A Dog Mom.....

It seems like I've always been a dog mom...and for a while I was a cat mom too. They are like our children, they just have an extra set of legs and are a bit more furry, that's all. Last winter was a bad one for me and getting that rotten cold that was going around really set me behind schedule in a lot of things. Getting my dog her shots and license was one of them. June 1st, the license fee doubles so I made the appointment and took my dog in there. They are always so happy riding in the car, heads trying to get out the window. I don't put my window down much, so about all she can get out is her nose. But that's enough to make her happy....lots of smells out there to check out. As soon as we pull into the parking lot of the vet's office, however, that happy demeanor changes. She's usually a ball of energy trying to smell every bit of grass and pavement and steps all the way to the door. Once inside, she starts to quiver and looks at me with those huge soulful eyes. We know what's best but its hard not to give in and take them back home right then.

The other dogs in the waiting room are courteous and quiet. I wonder what's going through their minds. Its fun to match up the dogs with their owners. The resemblance of dog and owner sometimes is surprising as well as humorous. Well, my dog wanted NO part of getting on the scale, which looks like a treadmill to me. She's rather small so they said they'd use the baby scale for her. She's a whopping 17 pounds when they finally weigh her, with every one of her claws grasping at whatever she can get ahold of to keep from standing on that scale. Her check-up is fine. Her tests are all fine. I get a new supply of heartworm preventative and flea preventative. She gets her nails trimmed. I bought one of those clippers, but have been so afraid to use it because some of her nails are all black and I can't see the vein. The vet also tells me that she's getting a bit of tarter build-up on her back teeth. I am amused at the fact that I leave that place with a "dog" toothbrush and a sample package of chicken flavored toothpaste. Yes, I will be brushing her teeth most every day that I remember to do it. Since its chicken flavored, I'm sure she'll let me. It kinda makes my stomach turn to think of brushing my teeth with chicken flavored toothpaste. I did ask the vet if I could use 'human' toothpaste on her and he emphatically said NO NO NO. The fluoride is bad for them. Hmmmmm....what about US, I wonder, but don't say anything. I guess I'd rather have minty fluoride than chicken flavored toothpaste.

I brought her back home and she curled up for a nap. It had been a big day for her little doggie self. Wait til she gets a load of the toothbrushing. In the meantime, I subtracted the $255 from my checkbook and wonder how people with 3 or 4 dogs can afford it.