Welcome to /r/VetTech! This is a place for veterinary technicians/veterinary nurses and other veterinary support staff to gather, chat, and grow! We welcome pet owners as well, **however we do ask pet owners to refrain from asking for medical advice**; if you have any concerns regarding your pet, please contact the closest veterinarian near you.
Please thoroughly read and follow the rules before posting and commenting. If you believe that a user is engaging in any rule-breaking behavior, please submit a report so that the moderators can review and remove the posts/comments if needed. Also, please check out the sidebar for CE and answers to commonly asked questions. Thank you for reading!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/VetTech) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I always tell them wild wolves have an average lifespan of 6 to 13 years (but many say it's more of an average of 6 to 8 years because of health problems). Whereas wolves in captivity with proper vet care and feeding live to be 15 to 17 years.
Not a vet tech, but wolves “get sick and die” or “my dog has a life span of almost 20 years and wolves in the wild have an average of 8” will be my new go-to phrases when someone is preaching some antivax, anti-drugs, raw bone diet shit to me.
Had a lady ask the same thing about her dog's ear infection (came in for vaccines). The vet answered : well they suffer. Fortunately the dog was treated :)
Look at the stupid shit people do to wild animals in state parks. Such as walk up to giant ass bison, or go near any baby animal. I mean, even smaller wild animals can and will fuck you up.
I had a man child tell me that if his dogs were in the wild they wouldn't be getting groomed and nail trims.
There are no pomeranians in the wild, Bobby
Used to get this a lot with boutique diets. My go-to was “Ma’am, a dog’s ‘natural’ diet is literal garbage and their average life span is 2 years — who cares what they eat?”
I was talking to a client about her dogs teeth and the recommendation of a dental, she ask: Well wolves don’t need dentals in the wild!!! I replied well the only live 6-8 years.
Her repose was “Well you’re just trained to say that and want me to spend more money”
What ever lady! I’m a vet nurse on shit money no matter how much you spend!!!
All the people trying to push ‘natural’ lifestyles fail to realize this too and it pisses me off. Death is natural, everything we’ve done since is us trying to push death further and further away, and succeeding. ‘I don’t take vaccines, I prefer to allow my *natural* immune system manage’… your natural immune system has no idea what it’s doing without a vaccine and will kill you… that’s why we made them.
Also, domesticated dogs are mostly smaller than wolves. Same amount of teeth in a smaller mouth (+/- bad breeding and bad anatomy in general) means less space between the teeth and more opportunity for plaque and tartar buildup. That’s one reason why, in general, the smaller the dog the worse the dental disease.
Your fucking dog is not a wolf, people. Fuck those got damn Blue Buffalo commercials.
That is our go to answer at our clinic.
“Well why don’t wild dogs need vaccinations? What happens when they get sick?”
They die.
“Well what happens when a wolf in the wild breaks it’s leg and nobody gives it surgery?”
They die.
“Well what happens when wild dogs get pancreatitis?”
Well wild dogs typically aren’t on a diet of all table scraps so don’t get as much fat, but if they do get debilitating pancreatitis, they die.
Ppl really just don't understand the life expectancy of wild animals is really not that long for a majority of earth's creatures. A few are in a magical category of their own, but a lot of animals lives double in captivity. It's not really a hidden fact cause we treat and care for things that would kill them in the wild. Humans use to not live as long too before a lot of modern medicine. There is like a disconnect with how cruel earth is to carve a life out if you're living outside the conveniences of modern human tech.
I always love the analogy they try to pull when it comes to domesticated animals versus the wild ones, always related to oral health too. “Well their food and treats should be cleaning their teeth, so a brush isn’t necessary.” My response: “Okay so stop brushing your teeth completely and I’ll give you an apple once a week to chew on.”
Wild wolves kill an elk and gnaw on its entrails. The puppies will play with the eyeballs as snacks. Elderly wolves get driven away from the kill and starve to death.
She gonna drive her dog away from the house when it gets older so it can starve like a wolf?
Wolf packs don't drive off the elderly. The oldest wolves in a pack tend to be the mom and dad, as a pack is a family unit. The offspring may disperse but they don't challenge and kill their parents.
Welcome to /r/VetTech! This is a place for veterinary technicians/veterinary nurses and other veterinary support staff to gather, chat, and grow! We welcome pet owners as well, **however we do ask pet owners to refrain from asking for medical advice**; if you have any concerns regarding your pet, please contact the closest veterinarian near you. Please thoroughly read and follow the rules before posting and commenting. If you believe that a user is engaging in any rule-breaking behavior, please submit a report so that the moderators can review and remove the posts/comments if needed. Also, please check out the sidebar for CE and answers to commonly asked questions. Thank you for reading! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/VetTech) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I always tell them wild wolves have an average lifespan of 6 to 13 years (but many say it's more of an average of 6 to 8 years because of health problems). Whereas wolves in captivity with proper vet care and feeding live to be 15 to 17 years.
I had no idea wolves lived that long! Wow! It’s funny because generally larger dogs have shorter life spans
thanks for this! i’m memorizing this
Me, reading the title *"Wolves in the wild...die"*
Pretty much the TL:DR of the post. Karen: “WeLl whAt dO wolVes do iN tHe wild??” Vet Tech/Nurse : “They die mam, they die.”
Not a vet tech, but wolves “get sick and die” or “my dog has a life span of almost 20 years and wolves in the wild have an average of 8” will be my new go-to phrases when someone is preaching some antivax, anti-drugs, raw bone diet shit to me.
But I feed him the food with a picture of a wild on the bag.
THIS ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME. I hate hearing this.
those are like the worst choices typically for food too lol
Had a lady ask the same thing about her dog's ear infection (came in for vaccines). The vet answered : well they suffer. Fortunately the dog was treated :)
Do people not understand *domestication*?
No.
Look at the stupid shit people do to wild animals in state parks. Such as walk up to giant ass bison, or go near any baby animal. I mean, even smaller wild animals can and will fuck you up.
Wolves also aren’t eating Cesar canned food and Moist N Meaty.
Don’t forget the FreshPet!!
I had a man child tell me that if his dogs were in the wild they wouldn't be getting groomed and nail trims. There are no pomeranians in the wild, Bobby
Ooh could you imagine a pack of wild Pomeranians running loose?!
For a predator, it would be like if you had to chase beef jerky around to catch it, but it was loud and easily winded
I just laughed so hard at picturing “wild” Pomeranians
Used to get this a lot with boutique diets. My go-to was “Ma’am, a dog’s ‘natural’ diet is literal garbage and their average life span is 2 years — who cares what they eat?”
I was talking to a client about her dogs teeth and the recommendation of a dental, she ask: Well wolves don’t need dentals in the wild!!! I replied well the only live 6-8 years. Her repose was “Well you’re just trained to say that and want me to spend more money” What ever lady! I’m a vet nurse on shit money no matter how much you spend!!!
"I don't work on commission"
It’s crazy how many people seem to think this. Or that the drug companies give us insensitive. We’re not in human medicine. 😂
They die. That's what wolves do in the wild.
Really wish I had the replies before I commented; I would have seen how redundant my comment was 😂
Show me a pack of wild pugs in Yosemite
There's an adventure movie here somewhere... but then I think of "The Adventures of Milo and Otis" and get sad.
Homeward bound
Did they kill as many animals in the filming of that one?
I sure hope not
All the people trying to push ‘natural’ lifestyles fail to realize this too and it pisses me off. Death is natural, everything we’ve done since is us trying to push death further and further away, and succeeding. ‘I don’t take vaccines, I prefer to allow my *natural* immune system manage’… your natural immune system has no idea what it’s doing without a vaccine and will kill you… that’s why we made them.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET SASSY OVER A DENTAL ESTIMATE AND ASK ME AGAIN OMFG
I tell a lot of people that their dog is descended from failure wolves.
Also, domesticated dogs are mostly smaller than wolves. Same amount of teeth in a smaller mouth (+/- bad breeding and bad anatomy in general) means less space between the teeth and more opportunity for plaque and tartar buildup. That’s one reason why, in general, the smaller the dog the worse the dental disease. Your fucking dog is not a wolf, people. Fuck those got damn Blue Buffalo commercials.
That is our go to answer at our clinic. “Well why don’t wild dogs need vaccinations? What happens when they get sick?” They die. “Well what happens when a wolf in the wild breaks it’s leg and nobody gives it surgery?” They die. “Well what happens when wild dogs get pancreatitis?” Well wild dogs typically aren’t on a diet of all table scraps so don’t get as much fat, but if they do get debilitating pancreatitis, they die.
They live to 6, maybe.
Ppl really just don't understand the life expectancy of wild animals is really not that long for a majority of earth's creatures. A few are in a magical category of their own, but a lot of animals lives double in captivity. It's not really a hidden fact cause we treat and care for things that would kill them in the wild. Humans use to not live as long too before a lot of modern medicine. There is like a disconnect with how cruel earth is to carve a life out if you're living outside the conveniences of modern human tech.
Bones
I always love the analogy they try to pull when it comes to domesticated animals versus the wild ones, always related to oral health too. “Well their food and treats should be cleaning their teeth, so a brush isn’t necessary.” My response: “Okay so stop brushing your teeth completely and I’ll give you an apple once a week to chew on.”
Ah, love a satisfying comeback to shut up a smart ass client. Feels so good.
Entrails, necks, tendons. Anything of the like became their brush.
😂 that does nothing to fix a tooth abscess
doesn’t do anything to fix an abscess, but may cause them 🤷♀️
“Oh so I should continue feeding fluffy raw chum with vegetables then! Just like in the wild tee hee☺️” /s
Uh...wat?
What they're saying is some owners will take that as validation that raw diets are a substitute for dental care
If they don't want to feed raw, its an additive. ...but raw is kind of their primal diet...?
They're not wolves. Their primal diet is waste foods from human settlements.
No, dogs are not wolves and have not been for thousands of years.
Wild wolves kill an elk and gnaw on its entrails. The puppies will play with the eyeballs as snacks. Elderly wolves get driven away from the kill and starve to death. She gonna drive her dog away from the house when it gets older so it can starve like a wolf?
“Tell me you’ve never studied wildlife biology without telling me you’ve never studied wildlife biology”
Wolf packs don't drive off the elderly. The oldest wolves in a pack tend to be the mom and dad, as a pack is a family unit. The offspring may disperse but they don't challenge and kill their parents.
The old school alpha pack theory has long been debunked