Things I Learned From Vet: Clinical Practice Is Not For Me
Considering my recent major career change, I suppose some explanation is in order.
Turns out, when you're an animal doctor, you have to see sick animals all the time. Who'd have thought?
The animals aren't too much of a problem, though. Sure, instead of unconditionally loving every dog I see, I now think about why they'd make a terrible patient (too fat / fearful / no manners / land shark / awful veins / cancer factory), and I think of potential pets in terms of life span, but if all I had to do was treat pets in a vacuum with no client contact, I'd be quite content.
Clients suck. They either make me angry or sad. If they're reasonable people who love their pets, then I just end up heartbroken that their pet is dying. The rest of the time, it's arguing about money, facepalming at the lack of compliance with my instructions, re-explaining concepts twenty times, and giving advice I know will be ignored.
For example, my favorite appointments used to be puppy appointments. Duh--fluffy puffy balls of happy. Buuuuut... after a few rounds of seeing puppies turn into adults... it's obvious how many people won't train their dog, or won't keep up consistent flea/tick treatment, or are only going to show up for the mandatory rabies vaccines. I can't count how many times some adorable tiny puppy grew up into an obnoxious, bitey jerkface when I saw it 6 months later for its neuter. And let's not even get into the people who "maybe want to have a litter or two" first.
What about the people who get a free cat from somewhere, bring it in to the vet for a free shelter exam, and can't afford a $15 antibiotic for the giant infection in its face/leg/ear/whatever? Maybe you got the cat for free, but keeping the cat isn't free! Why would you get a young animal if you can't even afford basic care for it? Having a pet is a privilege, not a right--it's an owner's responsibility to provide shelter, food, and healthcare. You'd be surprised at how many people can't afford those latter two. Pet needs to go on a prescription diet? Good luck getting the clients to do that. I've had clients bring a pet back on emergency basis 3+ times for $200+ bills, rather than pay the first time for a $150 lab test. And just to be clear, these aren't necessarily poor people.
So, yeah. I hate clients. Even though I had a lot of "my" clients whom I'll miss, 90% of the rest of them are headaches. Probably the main reason for this is that I plain don't like people enough to be in a profession where I have to talk to them all day long. Now, I get to sit in my house for large periods at a time and not converse with anybody besides my husband and my parrot. That works much better for me.
Plus, you know, I have a lot of stories to write and already spent all my spare time writing or talking about writing. So there's that.
Turns out, when you're an animal doctor, you have to see sick animals all the time. Who'd have thought?
The animals aren't too much of a problem, though. Sure, instead of unconditionally loving every dog I see, I now think about why they'd make a terrible patient (too fat / fearful / no manners / land shark / awful veins / cancer factory), and I think of potential pets in terms of life span, but if all I had to do was treat pets in a vacuum with no client contact, I'd be quite content.
Clients suck. They either make me angry or sad. If they're reasonable people who love their pets, then I just end up heartbroken that their pet is dying. The rest of the time, it's arguing about money, facepalming at the lack of compliance with my instructions, re-explaining concepts twenty times, and giving advice I know will be ignored.
For example, my favorite appointments used to be puppy appointments. Duh--fluffy puffy balls of happy. Buuuuut... after a few rounds of seeing puppies turn into adults... it's obvious how many people won't train their dog, or won't keep up consistent flea/tick treatment, or are only going to show up for the mandatory rabies vaccines. I can't count how many times some adorable tiny puppy grew up into an obnoxious, bitey jerkface when I saw it 6 months later for its neuter. And let's not even get into the people who "maybe want to have a litter or two" first.
What about the people who get a free cat from somewhere, bring it in to the vet for a free shelter exam, and can't afford a $15 antibiotic for the giant infection in its face/leg/ear/whatever? Maybe you got the cat for free, but keeping the cat isn't free! Why would you get a young animal if you can't even afford basic care for it? Having a pet is a privilege, not a right--it's an owner's responsibility to provide shelter, food, and healthcare. You'd be surprised at how many people can't afford those latter two. Pet needs to go on a prescription diet? Good luck getting the clients to do that. I've had clients bring a pet back on emergency basis 3+ times for $200+ bills, rather than pay the first time for a $150 lab test. And just to be clear, these aren't necessarily poor people.
So, yeah. I hate clients. Even though I had a lot of "my" clients whom I'll miss, 90% of the rest of them are headaches. Probably the main reason for this is that I plain don't like people enough to be in a profession where I have to talk to them all day long. Now, I get to sit in my house for large periods at a time and not converse with anybody besides my husband and my parrot. That works much better for me.
Plus, you know, I have a lot of stories to write and already spent all my spare time writing or talking about writing. So there's that.
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