A Vet Med Betrayal List
A completely unserious ranking of things that have absolutely turned on us.
Inspired by that viral Kanye betrayal list that shook the internet, we present the vet med edition – a dramatic, emotional, and slightly unhinged inventory of things we trusted…that betrayed us anyway.
This list is not in any particular order because ranking pain seems unnecessary.
“It Should Be a Quiet Day”
Someone said it out loud.
We believed it.
The universe heard us…and laughed.
Suddenly:
- Three walk-ins
- Two staff call-outs
- One emergency
- And a printer jam
This phrase is cursed and should be removed from all clinic vocab immediately.
The Vein That Was “Right There”
You saw it.
You felt it.
You were confident.
Then:
- It rolled
- It vanished
- It gaslit you
Betrayal of the highest order.
We trusted Google once.
Now we live with the consequences:
- “It says here my dog has cancer because he sneezed.”
- “Google said you don’t need to give all the antibiotics if your dog starts feeling better.”
- “This breeder forum says you’re wrong.”
Google is not credentialed.
Google has never worked a shift in vet med.
The Clinic Printer
Worked flawlessly all morning.
Broke down the moment it was needed for:
- A health certificate
- A surgical consent
- A client who is already frustrated and in a rush
The printer waits.
It watches.
It strikes when morale is the weakest.
The Patient Who Pees Right After You Clean the Kennel
Immediately.
Aggressively.
Personal.
The Phone That Rings Again Immediately After You Answer It
You just put someone on hold.
You are mid-sentence, apologizing for having to put them on hold.
And yet…it rings again.
Somewhere, the phone gods are laughing.
The Schedule
We trusted it.
We believed it.
Then it betrayed us by:
- Stacking complicated cases
- Hiding double bookings
- Pretending lunch doesn’t exist
“I’ll Eat After This Appointment”
Narrator voice: They did not eat.
Cats
Specifically:
- The ones who were “fine in the carrier”
- The ones who “never act like this”
- The ones who turn into Olympic gymnasts mid-exam
Holiday Weeks
They promised festivity.
They delivered:
- Health cert panic
- Short tempers
- Staffing nightmares
- A sudden influx of “found animals in boxes”
Every year…
Without fail.
The Breakroom Snack You Were Saving
You thought it would be there later.
It was not.
The Last Appointment of the Day
We wanted to believe it would be simple.
It was not simple.
It was never simple.
It never will be.
“This Has Never Happened Before”
It absolutely has.
Just not in front of the owner.
Your Own Optimism
You said:
“Today feels manageable.”
Vet med said:
“LOL…watch this.”
Final Thoughts
Vet med is a profession built on trust – in our tools, our systems, our schedules, and sometimes our own unrealistic optimism.
And while betrayal is inevitable, we show up anyway.
Because even after the printer jams, the nail trims lie, the phones scream, and the schedule collapses…we still care deeply, laugh loudly, and keep going.
Things I Say to Cats That Make Me Sound Like a Creepy Old Man
Things I Say to Cats That Make Me Sound Like a Creepy Old ManAn ongoing investigation into my own behavior. There’s a very specific version of me that only exists around cats. That version: Speaks in a tone I do not use anywhere else Says things that cannot be...
Things Practice Managers Secretly Think During Meetings
Things Practice Managers Secretly Think During MeetingsStaff meetings in vet med are meant to be productive, collaborative, and informative.And they are.But they are also…an experience. Because while practice managers are leading discussions, reviewing updates, and...
Managing Difficult Employees in Veterinary Clinics: A Practical Guide for Practice Managers
Managing Difficult Employees in Veterinary Clinics: A Practical Guide for Practice ManagersIf you’re a veterinary practice manager long enough, you will eventually encounter a difficult employee. It may be someone who: Resists feedback Disrupts team dynamics...
Patients Who Believe They Are Human: A Veterinary Field Guide
Patients Who Believe They Are Human: A Veterinary Field GuideEvery vet clinic sees them... The pets who have somehow decided - through a combination of confidence, poor boundaries, and enthusiastic owners - that they are not animals at all. They are people. These...
The Business Case for Investing in Support Staff (And Why Outside Support Makes Sense)
The Business Case for Investing in Support Staff (And Why Outside Support Makes Sense)Veterinary clinics don’t struggle because their teams aren’t working hard enough.They struggle because demand has outgrown capacity. Phones don’t stop ringing. Schedules stay...
What High-Retention Veterinary Clinics Do Differently
What High-Retention Veterinary Clinics Do DifferentlyStaff retention is one of the biggest challenges in vet med. Clinics everywhere are feeling the impact of burnout, staff shortages, and turnover that disrupts culture, workflow, and patient care. Yet some clinics...
