Heartworms. That's why Shakespeare was here today. Heartworms. Neither he nor I knew what that meant. I'd heard mother talk about heartworms daily at the clinic but still had no idea what they were, or how they were related to Shakespeare.
Whatever they were, they had Vonnie quite upset. She had adopted Shakespeare about 4 months ago. Prior to him living with Vonnie, Shakespeare had lived a wild life in the outdoors not far from here. He was always coming in the clinic trying to spread his scent all over my territory. He used to look so strange too; big fluffy black head and bald along the back. He had so many little bugs crawling on him that you could here their heart beats louder than the dogs'.
It was all Vonnie could do not to steal him on those earlier visits. Mother doesn't realize that many of her helpers confide in me. One look at my face and out it all comes. They just know that I will be able to help. And wouldn't you know it, but next visit, there he was, being handed over to Vonnie. Shakespeare's parents couldn't keep him anymore, and they knew that the little black dog would find a perfect home with Vonnie.
Of course, Vonnie agreed out of blind love and then began the work of nursing him back to health. This process started with her taking nugget and red syrup samples. Shakespeare took it like a dog though, and didn't cry once. “Hookworms AND Heartworms” was all we heard the rest of the day. Vonnie couldn't stop barking and howling about hookworms and heartworms. Again, I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew it wasn't good.
Worst of all, I was worried that whatever it was, Shakespeare was going to give it to me! Bea assured me that her and I were both safe. “We take a brown yummy once a month and we're protected.” she said. I couldn't understand why, if it was that easy to avoid whatever it was that made Vonnie so upset, every dog didn't do it. According to Bea, “It's up to your people. They have to know to give it to you. That's why dogs bring their people here to the clinic, to learn about that stuff.” Sometimes the sheer volume of information Bea has astounds me.
So, today Shakespeare was being treated for heartworms. He'd already been on the humming table for heart pictures and now was the day of his pinch.
I watched as he got the poke with the metal stick. He cried a little but then he didn't fall asleep. In fact, all day long he just yelled at Vonnie to pet him, and to take him outside and to feed him and to brush him... I don't think he stopped yelling all day! It took everything I had not to join in. As we were leaving for the night, Shakespeare said his back was sore, but all in all, he felt fine. I'm glad Shakespeare got to get rid of his heartworms, and that he found a happy new home with Vonnie. I just wish that his treatment had cured him of his voice too.
Whatever they were, they had Vonnie quite upset. She had adopted Shakespeare about 4 months ago. Prior to him living with Vonnie, Shakespeare had lived a wild life in the outdoors not far from here. He was always coming in the clinic trying to spread his scent all over my territory. He used to look so strange too; big fluffy black head and bald along the back. He had so many little bugs crawling on him that you could here their heart beats louder than the dogs'.
It was all Vonnie could do not to steal him on those earlier visits. Mother doesn't realize that many of her helpers confide in me. One look at my face and out it all comes. They just know that I will be able to help. And wouldn't you know it, but next visit, there he was, being handed over to Vonnie. Shakespeare's parents couldn't keep him anymore, and they knew that the little black dog would find a perfect home with Vonnie.
Of course, Vonnie agreed out of blind love and then began the work of nursing him back to health. This process started with her taking nugget and red syrup samples. Shakespeare took it like a dog though, and didn't cry once. “Hookworms AND Heartworms” was all we heard the rest of the day. Vonnie couldn't stop barking and howling about hookworms and heartworms. Again, I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew it wasn't good.
Worst of all, I was worried that whatever it was, Shakespeare was going to give it to me! Bea assured me that her and I were both safe. “We take a brown yummy once a month and we're protected.” she said. I couldn't understand why, if it was that easy to avoid whatever it was that made Vonnie so upset, every dog didn't do it. According to Bea, “It's up to your people. They have to know to give it to you. That's why dogs bring their people here to the clinic, to learn about that stuff.” Sometimes the sheer volume of information Bea has astounds me.
So, today Shakespeare was being treated for heartworms. He'd already been on the humming table for heart pictures and now was the day of his pinch.
I watched as he got the poke with the metal stick. He cried a little but then he didn't fall asleep. In fact, all day long he just yelled at Vonnie to pet him, and to take him outside and to feed him and to brush him... I don't think he stopped yelling all day! It took everything I had not to join in. As we were leaving for the night, Shakespeare said his back was sore, but all in all, he felt fine. I'm glad Shakespeare got to get rid of his heartworms, and that he found a happy new home with Vonnie. I just wish that his treatment had cured him of his voice too.
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