Old School vs. New School: Vet Care Then & Now
If you’ve worked in a veterinary clinic for more than a week, congratulations – you’ve probably aged 10 years and lived through at least three different “eras” of pet care. Whether you’re a seasoned vet tech who remembers when paper records were filed alphabetically by last name of the dog’s owner’s ex-boyfriend, or a fresh-outta-school DVM who thinks a Rolodex is a Pokémon – this post is for you.
Let’s take a nostalgic and slightly sarcastic look at old-school vs. new-school veterinary care.
DISCLAIMER: The following contains sweeping generalizations, mild exaggerations, and a few jokes that may hit too close to home. Facts may not be 100% accurate – but let’s be honest, we’re all just here for a little bit of humor. Please consult your clinic cat before taking any of this too seriously.
The Waiting Room
Old School:
One bench. Four howling dogs. Two loose toddlers. One angry cat in a cardboard carrier that’s been nearly clawed into confetti. The receptionist bravely triaging with a landline and a clipboard, while also preventing a Yorkie vs. Husky showdown.
New School:
Curbside check-ins. Mobile apps. Text “ARRIVED” to 555-VETS and wait in your car while your Chihuahua judges pedestrians. We’ve upgraded from chaos with fur to Uber Eats, but for vaccinations.
Still smells like fear and Fritos. The classics endure.
Anesthesia
Old School:
Anesthesia meant: Ketamine + Valium + “Well, I think he’s deep enough…”
Monitoring = your hand on the chest and a nervous glance at the wall clock every 5 minutes.
New School:
Isoflurane, CRI, and a bank of monitors that looks like you borrowed them from a hospital drama (forever waiting for a veterinary drama show, Grey’s Anatomy-style). Capnography, pulse ox, ECG, and a tech who’s basically conducting a symphony of vitals.
Still get peed on mid-procedure. Balance, you know?
Medical Records
Old School:
Paper charts thicker than a Saint Bernard’s thigh. Notes written in stereotypical messy and mysterious DVM shorthand (was that “neuter” or “neuro”?), stored in filing cabinets last dusted during the Clinton administration.
New School:
Electronic medical records, patient portals, and searchable fields! Until the Wi-Fi crashes, and you’re stuck staring into the digital abyss trying to remember what you did 12 minutes ago.
Diagnostics
Old School:
Snap tests were a gamble. Bloodwork took three days minimum unless you personally knew someone at the lab. And x-rays? Hope you like chemistry.
New School:
In-house analyzers beep and whir while you sip coffee. Digital x-rays pop up faster than a TikTok video. Ultrasound no longer lives in the closet under a pile of dental towels.
Still requires someone to hold the wiggly dachshund. Usually the intern.
Client Communication
Old School:
Receptionist juggling three phone lines and yelling “WHO’S PICKING UP MUFFIN?!” across the lobby. Reminder postcards featuring cartoon bones that more than likely got delivered three weeks late.
New School:
Email, text, push notifications, client portals, and your clinic’s TikTok account with 12k followers (10k of which are just there for the tech who dances with kittens).
Still doesn’t stop Mrs. Johnson from calling and asking, “Now which vet do you think Muffin likes better?”
Pet Nutrition
Old School:
Whatever was on sale. Extra points for adding gravy from last night’s meatloaf. Bonus advice: “If he’s hungry, he’ll eat.”
New School:
Prescription diets, hydrolyzed proteins, probiotics, and weight management plans. But wait, you need to make sure it is gluten-free and aligns with the dog’s star sign! We’re now nutritional consultants, wellness coaches, and therapists for owners who feel judged by their Golden Retriever’s BMI.
The Takeaway
Yes, the equipment is fancier, the meds are safer, pets live longer and healthier lives, and your clinic’s Wi-Fi has a stronger signal than your will to work Saturdays – but the soul of vet care hasn’t changed. The mission? Still the same – care for animals, survive Mondays, and keep extra scrubs in your cubby.
Whether you’re filing paper records or rebooting the cloud-based EMR for the fourth time today, we salute you. May your syringes never clog, your clients never Google too hard, and your coffee never go cold (unless you’re an iced coffee addict like me).
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