The Vet Clinic Thanksgiving Feast (Except it’s Not Food…It’s Chaos)

While the rest of the world is debating stuffing vs. dressing, those of us in the vet med world are debating which room the mysterious smell is coming from and whether that “quick appointment” will derail the entire day.

So grab your elastic-waist scrubs and let’s dig in.
Here’s what Thanksgiving really looks like in vet med: 

The Cranberry Sauce: Sticky Situations

Every Thanksgiving week brings at least one appointment where a client says:

“We’re flying out of the country in 3 hours, can you fill out a health certificate really quick?”

…really quick.
Like we’re scribbling a grocery list and not an official government document that requires precision, signatures, and the emotional stability of three staff members. 

The Turkey: That One Massive Case That Eats the Whole Day

You start the morning hopeful…
And then room 2 becomes The Turkey.

You know the one:

• Complicated symptoms
• One pet becomes three
• Owner brought exactly none of the medical history 
• Doctor goes in for “just a quick look” and is never seen again.

Congratulations, the entire schedule now rotates around this single appointment. 

The Mashed Potatoes: Everything Blending Together

By midday on Wednesday, every exam feels the same:

• “He’s been vomiting since Friday.”
• “Yes, we’re travelling tomorrow.”
• “No, we didn’t call earlier.”
• “It’s okay if you squeeze us in, right?”

Your brain becomes mashed potatoes.
Your sanity? The gravy that leaked to the bottom of the container. 

The Dinner Rolls: Gone Faster Than You Can Blink

Snacks in the breakroom on Thanksgiving week last about 11 seconds. 

Someone sets down a box of cookies.
Someone else whispers “snacks,”

And suddenly the techs materialize out of thin air like carb-loving ninjas.

The Fruit Punch: Extra Spicy Clients

Travel week is stressful for everyone.

But the number of clients who arrive with Thanksgiving-level spice?
Astronomical. 

And they always lead with:
“Not to be rude, but…”
Spoiler: They’re going to be rude. 

The Pumpkin Pie: The Saving Grace

There’s always one thing that saves the whole week:

• A sweet client.
• A grateful owner.
• A dog who gives you a slow, gentle tail wag after a hard procedure.
• A cat who doesn’t try to murder you. 

Those moments?
Chef’s kiss.
The slice of pie that makes it all worth it. 

The Post-Feast Nap You Never Actually Get

Other industries close early on the day before Thanksgiving.
We…do not.

Our “early close” looks like:

• Finishing charts at 7:18pm
• Cleaning the surgical suite
• Taking out the trash
• Someone saying “Oh! The oxygen alarm is going off.”

Final Thought

Thanksgiving in vet med isn’t about the feast – it’s about the people (and pets) we survive it with.

It’s the tech who keeps everyone laughing, the CSR who handles five phone lines like an air-traffic controller, the doctor who apologizes for running behind even though the universe is working against them, and the entire team who keeps showing up, even when the week feels like a marathon made of cranberry sauce and chaos. 

Here’s to you – the real MVPs of Thanksgiving week.

Pass the coffee.
Pass the pie.
Pass the sedation if needed. (For the PET…probably.)

Happy Thanksgiving, vet med fam. 🦃💛