Going it alone sucks sometimes, well most of the time actually

Last week we had a little problem with one of the dogs. My sweet little Gabrielle was bit by something out in the backyard. I didn't know it was a bite until later. She had a lump on her throat on Wednesday or so that was smaller than a golf ball. I tried all day on Thursday to get an appointment at the base vet clinic but their phone is ALWAYS busy. So along comes Friday and with it normal everyday life. Unsurprisingly, I forgot about Gabbi’s lump. Sunday night rolls around the kids are sleeping and I’m getting the house closed up and turned off, I let the dogs out to go potty before bed. They come back in and I say goodnight to Gabbi and pet her. That’s when I feel it, the lump that was smaller than a golf ball is now about the size of a hefty orange. In less than a week it more than quadrupled in size.

First thing Monday morning I call 2 different vets clinics to get her seen and they are both booked for the day but one will squeeze her in for an urgent appointment fee. Leaving the crazy puppy locked in the kennel barking at home, I take the now semi-lethargic Gabrielle to the vet clinic with all three girlies in tow. Naturally the girls start to get scared; they don’t want her to die. The vet comes in and takes a look at her throat; he says that he thinks she got bit by something most likely a snake and that the lump is filled with fluid, (puss) eww ok. So to be sure he leaves the room and comes back with a needle to draw out a sample, sure enough his suspicions are confirmed. Yuck! So he proceeds to tell me that they will have to sedate her and place a couple of drains in her throat, ok not a problem. The tech or assistant, whatever she’s called, comes back in so I can sign the paperwork and tells me that they will put her to sleep for the procedure. Not the best choice of words when there are three little girls in the room. Of course they get scared again seeing as they had a dog that got put to “sleep” 7 months ago.

When I arrive back at the clinic to pick her up she is still drunk from the anesthesia and the vet doesn’t think it wise for me to take her just yet, I totally agree. But he does talk to me about how everything went; he estimated that more than 8 ounces came out of her neck. She is doing well all things considered; she is on two different anti-biotic meds and will have the drains for a few more days. But that’s not all…

Now I can’t get the lawn mower started again. I got the side yard around my garden and compost bin mowed and half of the front yard before the heat got to be too much for me. 90+ degrees pushing a lawn mower isn’t a lot of fun. I came in to get a big glass of water and cool off a bit before finishing the front and now the damn thing is staging its own personal coup. Hopefully I’ll get it running again soon. If Gabbi did get bit by a snake it would have been in the back, so I need to get it mowed.