Veterinarians and Veterinary Technologists
Carry out diagnostic procedures used in the medical care of animals, and diagnose, treat and prevent animal diseases, ailments and injuries.
An afternoon at the country clinic
You are a vet at a mixed-practice clinic in a country town, running the afternoon consults with one nurse to help. It is 1pm. Your waiting room has a puppy, a cat and a family with a rabbit. There is also an urgent phone message waiting from a farmer, and you are the only vet on today.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
A man has just carried in his dog. It's been very sick since last night and looks flat. The waiting room is full, and the puppy owners have been waiting a while. What do you want me to do?
Look at the sick dog straight away, and tell the waiting owners what is happening
The waiting owners grumble, then they understand. The dog is treated promptly, and by the end of the afternoon he is comfortable and on a plan. Vets sort by need, not by who arrived first.
Finish the puppy check first, since the owners have waited so long
The puppy visit goes well, but the unwell dog has waited for longer than he should. The owner is upset, and you realise you should have asked Jess to check him first.
Ask Jess to give the dog some basic care and see how he goes before you look at him
Jess is capable, but a sick animal needs a vet's assessment. The delay makes the situation harder, and the owner wonders why he waited.
The test you suggested is too expensive, doc. I just want you to guess what's wrong and give me some tablets. I can't afford to keep coming back, and I trust you.
Give him a best guess and a treatment, because he's asked and it's his decision
The guess is confident but wrong, and the dog gets worse. The cost to the family ends up higher. Guessing may feel kind, but it can be unfair to both the animal and the owner.
Explain what you can and cannot say without the test, offer a lower-cost step to start with and agree when to review
He relaxes, but the plan is a bit loose and he is not sure what happens if the dog worsens. Giving options is good, and a clear safety net makes them better.
Lay out two or three realistic options with honest costs, recommend one and agree what to watch for
He picks the middle option and goes home with a clear plan and a number to ring. A vet's job includes helping people make decisions with the money they have.
I've got a cow that's down and it's been hours. I need you out here now. I know you've got a clinic full, but I can't wait. She's my best milker.
Say you will come out when the consults are finished, which should be about four
Gus is upset, and the cow has to wait in the cold. You turn up tired and late, with the patient in worse condition than you hoped.
Promise to come now and tell Jess to cancel the rest of the afternoon
You rush out, but the waiting owners, including a pet with an urgent need, are left with nowhere to go. You cannot be in two places.
Ask a few quick questions, give Gus immediate advice, arrange a colleague or a time you can really get there
Gus feels heard. A colleague from a neighbouring clinic gets to him within the hour, and you follow up by phone. Knowing when to ask for help is part of safe practice.
How it went
By the end of the day the sick dog was settled, an owner had a plan he could afford and a cow got help. Vets work with animals who cannot speak and people who are worried, often with limited time and money. It asks for science, kindness and honesty. Does that mix sound like you?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The kelpie and the cost
A fictional case set in a mixed-practice veterinary clinic in a fictional country town, with small animals in town and farm visits.
The situation
Dr Kofi Mensah ran the afternoon consults at a clinic in a small farming town. A farmer named Bev brought in her working kelpie, Tess, who had been limping for days. Bev had a good idea of what was wrong, and she was clear that money was tight after a dry season. The most thorough investigation would be expensive. A cheaper, quicker option might not find the real problem, and Tess's work was Bev's livelihood.
What they did
Kofi examined Tess and laid out three options in plain words: what each would cost in time and money, what it could tell them and what it could not. He recommended the middle option and explained why. He did not push the dearest one, and he did not make Bev feel guilty. He wrote down what to watch for at home and asked her to ring the clinic if Tess got worse.
How it turned out
Bev chose the middle option. It found a problem that could be managed with rest and some changes to Tess's work. Two weeks later Bev rang to say Tess was back on the farm, and booked a check-up before the next mustering season.
What would you do?
- How would you give someone choices without making them feel bad about the money?
- What might you do differently for a pet and a working animal?
- Why is explaining what a test can and cannot tell you just as important as the test itself?