2 weeks in Belfast

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Full disclaimer, this happened several weeks ago, I am only just getting around to typing it up.

So for part of my course, we have to complete a certain amount of hours of "extra-mural studies" in practice. At the end of my 2nd year, we only had to do 80 hours so I booked 2 weeks in a first opinion and referral practice in Belfast. My friend lives and works at the place, so I stayed with her and we did some touristy things around Ireland, like going to see the Giant's Causeway.

In my first week at the practice, I mostly just observed, trying to remember everyone's names and what I'd learnt in the last year. The practice focussed a lot on neurology and orthopaedics, so I observed and did several neurological exams. 

I got to practice loads of clinical skills like blood draws and placing IV catheters. We missed out of doing most of that in first year because of covid.

Because my friend is a nurse there, I had a bit of an "in", and got to do a lot more than I probably would have done otherwise. Little stuff like using the ultrasound to check the bladder in a Dachshund with a spinal injury, which might not sound like much but it was pretty cool!

I observed loads of heart scans which was awesome, and I learnt a lot there! Unfortunately the cardiologist was on annual leave for the 2 weeks I was there, but one of the other vets was learning how to do heart scans and showed me how to do them. 

I scrubbed in on a TPLO surgery, and got to drill some of the pins into the bone, and I assisted with a surgical catheter placement - the poor dog had a ruptured bladder that needed repair, and a whole lot of scar tissue that made placing a catheter very difficult. Embarassingly, I got a bit too hot in theatre and had to sit down or I would have fallen into the patient! 

A few of the interesting things I learnt:

  • Pimobendan is very effective at treating heart failure in dogs
  • Cataract surgery is called phaecomuslification
  • Dogs with diabetes are more likely to get cataracts due to impaired glucose metabolism
  • When reversing medetomidine, use half the amount of atipamezole for cats, and the full dose for dogs
  • On ultrasound, you can differentiate the liver and spleen because the liver will have white coated vessels 

 


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