For the Love of the Pets and Their People
Melanie Tallon, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Editorial by Dr. Melanie Tallon
The angst and indecision of choosing a career was something I managed to avoid. Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a veterinarian (well, after wanting to be a ballerina for a short time). Families in the neighbourhood would drop off injured wildlife at our house. I cuddled every animal that I could. In high school, I made sure to do a co-op in the field, which led to a part-time job at a local clinic. It wasn’t all kittens and puppies, but it was challenging and it was amazing.
A lot has changed in, well, everything in the past few decades as I’ve continued on in this field. I had eight years of university, and later, a one-year small animal internship. After that, I moved to the West Coast as an ICU hospitalist for a couple of years. Working with the specialists was such an eye-opener, and providing critical care for those two years taught me so much. But I missed the people and pets back home, and being part of their long-term care. Now I shoulder the roles of family doctor, pediatrician, gerontologist, surgeon, internal medicine expert, oncologist, endocrinologist, emergency and critical care specialist, dentist, anesthesiologist, therapist… for more than one species.
Medicine in NWO is unique, though. There is no dedicated after hours or emergency clinic in the region, so we share on-call duties with other veterinarians in Thunder Bay so that there is never a time when patients can’t get round-the-clock care. After a full day of cases, we could be working for the rest of the night and into the late hours of the next day when the hospital opens back up. Here, I am in a position to perform the kind of medicine that usually gets referred to specialty hospitals in larger cities. Our closest referral center is seven hours away, and across the border. So, we’ve learned to do procedures such as orthopedic surgeries, chemotherapy, and blood transfusions that our southern general practitioner counterparts often don’t need to. Mentoring new veterinarians and students in this region is so rewarding.
I got into this field because I love animals and want to help. But I’ve seen the dark side of this calling creep in. Quality medicine has a cost, and we are often shamed for not providing this care for free. For each case we save, there is one (or 10) we can recall that we weren’t able to rescue. I lose patients and clients. When I’ve seen them from puppyhood to their last days, I also get to know and care for the family. Saying goodbye is hard. The hours are long, the responsibility is huge, and the number of cases in NWO far outnumbers the veterinarians. It’s hard to hold boundaries, but it’s so important to be off the clock. It’s a huge toll on mental health, and people in this profession have a three times higher risk of suicide. To put the stats in perspective; I moved back to Thunder Bay 15 years ago. We have lost three veterinarians here to suicide in that time.
And yet, I love it. Even on days when I don’t think I do. The highlights of my job are the people and animals I work with. Giving time to local animal rescue groups like Caring Hearts Cat Rescue is an act of affirmation. Providing them care fills my heart (and apparently my home… I’ve taken home three long-term special needs cats now). I’m so proud of what we can do here for the pets of Thunder Bay. Placing neonate chest tubes into a critically ill patient and getting another 14 years of quality life for them. Learning how to repair a complex elbow fracture with telemedicine and distant surgical support. As a new grad, diagnosing my first diabetic in crisis, and being able to get her back on her paws without having to refer her to Minneapolis for ICU.
I would be lying if I said I haven’t been staring at those stats and trying to make sure I’m not one of them. But I wouldn’t change my vocation for anything. Not for all the kittens in the world.
Because your veterinarian in Thunder Bay makes a difference, and we’re all doing this for the love of the pets and their people.
For more information on your veterinary team’s mental health support, see Not One More Vet at nomv.org.