Difficult veterinary clients and an experienced old vet
Channel: Dr David Sing
Date: 2014-03-05

I spoke to the senior vet yesterday Mar 6, 2014. 

The golf-ball tumour behind and below the ear in the old Boxer (not Bulldog) was excised by blunt dissection and electro-coagulation. It was a malignant spindle cell tumour. There was bleeding as his nurse had told me there was no bleeding. Bleeding was controlled. This senior vet loves surgery and is a handy man as well in repairing his own anaethestic machines. Much can be learnt from him and his old vet nurse, as regards efficiency and productivity of surgical procedures taking a much shorter time compared to vet text book writings and university teachings. 

Some 30 years ago, when I was a young vet doing national service in the Dog Unit, we operated on an Army German Shepherd with patent ductus arteriosis without the need for the ventilator as would be expected by any young vet nowadays. The chest was opened up and of course, the vet professors had taught that the ventilator must be present to inflate the lungs! If not the lungs would collapse. I did the job of g the ventilator by pressing the bag. The surgery was successful and the dog went back to the Army for duty. No fees were charged. The dog was scheduled for euthanasia as he could not perform his guard dog duties. He is wiling to teach if the young vet is willing to learn and spend time with him. Some of the surgeries done by him can be successfully done in 1/3 the time an average vet will perform!

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