Keeping warm on a Scottish morning: The moment we've all been waiting for...

Having got over people thinking I'm going to be a zoo-keeper (must be if I studied zoology...), I now get 'Oh, you're going to be a vet? You'll be sticking your hand up cow's backsides then? Eww!'. Actually, yes I will and I did. Not as bad as it seems: suited and booted in boilersuit, wellies, full length waterproof outfit (very attractive) and extra-long glove, we are kindly introduced to the back end of an un-suspecting cow. All in all, a suprisingly... err.. pleasant experience, (apart from the obvious stench, flying faecal material and backward glances from the cow,) which allowed us to get a wee look/feel into what we will find in the back of a normal cow (pelvic boney structures, female reproductive organs (I found an ovary!) and possibly touching on intestines, that is to name a few). Quite challenging at first, but practice makes perfect. I'm happy with it, but I'm not sure about the cow.

Coming soon...

Very exciting! I have managed to get a placement at Edinburgh zoo as part of my extra mural studies work experience. When June is bustin' out all over, I'll be heading down the road to go behind the scenes with all the animals. I can't wait!

Here's the website if you want a closer look too: http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/

Aside from the zoo, I also have experience planned in Dalkeith with pigs and in bonny Wales with the dairy cows. Spring has sprung and summer's coming!

Ewe find anything yet?

Ever seen a sheep that looked like this? Well neither had I, until now. This is a virtual pregnant ewe-that is a bath tub type thing with a hole in, filled with warm water, a plastic bag with a lamb and a pelvis attached to put your hand through. Sounds a bit bizarre but unfortunately there's not enough conveniently timed, willing ewes giving birth for us to practice on. These contraptions gave us all a really good chance to appreciate how much space there is in the ewe and how difficult it might be if the lamb were in an abnormal presentation: not as easy as it looks! That is if you don't cheat and look over the top! (I'm watching you Beth... (The spiky haired one lambing the bath tub)).

It was a good afternoon of virtual problem solving, topped off by looking at the real thing: A ewe with a prolapse kindly gave birth to triplets, one in breech position, just as we walked into the shed. Then came the ins and outs of lambing-everything from carrying and moving the lambs to stomach tubing. Only a few weeks until the 2 weeks experience in March-Watch this space!

Edinburgh Cat and Dog Home

An afternoon practical session had us heading for Edinburgh's cat and dog home. Row after row of unwanted or stray dogs had us all quite emotional. Most of the unwanted dogs were there because of 'snapping' or because of new arrivals in families, and the dog didn't fit in. There were fewer cats, again mostly strays.

After the tour, we had an hour's handling dogs and then an hour of the cats. After choosing an unsuspecting subject, each group assessed the breed and age of dog, lifted it onto the table, administered a 'tablet' (actually a rather more tasty doggy chocolate drop, and a liquid drug (water...) and applied a muzzle to the extraodinarily well behaved dog. The cats were not always as cooperative, typical moggy style.

All in all, it was an eye opening reminder of unwanted pets and a valuable handling experience.

Drum roll please......

Today I received the results of my very first set of exams at vet school. After several weeks wait... I passed! Especially proud of my dissection lab book-a grand 95%

Back to uni, down on the farm

Post-Christmas, and first day back we're in with the calves at Langhill farm. Having been assigned a calf between two, we proceeded to improve our handling and assessment of theses 3 week old cows. As it turned out, I got some extra experience as our wee cow had scour, looked quiet, and, on recording his birth and current weight, found he had infact lost weight. So, we injected him with a general antibiotic intra-muscularly in his rump. First injection into a cow. Very successful.

How to milk a cow (No wooden stool required)

The dairy farm was a brilliant experience. We were all enlisted to participate in the clockwork movements of Langhill milking parlour. All of the cows were identified moving through a barrier, moved up to a computer controlled milking station along a line and we placed the milker onto the teats of the cow. The technology was incredible: for each cow, everything from the amount and rate of milk was recorded to whether any antibiotics were being used as well as all of the cows details were available as the cow milked at the station. Once finished, the milking machine fell off the cow and the udder sprayed with iodine. And so it went on, until all cows had been fed and milked. We were also shown how to milk the cow without the technology, just in case....