Dogs and Health Issues: No One’s Perfect

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Having three dogs (and three cats), there’s always something going on, health-wise. Being a vet helps as I can assess when things can be managed at home with oral medications and when it’s time to take the next step. People think we as vets have it easy, as we can sort our own animals out and save some money this way. A common misconception. Some vets are more grounded than others, but I get quite anxious when something’s off with one of my fur babies. And the month of January brought us a few minor health issues to deal with.

Lava and Her Limping

Those of you who read some of my previous stories may have gathered by now that Lava is a real troublemaker. So in the last two months, she started limping on one of her front legs, on and off. Since she is mischievous and regularly runs off to the woods and to my neighbor’s place to wreak havoc chasing his dogs, it was no wonder she would come back with a limp. But instead of it happening only after strenuous activity, her limping became a daily occurrence, and it became obvious that it was bothering her.

Lava always likes coming with me to the clinic. She gets pampered wherever she goes and gets to sleep on the sofa while we’re working, as well as watch other animals. I used the opportunity to X-ray her legs one night shift, but unfortunately, she also required a CT scan. This is when I stopped being a vet and put my trust in my work colleagues to advise me like they would any other dog owner. It turns out that Lava has nasty inflammation and early arthritis in her left elbow joint. This is where a second problem arises, and that is strict rest. She is just not the type of dog that can be forced to rest, and I am turning into one of those pet parents who just can’t follow their vet’s advice. I of course blame it all on Lava.

Time for Hela’s Dental Work

Hela is one of the toughest dogs I know. Having survived malnourishment in Greece, she bounced back and is now a happy and healthy girl, despite having Leishmaniasis. She is a very head-shy dog, and it took me more than a year to start to gain her trust, which still isn’t complete. She has just recently allowed me to start cleaning her paws after a walk, and even then, she will sometimes growl. But with her taking daily meds for Leishmaniasis, I got a good look at her teeth, and boy was that a sight to see! One of her upper canine teeth became discolored and clearly diseased, while her breath has recently become intolerable. Again, some may say, why not just get your own dog’s teeth done when working in the clinic, but even thinking about it makes me cringe. I no longer look at her or Lava like just dogs, they’re my family. And doing anesthetics or operating on family is just too stressful. So Hela is in for her dental next week and should hopefully have her fresh breath and white smile back!

Newest Addition, Lajka

And the latest arrival, a little Alpine Dachsbracke, is currently winning the hearts of my neighbor’s male dogs. Yes, she is in season. She’s been with us for a month now, and we need to wait a little while before she can get spayed. With Lava being 4 years old and Hela probably somewhat younger, Lajka is probably just over a year old, looking at her behavior and physical characteristics. They make a nice team and are getting along well, with Lajka fitting in with the cats and dogs so easily as if she picked us after a long search.

Vets’ Dogs Also Get Sick

It’s great being a vet and helping other people’s animals. But it’s not so great when one of mine is sick and I know how bad it can get. Besides, I’m also a worrier when it comes to them and always think of the worst possible scenarios. When I do my shifts in the clinic, over the last few years, I realize my pet parent brain is also on in the background, which makes me more empathetic and considerate when speaking to worried clients, as I know exactly how they feel. It’s a tough business being a pet parent these days.