Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Letting the Side Down

Canis Dafticus has allergies. He has been chewing on his presumably itchy feet for about a week and a half now. Last week I started him on Benadryl (you wouldn't believe how much Benadryl a dog can take, and it doesn't slow him down one bit!), but he had gnawed a very sore spot on one of his feet. It wasn't looking any better today, so I took him to the vet.

Talk about pathetic.

Canis Dafticus may look quite fierce--he is a husky/german shepherd mix, so he has a rather wolfish look to him, and he's quite large, pushing 70 lbs--but he (like many men I know) is a complete wimp at heart.

The whining began when I put him in the car without his beloved sister, Canis Feisticus. It went on, full volume, until he was safely back in the car and on the way home.

We put him in the car to go to the park, no problem, no whining, much excitement and tail wagging. Put him (or both of them) in the car to go to the vet, and somehow he knows. There must be something in my body language that says "VET" loud and clear.

Once at the vet, he dug his claws into the linoleum and refused to enter the building. He had to be dragged into the exam room, where he promptly hid under the bench I was sitting on. His full, bushy tail, which is usually curled in a lovely tight loop over his back was practically inverted, down between his legs so far it was covering up his nether regions. He peed when we lifted him onto the exam table. The vet knows Canis Dafticus quite well after being soaked on his first couple of visits--Canis Dafticus gets taken into the back room and examined on a grated table with a sink underneath, and has a yellow label on his chart that says, "Submissive Pee-er."
Once on the table with a vet assistant leaning over him to hold him still, he buried his head between my arm and my side and whined even louder. After a physical exam, an ear cleaning, and an allergy shot, Canis Dafticus was more than ready to go home.

I would much rather take Canis Feisticus to the vet. She's not a wimp. She "talks" to the vet in her howly way, and wags her tail at him and eagerly accepts a treat (hmmm....maybe Canis Dafticus isn't the daft one after all...). In short, she doesn't embarrass me. Or the rest of her gender.

Poor boy. I know he's scared, but he makes males everywhere look bad!

12 comments:

susan said...

Poor baby!

Jazz said...

Yes, I always feel so bad taking him there...like I've betrayed his trust for taking somewhere he's so truly afraid of. He doesn't seem to hold a grudge, though. Still, I wish I could explain to him that it's for his own good and that it's not going to hurt!

sbwrites said...

Jazz,
I really miss my dogs. Your post makes me smile.

Susan

Mariah said...

Well, there *is* a generally known assumption that females always take pain better.

Jazz said...

Susan--
Glad I made you smile!

Jazz said...

Mariah--
Yes, I have seen evidence to this fact played out in my own family numerous times! If men had to have babies, we wouldn't have all these problems with overpopulation!

Monica Cassani said...

very cute story...my cats are the ones with serious vet problems...our dog is happy to go anywhere any time...though she once snapped at a vet and now they muzzle her, poor thing...

she is the sweetest thing in the world and would never bite anyone but I guess they have a right to feel safe!! but yeah, that was embarrassing too...her file is labeled "BITES" and it's really not true...the thing is when she snapped they were sticking something up her arse!!

who wouldn't snap!

Jazz said...

Gianna--
Poor thing! I've been known to snap at people trying to shove things up my arse!

My parents had a dog who absolutely loved going to see the vet. I always told my mum it was because she was a bit soft in the head. The dog, I mean, not my mum!

It's a good thing Canis Dafticus hasn't tried to bite them...he's too much of a wimp to even try. I'm not sure his fragile ego could handle being muzzled as well!

Anonymous said...

My dog hates the vet. We have to muzzle her. She freezes as soon as she gets in the entryway. Last time we went to the vet they took her without me. It made me nervous. No way I would let them do that with a child...but alas, she isn't a child.

Jazz said...

Naturalgal--
I tried a different vet who was a lot closer to me (5 minute drive vs. 25 minute drive) for the dogs' spring checkup, but they took the dogs in back without me...I didn't like that, so I have gone back to making the 25 minute hike to our old vet...when he takes Canis Dafticus in back to the grated table, I come along and help hold him.

Annie said...

Jazz, I understand the hassle, I had a Springer who was a baby at the vets as well. Your post was so fun to read, great writing! Love those peopledogs! Annie

Jazz said...

Annie--
I love how you call them "peopledogs"...they are, aren't they, with their funny little ways and their distinct personalities.