This morning we had to take Major Tom and Sirocco to the vet for their annual exam and heartworm testing.
Let me start off by saying Sirocco loves everybody. If anyone comes to the house, he has to say hello, and get a few pets before anything else can be done. If he doesn’t get to say hello he pouts and whines (loudly!) the entire time the person is visiting. He is a sweet and sociable dog, if not a bit demanding. He settles right down if he gets a little attention to start off with.
That being said, Sirocco does not like the vet. Our vet is the only person I’ve ever seen Sirocco snap at, well aside from the time he snapped at me, but that was over food. Our vet committed the sin of sticking a rod up Sirocco’s butt to get a fecal sample so they could do a heartworm test. I can’t say as I blame Sirocco. I wouldn’t want anyone shoving anything up my butt either. (No, I’ve not had a colonoscopy, nor do I ever wish to have one, despite the fact that my doctor keeps advocating that I get one.)
As soon as the rod came out, Sirocco started growling at the vet. I held Sirocco and had his face toward me when the vet came up from behind and placed a stethoscope on his ribs. The intent was to listen to Sirocco’s heart to make sure it was working properly. Sirocco didn’t take it that way. He whipped around and snapped at the vet, still growling. The vet decided to not take any chances and put a muzzle on the dog.
Today, the vet’s assistant was on the floor playing with Sirocco before his appointment. He was excited and having fun. Then it came time for his appointment. The assistant said there was a note in Sirocco’s file that he needed a muzzle and got one on him before they started anything. He was a little better behaved this time around, whether because the assistant was playing with him beforehand or because of the muzzle I don’t know.
As soon as the assistant was finished and the muzzle came off, Sirocco was ready to leave. He tried leaping off the exam table. I managed to catch him mid-air before he landed on the wife. The vet came in and finished the exam, but Sirocco squirmed during it. I guess he remembers the vet and the rod procedure well enough to be wary. He was very happy to get off the exam table and back to the wife.
Major Tom, on the other hand, had no problems. He wasn’t happy about getting a fecal sample collected but he took it like a champ.
In the end, they both got a clean bill of health but the vet did say they could each lose a few pounds.
If you have furry companions, I hope they are doing well, my Hordeling.
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