As we all are learning to cope with our current, ever-changing new normal I want to offer some musings and things I have learned through this coronavirus pandemic crisis. It is my sincerest hope that as you read this column, you, too, are overcome with love and compassion for our collective, human and animal suffering and rebounding resilience.

Veterinary medicine has always been touted as a career for animal lovers. However, anyone who remains in the field knows that to be successful one must enjoy interacting with people. After all, pets are always accompanied by their owners.

One of the things I have always loved about general practice is the ability to develop bonds not only with my patients but also their families. I enjoy hearing about the familys joys and triumphs. I have always tried to focus my interactions not only on presenting facts, guidance, and honesty; but also through a lens compassion and understanding for the family.

COVID 19 has shown me that I never realized how much I would miss these interactions until I couldnt be there for my clients in person.

I never realized how much I would miss being able to hug a client during a euthanasia or when were trying to make a difficult decision.

I miss being able to introduce myself to new clients by shaking their hand and inviting them into the exam room.

I miss being able to spend time in the exam room with clients talking them through my exam findings in real time. I miss helping seniors carry their pets to their cars. I even miss letting kids use my stethoscope to listen to their pets heartbeats.

Because at the end of the day yes my job is to do medicine, it is to be a veterinarian. But the best part of my job has, and always will be, interacting with clients and their pets.

The best part is that I get to help maintain and foster a deeper human animal bond through teaching the importance of what were trying to do.

Please know that our curbside check-ins and the way we are structuring appointments is to maintain public health and safety.

However, we feel the absence and change too. May we never take for granted again the power of a hug, a handshake and in-person conversation. I, for one, never will again.

Danielle Carey, a doctor of veterinary medicine, is an associate veterinarian at the Animal Clinic of Walla Walla.

See the article here:

Scope of veterinary medicine embraces animals and their people - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin