As you know if you’ve ever read any of my blog posts, I’m a big lover of the Cleveland Road Animal Hospital and Pet Hotel daycare. (You can read about why, by clicking here.) They love me there. They think I’m so cute, and well, I am. But I have never had the opportunity, or misfortune depending on how you look at it, to go to the medical side of the clinic. That changed on Saturday, March 17th. (Incidentally that is Saint Patrick’s Day but apparently I don’t have the Luck of the Irish with me.) Don’t get me wrong, everyone there was perfectly professional, but honestly, who likes to go to the doctor?
When my mom, Wendi (the founder of this blog), asked me to go on a ride in the morning, I was pretty excited. Then as we turned onto Cleveland Road — well, I only know it is Cleveland Road because Mom has told me — the road that takes me to doggie daycare, I got really excited. But when we got out of the car and went to the other side of the building, I realized this was not a normal daycare kind of day.
We checked in at the desk and then waited for the vet tech. She had me step on the scale — I’m 23.3 pounds — and then took us into an exam room. I didn’t want to go in, but Mom made me. When she closed the door behind me, I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore! I jumped up on the bench that Mom was sitting on, I hoped that would calm me down.
The vet tech asked Mom how I was doing and if there were any concerns. If she had asked me I would have told her I had plenty of concerns. Like why did they close the door? Where were my friends, Diesel and Sam? Why did this room not smell anything like the Cleveland Road Animal Hospital and Pet Hotel that I knew? What was going to happen to me today!?!
Mom said all was good and that I was just here for a check up and vaccination. I don’t know what vaccination means, but I didn’t think it sounded good. The vet tech sat next to me and put her hand on my chest, by my leg. I don’t know what she was doing. It didn’t hurt, just made me nervous. She sat there a few minutes and said I was good. (Mom told me later she was checking my pulse and breathing, which must be important to know.)
Then she left. While she was gone, I jumped off the bench and started sniffing around. Again, I was wondering what was going on.
I felt a little more comfortable, but then the vet came in. He seemed very nice, at least Mom thought so. She didn’t have him poking and prodding at her, like he did me! The vet took this thing and put one end on my chest and the other ends in his ears. He said my heart sounded good. But I also let him hear a little bit of my growl. Not too much, but enough to show him that I wasn’t the least bit happy.
The vet tech (I was too nervous to get her name) was surprised to hear me voice my concerns with the growl. Mom warned her and the vet that when I’m not happy I can definitely let that be known. First by growling, then by barking ferociously and then if none of that works, I use my teeth. Which from what the doctor said, look really good, although I am starting to get some plaque on my upper canines.
Things did not improve when he pulled out a device with a light on the end. He looked in one ear and then I could tell he was headed to look at the next. I again loudly voiced my displeasure, but no one seemed to care. When he looked into my eyes, that was the last straw! They must have realized I was done cooperating because he put the silly thing away. He said I was looking good. My weight was good and I was pretty healthy.
But I guess a clean bill of health doesn’t mean I got out of there. Oh, no, they had to give me an oral vaccine and then a shot! What! Who said anything about a shot?
I also had to have blood drawn for the heartworm test. The vet tech told Mom she would take me to the back to have that done. Mom again warned her about how testy I can be. She said she would use a muzzle on me when she drew blood. Mom couldn’t come back with us and I’m glad. But she told me she could hear me. I barked and squealed while they were taking my blood. They finished with me and a different vet tech brought me back to Mom.
I tell you what, I couldn’t get out of that room fast enough. In fact, I couldn’t wait to leave the building, but Mom had to stop out front and take care of the paperwork business. I heard her talking with another vet tech about how she was glad that I only had to have this done once a year. Let me tell, she is not half as glad as I am! I love Cleveland Road Pet Hotel, but you can keep the hospital away from me.
Note from my mom: While Owney wrote the above about his visit to Cleveland Road Animal Hospital and Pet Hotel, I wanted to share my perspective. Everyone was very calm with Owney, even when he was getting a little testy. Though they had never seen Owney act this way, they didn’t let that bother them. They handled his objections and my trepidation well. I am glad Owney is healthy and only needed a check up and vaccination. I prefer him having fun with his friends in daycare and not being nervous seeing the doctor. However, the care we received was stellar.
