Category: Bela C – Veterinarian

I had a really good last day. I spent most of my time in the hospital, mostly in rehab. There was an 18 month old puppy named Mud, but he was the biggest puppy I’ve ever seen. He didn’t listen to anything either- when we tried to get him to walk over cones to help with his mobility, he just crashed right through them. It was fun to watch although a little frustrating for the assistants working in rehab. Finally, I got to spend my last hour with animals downstairs in the resort. I will definitely miss all of the dogs (and people) that I met!! I hope I’ll get to go back one day 🙂

Dogs waiting to be treated:

Sadly, today was my last full day in the resort. I spent the morning cleaning a little bit but the rest of the day was entirely spent in group play! It was extremely hot, so we worked on keeping the dogs (and us) cool by using water hoses. We constantly sprayed down the turf with water to protect the dogs’ feet, as well as their fur. For future reference: that works great until they decide to sit on you… leaving you soaking wet. Everyone was really nice, and I’m looking forward to my last day tomorrow!

Dog pool:

Pancake:

I spent today at HARC again. I met two dogs, both for quick appointments to get their blood drawn and ears checked. One was a Great Dane and the other was a sweet boy named Fluffy. I learned a little about the process that blood samples go through and what the results show. The rest of the time I spent helping out with folding laundry or talking to the people working there. It’s a completely different environment than the bigger hospital, and I’m glad I got to experience both!

Inside HARC:

I went to HARC (Harmony Animal Rescue Clinic) today for the first time. It’s located across the street from the main hospital and is much smaller. The main difference is that HARC deals only with rescues and has a smaller client base than the hospital. There was a litter of kittens that we helped who had ear mites. It was really cool to see what ear mites look like under a telescope and how the kittens were treated for them. I got to hold one of the kittens while their ears were being cleaned and learned how to cut their nails which was super fun. I’m looking forward to going back next week!

I worked in the resort again today. I started the morning by learning the mechanics and background of how the day care and boarding is run. This included the process for distributing food and water and how to keep track of who completed each task. I helped with deep cleaning tasks like laundry, sweeping and vacuuming. Afterwards, I spent the rest of the day in group play. I loved meeting the new dogs and spending time with them. My favorite part was sitting on one of the chairs while they took naps in my lap. Here’s the chair I sat in (although it was stolen by a golden retriever named Murphy in this picture):

I learned a lot today! I spent the morning shadowing a vet tech again, and picked up some of the techniques that they use to make dogs swallow pills or draw blood. Someone found a 10 day old kitten in a drain so I watched her get fed and cared for. In the afternoon, I went to animal rehab and learned about the equipment they used. One of my favorite parts was helping to guide a dog on the underwater treadmill. I also learned several life lessons because of the advice that I got from the techs and doctors through learning about their backgrounds. I really appreciate the time I got to spend with everyone!

Today I worked at the resort. This is the downstairs section of the hospital, where dogs go for doggy day care and boarding. First, I walked around and learned a little bit about how it works and played with one of the dogs inside. Then for the rest of the day I just sat outside with the dogs in group play! It was in a fenced in area for them to run around in but they loved attention so kept coming up to say hi.

My favorite was a Frenchie named Lemon:

(she got tired and fell asleep):

I also met Marmalade:

And Oliver:

I had a great first day! I spent the morning getting to know the team, asking questions, and watching the animals (mostly dogs but some cats) get treated. This consisted of drawing blood, ear cleaning, and measuring their heart rate. I also learned about what blood and urine samples are used for. The afternoon was similar, but my favorite part was going into rooms with clients. While the clients talked about the issues they were having, I kept the dog company! I’m looking forward to learning more tomorrow.

Russell, the hospital cat:

I’m looking forward to working at Harmony Animal Hospital on Monday!