Tastes of the future

Wow, what a week.

I find it hard to know where to start!

One thing I find myself doing a lot at work is thinking. I mainly clean up after everything, and make sure everything is restocked etc. etc. which means I don't spend a lot of time around people at all. It has it's ups and downs, but it really gets you thinking about stuff you probably never would actually slow down and think about. As the three cats that are all boarding are out the back, every time I walk past at least one of them meows at me. Are they hungry? Do they just need a cuddle? Do they need more space to hide, or maybe even more blankets? Or are they just trying to say hello? I find myself craving the ability to know what they're really trying to communicate, because even though I work in a place that involves people knowing everything that the animals need, am I the only one that wishes for just once they could here it from the animal themselves? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my fellow colleagues don't actually know what they're doing, but I honestly think it would be the coolest thing ever. Some smart people need to get their brains together, and make the dog collar off the movie "UP" a reality. As well as a cat one too. One for every animal actually, thanks.

As a side note to what's been said above, I cannot stress how good it feels to pat or cuddle an animal. When you're having an average to not-so-good day, it is literally so relaxing to take a couple of minutes to a few hours just sitting down and patting an animal. This happened to me the other day, and I think this is another reason as to why I look forward to going to work so much, simply because I know, no matter how my day has been, It will almost always end well. I haven't had a bad day at work yet, but anything can happen, so I'm not saying it's not possible. I would definitely like to keep it that way, though!

Speaking of good days at work, last Saturday was an absolute blast. After finishing up my regular 4 hour shift, I was asked to stay back and help out with desexing the two little kittens we have put up for adoption. There is a multitude of reasons as to why desexing is advised, a few being so that we don't have kittens like these who cant find a home, and health reasons later on in life. So I spent the next two hours prepping the kittens, helping the nurse and monitoring heart rates and respiratory rates. It was honestly one of the most exciting things I have done since working there. These kittens are honestly some of the cutest I've seen, as much as I want to take them home myself, I can't wait to see them go off to their new forever homes. There's a little, fully black male with huge yellow eyes, and a tortoiseshell female, with similar eyes to the little boy. Fun Fact: almost all tortoiseshell cats are female! I always advocate for adoption, rather than buying from a breeder. No matter how well the breeders treat their animals, and no matter how great the babies are, it still doesn't take away the fact that there's animals out there who have either been neglected or forgotten etc. that need homes as well. Just a personal opinion, though! Also, all three of my animals were adopted, one from my work, one from the pound and another from an owner who couldn't afford to keep them.

If all my future weeks are anything like last week, I will thoroughly enjoy my job and never work a day in my life!

I hope this week can live up to it as well :3

Lizzie, x

Something old, or something new...

As everything begins to fall in place, and I find myself moving onwards and upwards in my job, I can't help but feel an immense appreciation for everything it entails. It will be a minimum of 7 months before I can begin my official studies towards being a qualified veterinary nurse, however each day my boss is beginning to trust me more and more. It's hard to believe only a month ago I was only working 6 hours a week, like I had been for the previous year, waiting and hoping for more. Now, I'm working 16 hours a week and beginning to learn the role of the vet nurse. I am also incredibly fortunate enough to be learning from some of the greatest people I know. The nurses and vets are all passionate about what they do, and most of all will do anything to help. There is a slight chance I might be bias because they're the only people I've worked with in the animal industry, but that is entirely irrelevant. They definitely know how to look after their employees/co-workers. I started answering phones this week, and honestly I was scared. I don't know about you, but there's something so terrifying about having to answer the phone and that panic you feel when someone asks you something that you are the slightest bit unsure about. Let's just say thank you to whoever invented the put on "hold" button and the vet nurse sitting next to me who was ready to take over. Once the daunting feeling of talking to someone on the phone had subsided, I found myself sitting behind the reception desk in a waiting room full of owners and their pets, proud of what I had achieved. By the end of that 4 hour shift, I had only really booked two appointments - one for vaccinations and another for stitches to be removed, and taken an eftpos payment. So in other words, not much. That wasn't the point though, it was the intense gratification of the nurse I was working with that was incredibly rewarding. As she thanked me for all my help during the day, all I could think was 'Wow, she's thanking me?! I should be thanking her!' because its not everyday a Vet will allow a nurse to teach a kennel hand their duties so quickly. How incredible!

This weeks "note-to-self"

"young or old, they're all beautiful." - this is referring to all the animals that I have come across, ever.

I have noticed, before I started actually working with animals, I had many reservations about many different animals. I didn't understand little, white fluffy dogs. In fact, if it wasn't a Labrador, I wasn't interested. Which now looking back on it, makes me kinda upset. I didn't know what I was missing out on! After the whole breed situation, I began to find myself thinking it was only the young ones that I loved, puppies, kittens, bunnies etc. and then the more older dogs that came through really opened my eyes. There really is something so inspiring about how they've lived their lives, like to us their only 12 years old which is when our lives have barely begun, but their happy lives are drawing to an end. It's crazy how many lives of theirs we could fit into ours, but this idea makes me incredibly happy, simply because this means that I will be able to help and look after so many different animals, and so may different animals will be able to touch my heart just with their presence.

So thank you, to all those animals who have opened my eyes and are taking away a part of me that was once so judgmental. I hope I can use this in other aspects of my life as well!

Like someone once said, "How good the world would be if everyone had hearts like dogs".

More later on in the week!

Lizzie, x

A Job or a Passion?

Today marks the day, I completed my first full week as a kennel hand. Now working Monday through Thursday in the afternoons and then Saturday mornings, I already feel like I am experiencing so much more. From cuddling a pug, to being gobsmacked my the size of the Leonburger dog sitting in the waiting room, the excitement is indisputable. I feel now I can help out more, and nothing makes me feel more wanted/needed, even if I am mainly cleaning.

At TAFE this week we spent most of the four hour lesson talking about cats - breeds, behaviours, and tendencies, and I am not complaining at all. Cats tend to bring such a joy even by being themselves. I can't tell whether their independence is enviable or just the way they hunt down and stalk a bug just because its moving is incredibly cute, but they are somewhat irresistible. My cat MooCow, a DSH, isn't a smoochy cat, but that's her personality and I wouldn't change her. I adopted her when she was already 6 months old so she had already made up her mind about how she felt about life and the people in it. Missy on the other hand, is completely different. Sometimes I like to pretend her name is short for mystery, because her breed is unknown, yet incredibly beautiful. MooCow goes with Missy, my other cat, like Yin and Yang. Not just because MooCow is predominantly black and Missy is white, but even in their personalities. While MooCow isn't that friendly, Missy will come sit on your lap or by your side and purr continuously like a small motorboat. They're sugar and spice and all things nice, and get along famously, despite the hesitation of having them live together. I do love them both equally, especially because they are different.

This weeks 'note-to-self'

"Knowledge is Power" - My boss enlightened me with this fact, and it could not be more relevant.

I do believe animals can provide support, comfort and unconditional love in a way that humans just cannot. I've always been the kind of person who has a few incredibly wonderful friends rather than a large group of good people. I just find it so much easier to converse in deep and meaningful conversations with someone you trust, even cats and dogs, rather than someone who will spread every last word to their other 'friends'. If there's one thing I really dislike, it's people talking badly about others behind their backs simply because they are good at something. I love animals, all aspects of their lives; health, happiness, their differences, everything. Naturally, I want to know everything about them, and why someone would see that as a bad thing, I don't understand. To those girls at TAFE, understand this: Animals are fascinating, right? We are doing this course to learn more and pursue a long and wonderful career involving them. I may already have a job in the industry, but that doesn't mean you should be 'judging' me for that. If anything, you should be interested in the stories I can tell and information I can pass on. Or at least be out there looking to find out more about what aspect of animals you are interested in, and stop being so interested in 'how much' I know. I can tell you now if your attitude towards me at the moment doesn't change, and you develop similar feelings towards other people, you will go no where fast, and find yourself unhappy, comparing yourself to people rather than focusing on yourself.

I won't stop learning, because there's nothing more exciting than expanding your passion, and living your dream.

Despite the distant relevance to animals in this post, it really does relate to what I love and how much people's petty opinions impact it, in no way at all.

Hopefully some more encouraging thoughts next time,

Lizzie, x

Making more beautiful friends

Today we went to visit some friends and their beautiful animals.

Two of their four gorgeous Husky's, I believe their names are Cookie and Isabel aka Bella.

Their beautiful one month old alpaca, Petey. This one came by surprise when they bought two female alpacas and came home one day to find one of them had given birth to this beautiful little boy! His mother's name is Daphne and her friends name is Katie.

and my favourite of them all,

their two miniature cows, Scotty and Angus.

Normally I wouldn't favour or value one species over another, however I am particularly partial to these beauties, Cows. They have been my favourite animal for quite sometime now and I will adopt one one day, it's my life goal.. along with many others.

They also have two chickens, Soy and Satay.

An adorable 8 year old Burmese cat, Lizzie.

and a 10 year old Labrador, Jacob.

I hope to have a home with this many, maybe even more, animal friends when I am older.

Lizzie, x

Nobody said it was easy,

No one ever said it would be this hard.

You would think the more you are exposed to something, the better you become at handling it. If you were talking about the common cold, then this may be the case, but when it comes to the heartache caused by the loss of a loved one, I honestly don't believe it does.

I remember my first shift as a kennel hand, I was over the moon that my career was beginning at such a young age. I was surrounded by all these animals and the only word I could use to describe them was adorable, and sometimes that's still the case.

Back then I still, obviously, had no idea how the clinic worked, but I was willing to lend a helping hand where ever possible. So here was my chance, out walked a vet holding an old ginger cat. I stepped forward but was asked to move aside and watch almost straight away. I figured I hadn't built enough trust with the vet, after being there for no more than an hour, so I watched from a few feet away. I had no experience other than a week working at the vet during year 10 about a year beforehand and respected what they asked. They brought out a needle, and I began taking mental notes on how to help with the administration of a general vaccination. So before I knew it the needle was in and the cat was falling asleep... Surely this couldn't be right, the vaccinations couldn't cause them to be that drowsy. And that was the moment I realised I had witnessed my first euthanasia.

A year later, and I have been summoned by a nurse to help a Vet in consult, this time I was warned what it was about. As the bright 9yo beagle walks into the clinic, I looked up at the family that followed him. I knew them, not well, but enough to recognize them, and somehow this made everything harder. My job was to hold him still and present his leg for the vet to put the catheter in. I was hoping that was it, however I was asked to stay while she administrated the euthanasia anesthetic. I held him as he made the transition to heaven, and as I saw his family fall apart with grief, I found it difficult to hold it in myself. Tears filled my eyes as I was asked to leave, and as soon as I shut the door, they rolled down my cheek. As he was a sufferer of bladder tumors, I knew he was now in no pain, and he was honestly in a better place, despite the love he received from his family while he was here.

I don't disagree with euthanasia at all, and I often this it is beneficial for the animal to be out of pain, then suffering. They often know when their time has come, and although they may not be dying themselves, it doesn't mean their life should not come to an end to ensure a relatively good ending to a long and happy life.

Sometimes will be less harder than others, however I don't believe the loss of an animals life will ever be easy.

It makes me thankful that my animals are here with me today,

My Missy and my MooCow

and my Sonny.

While there are these feelings of happiness, there is always a special place in my heart for Pebbles, who passed away in February, 2013 at the age of 13. She was so bright, warm and loving continuously through her long and beautiful life and I feel privileged to be a part of the family she spent her entire life with.

Animals are my life, they bring so much happiness and unconditionally love, its phenomenal.

I'm hoping for some more excitement this week, now that I'm working 5 days a week!

Lizzie, x

You'll never know dear, how much I love you.

Surrounded by teenagers who drag themselves to school everyday to satisfy the Government, with part-time jobs that cause them to be miserable at best, I can only consider myself incredibly lucky to have a job like mine. To both attend work and then leave with only the idea of a paycheck at the end of the week, like the light at the end of the tunnel, seems to be such a horrible way to live. Like many people say, including my boss, "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life". As someone who now works 3 afternoons and 2 mornings every week, as well as TAFE every Wednesday, and school every weekday, I can understand why people would want to work full time when they're doing something they love. It may seem overwhelming to take on so many shifts, considering what I already have going on, but I would never turn down an opportunity to see more, learn more and help more at my vet.

Often I find myself thinking school should have already ended by now. I don't feel as if I am 17 years old and approaching my HSC, I feel like someone who will have a Certificate II in Animal Science in a matter of months, and will then move on to study veterinary nursing. While both of these are true, I just can't wait to be completely in the workforce and being a part of such a rewarding experience.

Even on the most boring of days at work, I will always find a way to enjoy anything, whether it be colour coding pegs to the colour of the towel or arranging things in order to keep myself busy, even cleaning the towel cupboard doors every time a newspaper-ink smudge appears. You know the day's going slow when you begin to get frustrated coming across a colour that even towels shouldn't be made in, let alone pegs, and you're left with your OCD tendencies going out the window.

After last weeks work of my blossoming career, I have only realised even more how much I love what I do. I will clean windows, walls, floors, bath dogs, pat the cats and kittens and restock syringes for the as long as I have to, in order to continue doing what I have come to love. Take what you wish from it, I have only love for animals and admiration for those I work with here, I wouldn't have it any other way.

If this week has shown me anything, it's that as much as this job can be rewarding, seeing a dearly beloved dog or cat transition to heaven after a long lived life of bringing immense happiness to their families lives can never be easy. You tend to distance yourself when you see a grief stricken couple say goodbye to their 16 year old staffy, as it can still take every ounce of self control to not hug them and cry along with them.

Don't let this put you off, putting these animals out of the overwhelming pain they are in is not the nice side of a veterinary clinic to say the least. There is and always will be the most rewarding side of a vet clinic from treating an animal and guiding it back to complete health, seeing someone bring in the animal they have just adopted/rescued to welcoming new puppies and kittens into families.

This weeks 'note-to-self'

"Continuity of Life' - don't know what it is but the boss lives by it, so make it happen.

More on its way by the end of the week,

Lizzie, x

I'm no. 1

Well, I guess it only seems fitting to start with a little bit of a background.

My name is Lizzie and I'm 17 years old. I have been working in a Veterinary Clinic for almost a year now, and have been studying animal studies at TAFE for almost 2. I can honestly say I wasn't one of those kids who would dream of helping animals. I could not tell you 3 years ago that I was going to grow up and become a Vet nurse and dedicate a portion of my life to study in order to help animals. I believe it stemmed from the fact that I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, and that all animals lives became sacred and precious, something that I have most likely taken for granted for most or all of my life. I want to make up for lost time by sharing all the love I have with the animals around me. Stretching beyond cats and dogs is my ultimate goal, amongst others like opening a Veterinary Clinic with my best friend and having the Noah's Ark in our backyard. I will adopt a cow if its the last thing I do. Cats make me really happy so I have 2. As do dogs, my Sonny boy makes me so happy, simply because he is. My family of animals will be forever growing and expanding, and I will learn more and more about my furry friends to ensure their quality of life is at the maximum, or even beyond.

I can never understand how human nurses do their job, but it seems like, at this stage in my life, I can't see myself doing anything other than Vet nursing.

I will be posting more about my experiences at TAFE, and especially Work. I hope to make even the most boring tasks sounds fun, as I convince myself of this everytime I do them.

Stay tuned!

Lizzie, x