Well i'm coming up on the second week of working at this new clinic and
so far everything is going fine.  I remember thinking to myself on the
first day, go nice and easy; stay focused; don't get too intense and
don't go 'over the top'

Then i walked through the door and met the other employees. Boy was I
surprised.....

Almost everyone is as kooky as I am.  We still work hard but we are
always cracking jokes, and most of us are flying on caffiene highs.
(ten hour workday remember)

I'm getting along great with everyone, including the doctors.  And Dr.
S, the head doctor/owner is also kinda kooky.  From day one, he's put a
decent amount of trust in me and has been willing to let me do my job.
And he's more than happy to teach me to help me further my knowledge.

I'm getting the chance to do things at this clinic that i NEVER was
allowed to do at the other clinics.

things such as:

1. Ear cytologies:  In the past, the doctors took the swab, stained it
and looked at it under the scope while i flushed the ears.  Now, I'm
the one taking the swab, staining it and examining it and reporting my
findings to the doctor.  Of course i strongly advocate the doctor
double checkign me, but it gives me a chance to really look for myself
and learn.  Not to mention also remember my pathology class.

Although pathology class was NEVER like this.  Dr. S is also eager to
help teach me about what to look for.

We had an interesting conversation on wednesday.

"Kristi, have you looked at the swab yet?"
"Yep, I"m looking at it right now."
"See anything?"
"Um........(i notice that he now is standing right behind me) I see a
few yeast, a bunch of cocci, and.........what looks to be......uh.....
round shaped rods...."
He starting laughing "there's no such thing as 'round' rods.  They're
either circles or rods."
I started laughing too.  "Well......that's what they look like.  Most
of the rods i've seen are obviously rods, but these are kinda rounded."

So he looked and said "ahhh, ok, yes they are rods, but they seem to
have two circles at either end of the rod,  which could give it a
'rounded' appearance."  Aha, well at least i learned something.
hehehehe

2.  Urinalysis - Anyone with a brain can dip a colored dipstick into
some urine and read the colors, but not everyone can examine the
sediment under a microscope.  Again at previous places, the vets did
this.  And in pathology class, we just looked a pictures and slides.

Well here we send it out, but on occasion, like this afternoon, Dr. S
wants to do it inhouse.  Oooooo!  Fun!!

I got to examine the sediment (you spin the urine in a centrifuge and
pour out the excess) I was unable to find any red or white blood cells,
and from the pictures i concluded that there weren't any.

But i DID find crystals....and after much looking, and consulting the
book, was able to identify them as struvite crystals.  Yay!!!

3.  Cystocentesis - Getting urine with a needle and syringe by
aspirating urine directly from the bladder.  Again, normally the vets
have done this, and though I was taught in school, i only got to do it
once.  Well here the techs do it, and after struggling the last two
weeks, i finally was able to do not once, but TWICE today.  YAY!!!!

4.  Estimates - in the past, the vet and receptionist did all that
work.  But here, the tech and vet work together to make up the
estimates for clients and then present it to the client.  I'm just
learning how to do this, but good thing i have good people skills.  :)

So on the whole, I'm really enjoying working at this clinic.  The
people are very friendly.  The only thing that isn't the greatest are
the ten hour shifts.  But everyone is going through it, so we all work
together.  And drink coffee, which is probably one of the reasons why
were are always cracking jokes.  I caught a couple for not only getting
bit on my first day, but by a little pirhana of a kitten.

Oh and kitten update:  Her ten day quarantine is over tomorrow and it's
pretty obvious she isn't showing any signs of rabies.  She is ADORABLY
cute and everyone teases me because it's clear that I am smitten by
this bitty.

I'll spend my breaks in the isolation room and play with her.  I was
petting her this morning and she actually started PURRING!!!  Awww!!!
I would wrap her in a towel and carry her around the clinic to say hi
to the other techs and everyone loves her.   How can you NOT love a
bitty?

And i found out today that one of the kennel/grooming workers said that
she was interested in adopting the kitten!!!  Apparently when this
woman was in the hospital a few months back, her cat got out and ran
away and she hasn't seen him since.  poor thing!  She's a little leary
of the kitten around her 3 month old grandson who visits every now and
then, but she also is smitten and is willing to try out the little one
in her household.  She's latino, so she calls the kitten "Gatita" which
is spanish for 'tiny cat'  We've told her of the risk of a FELV postive
kitten, but it she's at least willing to try it out.

She's not taking her home until next week, but i'm very happy that at
least we found a home for her.  Now we just have to pray that she
behaves herself and doesn't bite anyone.

When I open the door to the isolation room, the kitten immediately
starts meowing and kneading the floor.  Once she had climbed up the
cage door and when i opened it, the door swung open with her still
attached.  She then looked around like "Huh?  How'd i get here? And how
do i get DOWN?"

I also just LOVE how she looks at you with her head slightly titled.
You can just see the question mark above her head.  I starting rubbing
her back and she started purring and suddenly collapsed and rolled over
and I GOT TO RUB THE BITTY BELLY!!!!!!

I also stuck my hand under the towel in the cage and suddenly the bitty
saw this moving 'lump' which she immediately pounced on and tried to
kill.

I'm so gonna miss her, but i'm happy she's going to a home.

Ok gotta go eat and then hit the hay, i work bright and early tomorrow.

Kristi