The title for this post comes from when l had just completed my veterinary nurse training. One of the police dog handlers who was a sweetie and often visited us once arrived with his sergeant. JB the dog handler was trying to convince me that my boss whom l shall call Agent Orange (he was so toxic) actually appreciated what we staff did. I snorted and told JB that “Pigs might fly” a comment l often use without thinking.
JB boomed with laughter, his sergeant gave me a weird look but said nothing, l am so used to weird looks l ignored it. It took me almost a week for my comment to ding home in my brain. I had an embarrassed chuckle over it but figured oh well foot is always in mouth so nothing new there.
I thought that the comment would fit this post, whether it does or not l don’t know, but what the heck l like it.
I decided as a plain old MOP, Member of Public as opposed to being a thing to clean the floor, to give my take on the modern police force. Speaking to police l meet at work l understood a bit and I have learned a lot more reading police blogs [l have linked some of them here where l felt they fitted] about police powers and how generally pissed off they are.
What they can not do it seems to do, is to protect anyone or their property and that includes the police themselves. The "system" conspires against them. The "system" being, politicians, bleeding hearts = various groups of concerned people, think tanks, and the media.
I do not buy papers but do listen to the media (tv or radio) in the background while l do other things. The media story is funnily enough at odds with those police who have a chance, albeit under pseudo names to tell the stories from their side of life.
I may well totally misunderstand the situation but this is my take on the average street level slowly going insane and drowning under paperwork and many badly thought out rules and procedures copper, and the "system" that they operate under. I have added comments on how l feel it affects my family and l.
Not all police are good, just as not all people in anything are good. The majority are and just want to do the best they can under a deteriorating "system" with people, who are often not fit to run a crèche, being in charge of them [police].
Starting with the protests as they have been in the news so often lately…..
These major G20 type protests are known trouble areas. If people go to them then they shouldn’t be surprised that they get hurt.
Police should be allowed to use water cannons to clear problems and protect property that is being destroyed. Just because someone has a small shop that is no reason to smash it up, and/or steal from it. Someone worked hard to set it up, they may employ others and they keep people employed down the line making items, window cleaning and just supporting it. The person owning the shop is probably less well off than half the protesters on their dole and other handouts.
I am not sure on rubber bullets but it may well be worth considering (nope maybe not l can hear the mutters of not happy police having to use them)
Quite frankly, if my business was damaged or destroyed l would like anything used against the people that destroyed it. That would be an emotional rather than a realistic view though, so l guess not really valid.
Tear gas l do not like the idea of because people who live in the area and are staying locked indoors and also animals will be affected and they are innocent of any trouble making.
The fact that police are also under attack is immaterial, well not to the police, l mean to the system. The average “Joe Copper” seem to be expected to protect themselves, others and property by saying “l am the police, please do not be nasty to me, other people or the property you are destroying because that makes you a naughty person”
For some reason doesn’t seem to work, not sure why l mean calling people naughty should work, shouldn’t it?
I do not know what Ian T did do or didn’t do that day but then neither do the media, let investigations get done.
Unfortunately l doubt the police will come out well, no matter what they do it will have been wrong. It seems that the abuse, bottles and missiles thrown from the crowd are all forgotten. This is understandable we all know it is the police’s fault.
As to the other episode with the woman that was slapped. I finally saw the clip on the news last night. Quite frankly she was out of order and a total idiot. She went looking for trouble from the start. She was right up behind the copper screaming in his ear. If l was him l would feel threatened no wonder he pushed back as he turned. With the general behaviour there he probably did not know if he would get knifed or bottled in the back. And instead of getting the hint the stupid cow keeps going in on the attack. And now she is whinging that she was brutally attacked. Nope “love” you got less than you actually deserved. Go try and do that in a different country and see what happens.
I am not stupid enough to go to a major demonstration. I know that there will be trouble makers in there. The woman above is a case in point. If there is any doubt just watch the build up to these protests. After all the build up and you still want to go, then do not start screaming police brutality, especially when the police are trying to protect themselves or others property.
Many demo's do pass peacefully but are never or very rarely reported and police behaviour is never commented on, good news is not news.
I have been on one demo/protest. It was only small, a few hundred people outside the Zimbabwe embassy a few years ago. Think we had a couple of police there and another one passed by stopping to chat to his mates and us. There was dancing, singing and chanting. Strangely enough we were not corralled, hit with batons or anything untoward.
Gosh l feel cheated, l may have to send in a complaint to the IPCC and find someone in the media to represent me in my claim for unfair treatment.
Moving on from protests into general life, people have been killed or injured in high speed chases with the police and the police are blamed WTF for?
The blame should go to the scroats who have done whatever for the police to chase them. If an innocent person gets caught up in the debacle l feel terribly sorry for them but put the blame on the scroats that caused it. You never hear any blame on those who broke the law and caused the chase, it is only the police for not doing the right thing and no matter how much they do it still isn’t right.
Yes, the accident has to be investigated, ways may (again they may not) be found to avoid it happening again, however it was an accident. Banning police chases is plain stupid, all that does is allow scroats to rule the streets and has lead to unresponse cars as opposed to response cars.
When the great unwashed public, that is the likes of the average just want a quiet life and try and live within the law person need the police they do not turn up ASAP or can not for several days. The way they are sent on various jobs this doesn’t come as a particular surprise given the control rooms wiz round.
My hub and l have been a victim of control rooms, and it was not just us that were upset and angry. The police that turned up were furious with control and as they pointed out that they relied on the idiots if they were in danger. This is not to say that all control room are idiots, they probably have a ton of restrictions as well but boy that night we had the world’s collection of idiots in one room. That’s a different story for another time.
People who have a crime sheet as long as their arm are let out of jail early on “good behaviour” as soon as they are out they start on bad behaviour again. There is lots of excuses for this but at least while inside there is one less trouble maker on the street.
I do not have a problem with those inside taking lessons to improve reading or writing or trying to better themselves, but given this opportunity how many do. And if they do how many keep it up when released, not many, so is it worth them doing anything inside well apart from them learning how to be better criminals. Better, means how to get off when they are caught….l should say ‘if’ they are caught. They may not be in a target group so it is best to ignore them. Perish the thought that some upper echelons and politicians should have a muddied target sheet.
Mind you, it seems that there is more who never actually get to jail than do. They are let off on a variety of technicalities that is called the revolving door syndrome
No matter how vicious or drugged up they are, in fact, it seems the more they are drugged and vicious the less likely they will go to prison. Poor things never had a chance being poor and from a no hoper background, cut them some slack.
If l remember rightly Abraham Lincoln was dirt poor farm stock and taught himself to read and write.
It helps knowing how to play the system l guess and the worse the scroats and scum are the better they know the system and the less likely to be locked away even for a couple of months.
The above situation cost JB his job and the force a f**king good officer and dog handler the only plus side is at least he is still alive but it was close. The thing is he was a police officer, spent a long time in hospital and rehab, ended up having to retire on health grounds and the scum were let off. What chance do the rest of us have?
Paperwork is needed for good policing. Now it has become the “god of policing”. Notice l took the o out of good?
I was in a practice when an officer came to discuss a theft and have a statement signed. He had written that he entered by the left, front double doors that were inward opening on the west side of the building 5 paces from the car and proceeded 10 paces to the reception desk and on and on in that manner. I had to ask him if it was for real and he confirmed yes it was. My jaw hitting the ground made an audible “thunk” and l had a big bruise on it. Maybe l should complain for the bruise? I may get something for it after all it was police brutality.
Or as another example, the pony This was a stray pony for goodness sake, not a dead body.
Quite frankly as an MOP l am tired of scroats and "the system" ruining my and my family's perception of feeling secure. I do not need more rules and snooping from government. What l need is police that know the area, that know what’s going on and who is doing what because they walk or use a bicycle around it.
That when l call for help it will be there, fast and know that the police are not to worried to help someone because those in charge will have them on some trumped up disciplinary.
Stuff your initiative’s back in your little brains those that dream them up. Let proper police run the police, not people who are fast tracked because they are good at either boot licking or paperwork. Allow people that KNOW what the hell they are doing. Now there is a novel idea, l do not suppose it will ever take off though. Think of all those wasted initiatives if it did, those would be the first thing dumped.
I agree that there has to be standards in all walks of life. The police are in a position that the ordinary public are not and as such have strict standards and rules. They do not mind having rules and standards, sensible ones allow them to operate and know their bounds.
The problem is that rules are being put in place over other rules, common sense seems to have been flung out of the window with sensible rules. This protects the scroats, heaven forbid that they should be proved doing anything wrong, there goes the targets again.
Innocent people are often caught up in problems and are easy targets. I have learnt that it is not the police who are to blame, well not all the time, but very often the prosecution service who like easy targets. The generally "try to be honest citizen" does not know how to twist and abuse the law so it is easier to get them locked up or fined anything really to look good on the target sheets.
For those who think this is a police state you are wrong. A police state is a place like Zimbabwe. And when the police end up in the same true situations as 2 friends of mine one who writes the above blog and was a white serving policeman in Zimbabwe the other was a white farmer whose land was grabbed his workers abused and/or killed and driven off to starve while the land was also destroyed, that is a true police state being made. (On the above 2 links click on review)
The good police are relocating to other countries police forces, get other jobs or retire. At the rate the police force is being destroyed by bad leadership there will be no one left to teach the newbie’s the job as they come through the system or do the real work of policing and protecting people and property.
It is said that “the law is an ass”. Well an ass is a hard working animal that can survive in extreme conditions and is often poorly treated which shortens its life span. The problem is not that the law is an ass, it is that it is being controlled by the incompetent "system" in place today.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Monday, 27 April 2009
Unwinding and Rambling
Been at the parachute centre at Langer for the weekend. We got up at the ungoly time of 4am on Saturday as hub hates to get here late, no chance of getting there late when we are up at that time.
I had a good book to read so read on the way here by the motorway and road lights, until the sun rose, it was a bit hit and miss but l got by. In the evening l got into another book and finished that at 2am in the early hours. I wish authors would stop writing excellent books.
Wibble never sleeps on the bed at home, her choice. When in the camper she will only sleep on the bed, which isn’t huge but if not allowed on she stalks around the van. Of course she sleeps on my side so my legs have to curl up and get uncomfy, still so long as she is comfy, how can such a small dog take up so much room?
One of the jumpers was giving his opinion on marriage. He was holding up his hand and announced “I made sure that l couldn’t get married again by removing my fingers” He only has a thumb and little finger on his left hand.
2 other jumpers often there have lost their legs at the knees. Instead of using artificial legs they get by as they are. Both do work in movies that require them to be seen as blown up and legless.
Mind you falling out of planes is not hard it is mainly a head job and once that is overcome it is easy.
When l worked at Biggin Hill’s Capital City Parachuting now defunct l was doing a stint as DZ control. I heard screaming from the 2000 foot level (student exit height)that continued with sobbing noises all the way down. Rushing over l was met with a large male jumper that had not tightened his leg straps up as instructed. He had experienced a sharp “groin pain” I am afraid l was ended up incoherent and unable to stand l was laughing so hard. He did forgive me, eventually, although he did not stay in the sport long.
Agg well such is life. My Dad is in for a minor op tomorrow to remove some skin cancer lumps from his face. He is 92 and has various health problems but they will be doing it under local.
I had a good book to read so read on the way here by the motorway and road lights, until the sun rose, it was a bit hit and miss but l got by. In the evening l got into another book and finished that at 2am in the early hours. I wish authors would stop writing excellent books.
Wibble never sleeps on the bed at home, her choice. When in the camper she will only sleep on the bed, which isn’t huge but if not allowed on she stalks around the van. Of course she sleeps on my side so my legs have to curl up and get uncomfy, still so long as she is comfy, how can such a small dog take up so much room?
One of the jumpers was giving his opinion on marriage. He was holding up his hand and announced “I made sure that l couldn’t get married again by removing my fingers” He only has a thumb and little finger on his left hand.
2 other jumpers often there have lost their legs at the knees. Instead of using artificial legs they get by as they are. Both do work in movies that require them to be seen as blown up and legless.
Mind you falling out of planes is not hard it is mainly a head job and once that is overcome it is easy.
When l worked at Biggin Hill’s Capital City Parachuting now defunct l was doing a stint as DZ control. I heard screaming from the 2000 foot level (student exit height)that continued with sobbing noises all the way down. Rushing over l was met with a large male jumper that had not tightened his leg straps up as instructed. He had experienced a sharp “groin pain” I am afraid l was ended up incoherent and unable to stand l was laughing so hard. He did forgive me, eventually, although he did not stay in the sport long.
Agg well such is life. My Dad is in for a minor op tomorrow to remove some skin cancer lumps from his face. He is 92 and has various health problems but they will be doing it under local.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Travels of a Pellet
Jake was a big fluffy domestic long hair cat 8 years old. The other week he ended up at the emergency vets. He was found on the Friday night bleeding and collapsed. Initially it was thought that he was yet another victim of the metal monster, a car. He was placed in critical care on fluids, pain relief antibiotics other medications overnight to stabilize him.
The car theory was disproved when he was x-rayed and a pellet lay in his abdomen. Unfortunately, instead of stabilizing he was deteriorating, so the decision was made for him to go to surgery. When l got into work at 13:00 he had just gone through, in fact was in surgical prep being shaved.
An incubator was prepared for him, a heat pad placed along with a nice deep bed and we got on with our normal jobs. I was in critical care covering for lunch breaks and doing odd bits. After about an hour and a half l went through to see why they were taking so long.
Jake was in what is best described as a state of repair, his intestines were not in but out and what had been hoped to be a straightforward op was settling in to a marathon.
On its travels the pellet had started by dragging dirt and Jakes long silky hair deep into the body, this had to be removed or it would set up infection.
The pellet continued in and out of the stomach causing 2 holes that needed closure and had allowed stomach contents to leak out into the abdomen.
The pellet then hammered on and made 3 holes in the intestines. Major damage had occurred and again contents had run into the abdomen, 2 sections of damaged intestine had to be removed and the ends reattached to each other, this means that his small intestines are now shorter by a few inches.
The spleen was damaged but had stopped bleeding and the decision was made to leave it in, the option would be there to go back and take it out if the need arose.
Finally after all hair was removed, all holes found and closed and no more bleeding evident, he had to be flushed. This involved several liters of warm saline flushed through his abdomen to clean the organs and remove as much of the leaked fluid and remaining foreign material (hair and dirt) as possible so minimizing the chance of peritonitis.
Nearly 3 hours later he was brought back to critical care, placed into the incubator on his heat pad and bed and snuggled under a blanket. He came round slowly but as soon as he was conscious enough he took up what we fast learned was his favorite position. Blanket kicked off and on lying on his back, legs straightened at full stretch outwards as if he was sunbathing. He is a big cat and filled the incubator. I do not recall a position like that a recovering animal, usually they curl up and try to ignore everything, but not Jake.
He had a long way to go and was still at high risk of peritonitis, and his spleen was still not out of the woods. He had come through this far though and was treating his recovery like he was sunbathing this was one cat that was not going to feel sorry for himself.
By mid evening he was round and taking a mild interest in life but the incubator was getting to hot, it isn’t temperature regulated. I moved him to a kennel and placed an oxygen tube next to his face, and yes you guessed...straight back to sunbathing position.
Sunday he was brighter and had a little bit to eat, when he wasn’t sunbathing. Needless to say everyone fell for him. His purr made listening to his heart difficult; just as well there are pulses! Cats purr if they are scared or if they are happy, but his body language was not scared just contented.
On Monday he was subdued and there was a worry that things may be kicking off inside of him. I was not back in till Friday and one of the first things l asked was how he was. The brilliant news was that Jake had pulled through and gone home. Thankfully Monday’s quietness had not progressed. He still has a lot of recovering to do but the vets and veterinary nurses had done their job now it was down to his family to do the rest with antibiotics and outpatient trips to visit the vet and tons of TLC.
If you allow kids to use a pellet gun then teach them that animals are not sport. The pellet that hits an animal will often mean a slow lingering death and is not funny nor does it make you a big man for shooting an animal.
While l do not advocate hunting, if you have to hunt animals it must only be recognised game animals. The hunter should be an experienced marksmen, and using a killing shot on the animal. If the game animal is injured it is the hunters responsibility to track it and kill it. No real hunter would ever consider it right to leave an animal harmed and in pain they have more respect for their prey than that.
Jake post op, as he appeared in the local paper
A photo of Jakes x-ray the pellet very visible.
The car theory was disproved when he was x-rayed and a pellet lay in his abdomen. Unfortunately, instead of stabilizing he was deteriorating, so the decision was made for him to go to surgery. When l got into work at 13:00 he had just gone through, in fact was in surgical prep being shaved.
An incubator was prepared for him, a heat pad placed along with a nice deep bed and we got on with our normal jobs. I was in critical care covering for lunch breaks and doing odd bits. After about an hour and a half l went through to see why they were taking so long.
Jake was in what is best described as a state of repair, his intestines were not in but out and what had been hoped to be a straightforward op was settling in to a marathon.
On its travels the pellet had started by dragging dirt and Jakes long silky hair deep into the body, this had to be removed or it would set up infection.
The pellet continued in and out of the stomach causing 2 holes that needed closure and had allowed stomach contents to leak out into the abdomen.
The pellet then hammered on and made 3 holes in the intestines. Major damage had occurred and again contents had run into the abdomen, 2 sections of damaged intestine had to be removed and the ends reattached to each other, this means that his small intestines are now shorter by a few inches.
The spleen was damaged but had stopped bleeding and the decision was made to leave it in, the option would be there to go back and take it out if the need arose.
Finally after all hair was removed, all holes found and closed and no more bleeding evident, he had to be flushed. This involved several liters of warm saline flushed through his abdomen to clean the organs and remove as much of the leaked fluid and remaining foreign material (hair and dirt) as possible so minimizing the chance of peritonitis.
Nearly 3 hours later he was brought back to critical care, placed into the incubator on his heat pad and bed and snuggled under a blanket. He came round slowly but as soon as he was conscious enough he took up what we fast learned was his favorite position. Blanket kicked off and on lying on his back, legs straightened at full stretch outwards as if he was sunbathing. He is a big cat and filled the incubator. I do not recall a position like that a recovering animal, usually they curl up and try to ignore everything, but not Jake.
He had a long way to go and was still at high risk of peritonitis, and his spleen was still not out of the woods. He had come through this far though and was treating his recovery like he was sunbathing this was one cat that was not going to feel sorry for himself.
By mid evening he was round and taking a mild interest in life but the incubator was getting to hot, it isn’t temperature regulated. I moved him to a kennel and placed an oxygen tube next to his face, and yes you guessed...straight back to sunbathing position.
Sunday he was brighter and had a little bit to eat, when he wasn’t sunbathing. Needless to say everyone fell for him. His purr made listening to his heart difficult; just as well there are pulses! Cats purr if they are scared or if they are happy, but his body language was not scared just contented.
On Monday he was subdued and there was a worry that things may be kicking off inside of him. I was not back in till Friday and one of the first things l asked was how he was. The brilliant news was that Jake had pulled through and gone home. Thankfully Monday’s quietness had not progressed. He still has a lot of recovering to do but the vets and veterinary nurses had done their job now it was down to his family to do the rest with antibiotics and outpatient trips to visit the vet and tons of TLC.
If you allow kids to use a pellet gun then teach them that animals are not sport. The pellet that hits an animal will often mean a slow lingering death and is not funny nor does it make you a big man for shooting an animal.
While l do not advocate hunting, if you have to hunt animals it must only be recognised game animals. The hunter should be an experienced marksmen, and using a killing shot on the animal. If the game animal is injured it is the hunters responsibility to track it and kill it. No real hunter would ever consider it right to leave an animal harmed and in pain they have more respect for their prey than that.
Jake post op, as he appeared in the local paper
A photo of Jakes x-ray the pellet very visible.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Swan Song
A hissing double armful of feathers and glaring eyes owned by the Mute Swan was carried in by the collections driver. “Where do you want him, isolation?” Usually we put wildlife down there as it is quiet and away from the bustle.
“Did he look injured or what” l asked.
“Dunno” was the helpful reply. “He seems happy enough he landed in a ladies garden. A group of idiots was giving me a load of mouth so l made sure that his head, hissing and glaring at them over the gate, was the first thing they saw when l went out. After that all l heard was **** **** that thing has rabies and they legged it” This last comment of his was delivered with an evil smirk.
To be fair swans can be daunting, they are big, hissy birds, especially when they stand up tall and flap their wings. They are not a bird to handle unless you are confident. If you do need to move them a short distance hold their necks, just below their heads they are generally fine, you can aim them in a direction by turning their head and push them gently on their bodies. Sometimes have to get hold of their body/wings with the other arm as they may get upset and wing you. If they do peck or clobber you with their wings then it can hurt.
For longer moves they need carrying. RSPCA and RSPB have fancy swan bags with zips and handles, us poor folks have to make do with arms only. As swans get heavier and you release their neck hold to get a double armful of slipping body and kicking feet they twist round and depending on their mood, glare into your eyes or peck you where ever they know it will hurt you most.
I gave the swan a quick once over, there was nothing obvious. And thankfully no swan feather mites, well I’m told that is what they are. Grey, about the size of peas that have been on steroids and they stalk well slide with a bolshie strut on their multiple legs in and out around the feathers, usually around where your arm would go and daring you to grab the swan.
The vet grunted from the desk where he was writing up notes “Put him on the floor here in prep we can see how he’s walking”
Once placed on the floor the swan drew himself up, flapped his wings to settle his feathers and disrupt dust and paperwork which all went flying around in the wind, then he hissed at us, shook his head at the state of the place. Never mind that he caused it with wing wind, and went for a walk.
Dog ward door was closed so he peeked into the laundry room, and withdrew fast, good move there was a tottering pile of blankets in there ready to fall on him.
Small furries ward (rabbit, ferret, guinea pigs, birds etc) and combined bedding storage had a close inspection, luckily no patients in. He was about to climb onto bedding that was being folded so I quickly shoopered him out. Swans have big gloopy faeces that splat and l did not want clean bedding messed up. The look the auxiliary gave me warned l would be in a worse state than the bedding.
Swanny hissed at me but followed the direction l was turning his head and shoving his bum and walked out the door and back towards the sink in medical prep. I was about to take him down to iso. when he settled down, stuck his head under his wing and went to sleep.
This stumped me swans never do this they stalk about, hiss, shit, and if you annoy them peck or wallop you with their wings. I looked round for some ideas and the consensus was he is quiet and well behaved leave him be, let’s see what happens. So l got him some food and water which he ignored and we carried on with work.
He was very comfy, ignored all the patients that passed him, looking in amazement at the strange headless feathery thing “thing”. We had to climb over him to get to the sink and all he did was sleep or open an eye and then snooze again, unreal. Finally after about 4 hours l had to shift him, I needed to wash a cat, it had some gunk on it and Swanny was just too much in the way.
I tried to push him backwards a bit but he got annoyed and went for a walk, back to small furries and settled down between the bedding store and kennels by the 2nd door. I stuck a warning note for no entry so he did not get squashed and we left him.
Apparently he was finally moved and placed into a walk in kennel in dog ward at about 7am just before day shift all started to trip in.
He was released at a suitable swan take off pond later in the day and flew off, quite happy after a good nights sleep.
What did you wake me up for?
“Did he look injured or what” l asked.
“Dunno” was the helpful reply. “He seems happy enough he landed in a ladies garden. A group of idiots was giving me a load of mouth so l made sure that his head, hissing and glaring at them over the gate, was the first thing they saw when l went out. After that all l heard was **** **** that thing has rabies and they legged it” This last comment of his was delivered with an evil smirk.
To be fair swans can be daunting, they are big, hissy birds, especially when they stand up tall and flap their wings. They are not a bird to handle unless you are confident. If you do need to move them a short distance hold their necks, just below their heads they are generally fine, you can aim them in a direction by turning their head and push them gently on their bodies. Sometimes have to get hold of their body/wings with the other arm as they may get upset and wing you. If they do peck or clobber you with their wings then it can hurt.
For longer moves they need carrying. RSPCA and RSPB have fancy swan bags with zips and handles, us poor folks have to make do with arms only. As swans get heavier and you release their neck hold to get a double armful of slipping body and kicking feet they twist round and depending on their mood, glare into your eyes or peck you where ever they know it will hurt you most.
I gave the swan a quick once over, there was nothing obvious. And thankfully no swan feather mites, well I’m told that is what they are. Grey, about the size of peas that have been on steroids and they stalk well slide with a bolshie strut on their multiple legs in and out around the feathers, usually around where your arm would go and daring you to grab the swan.
The vet grunted from the desk where he was writing up notes “Put him on the floor here in prep we can see how he’s walking”
Once placed on the floor the swan drew himself up, flapped his wings to settle his feathers and disrupt dust and paperwork which all went flying around in the wind, then he hissed at us, shook his head at the state of the place. Never mind that he caused it with wing wind, and went for a walk.
Dog ward door was closed so he peeked into the laundry room, and withdrew fast, good move there was a tottering pile of blankets in there ready to fall on him.
Small furries ward (rabbit, ferret, guinea pigs, birds etc) and combined bedding storage had a close inspection, luckily no patients in. He was about to climb onto bedding that was being folded so I quickly shoopered him out. Swans have big gloopy faeces that splat and l did not want clean bedding messed up. The look the auxiliary gave me warned l would be in a worse state than the bedding.
Swanny hissed at me but followed the direction l was turning his head and shoving his bum and walked out the door and back towards the sink in medical prep. I was about to take him down to iso. when he settled down, stuck his head under his wing and went to sleep.
This stumped me swans never do this they stalk about, hiss, shit, and if you annoy them peck or wallop you with their wings. I looked round for some ideas and the consensus was he is quiet and well behaved leave him be, let’s see what happens. So l got him some food and water which he ignored and we carried on with work.
He was very comfy, ignored all the patients that passed him, looking in amazement at the strange headless feathery thing “thing”. We had to climb over him to get to the sink and all he did was sleep or open an eye and then snooze again, unreal. Finally after about 4 hours l had to shift him, I needed to wash a cat, it had some gunk on it and Swanny was just too much in the way.
I tried to push him backwards a bit but he got annoyed and went for a walk, back to small furries and settled down between the bedding store and kennels by the 2nd door. I stuck a warning note for no entry so he did not get squashed and we left him.
Apparently he was finally moved and placed into a walk in kennel in dog ward at about 7am just before day shift all started to trip in.
He was released at a suitable swan take off pond later in the day and flew off, quite happy after a good nights sleep.
What did you wake me up for?
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Buffet's and Extreme Sheep
I was not due to work last night but was called in when the shift l was asked to cover was about to start, nothing like forewarning and forward planning.
Anyhow it was a lucky call, we had a great buffet at work last night. There had been a CPD night booked that was cancelled. For some reason best known to those that matter, rather than the mere workers the buffet was still delivered. It was like putting food out for starving locusts the way the night shift descended on it.
Lots and lots of food including, mini pizzas, sausages and pickled onions on sticks, mini samosas, mini spring rolls, tons of different sandwiches, chunky chips, quiche, mixed wraps, salad, sausage rolls (mini), pork pies.
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My ytube insert is over running l have worked out how to make it smaller, but on my computer it is buffering up black. If you get a blank look when you click "run" leave it it is buffering just nothing showing. Please let me know if you have problems. Here is the URL Extreme Sheep Herding
Anyhow it was a lucky call, we had a great buffet at work last night. There had been a CPD night booked that was cancelled. For some reason best known to those that matter, rather than the mere workers the buffet was still delivered. It was like putting food out for starving locusts the way the night shift descended on it.
Lots and lots of food including, mini pizzas, sausages and pickled onions on sticks, mini samosas, mini spring rolls, tons of different sandwiches, chunky chips, quiche, mixed wraps, salad, sausage rolls (mini), pork pies.
*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*
My ytube insert is over running l have worked out how to make it smaller, but on my computer it is buffering up black. If you get a blank look when you click "run" leave it it is buffering just nothing showing. Please let me know if you have problems. Here is the URL Extreme Sheep Herding
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Designer Dogs
A bit of a rant here about people and designer bred dogs. Cats are not quite as exploited. While there is bad breeding going on with cats just as there is with dogs, there is not the amount of crosses (pedigrees)and health mutations that there is with dogs. Dogs appear to mutate easier than cats. Also the Fédération Internationale Féline d’Europe (FIFE) are, l understand, a lot stricter than the kennel club on breeding standards.
People have become obsessed with having fancier and fancier names for dog breeds, damm the temperament and health implications. They are getting bored with the well known pedigrees around. They want designer breeds with fancy names, so that they can show off. This has brought about the situation nowadays where you cross breed 2 different pedigree dogs and merge their names into one. And the beauty of it for breeders is they can invent whatever name they want and do not have any breed standards to stick to. These cross breeds regulaly change hands for upwards of £500 often more than the standard pedigrees.
While l am always quoting “a pedigree is a mongrel that breeds true”. It is also true that if you breed two pedigrees that doe’s not mean you get a healthy ‘purebred’ mongrel pup. You stand a risk of just wrapping the worst of both of those lines with each other and going from horrible inherited diseases to god-awful inherited diseases.
One of the common things that is done is to cross a poodle which doesn’t shed hair with another breed. This is sold as a non hair shedding breed, no proof that the genetics to stop hair shedding will cross over but by the time people realise it is too late.
Crossing a yorkie with another breed does not mean that the teeth will not be rotten, and still be falling out by the time the dog is 8years old.
The healthiest mongrels are generally those that have a totally unknown parentage you may guess parts but they are basically unknown. This doesn’t mean that they won’t get health problems, it is just a hell of a lot rarer. True unknown parentage mongrels are becoming rarer in the first world now where ‘pedigrees’ are gaining ground.
Insurance companies are now classing some of the designer cross breeds as ‘pedigree’ eg labradoodle. This is an insurance definition as a pedigree by kennel club standards has to have ‘bred true’ for at least 100 years.
Insurance standards of pedigree, means that they fall into various risk classes. In the labradoodle case it is hip dysplasia, they are also high in the temperament problem stakes. Many get referred to behaviourists. People don't realise they're getting a very intelligent, big, active dog and most labradoodle owners seem to be first time dog owners too.
Another behaviourist visitor is cockies or Border collie x Cocker Spaniels, pretty highly strung and very uncertain temperaments. Border collies top the behaviourist’s charts on polls. They are unsuited to town life unless they can run themselves stupid and are very intelligent as well so need lots of mental stimulation. Yet they are expected to live like a family pet. Their herder instincts to nip heels become more vicious as it is not channelled into the work they were bred for, by people that do not understand the breed.
Cocker spaniels again not to high in the good temperament stakes especially golden’s. Cocker rage is a well recognised problem but the root cause is unknown. While it can affect all the colours it seems predominant in golden’s.
Pomchi - these were all the rage a couple of years back. Pomeranian x Chihuahua were changing hands at around a £1000. Their temperament was nasty to say the least.
Rottakitas, Rottweiler’s cross Akita’s my god that is insane, l do not want to handle these thank you. Akita’s need careful owners as do Rottweiler’s. Needles to say all too often they do not get it but to mix the 2 is asking for a problem breed, and people think pitbulls are dangerous.
Springador these seem to be popular with gamekeepers. The problem’s become apparent when this active working breed, bred specifically to work ends up in a pet home without the necessary stimulation.
I have put a few here that have been sold as ‘breeds’ you can try and work out the parentage: whipbull, yorkiepoo, sprollie, springerdor, cockalier, cockapoo, yorkadale, yorhua, cockerschon, shorkiepoo, sprocker, shichon, jug, grippit.
To find out what the known inherited problems are in some of the top ‘normal’ breeds, as opposed to designer breeds this site Inherited diseases in dogs database will give you a clue. The site is being constantly updated as more inherited diseases become acknowledged. Now consider what may happen if 2 breeds are interbreed.
Finally to bring a bit of humour into a serious subject
What do you get if you cross a Leonberger with a Shih Tzu?
A shihberger
What do you get if you cross a Jack Russell terrier with a Shih Tzu?
Jackshiht
People have become obsessed with having fancier and fancier names for dog breeds, damm the temperament and health implications. They are getting bored with the well known pedigrees around. They want designer breeds with fancy names, so that they can show off. This has brought about the situation nowadays where you cross breed 2 different pedigree dogs and merge their names into one. And the beauty of it for breeders is they can invent whatever name they want and do not have any breed standards to stick to. These cross breeds regulaly change hands for upwards of £500 often more than the standard pedigrees.
While l am always quoting “a pedigree is a mongrel that breeds true”. It is also true that if you breed two pedigrees that doe’s not mean you get a healthy ‘purebred’ mongrel pup. You stand a risk of just wrapping the worst of both of those lines with each other and going from horrible inherited diseases to god-awful inherited diseases.
One of the common things that is done is to cross a poodle which doesn’t shed hair with another breed. This is sold as a non hair shedding breed, no proof that the genetics to stop hair shedding will cross over but by the time people realise it is too late.
Crossing a yorkie with another breed does not mean that the teeth will not be rotten, and still be falling out by the time the dog is 8years old.
The healthiest mongrels are generally those that have a totally unknown parentage you may guess parts but they are basically unknown. This doesn’t mean that they won’t get health problems, it is just a hell of a lot rarer. True unknown parentage mongrels are becoming rarer in the first world now where ‘pedigrees’ are gaining ground.
Insurance companies are now classing some of the designer cross breeds as ‘pedigree’ eg labradoodle. This is an insurance definition as a pedigree by kennel club standards has to have ‘bred true’ for at least 100 years.
Insurance standards of pedigree, means that they fall into various risk classes. In the labradoodle case it is hip dysplasia, they are also high in the temperament problem stakes. Many get referred to behaviourists. People don't realise they're getting a very intelligent, big, active dog and most labradoodle owners seem to be first time dog owners too.
Another behaviourist visitor is cockies or Border collie x Cocker Spaniels, pretty highly strung and very uncertain temperaments. Border collies top the behaviourist’s charts on polls. They are unsuited to town life unless they can run themselves stupid and are very intelligent as well so need lots of mental stimulation. Yet they are expected to live like a family pet. Their herder instincts to nip heels become more vicious as it is not channelled into the work they were bred for, by people that do not understand the breed.
Cocker spaniels again not to high in the good temperament stakes especially golden’s. Cocker rage is a well recognised problem but the root cause is unknown. While it can affect all the colours it seems predominant in golden’s.
Pomchi - these were all the rage a couple of years back. Pomeranian x Chihuahua were changing hands at around a £1000. Their temperament was nasty to say the least.
Rottakitas, Rottweiler’s cross Akita’s my god that is insane, l do not want to handle these thank you. Akita’s need careful owners as do Rottweiler’s. Needles to say all too often they do not get it but to mix the 2 is asking for a problem breed, and people think pitbulls are dangerous.
Springador these seem to be popular with gamekeepers. The problem’s become apparent when this active working breed, bred specifically to work ends up in a pet home without the necessary stimulation.
I have put a few here that have been sold as ‘breeds’ you can try and work out the parentage: whipbull, yorkiepoo, sprollie, springerdor, cockalier, cockapoo, yorkadale, yorhua, cockerschon, shorkiepoo, sprocker, shichon, jug, grippit.
To find out what the known inherited problems are in some of the top ‘normal’ breeds, as opposed to designer breeds this site Inherited diseases in dogs database will give you a clue. The site is being constantly updated as more inherited diseases become acknowledged. Now consider what may happen if 2 breeds are interbreed.
Finally to bring a bit of humour into a serious subject
What do you get if you cross a Leonberger with a Shih Tzu?
A shihberger
What do you get if you cross a Jack Russell terrier with a Shih Tzu?
Jackshiht
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Parasites
I decided to put some info up on those nasty little hidden problems that are often overlooked. In this case worms. Many thanks to Arlo from Guthrie Communications whom l "borrowed" the articles from.
Targeted specifically at cat ownersProfender aims to educate owners about the importance of worming their cats and visiting their vets.
Pet owners visiting the site will be able to profile their cat to determine the optimum worm treatment regime. To help improve compliance, owners can also subscribe to a free SMS or email reminder service to alert them when a worming treatment is due.
The results of a new study highlighting the prevalence of Angiostrongylus vasorum infection as seen by UK veterinary surgeons, combined with the low awareness amongst dog owners of this parasite has led Bayer Animal Health to launch a nationwide 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative.
I have seen 2 dogs die of lung worm. Neither was pleasant. The first one was taken in collapsed and lungworm can be hard to find but x-rays of lung patterns were suggestive, although no lungworm could be found in lung samples sent for testing.
Initial treatment was started but the dog reacted badly and the dose was lessened. After several days the owners decided that the dog was suffering, he was anorexic and very depressed and had a lot of fluid on his chest the vet’s couldn’t clear as he passed on bloody fluid poured out of his lungs in a flood.
Post mortem confirmed what he had.
The other dog did not survive that long and the owners decided not to have a PM done but x-ray patterns and history suggested that again Angiostrongylus vasorum was responsible.
The new campaign will be backed by a hard-hitting national advertising, PR and radio campaign which kicks off in April, the initiative aims to highlight the prevalence of this potentially, and often fatal infection, and to drive pet owners to their veterinary practices for further information.
The initiative also sees the launch of a new educational website for dog owners on Lungworm. The site offers further information on the infection, including likely signs, how to obtain treatment and a video of the lifecycle of the parasite showing the threat posed by the lungworm's intermediate hosts - slugs and snails.
The study revealed that 16% of vets questioned had one or more confirmed cases of the disease. A further 10% had seen dogs that they suspected had the infection. However, only 6% of dog owners questioned in a UK wide survey had unprompted awareness of the parasite.
Bayer's Chris White said: "These results are no surprise following the reports last year of confirmed cases of Angiostrongylus vasorum as far north as Glasgow. The disease has seen a rapid rise in importance over the past few years highlighted by the number of vets and nurses that attended the Advocate CPD meetings held around the country at the end of last year.
"The 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative aims to educate owners on the risks associated with infection, to encourage them to visit their vet for further information and discuss their dogs' parasite protection plan."
Targeted specifically at cat ownersProfender aims to educate owners about the importance of worming their cats and visiting their vets.
Pet owners visiting the site will be able to profile their cat to determine the optimum worm treatment regime. To help improve compliance, owners can also subscribe to a free SMS or email reminder service to alert them when a worming treatment is due.
The results of a new study highlighting the prevalence of Angiostrongylus vasorum infection as seen by UK veterinary surgeons, combined with the low awareness amongst dog owners of this parasite has led Bayer Animal Health to launch a nationwide 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative.
I have seen 2 dogs die of lung worm. Neither was pleasant. The first one was taken in collapsed and lungworm can be hard to find but x-rays of lung patterns were suggestive, although no lungworm could be found in lung samples sent for testing.
Initial treatment was started but the dog reacted badly and the dose was lessened. After several days the owners decided that the dog was suffering, he was anorexic and very depressed and had a lot of fluid on his chest the vet’s couldn’t clear as he passed on bloody fluid poured out of his lungs in a flood.
Post mortem confirmed what he had.
The other dog did not survive that long and the owners decided not to have a PM done but x-ray patterns and history suggested that again Angiostrongylus vasorum was responsible.
The new campaign will be backed by a hard-hitting national advertising, PR and radio campaign which kicks off in April, the initiative aims to highlight the prevalence of this potentially, and often fatal infection, and to drive pet owners to their veterinary practices for further information.
The initiative also sees the launch of a new educational website for dog owners on Lungworm. The site offers further information on the infection, including likely signs, how to obtain treatment and a video of the lifecycle of the parasite showing the threat posed by the lungworm's intermediate hosts - slugs and snails.
The study revealed that 16% of vets questioned had one or more confirmed cases of the disease. A further 10% had seen dogs that they suspected had the infection. However, only 6% of dog owners questioned in a UK wide survey had unprompted awareness of the parasite.
Bayer's Chris White said: "These results are no surprise following the reports last year of confirmed cases of Angiostrongylus vasorum as far north as Glasgow. The disease has seen a rapid rise in importance over the past few years highlighted by the number of vets and nurses that attended the Advocate CPD meetings held around the country at the end of last year.
"The 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative aims to educate owners on the risks associated with infection, to encourage them to visit their vet for further information and discuss their dogs' parasite protection plan."
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