Dog ownership is a bit more complicated than cat ownership.
You mommies and daddies of puppies know of which I speak.
Toby the Puppy went to the doctor this morning. He suddenly had lost his appetite. He was still full of his usual spunk and affection. His disposition was as sunny — and goofy — as always.
He just wasn’t eating. He also was spitting up a little bit. It was clear. Nothing foreboding in whatever it was he was coughing up.
With our kitties, we might not have panicked. Well, we didn’t actually panic last night and this morning. But we felt strangely compelled to take him to the doctor’s office this morning. We didn’t have an appointment, so we had to wait for the veterinarian to “work him in” between surgeries and other appointments.
We got to the doc’s office when it opened. The doc showed up a few minutes later. A few minutes after that, they called for Toby.
The vet tech asked: What do you want to do? I asked: What are the options? Blood work, she said, or we could just “treat him symptomatically.”
Let’s go with the blood work and take it from there.
Twenty minutes later, we got the results. He’s fine, the doctor said. A little dehydrated. He’s just got some kind ofĀ bug.
He got a shot for the nausea and a shot of fluid that would be absorbed into his system to hydrate him.
I went to work this afternoon and then returned home.
“Tell Daddy you’re feeling better,” my wife instructed Toby as I walked into the house.
He jumped all over me. Yes, he’s better.
So help me, this puppy is likeĀ caring forĀ a baby all over again.
Well … almost.