Idiopathic Issues

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. Run a quick 5k race in the morning and then spend the rest of day eating delicious food, hanging out with friends and family, watching football and taking a nap. Best day ever.

Unfortunately for many of our companion animals, Thanksgiving starts out as a joyous occasion and then turns ugly. Here are some holiday dangers to avoid.

Congratulations on the start on the 2015 Nov/Dec NAVLE window!!!

My guess is that you aren’t feeling so much jubilation but more trepidation at this moment.  Despite the stress and worry that test season brings, this is an exciting time for you and your colleagues. The Veterinary Licensing Exam! You are going to be practicing veterinarians in a few short months.  A lifetime of dreaming is about to come true and there are just 7 1/2 hours of staring at a computer screen separating you from your career goal.  You have spent months preparing and you can do it.  You can totally pass this test!

Whether you are approaching your NAVLE or upcoming finals week, if you are a vet student then you know the temptation to start pulling all nighters and forgoing good sleep habits.  I understand the appeal of squeezing in a few more hours of studying.  When you are in classes or clinics all day you are under a lot of stress. Maybe you have a part-time job or perhaps some intense at-home responsibilities too, it can be hard to feel like you have put in enough time to prepare for your tests.  It’s a TRAP! Don’t fall for it, healthy sleep is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Don’t sacrifice your sleep and here is why.

Our November Spotlight Veterinarian is Dr. Melanie Landry Church.  Dr. Church is a board certified ophthalmologist in Maitland, Florida. She is a 2008 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a small animal internship in Atlanta Georgia followed by a Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology Residency in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Church is a lover of all species and divides her time between helping dogs, cats, exotics as well as marine patients.  

Idiopathic Issues: What is your current position?

Dr. Melanie Church: Veterinary Ophthalmologist at Animal Eye Associates with offices in Maitland and Orlando, Florida. I practice all aspects of medical and surgical veterinary ophthalmology. I primarily see dogs, cats, and small exotics but will see any non-human animal. One afternoon a month, I provide complementary eye exams to the marine animals at Sea World.

It is a good time to remind ourselves to be careful in the workplace and take the precautions needed to prevent injury from dog bites. It is also a good time to educate your children, family, and friends about how to avoid dog bite injury. More than 4.7 million people each year are bitten by dogs, and up to 1 million individuals seek medical treatment for dog bites.  While this may not be the most pertinent topic for your NAVLE prep, it is certainly important to the longevity of your career.