if you couldn't even place your one spay dog I can't imagine how on earth you could place a pregnant dog plus an entire litter. I'd be inclined to direct anyone interested in the puppies to the hundreds of already-born dogs in the shelters who desperately need homes.Life in vet schoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03280988301038450938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705208661149474795.post-74876945326587960002011-03-09T16:16:58.519-06:002011-03-09T16:16:58.519-06:00Yay for surgery! Sounds like a fun case. Just wond...Yay for surgery! Sounds like a fun case. Just wondering, did you guys discuss what you might do if you found a pregnant bitch beforehand? Is it policy to terminate the pregnancy anyway? I know some people would be tempted to close back up and let the pregnancy go to term, as long as they would be willing to be held responsible for the puppies. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com