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Thursday, March 19, 2009

A day that went to the dogs...and cat







I took Sara and Sammy to the Cochise Animal Hospital in Bisbee yesterday morning. That place is now my choice for animal care even though it's 26 miles from me and no appointments are taken. All patients are on a walk-in basis from 9-3pm. I really like the entire staff over there.

With more hot days now I can garden early. Nighttime lows are in the low 50s, warm enough to get my tomatoes thriving. As soon as I got the morning chores done, I drove off with all three dogs to the vet.

The dogs know the route now: drive east downhill toward the San Pedro river, cross the river and curve southeast with the road. As soon as Sammy smells the river he has his head up high watching the road. He gets beside himself when we cross the river, but then whimpers when I drive past it.

"Easy Sammy, we'll get there later."

I drove up to the vet office in Bisbee-San Jose and was seen right away, but not fast enough to keep Sammy from peeing against the reception desk. (Oops!) Both dogs needed their distemper and Sammy was overdue on his rabies. And while I was there I asked about Sara's front right leg. She hasn't stopped limping in a few weeks now.

"Looks like she's got arthritis in the shoulder" said Dr Behney. She got a cortizone shot in the shoulder. "You should see results by tomorrow." And then he recommended I get her on an arthritic medication I could get cheaply on any online pet medicine website.

I really liked Dr Behney. The vet techs in the front office spoke highly of him. "He's had this practice since 1961. We have four generations of families coming here!" said Blue-Eyes, the bald gentleman I remember from last time I took Vinnie in. Behney is now in his mid 70s.

What amazed me is that the doctor called me by my name. At my other vet office I'm simply known as "Next!"

And the price was affordable. I am going to switch vets completely. The original vet office I used was in Sierra Vista and was recommended to me at the time because it offered military discounts. But it was bought by a corporation that owns 432 vet offices across the country in 2007. The prices were raised as well when I was in Iraq. But what turned me off was waiting almost two hours the last two times I was there just to have Sadie seen for a scheduled appointment. The vets were all friendly and competent, but they pushed their patients through like an assembly line.

Today I was out of the office within 30 minutes and didn't break my wallet. And Sammy only peed twice while in the building.

"We have had about a 25-30 percent rise in customers lately, most of them from Sierra Vista" said Blue Eyes. "People are coming here because the prices are better." And I must add that the doctors here add a nice personal touch. "This office isn't the most modern facility but the equipment we use is top-notch" he went on. The other vet tech agreed. The building, just a few miles from the border, is the same red-brick building from 1961.

Sara and Sammy didn't seem to mind the doctor, either, and Blue Eyes noted that both dogs acted and moved like litter mates. When I turned toward the dogs both were sitting down facing the same direction. Yes, they are soulmates in many ways.

One man came in with a crying cat wanting the pregnant cat's kittens aborted. The cat was dropped off and the man took off in a rage. That view spoiled my mood.

"Why can't pet owners be more responsible?" I asked the techs. Blue Eyes also looked upset.
"People like that are careless about their animals yet we have to do what they want us to do. But then there are people like you who take great care of their pets. Great care? The doctor thinks Sara is obese and I'm having a difficult time feeding her separate from Sadie who needs to gain weight.

Both Sara and Sammy gained more weight this year. Both weigh 74 pounds. Last March they were in their upper 60s. I have got to do something about Sara!

Sadie was beside herself with joy when we got back to the truck. We drove back to the river for a nice two-mile walk along the San Pedro. It was by now late morning, and the sun was already hot. Even Sammy walked in the water to keep his paws cool. I picked up a few abandoned backpacks on my return walk and surprised at least four families near the bridge upon my return. Pre-teens were wading in the water. One family had a picnic near the banks.

This summer weather will stay with us now. Although this is not good for the forest, the tomatoes and other tropical plants will love this heat, so I continued working on that large vegetable bed Kevin dug up last year. I covered the bed with long wooden beams to discourage Sadie from digging in the topsoil and Vinnie from leaving little turds in the stuff.

In the afternoon I drove back to the vet office with Reina. Her weight loss lately had me concerned. Dr Behney diagnosed her with hyperthyroidism, a common condition in older cats (but that allegedly does not happen much in older Siamese, HA! Siamese tend to develop hypothyroidism like Chico and Mo had)

So thus I spent most of the day dedicated to the pets' welfare. Reina will start her treatment as soon as the meds arrive from Phoenix next week. The treatment is about $1 a day twice a day. Sara most likely will be on arthritis medication for the rest of her life. I might as well join the crowd and get back on Celebrex!

At least now I can leave for Indiana this summer and know that all Kevin has to do is give the pets their meds every day.

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