Heartland Docs, DVM - General Discussion

[LittleIggy]

Veronica was adorbs skipping around!

I lost it over Sammy the cat because I have been there done that. 😥 I wish his family had been there with him. It’s hard, but I was glad I was there with my babies when they left.

[parrotfeathers]

Anyone know if this has been picked up for a second season?

 

[Minivanessa]

1 hour ago, parrotfeathers said:

Anyone know if this has been picked up for a second season?

 

Yes, the second season started airing last week.

[parrotfeathers]

13 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Yes, the second season started airing last week.

I saw episodes on the DVR will check them out .  Thought they were reruns.

[nokat]

Yes, new episodes. I watch every zoo and vet show, but my favorite at the moment is the barnyard one. 
 

[parrotfeathers]

Have they  loosened up some in the second season?   Something seemed a little off in the first season--just didn't seem as "spontaneous" as Dr. Pol.

[LittleIggy]

Another heartbreaker. 😥 RIP Bullet.

On a lighter note, I hope they got to the bottom (sorry 😏) of the fatty cat’s problem. It was such a sweet kitty.

[Kelly]

4 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

Have they  loosened up some in the second season?   Something seemed a little off in the first season--just didn't seem as "spontaneous" as Dr Pol.

I finally just deleted it from my DVR recording timers.  I just couldn't get into the show, and found the husband vet esp off-putting.  Both the vets have these strange awkward conversations, "learning lessons" with their sons, and it's just cringeworthy IMO.  I'll just stick with Dr Pol and Dr Oakley!

[LittleIggy]

59 minutes ago, Kelly said:

I finally just deleted it from my DVR recording timers.  I just couldn't get into the show, and found the husband vet esp off-putting.  Both the vets have these strange awkward conversations, "learning lessons" with their sons, and it's just cringeworthy IMO.  I'll just stick with Dr Pol and Dr Oakley!

They don’t bother me because I pay attention to the animals.

[Kelly]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

They don’t bother me because I pay attention to the animals.

LOL!  Good for you!

[nokat]

On Sunday, June 07, 2020 at 9:18 AM, LittleIggy said:

They don’t bother me because I pay attention to the animals.

I kind of do too. The vets, the people doing the care, I appreciate everything they do. Show me a hopping goat and all my sponsorship is going there.
 

[LittleIggy]

That dog dying on the operating table had me bawling. 😢 Poor sweet dog. That tumor was huge. I don’t understand why the family didn’t bring her in sooner. I loved how that cat was comforting Erin. 
OMG, that snow white calf was gorgeous! 😍 Since they gave plasma to that newborn foal in last week’s episode, I figured that’s what they would do for baby Iris. 

[Minivanessa]

On 6/27/2020 at 10:45 PM, LittleIggy said:

That dog dying on the operating table had me bawling. 😢 Poor sweet dog. That tumor was huge. I don’t understand why the family didn’t bring her in sooner. I loved how that cat was comforting Erin. 
OMG, that snow white calf was gorgeous! 😍 Since they gave plasma to that newborn foal in last week’s episode, I figured that’s what they would do for baby Iris. 

Yes to all that. I also didn't get why the family let that dog's tumor get so ginormous. I was shocked at the first sight of it. The mom said something like, well it's been there awhile and yesterday she wouldn't run and fetch sticks so . . .

And I'm thinking, no sh*t, lady. I wouldn't run with something that huge growing on the back of my leg, either. Bless that sweet dog, how much discomfort did she live with as that thing was allowed to grow and grow? 

Like most vet shows, this one relies on Ben and Erin to explain the medical conditions and issues that are involved with their cases. But IMO it's better when they make liberal use of them doing VOs. It was really awkward a few episodes ago when Ben was "explaining" things to his sons for what felt like forever. A VO would have been much easier viewing/listening. This time they seemed to do that in VOs more, limiting the amount of info they spout to their client onscreen. I'm sure that lady with the nice horse who needed a health certificate to take him to Arizona, already knew everything Ben was "telling" her for the benefit of the teevee viewers. But she and the horse seemed to be cool with it and I hope they had a good winter in Arizona.

Oh, and Erin's concern for those crying kids whose injured dog she was examining? I'm glad we saw that. She said in her VO that she was trying to help the animal by comforting the kids, because their anxiety was affecting the dog. Makes sense to me. I'm also glad we got to see the dog run out to meet her family the day after her surgery. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Jeeves
Clarity. It's a goal.

[pasdetrois]

I loved the cowboy's realistic asides about bison: "They're just MEAN."

I think the family raises beef cows. Interesting that they downplay it. I think Dr. Oakley may be a hunter but they downplay it on her show too.

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, pasdetrois said:

I loved the cowboy's realistic asides about bison: "They're just MEAN."

I think the family raises beef cows. Interesting that they downplay it. I think Dr. Oakley may be a hunter but they downplay it on her show too.

You mean the Schneider family?

I’m still irritated about that poor Golden Retriever. It’s not as if the tumor was not visible. It would be like a person walking around with a growth the size of a soccer ball right below one side of their posterior. 😬

[Laurie14]

Well, that just made me sick to my stomach, that poor dog. How in the world did they not seek help sooner is beyond me. People like them should not be allowed to own animals.

[Zoupysales]

I was also fuming about Zi's condition (and did you notice that it looked like Zi had a mammary tumor, too?)  I jumped on the vets' Facebook page last night and learned the backstory: that the family had just recently adopted Zi from a neighbor who had cancer.   I wish this had been explained on the show, but then, I would've been hysterical with tears.  

[Minivanessa]

35 minutes ago, Zoupysales said:

I was also fuming about Zi's condition (and did you notice that it looked like Zi had a mammary tumor, too?)  I jumped on the vets' Facebook page last night and learned the backstory: that the family had just recently adopted Zi from a neighbor who had cancer.   I wish this had been explained on the show, but then, I would've been hysterical with tears.  

Thanks for that info. It certainly puts the family in a different light. although TBH I woulda been calling the vet the moment I saw that tumor on the dog! I hope that's what they did.

[LittleIggy]

10 hours ago, Zoupysales said:

I was also fuming about Zi's condition (and did you notice that it looked like Zi had a mammary tumor, too?)  I jumped on the vets' Facebook page last night and learned the backstory: that the family had just recently adopted Zi from a neighbor who had cancer.   I wish this had been explained on the show, but then, I would've been hysterical with tears.  

Why wasn’t that mentioned? The way the son talked he had grown up with the dog! 🙄

[LittleIggy]

I’m going to google the hotel they renovated since not much of it was shown on the episode. Congratulations to them for the award.

I want a pet Longhorn now! 😆 They were cool. I was so worried that the elderly pug would flatline on the table. What a relief that he made it. I wonder what that Lab got into to mess her mouth up like that. She looked so pitiful when she was brought in.

[sue450]

On 3/10/2020 at 7:05 AM, pasdetrois said:

You know how simians like to groom each other? I have a theory that there is a connection with how humans like pimples, blackheads and abscesses. There's a reason Biore pore strips are so popular. 😉

and peeling skin..after someone has a sun burn and it gets to  that point where it is peeling....you want to peel it off!!

[parrotfeathers]

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I’m going to google the hotel they renovated since not much of it was shown on the episode. Congratulations to them for the award.

I want a pet Longhorn now! 😆 They were cool. I was so worried that the elderly pug would flatline on the table. What a relief that he made it. I wonder what that Lab got into to mess her mouth up like that. She looked so pitiful when she was brought in.

I watched this episode last night.  It was pretty good.  They seemed different.  Don't think the kids are real comfortable.  One of them was chewing on his fingernails on the road trip to see all the birds.

Haven't seen a homely client yet.  They all seem like upper middle class.

[parrotfeathers]

I may have to eat crow about saying I didn't like this show.  I liked tonight's episode (the one where she brought some awful casserole to work).  Even the kids were good.  Perhaps they are loosening up some.

[LittleIggy]

4 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

I may have to eat crow about saying I didn't like this show.  I liked tonight's episode (the one where she brought some awful casserole to work).  Even the kids were good.  Perhaps they are loosening up some.

That casserole was a hot mess! At first I thought it was shepherd’s pie since it had mashed potatoes on top, but after hearing some of the ingredients, I don’t know what it was supposed to be. 😆 

OMG, that poor dog’s uterus! It looked like intestines to me. Glad she made it okay. Beautiful dog.

Those adorable puppies were chewing up mom! Time for weaning. 
 

[deezalsmom]

I think it’s very strange that there’s NEVER anyone else in the waiting room. On dr pol the clinic is overflowing and here nothing. It seems so dead around there. No cars in the parking lot. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[LittleIggy]

Veronica the goat doing the head-butting with her new pals was so cute. She’ll be much happier outside with other goats. That pooping would have driven me nuts!

Puppies! 😍

That laceration on Barrett the horse was ghastly. Vets and owner did good work there.

Good luck medicating Troubles! 😳

[Minivanessa]

On 7/26/2020 at 10:41 PM, deezalsmom said:

I think it’s very strange that there’s NEVER anyone else in the waiting room. On dr pol the clinic is overflowing and here nothing. It seems so dead around there. No cars in the parking lot. 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's a good point. I can't believe it's always that quiet at the clinic. I suspect some kind of special scheduling for the show but I'm not sure how they work it, unless they simply clear everyone else out when filming the clients featured on the show. Maybe there's a waiting area we don't see. They probably shoot some of the footage when the clinic is closed.

I could see the "clinic goat being rehomed" story line from the start, but Veronica was cute. I can't believe they really let her run around pooping all over the clinic for days on end IRL; you just can't run a clinic like that. And I agree, it was great to see Veronica doing the head-butts and diving into the feeder at her new home among her new herd. That said, as cute as goats can be, I just can't see anyone wanting to have one as a pet in a regular house (or clinic). If you have enough land for the goat to hang out in, that's great. I suppose all those people we see on these shows with their goats, don't have them as house pets? I dunno, maybe that can work but sure seems odd to me. 

OMG, Troubles the cat was a hoot. I'm sure there are more cats like Troubles that vets cope with IRL, than we get to see on these vet shows. I thought the editing of Troubles in the carrier was witty. The closeups of the claws sticking through the mesh while the cat snarled and growled. Heh. Those were some businesslike claws and some "f*ck with me and find out, stupid humans" growls. Better them than me dealing with Troubles.

I know nothing of horses in real life. What I'm learning from these vet shows, is how fragile they can be even as they are so amazingly strong. I was so happy they saved the horse that got so badly injured. Ben has a tendency to pontificate for the benefit of the cameras.  It was good to see that he didn't pontificate at the expense of dealing with the emergency. IIRC both he and Erin said the horse would have bled out if the owner hadn't discovered the injury so quickly and gotten help. 

And, the little white fluffball dog with the hernia that Erin fixed, was so cute. And, she was a rescue, with owners who obviously took wonderful care of her. I smiled when Erin said that when she was imagining herself as a vet, it was often in the role of snuggling a gorgeous little dog and then treating it and making it better, so she enjoys the times that actually happens. (I assume Erin meant she'd had that vision, vs. the real life emergency treatment of mud-covered farm animals or injured dogs, or sticking her arm up a cow's butt. Although ratio of arm-up-butt scenes on this series is lower than on Pol's show.)

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Jeeves

[Rammchick]

On 1/31/2021 at 5:04 AM, Jeeves said:

OMG, Troubles the cat was a hoot. I'm sure there are more cats like Troubles that vets cope with IRL, than we get to see on these vet shows.

I have a dog like this, who is terrified of the vet, and he snarls and carries on and sounds like a bear - and he's only 30 pounds!  I watch these shows jealously because (almost) all the pets are so well behaved.  Glad to see one who wasn't -- it makes me feel a little better about my own!

 

On 1/31/2021 at 5:04 AM, Jeeves said:

I know nothing of horses in real life. What I'm learning from these vet shows, is how fragile they can be even as they are so amazingly strong. I was so happy they saved the horse that got so badly injured. Ben has a tendency to pontificate for the benefit of the cameras.  It was good to see that he didn't pontificate at the expense of dealing with the emergency. IIRC both he and Erin said the horse would have bled out if the owner hadn't discovered the injury so quickly and gotten help.

When you think about it, domestic horses are poorly designed.  A thousand pounds of animal on toothpicks for legs isn't a recipe for success.  

[Minivanessa]

32 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

I have a dog like this, who is terrified of the vet, and he snarls and carries on and sounds like a bear - and he's only 30 pounds!  I watch these shows jealously because (almost) all the pets are so well behaved.  Glad to see one who wasn't -- it makes me feel a little better about my own!

When you think about it, domestic horses are poorly designed.  A thousand pounds of animal on toothpicks for legs isn't a recipe for success.  

I feel your pain about your dog. I had a rescue dog who wasn't fond of visiting the vet. I've been on the receiving end of supercilious looks while sitting in the waiting room, from people who had quiet dogs with them. Once I even got a snarky comment, no less. I gave the B**** who made it, my worst evil eye and I hope her hair fell out. 😡   

I was just swapping IMs with a co-worker who has horses. One of them had big scary intestinal surgery last week. They found a tumor and got it out. I mentioned how amazingly strong and yet fragile horses are. She replied "We call them marshmallows on toothpicks." 🤣

[LittleIggy]

It’s horrible how many racehorses die every year because they have been bred for speed and not soundness of limbs.

[LittleIggy]

Wow, Ben and Erin have the Midas touch with horses! I thought that poor horse was a goner for sure.

Ben giving that teeny kitten mouth to mouth! 👏 You the man, Ben. Why did the owner wait so long to bring the mom cat in?

[parrotfeathers]

I was pretty critical of the first year of Heartland Docs.   I must say this second year is much better.  Not quite as stiff as the first year and they don't seem to be trying to "act" as much.  Son is also much better.  

[LittleIggy]

Bane the yellow Lab was amazing! The next day he was like, what leg? 
OMG! The 2 pound dog and the Great Dane. 🥰 Too cute!

Hooray for Sam! That scene of him flying off was beautiful.

[LittleIggy]

OMG, puppies! They were so adorbs! Loved how Ben let mom give each one a sniff and lick after their check-up.

Those horses were beautiful.

I couldn’t believe how much hair they combed off that dog. 😳

[Minivanessa]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

OMG, puppies! They were so adorbs! Loved how Ben let mom give each one a sniff and lick after their check-up.

Those horses were beautiful.

I couldn’t believe how much hair they combed off that dog. 😳

Yes to all three. Dang, I was worried about the dog once I knew her backstory, and so relieved it was a problem they could fix. 

That cow with cancer in the eye and a busted horn - wow, what a challenge for the vets. The cow isn't knocked out and can thrash around during the surgery, which is dangerous for the vet and the patient. Of course, the editing monkeys had to give us several slo-mo replays of the cow's horn flying off when she knocked her head against the pen bars. It didn't quite get to drinking-game level, but still. One might have begun a little buzz by taking a drink each time we saw that. 🤣   

And again we saw how fragile horses can be. The horse with the swollen joint (Strawberry?) was obviously a favorite of the owner. Ben said the joint would take six months to a year to heal, and even after it heals no adults should ride the horse. It looks like the owner has a big ranch operation going. I suppose keeping an extra horse around basically as a pet for the grandkids to ride someday won't hurt the owner financially. Lucky horse. 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Jeeves
punctuation. It's a thing.

[LittleIggy]

Those white heifers were beautiful. The girls raising them were cute, too. Ben is a good teacher.

Interesting about treating the broken turtle shell. I remember an episode on Dr. K’s series in which they used epoxy on a turtle’s shell.

Doris! I was betting it was raccoons in the ceiling. My cats would adore that cat tree.

[LittleIggy]

I didn’t realize how tall Erin was until I saw her next to her friend. 😆

The emergency with their little dog Happy was gut-wrenching.

I loved the horse getting those orthopedic shoes! As someone with very sensitive feet, I know how she feels.

 

[Minivanessa]

12 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I didn’t realize how tall Erin was until I saw her next to her friend. 😆

The emergency with their little dog Happy was gut-wrenching.

I loved the horse getting those orthopedic shoes! As someone with very sensitive feet, I know how she feels.

Yes to all three! I ended up leaving the TV on for the "second showing" of this episode last night. On second viewing I realized that when Erin was shouting that the oxygen machine wasn't working, you could hear the stress in her voice. And of course we later found out that the machine was fine and the problem was that Happy had a bad reaction to the drug. It was Ben's injecting him with the reversal drug that IMO brought Happy back, not the change to the other oxygen machine. I'm so glad we got to see a happy ending on that story!

I have a soft spot for Happy and Skittles. Their adoption story in the first season was so cute; Erin and one of the sons went to the shelter intending to adopt a (IIRC rather large) dog they'd seen on the website. Only to learn when they got there, that dog had been adopted. Then they saw that bonded pair of small dogs and adopted them instead. 

Erin's friend calling her out on the extra-high surgery table was a hoot. No way that poor woman could operate on that table until they found her a wooden booster box to stand on. It was fun to see the photos of them from their vet school days. 

[LittleIggy]

I think Erin was a party girl back in the day! 😆

[AncientNewbie]

On 3/7/2021 at 10:55 PM, LittleIggy said:

I think Erin was a party girl back in the day! 😆

When she wasn't re-wallpapering the bathroom...

Maybe it's because Erin and I are from the same part of the world, but I have a soft spot for this show out of all the vet shenanigans I watch. It's comfort food...Ben's going to be mellow, Erin's going to have bad jokes, the boys are going to be good kids embarrassed by parents but helping out...

[raven]

I just found this on Disney+ they are performing the emergency c-section on Mama Corgi!!!  I'm on the edge of my seat!  omg oxygen tent!

I'm tearing up while they save the last puppy.  I'm such a sap.

I think the teens are just embarrassed to be on TV. 

That poor cat with the ear mites, ouch.

Cow facial expressions crack me up.  ETA: in general they do.  

That poor cow with the prolapsed uterus.   Now I'm tearing up over this cow and that poor woman crying.

 

[BookWitch]

Would have liked more backstory on that boxer that was turned in. I think he was beating her. 

[LittleIggy]

12 hours ago, BookWitch said:

Would have liked more backstory on that boxer that was turned in. I think he was beating her. 

Bindi was a Boston Terrier. I hope she has found a good home.

The little boy with the duck was so cute. “Bumblefoot” is another thing I can diagnose after watching so many vet shows. 😆

[LittleIggy]

Oh, I’m so glad Leo the Guinea Pig survived the surgery and appears to be recovering. I didn’t want that little boy’s heart broken.

Maybe those maggots helped Jeff the falcon in the short term. They eat dead flesh. I love raptors’ eyes! They are so fierce and piercing.

Bet that horse felt better after those “beans” were removed! 😆 The trail ride reminded me of one I took at Shelby Farms in Memphis. They had rescue horses. When I told them I had never ridden before, I got Rosie, a 20 year old mare. She knew that trail by heart. I just sat on Rosie and enjoyed the ride!

[Maisiesmom]

I really enjoy this show. They are such a cute couple and very caring about each other and the animals. The boys have really grown!I wonder if they will become vets too. .Just saw the one with Zi-that poor dog. Both Ben and Erin were on the verge of tears when the dog coded-poor pup, its body was diseased and  probably couldn't take it any more. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Season 4 premieres next Saturday, the 23rd, on Nat Geo Wild, at 9 pm Central time. 

[Bastet]

I've never been able to get into this show, but since I couldn't stand to watch Dr. Pol or Dr. Oakley anymore for how often the vets and/or clients pissed me off, I've been down to the utterly fantastic Critter Fixers as my only vet show that includes farm calls, so with a new season of this starting, I decided to give it a try again.

I'm still eh about it.  There's still something about these people I don't really connect to; I can't even articulate it, but while I don't dislike them at all, I'm not drawn to them.  They're kind of ... I don't know, not phony, but something that keeps me from being interested in them as people.  But I'm here for the work they do as vets, which I haven't had any issues with thus far, and, of course, the animals, so as long as I don't get angry with too many owners, I'll add this to my schedule for the season.

I'm glad those horses all recovered from the accident; how terrifying that must have been for the owners!

The kitten is adorable, of course.  I like that they immediately called around to all the places Ben had been that day with the truck in case he'd picked up a hitchhiker.

But "now you know what you're looking for" about coccidiosis?  I don't even have chickens and I know that's Chicken 101!  It should have been spotted before that many of the flock died.

[parrotfeathers]

19 hours ago, Bastet said:

There's still something about these people I don't really connect to; I can't even articulate it, but while I don't dislike them at all, I'm not drawn to them. 

I get what you are saying.  Feel the same way.  It's sort of like a Hallmark movie.

Edited April 24, 2022 by parrotfeathers

[Maisiesmom]

I like Ben and Erin- they seem to be happy together and really care about the animals. Their boys are so big now! They seem to really help their parents out when an extra hand is needed. Those poor horses! What idiot would run into a horse trailer?? At least they all recovered from their injuries. The kitten was so cute-I knew they would end up keeping it when no owner could be found. I knew the chicken had coccidia right away- from watching Dr. Pol-too bad he didn't make it. Seems that parasite is very common but I'm sure the young man will take care of the rest of his flock. Going to the bird sanctuary looked fun, too. I would love to be able to see these lovely birds up close.

[Rammchick]

Although I had to cringe when Ben kept calling Coccidia Coccidiosis.  We see wildlife patients with that as well, so not only do domesticated animals get it.

After watching this episode, I watched an Imax movie called Horses:  The Story Of Equus, and there was a horse trailer accident in it, similar to what was on the show (only nowhere near as horrific).  Odd coincidence.  The incident on the show could have been so much worse -- thankfully none of the three horses suffered any long term damage.

I know what all of you mean about this show -- I had trouble warming up to it initially and almost stopped watching.  I can't exactly put my finger on what it is either.