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Show Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 Page 6 We Fit Your Needs Shots, surgeries and sick animals A day in the life of a veterinarian MATERNITY INSURANCE By MANETTE NEWBOLD Costs as little as $75 - $175 / MONTH Pays out as much as $5000 - $7000 Must be in effect 10 months BEFORE you deliver Works great with other health insurance policies Great prices on all Life, Health, Auto & Renters Cache Valley Insurance, Inc. 94 South Main, Logan (435) 7524560 Ask for Curtis Craig. Still Paying Rent? "First Time Homebuyers Class" When: Thursday, Oct. 25th, 7:00-8:00pm Where: University Inn, Conference Rm. 510 Cost: Free! Taught by John Neil from Wasatch Mortgage Solutions Call 435-770-2709 to reserve your spot features editor Pulling staples, squishy balls and animal toys out of dogs' stomachs are some of the strangest things Melissa Hillegass has done while working. As a veterinarian at Mountain View Veterinary Health Center, Hillegass said ever)' day is unique as she works with small and exotic animals and their owners. "The most challenging and enjoyable part of my job is that since animals can't tell you what's going on, you have to figure it out," Hillegass said. She discovers how to help animals by doing x-rays and tests. "I love a mystery. I even read mystery novels in my free time." That is, if she gets free time. Hillegass emphasizes that veterinarians have a service profession, and that can mean working late nights, weekends and holidays. Sometimes the profession entails being called at 2 a.m. by drunk people who weren't worried about their animal and barely noticed it was sick after a couple of days, she said. "Other times I'm called at 2 a.m. by people who wake up in the middle of the night and their dog is suddenly comatose," she said. She added veterinarians have to be compassionate in those situations. "That's what makes a great vet," Hillegass said. Even though she never has the same day twice, Hillegass said a typical days consists of doing things out of three main categories - vaccinations, surgery and treating sick animals. Her favorite animals to work with are the little furry ones, she said. Although she mostly works with the small animals, she also works with the larger animals at Willow Park Zoo, from the bobcat to the elk. She also works with reptiles and birds, although she doesn't become as attached to them, she said. Hillegass said the hardest part of her job is having the ability to treat an animal but not being able to. "It may be because of their personality or because their owner can't afford it. Maybe we're trying to help, but they are trying to eat us," she said. "Some think it's putting animals to sleep, and yean, that's hard, but you re giving them a release." She said she'll never put an animal down unless it is very old, ill or has a disease that can't be treated. "Never because someone is moving or because the animal doesn't match the new color of their furniture," Hillegass said. "A lot of the animals that I put to sleep, I've been intimately involved in their lives." Hillegass said becoming a vet takes four years of school plus prerequisites. She said she was planning on going into theater when she decided to go to vet school instead during her third year in college. She then had to take chemistry and biology classes. It's common for students to switch into vet school, Hillegass said. She said she knew people who did it who had majored in history, psychology, as well as someone who spent 15 years in construction. "It's important that people know that its good to be wellrounded," she said. "Learning communication is important. You KSM | Your local music shop GUItHRS G 8HSSES ' DRums e PERcussion HOmE COmPUtER RECORDIflG LIUESOUnDCP.fi. mUSIC ROOKS G VIDEOS PRIUfitE LESSORS www.ksmmusic.com 50 W 400 N (435)753-6813 VET TECHNICIAN, BECKY REESE, makes sure Max is able to breathe on his own after surgery.While being neutered, the dog had a tube down his throat which pumped gas and oxygen into his body, allowing him to breath easier. DEBRA HAWKINS photo MELINDA HILLEGASS NEUTERS MAX, a young Shih Tzu that was brought into her clinic Monday. She said her favorite thing about being a vet is doing surgeries. DEBRA HAWKINS photo don't have to be a lab rat." Hillegrass graduated in May 1995 from Colorado State University and has been a vet ever since. She met her husband, James Israelson, in vet school due to alphabetical seating and now works with him at Mountain View, his focus being large animals. Working with animals is much like working with people, Hillegass said. The vets use many of the same tools and monitor the animals during surgery similar to how a doctor would a human. As she neutered Max, a Shih Tzu, on Monday, Hillegass said she used a $10,000 monitor that kept track of Max's heart rate, blood pressure, pulse, CO2 level and temperature. A surgical catheter was inserted into a vein in Max's right leg, so that just in case he reacted to something, Hillegass and her technician, Becky Reese, could quickly give him medicine. However, there are definite differences in working with animals, Reese said. "Unlike human medication, we have to deal with a bit more hair," Hillegass said as she shaved the lower part of Max's leg so she could insert the catheter. Reese also had to shave the lower part of Max's stomach so Hillegass would have access to his testicles, where the surgery would take place. She also had to hold Max's head while Hillegass inserted the IV catheter because "biting does unfortunately happen with this job," she said. Reese also said some animals don't have control over their bladders, so it's not uncommon for her or Hillegass to be peed on. Everything must be sterile during surgery, Hillegass said. In The Convergys World, We've: • Implemented a defined Customer Service Career Path that can lead to 3 promotions, raises and bonuses in your first year (with top performance) • Introduced new incentives that can pay you up to $7.75 per sale in addition to your hourly rate (no sales quotas) • Successfully launched our Home Agent Program • Honored 30+ employees as Champions in "The Power of One" Peer Recognition Program Interested in OUR world? CALL TODAY! 435-750-1414 Or apply online www.convGrgys.com Walk-Ins Welcome! 1525 North 600 East North Logan CONVERGYS > • • • • Outthinking Outdoing Oonverp.yH ft ,in EGE M/F/D/V. 0 VETERINARIAN MELINDA HILLEGASS shaves Shih Tzu Max's leg so she can insert an IV catheter. Her vet technician, Becky Reese, holds his head in case he bites. Unlike human medicine, vets deal with a bit more hair, Hillegass said. DEBRA HAWKINS photo On Monday Reese rubbed Max's stomach with iodine and alcohol. Hillegass wore a mask, hair net and rubber gloves as well as a sterile green robe. The areas surrounding the surgical area of Max's body were covered with blue towels and clamped to the dog's skin to prevent hair and bacteria getting in the body. He was also laid on a heating pad so he would stay warm through the surgery. Hillegass then begans making small incisions to neuter the dog. When the procedure was over, Hillegass also did paperwork and updated Max's medical record on her computer. Then Reese called his owner to set up a time when she could pick him up. They would send him home with pain medication, after his owner paid for the surgery. Hillegass said there is no insurance for dogs like there is for humans, and bills are paid up front. "Some people say they want to become vets because they don't want to work with people, but they have to deal with people," she said, adding that pet owners are generally appreciative for the work vets do. "I would encourage people to get plenty of exposure if they want to be a vet," she said. "It's a lot of hard work, time, energy and money to get here." She mentioned a vet also has to be a business person as well as a doctor, and students who graduate from vet school have more options than working in animal clinics. They can also work for pet food companies or help with vaccine production, among several other professions that deal with animals. For pet owners, Hillegass suggests paying attention to their animal's health and bringing it in when they suspect something is wrong. She also suggests finding the right vet for them. "I don't expect to be the vet for everyone in Cache Valley," she said. "I think there's a vet for everybody and everybody for a vet. If they're not sure where to go, could bring their pet in for a cleaning or nail trim to try the vet on for size and see if there is a personal connection." Owners should also pay attention to whether or not the vet is clean and if the employees are friendly, she said. They can also see how their cat or clog reacts. Hillegass also mentioned vet clinics can be certified by the American Animal Hospital Association, which Mountain View is. That means the clinic has advanced monitoring systems, medical records and low mortality rates. Mountain View Veterinary Health Center is located at 1702 N. 800 East in North Logan. Fdr questions and appointments call 1 752-8251. ! ~manette.n@aggiemail.usu.edu |