As some of you read on Twitter last night, Daisy J. Dog developed a severe limp at about 7pm last night, so Will and I took her to the after-hours emergency vet. Limping isn't exactly an emergency, so we were relegated to take a number status while the more serious cases went ahead of us. Finally, Daisy was taken into the back and we sat with the vet while he gave her an exam. Daisy did what she did best, which is let him poke and prod and twist her this way and that, indicating that she was in no pain (except for a severe limp.) When he was done we decided to go the x-ray route, so he took her into a room in the back while we went back up front to the waiting room.
Coming in was a dachshund who had swallowed something that was clearly giving him physical distress. Brought in by a woman in her 60s and her elderly mother, we listened as the woman described how they were visiting her mom at the nursing home when the dog started acting strange. He eats anything that's not bolted down, she told the vet tech at the front desk.
The dog was whisked to the back while the woman and her mother sat, hands clenching into fists with worry. Up next was a Police Officer and his drug-sniffing dog. He's got a hematoma on his ear, he explained to me.
I nodded and was thankful that I hadn't been hanging out with Jessica earlier that day.
The vet tech called the woman who owned the doxie. She went up to the front desk, and the vet tech handed her the phone. The vet wants to speak with you.
The woman grabbed the phone and looked back to her aged mother for support.
Yes? She said into the receiver.
I watched as her features turned from worry to confusion.
He's ingested...marijuana? But how could that happen? He was at my mother's nursing home!
The mom clutched her frail sides and slumped down in her chair. I was worried she was having some sort of attack when I heard it: laughter.
MOM?
It's my roommate's, I swear! she said between cackles.
Your roommate has...her voice trailed off as she realized that the Police Officer with his nice, drug-sniffing dog were sitting right here.
We'll be right back, she whispered to the front desk. Mom, let's go!
It's prescription! Mom yelled as they made their way out of the clinic.
I turned to the Police Officer, who shrugged. Hey, California Voters voted to make that legal, who am I to argue?
I nodded. You'd think the fact that the dog wanted to stop at the 7-11 for some Funyuns before the vet clinic would have been their first clue.
Epilogue: Daisy J. Dog had nothing untoward show up on her x-rays, so the thought was that she had pulled a muscle. We were sent home with some anti-inflammatories, some pain meds, and instructions to restrict her exercise for the next few days. Oh, and a $400 vet bill, but we're sure that she's got that saved up in her snuggle ball somewhere.
Or not.
Thanks to everyone for your kind words and concern! She's not limping at all today, so I'm sure she just pulled a muscle.
