14 December

Stitches Out For Zinnia: I Miss My Vet

by Jon Katz

Maria took Zinnia to the vet today to get the stitches taken out two weeks after her spaying. We avoided the dread hood by using inflatable collars, which worked well.

Zinnia and I celebrated by doing some ball-tossing, which she loves.

I haven’t actually seen Dr. Fariello for months, not since the pandemic erupted last March. The new protocol is to pull up, call and let them know you’re there, and a tech will come out and get the dog.

You wait in the car until they’ve seen the dog, treated him or her, and they bring the dog back out, take your credit card in. Sometimes Dr.  Fariello comes out to talk to the dog owners.

I understand the need for it but dislike it. I had many wonderful conversations with Suzanne, they were not only fun, but they helped us cement a critically important relationship that was so helpful to me and to the dogs.

I haven’t had a real conversation with her about my dogs for nearly a year, and I miss it, and I imagine the dogs may one day miss it as well.

I’m happy the vaccine is coming out. This should be a day of a great celebration of American know-how, but our days are filled with grievance and suspicion. Sad.

Zinnia is healthy as a horse, as they say. If she even noticed the spaying, she never showed it. When she got home, I took her out to the side pasture and threw the ball until her tongue was hanging off of the ground. Very happy to have her back to normal.

She is snoring at my feet.

4 Comments

  1. I am glad Zinnia can run and play again. We also got the inflatable collar for our new rescue, which was great. At my vet, we have a conversation during the visit over the cell phone from our car, sometimes for 10-15 minutes. It’s not as good as in-person but we appreciate the vet taking the time to talk to us about our options, especially since one of our dogs is 16+ and aging.

  2. I feel very lucky that my vet comes out to the parking lot and talks to me after she sees my dog. The vet surgeon that did the speciality surgery on my old dog did the same thing. Really appreciate it.

  3. Yes, there is so much missed when you cannot talk to your veterinarian face to face.
    Yes, of course, you have a conversation with vet after the fact but what is done `~ is done.
    You do not have the ability to arbitrate with vet as to the procedures (he or she) takes in
    an exam or treatment, leaving perhaps mistakes that can be made after the fact.
    I can say the same for humans in a hospital environment at this time.

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