I Am Thankful for the 3 Hour Wait for the Vet

Dagney laid lethargic on my lap. Obviously, something had her out-of-sorts but there were no obvious signs of the cause.

We had spent the day outside pruning the tall grasses to prepare them for the new growth that spring promised. Dagney had frolicked and enjoyed the warmest weather we had experinced in months but in the early evening, she wasn't her normal self. I noticed she was drinking more water than usual and several times awakened with a raspy dry cough.

Since 9:30 p.m. is her bewitching hour, we decided to go to bed and monitor her throughout the night. Unfortunately, there was a lot of monitoring going on. Her cough grew more persistent and repeatedly she jumped from our bed to get a drink. Each time, I got up with her without any ideas of how to provide relief.

The next morning, I mentioned that it seemed like she had something caught in her throat. My husband wondered if our baby girl might have swallowed some cheat grass. I did what any concerned mother would do and searched Google for information about the harms of cheat grass.

"When a grass awn is embedded, the body responds with inflammation. Cells begin to wall off the area to contain a potential infection, forming an abscess. . . Embedded grass awns can lead to serious infections and other complications.

If you notice these or any other signs of illness in your dog, contact your veterinarian right away. Let your vet know if your dog has been around tall grasses. The sooner a grass awn is found, the easier it is to treat. Do not wait for the problem to resolve on its own.

If your dog is having respiratory issues, digestive problems, or other general signs of illness but a foreign body cannot be found on the exam, then X-rays may be needed. Blood and urine may be tested to see if there is an impact on organ function or blood cells. An ultrasound may also be needed to visualize the inside of the body."

- The Spruce Pets (This link provides some helpful information.)

For future reference, Google searches tend to provide enough information to sound alarm sirens in the brain. I closed the laptop with the declaration, “We are going to the vet.”

Since it was Sunday, our normal veterinarian’s office was closed so we called the Humane Society. They were open and accepting patients on a first come first served basis. When we arrived, there were about six animals waiting so we took up residence for the morning.

Dagney suddenly reminded me of all the times I had taken sick children to the doctor. She immediately became inquisitive of her surroundings and acted like a pup wanting to play. I have never understood why kids and dogs suddenly seem to improve when they are in the doctor’s office.

The first hour she coughed several times so we waited patiently.

The second hour her coughing became, less violent and occurred less often.

After two and a half hours, we went outside for a potty break. During our short walk her symptoms were almost nonexistent except for a sneeze.

As we walked back into the building, the receptionist called Dagney’s name and took us to an exam room – not one of Dag’s favorite places. She is such a temperamental baby; she cowered and crawled into Randy’s arm for protection. After a nurse weighed her, she left in the room for 20 minutes.

Freedom at last, a room with doors, allowed Dagney to expore. The leash was removed and for the first time in nearly three hours Dagney walked around without restriction and never coughed once.

It was a miracle! She had been cured. The only concern we noticed was her anxiety about the environment. I looked at my husband and said, “You know she is doing great now. Right?” A couple minutes later, “Do you think we should leave?” His quiet response told me he was thinking.

Then after another 10 minutes of waiting with no human in sight and no coughing to be heard, I looked at my husband questioningly. He responded with a shrug and said, “Might as well go.” So go we went.

The staff at the front desk were all busy for the several minutes we waiting to inform them we were leaving so we simply walked out the front door saving ourselves a hefty vet bill and rescuing Dagney from any further prodding. I suppose they were relieved to have one less task to complete if they even noticed our departure.

• We learned several lessons that will guide us in the future.
• Cheat grass can be harmful to dogs.
• Monitor and observe pets when they seem ill.
• Don’t expect a quick vet visit on a Sunday.
• When you dog feels bad, take advantage of the extra love and cuddles.

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My retirement hobby is to write stories that make readers laugh and appreciate the love of their furfriends.

Belief Statement: Humans make life too complicated. If we want to appreciate life, watch a dog for a day. They don't over think problems, perseverate on the impossible, worry about outcomes, or hold back affection. They see what they want, sniff it, lick it, roll in it and accept it.

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Happy tails. :)