Somehow I've managed to keep my working self and my writing/academic self wide apart. None of my poems or stories mention animals and there has been no reason to mention my profession to my uni tutor/supervisor. Animals, especially pets, often give writing a sentimental undertone so I guess I have avoided them, except in practice newsletters and brochures. I thought I'd better put the record straight and prove that I am devoted to my patients and enjoy the company of my co-workers - after all I spend the greater part of my waking life with them!
Although I have a special interest in the medicine of cats I see far more dogs in a day than cats. I have no pics of them though as I haven't had to present a dog in an assignment lately! I also see a fair number of rabbits, some guinea pigs and birds, an alpaca and the odd cow. Although I used to own a farm animal practice where I saw and treated any species in a day, including ostriches, emus, koalas, goats, sheep, cattle, horses, camels, and tigers (I've treated two!), I now concentrate on animals that can be carried/led into the practice.
Our clients all come to us by word of mouth. We are off the highway in a quiet part of Canberra which has very little passing traffic and new clients often miss our sign. So our clients are generally self-selected: they treat their pets as part of the family, give their pets' health financial priority and take our advice seriously. Such a change from the bush where I saw a wide cross-section of society and animal owners every day. Stock owners valued my work according to the value of the beast, pet owners varied from those who treated their pets as disposable to those who were emotionally dependant on them.
When we are having a bad day (translation: every consult is a euthanasia/ an old canine friend is given a bad diagnosis/ we can't get an answer on why a cat is rapidly deteriorating/ a patient dies under anaesthesia) we make a fuss of a puppy and have a cuddle with a kitten or have a good communal sob!
Isn't it interesting that this post has quite a different tone to the others? Posts about my daily life are a little philosophical and tend to sound like a story. This is more colloquial, at least for me, and mimics my work self. The work self that is upbeat and busy but professional and kind.
