The ripple effect.
As a general practitioner veterinarian, do you have days when you feel like your service has minimal impact? That you’re not really saving lives or making a tangible difference?
Well think again…
Not so long ago, I was doing a routine annual vaccination on an ordinary, young Cavoodle who for the sake of anonymity we will call Oscar. Oscar was a healthy dog whose only aberration from normality on clinical examination was low grade dental disease. A discussion ensued about performing a routine scale and polish at his next visit with the possibility of some minor extractions. All very routine and ho-hum at this stage, right?
Wrong.
Through the course of the consultation, his delightful owner informed me that Oscar was a delta therapy dog. To quote in their own words, from the Delta therapy dogs’ website…
“Our purpose is to help animals and people bring joy to each other.
Our programs include visits to hospitals, aged care facilities, mental health facilities, dementia wards, palliative care, disability services, health clinics, schools, correctional facilities and workplaces.
Our volunteer teams bring joy to the lives of those in need. We brighten the lives of approximately 20,000 people around Australia each week.”
It turns out, my patient Oscar goes into a cardiac ward once a week and spreads his love. Many times, his owner told me, the patients start cuddling Oscar and tears of joy, literally roll down their face. What an indispensable job Oscar has each week! The effect he has on his patients may not be directly measurable but can be assumed to enhance their physical and psychological outcomes.
It is vital then, that Oscar maintains his health. It is imperative that his dental disease is detected early and treated. It is important that his vaccinations and parasite prevention regime is strictly maintained.
Just as a pebble dropped in a pond has an obvious ripple effect, my seemingly unexciting role in maintaining Oscar’s health, was fundamental to his role as a therapy dog.
In the big picture of life, never underestimate the value of your role as a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse. You might not feel like you are saving lives whilst in the jungle of preventative care but you might not actually see the lives that you are saving…..
(Note: This is not a photo of "Oscar")