Vet adventures

Getting peppered with random inquiries at all hours takes a toll on the vet.

BY COURTNEY S. DIEHL, DVM

A veterinary colleague on social media recently posted a meme and a long, frustrated rant that made me simultaneously laugh and cringe in sympathy. The meme read:

“Dear friends & family,

If we haven’t spoken in 3+ years and you message me about your pet,

I am going to Venmo you a consult fee.”

I also laughed because 15 years ago, this phrase would have made no sense.

I won’t repeat her rant that followed, as much of it was unprintable, but suffice it to say that she got her point across. While I don’t take pleasure in my colleague’s frustrations, it felt good to know that I wasn’t the only veterinarian getting hounded for free advice.

DISTANT ACQUAINTANCE

I am routinely accosted on my personal social media with photos of Fido’s runny poop and monologues about Carrot Cruncher’s lameness from people that I knew from school because our gym lockers happened to be in the same row.