Sadie's annual exam

I take my animals to the vet in May or June every year for their medical needs, so that Kevin has nothing to worry about should I be on the road. All the dogs have slightly different times when their vaccines expire and this year it was Sadie who needed her vaccines updated. My appointment with Sadie was at the Fort Huachuca Veterinary Facility at 3pm, and this was scheduled three weeks ago. I took my two female foster kittens with me to have their eyes examined as they keep crusting over. I wanted to fill the space that Sweetie freed by taking her to the vaccine clinic on May 10th.

I am so glad I took Sweetie in earlier to the vaccine clinic, as she would have been hard to manage in the office.

I arrived at the clinic at 2:20pm. The waiting room was nicely air conditioned, and a big relief from the 90F outside. A young Husky and an overweight Cocker Spaniel were ahead of me in the exam rooms, but there were no other animals in the waiting area. I was seen on time. Sadie weighs in at 64.8 pounds, a weight loss of ten pounds in the last year. I had noticed her thinner built but as long as she maintains her active level and eats well, I am not worried.

The DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) was a woman about my age, with short dark brown hair and wearing running clothes. She didn't put on a white smock until I was called into the exam room. Sadie's blood was drawn first from her right front leg by the vet tech, which didn't amount to much and then the DVM pulled blood successfully from the front left leg. She told me I was "feeding into [Sadie's] fear" when I held her tight. I could feel Sadie shaking; she's not normally scared like this. She kept hugging the door. She was also muzzled because of her obvious fear, something I had never seen her be at any vet's office. She lay on the cool floor when we were alone.

The DVM didn't physically examine the kittens because she has a litter of week-old kittens that need to build up immunity. She seemed annoyed that I didn't understand why she couldn't have at least taken one out. She looked at them and said they needed to see a vet (well DUH!) but that she was overbooked right now, and a Rottweiler puppy in the back needed more time to get sedated. At least she prescribed me Clavimox and some Terramycin under Sadie's name, and said the kittens most likely have a contagious viral infection but without a $96 exam it's hard to tell what virus the kittens have. They are about four weeks old, eating solid foods, and act otherwise healthy. The vet clinic said they are booked for the rest of May and I would have to wait until June to take the kittens in.

I was not the least bit impressed with the veterinarian and her people skills, but at least the bill was reasonable, at $163. It would have cost more had I taken her to the Cochise Animal Hospital in Bisbee, but there I wouldn't have felt like I was an ignorant nuisance to the staff.

All of Sadie's visual tests came back normal. The blood work will get FedExed to the lab in Kansas and we should know by Friday what her liver levels are. From there the DVM will determine what dosage of phenobarbital she will remain on.

Sadie once again has a raw bald spot she's been chewing on on her rear right side. It's a small spot but I don't want it spreading right before a road trip. The DVM said Sadie most likely suffers from anxiety, something I have never considered but which makes sense, considering her constant whining late at night. Benadryl twice a day should give her enough sedation to calm her down, I was told; I got no prescription otherwise.

I returned home at 4pm, dropped Sadie off, then drove to MaryAnn's place to pick up some Terramycin. Since I am fostering the kittens all medical expenses are paid for by the animal rescue, which seems reluctant to pay for a full exam on either of the kittens.

I took Zeke and Minnie with me on my way to MaryAnn's with the intent of taking them on a walk immediately thereafter. I picked up the ointment and then drove to Hunter Canyon to let the two dogs romp for a bit. Target shooters were in the area so I stayed near the Hunter Canyon trail head, where a bright yellow sign now warns people that a fire ban is now in effect. I didn't get home until 6:30pm and spent some time talking to Kevin.

Pache has been missing since Friday morning...I worry about that cat!