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Fourth in a series Set her Up for Safety Ruby, our Doberman patient who was no longer impaled by an elm stick and having finished relieving herself outside, endured yet another thorough exam. Her vitals were normal, her heart rate and rhythm strong, her abdomen only slightly tender. After our long night I remember Amos, barely awake by this time, muttering, “Holy smoke, doc, this dog might actually make it.” Hoping to bolster his confidence I replied with my most nonchalant delivery, “Don’t be ridiculous, Amos, of course she will.” We would maintain generous doses of antibiotics and keep this girl moving but, of course, there were no guarantees. Shortly after I called Charley with a status report she arrived with coffee and breakfast burritos. I explained that we weren’t out of the woods. Then she bent to snuggle her good dog. Ruby’s immediate wiggle and tail wag gave my…
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13 week old Mick is not too young to learn basic skills. Dogs are programmed to earn resources like food and attention from their leaders. Mick already knows how to sit on command. I showed him the treat, backed up a few feet, and then told him, “Mick, Come!”. A little tug on the leash can set his brain and body into motion. You can back up several steps as your puppy comes toward you. As soon as he/she arrives reinforce with the resource (food) and share your delight by telling that pupster how good he/she is. Touching (petting and a kiss) are actually the most potent rewards. Repeat the process hundreds of times but never repeat a command. You want your dog to always be watching and listening for a chance to earn good things.
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Third in a series Would dedication be enough? I knew when double checking my repairs of Ruby’s internal injuries that they were secure but it was her high risk of post operative infection that scared the daylights out of me. We had already administered IV antibiotics and, on our way out, irrigated her deep Doberman chest and abdomen with copious quantities of warm saline. My conversation with Charley, Ruby’s committed person, had been brief. As Amos and I carefully carried our trauma patient from her car I quickly explained that the outcome was uncertain. We got the go-ahead to do whatever was necessary. That level of commitment provided an extra jolt of motivation. We had to get this dog out alive. Constant updates on Ruby’s vital signs during surgery were reassuring, helping to keep my blood pressure in check. As soon as the last skin staple was placed I inserted…
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A dog racing through an open door can knock people down and risk him getting loose. Mick is learning to sit at the door and wait for the “OK”. As he catches on we have him wait a little longer and sit a little further from the door. He has fun with this new game because he earns a pet and a “good boy”. He also earns access to the other side of the door. Everybody wins.
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Second in a series My first instruction, with Charley Garcia still on the phone, was NOT to remove the stick from her dog Ruby’s chest. Leaks can kill. That grotty elm branch, with its abundance of dirt, bark, and bacteria of many varieties, may have been keeping her alive. A projectile that has impaled a body, whether an arrow, spear, or part of a tree, can temporarily plug the holes it caused in blood vessels and lungs. We soon came to learn how important that was for Ruby. It was a mighty good thing Charley followed my advice. As soon as our train-chasing Doberman patient was stable and anesthetized, she was thoroughly prepped from her throat to her lower abdomen. I was trained to be objective and I wasn’t new to emergency medicine. I sucked in big breath. We wheeled her into surgery ASAP. My first responsibility was prioritizing Ruby’s…
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Young Mick’s BFF is Gaston, the white fuzzy guy. Despite the language barrier they often play well together. But this time, despite Mick’s entreaties, Gaston just said No!
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First in a series “Dr. Nichol, Charlie Garcia’s dog Ruby has a stick in her chest. What shall I tell her?” Martha Peterson, our composed client service specialist, had appeared quietly at my elbow. I could feel her presence before she spoke. Emergencies of all kinds seem more common just before closing time. We’d been busy that day with the usual vomiting, coughing, limping pets. I was just finishing a medical record, ready to head home. A stick in her chest? Maybe it was a small stick causing a minor wound but I had known Charlie Garcia for years. She and Ruby shared little in appearance but woman and dog had much in common. Some people become understandably anxious and prone to exaggeration, even hysteria, when their pets are sick. But Charlie and Ruby were calm regardless of the circumstance. I asked Martha to send them in ASAP. It was…
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Mick enjoys meeting other puppies and he’s doing it at the right time. Their developing canine brains, between ages 7-12 weeks, has them ready to be socialized with people and other dogs . The Aztec Animal Clinic has these weekly classes for vaccinated puppies so they can learn, during their essential sensitive period, that people and dogs are generally trustworthy. These kiddos have good fun too.
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Incarceration-No. Scavenging-Yes! According to our dogs, the great famine could strike anytime. They’re natural predators but, gee, how often can they snag a slow rat in time for dinner? Their fallback is to sniff out delicacies like moldering carrion. But don’t they trust us to deliver the groceries? They’re dogs first and pets second. They assume nothing. You would think that moving in with Diane and Richard would feel like dying and going to heaven for a street dog like Jasper but their human domicile stymied his attempts to self-actualize. This dog, in serious need of honest, canine-specific labor, was an anxious mess when left alone. Maybe if he worked to survive, much as he would in the wild, he could adapt. On most days Jasper’s folks could drop him off for play at doggy daycare. Party animal that he was, he had no problem fitting in with a…
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