Thursday, July 26, 2007

Sick as a dog

Question: What's the difference between a dog and a dustbin?

Answer: Not a lot. Especially if your name is Wilson.

Who knows what has gone down his gullet - and it's probably better not to ask. Things fowl and fetid certainly - and yes, I have a vague recollection that he was seen licking up 'used' hen food with a fervour usually reserved for collectors of rare and esoteric objects.

As ever it would it ends in tears, or if not in tears, with invoices and £££ signs. Wilson and his aching belly, which rang like a drum, have been to the vet. The vet (hardly out of short trousers) adopts a stern face beyond his years and warns of bloating, twisting stomachs, sudden death. I am alarmed. No punches left unpulled in this practice obviously.

Wilson is x-rayed and endoscoped. There is no obstruction in the throat (hurrah) and what can be seen of the stomach through the mass of herbage he's snarfed as an emetic reveals inflamation. Poor dog. Things will be prescribed.

Wilson of course knows none of this - only what instinct tells him; pain hurts and that dog pharmacopeia leads him to anything green. I wish the other bit of animal wisdom would kick in - lie low and rest.

6 comments:

Mopsa said...

Poor Wilson. I find that a tablespoon of live natural yogurt with all that healthy lactobacillus acidophilus is a great tonic on occasions like this. For the dogs, you understand, not the wallet-slapped humans.

Milkmaid said...

Hes not a Lab by any chance, a few days light diet if that is poss, mine (terriers) somehow always find foul cow after birth to chew on, this normally leads to trouble at the rear end

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Poor thing!

vets always give worst case scenarios, especially when they're straight out of college.

mountainear said...

Thanks, Mopsa, for the yoghurt tip - good common sense suggestion, I'll give it a try.

M'maid - an English Bull Terrier. Eat first think afterwards.

And M & M - how true - though I always think I'm being sold some other treatment, which when it might involve surgery I think is a bit unethical.

Cait O'Connor said...

Poor doggie. They always like eating the muckiest stuff don't they? Our lurcher loves drinking the filthiest water he can find. Yes I would starve him for a day and the live yogurt is a great tip. Hope he is better soon.
Caitx

snailbeachshepherdess said...

Don't they just tear your heart strings when they are unwell? Hope he is better soon and the vet's bill remains unshockable!