LIFE: With all the talk in the news about vaccinations I decided Marty should get his shots. I mean he probably wouldn’t get measles, but he was overdue for all of them as well as some tests. In between some of the health scares with Kathy I managed to fit in a visit to the vet with Marty. A few days later I finally got him groomed.
I was dreading bringing him because he hates getting into the Rav4. The rear door just doesn’t open enough for him to get in. It is high and he is getting old now. As it turned out I did some reading and realized I was ‘coaxing’ him wrong. I thought if I lifted his front end and helped him from that end he would have an easier time. But, the correct way is behind the back legs: Basically pushing his butt. He still is pissed that we sold his old Corolla. A few days before we had to go to the vet I did a test run and brought him to the grocery store with me. After a little hesitation I pushed him in. He stood on the floor behind the front seats. Eventually he figured out that he had to go forward to get up on the seat.
When you are a basset, backing up isn’t much of an option.
I had to bring him in almost an hour earlier than his actual appointment because that was the only time an aide could come and watch Kathy. Marty got in the car right away so my paranoia was unfounded. But when we got to the vet’s office it was a proverbial zoo. Dogs, cats, cats and dogs. Dogs in E-collars covered with drool. Big cats in small cages. Dogs in pocketbooks and on laps. Marty befriended a young dog on the chair next to us with a nasty ear infection.
Fortunately, Marty didn’t try to lick the infected ear. He opted for the more traditional greetings.
The staff was very efficient and used every available space to take care of all the animals. One pet owner wanted her tiny dog to be treated in a different treatment room with an exam table. That didn’t happen. I really didn’t wait that long before I dragged Marty into the large dog examining room. They had Marty step on the scale / dog lift. He weighs around 75 pounds. The vet techs checked this and that. Took blood samples for some of his tests. Dr. Peck, the owner stuck her head in to say he didn’t need a distemper shot. Another vet came in to do the actual exam. Marty was due for four shots, but they don’t give them all at the same time.
Since he was going to the groomer in a few days, I opted for the Bordatella and Rabies vaccinations from today’s menu. The vet checked Marty over. Felt all of his lumps and warts and wondered if we should have them surgically removed.
I felt my wallet getting a biopsy.
She examined his teeth and said he had quite a bit of tartar. He should have that addressed. I asked how much that was and she asked the vet tech if they were “still having a special?” The answer was “Not any more.” As I was paying the bill she gave me an estimate that ranged between $300 and $400. So, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. It covered anesthesia, scraping and scaling. Blood tests and antibiotics.
She said his weight was a little high, but if he lost about 5 pounds it would be better. I mentioned his issues with stairs and getting into the car. She said his back legs were kind of ratchety – his range of motion wasn’t great. She said I should give him Glucosamine which of course they sold the kind that is recommended for animals. And she doesn’t recommend any over the counter painkillers like aspirin. Also available at the clinic. I said I would keep an eye on him.
Overall, it went pretty well and for what he had done it was reasonable. In defense of veterinarians, the charges only seem high because they do everything in-house. They did his lab tests in-house. And they would have done the dental work and anesthesia there as well as their own X-Rays. When we were doing Basset fostering they gave us a little discount. We were always bringing bassets in there for checkups or to have chips implanted. They also cut his nails. I just have to make another appointment for the other shots.
A few days later I brought him to Dianna’s Pawfessional Grooming for his first spa treatment in months and months. They cut his nails even more. He is a lot quieter on the wood floors. But, I can still hear him waddling up behind me.
