and here I am, wanting to be a veterinarian

[Ivory]

Firstly, the rescue problems with MHRR have been better....but not great. Long story. Not the point of my post, lol.

Last night we had a rabbit come in with a whole lotta skin necrosis and a WHOLE LOT OF MAGGOTS. I'm talking HUGE amounts of maggots. I've seen maggots- I've seen nasty maggots. But I have to admit that, from a combination of earlier nausea and upset stomach, plus being exhausted, I almost passed out from it. It was fine until we pulled his prepuce back and an ENTIRE CLUMP OF MAGGOTS THE SIZE OF HIS PENIS FELL OUT. LITERALLY.

I really have seen a lot of gross stuff before, and it hasn't bothered me...I think it's just that I was sick beforehand, but omg, it was sooooo gross.

For those wondering, he's being brought *back* to the vet today. He was there yesterday, but it wasn't apparent how bad his maggots were until last night, when we got him home and clipped all of his hair. We also didn't see the big, nice chunk of black, dead skin. I really don't know what's going to happen to the poor rabbit. He was dumped and has a dislocated shoulder, to boot.

I haven't been able to get the image of that whole clump of maggots just coming out of his prepuce like that. I am normally fine at not associating myself with the emotions of the animal- I know that sounds weird, but it has to be done in order to work on them. But I keep imagining what kind of pain the poor bunny had to be in- or at least the amount of discomfort/itching, as he was extremely doped on pain medicine, thanks to the dislocated shoulder. Oh yeah, and his teeth were horribly malocclusion.

Really, worms/maggots don't normally bug me at all. Pus and blood don't, either. But I cannot get the image of this entire ball of maggots falling out of his little bitty prepuce. It looked like a sea anemone, with all these little tentacles.

Really. The first time I saw a surgery, it was a C-section on a dog that had been in labor for 3.5 days before the owner realized/brought it in. Its insides were quite literally falling apart and gangrenous. So were the puppies- they were literally coming apart as we removed them in pieces. Yes, they were long dead.

And that didn't bother me as much as the dang clump of maggots.

I feel sick just talking about it. I am so stressed. I'm in summer classes. Argh.

In good news, Erik and Sofie are doing well.

 

[missyscove]

One of the vets I work with is known to say, "my favorite treatment for a rabbit with maggots is euthasol" because they're so hard to cure. The vet that owns the practice insists that we call them "baby flies" because it sounds less gross.

I don't know anyone who isn't really bothered by maggots.

 

[Ivory]

Yeah....frankly I am really not sure how this is going to be treated, however....I tend to think he should probably be put down. This is extremely severe, the poor baby is going to be cleaned and picked out and God-only-knows what else. Dunno. Haven't heard from Wendy today.

Still....it was pretty nasty..

 

[tonyshuman]

So sorry you had to see that. Try to think instead about how much happier he is with those worms out. Even if they do end up euthanizing him, he isn't suffering from those baby flies you pulled out anymore. It's so sad that he had such a hard time, but he is feeling better now than he has in a long time, and you were part of that. Anything you can do to reduce suffering is for the best.

 

[Ivory]

Thanks...I feel better about it after you said that. You're right. Unfortunately, he was put down yesterday. He just looked pathetic when we saw him the next morning.

The poor little guy. I just felt so bad for him.

Sometimes I really hate people; Dad always tells me to not get mad but sometimes it just is so impossible. Why are people so neglectful? I get so very tired of seeing irresponsible people.

 

[Jessyka]

Oh god, I don't think I can become a vet tech now.

 

[tonyshuman]

At least he isn't suffering anymore. ray:

Today I nearly heaved from looking at cat earwax--we clean them out if they're gross when they're recovering from anesthesia during the spay/neuter clinics. Last time, I had no problem with the wax, cleaning out some gross stuff, but today it was just too much for some reason.