The Vet and Me

Dr. Gill is my vet. He looks happier than I do here.

Oh me! I’ve been through a very bad time lately. I think I can write my blog myself this week, but I may have to rest after every paragraph. I hope you will understand. Dad told you last week how I had to go to the Vet so that he could cut me. Humans have a polite word for cutting up a dog: surgery. It’s just too smooth and nice a word to use for such a nasty thing!

I had been feeling a little poor recently. I had a few problems with my unmentionables (that’s Mom’s word for my Penis and nearby parts) and Mom wanted me to go to the Vet. Well, I always have liked to go to the Vet because they treat me well and give me treats. This time Dad and Mom introduced me to Vet Gill. He was a nice tall man with what Dad says is a turban wrapped around his hair. I liked him immediately. Of course the first sign of trouble was when the young human female poked a thin piece of metal up my rear end. Dad says it is to find out how hot I was. I told him I was just fine, but no matter. That thing felt weird and stayed up there for what seemed like hours. I was a normal warmth anyway. Geez!

Doctor Gill felt my bottom and my stomach and told Dad and Mom that he found some problems. Uh oh I thought. That sounds like more trouble. Of course when he was feeling around my stomach that tickled me. He found an infection (whatever that is) on my bottom glands and he found a big ball in my stomach that wasn’t supposed to be there.

So. he laid me down on a cold table and pointed some fancy human machine called an XRAY at me. Soon he was showing Dad the insides of my body on a large black sheet and pointing at a big white ball. I know I had not swallowed any ball. It would be way to big to swallow anyway. Doctor Gill said it might be a testicle (another unmentionable I think) that was not taken out when they made me less than a male dog when I was very young. Dad said that they gave me an operation to remove both of my testicles so that I would be a more calm dog. I don’t think it worked. Anyway, the Vet that was supposed to take it out years ago, didn’t. Hmmmm…. (Dad's not too happy with him right now!)

Dad said the Great Canine God was looking over me because this rainbow was pointing at me in the Vet's Office. I think he did.

So, Vet Gill recommended to take the big ball out of my body because it might keep growing and then I’d not be able to walk. I wasn’t sure how he was going to get a ball that size out of me. I certainly wasn’t looking forward to having him reach inside me with his arm to get it. I had no way to get it out. I tried shaking, but nope. It was still there. They never told me until later that they could actually cut me open and reach inside me and take it out with a couple snips of a sharp knife. I think I would have run away had I known!

So a couple days later, we went to another Vet place that Dr. Gill was working and before I knew it I was sleeping soundly. When I awoke, I had some really weird feelings in my belly area. I looked down there and saw a large line with little pieces of shiny metal all down my belly. I was really feeling weird, kinda like dreaming, but not.really. There were all these strange humans taking care of me. They were nice, but I just wanted to see Mom and Dad and they weren’t there. I was worried that they might also have a large cut on their belly too. I looked around and they weren’t there. I think I slept the rest of the afternoon and then I heard Dad’s voice outside and got real excited. Mom was there too. They came to pick me up and boy was I happy. I didn’t want any more cuts on me. (They didn’t have any cuts on them!)

Well, we got home and boy was I happy to be there. I was feeling kinda sore on my belly and it hurt to jump out of the car and walk the stairs into the RV, but it was worth it to be home.

Dr. Gill and Lynette helped me on the table. I just wanted to sleep.

Anyway, I’m sure you don’t need the details of my recovery from this insult to my body, but I did eat and it started to hurt inside again. Finally, I hurled everything I had eaten for the past three days and Mom and Dad took me back to Vet Gill. That started a daily routine of driving many many paw lengths every day to have Dr. Gill put a needle in my leg and a big bag of water above my head each day. I was told by Dad that it was to make me feel better. I slept a lot. I was not even interested in eating for 4 days! Imagine that about me! Finally I started to fell better, made a poop, and Dad and Mom were happy again.

They kept me locked up with this bottle of water hooked up to me. Can you see me running down the street with the bottle after me?

Now, I’ve been eating but they give me small portions and not my good ole food. I think they are trying to starve me to death. They seem to be very worried now that I can’t poop. Geez, give me a chance. You haven’t fed me enough yet!

Sorry for the gross picture of my staples and stitches (just a few of them). I got them out today. Hurray (and ouch!).

Today I got these metal things in my belly removed and I’m hoping that will make everything better. Maybe they will start feeding me more and I can get on with the more serious matters of chasing squirrels and scaring cats away from our RV.

Oh, Dad reminded me that I should tell you how gentle and good Dr. Gill (his full name is Dr. Kanwal P.S. Gill and his phone is 951-926-8000, tell him Reggie sent you!) and his staff were to me. (Hi, Mario!) They are at the French Valley Veterinarian Clinic near Temecula in California. Dr. Gill always handled me with gentle arms and hands (even when they were poking around in my gut and other unmentionable places.) He must really love dogs, just like Mom and Dad do. He has his own dog friends at home, so he probably has a lot of practice! Dad says he really cares about me and wants me to get well. I like that in my Vet! Dad says Dr. Gill saved my life, or at least made sure I didn’t die. (What a horrible thought!)

And one other thing: While I was sick, Dr. Gill and his assistant drove me over to the the California Veterinary Specialists (CVS) in Murrieta for an Ultrasound (another one of those weird human machines that only work when I’m on my back). They helped Dr. Gill make sure I was not sicker than I felt, or something like that. They were great people and they know a lot about my canine species, esp. in an emergency. Thanks for their contributions to my recovery too!

I had a better day than this guy we saw on the way home on Interstate 10 in San Bernadino!

Well, Mom and Dad are still wondering about when I’m going to poop, so if it means anything to anyone, I’ll report it here as soon as it happens. I’m sure the world needs to know this.

Arf and stay healthy… please.

Reggie

PS. I'm happy to say that the urge to poop hit me at 4 AM this morning. After waking up Dad and watching him bundle up, we went out into the cold rain and I did my thing. I hadn't done it for 5 days! Whew, what a relief it was (and 5 paw widths long too!).