March Post

I have gotten close to the staff at Country Animal Clinic. They are great people and are very informative. They will show me x-rays or have me look at a sample under a microscope and explain what it is. This month I learned a lot about how the technicians test blood samples. They showed me how the machine works and how to insert the different types of samples into it. They have been very helpful in my senior project and have taught me a lot. Unfortunately, I only need two more hours to complete my 50. I am planning to visit one last time and complete my interview. While I am nearing the end of my mentorship, I know I will continue to be great friends with the entire staff at Country Animal Clinic and will see them occasionally when I take my dog in for checkups.

Blog 18: Fourth Interview Preparation

1. How can a veterinarian help their staff prepare for emergency situations?
2. How do you feel about euthanasia?
3. What is some advice you can give to someone looking to go into this field?
4. Why is communication important between the veterinarian and veterinary technician?
5. What is needed to run a successful veterinary practice?
6. When can you decide if euthanasia is necessary?
7. What is the first thing to do when a sick animal is brought in?
8. How many years of experience is needed to feel comfortable and really know what to do in emergency situations?
9. What is the first thing to do when an injured animal is brought in?
10. What is the most important role a veterinary technician plays within a practice?
11. What is the most important role of the veterinarian within a practice?
12. This is my essential question, _____. How would you answer this?
13. What ways do the veterinarian and veterinary technician work together?
14. What could happen if the veterinarian and veterinary technician don't communicate effectively?
15. What important skills are needed for this job?
16. How can the veterinary staff help the animal feel most comfortable while recovering from surgery?
17. How does the veterinary staff help an animal recover?
18. What is done to prepare an animal for surgery?
19. What are the most common illnesses among dogs? Cats?
20. Why are x-rays, health checks, and examinations important to the health of a pet?

Blog 17: Answer 3

1. EQ
How can a veterinarian and veterinary technician work together to best help an injured or sick animal?

2. Answer 3
Lastly, they can work together in ensuring a full recovery of an animal.

3. Three details to support the answer (fact and example)
- Technicians need to make sure the animal is able to breathe correctly and on its own after being put under with anesthesia. At my mentorship, there is a vet tech assistant that makes sure the animal is fully under and to make sure they wake up and breathe on their own after surgery.

- Part of the recovery is making sure the wound is healing properly and no infection becomes present. An example of this would be when the vet has to cut open and animal and stitch them back up; the vet has to make sure the stitches are tight and won't come undone. This ensures no infection will come to the sight of the surgery and allow for little scaring.

- The veterinary staff also needs to ensure the animal goes home with the proper medication. This could be antibiotics or pain medication. It could also include a cone, or e-collar, to ensure the animal doesn't lick the sight of the wound and cause infection or the stitches to come undone.

4. Research sources to support details and answer
- Helping Your Dog Recover After Surgery, assisianimalhealth.com
- Pets and Anesthesia, tufts.com
- Anesthesia for Pet Surgery: Risks and Safety, healthypets.mercola.com

5. Concluding sentence
"We have more to learn from animals than animals have to learn from us." - Anthony Douglas Williams - Inside the Divine Pattern

February Post

Almost done with my 50 mentorship hours. I currently have 40 hours. Have seen many interesting things at the vet clinic recently. It is currently dental month at the clinic, which means that they are offering a discount on all dentals. This includes extractions and cleanings. While attending mentorship this month, I have seen a lot of dentals. The vet techs were performing dental after dental and very busy every time I went. The vet techs told me that they get a lot of cats and dogs from West End shelter, which is a no-kill shelter not far from the clinic. So I witnesses a lot of dentals on cats from their shelter. My mentor said that they get a lot of cats and unfortunately he has to tell them that they are beyond saving and it would be a waste of their money to help them. While my mentor is sad to have to tell them that, he had to admit that they are his biggest client because they have so many animals even though the clinic offers them a special discount.  Excited for the things to come in these last few visits to reach my 50 hour goal.

Blog 16: Answer 2

1.  What is your EQ?

How can a veterinarian and veterinary technician work together to best help an injured or sick animal?

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

They can work together by communicating what they believe to be wrong with the animal and why.

3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

They can also best help the animal through examinations, x-rays, and health tests.

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.

- Examinations are important for the veterinarian to know exactly what is wrong with the animal. This is done at checkups or when the dog is not feeling well. This is when the veterinarian can diagnose the animal.

- X-rays are necessary for the veterinary staff to know where a dog is injured or where the problem is. This can help them determine if they need to perform surgery and how serious the problem is so they can better help the animal.

-Health tests are when a sample is taken from the dog to test its health. Some animals that come in get blood, feces, or urine tests. This can further help the veterinary staff determine the problem and give them a better idea on how to treat and help the animal.

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?

The Merick/ Merial Manual For Pet Health

                       

6.  What other source supports your answer?

Complete Guide to Dog Care

7.  Tie this together with a concluding thought.

Without the routine measures like examinations, x-rays, and health tests, the veterinary staff would not be able to fully understand or figure out what is wrong with the animals. 

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my 30 hours I plan to do extra hours at the veterinary clinic where I mentor, as well as continue volunteering at Priceless Pets Orphanage.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

To show my extra hours at mentorship I plan to log my hours and describe in detail what I have learned and done. For the volunteer hours at Priceless Pets, I plan to take pictures while volunteering and logging my hours there. In addition to that, I will also try to get a volunteer shirt. 

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

By doing extra hours at the clinic, I will be able to gain more knowledge of the field and talk more with the staff about my EQ and project. Volunteering at Priceless Pets is something that I enjoy doing and being allowed to do that for my independent component and earn hours is a plus. It also allows me to help animals in a different way and see how the staff runs their business and works together.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

Literal
a) I, Jessica Castillo, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 34 hours of work.

b) Priceless Pets Orphanage and Professor Rash from my Orientation and Careers in AHS class.

c) Hours up to date.

d) During my independent component, I took an Animal Health Science class, as well as volunteered at the Priceless Pets Orphanage in Chino Hills. At the college class, I learned how to become a veterinary technologist and the classes needed. I learned that Cal Poly one of very few colleges to offer a four-year vet tech program. At Priceless Pets, I learned what is needed to run a successful animal business. I walked dogs, washed and folded clothes, and cleaned kennels.

Interpretive
Through my volunteer work at Priceless Pets, I was able to get a different view on animal care. I was able to see a different job that still involved working with animals. In addition to that, I was also able to gain knowledge through attending the animal health science class. I was able to listen to different speakers that came in, most of whom were veterinarians or previous AHS students. They were very insightful and knowledgeable of the field. They made sure to let us know of the different jobs available to animal health science majors. Overall, this independent component gave me a different perspective of the animal health field, as well as knowledge and insight.

Walking Maggie.

Maggie, one of the many dogs at Priceless Pets.

Transcript from AHS class

Applied

This component helped me understand the different occupations available within the animal science/vet med field. It also let me experience a different side of animal health care. Through my volunteer work at Priceless Pets, I was able to help animals in need in my spare time and it was a great experience. Through the AHS class I was able to learn more about the field of veterinary medicine. I was able to meet the many women, and some men, that wanted to become veterinary technologists. I was also able to listen to many speakers, veterinarians and previous students, and learn from their experiences and hear what they had to say about the vet med field, as well as their job.