Pets at work

What kind of medical attention did you give to the dog while riding? Did you just use a bulky dressing? Did he/she end up ok?
 
mikeylikesit said:
on a side note i have seen a show where they are training monkeys to deliver tickets when people are pulled over by the police on traffic stops. this take the possibility of the cop getting hurt down greatly...but who wouldn't steal a trained monkey?
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Next they will training them to provide medical care! Oh wait, That might be happening already!:rolleyes:
 
akflightmedic said:
Sometimes, SOMETIMES, pet owners can be just as rude and inconsiderate as smokers. Be responsible out there.
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Not all smokers are inconsiderate. I can understand if you don't like smoking, but it doesn't mean you should paint all smokers with the same brush. Much like I don't just assume all paramedics are arrogant, self-serving, and full of themselves. Even tho that's usually the case 99% of the time. But, we can save the smoking conversation for another time.
 
I do find it ironic the conversation on how politically correct we have became. It was not that long ago, almost every firehouse had a Dalmatian as a mascot. I even knew many that had several mascot cats, dogs, etc.

One of our Paramedics just kept some small miniature Collies for an older couple that was from out of state involved in a MVC. They were in a carrier device and placed out of site, and she was able to care and baby sit them, while on duty. The family wrote a thank you letter to the newspaper, and cards, cake to the crews. It was much better than any recent save, rescue, or treating an serious illness response.

No one died, no one became anaphylactic, no patients had any reactions from any exposures, etc.. (good grief!)

When in reality, most patients homes I go into have several animals, we are exposed to mites, dandruff, lice, etc... then what, you immediately change into another uniform after each call?.. yeah, right! As well, it is proven most animals are more cleaner in some ways than some humans..

No, I am not endorsing undue animals at the station, nor transporting every hurt injured animal, but realistically if hygiene was the factor many of our patients would ever meet the criteria.


R/r 911
 
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This is so funny! My original question was about US field crews having animals and it spun suddenly into our patients having animals. :blink: So maybe I should pull us back to one of my questions that hasn't been answered: what do you think about a supervisor in a fly car having an animal? The animal never comes in contact with the patient or anything like that. (Also, her dog was highly trained in obedience and very smart, so he never caused a problem.)
 
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As long as the dog stays in the car, on calls. I see nothing wrong with. If command allows it, then they are ok with me.
 
mikeylikesit said:
on a side note i have seen a show where they are training monkeys to deliver tickets when people are pulled over by the police on traffic stops. this take the possibility of the cop getting hurt down greatly...but who wouldn't steal a trained monkey?
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Wonder how animal rights people are taking to this, because that means, they would rather have the monkey get splattered. Which I would too, but why give a once wild animal a human job? And besides if a monkey went up to me and handed me a ticket I think I would laugh.
 
Ridryder911 said:
I do find it ironic the conversation on how politically correct we have became. It was not that long ago, almost every firehouse had a Dalmatian as a mascot. I even knew many that had several mascot cats, dogs, etc.

One of our Paramedics just kept some small miniature Collies for an older couple that was from out of state involved in a MVC. They were in a carrier device and placed out of site, and she was able to care and baby sit them, while on duty. The family wrote a thank you letter to the newspaper, and cards, cake to the crews. It was much better than any recent save, rescue, or treating an serious illness response.

No one died, no one became anaphylactic, no patients had any reactions from any exposures, etc.. (good grief!)

When in reality, most patients homes I go into have several animals, we are exposed to mites, dandruff, lice, etc... then what, you immediately change into another uniform after each call?.. yeah, right! As well, it is proven most animals are more cleaner in some ways than some humans..

No, I am not endorsing undue animals at the station, nor transporting every hurt injured animal, but realistically if hygiene was the factor many of our patients would ever meet the criteria.


R/r 911
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Finally a voice of reason. I responded to an MVA on my way to work one morning. The woman was distraught because PD wouldn' t take her dog and we wouldn't take it in the rig. Since I was there POV and not going to the hospital with the patient I took the dog back to the squad with me and kept her down in the truck bay. The family was greatful and the dog went home safe and sound and few Milk-Bones heavier.
Could any of you leave an animal tied to a post on the sie of the road for the patient or family member to pick up later? I would be sick with worry.
 
TCERT1987 said:
...what do you think about a supervisor in a fly car having an animal? The animal never comes in contact with the patient or anything like that.
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What is the point of having an animal in the fly car while on duty? This is just plain silly.
 
Protection, Companionship? What so silly about it?

If they are in a QRV, then they are usually alone all shift. Like I said, Doesn't hurt anything if it stays in the vehicle.
 
reaper said:
Protection, Companionship? What so silly about it?

If they are in a QRV, then they are usually alone all shift. Like I said, Doesn't hurt anything if it stays in the vehicle.
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Protection? Protection from what? Is Fe Fe the attack Poodle in the QRV for protection? And companionship is what you get when you go home after your shift.

A lot of cops are alone, mailmen, the meter man, the guy who comes to fix my furnace. With the exception of a K9 cop, you don't see pets with them. Besides, an animal in an emergency vehicle while running balls out to a call is just a distraction.
 
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Ray, my super's dog was a Rottweiler. We worked in Hartford and had a few of our trucks vandalized while we were inside on scene. She left him in there to protect the truck (he knew all of us), as well as to keep her company during the deep overnight shifts.
 
TCERT1987 said:
Ray, my super's dog was a Rottweiler. We worked in Hartford and had a few of our trucks vandalized while we were inside on scene. She left him in there to protect the truck (he knew all of us), as well as to keep her company during the deep overnight shifts.
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Vandalism is a random act and if that many of your trucks are constantly vandalized then maybe you should have your police become more involved in high crime areas. I know many EMS providers that will not enter certain neighborhoods until police is on the scene.

So what do you do on the days your super's off or are your trucks only vandalized when she is working? What's a "deep" overnight shift? Isn't overnight shift in EMS just like anyone else's overnight EMS shift?

There are thousands of medic supervisor's working an overnight shift as I type this post who do not need the company of a mutt. Toting a Rottweiler around as some sort of half *** security in an EMS fly car is ridiculous.

Sounds like this dog is capable of attacking. I wonder how your EMS provider's insurance would feel about this? Seems the threat of a litigation claim to an accidental attack would result in far more monetary damages than what any vandalism would cost.
 
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HPD apparently has enough on their plate with having calls wait for hours, they don't have the resources to escort us on every single one of our calls. I mean, goodness, it's hard enough for us to get PD if we call a mayday! And this vandalism was in the form of things disappearing from the trucks. As good as all of us are about locking them, people will still break into our ambulances if they really, really want to. It's only happened a few times over the past few years, but it still really sucks. This super decides to bring Dozer along on the occasional night, it's not every single shift.

A "deep" overnight is just what we refer to a "regular" overnight shift, just our jargon at work, nothing to freak out over.

Like I just said, she brings him on the rare occasion, not every single night. So no, he's not lo-tech LoJack or anything like that.

And, if you ever met Dozer, he's the biggest teddy bear ever. His thing is that he looks scary. (Heck, any 130lb dog looks scary.) Now, I'm not saying that if he was pushed that he wouldn't attack, but I doubt he would ever be given a chance to, as his presence is enough of a deterrent.

I really don't feel like I have to go anymore into this discussion. This is something my super does, not me. Apparently management doesn't have a problem with it, so I don't really care if he tags along or not. (I love the big lug, actually.)
 
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Being out in the hinterlands, we often have to deal with the animals of our pts. We had one frequent flier who had three very large, agressive dogs who had to be dealt with before we could enter her home. I have also dealt with the animals found in a home with in home deaths, horses on the side of the road after a car vs truck-pulling-horse trailer, cow vs car, and my personal favorite, car vs cougar (,large male cougar hurt but not dead) My priority is the safety and care of myself and my pt. always.

We often have to deal with animals as a side note to our calls. Making sure the animal is taken care of, or that the animal doesn't become a hazard on a road. I've called neighbors, friends, local pet advocates/rescue centers to provide for the care and feeding of animals whose owners have been injured or ill.

This is very different from putting my 80+ pound husky mix in the car with me while responding to calls. I only take my dogs in the car if they are going to the vet, or if we are going out to play. In both those cases, the dogs are restrained (I actually have doggy seat belts) because I don't want them becoming a projectile should I get into a wreck.

Now, if someone could explain to me, in simple english, how, having a pet in the rig with me responding to calls, is going to improve pt care I'd be behind it 100%. As I see it, it adds another level to every call. I don't want to be worrying about my dog, cat, parrot, child, maiden aunt or idiot brother in law while trying to provide pt care.
 
Ruh-Rooooah!

...............:sad:
 
BossyCow said:
Now, if someone could explain to me, in simple english, how, having a pet in the rig with me responding to calls, is going to improve pt care I'd be behind it 100%. As I see it, it adds another level to every call. I don't want to be worrying about my dog, cat, parrot, child, maiden aunt or idiot brother in law while trying to provide pt care.
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i got one for ya bossy.
what person doesn't smile or forget pain when they see a cute little puppy? and what drunk who's being combative won't forget his rage whilst petting or looking a an adorable pup?

now like Bryan said. if a monkey came up to me (even to deliver a $1000.00 speeding ticket) i would still drive away laughing...until i got home to my wife.
 
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mikeylikesit said:
i got one for ya bossy.
what person doesn't smile or forget pain when they see a cute little puppy? and what drunk who's being combative won't forget his rage whilst petting or looking a an adorable pup?

now like Bryan said. if a monkey came up to me (even to deliver a $1000.00 speeding ticket) i would still drive away laughing...until i got home to my wife.
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While some pts may respond in the manner you describe, as an EMT you should be able to accomplish the same results without the use of an animal. I think the possibility of the pt saying.. "get that stupid mutt out of my face" or the likelihood of the drunk drop kicking the pup instead of forgetting the rage is about 50/50. In Fire training, they tell us to weigh risk vs gain. I'm not seeing it on this one.
 
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