Most people envision working at a veterinary clinic to be full of puppy kisses and wagging tails. But I have to be honest, most days are full of foul smells, some sort of oozy discharge, and animals who really don’t want to be there. If you’re not careful, sometimes you’ll get a permanent reminder of an animal that will stay with you for the rest of your life. The reminders I’m talking about are scars. Scars, no matter how old, instantly take you back to the exact moment it happened. With being a vet for over 14 years, I’ve got plenty of scars. However, some of my staff have acquired scars in unusual ways. Take my wife, Kristi, for example. When we first opened in 2010, Kristi was my only employee performing both front office duties and vet tech duties each day. Before coming to Post Kristi had never worked in a vet clinic. She had to learn the proper way to hold an animal, how to draw up vaccines, etc. She was a quick learner and we became a good team running our business with just two people on staff. Today if you ask her about our early years, she may go into detail about how she was overworked and underpaid. I just tell everyone at least she had wonderful benefits and got to see my smiling face each day. Like most of us, once something is learned and performed every day, those tasks are done with hardly a thought. This is where dealing with animals adds a unique twist. No matter how many times you do something, when an animal is in the mix, you never know what will happen. Kristi learned this one day when a client brought their dog in for a nail trim. Most nail trims are simple. Simple for most, except Scrappy. With a name like Scrappy, you’re probably picturing a mid to large size dog with a mean temperament. The way Kristi retells the story, Scrappy could have been a 100lb German Shepard specially trained for combat. This was not the case. Scrappy was a small 8lb Chihuahua! Scrappy let Kristi pick him up and hold him for vaccinations with no issue, not even a yelp. However, when I took his little paw in my hand to trim his nails, he thought I was going to amputate his leg! Scrappy was able to wiggle out of Kristi’s hold long enough to flail his legs like an Olympic swimmer. A sharp nail caught the back of Kristi’s hand and cut her from wrist to finger. In our line of work washing your hands a million times a day and dealing with harsh chemicals can take a toll on a hand injury. Once it healed, a thin white line took up residence on Kristi’s hand. A permanent reminder of a dog trying to hold onto his masculinity and avoid a manicure. I don’t blame the guy. While this was Kristi’s first ‘vet related’ scar, it wasn’t her last! Ask her about the “pipe and the cow” scar. At Garza County Animal Hospital we deal with many types of animals each day in various situations, both good and bad. Things happen on occasion that we don’t expect. Many of those occasions will stick with us for the rest of our lives, just like Kristi’s scar. Let us celebrate the good in your pet’s life, along with helping in the bad. We are here for you and your pet at all times. We offer 24-7 emergency services along with house calls and farm calls. Give us a call at (806) 495-3726 any time you need veterinary help.

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