One of my favourite parts of the working year is the holiday season. There's something satisfying about the mad rush to get everything done before Christmas, knowing that at some point there will be a day off to enjoy the company of family and friends. It is a time to appreciate all that we have and to look forward to all that the New Year will bring.
Having been in academics for a number of years, one of the things that I now miss about the holiday season are the visits from clients at this time of year. I was always amazed at how clients were so generous when they had paid us for a service. Thousands of dollars for bi-lateral cataract surgery, or months of chemotherapy that ended in devastating loss never stopped them from coming in to thank us from the bottom of their heart. Cards, food, flowers and gifts would pour in, almost to the point that it was too much to handle. The outpouring of generosity was humbling. Having people acknowledge our services over the last year or merely offer support as we worked long holiday hours when everyone else had the day off. It was because this outpouring of kindness that always reminded me that no matter how much we charge for our services, clients appreciate that we care as much as they do for their animal companions.
Today the holidays are a different story for me though. In New Zealand, the arrival of summer coincides with Christmas and the end of the academic year so the students are graduating and everyone gets a long break to enjoy the holiday festivities and warm weather. The Southern Hemisphere summertime Christmas has taken some getting used to, but now I love it for the long lazy days, casual holiday gatherings and plenty of time for friends and family. It is, more than anything, a real sense of celebration that summer has finally arrived.
Just as with Northern Hemisphere Christmas, the end of the year means remembering hazards that the holiday season can pose for pets. Now, I draw on years of experience working on holidays as I teach my students about how important it is to be extra vigilant when caring for pets during the holidays so that they can one day educate their own clients. I teach them of the risks of pancreatitis from overfeeding fatty foods to pets, or risks of toxicities from feeding onions, raisins, chocolate, alcohol, yeasted bread dough, or candy sweetened with xylitol. Also mentioned are the toxic effects of ingesting common holiday plants like mistletoe and lilies, or the risks of foreign bodies and impactions from holiday decorations. Even medications left out by houseguests can result in an urgent trip to the veterinary hospital on Christmas eve.
While it is true that many of us will be working the holidays and seeing yet another case of chocolate toxicity or pancreatitis from overindulging on leftovers, this still is a time to remember that the job we do is so much more than a service and the appreciation is more than enough to remind me why I still love working in the veterinary community today.
From all The Veterinary Nurse team, we wish you a happy holiday season and hope that you get a chance to enjoy being with friends and family that mean the most to you.
We hope you enjoy this issue.