Aspiring Vet Nurse with Emetophobia.

[Leo StarGazer]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm mainly just looking for anyone else who is going through a similar thing.

I want to be a vet nurse and am in the process of trying to gain entrance to the program. Blood I'm fine with, fecal matter is no problem! But when it comes to the dreaded 'v word' I just doubt my whole career choice. I'm worried that if an animal comes in and vomits then I might actually get sick myself, and how unprofessional would that look!
I mean, I'd be dealing with it everyday and I can't just avoid all those cases. I love animals, but even when my pets are sick I can't be around them. I wont let them sit on my lap after they've eaten just in case their food comes right back up. I wish I wasn't interested in working with animals because then I'd be more confident that I wasn't wasting my money on studying something that I'll never be able to do.

I guess I'm sort of hoping that someway along the line, this phobia will just weaken in severity and I'll be able to deal with it. But I've been this way ever since I was a toddler. As soon as someone mentions feeling sick, I have to ask if it's stomach related so I know if to be prepared to run or not. & I remember when I was a kid, one of my class mates was sick and I hid under the table crying and covering my ears. I was made fun of for a long, long time.

Well I bet you don't want to hear my life story, but does anyone here work in a field where you might come across people/animals getting sick? How do you deal with it? I am really passionate about wanting to help animals and don't want to let this frustrating phobia ruin my future.

[sage]

Leo, check out my website and see if you can get the information and help you need. Just a few sessions with any therapist using my resource page would get you over your fear of animals vomiting. It's highly treatable!

[ssjj]

I am looking to become a vet surgeon and volunteer at my local vets every week, were v* animals is fairly common (there is a huge cattery). For me, animals v* doesn't cause me anxiety as I know I can't catch it and it's not particularly like human v* anyway, and is a small amount usually just kibble (sorry if TMI). I honestly don't think it would make you v* if an animal v*'d, but gradual exposure would help you get used to it.

[Andrilla]

I would be very surprised if seeing it made you sick. Like ssjj said, it looks NOTHING like human v. My cats don't have the best digestive systems and since one was starving to death before we found her, she commonly eats too fast. You can figure out the result on your own. I know that it is easy for me to say since it doesn't bother me, but it is not NEARLY as gross as cleaning a litter box. Since that doesn't bother you, then you should be able to handle animal v just fine after a little work and exposure. (still not the most fun stuff in the world, but neither is the pet hair or the litter box)

[asianeko]

I'm a professional groomer, so I completely understand your concern! Most of the times that animals vomit in the salon it is because they are terrified or carsick. It's nothing like people vomit, and it's easy to clean. It doesn't have that smell or that wretched sound.

At first, I thought dog vomit would bother me, but even at my worst point it was okay. Definitely keep with your career choice, it's well worth it!

[hairyfairy]

I agree about animal v, it`s not nearly as bad as humans, because it`s usually semi- solid & easier to clean up, but when humans do it there`s usually a big liquid pool of it, & you need sawdust & all sorts of stuff to get rid of the smell. gross!

[Leo StarGazer]

Sorry I haven't been on here for a long time. Thank you all for your responses.
I know that it's not as gross as when humans V, but I just really cannot stand it when cats make that horrible sound when they are coughing up something...it's like, it just goes on forever, and seeing that half digested food that cats bring up after they eat too fast...if it's jelly meat, it really does make me want to V, because it looks like a nasty grey puddle of grossness.
Yeah I know, too much info...I'm just trying to explain why it bothers me.

[krisdance83]

i know what you mean... sometimes when my cats cough something up, it almost makes me gag when i go to clean it up. OR if they do it suddenly and i happen to see it, forget it. obviously not because i think i will catch it or anything like that, but just because their bodies still make that heaving motion that gives me the creeps. HOWEVER, all that said, i would highly encourage you to continue with your career choice. like someone said, once you have had more gradual exposure to it, i'm sure it won't bother you enough to make you regret your career choice. the rewards of your profession will highly outweigh this one setback. i love animals so i wish i had the opportunity to help them more!

[ann32]

I am a vet nurse (head tech). I have been for 10 yrs. When I first started working I remember a puppy came in that had got into something poisonous, we of course had to induce vomitting. This was my first experience with animal vomit at work...We induced vomitting and had the pup laying on the table with its head in the bucket, of course being the newbie at the time, I was the one that had to stand right there...I couldnt close my eyes, ears or anything...It wasnt that bad...I was actually amazed at how he could just get so sick and be fine hahaha...The only thing that did freak me out is that I was told not to get the meds on me bc it would indice vomit in me as well...hahaha I was wearing like 6 pairs of gloves.

Needless to say, I have dealt with lots and lots of animal vomit...its never pleasant, even with my own animals, but it doenst bother me bc I KNOW I CANT CATCH IT! Now my kids are a TOTALLY different story!!!!

I was headed to vet school to be a vet, when I found out I was pregs with my first son...Needless to say, I gave up a lot, but being older at the time, I was 27, decided that it was more important for my husband and I to start a family...It was God's will...So I have been blessed with great children and a way to still work with animals bc I truley enjoy it!!!! I say GO FOR IT!!!! you will be very happy!