AMA

My first appointment this morning was a dog that had gotten out of her backyard for about 10 minutes, and came back acting stunned and disoriented. She came in the house and layed down while pooping herself.

The owner has only had her a few weeks, and she and her kids were already very attatched. She had a 1 year old and a 4 year old. I examined the dog very thoroughly looking for clues. I was thinking seizure? toxin? trauma? but the dog was completely back to normal.

I couldn't find anything to treat, so I recommended she leave the dog with me for observation, at least for the morning. I was fairly sure she would get much adult observation if she went home. I took the cute little terrier back with me and set her up in a cage.

A few minutes later my tech was getting her out again, telling me that the woman changed her mind because her kids didn't want to leave the dog. I could hear a tantrum happening in the lobby. Seriously? I said. She's letting the kids decide? It's sweet that they love the dog that much, but how long would this tantrum truly last?

After my last morning appointment, I saw them all trooping back in the door. My tech brought the dog back to me, and her face was all red and swollen. Her eyelids were like pink, fat balloons, and her lip was blown up to comic effect. "Poor baby, you must've gotten stung by a bee this morning!" I told her as I gave her an IV shot of fast acting steroid and an antihistamine.

I took her back up front, and explained the pain of the sting must've caused the weird morning symptoms, then later the facial swelling. "We all woke up from our morning nap and she looked like this!" she said. "I guess I should have left her with you." That's what I was thinking...at least it would have saved you a trip!