Wednesday 7 January 2009

A Ramble and a Rant

Today’s blog is a vague ramble through life. I have made a wonderful discovery. Up to now l have been unable to eat kiwi fruit. The initial taste was great then l got an awful taste in my throat that had me choking for hours and swilling coffee, coke cola and orange juice to try and flush the taste.

No more is that a problem, now l can eat kiwi fruit. The secret was found by accident. Before the 3 or so l have ever eaten l had peeled. The other day when l was looking at the fruit basket delivered to work l was drooling at the, for me, inedible kiwi fruit, l was told you can eat the skins.

I decided to take a chance as they did look nice. I discovered that if l eat kiwi fruit with the skin on, and make sure l get some skin in each mouthful (not hard given their size) l can eat them with only a very small after taste that goes within a few minutes and not the hours before.

On the subject of food l will be so glad when the hordes of Christmas chocolates are gone. No is a very flexible word with chocolates.

Speaking of insanity. Mike the vet has been away on a 2 day course on canoe rescue. He does a lot of canoeing. The thing is it is mid winter, it is many – below freezing and he said they will have to spend a lot of time in the river. We have a nice book running on if he comes back with a cold, frostbite or both, l hope both as thats what my money is on.

Just been having a read of veterinary type news and seen this which l may look at. I have tried Wibble on dog a car harnesses before but it end up all twisted and more of a danger than a help. And that was after one normal journey when all she did was sleep.
Being as how this is a Roger Mugfords Company of Animals item so l recon it should work.

Was cheered up reading an article that some liberal lord is trying to get the Dangerous Dogs act scrapped and put in place a proper act based on behaviour not breed. The change can not come quick enough as far as many of us are concerned.

The DD act is very much abused. I know of one dog warden who has had what probably amounts upto a couple of hundred dogs destroyed as they are pit bull or pit bull types.
The destroyed dogs are Staffordshire Bull Terriers or crosses. And that info comes from veterinary staff, not some wannabe that wants to be an expert.
Certainly the decision is visual there is no DNA test l know of that can say otherwise. And l trust the veterinary staff’s judgements not the wannabe expert.
99.5% of the dogs have temperaments that range from big babies to very sweet. Only a few at most 0.5% have been nasty and were justifiable to be put down on grounds of temperament. I am told this cretin did a one day course and is now considers its self some sort of expert.

The dogs destroyed include puppies of barely 10weeks through all ages to dogs that are old and crippled. Once marked then there is no choice but to destroy them as there is no way any rescue home will touch them.
The persons behaviour is building an even more totally unjustifiable position on the pit bull breed, availability and temperament. Believe me a lot more dogs from other breeds deserve the title of dangerous a hell of a lot more.

If the rescue homes are full, if the dogs are injured or ill and cost has to be taken into account including rehab, if they have a behavioural problem. Then l can use reason and accept PTS (put to sleep) but on the grounds given l find it abhorrent and repulsive.

Ahh well thats my bit of a rant for tonight. I am off to walk Wibble and the inpatients and consider falling into my pit and awaiting the morning.

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Mike just came in darn l lost my bet he only has a cold :-))

9 comments:

Roses said...

I must admit, I find kiwi frui not worth the effort. I don't mind it in small quantities, but it lacks any kind of...umph that would make me want to pursue it further. Mangos on the other hand, yum yum.

Auntie Jane said...

I couldn't agree more... The sooner they scrap the DDA the better. As you say, so many lovely innocent dogs have been PTS and so many families have lost a valuable member of their family and have been left heart-broken.

I must have signed every petition going asking for it to be scrapped since it was first introduced. I have written about it in the dog press and I don't know a single dog owner, whatever breed they own, who agrees with it.

Dave the Dog said...

Hi Vet Nurse

Okay first off, one of my 'titles' is Senior Dog Warden. I'm also Vice Chairman of the National Dog Warden Association. The NDWA has campaigned against Section 1 of the DDA since before it became law. I'd like to repeat that, Section 1 ! Not the whole of the DDA. Part of my role is to enforce the DDA including s.1. We try to do it sensitively. No one needs to point out to me that the majority of PBT Types are nice loyal affectionate family pets, often despite their idiot owners. However, when one is brought to our attention we ignore it at our own peril. If it could be proven that we knew of a PBT and ignored the fact then our own neck enters the noose. Even more than an ordinary member of the public.

At the same time as having to enforce s.1 I regularly work with and contact people who actively campaign against this BSL and will put owners in touch with them for assistance.

I've worked with dogs and other animals professionally for over 35 years and do not place veterinary staff any higher in the breed/type knowledge stakes than any other profession. Despite having also trained and worked as a Vet Tech many years ago I don't believe that Vet qualifications give anyone any more knowledge of identification than anyone else.

I fully agree with you that other breed/types can deserve the reputation of being more of a danger than the average PBT.

Having got that off my chest I would like to comment on the Private members Bill at present before the House of Lords. It is a DISASTER. If you think that s.1 DDA is bad then pray that this Bill never becomes Law in it's present form. A hell of a lot more 'ordinary' dogs of ALL types would end up being siezed and held under this than have been up to now, under s.1 DDA.

It needs a total rewrite and advice from the people in the front line who know what the pitfalls are. Like the DDA when it was being put together, this Bill has had no input from the people who know what is needed, achievable and proportionate.

Still love your blog! ;o)

Vetnurse said...

Thanks Dave glad you still love the blog :-D anyhow email sent via the NDW site so you know where to hunt for it. Oh and l am pretty much available on the ph number day and night forgot to add that.

I agree in one respect of the id but l also feel that the person concerned is defiantly not capable of the ID he is making and l will put him up against the vet staff concerned any day. I stand by my comments on him. In fact it has got to the stage that nurses are refusing to help hold animals.

In connection with the new bill (lots of l hopes and assume coming up) l assume as it is draft stages it needs the input before it is ready to go forward. If it is behaviour related then l assume that more care would be taken and that behaviourists APBT should be employed (and possibly COPE) and involved in the process. At least it would be l hope more than is happening at the moment in what amounts to a snatch and needle.
I am happy to put input in towards the new bill, assuming they are accepting comments? and l am sure Jane will pass it around as well. If you know of who to contact would be helpful.

Ok l realise l live in lala land but one can but hope.

TonyF said...

f it's any help, I tend to think that the owners of 'staffies' and the like ought to be put down. Usually.

Dog licensing would be a good idea. Dalmatians should be cheap as they are Black and white....

JuliaM said...

"Up to now l have been unable to eat kiwi fruit. The initial taste was great then l got an awful taste in my throat.."

Metallic..? Yeah, kiwi fruit is known for that.

Agree on the Dangerous Dogs Act. Nothing so dangerous as a politician determined to be seen to be doing something. We should neuter and muzzle them in public...

Anonymous said...

Hello! New to your blog via bringmesunshine. You know, I seriously considered becoming a vet and volunteered at several vet hospitals. I just couldn't take the fact that small vets tend to be society's executioners and the number of horrific abuse cases on animals there are out there. I decided I just couldn't do it in the end (after many years of serious consideration). Good on ya for sticking with it!

Vetnurse said...

Hi Howling duck welcome to the site :-) Well there is bad times but a hell of a lot of funny that tend to make up for it.

Anonymous said...

The seatbelt harness is not the problem. The strap that attaches to the harness clip needs to have a swivel hook on it. You can buy the straps now that have this and no more twisted up dog... Works great. Here is an example.
http://usak9outfitters.com/CCSS.htm