Poulet

Is it Pollo, Galinha, Huhn, Kylling, Kyckling or Poulet? I know for a fact it would be delicious and that I am not allowed to eat the chicken. Yes, chicken at least I think it is a chicken. It is definitely a girl. It laid an egg to prove it. My first thought when I saw the egg was awesome a pupu before the main course this is my kind of chick-en!

I know you are wondering, just exactly how did we come by such an odd patient? Well my friends that is one turkey of a tail. You see a very nice lady came in carrying a box the other day, she said she had found a broken bird and thought it better see a vet. When my mom asked what kind of a bird it was, the nice lady replied, “well I believe it is a chicken”. Did someone say dinner? I have heard of pizza delivery, but chicken delivery wow!!! I am not surprised we are a first class establishment why wouldn’t we get our chicken delivered fresh daily. I was so excited about having chicken for dinner, I was already dreaming of how we could cook it. Let see BBQ, no breaded maybe... then I heard mom say to the lady “let me take it in the back and show it to the vet so we can see how to help you”. What? Wait! I will eat it just like that. Mom left carrying my dinner and it didn’t sound like chicken was going to be on the menu. 

When mom came back up she told the women that my dad said the leg was badly fractured and would need a splint, either that, or we could help it go to sleep. My dad thought it had very good chance of healing and my mom was so excited about the chicken that some how we ended up with a new pet and my dad ended up setting a fracture. I ended up watching my mom nurse dinner, I mean the chicken, during the rest of the afternoon. Dad consulted with our resident bird lady and started it on medications for pain and since it was an open fracture they made sure to start it on antibiotics. I started to chase my tail since my mind could not believe that my mom wanted to keep this chicken and get it healthy enough to find it a forever home. It doesn’t need a home you crazy women, it needs a plate and a little salt and pepper. 

I think this is where I should tell you a little something I have eluded to on more then one occasion. I am going to come right out and say it, MOM, YOUR A NUT!!! I love you, but really this is a new one even for you. The icing on the cake tonight was when the bird mom is calling Poulet (french for chicken) laid an egg. My sister was doing a little jig and my brother was taking a photo of the egg like it was a newborn baby. I must confess, I feel somewhat guilty, but I was hoping in all the fuss, it would fall out of the cage and I could help clean it off the floor. I know, I know but I am a dog, a reasonable one, but a dog none-the-less. Ok a little more maybe, I can type. You know what I mean, right?

Well it seems that we are now the proud owners of a chicken. My dad got it all set up for pain medications and a feeding schedule to help it heal quickly. My brother Jenner got an upstairs flat mate and me, I got one cup of sensitive skin dry dog food in a ceramic bowl for dinner. I protested, and just licked the floor to show my family that this was not “chicken ala king” and I was not happy. Then my stomach growled loud enough to scare me, so ate my food despite my disappointment. I also made a decision I will be enlisting the help of Queso, Salsa, Jenner and Rome in my great chicken caper.....Are you ready boys? Let the chicken hunting begin. ~RUFF

Time marches on.

Where does the time go when it ticks away. We grow taller, wider, smarter, we take trips, go to work and we often wake up one day and the years have passed us by. It is in these revelations that we can choose to change course. We find ourselves standing before new doors nervous but excited about the endless possibilities that stretch out before us. Each day at the hospital is like standing in front of a new door, waiting for what each minute might bring.

We get to have this experience everyday at the hospital, when someone brings home that new puppy or kitten. They are thinking about how fun this new adventure is going to be and what they want to teach their new pet. They wonder how to keep them healthy and safe. Is this new little bundle a fresh start? Could this be a precursor to having a child?  Can they take care of something? Can they afford it? All of these questions and yet all the while time passes and the questions get answered and new ones arise. The puppy is now a dog and begins on a journey. The kitten has used up a life or two in its forward march to become a cat and to reign supreme over its family.

We watch as they age, they have illnesses and setbacks, but still they march forward keeping step with time. We watch as they begin to gray around their muzzles. We notice they don't seem as heavy as we carry them across room to the window ledge. They have trouble getting into the car and start to slow down. They sleep a little more and they eat a little less. Then suddenly you realize that time has crept ahead of them and they are starting to fall behind. The last grains of sand are spilling quickly though the hourglass and soon the last of their time will pass through and they will reach their end. It is then we find ourselves speeding through the movie reel of their lives lingering on the good times, a stick caught, a road trip taken, a gift of a gecko each morning by your bed and we speed through the boring or sad times. While we are heavy with grief and loss we arrive with them together to bid farewell.  It is as if we are standing on the dock, bidding them well until we meet again as they sail on ahead of us to where time stands still.

We have had to make the long walk with our clients over the years, guiding them on how to say goodbye, and while it is never easy it helps me to know that is the one thing that we can do for our beloved pets that we can not do for our own species. We help ease their pain and help them move ever forward. Pets are in our lives for such a short amount of time in the overall course of our lives. They teach us how to love and live and in their passing they teach us how to die. With grace and dignity, without want or need for anything but LOVE!