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Sean Spindel

Mr. Corbo

English 12/4

23 April 2017

An Animal is No Longer Just an Animal, It's Science

What I know

There is a story that my mother told me about when I was five years old. I was outside

our Las Vegas home and saw something in the pool. Without thinking, I immediately jumped into

the clear, glistening water and carried out a gecko that was gasping for air. I walked into the

house, went up the stairs, and went into my parents room, clothes soaked with a tiny 4 inch lizard

lying in my hands. This was the beginning of an amazing life long journey.

I have had numerous experiences in the past few years where I have been exposed to the

profession of veterinary medicine. Ive shadowed at veterinary hospitals where I've seen a

splenectomy on a dog, numerous sutures, regular check ups and even euthanasias. I also spent a

week at Colorado State University taking a program for high school students to learn what is

involved in veterinary school and the career. Not only have I had a lot of animals, but I have also

hand reared orphaned wild animals. I have had a field mouse with her eyes still closed put into

my hands and have had to do research how to take care of a creature I knew nothing about. I feel

now as though I have an overview of veterinary medicine and what it takes to be a vet. All of

these experiences truly made me certain about what my future holds.

Every single project where I could choose a personal interest has been focused on

veterinary medicine or animals. Over the years, I have accumulated a lot of info on becoming a

veterinarian, what is veterinary medicine, and how to get there. I wrote numerous papers on
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veterinary medicine and animals care, as well as presenting many presentations to my fellow

classmates.

At Colorado State University, each day was divided into a different aspect of veterinary

medicine. The first day was an overview, while the next was how to get into vet school, and after

that going into the anatomy lab or their hospital where I saw many different cases of different

animals in different situations. I have come across orphaned animals including a field mouse and

a pigeon. I raised them myself and it truly determined where my path in life lies.

My understanding that it takes 8 years of college to become a veterinarian became

relevant at the beginning of my Junior year in high school. This fact did deter me because

thinking of graduating school when I am around 26 years old made me nervous and unsure. As

time went on, I realized that schooling is such a small and important part of my life that details

the rest of my life, so there is no reason to not go to school because of the required time. It was

also very interesting to learn that veterinarians don't make that much money compared to what

they do. I know most things about the veterinarian life may make other people decide to not go

into the profession, but apparently I'm not apart of that category.

Since I have always wanted to become a veterinarian, my interests have revolved around

both animals and medicine. During my free time, I have just researched about veterinary

medicine, or I've watched documentaries or shows that revolve around veterinarians. I have

spent hours at vet offices, pet sitting, conducting research, and talking to vets and professors

around the country to help lead me in the right direction to achieve my dream and goal.

What I Want to Find Out

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Even with what I know, there is so much in veterinary medicine that is still untouched by

my eyes. The amount of information that still has to be processed by my brain is still too much to

think about, but I feel inclined to learn as much as I can now. When I was younger, an animal

was an animal, and nothing more to it. Being a veterinarian seemed so easy and so possible. The

children's books only talked about the fun parts, not the exhausting and difficult work it takes to

get there, or the numerous hours unslept due to trying my best to do well in school. Now, an

animal is made up of trillions of cells and each specie has a different anatomy. College is an 8

year commitment and the veterinary school is one of the most selective to get into. The more I

become aware, the more stressed but excited Ive become.

Having a veterinarian mentor that I can trust and rely on to help lead my path to my

future career would relieve some anxiety I have built up over the years. A mentor is not only for

15 hours, a mentor is someone that I will always look up to when I have difficulty or need

motivation on my path to become a veterinarian. What's the best way to get into veterinary

school? What should I major in? are just a few of the many questions I have had in the past

that veterinarians who have been in the same situation were able to answer and guide me with

these important decisions and questions.

I am getting close to huge milestones where these decisions are starting to affect my life

long-term, and to have clarification and trust in what I want to become is a major aspect of this

decision. College is only a few months away and everything I am doing will have to revolve

around getting accepted into graduate school and become a veterinarian. Am I the right type of

person to become a veterinarian? I always thought so, but the older Ive gotten, the more

questions and doubts I have that I need to answer and address.

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The Research

I have spent 1770 minutes, or about 30 hours just in class looking into and learning

veterinary medicine. I would not be able to figure out how many hours outside of class has been

spent understanding the career field I wish to pursue. Each day, I came into class to read an

article, read All Creatures Great and Small, or watch videos dealing with the same topic. I dived

into numerous topics that go alongside Veterinary medicine, so that I could fully understand what

my intentions were going forward with schooling. As I dived into this very open-ended career, I

realized that I need to figure out what kind of animals I would like to work with.

I knew my mentor previously because I had shadowed her on my free time and I thought

about how great it would be to work with a familiar face. I went in and presented an entire

explanation about my project, to which she agreed. The first time I shadowed her for this project

was only 3 hours, but it was on an emergency shift. I was able to see a side of veterinary

medicine I've never seen before; emergency medicine. I walked into this 24 hour veterinarian

hospital at 7pm to find the doctor in the x-ray room taking x-rays of a pomeranian that came in

because it was acting odd, had bloody and black excretions, and started having seizures. Since

this dog had the possibility to have another seizure, the veterinarian and technicians created a

safe way to tell if the dog is having a seizure without being next to the dog; a white string with

bells wrapped around the dog's neck like a collar. This collar works because when the dog is

having a seizure and their body is convulsing, they can hear the bells anywhere in the hospital.

While taking x-rays, the dog began to seize and the veterinarians mood immediately switched as

she demanded for a certain cc of glucose. This dog was using more glucose (sugar) than it could

produce. The main objective that I learned in this experience, but it important in all cases is to

stabilize (Rice-Watkins). I was able to see the placement of the central line (jugular catheter)
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through the neck that would lead only one inch from the heart! Two and a half hours later, this

same dog was awake and sitting up which was an amazing and promising sign. This was a very

important lesson for me because I saw a dog that went from stable to unstable and back to stable

again, while the veterinarian is trying to figure out what is wrong. It is so difficult for a

veterinarian to diagnose an animal with hardly any prior knowledge of the particular dog. There

are so many different possibilities that it takes a while to figure out what is causing symptoms

when the cure isn't blatantly clever.

During my first time mentoring, I was also able to see the other side of veterinary

medicine. The veterinarian and veterinarian technicians monitor the animals, create notes and

medical plans for pets and their owners, and clean the hospital. They work on their computers to

create documents for the pets they worked on during that day.

The second time I mentored, I was able to talk with the veterinarian for a little while

because it was a slow day at the veterinary hospital. We had a conversation about the

characteristics of a veterinarian and they explained you need a certain tenacity, a 4.00 GPA, and

be at the top of vet school for internships. The veterinarian also recommended I switch my major

to biochemistry because she sees the future of veterinary medication going towards that kind of

science (Abel). Later that day, there was a scheduled euthanasia, which I wasnt able to attend

due to the family's privacy, but the doctor came back with tears in her eyes and said, This is the

hardest part of the job. It never gets easier and if it does, I would need to look into a new career.

(Abel).

I have found so many intriguing and interesting articles from American Veterinary

Medicine Association. A perfect article that made me realize that medicine is always changing,

especially in veterinary medicine, was an article by R. Scott Nolen called Veterinary

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Marijuana? (Nolan) As we have become more progressive country and marijuana is become

legalized in more and more states, both medically and recreationally, we should look into the

benefits of medical marijuana in veterinary medicine. A pet owner Denise explained that People

need to understand that this isn't about getting my dog high. Its about improving his quality of

life. (Nolan) Every veterinarian that was interviewed explained that It shows that it helps, but

more research is needed. There will always be new and intriguing research and data in the

world, but being qualified means you look into it and make sure that accusations are true.

Before I go into veterinary medicine, I realized I need to be ready for learning new

methods and techniques for the rest of my life. Just because I graduate college doesnt mean my

brain is filled with all the knowledge I need as a veterinarian, the experience, internships, and

jobs will give me new information that wouldve never been learned or covered in school. I

reviewed the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2016 and realized that

these types of articles will be in my hands all the time, staying up to date with health threats to

animals. This 11 page compendium covered almost everything I could have wanted to know

about rabies prevention and in the first few paragraphs it says, The compendium is reviewed

and revised as necessary with the most current version replacing all previous versions (Brown,

et.al.) This quote just reinforced that idea that my learning may never halt. From this journal, I

realized that rabies is still a large threat to animals everywhere and stopping this disease is quite

a difficult task. There are so many diseases and illnesses out there and Im not positive if I have

the mental capacity to know and understand all of them and their treatments. During my

mentorship, I was able to see all the posters on their walls to help them figure out what is wrong

with their patients, which I think would be very helpful.

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As time goes on, more and more people are seeing pets as members of their family rather

than just animals, which is good for veterinarians because they are able to do what they feel

needs to be done. I thought animal welfare would be a good section of veterinary medicine to

look into because there are going to be many cases that I will deal with where the animal is not

being treated the way it should. The University of Pennsylvania Law School published a Journal

of Animal Law and Ethics that went over the difficult task of laws dealing with animals,

especially due to negligence and abuse. The main questions for soon-to-be lawyers that would

like to going into animal law is if they can actually make a living practicing animal law after

graduating (Ellison, et.al.). The journal dived into the Animal Welfare Act that was created in

1966 which regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transports, and by

dealers. (Animal Welfare Act) The difficulty of laws dealing with animals lies with

exceptions due to normal agricultural practices and since animals dont have a voice it is very

difficult for people to speak on their behalf. The common idea that courts have due to this type of

law is Private civil enforcement does nothing to undermine the notion of animals as property

that can be subjected to any treatment not deemed unnecessarily cruel (Ellison, et.al.).

During my senior year spring break, I was fortunate enough to travel to Costa Rica to

volunteer at a wild animal rescue. This rescue had Howler Monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Capuchin

Monkeys, Hedgehogs, a Porcupine, a Marmoset, Kinkajous, Olingos, a turtle, sloths, and many

different types of birds. This works hand in hand with my Capstone project because I was able to

work with a veterinarian on site at the rescue. I was also able to see and help with the husbandry

of so many different animals. I cleaned cages, fed animals, and helped clean and maintain the

center. Being at the rescue for a week made me positive that when I become a veterinarian, I

would like to work at a wild animal rescue center. Working with so many different cases and
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rehabilitating or hand rearing exotic animals seems so fascinating to me. Being with so many

new animals, especially primates made me positive that this life path is perfectly meant for me.

This vet has healed sloths that have had severe burns, needed amputations, or babies that have

been abandoned. He has helped every single animal at the rescue to make sure they are healthy

and happy. I could not see myself happier anywhere else than at an animal rescue center helping

animals that's last chance is in my hands.

One in Six thats the number of veterinarians that have considered suicide. The very

first mental health survey on veterinarians showed that veterinarians are more likely to suffer

from psychiatric disorders, experience bouts of depressions, and have suicidal thoughts

compared with the U.S. adult population (Larkin). I found this fact to be devastating and I dont

understand how that is possible. If you are doing what you love, which is why most veterinarians

are veterinarians, why would you go into a depression or have suicidal thoughts. This is really

good to understand because now I know to me careful and really watch my mental health,

especially when I go into that career field. 14.4 percent of males and 19.1 percent of females

who are veterinarians have considered suicide since graduation. This is three times the U.S.

national mean. (Larkin) I have always been told that if you love what you do, youll never work

a day in your life, but now I can see that isnt always the case. Not enough people realize the toll

certain experiences can put on your mental health. Everybody, but especially veterinarians need

to make sure their mental health is good before adding more trauma and stress to their lives.

If you walked into a doctor's office and was about to get a major surgery and you saw

your doctor who was maybe 30, would you trust them? Maybe the answer would be a yes, but

for most people thats a no. As I was reading All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot kept

on having the same dilemma for the first bit of his veterinary career out of school. James Herriot
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graduated from veterinary school and went to work for a country doctor in a small town called

Darrowby in the Yorkshire Dales. He begins his story by talking about being a newly qualified

veterinary surgeon in this year of 1937 was like taking out a ticket for the dole queue (Herriot

8). For about the first couple months of his new career, every time he went to a case the owners

wanted the older, more qualified veterinarian to come out and work with their pets. It took

until the people actually knew James before they trusted him to make any choice on behalf of

their animals. I realized that this will be the case for every veterinarian. I do believe that most

older veterinarian could be considered more qualified, but the younger ones that recently got out

of school understand the most recent techniques and research. James goes into explaining that his

boss, Farnon, was his supervisor for quite awhile to watch and guide him through all of his

new experiences regarding veterinary medicine (Herriot 30). I think this is really good for both

sides because the new veterinarian can see old techniques and see what Farnon has gained from

years of work, but also Farnon to see all of the new methods and idea.

A recurring explanation kept getting brought up in All Creatures Great and Small, but I

found the perfect quote at the end of the book that explained it all; Considering we spent our

honeymoon tuberculin testing it was a big success. (Herriot 435) Through the entire book,

James Herriot kept explaining that once youre in the profession of veterinary medicine, you are

never not working. Veterinarians get calls throughout the night, on vacation, with other cases,

and even minutes after taking care of that patient. Veterinarians need to realize that they will

never have an off day or a dull moment.1

Why is This Important to Me

1 Herriot, James. All Creatures Great and Small. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1973.
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Diving into such a big part of my life and able to see and learn about all the things I will go

through and see has widened my perspective to levels I never thought possible. I am now able to

talk about my future with the confidence that I understand clearly what is expected of me and

what will occur during my career.

If I wasnt working on this project, going to Costa Rica may have just been a fun

volunteer project, but because I was able to reflect and explain my thoughts I was able to realize

what I wanted to do. My ultimate goal now is to go to vet school, graduate, get more experience,

and then go and work at an animal reserve or rescue to help wild animals that wouldnt have a

chance if it wasnt for the veterinarians. There are already so many veterinarians in the world,

but there arent enough helping conservation and the protection of wildlife. I would like to be

able to be apart of the movement to help this world become a better place. If I could teach and

show people the outcome of protect wildlife, my life wouldnt only be complete, but I would feel

as though I completed my destiny in life.

Since I was required to do a mass amount of research, I gained an interest in reading

research articles about veterinary medicine. Every article or research paper that I read in-depth,

another idea or understand is learned. Sitting down and learning something new about my future

career is more exciting and makes me more ecstatic than I thought was possible while reading.

This is for fun, but it is also going towards the end product; my life as a veterinarian.

For years, I have talked to veterinarians and gained a lot of understanding about where

my life was headed, but after sitting and working with veterinarians for hours on end and asking

numerous questions I have gained not only friends but mentors and people I have for anything I

need related to veterinary medicine. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to work on this project

and see my life path get set in stone.

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Works Cited

Abel, Celeste. Personal Interview, March 18, 2017.

"Animal Welfare Act." United States Department of Agriculture. USDA, 01 Jan. 2013. Web. 20
Feb. 2017.

Brown, Catherine M., Sally Slavinski, Paul Ettestad, Tom J. Sidwa, and Faye E. Sorhage.
"Veterinary Medicine and Human Health." Public Health 248.5 (2016): 505-17.
Ational Association of State Public Health Veterinarians. Ational Association of
State Public Health Veterinarians, 01 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.

Ellison, Penny Conly, Verne R. Smith, Wendy A. Adams, Antoinette E. Marsh, Phyllis Coleman,
Geordie Duckler, and James Fallows Tierney. "Journal of Animal Law and
Ethics." Journal of Animal Law and Ethics 3 (2009): 1-6. University of
Pennsylvania Law School. University of Pennsylvania, 01 May 2009. Web. 15 Mar.
2017.

Herriot, James. All Creatures Great and Small. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1973.
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Larkin, Malinda. " Study: 1 in 6 Veterinarians Have Considered Suicide." Study: 1 in 6

Veterinarians Have Considered Suicide. AVMA, 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 02 Mar.
2017.

Nolen, R. Scott. " Veterinary Marijuana?" Veterinary Marijuana? American Veterinary Medical
Association, 15 June 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

Rice-Watkins, Sheila. Personal Interview, February 24, 2017.