TUESDAY, March 18, 2008, continued - Page 2

Today's vet visits: Mary and Peppy

   Peppy gets stitches removed and a checkup

     When we arrived at the clinic, I took Peppy in first. Dr. Terry came in right away to check Peppy who was still being a very good girl at that point. The doctor checked her all over, and Peppy continued behaving herself. Peppy's temperature was normal. I told the doctor that Peppy had been kind of coughing and kind of gagging on something. The doctor said that she hoped it wasn't kennel cough, but then said it probably was not kennel cough because we don't have anybody else coughing like her in the hospital trailer, where she's been staying.

Dr. Terry listens to Peppy's insides.

 

     Next the doctor started to remove Peppy's stitches, but Peppy just couldn't hold still. She was trying to be a good girl, but she couldn't help it. I tried to hold Peppy very tight, but tiny dog still jerked one way and the other and kept trying to resist, so the doctor went to find a muzzle for Peppy, bless her little heart, which we could feel beating about ninety miles an hour. Then Vet Tech Laura came in and helped the doctor hold Peppy, and I got some photos.

Vet Tech Laura holds Peppy tight while Dr. Terry removes the stitches from Peppy's forehead.

 

     Peppy was still trying to fight but she couldn't. She just had to keep very still, and finally all her little stitches were out! "All done, Peppy," the doctor said. Laura offered Peppy some treats, but she wouldn't take them.

 

 

   Mary's knee is examined and x-rayed

     Next it was our Mary-girl's turn to see the doctor. I talked a little to Dr. Terry about Mary so the doctor could remember who we were talking about. Not too long ago we had taken Mary to the clinic, because she had lost her appetite and had very bad diarrhea going on. The doctor remembered right away and said this is the dog with Coccidia. But now, I said, Mary has been limping since Friday, and we have been giving her Rimadyl for pain, but Mary is continuing to limp, so it must not have been just a bruise. "I'm afraid that it is a torn ACL," the doctor said as she felt of Mary's knee. "But let's take an x-ray to make sure." Next they would need to anesthetize Mary.

Beautiful Mary has been at Straydog for over 12 years.

 

     Dr. Terry went to get her syringe ready with the sedative, and Laura came back in to help the doctor.

Dr. Terry injects the anesthetic into Mary's foreleg.

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