The Quahog
Forums Enthusiast
Incidentally, for those who might be trying to guess, the average veterinary school graduate 40 years ago was 8 years old. 
Trader Joe's
- Thread starter The Quahog
- Start date
Ann
Moderator
Oh, a few.
Let's see - Tufts wasn't a veterinary school, nor was Virginia, North Carolina, nor Tennessee.
There was Cornell (the best, of course) and Penn (their motto used to be 'No, this is not Penn State'. Now its 'No REALLY, we REALLY REALLY aren't PennState,) and beyond Philadephia you had to go south to Alabama or West to Ohio to find the next Vet School. That left less than 150 veterinary school openings for the entire East Coast.
Cornell, which prided itself on being the 'large animal' school, each year took a class of 58 men and two women. Compare that to today, where many classes are 90%+female.
Gas anesthesia was used at the universities, but not in private practices.
Of course there was no pain control or pain meds - 'Its surgery, it's supposed to hurt.'
Bad cases of whipworms were still treated by surgically removing part of the intestine.
And because, outside of universities, there were no specialty practices, we got to do all sorts of crazy surgeries we wouldn't dare do now.
And, oh yeah - my Ivy League tuition was $725 a semester.-Dr. Mac
Egad, Dr. Mac, was Lincoln president back then too?
You must be nearly as old as I am!
Emmasmom
Forums Sage
You know, Dr. Mac, I think something is missing in vet medicine today - more vets like you. I have been fortunate enough over the years to have had vets who sound like you and I miss their care for my Shelties.
The Quahog
Forums Enthusiast
Well, sincerely thank you, that is so very kind of you to say.
As I have said here before, this is a VERY humbling profession. Whenever you start to feel good about yourself something crazy happens.
Forgive me if I've said these before here- but 2 examples-
1) Border collie hit by car- multiple pelvic fractures, can't walk, can't stand. Enforced cage rest. So its a beautiful day and I feel it might help his recovery to take him out in the grass and let him get some sunshine and fresh air, with a special treat and a little water.
And BANG! he leaps to his feet and runs off down the road.
We finally catch him in a mall parking lot, having crossed two highways.
2) Cat gets open heart surgery at Cornell (this was MANY years ago.) Surgery goes great, cutting edge stuff. While he is waking up his tail hangs out of the cage, the German Shepherd in the cage below chews it off.
Both these patients ended up doing 'fine'', give or take one tail, but imagine making those two phone calls to explain to owners what happened.
Which is why, when a new client comes in and says, 'Everyone in your waiting room is saying such nice things about you', I just shrug and replay, 'That's because everyone saying nasty things about me is in somebody ELSE'S waiting room.'
Thanks again. - Dr. Mac
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
.Forgive me if I've said these before here- but 2 examples-
1) Border collie hit by car- multiple pelvic fractures, can't walk, can't stand. Enforced cage rest. So its a beautiful day and I feel it might help his recovery to take him out in the grass and let him get some sunshine and fresh air, with a special treat and a little water.
And BANG! he leaps to his feet and runs off down the road.
We finally catch him in a mall parking lot, having crossed two highways.
.
OMG been there with #1- substitude GSP for BC. He sees a bunny rips the leash out of my hand, drives under the fence and is gone. I take off at a dead sprint, apperantly, leap a 4 ft chain link in stride(foot on top bar and leap over it, hit the ground running) and catch him 2 buildings down where the bunny went under a car. If you know what I look like you will know that I am not atheltic and have no idea how I got over that fence.
Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.
Which is why, when a new client comes in and says, 'Everyone in your waiting room is saying such nice things about you', I just shrug and replay, 'That's because everyone saying nasty things about me is in somebody ELSE'S waiting room.'
Yep, which is why I am no longer in private practice. You're a stronger person than me. 12 yrs was enough.
Chris
Premium Member
Oh, a few.
Let's see - Tufts wasn't a veterinary school, nor was Virginia, North Carolina, nor Tennessee.
There was Cornell (the best, of course) and Penn (their motto used to be 'No, this is not Penn State'. Now its 'No REALLY, we REALLY REALLY aren't PennState,) and beyond Philadephia you had to go south to Alabama or West to Ohio to find the next Vet School. That left less than 150 veterinary school openings for the entire East Coast.
Cornell, which prided itself on being the 'large animal' school, each year took a class of 58 men and two women. Compare that to today, where many classes are 90%+female.
Gas anesthesia was used at the universities, but not in private practices.
Of course there was no pain control or pain meds - 'Its surgery, it's supposed to hurt.'
Bad cases of whipworms were still treated by surgically removing part of the intestine.
And because, outside of universities, there were no specialty practices, we got to do all sorts of crazy surgeries we wouldn't dare do now.
And, oh yeah - my Ivy League tuition was $725 a semester.
You're a Cornell vet -- I am impressed. My Shelties go to an all-Cornell practice. My niece is going to Cornell -- hoping for vet school. And yes, I remember cheap tuition, too!!!
Danny's mommy
Forums Enthusiast
You two vets should colloborate and write a book of your experiences. I would buy it.
The Quahog
Forums Enthusiast
I'll give you one of the few that I happened to write down. Don't think I've told this here before, forgive me if I have, if so it was a long time ago. If this is in an inappropriate place, (or just plain inappropriate
), feel free to move or delete, won't bother me. I know we should be talkin' food here, but perhaps we could all use just a little 'time out'.The reason this was written down was because I lost a bet. On the old aol message board we had a great fun group of vets, techs, and clients. As a Pats fan, I was up against a Colts fan veterinarian when the Colts faced the Bears in the Super Bowl. The bet was the loser would write an article of choice chosen by the group. They chose ' My favourite patient'.....
Jim S was a big, big man - a flannel shirted electrician with a booming voice and hearty laugh... you always knew when Jim and Freda were in the waiting room, closed doors or not. Freda was Jim's tiny little 8 pound mini doxie. She would sit in his lap and stick just her head and neck out from between his giant hands to check out the other patients. She didn't miss much.
Well, sadly, as happens to Doxies, Freda slipped a disc and went totally paraplegic. Went to orthopedic surgeons, neurologists... nothing. No deep pain, no spinal function, no chance for surgery. So Jim went out and got her a cart- and she was amazing. She raced around like a hamster in a wheel - she could cover our parking lot in three seconds flat. Our waiting room has a right angle turn in it, and she flew in so fast she would spin out and roll over.
And with her big brown doxie eyes the staff spoiled her terribly.
So, about 2 months later, I'm consulting and I hear Jim's voice booming out in the waiting room. I open the door to say hi, and he is holding Freda's tiny cart in his huge fist. He says 'If you have anyone who needs this, I don't need it any more for Freda.'
Naturally we are stunned- she had been doing so well. Welling up a little I say, 'Oh Jim, I'm so sorry, what happened?'.
And with big grin he opens the door and Freda comes racing in barking like crazy. Sure, she's kinda wobbly, like the front end doesn't know what the back end is doing, and she spins out again on the curve she's running so fast, but she races right into the room, ignoring the two huge Rottweilers I am currently examining, and runs over and sits on the scale, 'cause she knows that is what we do first.
And, for all its annoyances and frustrations, some days life is just damn good.
Now back to the food discussion ....
Calliesmom
Moderator
I'll give you one of the few that I happened to write down. Don't think I've told this here before, forgive me if I have, if so it was a long time ago. If this is in an inappropriate place, (or just plain inappropriate
The reason this was written down was because I lost a bet. On the old aol message board we had a great fun group of vets, techs, and clients. As a Pats fan, I was up against a Colts fan veterinarian when the Colts faced the Bears in the Super Bowl. The bet was the loser would write an article of choice chosen by the group. They chose ' My favourite patient'.....
Jim S was a big, big man - a flannel shirted electrician with a booming voice and hearty laugh... you always knew when Jim and Freda were in the waiting room, closed doors or not. Freda was Jim's tiny little 8 pound mini doxie. She would sit in his lap and stick just her head and neck out from between his giant hands to check out the other patients. She didn't miss much.
Well, sadly, as happens to Doxies, Freda slipped a disc and went totally paraplegic. Went to orthopedic surgeons, neurologists... nothing. No deep pain, no spinal function, no chance for surgery. So Jim went out and got her a cart- and she was amazing. She raced around like a hamster in a wheel - she could cover our parking lot in three seconds flat. Our waiting room has a right angle turn in it, and she flew in so fast she would spin out and roll over.
And with her big brown doxie eyes the staff spoiled her terribly.
So, about 2 months later, I'm consulting and I hear Jim's voice booming out in the waiting room. I open the door to say hi, and he is holding Freda's tiny cart in his huge fist. He says 'If you have anyone who needs this, I don't need it any more for Freda.'
Naturally we are stunned- she had been doing so well. Welling up a little I say, 'Oh Jim, I'm so sorry, what happened?'.
And with big grin he opens the door and Freda comes racing in barking like crazy. Sure, she's kinda wobbly, like the front end doesn't know what the back end is doing, and she spins out again on the curve she's running so fast, but she races right into the room, ignoring the two huge Rottweilers I am currently examining, and runs over and sits on the scale, 'cause she knows that is what we do first.
And, for all its annoyances and frustrations, some days life is just damn good.
Now back to the food discussion ....
great story Dr. Mac
Danny's mommy
Forums Enthusiast
I loved the story! Like I said I would buy your book if you wrote it. Thank you. It made me smile.