Welcome to PET TALK, and a warm hello to all of you!

I’ve been sequestered from society – for 37 years.

I have been working inside a veterinary hospital – giving my legacy of initials of CMD – to every single pet record I was involved in.

In those 37 years, 24 were spent as a Overnight Emergency Veterinary Technician in ICU, Triage, Treatment, Surgery, Post-Surgery, and the list goes on.

Gun shot wounds, hit by car, heat stroke, Parvo – and that list may also go on.

I figured mathematically that I have been involved in 3-4 euthanasia’s a day – for 37 years.

I’ve worked with avian, exotics, pocket-pets, snakes, iguanas, wildlife, and an adorable African Hedgehog named Harry.

I have been a voice for your pet while you were sleeping.

Standing up and being the true pet advocate that I am.

Not all have had my experience, and I’ve been asked for my opinion by many and had the guts to stand up for those who could not do so themselves.

I am respected by my colleagues which have my professional standards.

I walked away from the veterinary medicine field to help pet owners become more proactive in health and well-being for their pet.

I was hindered – by company policy – to speak to you on the phone on what to do when you called at 2 a.m. asking for pet advice.

I could not share my knowledge of cat and dog behavioral training and nutrition, because that is not what you were there for.

I could not talk to you about concerns you had because the time allotted was not cost effective and not a money-maker.

On the nursing floor, I was the final ace in the hole when everyone else attempted to put an IVC in your dying pet.

I’m the one that held your hand and cried with you, while asking for your signature for euthanasia.

I was the one that taught your pet to walk after IVDD surgery.

I was the one that refused to give up and give it my all, giving your pet the will to fight so you can go home with a happy ending.

I give this knowledge to you – through Pet Talk.

Every week I’ll be discussing different topics, stories, and guide you into the direction to have your pet live as long as possible with the dignity of a quality of life.

– Charlotte M. Dickinson, MPA

In the upcoming issues: SweetP and the Flea, Halloween Pet emergencies focusing on chocolate toxicity, foreign body and the Halloween costume, and the HBC (Hit by Car).