Y3S2 Week 2: Second Spay, Castle to Coast and a Weekend in SLO!

This week we hopped into our second round of spay surgeries, so Monday morning began bright and early with a quick whirl around the park with Churro before heading to school for the pre-surgical exam. I was the primary surgeon for the day and was paired with the sweetest husky pup named Pretzel. After performing her pre-surgical exam and lab work, we headed to class and had a lecture on pleural disease and how this should be approached in an emergency room setting. We then had a comparative lecture on viral respiratory diseases across feline and equine species. This was a nice way to review the material that we had covered in our infectious disease block and bring in some comparative aspects across species.

That afternoon we had our pre-surgical rounds debrief where we discussed each of our surgical patients and analyzed their bloodwork to make sure that they were good candidates for surgery. Besides some signs of chronic inflammation, Pretzel’s labs were fairly unremarkable, and she was cleared for surgery. The rest of the afternoon included surgical prep, her spay procedure, and recovery. This was the second spay I have performed and the difference between the first and second time was huge. I felt much more relaxed and things were more efficient. Surgery is an inherently nerve-wracking process, and I think that if you are not a little nervous before entering the abdomen of a living patient, there is a problem. That being said, there were less nerves than the first time and I was surrounded by the best surgical team! Gaby was my assistant and Ari was the anesthetist. These surgeries are a team effort and in order to have a successful outcome, everyone needs to be on the same page.

After Pretzel recovered from anesthesia, we put her back in her kennel and gave her some time to rest. I then headed home, took Churro for a walk, and got a few things done before heading back to campus to meet Ari for the 9pm post-op check. Pretzel was doing well and was ready for dinner. Ari and I fed her dinner and once we were cleared by the supervising faculty member, we were able to call it a night.

Pretzel ♡

Tuesday morning began with a quick run with Churro followed by Pretzel’s morning check and discharge. She had rested well over the night and after her morning check, she was cleared to return to the shelter and be put up for adoption! She was the perfect patient, and I know that she will enrich someone’s life.

I then had a chance to do a quick run around the arboretum before heading to class. We had a lecture on surgical techniques for pleural disease followed by two lectures on feline cardiomyopathies and their respective treatments. 

During lunch we had our book study and covered Chapter 6 of Relaxed. This chapter focused on grief, which is not an inherently easy topic to talk about. None the less, the group had a great discussion and brought their vulnerability to the table. We were also joined by our lovely faculty advisor, Dr. McLarty and Pete, a UC Davis SVM alum!

That afternoon consisted of a cardiorespiratory technique lab where we had the chance to practice multiple procedures on cadavers. We did a transtracheal wash, tracheostomy, thoracocentesis, and pericardiocentesis. It was fun to practice these skills and learn the general principles around each procedure.

That afternoon Churro and I spent some time on the field and ended the evening studying.

Wednesday morning began with a quick run around the park with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We then had a lecture on anesthesia for patients with cardiac diseases followed by a discussion session with cases related to the prior lecture. This was a great way to immediately practice applying what we had just learned. The three cases included a dog with mitral valve dysfunction, dilated cardiomyopathy, and a cat with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. All of these diseases are commonly seen in general practice, so understanding how to safely manage them under anesthesia is crucial. In between those lectures I had the chance to join in the CVF morning prayer session which is always a great way to start the day!

During lunch I had the opportunity to do an interview prep session. These are always fun and I love helping people develop their stories so that they can approach their interview with confidence! The rest of the afternoon included a discussion session on acquired heart disease which was a great way to review the concepts from the prior week. I then had a chiropractor appointment and spent the rest of the afternoon with Churro.

Thursday began with a quick run with Churro followed by a hot yoga session and swim. I then headed home and reviewed for the upcoming cardiology exam. We didn’t have any classes scheduled so the full day was used for studying besides a nice walk with Churro in the middle of the day.

Friday morning began with a 3 miler with Churro followed by the cardio exam. This was a lengthy exam with lots of clinically relevant concepts! We then had a discussion on avian viruses with the primary focus on poultry. While I do not plan on pursuing poultry medicine, I think that it is important to understand the main diseases that impact these animals and the role we play as veterinarians in keeping them healthy, along with the humans who consume them. After that discussion session, Churro and I hopped in the car and headed to SLO. We went into town in the early evening and he had a chance to run around with his buddy, Booker.

Castle to Coast!

Saturday morning began with an awesome race with Jenn. This race was called Castle to Coast and started at Hearst Castle and ended in San Simeon. I ran this race a few times with Jenn in undergrad, so it was a blast to run it with her again. She also nailed the pacing, and our average speed was faster than 9 min/mile! After the race I had a chance to catch up with a friend over breakfast and spend some time hearing about the fun things going on in her life.

That afternoon my sister came into town, and we explored some antique shops before taking Churro and Booker to Avila beach. The pups had a blast, and we were able to watch the beautiful sunset before grabbing dinner and heading back home.

Bike ride sunrise!

Sunday morning began with an epic 41-mile bike ride around SLO. I started the ride around 7 and was able to experience the gorgeous sunrise along the coast. After the ride, Nora and I headed up to Cayucos to get brunch at the Hidden Kitchen. The rest of the day included another beach trip with the pups before Nora headed back to Santa Barbara. That evening, I was able to get in a quick dip in the ocean before grabbing dinner and heading home for the night. I hadn’t been in the ocean for a while and the water felt amazing.

Brunch with Nora ♡

Monday morning began with a nice 10-mile trail run with the pups followed by a little pup cup treat. I then packed up my things and got ready to head back up to Davis. On the way up, Churro and I had the chance to get in one more beach trip and hit Morro Bay. He ran his brains out and then we were officially on our way back up to Davis.

Running Buddies

Spending the weekend in SLO was the perfect way to refresh. The weather was gorgeous and it was such a privilege to spend time with some of my favorite people. I also loved getting in some solid training sessions and seeing what my body is capable of doing! The central coast has a big piece of my heart and every time I come back it never disappoints.

Quote of the week: “When you are sick what kind of position do you adopt?  …fetal position” – Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo

Stylish friend in Morro Bay!