So we were dog sitting my sisters two Yorkies last weekend, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and I am reminded of why I wouldn’t get a pet anytime soon. Before I explain why, let me take you back 10 years ago. My sister and brother-in-law moved to St. Paul the same time I did so we found a place to live together. The dogs were three (Peanut) and two (Jelly) years-old at the time, which put them at 21 and 14 in dog years. They were lively and energetic much like I was as a 20-something. I lived with them for about three years and grew fond of both.
Tiny little Peanut in particular is a very smart dog that could tell you what he wanted if you presented him multiple choices. He would come up to my sister to get her attention. My sister would ask if he wanted some food… nothing… wanted to go outside… nothing… wanted to play… bingo! He would start pawing the ground with all four feet as if to say “Yes.”
Fast forward to this past weekend. I don’t get to see Peanut often anymore, but when I do he looks the same docile, four-pounder I knew way back when. Before they left for a mini-vacation, my sister let me know that Peanut was having some struggles… couldn’t hear very well and not responsive… moved a little slower than usual. In other words, he was getting old.
So when we noticed bloody paw prints he was leaving, there was cause for concern. I looked at his paws and couldn’t find a cut. He doesn’t do multiple choice anymore so even he couldn’t tell me what was going on. So I thought maybe he got a small cut on his foot and it got better. The next day it happened again. When I went to pick him up to do an inspection, I noticed he hadn’t even moved all day long. I knew this because he was sitting in his pee. The blood was coming from a torn nail it turned out and Peanut was in too much pain to move. So I made my first international call ever (dial 011 first if you ever find yourself in the position) to let me my sister know and what I should do.
Like a concerned mom, my sister told me to take him to the Vet emergency clinic right away since he was in so much pain. My first question was, “Do I need proof of insurance?” (when you have kids, you need insurance). Nope. Just pay out of pocket.
So at 11 PM on Friday night, Peanut and I headed over to the clinic. As I pulled in, I noticed another guy parking at the same time. I was hoping this would take about 30 minutes so I quickly got us in before he and his lyme disease-stricken dog could check-in. I told the gal at the reception desk what was going on and she brought us into a room where she assured me the doctor would see us “as soon as possible.”
When you really think about it, as soon as possible is a very misleading phrase. It gives the receiver hope. We only say as soon as possible when we know it’s not going to be right away. In fact, if it was going to be right away, we would say “right away.” So next time you hear “as soon as possible,” plan for the worse.
Which is what I did… brought the wife’s Nook Color just so I could play Angry Birds. As Peanut and I waited in the room with the door open, I could hear everything that was going on in the other rooms and at the reception desk. A woman was given bad news about her dog and she was crying because she knew what that meant. An assistant went over to the room to see the dog with lyme disease, who checked-in after us by the way. Thirty minutes into crashing birds into brick and mortar (which is ironic to do at a Vet clinic), a woman that had been waiting a whole ten minutes went to complain at the front desk about how long it was taking. Apparently her cat had just peed on the floor and demanded the drug to ease her cat’s pain. Since it was something so simple, she wanted to go the front of the line apparently. It felt like I was watching Grey’s Anatomy and Marley and Me at the same time.
About an hour into it, the assistant finally took a look at Peanut. She was more concerned about other things like his glaucoma and bloodshot eyes. She addressed a few more things and though I did notice then how cloudy his eyes were, I told her to just fix his toe for now. It felt like a mechanic trying to get me to buy a new car battery, radiator, and shocks even though I was just getting my oil changed. Then I heard it again, “The doctor will see Peanut as soon as possible.”
That was my queue to go eat some refreshments. As I was deciding between the complimentary Milky Way or bag of chips, the gal who was crying earlier got her lifeless dog back. It must have been a small dog like Peanut because they had it in a small white box like something you’d get at the local grocery store deli if you ordered an 8-piece chicken meal. She was balling her eyes as they handed her the box.
Milky Way if you were wondering.
Finally the vet came in. As soon as possible was this time only 30 minutes. He told me the procedure, that it would cost around $350 (for a toe nail!), and that they would do it “right away.” Booyah! I signed a few forms, they took Peanut away, and I went over to the lobby. About an hour later Peanut was back with a bandage on his paw. The receptionist gave me the dreaded words, “We’ll write up the receipt, get you his medicine, and discharge him as soon as possible.” Finally at 2 AM we headed home... the good news was it only cost $240. A pricey pedi if you ask me. (Do you lye critogel?)
Here’s the reason my I wouldn’t get a pet anytime soon. Peanut and I were essentially the same age when we first met. Ten years later I’m a little chubbier, have kids and more on my plate, but I have not gone through a lifetime like Peanut has in such a short period. He’s been on earth for 13 years, which is 91 in dog years. He is nearing the end of his life. I don’t know how people sign up to own a pet knowing that beforehand.
The next night after I had taken his bandage off, he finally strolled over to his bowl of food. With his tongue sticking out (all of his teeth needed to be taken out earlier this year), he slurped his watered down food. I stood there like a personal care assistant in a senior home watching him. It’s a straight line from bowl to bed, but Peanut stumbled and zig-zagged his way back. It was tougher to see him try to negotiate the four-inch climb up his bed. He got up and just about fell back off. After a few grunts he laid down.
It’s sad to know that Peanut is nearing the end especially since it only seemed like yesterday he was looking to play with you. I just hope that Death may not visit him right away, but more like as soon as possible.
(picture of Peanut and Jake as a baby will be posted later)
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