The Art of Bandaging with Brian Goleman: From Zoo Keeper to Bandaging Expert

This episode on Vet Life Reimagined is with guest, Registered Veterinary Technician Brian Goleman who has found a niche in veterinary bandaging. He went from zoo keeper to emergency technician to the surgery service where he became a bandaging expert, but he noticed that there was no great continuing education on bandaging, so he started his own called Brian’s Bandages. We talk about something really special that you can do with bandaging that will 

• make the veterinary staff more engaged, 
• wow your clients, and 
• increase client compliance. 

Resources:
Brian's Bandages website
Brian's Bandages Facebook page
Brian's Bandages Instagram
Get Bandage art
War Paws

Gift ideas for veterinary professionals (from Vet Life Reimagined guests)

Transcript

[00:00:00] 

Megan Sprinkle: Welcome to Vet Life Reimagined. I'm your host, Dr. Megan Sprinkle. And this episode marks the two year anniversary for the podcast. I absolutely appreciate your support and encouragement to continue to get this podcast out and grow. Especially becau Because, very special announcement, I am pregnant with my first, so life is only going to get crazier.

Megan Sprinkle: I'm due in September, but we are going to have a special campaign in May to celebrate family, parenthood, and children, and how this is all part of our vet life. More to come, including our partners on this celebration. But now I'm very excited for this episode with registered veterinary technician, Brian Goldman, who has found a niche in bandaging.

Megan Sprinkle: He went from zookeeper to emergency technician to the surgery service where he became a bandaging expert, but he noticed that. There were no great continuing education on it. So he started his own called Brian's bandages. Brian definitely needs to be invited to a conference and do a wet lab on this. But we talk about something [00:01:00] really special that you can do with bandaging that will make the veterinary staff more engaged while your clients and increase client compliance.

Megan Sprinkle: So let's get to the conversation with Brian Goldman.

Megan Sprinkle: I think you have a fantastic veterinary story. When did you know that you were interested in veterinary medicine? 

Brian Goleman: So I didn't know I was interested in veterinary medicine until I actually joined veterinary medicine. I started as a zookeeper in South Carolina for Several years, moved up to the DC area to be with my now wife, and I just got a job cleaning cages and walking dogs at a vet and just absolutely fell in love with it. I loved the energy. I love that you had no idea what you were going to get on a daily basis.

Brian Goleman: Every day was different, and then the more I learned about vet med, as I progressed in my career, like I just fell in love with the work, the animals, my coworkers, like everything about it. I'm still in love with it. As I'm progressing, I'm [00:02:00] finding new things I like about it.

Brian Goleman: So I fell in love with it basically on day one. 

Megan Sprinkle: I like that, but it sounds like you knew you were interested in animals because if I got this right when you got your bachelor's degree at the Ohio State and make sure I emphasize that. I think, did you focus in primate behavior?

Brian Goleman: Yes, so I knew I wanted to work with animals. Primates always kind of fascinated me. And I always had pets growing up. I will give that line of like, when did you know that you loved animals? Oh, well, I always had pets. I always fell in love with them. And then I always focused on exotics during my collegiate and my zookeeper career, and then never really thought about like just working with cats and dogs.

Brian Goleman: And I truly love cats and dogs. I'm a 50 50 split. I'm not a dog person or cat person. I would say. I'm both. I just love work. Every dog's different, every cat's different, it's always fun to work with. 

Megan Sprinkle: I am sure that you may get reminded of working in a zoo when you are even in a veterinary clinic for cats [00:03:00] and dogs.

Brian Goleman: My wife and I have very similar stories when we go home about who stepped in poo the most or, my animals, my dogs, who are they going to smell the most when both of us come home? My cats. It's always a battle. 

Megan Sprinkle: That's hilarious. Now I know from just from my experience being in zoo, sometimes you focus in certain areas. So when you were a zookeeper, did you have a focus? Were you in the primate area or did you cover lots of different animals?

Brian Goleman: Our department was gorillas and small mammals. So it was gorillas and then just a whole bunch of small primates, cats, bats, a little bit of everything.

Brian Goleman: fell in love with the gorillas. Those are my favorite. Absolutely. 

Megan Sprinkle: They are really cool. I will say though that they were also very intimidating to me. Yeah. It's like you know how powerful they are and how smart they are. 

Brian Goleman: Yes, I always, I always respected the vets because the apes, Never liked the vet. So I always respected them for coming down. 

Megan Sprinkle: Okay. I think we need to swap at least one good zoo [00:04:00] story. So you, you mentioned that the primates didn't like the vet. This was actually a big moment for me when I realized, well, maybe I don't want to be a zoo vet. And it was, I was shadowing the lead veterinarian at zoo Atlanta. And she said, I can't get. Closer to the primate exhibit, because one of the male gorillas will, if he sees me, will storm across angrily at me. And I just was like, it made me realize I'm like, Oh my, I don't know if that's how I want to be known by the animals.

Megan Sprinkle: So, that one was just kind of a moment, for me anyway. And I, and maybe it's not for all veterinarians, but we're getting much better about, using behavior to voluntarily do some of these things. But anyway, so do you have a favorite zoo story? 

Brian Goleman: well, my favorite thing was I worked on a project where I, , worked with some contractors and designers and we designed a artificial termite mound , out on [00:05:00] the grill exhibit.

Brian Goleman: And you can go in the back, there's like a lock, open the door and you can unscrew like a PVC. Tube and you can fill it with like frozen peanut butter yogurt stuff like that, raisins And then they have to use tools to kind of fish it out So they'll have to go find the sticks. We won't buy them They'll just go out on the yard find what they can and then dig out and so The day that we let them out and watch them use it for the first time was probably the coolest experience because they'd never seen it before, but they knew exactly what to do. It was very cool to watch.

Megan Sprinkle: Very cool. so you mentioned that you moved with your now wife, she got a new job in DC . And so you went with her, but instead of getting a job at the zoo, you actually found a veterinary clinic. so was that kind of a, I just need a job and they have animals, or how did you decide to go to a veterinary clinic?

Brian Goleman: Yeah, it was for the most part. I just need a job. and so, I just did some research about the best vets in the area. And I didn't know GP versus specialty versus [00:06:00] emergency. And so, this is one of the ones that just interviewed me. And we kind of had a good relationship with the management there. And so just felt like a great fit.

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, well, it sounds like it was a good find because it sounds like you really enjoyed getting into the emergency medicine. Like you said, you interviewed and so you ended up going into an emergency clinic, which is probably kind of intense for your first clinical experience.

Brian Goleman: I thought I was just going to be cleaning cages and walking dogs. And then they handed me a stethoscope on my first day. And I was like, I don't know what to do with this. Like, I don't know where to begin. I don't know what I'm listening for. I was doing my walkthrough of the emergency room and just kind of getting a feel like, you know, how it is.

Brian Goleman: I just felt like I was in a way in the way the entire time. And then a seasoned tech walked over with a bulldog. I was like, Hey, can you hold this dog for me? I just got to run and do something real quick. I was like. [00:07:00] Okay, and so I held on to it. The dog started immediately seizing and I was just like, help, help, help.

Brian Goleman: and everyone ran over and everyone took care of Dave. The dog was fine. And I was just like, this is different. This is absolutely a different beast. And I'm not one to shy away. I love a challenge. And I was like, I can do this. I'm excited to do this. 

Megan Sprinkle: Nice. That's an intense first day. Glad that was your reaction. And so, as you were starting to get interested and you know, like, all right, this is a challenge. This is one that seems exciting to me, what were you discovering in the hospital? What did you find that you liked or maybe didn't like. How are you discovering your path?

Brian Goleman: So I always loved, animal behavior. And I always was fascinated by it and working in the emergency field is so much different than owning a pet at home. And I feel a lot of [00:08:00] people need to recognize that, the amount of times where owners come in there and go, Oh, he's not like this at home.

Brian Goleman: I know, I know. He's not going to be the same here. It's, different. There’re different smells at different sounds. There’re different sites. It's loud. Everything about it is different. And especially with cats, they never leave their house. Unless they're an outdoor cat. So, it's trying to make these situations easier for these animals was

Brian Goleman: a passion of mine. And I always wanted their experience to be as great as it could be. And so, working with not even just the patients and learning their animal behavior and like studying them and figuring out how to read their behavior as best I can. Also working with the owners.

Brian Goleman: I love talking about that kind of stuff with owners, and just developing those kinds of relationships. So, the more and more I did that from even an emergency when owners are extremely stressed out, they're worried about finances, they're worried about their [00:09:00] family member, their pet, their everything, like having those conversations and getting them to trust you in those situations was something that I truly thrived off of.

Brian Goleman: And I really wanted them to feel comfortable with us. And so, the more and more I had those interactions with the pets, the more and more I had those interactions with those owners, it was truly like, I was falling in love with this field. 

Megan Sprinkle: What if you could give somebody a tip, what, what is something that you have discovered has helped with, either one, making an animal film are comfortable or building trust with a client.

Brian Goleman: Fear free was definitely helpful. I truly loved going through that process. A lot of it I had already known just from my schooling of animal behavior and whatnot. But it definitely, taught a bunch of stuff to look out for. Especially with cats. Cats are a different breed. Dogs are a little more vocal and emotional with their [00:10:00] personality and feelings, but cats are pretty more stoic until they aren't, so just learning to look at the little things in cats and looking for their subtle motions and their subtle clues that really say a lot about what they're feeling, I couldn't recommend being fear free more, like it taught me a lot, for my career.

Megan Sprinkle: Fantastic. I wondered because it sounded like a perfect case for fear free. So, I'm glad that that is just becoming more and more common and we're really embracing that. I had one guest who one of the things she thought was amazing about fear free.

Megan Sprinkle: She would actually teach the clients about it too. And she teaches her students about it. And it's, wonderful one they are so impressed that you're able to take such good care of their animal and make their pet feel comfortable. But when you teach them the skills and tips too, it's like that also builds a lot of trust between you and the client.

Brian Goleman: completely agree with that. I always say that, when we treat the patients, they're only with us for like [00:11:00] half an hour, to an hour, a day, the rest of the training, the rest of the healing is done at home. So, it's just as important for these owners to know what the heck is going on as us.

Brian Goleman: So, if they are nervous about coming to the vet, I always recommend just swinging by, getting a weight on the dog, have a treat at the front desk, and then leaving. Small steps. If they hate being in the car, take it slow. Just take them for a ride around the block and then come right home.

Brian Goleman: Don't only take them to bad places, because then they will hate going into the car. it's the little things. Talking with my owners, I always say that training is not just happening when you have treats training is every motion that you do. If that animal is near you, everything that you are doing is training.

Brian Goleman: If you're walking too close to them, they're training to get out of the way. If there's a loud noise, they're training to bark at it with the mailman. every moment is training. And so, if you can work on it always with the little things it goes a [00:12:00] long way, especially with the vet visits.

Megan Sprinkle: Completely agree. And I actually want to come back to client communication and education because I think that's a big part of what you do as well, but I know that part of your story is you're working in an emergency and then you end up going over to the surgery service as well. So how did you move over to surgery?

Brian Goleman: So being in emergency and surgery, you have communication there. We took care of the post op patients down on the floor, so I would always talk with the techs and the doctors up there and throughout the year and a half that I was in emergency, just developed a kind of rapport with them.

Brian Goleman: And then, one of the techs was leaving for a different job, and so I was approached by the chief of surgery and was like, Are you interested moving up at that point? I liked the doctors up there. I had no idea what I'd be doing up there. I no idea. So, I was just like, can I shadow like for a day or two?

Brian Goleman: And he was like, yeah, yeah, that makes complete [00:13:00] sense. So came in on a couple days off shadowed up there and I was like, this is awesome. This is so cool. We were seeing the craziest wounds, the craziest fractures, just cases that you can't even think about. And I was just like, yep, I'm doing this.

Brian Goleman: this is great. And I really liked everyone I was working with. And so, I was like, this is a no brainer. 

Megan Sprinkle: That's a big help when you enjoy being around the people that you're working with. 

Brian Goleman: I don't care what I'm doing. If I like the people I'm with, it's going to be great. 

Megan Sprinkle: Exactly. And so how did you discover that you were really interested in the bandaging process?

Brian Goleman: I think it does come back to that client communication. I loved the fact that my owners trusted me and that I did have such a good relationship with them. And even aside from that, like just the art of bandaging, just making something look good and then just know that you are doing something that is helping this patient heal.

Brian Goleman: It's just so rewarding. I [00:14:00] think I just loved everything about it. I loved the challenge of it. I loved the amount of factors that went into it. I had to take into account the dog's energy level, the dog's, composition, how it's built, like what worked in the past might not work the next bandage change, where does it live?

Brian Goleman: Does he walk outside or is he a city dog? Does he barely walk on the ground? all these factors are trying to work through my brain. And I just absolutely loved it. I loved having to be flexible, having to change on a dime. I built relationships for sometimes 8 to 10 weeks while these dogs were healing from fractured legs.

Brian Goleman: and I still talk with a bunch of my owners via Instagram and everything. So,I truly just enjoyed everything about it. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. I like that you're highlighting several parts, but the creativity piece and I see it as creativity, but it's problem solving, right? No two cases are completely the same.

Megan Sprinkle: I've got, yes, some [00:15:00] techniques of wrapping that I know for certain things, but taking in to the case, the dog, the lifestyle, the owner, all of those things. Can come into making sure you are doing it the most successful way. Right. Cause, when things go wrong and maybe some stories, actually, in fact, I think that is one of your intro stories of realizing how important it was, when a bandage case went wrong, is that correct?

Brian Goleman: Yeah. Yeah. So, we had a case come to us that a dog, this is during COVID. So, every vet was just absolutely slammed. And they came in through a bandage change, and it was a young puppy, and it had a radius ulna fracture, and it was bandaged, and I guess it hadn't been changed for a week or two, and when we sedated the patient, took the bandage off, it was too tight, and the foot Came off with the bandage and it was horrific for not just the tech who did us tags who discovered it.

Brian Goleman: [00:16:00] But that conversation with the owner, that poor puppy who is going through all of that, for weeks, and I was just like, bandages should; you should be terrified placing every single bandage. Like you should be like, that should fuel you to do what's best to ask your questions, to never just kind of jump the gun and just wing it.

Brian Goleman: You could be scared, but you should be confident and learn from your experiences. And you do that by practicing open communication with everyone. Explaining to the owners how important these things are, like stressing that stuff about how communication with us will help your pet get through this, teaching them what to look out for, just education, education, education, and communication.

Brian Goleman: Preventing those things. Those events are rare, which is great. But, if we can keep them from never happening, that'd be ideal. So yeah, it's scary. 

Megan Sprinkle: I remember [00:17:00] this was high school. My dad actually introduced this to me, but I became an athletic trainer in high school and most of what we did was wrapping feet.

Megan Sprinkle: So, I remember there were times when they just made me rip tape over and over and over again. So, like that was actually most of my taping experience was in high school, being an athletic trainer and following the athletic trainer around. I don't remember. Any class around bandaging in vet school. I don't know if you had any, when you, you know, got your RVT.

Megan Sprinkle: And so if there were any there, but I just, I don't know of any, is that kind of what happened when you decided, ah, I think we need more of this. 

Brian Goleman: Oh yeah. So, when I moved up to the specialty surgery, I had never done a bandage before in my life. I was very upfront with my surgeons. I was like, I don't, I don't know what this is.

Brian Goleman: And I remember he was, he turned to me, he's like, you'll learn. And I was just like, [00:18:00] okay. And so, we were doing like three or four a day and I was learning from my, the previous technician was teaching me a lot. and I realized that if I had a couple of bandages fall off and I was seeing how annoying that was for everyone involved.

Brian Goleman: Annoying for the owners because they have to come in. Like scary for the patient because if it slipped a little, like what other bandage sores are happening when it slipped? it's now exposed to the elements. Like if it has a healing fracture, you're risking them. Breaking their leg again, and then annoying for the coordinators who have to deal, now field all the calls from the owners who are upset because the bandage fell off.

Brian Goleman: You have the surgeon who's annoyed that they now have to hear about this from the, owners and then the technicians who have to, or the doctors who have to do it again. I saw that, one bandage slipping off. Made everyone upset and I was like, this can never happen again. I will do whatever I can to keep them from happening, from getting [00:19:00] everyone mad at me, so I practiced a ton trying to get these bandages.

Brian Goleman: Up to a point where they were never really coming off. And then, yeah, the more I was posting, the more I was hearing that tech schools don't really teach it. Hospitals, they only have like one tech who will do the bandage. And so, whenever one comes in, they just call this one person to do it. So, there was really no education out there for bandages. And so, I was just like, let's see what we can do with that. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. goodness. So, it sounds like you had a lot of self-teaching and practicing but how did you eventually get to be known as someone who would actually teach how to do it as well? 

Brian Goleman: I have to give a lot of credit to the previous technician who worked in front of me, David Little. Borderline obsessive with his bandages. He would be so careful and take such care and patience with his owners, with [00:20:00] his bandaging techniques. he taught me a lot of tips and tricks. And so I truly did learn a lot from him. And so, he gave me the foundation that I needed to succeed, at least at that level.

Brian Goleman: And then from there, practice and experience took me to that next level where we were seeing everything from Frenchies to Great Danes to Spicy Cats to Calm Cats to Malinois who are Going bananas to, a golden retriever who didn't want to move ever. They just wanted to lay around. had to find techniques for every certain patient and every technique had to work.

Brian Goleman: So it was a lot of experience with that. And then talking with people, like learning that there really wasn't a lot of, opportunities out there for bandage experience. I realized that I was in a very niche community where bandaging was mostly what we did. And so, I felt like I had an [00:21:00] obligation to start teaching some of these techniques.

Megan Sprinkle: Exciting. What was the process of starting a business, Brian's bandages? 

Brian Goleman: It's always something new, I didn't start thinking I was going to make a business. I started just as a Facebook page and trying to figure out that social media was its own beast. I'm not a huge social media guy, to begin with. And so learning like all these things that you have to go through to like, Do all the posting. You can do time posts, building that. And it was a little overwhelming. It still is. so, learning all those techniques and, people seem to like it, the more I was posting them more people are sharing.

Brian Goleman: so just growing it that way and then realizing that just brainstorming, how else can we grow, where else can we. Increase our reach to and help provide more services, more to CE teaching. And so, we started, doing the lunch and learns the video lunch and learns, you can sign up.

Brian Goleman: I [00:22:00] talked to clinics about bandaging. We have several courses, I love teaching. I love. getting to talk with people about bandaging, answering questions. I also do a radiology, talk because what's special to surgery, but bandaging, radiology kind of goes hand in hand for the most part.

Brian Goleman: so, it's been a journey for sure. And I'm always learning about new things and it's, been a lot of fun, but it's definitely a lot of work. 

Megan Sprinkle: Oh, I'm sure. I mean, running a podcast and YouTube channel. I know content creation is hard and I love how many resources that you have. You have a whole library that people can access video tutorials, that's always great for on demand. if you're in this situation and you just need something to refer to. And one of the other things that is combining a couple of things that I've mentioned, let the creativity piece, the working with the client, this takes it to another extreme.

Megan Sprinkle: I didn't even know these existed. the bandage art coolest thing I was looking, I mean, [00:23:00] you have like Pixar characters and all sorts of things. And to me, when I see that. One, it is really cool from the veterinary professional perspective, because you get to pick out the design for the pet and it makes it a little bit more fun.

Megan Sprinkle: But also when a pet owner sees that, I'm sure it triggers, wow, they took a little extra care. They went above and beyond to make this, a good experience for me and my pet. So. First of all, tell me about bandage art. How did you discover it and how have you seen it change the whole, ecosystem?

Brian Goleman: Yeah, no, “ecosystem” is great because it definitely gave a new energy to our relationship with our clients. I will say a secret. It's not really a secret, but I do none of my own bandage art. I can't do it. It looks terrible. I don't have the hand-eye coordination for it. I have friends who make it on a Cricut, they do all this stuff and they'll send [00:24:00] you a box to your vet clinic if you order it, and you can pick out whatever designs you want.

Brian Goleman: It is so cool, this stuff. And it's just made of vet wrap. So, at the end of the day, you just stick it on your bandage and then you can take credit with the owners like I do. No, it's truly fantastic. I think we underappreciate how important bandage art is. when we're placing these bandages, it's a stressful, scary time, like I talked about, for the owners that work, you worry about finances, they're worried about their pets, their pets don't like the bandage.

Brian Goleman: It's an unnatural thing for them to have onto that. But if they see bandage art on that bandage, usually each piece is about like a couple bucks. if you can throw on a bandage art that is a pretty princess or a Mickey Mouse or something like that, it changes everything. It changes the trust level.

Brian Goleman: It shows that you're going above and beyond, even if you're just sticking it on the bandage, they don't know that. it makes them happy. I have owners still talking about bandage art that I [00:25:00] put on four years ago, and you can get creative with it. I usually like if a mom and a child, like dropped off the dog, I look at the kid's shoes, and if he had like black Nike's on, I would put a black bandage with a Nike swoosh on it.

Brian Goleman: little things like that. If they had A Mickey Mouse t shirt, throw a Mickey Mouse on there. Like, just kind of play with it. If the dog's name is Rocket, put a Rocket on there. Little stuff. Like, you can get creative. You can have fun with it. it changes the game. It changes the ecosystem, like you said.

Brian Goleman: I'm very passionate about this. I think it's fun. I think it's uplifting. And it's, it's easy. And it changes everything. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. And again, like I said, I think even from the veterinary side of things, one allows you to be creative. I love how you were paying attention to those details about the client and, and really implementing that in this instead of me, who's probably just, you know, Oh, Mike Wazowski.

Megan Sprinkle: Yes, absolutely. but you were really in tune with the client [00:26:00] and it allows you to have that creativity, that fun aspect of it. And so, I'm sure like people who are really nervous about bandaging, it kind of just gives you that little extra energy and interest in trying it and doing it. Cause it's fun, but two, you kind of see how big of a difference it makes with the client.

Brian Goleman: Yeah. And then the added level I found that the bandages that had bandage dart on them, the owners took better care of them. They were like more careful about not getting them wet. They didn't want their dog chewing. Oh my God. Do not chew Mike Wazowski. that would be awful. They would protect it at all costs.

Brian Goleman: And so just. Again, if you could add like a $3 sticker to a bandage and that keeps you from doing all this extra work, how is that not worth it? Like it's the power of a little bandage patch is crazy in the bandaging field. 

Megan Sprinkle: I was so excited to see your Instagram. I went to Instagram cause that's what I knew I had heard about.

Megan Sprinkle: So, seeing all the different art, I hope you will [00:27:00] send me the link to the friend you were talking about who, where people can purchase it and we'll let people, we'll send people that way. but in one of the other interesting things about your story is. Working with bandaging and, you've started your business.

Megan Sprinkle: You've been able to connect with people through that, including all over the world. So, I happen to know you work with an organization called War Paws So do you mind sharing the story about how that came about and that experience? Yeah, so with this page, I was just doing like a bunch of bandaging CE just like posting tips and tricks and then the person who runs war paws reached out to me and think War Paws in I had another one in Afghanistan.

Brian Goleman: But they reached out to me. They have over 500 Animals under their care. And these are animals that have been wandering the road. Their paws have been worn out. They were hit by a truck hit [00:28:00] by a car, neglected overall. And they'll just take them in and kind of get the better.

Brian Goleman: They reached out to me, and they had a case where they didn't really know how to bandage it. They have very limited supplies. And so, we hopped on a zoom call. I think it was 5 AM, to kind of just talk through what they had, what happened and we just started talking and we. Keep in touch a good amount. Just kind of check in. she tells me that all their new doctors will watch my videos to try and like get their bandaging skills. Cause they're going to be bandaging a lot. so it was a great relationship to have.

Brian Goleman: And it's really cool. it was a very surreal moment that like still sits with me. And yeah, through the power of social media, I'm chatting with vets from Australia to, the Philippines to, Iraq, Afghanistan, London. It's awesome. It's super fun. 

Megan Sprinkle: I bet. And I know one thing when I was listening to an episode you've been on before, you mentioned that you had never been [00:29:00] to a conference before and that was a dream. Now that, that was a year ago. So do you have an update? Have you been able to go to a conference?

Brian Goleman: No. 

Megan Sprinkle: Oh, no. Well, we'll have to change that. 

Brian Goleman: Yeah, it's still a dream. Like I definitely still want to, I always seem to find out about conferences Three days before they happened. So that great of a planner. So, I'll have to do some research ahead of time and, and plan out. I would love, I would love more than I would love to present.

Brian Goleman: cause I truly do love talking with people if I had that opportunity to go to a conference with all these awesome people who want to learn about, they're there to learn and to talk to other people and I get that opportunity, that would be amazing. 

Megan Sprinkle: Well, I'll definitely have to see what I can do because, I mean, this would be a perfect wet lab. And again, just like we've talked about, there's so many different benefits from reducing stress in the veterinary team, a better patient care, better client [00:30:00] communication.

Megan Sprinkle: All of these things are in what you do. I think this would be, I mean, you're, you're already a teacher. You already do, sharing how to do this. It would just be, in a live setting where you have lots of people. You may have to duplicate your dogs. I forget their names. You have two models.

Brian Goleman: I know, they're Robert and Jones. very, very creative. I know. so yeah, I had to come up with a couple more of them, but, we can figure something out. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, so as we're kind of wrapping up here, along with, bandaging, there's a lot of wound management, any tip that you have in general when it comes to like wound management or maybe a favorite case that you got to work with.

Brian Goleman: yeah, so I've had real awesome cases. I've, the probably most, famous one that I've had is a dog that got in a tussle with a bobcat.

Brian Goleman: I think I talked about it in that other one. So, I'll talk about a cooler one on this one. My favorite, it was a [00:31:00] Bernese Mountain dog and there was hair growing underneath the skin of his foot. So his foot was, swollen, pussy, it was infected, it was wild. So, the surgeon developed his own tube flap on his hind limb, and eventually once that healed, we were gonna pull it down, and then strap it onto his foot.

Brian Goleman: remove the, bad tissue, and just attach the good tissue that we healed. Well, there's some complications, the incision, de hist, we thought that the tube flap was going to die off. and so, dealing with those complications, working, being flexible now, I've never bandaged a tube flap before, making a tie over the size of a Bernese Mountain Dog's leg.

Brian Goleman: we got to use the leech therapy. Which was super cool, which, I could talk leeches for a whole other podcast. They are super cool. I have a shout out to Wallace, my pet leech, currently at my [00:32:00] desk. so it kind of involved everything and everyone. It was all hands-on deck, just to save this dog's leg from all the hard work that not only we had put into it, but that the owners had put into it.

Brian Goleman: I didn't want all their finances to go for naught. Just to amputate the dog's leg in the end. they were kind of all in like, and I could see that. And so, I felt the need to also be on in all in. so they had, my Facebook page, Brian's favorite bandages that they can message me at any time.

Brian Goleman: And I was going to help with any complications that they had. I don't do that for most people, but the dog is still doing great. I still talk to the owners. at the end of their case, they made a customized cookies with my logo and with the dog's face on them.

Brian Goleman: And so That just meant the world to me, that it was such a cool relationship to have, not only with the dog, but with the owners. It felt like the team really came together. this is what we do this for. So, it was such a cool case and it was. So much fun. 

Megan Sprinkle: [00:33:00] Wow. That is interesting. and I have seen leech therapy when I was a resident. They did do it. I did not. I'm in the nutrition department, so I stayed over there. But, it is interesting. So, I will be open. I'm happy to learn more 

Brian Goleman: super cool. A lot of people are terrified of them and they think they're gross and weird, but they're also like, Interested. And so they're like, Oh, what do you, Oh, Oh, the more you learn more about them, the cooler they are, it's just, it's pretty neat.

Megan Sprinkle: Yes. Yep. Nope. That was exactly me. well, fantastic. Oh, one thing I always want to make sure that I leave open for you is, is there anything that is in your mind and your thoughts, uh, around just veterinary medicine in general? Anything that you want to offer as encouragement or something you've learned just in, in your experience in vet med? I know you've [00:34:00] experienced burnout yourself, but any, anything that kind of comes to mind to offer to the veterinary industry?

Brian Goleman: I think talking with people is super beneficial, whether it's a therapist, whether it's a significant other, whether it's your friends, it's just kind of like talking things out, talking with my wife just meant the world to me, Hey, I had a tough day, I've been having these thoughts, can I just vent for a minute?

Brian Goleman: And like, always, if we have a tough day, we say, is this a vent or is this a problem-solving conversation? And the difference in that, changes how the conversation goes we were having those conversations a lot. And then once we started having those conversations every day, we had a more serious conversation about what needs to change because this just doesn't seem to be working. So even if you're just talking and you're not looking for a problem solving, like I would start those conversations off with, this is just a vent session. It kind of turned into a problem-solving conversation and it just leads from one to [00:35:00] another.

Brian Goleman: The talking is definitely beneficial for your own sanity. if you're just starting out, I would say, communicate with the more experienced techs. I love talking with doctors. I always want to know what's going through their head because I think that that will make me a better technician and, just constant communication.

Brian Goleman: Why are you doing this? What are you looking for here? What do you see there? when taking radiographs, I always love, and I'm getting approval from my radiologist. You said this was okay. Is there anything I can do to make it better next time? always trying to look to improve yourself.

Brian Goleman: Google. If you don't know something, Google it. always learn. I'm constantly learning every day. I'm always growing. I definitely don't know. A lot that's still out there for Ved Med. So, I'm always trying to grow and just, I love talking with other people who have other experiences because that's how I learned the best.

Brian Goleman: So, talk with your fellow coworkers, talk with your loved ones at home. It's the best way to vent. It's the best way to like work [00:36:00] through some stuff. And, if you ever just want to talk, you can reach out to me. I have a Facebook, Facebook, Instagram, go on my website. You can chat with me.

Brian Goleman: Like I always want to talk to you guys. So I hope everyone's hanging in there. I know that this job could be very hard, but we're all here for you. If you ever want to talk. 

Megan Sprinkle: Absolutely. And you're very easy to talk to. So, and you are findable. Love it. All right. So I have a final few questions. These are kind of fun. just to get to know you a little bit better. Do you, we know you have a big interest in bandaging and leeches and stuff like that, but do you have any interests or skills that maybe a lot of people may not know about? 

Brian Goleman: well, it's not skill. I love traveling. My wife and I love traveling. We've been to Morocco. We honeymooned in Madagascar. We recently got back from a longer trip in the UK and England. Loved that, so we're always looking to broaden our horizons and like kind of explore the world. So, Other skills, I'm [00:37:00] really just focusing on lot of people say that is work, but I love constantly growing Brian's bandages.

Brian Goleman: I really do. and just trying to find new skills for social media and building the brand. But other than that, I just love talking with my family, just hanging out with them. I have three dogs and a cat. They take up most of my life. so just being with them is a lot of fun and just kind of building those bonds.

Brian Goleman: So, I'm a simple person, but. truly those relationships with my pets, my family, my friends that like, like that I enjoy the most. 

Megan Sprinkle: Well, I feel like you may have answered all three questions in one, but I'll go ahead and keep asking, because the second question is, is there anything on your bucket list? Sounds like you travel a lot of places, but anything still on your bucket list?

Brian Goleman: Yeah, going to a conference, 

Megan Sprinkle: we will get that bucket. 

Brian Goleman: No, go on a conference. love traveling. I think I would love to, we haven't really gotten anywhere in Asia, so I'd love to travel to Nepal. Cambodia. we went to Africa with Madagascar, [00:38:00] but I've been to Kenya before and I would love going there. Heck even, I would love to visit War Paws in Iraq. Like that would be super cool to visit that facility and just kind of see what they're all about. Yeah. So, I have an endless bucket list. I'm not anywhere close to settling down or anything like that.

Brian Goleman: So any new experience I'm, I'm for it. 

Megan Sprinkle: I love it. And finally, what is something you are most grateful for? 

Brian Goleman: My, my family, my, my wife has been my biggest supporter through this entire thing, she's always looking up ways and to try and grow, suggesting things. And then, my family, my in laws, they are always they got me a bunch of swag with my logo on it, for my birthday and for Christmas.

Brian Goleman: And it may or may not have. It was, the coolest thing, like, I couldn't feel more supported and, my family means the world to me. 

Megan Sprinkle: Make sure you check out the show notes for links and resources that we've discussed. And also make sure you're following me, Megan Sprinkle, on LinkedIn to catch information about the May campaign. [00:39:00] And subscribing to the podcast on audio and YouTube is a huge help to the podcast and totally free for you.

Megan Sprinkle: I hope you'll continue to be with me on this journey. It's going to be a huge year and I want you to be a part of it. Thank you and until next time.