Pet Articles

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VET: DR SCOTT MILLER

I must admit that my life is rather hectic and unlike the average clinic vet.  It seems there are days that I cram about three or four careers into a 24 hour block, yet find the whirl-wind very enjoyable and strangely satisfying.  No day can be compared to the previous, as of course animals will ultimately decide when they become ill, but working in media also means working in many environments and interacting with many different animals and people.

Here’s an account of a recent day in my life: 

Friday 8.45am:
Arrive at a veterinary hospital in East London. With around five vets working on any one day, we all walk through the wards during rounds, allowing the night vets and day vets to discuss each case fully before the former heads off for a good nights sleep.  We divide up the cases between the clinicians, who then set about delving into their histories and organising work ups or surgery.  Others will begin consulting with clients waiting patiently with their poorly pets in reception.  This morning I am asked to consult, where the first case is a complicated one; a very old dog called Mable with multiple problems.  Her owner, a very sweet elderly Italian lady, is desperate for help as her beloved canine companion has started scratching all over and has a hoarse cough which she reports is getting worse by the day.  Not having had the dog checked over in a little while, I find the classic symptoms of old age, obvious arthritic pain and ensuing lameness, cataracts, and poor coat condition.  She was also suffering with fleas, and a rather nasty infestation at that. During this rapidly cooling time of year these parasites are particularly vicious.  After taking blood and admitting the dog immediately, Mable was placed into an oxygen tent for a few hours to settle.  Promising the worried owner to look into the case, I finish consulting, and then complete a number of neutering procedures which had been assigned to me.

1pm:
During my lunch break, I had an in-depth conversation with my publisher regarding the release of my upcoming book, Puppy Parenting.  Like a baby book for dogs, Puppy Parenting gives a month by month breakdown of all the things you should do and the problems you should look out for, when bringing up a puppy.  Then I began mapping out the article I was writing regarding my amazing trip to Indonesia the week before, where I was helping to release monkeys rescued and rehabilitated from the pet trade.  Working with International Animal Rescue in Jakarta, I had followed the amazing journey of Raja’s group, a socialised group of 9 macaques, all of whom had suffered terribly as ill-chosen pets.  After sedating and loading the animals, we made an epic 24hr journey across Java to Sumatra, where I donned a backpack containing the heavy and excitable Raja in a crate for the one and a half hour journey up the mountain to the release site.  A life changing experience, seeing Raja free in the jungle was one of the most rewarding moments of my life to date.

2pm:
Returning to the hospital floor, I discussed Mable’s case with the nurse who had been monitoring her.  The dog seemed to be breathing better with the medication I had already prescribed, and with her blood results showing little cause for concern, we decided to attempt to x-ray her.  Avoiding an anaesthetic which may have proven dangerous to this old girl, we coaxed her to lie down on the x-ray table before quickly taking the exposure.  With the x-ray confirming my suspicions of an enlarged heart, Mable would need long term and consistent medication in order for her coughing to stop and the heart condition to be managed. 

5pm:
After treating numerous other patients including a cat with a skin cancer on her ear and a hamster with a condition known as ‘wet tail’, I checked on Mable to see that she had greatly improved with the injectable medications I had prescribed to reduce her cough.  Calling her owner, Mable was sent home, discussing her new medications with a gentle reminder of the importance of regular flea control.  With fleas and ticks on the rise in the UK, according to a recent report, ‘Infest-Nation’, products such as ProMeris used every month are of utmost importance to ensure your pet is safe from external parasites and the diseases and conditions they can cause.  (Check out www.responsiblepetlovers.co.uk for more information.) 

7pm:
Setting off for home, I was called by BBC Breakfast News to give comment on the amusing story of Sgt Podge, a Norwegian Forest cat, who with his owner had struck up a rather quirky routine.  Wandering across a local golf course for one and a half miles, this beautiful long haired cat expected prompt collection by his owner from the same stretch of pavement every day.  Agreeing to attend the BBC head offices to discuss the case at 8am the following morning, I began thinking about how this strange set of circumstances may have come about.  Learning that he was originally a stray (known to have roaming ranges of up to 2 miles), and had been previously lost and found by an elderly lady near the collection point, it was likely that he returned every night hopeful for the delights he was treated to before.  Being a Norwegian Forest Cat, a feline known as an agile hunter and very comfortable outdoors, Sgt Podge had just trained his owner to come and collect him so as to avoid the walk home again.  Driving home, I grinned realising Sgt Podge had proven the old adage true...‘Dogs have owners, Cats have staff’.... and in this case, he had a chauffeur!