Veterinary And Animal Rescue Shows

[zxy556575]

A place to discuss Dr. K, Dr. Pol, Dr. Dee, Dr. Jeff, Dr. Oakley, Aloha Vet (RIP), Dog Town, Vet School, etc.

 

Note: Pit Bulls and Parolees has its own forum.

Edited October 26, 2015 by lordonia

[zxy556575]

I know his practice has come under attack, but I have a real fondness for Dr. Pol. I enjoy seeing both the large and small animal practice but the big draw for me is Jan and his incredible work ethic. 70-something years old and go, go go!

 

I wish Dr. Jeff would shave, but his generous spirit and compassion for both humans and animals is a shining beacon of light. I'm always a little worried that the publicity from the show is going to overwhelm his clinic with clients who can't afford to pay.

 

Dr. Oakley also amazes me with her knowledge and caring, but mostly I'm in awe at how far she drives all the time!

 

Looking forward to the new show set in Alaska.

[walnutqueen]

I have a soft spot for The Incredible Dr. Pol, too.  He makes the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker.  Dr. Brenda is awesome, especially when she's wrangling a huge cow, and I just adore Mrs. Pol.  The son, Charles - meh. 

 

Dr. Jeff, Rocky Mountain Vet is my TV boyfriend.  I love him unabashedly just the way he is.  :-)

 

There was a show called SuperVet (also The Bionic Vet) about Noel Fitzpatick, an orthopaedic surgeon who does amazing surgeries on animals in Britain.  He specializes in prosthetic limbs and appendages, as well as complex surgeries, and he is totally awesome.  I'm hoping we get some new episodes on this side of the pond.

 

PBS recently aired another episode in the excellent series Shelter Me.  It's about shelter dogs who are trained for specialized "jobs" of all sorts, and is unusually uplifting (i.e. no sad stories).

[Jenkins]

I thought of that as well with Dr Jeff. That he is going to have people coming in from other states for his low cost clinic. With his prices, I honestly think someone could travel hundreds of miles and it would still be cheaper than your average vet.

 

Hopefully there is a season 2 of Dr Jeff.

 

Dr Dee is looking to be a good show though as well. I love just about anything to do with Alaska (definitely enough of it on nowadays), so should be right up my alley.

 

On another note...it is nice to see some reality TV that isn't 90% scripted...

[zxy556575]

Dr. Brenda is awesome, especially when she's wrangling a huge cow, and I just adore Mrs. Pol.  The son, Charles - meh.

 

I don't mind Charles but he doesn't really add much, either. I believe he's one of the producers so maybe that's why some of his antics like raising chickens or doing a polar plunge are even included. I'd rather the time be devoted to Jan or Brenda doing actual work.

 

Talking about not being scripted -- I'm still traumatized about that cow who slipped in the chute and choked while Brenda was pregnancy checking her or whatever it was. The cow was part of a small pet herd and the owner sat with her overnight and the next day while she struggled to live. The owner sent Brenda flowers afterwards as a thank you for the work she did trying to save the cow. I mean, I eat beef and it's hard to square that in my head with being so sad about this particular animal dying.

Edited October 27, 2015 by lordonia

[walnutqueen]

We have an excellent series that airs on my local PBS station called Animal R&R.  It is about Project Wildlife, a rescue and rehabilitation organization here in San Diego County.  Narrated by our very own Joan Embry, it's a look into how our volunteers work tirelessly to rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife, and release them back into the wild.   You can watch the first three episodes here : http://video.kpbs.org/program/animal-rr/

[Maharincess]

What I hate about these shows is that almost nobody pronounces the word "veterinarian" properly. It drives me crazy. VeteRinarian has TWO Rs in it, not just one. They all say "vetenarian".

It's as bad as people who pronounce the word realtor as though it has 3 syllables.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Maharincess

[SmithW6079]

Anyone watch "Dr. Chris, Pet Vet" or Brandon McMillan's "Lucky Dog" on CBS's Saturday morning "Dream Team / It's Epic " block of shows?

I like "Dr. Chris" because it takes place in Australia, and I like the chances to see the country a little.

My reason for watching "Lucky Dog" is Brandon McMillan. He's a hottie.

[walnutqueen]

Anyone watch "Dr. Chris, Pet Vet" or Brandon McMillan's "Lucky Dog" on CBS's Saturday morning "Dream Team / It's Epic " block of shows?

I like "Dr. Chris" because it takes place in Australia, and I like the chances to see the country a little.

My reason for watching "Lucky Dog" is Brandon McMillan. He's a hottie.

 

Dang it, how did I miss these shows?  I'll have to check my local schedule and set my DVR for next weekend.  :-)

 

 

ETA - I almost ff'd through the story of the dying foal, Hope on Vet School tonight.  I was so sure she was a goner, what with all the sad music and gloomy voiceovers.  Seeing her standing in the stall brought a tear to my eye.

Edited November 1, 2015 by walnutqueen

[walnutqueen]

Reminder:  tonight, Sat. 11/7,  Dr. Dee Alaska Vet debuts on Animal Planet.

[rcc]

Reminder:  tonight, Sat. 11/7,  Dr. Dee Alaska Vet debuts on Animal Planet.

Thanks for the reminder. Dr. Dee is very engaging and I like that she got her pilot's license so she could help animals that can't come to her. How cute was that husky with the cart! Sad for the dog with cancer but she has a wonderful owner that will take care of her. Everything in this episode interested me. I had to look away from the gelding though.

[walnutqueen]

Thanks for the reminder. Dr. Dee is very engaging and I like that she got her pilot's license so she could help animals that can't come to her. How cute was that husky with the cart! Sad for the dog with cancer but she has a wonderful owner that will take care of her. Everything in this episode interested me. I had to look away from the gelding though.

 

So far, I like her.  The guys who were assisting all had to look away from the gelding, too.  :-)

 

Loved Dr. K last night - three really intense and problematic cases with positive results was refreshing.  That baby macaw was about he cutest little patootie I've seen in a while.  I just loooove baby birds (and vets who croon baby-talk to my animals)!

 

SmithW6079 - I caught Lucky Dog and Dr. Chris yesterday and really enjoyed them both.  They are fairly easy on the eyes, too.   But Dr. Jeff still has my heart.   ;-)

[Jenkins]

Absolutely loved Dr Dee. She is just SO upbeat and positive and I can tell she has a sense of humor similar to mine.

 

The first dog was heartbreaking. As they mentioned, in Alaska, you are stuck indoors with your animals pretty much 24/7, so that poor guy lost (I am guessing they did put her to sleep) his best friend...looks like another show I will be going through a few Kleenex an episode on.

 

And oh man, that husky. How can that story not make you smile? You gotta love how animals just don't care about things like not having the use of their front legs. They are just happy to be alive and be around people that love them. And fantastic idea to use him as sort of a therapy dog for soldiers missing limbs.

 

And Dr Dee's assistant. She was crying over that mans dog. THAT is the kind of vet assistant/tech I want. One that cares about my pets almost as much as I do. I have had some very, hmm...how to put it...robotic maybe(?) vets and vet techs. My dogs HATE the vet to begin with and then having a "cold" vet makes it worse. Our current vet is awesome though, even our beagle/pekingese mix likes her and he doesn't like people that much (we call him "grumpy old man" for a reason).

 

Overall, definitely a show I will be tuning in to every week.

 

And I started watching Dr K last night. Another vet you can tell just CARES. Ugh, that poor goat! I grew up next to a farm that had goats and they really can be friendly and fairly intelligent.

 

That macaw was an absolute sweetheart. I am not much of a bird person (I like seeing them in the wild, but not so much for my house because of the noise level), but man, I would take him in a heartbeat if he didn't have such a loving and caring home.

 

The animals always warm my heart...but it is also nice to see other people that care about animals as much as I do. Watching a show like Pit Bulls and Parolees, I sometimes forget stuff like that (seeing how people can just abandon an old dog in a house with a damn bowl of water and thats it).

 

Not sure what is up with all these vet shows coming out all the sudden, but I LOVE it. Great change of pace from all the scripted "reality" shows all about drama...

[rcc]

I like that we are getting the vet shows too. Reading this thread now I have to watch Dr. K.

[zxy556575]

I was wondering how differently Dr. Pol would have treated that goat out on a farm call. A very different outcome is my guess, but overall I really enjoy seeing all the different practice types.

 

Dr. K is performing surgery on a fish next week! These vet shows have really made me think about the way we as a society pamper and indulge certain animals yet kill and eat millions of others.

 

It's been nice to comfortably settle back into Dogtown again on its new channel -- all the same staffers we followed before are still there! I do miss seeing the cats, birds, and other animals, but I'll take what I can get. They did cut the air time down to 30 minutes.

Edited November 8, 2015 by lordonia

[walnutqueen]

I like that we are getting the vet shows too. Reading this thread now I have to watch Dr. K.

 

You might want to try Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet, too.  NatGeoWild is airing repeats on Saturdays.

[rcc]

Unfortunately I don't get NatGeoWild on my cable provider. Is Dr. K on that channel too or is it NatGeo that I do get?

[zxy556575]

Dr. K. is on Nat Geo Wild. You can watch recent episodes on their site but you have to log in with your TV provider account. They're also available on Dr. K's You Tube channel.

Edited November 9, 2015 by lordonia

[glowlights]

I had no idea this forum existed! Thank you, walnutqueen, for the link! I have found my people... people who won't think I'm crazy for bursting into tears when a tortoise needs a ventilator.

 

It's been nice to comfortably settle back into Dogtown again on its new channel -- all the same staffers we followed before are still there! I do miss seeing the cats, birds, and other animals, but I'll take what I can get. They did cut the air time down to 30 minutes.

 

Can you tell me which channel you're getting Dogtown? I can't find it by searching on Comcast and would dearly love to watch it.

[walnutqueen]

I had no idea this forum existed! Thank you, walnutqueen, for the link! I have found my people... people who won't think I'm crazy for bursting into tears when a tortoise needs a ventilator.

 

 

Can you tell me which channel you're getting Dogtown? I can't find it by searching on Comcast and would dearly love to watch it.

 

glowlights - I only get Dogtown USA on Saturday mornings on my local CW (I think) affiliate station.  6 am West Coast time.

 

and YES, you have found your tribe!  :-D

[glowlights]

Thank you! I will check the CW listing.

 

On a slightly gross note... is anyone else fascinated by some of the, um, biological things displayed on Dr. K? There was a snake with a nasal infection and until seeing that ep I had never thought about what infected nasal mucous would look like in a snake. Poor fella. I'm sure he felt sooooo much better after he got that treated! I also admit to being a little curious about what rotting tortoise eggs smell like after they've been stuck inside the tortoise for months. If it's bad enough to make a vet gag, it's probably pretty bad. But I'd hazard a whiff. For the sake of science, ya know.

[rcc]

Dr. K. is on Nat Geo Wild. You can watch recent episodes on their site but you have to log in with your TV provider account. They're also available on Dr. K's You Tube channel.

Thank you for the youtube link. I'll watch it there.

[zxy556575]

On a slightly gross note... is anyone else fascinated by some of the, um, biological things displayed on Dr. K? There was a snake with a nasal infection and until seeing that ep I had never thought about what infected nasal mucous would look like in a snake. Poor fella. I'm sure he felt sooooo much better after he got that treated! I also admit to being a little curious about what rotting tortoise eggs smell like after they've been stuck inside the tortoise for months. If it's bad enough to make a vet gag, it's probably pretty bad. But I'd hazard a whiff. For the sake of science, ya know.

 

The amount of pus and junk that came out of that nostril was ... surprising? Gross? Both? The nostril looked twice as big afterwards, too. I hope it went back to normal size later.

 

Performing surgery on those tiny, tiny bones, ligaments, and organs must be so difficult. I think I'd chose Dr. K over most human surgeons if I had a choice and needed to be cut into.

 

The pilot of Dr. Dee had me in tears during the first 2 minutes, with the man's beloved Husky having cancer and the vet tech crying on his behalf.

[glowlights]

Performing surgery on those tiny, tiny bones, ligaments, and organs must be so difficult. I think I'd chose Dr. K over most human surgeons if I had a choice and needed to be cut into.

 

 

Last night I watched an ep in which she did orthopedic surgery on a baby... macaw? Anyway, a baby tropical bird. She broke, pinned and reset his deformed "knees" so that he would be able to walk and perch. Amazing. Of course I burst into tears when she determined that the surgery had been a success and he could have the pins out. 

 

And I agree - she would be worth choosing over most of the doctors I've known simply for her caring nature and determination to help.

 

Can't wait to watch Dr. Dee but will have to do it when I can cry freely... *sigh*

[walnutqueen]

Watching Dr. K last night, I was really disturbed by those poor goldfish with the swimbladder problems.  I felt such sorrow for the poor little creatures.  I cannot imagine watching my fish suffer like that for months.  :-(

[Jenkins]

I have to say, I didn't even know you COULD take fish to a vet.

 

Though I am guessing they have to be vets like Dr K that specialize in exotics. My vet just does dogs and cats.

 

And I am not sure what the hell that girl with the ferret was thinking. That tumor was HUGE and cancer spreads! Hell, my dogs get a mosquito bite and it is off to the vet (I am not THAT bad, but sadly, I am close). Had to turn my head away when they dissected the tumor...some things can't be unseen and I had a feeling that would be one of them. We recently took our beagle/pekingese mix to the emergency vet at 10pm at night when his sister bit him (they were play fighting) on the eyelid. It was a small scratch, but I am not taking chances that his actual eye got scratched and could get infected.

 

It could have been she was afraid of the cost more than anything though. Vets can be damn expensive...

 

And gotta love Dr Dee traveling to remote locations for spay/neuter/shot clinics. And I am pretty sure she doesn't charge much, if anything. Those people couldn't afford much I am going to assume.

 

And that poor duck...ouch. Though "wack off Quackers wacker" was a pretty damn funny line!

[jewel21]

Performing surgery on those tiny, tiny bones, ligaments, and organs must be so difficult. I think I'd chose Dr. K over most human surgeons if I had a choice and needed to be cut into.

 

Hi, new to this thread!

 

I don't normally watch Veterinary shows because I hate seeing animals in pain and suffering. Even though I worked at a Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital for 7 months, heh.

 

My pet cockatiel was sick and a French TV station here filmed his surgery for a French Veterinary show (the episode is currently available for a few more days on their website) and upon watching the episode I was so taken aback by the intricacy of the surgery.  Cockatiels are pretty small and they fact they were able to perform this type of surgery on him was intriguing to watch (and hard.)

 

It's amazing and awe inspiring what Veterinarians can do these days. Utterly remarkable. And you just know the technology will get better and better with time.

[zxy556575]

Maybe it's edited out, but in all the vet shows I've never once seen an aggressive animal lashing out, snarling or biting while they're being treated* I'm constantly amazed at how docile and accepting most pets are -- even ones with open wounds and broken bones submit with barely a whimper. Maybe animals really do know that people are trying to help.

 

 

 

* After I wrote that, I remembered all the farm animals that kick and bellow, so excluding those.

[rcc]

Dr. Dee operating in a laundromat. That woman can do anything when she puts her mind to it. How about that poor reindeer with the "warts". The vet who took over for Dr. Dee when she was in Ruby only took the ones that covered his eyes. Why not all. He said it wasn't "fruitful" to do so. Anyone know what he meant by that. The poor thing looked so terrible. That poor horny duck had to be clipped. The things we learn on this show. I would have taken that big ball away from her a long time ago. She seems to like the smaller ball now. Who knew that playing ball would be so hazardous.

[glowlights]

The latest ep of Dr. K was a real eye-opener. I have never thought to ask how one would x-ray a fish, let alone do surgery under anaesthesia! lol That's (one of the reasons) why I love her show so much. It's so educational.

 

And yeah, I felt terrible that the goldfish had been struggling like that for months, not to mention the ferret's tumor had been allowed to grow and possibly metastize for a year. Sheesh. Thank heavens for the student who brought her turtle in at the first sign of trouble! I also felt bad for the woman whose rabbit got his foot broken while being crated. You could tell she wouldn't have intentionally hurt him for the world. So, yay for good pet guardians.

[walnutqueen]

I really do appreciate the educational aspects of these shows - I am always learning something new, or seeing something totally cool and innovative.

 

Eons ago I had a fish with a nasty parasite that just would not be eliminated by any of the remedies the fish experts sold me.  In a final act of desperation, I performed a minor "wormectomy" on my own damned fish - and the little darling lived a long & happy life.  I guess a few years of living & working with a scientist (exercise physiologist) who did research on fish somehow prepared me for a lot of stuff I never realized I knew.   :-)

 

The very reason I don't adopt any more animals these days is the thought of not being able to afford the very best in veterinary care.  I spent my entire safety net on my last 5 sick and ageing cats, at a time in my life when I was no longer able to earn & burn.   Thank goodness my one remaining indoor cat and all my ferals are fairly young and seemingly healthy (now let's hope they stay that way until the mortgage is paid off and I can start making a dent in my debt!).  I'm lucky to have a long time kind and caring vet who will work with me, but the thought of the specialized surgeries and treatments like we see on these shows terrifies me.

[glowlights]

Eons ago I had a fish with a nasty parasite that just would not be eliminated by any of the remedies the fish experts sold me.  In a final act of desperation, I performed a minor "wormectomy" on my own damned fish - and the little darling lived a long & happy life.  I guess a few years of living & working with a scientist (exercise physiologist) who did research on fish somehow prepared me for a lot of stuff I never realized I knew.   :-)

 

Details, please!!!

 

FWIT, I admire people who consciously and prudently weigh the financial aspects of adopting more pets. And yes, it can be very pricey. We have the old credit card receipts to prove it. *sigh*

[walnutqueen]

Details, please!!!

 

FWIT, I admire people who consciously and prudently weigh the financial aspects of adopting more pets. And yes, it can be very pricey. We have the old credit card receipts to prove it. *sigh*

 

You had to ask, didn't you?  :-)

 

It was a pretty little gourami (one of a bonded pair), as I recall.  I held it in a net on it's side in a very shallow pan of water that had already been treated with some antibiotic powder and had an airstone in it.  I grabbed this worm that was protruding from fishy's belly with a special narrow pair of sterilized tweezers and very s-l-o-w-l-y pulled that sucker out, rolling it around the tweezers as I progressed.  It was nerve wracking for me, and probably pretty darned traumatic for the fish, too, but it worked, and the fish started eating and behaving normally again immediately.  The small but deep hole it left healed beautifully, too!  Years later I saw a doc extract a guinea worm from a patient on TV, and the technique I'd used on the fish was quite similar.

 

 

ETA - If you cannot afford to properly feed an animal and provide the necessary medical care, you shouldn't adopt.  That said, we can all get into some serious financial hardship when faced with extreme surgeries or expensive treatments for long term illnesses.  The cost of cancer drugs and other drugs for chronic illnesses can be astronomical (just ask any senior on a fixed income). 

Edited November 18, 2015 by walnutqueen

[glowlights]

 I grabbed this worm that was protruding from fishy's belly with a special narrow pair of sterilized tweezers and very s-l-o-w-l-y pulled that sucker out, rolling it around the tweezers as I progressed. 

 

Whaaaat?!?!?!? The worm was poking OUT? Through the fish's scales? Oh my lord. Let's hope that never gets shown on Dr. K, I'd die.

 

So happy you knew what to do, imagine how much better the fish felt.

[blanchowens]

Love Dr Pol, enjoyed Vet School and I have the hots for Dr Jeff lol

[magdalene]

Hello, I just found this thread. I really enjoyed Dr Jeff and hope there will be more episodes.

[walnutqueen]

Hello, I just found this thread. I really enjoyed Dr Jeff and hope there will be more episodes.

 

It's nice to see you here, magdalene.  We seem to share a taste for certain TV shows (and certain vets!).   ;-)

 

glowlights - I wish I could say I knew what I was doing when I did that to my fishy, but honestly, I was just desperate to save his life and had run out of options.  I think we both got very lucky that day.

[rcc]

Dr. Dee really lucked out with that cow so close and her calf being manhandled like that. I bet she was sore the next morning. The daughter-in-law too. The eye operation was interesting to watch and that husky is no longer in pain. The other husky that has to eat standing up in that wooden contraption was also interesting. Who knew a dog could be trained to stand like that to eat. This show continues to amaze.

[walnutqueen]

Yes, Dr. Dee was very lucky to have been able to roll with that hard hit; the DIL had it much worse being struck by the cow's hooves - especially on the leg and arm bones.  That really hurts and leaves nasty bruises.  I've seen those mega-esophagus feeding stands before - I guess this is a somewhat common defect in dogs.  I like that Dr. Dee uses her radio show to find adopters for the rescue animals she works with - what a great idea.

 

The black swan that Dr. K. and her staff tried so hard to save was a sad case.  You just never know when the shock and trauma is too much for any animal; just like humans, you do whatever you can and hope for a good outcome.

 

I had a great laugh watching Dr. Chris, the Australian vet, when he was fixing that little baby cockatoo's leg.  The never-ending high pitched screech coming out of that little bird was hilarious, and he was aptly named Kettle, because that's just what he sounded like!  I have a very soft spot for baby birds - they look like little prehistoric creatures before they fledge.  :-)

[glowlights]

The black swan that Dr. K. and her staff tried so hard to save was a sad case.  You just never know when the shock and trauma is too much for any animal; just like humans, you do whatever you can and hope for a good outcome.

 

 

This was one time I was NOT on board with Dr. K's decision. Seeing the extent of that bird's injury I wanted them to put it down right away. Sure the surgery made for better television, but it was a horrible ordeal for that suffering creature. On the up side, I learned about blood sugar disease in ferrets and saw a bunny's gonads. :) And learned about flushing a snake's thoracic whatchamacallit. This is better than a classroom! (That snake was so compliant. Either she's a very sweet snake, or she felt so sick she didn't care.)

 

Also, Fiona is a terrific name for a pot-bellied pig. :)

[walnutqueen]

glowlights, on 23 Nov 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:

This was one time I was NOT on board with Dr. K's decision. Seeing the extent of that bird's injury I wanted them to put it down right away. Sure the surgery made for better television, but it was a horrible ordeal for that suffering creature. On the up side, I learned about blood sugar disease in ferrets and saw a bunny's gonads. :) And learned about flushing a snake's thoracic whatchamacallit. This is better than a classroom! (That snake was so compliant. Either she's a very sweet snake, or she felt so sick she didn't care.)

 

Also, Fiona is a terrific name for a pot-bellied pig. :)

 

I SO agree with you, glowlights.  But we all know the hardest decision to make in an animal's life is "when is too much".  People in the rescue business, and the vets who work with them, often are forced into an untenable situation - try to save, euthanize if absolutely necessary, and listen to the pros when in doubt.  Dr. K was given the go-ahead by the "owners" and another specialist who said she had a chance - she was not overly comfortable with the decision to try, nor was she happy with putting that poor swan through all that trauma; but she was told to try, and try she did.  Sometimes we DO see miracles; often we are left second guessing our efforts and that is the stuff REAL nightmares are made of.  :-(

[Jenkins]

I honestly have no idea how that swan survived the amount of time it did. That wound was HORRIFIC....

 

Was honestly kind of selfish of the owner to want to try to save it. And I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I would have a REALLY tough time putting down any of my animals. But that swan would have most likely had an absolute TON of complications even if it survived.

 

I am actually not sure on something. Can a vet put an animal down without the owners consent? In my opinion Dr K WANTED to euthanize it, but the owner seemed pretty set on saving it. Just the feeling I got from the couple minutes of editing we got out of what most likely was a MUCH longer conversation with the owner. So if the owner insisted on saving it (we as viewers really don't know), can the vet really do anything BUT try to save it?

 

I do think her instincts were to euthanize it and she probably should have followed them. Though I also think that swan was probably so drugged up I doubt it felt much as calm as it was.

 

And is Dr Dee one tough woman or what? Kind of a brain fart though to hold that calf down with momma standing there...they ALL should have known better than that.

 

I also wanted to add...I want some pet squirrels (no, I wouldn't really try to make a pet out of an animal that should be in the wild). Talk about cute...

 

We actually have black squirrels where I live (no markings at all, just pure black). Didn't know they existed until we saw them. They are beautiful...

[walnutqueen]

Jenkins - my thoughts went that way, too - but Dr. K. isn't the type of vet to mince words when it comes to a viable treatment, and the phone consult she had with the specialist did give some hope and the possibility of treatment.  I think it was one of those "borderline" cases; sometimes a "Hail Mary pass" works, and sometimes it doesn't.  She did have a few positive signs going her way during surgery, and she was somewhat conflicted about the outcome ... I've seen enough animals recover from worse and die from less to know it's a bit of a crapshoot.  If it were a beloved dog or cat the discussion could very well go in a different direction; I just know she was torn and broken up by her failure to save the swan, as was everyone else. 

 

I did a lot of work with wild bird rescue and rehabilitation, and I know from experience that one can never predict which wild animal will survive major trauma.  A vet has a threshold of what is possible and acceptable treatment; I've (thankfully) never met one who would prolong the suffering of an animal for the owner's sake or for mere hubris.

 

End of life decisions are never easy - no matter what we do, we WILL have feelings about the issue; that is a good thing, in my mind.

[zxy556575]

Did we see the actual surgery on the goldfish? My satellite may have skipped. I saw the X-ray with the fish in a plastic bag of water but I was curious how it was possible to operate. Wouldn't the fish be unable to breathe?

 

Dr. Dee continues to drop these crazy personal anecdotes on us -- Moved to Alaska by herself in her 20s! Became a pilot! Started a Montessori dog training school! Built her own house! Former body building champion!

[walnutqueen]

lordonia - Dr.K decided against surgery because the fish was not reacting well to the anesthetic.

 

Fish surgery has become quite commonplace lately; I saw it done in the late 1970s in a university zoology lab.  You can search images and videos to get a sense of how it is done.  Nova had an interesting segment on fish surgeries some years ago : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/fish-surgery.html

 

Sad to see how many people in the remote Alaskan villages are unwilling to spay and neuter their pets, but Dr. Dee had the right attitude, and I'm sure she'll change a few minds after some time. 

[zxy556575]

Thanks, WQ. That's amazing to me that vets can do that.

 

Haven't we seen Dr. Pol castrating horses with only a local anesthetic? Just leaves them standing up and goes under for a couple of minutes with the squeezers.

[Jenkins]

I guess it is just lack of education (and no, I don't mean they are uneducated in general, just in regards to animals) with the spaying and neutering.

 

Every cat or dog I have ever owned has been spayed or neutered within a month or so of them being old enough (or when we have adopted, they are obviously spayed or neutered when we get them).

 

Yes, the cone of shame is a pain in the ass and yes, I HATE seeing my animals in any sort of discomfort, but I don't see how anyone can say they are a responsible pet owner and not do it.

 

Dr. Dee did handle it right. If she tried to shove spay and neuter down their throat, she would lose them. All she can do is tell them the positives and negatives of it, which I am sure she did.

 

Wish Dr. K had longer seasons, I will miss that show!

[walnutqueen]

lordonia, on 06 Dec 2015 - 08:25 AM, said:

Thanks, WQ. That's amazing to me that vets can do that.

 

Haven't we seen Dr. Pol castrating horses with only a local anesthetic? Just leaves them standing up and goes under for a couple of minutes with the squeezers.

 

Yes.  Back in the 70s some vets preferred this method, especially for studs over a year or two old.  They received a sedative and local anesthetic, and the surgery was performed standing.  General anesthesia is hard on large animals, and was very iffy out in muddy fields; they also thought the wound would drain better and the horse would recover faster using this method. 

[glowlights]

One of my favorite bumper stickers:

 

GOT BALLS?

Neuter your pets

[zxy556575]

Back in the 70s some vets preferred this method, especially for studs over a year or two old.  They received a sedative and local anesthetic, and the surgery was performed standing.  General anesthesia is hard on large animals, and was very iffy out in muddy fields; they also thought the wound would drain better and the horse would recover faster using this method.

 

Dr. Pol  is definitely a fan of his standby procedures from the old days, but after seeing Dr. Dee's patient struggle to go down, and then her worry about the horse possibly breaking a leg trying to get up ... I might have to side with Pol on this one. I have seen him put horses out if they're really bucking or nervous.

 

I compare Pol in my mind to Dr. Oakley, who we've seen use sterile surgery sheets, gowns and gloves out in a field. Dr. Pol probably doesn't even sterilize the instruments he keeps in his trunk in between calls!

 

It's interesting to see the various practices for sure.