New source of income?

I should really just start charging by the hour for my veterinary services.

My friend's parents called me the other day about their dog. He has a hot spot on his left hip that, from what I can surmise is caused by a poor diet (they're feeding him terrible food). I told them to put a hot compress on it for about half-an-hour every day to relieve the itching and pain, and also to keep it relatively clean. I also recommended a new diet for the poor dog, a premium one that doesn't cause allergies, and told them to transition him onto it slowly so as to not upset his stomach.

One thing that made me angry about this visit was that, when I was telling them about the food that they should feed, my friend's dad said "I don't really care much about this dog and didn't pay anything to get him, so I don't want to spend too much money on him." I honestly don't care if he doesn't like his dog, but he needs to keep that to himself. Saying that right to the face of someone who is investing their time, energy, and knowledge to help this animal get well--because I care about the animal--is a slap in the face. I'm tempted to tell them that the next time they need help, that they can pay the cash-up-front to see a DVM.

On another house-call, my other friend called me over because her cat was bleeding and she couldn't figure out why. I immediately asked if the animal was sterilized and she said that she thought she was. So, not wanting to take any chances, I did a physical exam to make sure that the cat wasn't injured, as snagging and losing a toenail is a common occurence.

After being bitten and scratched more that I would have liked to, I deduced that the cat was, indeed, unsterilized, and that she was in heat. This wasn't a very fun housecall. :P

Now, my parents are telling me that their golden retriever has a big, weepy wound on her neck. I can't do much about it right now because I'm out of sterile saline and veterinary tape (which means I should probably get some). The most I can do, really, is shave the site, clean and dress the wound. If it gets infected (which it sounds it might well be on its way there), she'll have to go see a DVM.

But seriously. I should be making some money for my house-calls. And, y'know, I would really hope that when I get my DVM that they all bring their animals to me.

Did I also mention that I provide free dog grooming to my friends/family? Seriously. These people owe me. :P