Emma meets Dr. Holly
Emma is such a good girl.
We went to the vet for the first time today. Nothing dire: when I went to Archon in September of 2004, Emma boarded with a nice woman from the shelter I got her from (which I won’t name because, although they treated Emma and me quite well, they are currently screwing over my friend Scott), who gave Emma a three-year rabies vaccine. And subsequently Em’s gotten her other annual shots when I took her to Corrales Kennel over Archon.
This year, of course, Archon happened in late July. It was too early to get her vaccinations then.
So I made an appointment for us today at Río Grande Animal Clinic with Dr. Holly Meuser. We owe Dr. Holly and the Clinic eternal gratitude because back in August of ‘05 she saved TJ and Squeak’s lives when they went into liver failure from not eating. They’re good people.
I was a bit concerned how Emma would react. She seemed a little subdued from the time we went in the door. When we got called back I warned the tech who helped us, a young woman named Alex who wasn’t all that much bigger than Em, that she’s suspicious of strangers. Aside from acting a bit reticent Emma didn’t really respond, though.
We got her weighed - they now have a rubber mat on the floor in the corridor, probably with piezoelectric sensors below, so that owners can just walk their dogs right on it. Which makes tons of sense. (So to speak.) Emma weighed in at 97.4 pounds, which amazed me. I thought she was about 85.
She did not like being in the examining room. I’m guessing she has bad memories. But again, instead of getting defensive with Alex and Dr. Holly Emma got even more subdued. I’m guessing she went into her Total Overwhelm Mode (I’m surely doomed to die a horrific death now; such is the lot of a dog.) She even refused treats offered by both Alex and the doc.
Anyway, she checked out pretty well. Dr. Holly said she was a bit overweight. I did not argue, but notwithstanding that Dr. Holly is clearly both knowledgeable and wise, I ain’t so sure. It’s not as if there’s an accepted body mass index for Black Sharpies - and both Labs and Shars are sturdy breeds. Emma’s big and has loose skin; Shar Peis were purpose-bred as battle-dogs, after all, and that’s a protective trait.
I did allow I’d probably let us both get out of shape by not walking enough the last few months. I also asked if we’d be okay to walk after we got done. Dr. Meuser did a take when I told her I intended to go two and a half miles; she would’ve been astonished, I guess, if I told her we’ve gotten up to doing four miles plus on a regular basis, and I am determined to get up to six a day by Spring. At first she said that a mile might be better; then she said that, if we went within the next two hours, 2.5 might be okay.
I don’t think she realized that about five minutes after walking out the clinic door, we’d be hitting the ditch. It’s that close: right across RGB, basically.
Anyway, we got her shots and her heartworm test - negative. Emma reacted quite calmly to the shots - although again, fatalistically might be the real word, here. Alex rather bravely held her around the torso; I held her head and murmured comfortingly to her. Even when the doctor had to hunt a little with the needle to draw a blood sample Emma did not flinch (unlike Daddy, who quite determinedly looked away at that point, ad refused to look back until the needles were done with.) She did make a sort of rumbling deep in her (Hereford bull-sized) throat; it didn’t seem to be growling, but rather sounds of dismay. But that was it. She didn’t fight or fuss or anything.
When we came out there were dogs on the dog side of the waiting room. One of whom barked pretty aggressively at Em. Which is usually enough to get Emma ready to go: she won’t put up with being dissed.
Connie, the very nice receptionist whom I’d told about Emma’s dislike for other dogs, kindly routed us into the cat area. Fortunately it was empty. Not that Emma would have a problem with cats. But the cats, and their owners, might have trouble being confronted with a giant black dog.
None came in. Alex scanned Emma and confirmed she’d been chipped. Connie gave me the number and contact info for the HomeAgain service (who had no record of her, so it’s good they let me know I needed to update her info.) Then off we went.
Emma was fine on the ditch. It’s a lovely day, clear and warm. We did the 2.5 without a hitch and came home by way of Lowe’s. I guess because I was buying three cans of cocoa for $5, a pretty good deal especially with inflation starting to hit the food shelves, the checker asked if I was baking. I allowed as to how I was - albeit not with the cocoa - and the upshot was I promised to print out and bring her in my well-regarded recipe for Red Chile Pumpkin Soup, which by popular demand I intend to make for an upcoming Halloween party. The lady hadn’t found a satisfactory pumpkin soup recipe, it appears.
Now Emma and I are home again. And Emma’s acting as if she’s starting to feel the shots and the exercise. Reckon she’ll sleep well tonight.
Hope I do too.