This past week was my first week of two on critical care. It was quite busy. I had only one patient the whole week. How does one patient keep me busy for a week? Well here's how:
15 year old dog
kidney disease
diabetes
bladder stones
head tremors
jerky head and front limb movements
minimally responsive at times
mentally dull
unable to use hind limbs
cataracts in both eyes
not eating at all
diarrhea
He was doing better near the beginning of the week but later on in the week he just seemed to go downhill. It was too bad to see him get worse but when you're an old dog with failing kidneys and diabetes that isn't controlled it's just not a good deal. I took over his case on Monday and I sent him home last evening with a tube going directly in the side of his neck into his esophagus so that he could be fed.
While I kept this one case all week and didn't have another patient, my classmate who is on critical care with me had five animals. Everytime she would get a patient it would either die or go home the next day so she was always available to take a transfer from the ER in the mornings. So, while she changed patients a lot, I just kept chugging. My guy was a ton of work though with his many medications and all the lines and tubes hooked up to him so I don't think I was slacking.
Today I had a young dog who has had some health problems and unfortunately will end up being euthanized tonight by another veterinarian. So, if there are any transfers to critical care tomorrow morning I will be up first to take the new patient.
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